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Gray and white matter pathology progression in Parkinson's disease patients that develop mild cognitive impairment
Roqaie Moqadam, Houman Azizi, Yashar Zeighami, Mahsa Dadar. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-12-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
All included PD patients were cognitively normal at baseline and had 6 years of follow-up assessments available for cognitive status. During these 6 years, 47 patients developed MCI, while 265 remained cognitively normal. Figures 1A-B show the t-statistic maps of the regions that showed significantly greater rates of longitudinal atrophy, ventricular expansion, and WMH progression in patients that developed MCI compared against those that remained cognitively healthy following FDR correction. The observed differences for both atrophy and WMHs were the strongest in bilateral frontal regions as well as the accumbens areas (Table 1). Our results suggest that PD patients that develop MCI experience greater levels of pathology in both gray and white matter brain regions in the frontal lobes.
Key findings
- All included PD patients were cognitively normal at baseline and had 6 years of follow-up assessments available for cognitive status.
- During these 6 years, 47 patients developed MCI, while 265 remained cognitively normal.
- Figures 1A-B show the t-statistic maps of the regions that showed significantly greater rates of longitudinal atrophy, ventricular expansion, and WMH progression in patients that developed MCI compared against those that remained cognitively healthy following FDR correction.
- The observed differences for both atrophy and WMHs were the strongest in bilateral frontal regions as well as the accumbens areas (Table 1).
- Our results suggest that PD patients that develop MCI experience greater levels of pathology in both gray and white matter brain regions in the frontal lobes.
Why it matters
This study found that Parkinson's disease patients who developed mild cognitive impairment showed greater atrophy and white matter hyperintensity progression in frontal brain regions than those who remained cognitively healthy. This may help understand the pathology, but no treatment or cure is tested.
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants47
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for 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 s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 47 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 2 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 2 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Mahsa Dadar: h-index 40 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | McGill University: institution h-index 1,373 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41519606) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/alz70856_106745
- PubMed: 41519606
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Moqadam, R., Azizi, H., Zeighami, Y., & Dadar, M. (2025). Gray and white matter pathology progression in Parkinson's disease patients that develop mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz70856_106745
Vancouver
Moqadam R, Azizi H, Zeighami Y, Dadar M. Gray and white matter pathology progression in Parkinson's disease patients that develop mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz70856_106745. PMID: 41519606.
BibTeX
@article{moqadam2025-41519606,
author = {Moqadam, Roqaie and Azizi, Houman and Zeighami, Yashar and Dadar, Mahsa},
title = {{Gray and white matter pathology progression in Parkinson's disease patients that develop mild cognitive impairment}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz70856_106745},
pmid = {41519606},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz70856_106745}
}