Popovska H¹*, Boshkovski T², Petrov I¹ and Popevski – Dimovski R³

¹University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Medical Faculty, Skopje, Macedonia
²Brainster Next College, Skopje, Macedonia
³University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Skopje, Macedonia

*Corresponding Author: Popovska H, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Medical Faculty, Skopje, Macedonia.

Received: March 27, 2025; Published: April 04, 2025

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate the alterations in structural and functional connectivity within the brains of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), particularly focusing on the differences between patients with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: Using graph theory, we analyzed MRI data to assess network efficiency and clustering coefficients in a cohort of healthy controls (HC), PD patients with MCI (PD-MCI), and PD patients without MCI (PD-non-MCI). Statistical significance of differences in network properties was determined using Mann-Whitney U tests.

Results: Significant reductions in network efficiency and clustering coefficients were observed in PD-MCI compared to HC, particularly in regions such as the Thalamus, Caudate, and Right superiorfrontal. These alterations indicate substantial disruptions in the local and global network connectivity. PD patients without MCI also showed significant changes but were less pronounced than in PD-MCI, suggesting a gradient of connectivity loss correlating with cognitive decline. Comparisons between PD-MCI and PD-non-MCI highlighted specific regions like the Right entorhinal and Left parahippocampal, further associating structural network changes with cognitive impairment progression within PD.

Conclusion: The findings underscore the utility of graph theory metrics in elucidating the extent and pattern of neural disruption in Parkinson’s Disease. They also suggest potential biomarkers for early detection and progression of cognitive impairment in PD, offering insights for targeted therapeutic interventions aimed at preserving neural function and mitigating disease progression.

 Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease; Cognitive Impairment; Graph Theory; MRI; Network Efficiency; Clustering Coefficient

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Citation

Citation: Popovska H., et al. “Analysis of Structural Connectome in Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 9.5 (2025): 32-40.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Popovska H., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.