Altered limbic functional connectivity in individuals with subjective cognitive decline: Converging and diverging findings across Chinese and German cohorts

Xueyan Jiang, Xiaochen Hu, Marcel Daamen, Xiaoqi Wang, Chunqiu Fan, Dix Meiberth, Annika Spottke, Sandra Roeske, Klaus Fliessbach, Eike Jakob Spruth, Slawek Altenstein, Andrea Lohse, Niels Hansen, Wenzel Glanz, Enise I. Incesoy, Laura Dobisch, Daniel Janowitz, Boris Stephan Rauchmann, Alfredo Ramirez, Ingo KilimannMatthias H. Munk, Xiao Wang, Luisa Sophie Schneider, Tatjana Gabelin, Nina Roy, Steffen Wolfsgruber, Luca Kleineidam, Stefan Hetzer, Peter Dechent, Michael Ewers, Klaus Scheffler, Holger Amthauer, Ralph Buchert, Markus Essler, Alexander Drzezga, Axel Rominger, Bernd J. Krause, Matthias Reimold, Josef Priller, Anja Schneider, Jens Wiltfang, Katharina Buerger, Robert Perneczky, Stefan Teipel, Christoph Laske, Oliver Peters, Emrah Düzel, Michael Wagner, Jiehui Jiang, Frank Jessen, Henning Boecker, Ying Han

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: It remains unclear whether functional brain networks are consistently altered in individuals with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and whether the network alterations are associated with an amyloid burden. METHODS: Cross-sectional resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging connectivity (FC) and amyloid-positron emission tomography (PET) data from the Chinese Sino Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Decline and German DZNE Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia cohorts were analyzed. RESULTS: Limbic FC, particularly hippocampal connectivity with right insula, was consistently higher in SCD than in controls, and correlated with SCD-plus features. Smaller SCD subcohorts with PET showed inconsistent amyloid positivity rates and FC–amyloid associations across cohorts. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest an early adaptation of the limbic network in SCD, which may reflect increased awareness of cognitive decline, irrespective of amyloid pathology. Different amyloid positivity rates may indicate a heterogeneous underlying etiology in Eastern and Western SCD cohorts when applying current research criteria. Future studies should identify culture-specific features to enrich preclinical Alzheimer's disease in non-Western populations. Highlights: Common limbic hyperconnectivity across Chinese and German subjective cognitive decline (SCD) cohorts was observed. Limbic hyperconnectivity may reflect awareness of cognition, irrespective of amyloid load. Further cross-cultural harmonization of SCD regarding Alzheimer's disease pathology is required.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4922-4934
Number of pages13
JournalAlzheimer's and Dementia
Volume19
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • amyloid deposition
  • Centiloid
  • cross-cultural harmonization
  • functional connectivity
  • hippocampus
  • insula
  • subjective cognitive decline

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Altered limbic functional connectivity in individuals with subjective cognitive decline: Converging and diverging findings across Chinese and German cohorts'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this