Altered structural connectivity networks in dementia with lewy bodies.

Abstract:

The impairment of large-scale brain networks has been observed in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) using functional connectivity, but the potential for an analogous effect on structural covariance patterns has not been determined. Twenty-four probable DLB subjects (mean age 74.3 ± 6.7 years, 16.7% female) and 23 similarly aged Controls were included. All participants underwent 3T MRI imaging with high-resolution T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) sequence. Graph theoretical analyses were performed using variation in regional cortical thickness to construct a structural association matrix with pairwise Pearson correlations. Global and nodal graph parameters were computed to assess between-group differences and community structure was studied in order to quantify large-scale brain networks in both groups. In comparison to Controls, DLB subjects had decreased global efficiency, clustering, modularity and small-worldness of structural networks (all p