Studies on the Bottom-Up and Top-Down Neural Information Flow Alterations in Neurodegeneration

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Alipour, Abolfazl^{a; b; c} | Mozhdehfarahbakhsh, Azadeh^a | Nouri, Saba^a | Petramfar, Peyman^d | Tahamtan, Mahshid^e | Kamali, Ali-Mohammad^e | Rao, K. S.^{f; *} | Nami, Mohammad^{a; e; f; g; *}

Affiliations: [a] Neuroscience Laboratory, NSL (Brain, Cognition and Behavior), Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran | [b] Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA | [c] Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA | [d] Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran | [e] DANA Brain Health Institute, Iranian Neuroscience Society-Fars Chapter, Shiraz, Iran | [f] Centre for Neuroscience, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama | [g] Institute for Cognitive Science Studies-ICSS, Brain and Cognition Clinic, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Rao KS, Centre for Neuroscience, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT AIP), Panama City, Panama. E-mail: kjr5n2009@gmail.com; Mohammad Nami, Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. E-mail: torabinami@sums.ac.ir.

Abstract: Background:A proper explanation for perceptual symptoms in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still lacking. Objective:This study aimed at investigating the imbalance between ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down’ information flow (IF) and processing in PD in relation with visual hallucination symptoms. Methods:Here, we looked at bottom-up and top-down IF markers using resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) data from PD patients analyzed through three different IF measures (direct Directed Transfer Function (dDTF), full frequency Directed Transfer Function (ff-DTF), and renormalized Partial Directed Coherence (rPDC). Results:We observed an increased gamma band IF and a reduced beta band IF in PD patients compared to healthy controls. Additionally, we noticed a reduced theta band IF in PD patients using dDTF as a measure of IF. By source localizing the EEG activity of the PD patients and healthy controls, we looked at the alterations of IF in the prefrontal cortex of PD patients as well. Conclusion:In line with previous studies, our results suggest that the delicate balance between bottom-up and top-down IF is disrupted in Parkinson’s disease potentially contributing to the cognitive symptoms of PD patients.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, direct directed transfer function, EEG, full frequency directed transfer function, information flow, Parkinson’s disease, renormalized partial directed coherence, visual hallucinations

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-200590

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 78, no. 1, pp. 169-183, 2020