Abnormal Structural-Functional Coupling and MRI Alterations of Brain Network Topology in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) can cause structural and functional brain reconstruction. There is a lack of knowledge about the consistency between structural-functional (S-F) connection networks in PSP, despite growing evidence of anomalies in various single brain network parameters. Purpose: To study the changes in the structural and functional networks of PSP, network's topological properties including degree, and the consistency of S-F coupling. The relationship with clinical scales was examined including the assessment of PSP severity, and so on. Study Type: Retrospective. Subjects: A total of 51 PSP patients (70.04 +/- 7.46, 25 females) and 101 healthy controls (64.58 +/- 8.84, 58 females). Field Strength/Sequence: 3-T, resting-state functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and T1-weighted images. Assessment: A graph-theoretic approach was used to evaluate structural and functional network topology metrics. We used the S-F coupling changes to explore the consistency of structural and functional networks. Statistical Tests: Independent samples t tests were employed for continuous variables, chi 2 2 tests were used for categorical variables. For network analysis, two-sample t tests was used and implied an false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlations. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: PSP showed variations within and between modules. Specifically, PSP had decreased network properties changes (t= t =-2.0136; t = 2.5409; t =-2.5338; t =-2.4296; t =-2.5338; t = 2.8079). PSP showed a lower coupling in the thalamus and left putamen and a higher coupling in the visual, somatomotor, dorsal attention, and ventral attention network. S-F coupling was related to the number of network connections (r r = 0.32, r = 0.22) and information transmission efficiency (r r = 0.55, r = 0.28). S-F coupling was related to basic academic ability (r r = 0.39) and disinhibition (r r = 0.49). Data Conclusion: PSP may show abnormal S-F coupling and intramodular and intermodular connectome in the structural and functional networks. Level of Evidence: 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3