Anatomical and functional connectivity in Default Mode and Salience Networks in mild dementia of Alzheimer's Disease and amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the aging population. Recent research in neuroimaging has revealed dysfunction not only in anatomical areas but also in neural networks in AD patients. The most commonly studied network in AD is the Default Mode Network (DMN), which is related to episodic memory processing and cognitive performance. On the other hand, the Salience Network (SN), which is part of the 'attention system' and related to emotional stimuli, has been studied less frequently. Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) it is possible to generate an anatomical map and in vivo neural network brain map which, when combined, offer a novel approach for studying neural networks in AD. The main objective of this project is to combine fMRI and DTI methods to further analyze the DMN and particularly the SN networks in AD. To my knowledge, this is the first study to investigate AD progression using both methods. Such a study would improve our knowledge of structural alterations in neuronal networks throughout the progression of AD. (AU)