Affiliations:
Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Filippo Cieri, PhD, Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W Bonneville Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA. E-mail: filippocieri@gmail.com.
Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.
Note: [2] Data used in preparation of this article were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database (http://adni.loni.usc.edu). As such, the investigators within the ADNI contributed to the design and implementation of ADNI and/or provided data but did not participate in analysis or writing of this report. A complete listing of ADNI investigators can be found at: http://adni.loni.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/how_to_apply/ADNI_Acknowledgement_List.pdf
Abstract: We applied graph theory analysis on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to evaluate sex differences of brain functional topography in normal controls (NCs), early mild cognitive impairment (eMCI), and AD patients. These metrics were correlated with RAVLT verbal learning and memory scores. The results show NCs have better functional connectivity (FC) metrics than eMCI and AD, and NC women show worse FC metrics compared to men, despite performing better on the RAVLT. FC differences between men and women diminished in eMCI and disappeared in AD. Within women, better FC metrics relate to better RAVLT learning in NCs and eMCI groups.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, brain imaging, functional connectivity, graph theory, mild cognitive impairment, rey auditory verbal learning test, sex differences
