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Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Lee ES, Yoo K, Lee YB, Chung J, Lim JE, Yoon B, Jeong Y, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders, 2016-10-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Default mode network (DMN) functional connectivity is one of the neuroimaging candidate biomarkers of Alzheimer disease. However, no studies have investigated DMN connectivity at different stages of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of DMN connectivity and its breakdown among cognitively normal (CN), early MCI (EMCI), and late MCI (LMCI) subjects. Methods Magnetic resonance imaging data and neuropsychological test scores from 130 subjects (CN=43, EMCI=47, LMCI=40) were obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. DMN functional connectivity was extracted using independent components analysis and compared between groups. Results Functional connectivity in the precuneus, bilateral medial frontal, parahippocampal, middle temporal, right superior temporal, and left angular gyri was decreased in EMCI subjects compared with CN subjects. When the 2 MCI groups were directly compared, LMCI subjects exhibited decreased functional connectivity in the precuneus, bilateral medial frontal gyri, and left angular gyrus. There was no significant difference in gray matter volume among the 3 groups. Amyloid-positive EMCI subjects revealed more widespread breakdown of DMN connectivity than amyloid-negative EMCI subjects. A quantitative index of DMN connectivity correlated well with measures of cognitive performance. Conclusions Our results suggest that the breakdown of DMN connectivity may occur in the early stage of MCI.
Key findings
- Results Functional connectivity in the precuneus, bilateral medial frontal, parahippocampal, middle temporal, right superior temporal, and left angular gyri was decreased in EMCI subjects compared with CN subjects.
- There was no significant difference in gray matter volume among the 3 groups.
- Amyloid-positive EMCI subjects revealed more widespread breakdown of DMN connectivity than amyloid-negative EMCI subjects.
- Conclusions Our results suggest that the breakdown of DMN connectivity may occur in the early stage of MCI.
Why it matters
In 130 participants, default mode network functional connectivity was decreased in early mild cognitive impairment compared with cognitively normal subjects and further decreased in late mild cognitive impairment, with no significant gray matter volume differences between groups. This is an imaging observation about network breakdown and does not test any treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants130
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 43/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer disease and associated disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (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 | 2016 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 130 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 85 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.1 citations a year over 12 year(s) since 2016 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 21 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Yong Jeong: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology: institution h-index 704 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 26840545) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 43 / 100 | — |
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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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Lee, E. S., Yoo, K., Lee, Y. B., Chung, J., Lim, J. E., Yoon, B., et al. (2016). Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000143
Vancouver
Lee ES, Yoo K, Lee YB, Chung J, Lim JE, Yoon B, et al. Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. 2016. doi:10.1097/wad.0000000000000143. PMID: 26840545.
BibTeX
@article{lee2016-26840545,
author = {Lee, E. S. and Yoo, K. and Lee, Y. B. and Chung, J. and Lim, J. E. and Yoon, B. and Jeong, Y. and {Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Early and Late Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
journal = {Alzheimer disease and associated disorders},
year = {2016},
doi = {10.1097/wad.0000000000000143},
pmid = {26840545},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000143}
}
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