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Aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity architectures in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment
Wang P, Zhou B, Yao H, Zhan Y, Zhang Z, Cui Y, Xu K, Ma J et al.. Scientific reports, 2015-10-06
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and those with high-risk mild cognitive impairment are increasingly considered to have dysfunction syndromes. Large-scale network studies based on neuroimaging techniques may provide additional insight into AD pathophysiology. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impaired network functional connectivity with the disease progression. For this purpose, we explored altered functional connectivities based on previously well-defined brain areas that comprise the five key functional systems [the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), control network (CON), salience network (SAL), sensorimotor network (SMN)] in 35 with AD and 27 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects, compared with 27 normal cognitive subjects. Based on three levels of analysis, we found that intra- and inter-network connectivity were impaired in AD. Importantly, the interaction between the sensorimotor and attention functions was first attacked at the MCI stage and then extended to the key functional systems in the AD individuals. Lower cognitive ability (lower MMSE scores) was significantly associated with greater reductions in intra- and inter-network connectivity across all patient groups. These profiles indicate that aberrant intra- and inter-network dysfunctions might be potential biomarkers or predictors of AD progression and provide new insight into AD pathophysiology.
Key findings
- For this purpose, we explored altered functional connectivities based on previously well-defined brain areas that comprise the five key functional systems [the default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention network (DAN), control network (CON), salience network (SAL), sensorimotor network (SMN)] in 35 with AD and 27 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects, compared with 27 normal cognitive subjects.
- Based on three levels of analysis, we found that intra- and inter-network connectivity were impaired in AD.
- Lower cognitive ability (lower MMSE scores) was significantly associated with greater reductions in intra- and inter-network connectivity across all patient groups.
- These profiles indicate that aberrant intra- and inter-network dysfunctions might be potential biomarkers or predictors of AD progression and provide new insight into AD pathophysiology.
Why it matters
This imaging study found that connections within and between brain networks were impaired in people with Alzheimer's disease, and that the interaction between sensorimotor and attention functions was affected first at the mild cognitive impairment stage. The authors suggest these connectivity patterns might serve as biomarkers or predictors of disease progression, but this is a small study of 89 people and does not test any treatment.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Scientific reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Scientific Reports: journal h-index 463 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2015 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 141 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.8 citations a year over 13 year(s) since 2015 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 27 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Tianzi Jiang: h-index 91 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Chinese Academy of Sciences: institution h-index 1,801 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26439278) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wang, P., Zhou, B., Yao, H., Zhan, Y., Zhang, Z., Cui, Y., et al. (2015). Aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity architectures in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Scientific reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14824
Vancouver
Wang P, Zhou B, Yao H, Zhan Y, Zhang Z, Cui Y, et al. Aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity architectures in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Scientific reports. 2015. doi:10.1038/srep14824. PMID: 26439278.
BibTeX
@article{wang2015-26439278,
author = {Wang, P. and Zhou, B. and Yao, H. and Zhan, Y. and Zhang, Z. and Cui, Y. and Xu, K. and Ma, J. and others},
title = {{Aberrant intra- and inter-network connectivity architectures in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment}},
journal = {Scientific reports},
year = {2015},
doi = {10.1038/srep14824},
pmid = {26439278},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/srep14824}
}
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