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Magnetoencephalographic evaluation of resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease
Stam CJ, Jones BF, Manshanden I, van Cappellen van Walsum AM, Montez T, Verbunt JP, de Munck JC, van Dijk BW et al.. NeuroImage, 2006-07-11
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Statistical interdependencies between magnetoencephalographic signals recorded over different brain regions may reflect the functional connectivity of the resting-state networks. We investigated topographic characteristics of disturbed resting-state networks in Alzheimer's disease patients in different frequency bands. Whole-head 151-channel MEG was recorded in 18 Alzheimer patients (mean age 72.1 years, SD 5.6; 11 males) and 18 healthy controls (mean age 69.1 years, SD 6.8; 7 males) during a no-task eyes-closed resting state. Pair-wise interdependencies of MEG signals were computed in six frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, beta and gamma) with the synchronization likelihood (a nonlinear measure) and coherence and grouped into long distance (intra- and interhemispheric) and short distance interactions. In the alpha1 and beta band, Alzheimer patients showed a loss of long distance intrahemispheric interactions, with a focus on left fronto-temporal/parietal connections. Functional connectivity was increased in Alzheimer patients locally in the theta band (centro-parietal regions) and the beta and gamma band (occipito-parietal regions). In the Alzheimer group, positive correlations were found between alpha1, alpha2 and beta band synchronization likelihood and MMSE score. Resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease is characterized by specific changes of long and short distance interactions in the theta, alpha1, beta and gamma bands. These changes may reflect loss of anatomical connections and/or reduced central cholinergic activity and could underlie part of the cognitive impairment.
Key findings
- In the alpha1 and beta band, Alzheimer patients showed a loss of long distance intrahemispheric interactions, with a focus on left fronto-temporal/parietal connections.
- Functional connectivity was increased in Alzheimer patients locally in the theta band (centro-parietal regions) and the beta and gamma band (occipito-parietal regions).
- In the Alzheimer group, positive correlations were found between alpha1, alpha2 and beta band synchronization likelihood and MMSE score.
- Resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease is characterized by specific changes of long and short distance interactions in the theta, alpha1, beta and gamma bands.
- These changes may reflect loss of anatomical connections and/or reduced central cholinergic activity and could underlie part of the cognitive impairment.
Why it matters
This small study of 18 Alzheimer patients and 18 controls found specific patterns of altered resting-state brain connectivity, with loss of long-distance connections in some frequency bands and local increases in others. It is an observational comparison and does not test any treatment, so it cannot show whether changing these connectivity patterns would affect the disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
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 (NeuroImage) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | NeuroImage: journal h-index 523 (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 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 331 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 15.0 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 25 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Philip Scheltens: h-index 181 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16815039) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 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'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
Stam, C. J., Jones, B. F., Manshanden, I., van Cappellen van Walsum, A. M., Montez, T., Verbunt, J. P., et al. (2006). Magnetoencephalographic evaluation of resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease. NeuroImage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.05.033
Vancouver
Stam CJ, Jones BF, Manshanden I, van Cappellen van Walsum AM, Montez T, Verbunt JP, et al. Magnetoencephalographic evaluation of resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease. NeuroImage. 2006. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.05.033. PMID: 16815039.
BibTeX
@article{stam2006-16815039,
author = {Stam, C. J. and Jones, B. F. and Manshanden, I. and van Cappellen van Walsum, A. M. and Montez, T. and Verbunt, J. P. and de Munck, J. C. and van Dijk, B. W. and others},
title = {{Magnetoencephalographic evaluation of resting-state functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {NeuroImage},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.05.033},
pmid = {16815039},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.05.033}
}
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