Functional network resilience to pathology in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia.

ABSTRACT: The presymptomatic phase of neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by structural brain changes without significant clinical features. We set out to investigate the contribution of functional network resilience to preserved cognition in presymptomatic genetic frontotemporal dementia. We studied 172 people from families carrying genetic abnormalities in C9orf72, MAPT, or PGRN. Networks were extracted from functional MRI data and assessed using graph theoretical analysis. We found that despite loss of both brain volume and functional connections, there is maintenance of an efficient topological organization of the brain's functional network in the years leading up to the estimated age of frontotemporal dementia symptom onset. After this point, functional network efficiency declines mark

SUBMITTER: Rittman T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6491498 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature