Functional connectivity between the substantia nigra and the motor cortex in the rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the abnormal functional connectivity (FC) between the substantia nigra (SN) and the brain motor area in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) by Unified Parkinson′s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Hoehn-Yahr Scale and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI).Methods A total of 34 subjects (14 with RBD (RBD group), 12 with Parkinson′s disease (PD group), and 8 age, sex-matched normal controls (control group)) recruited in the Department of Neurology, Henan Provincial People′s Hospital from 2014 to 2015 were enrolled in this study according to international diagnosis criteria.All subjects were examined by UPDRS, Hoehn-Yahr Scale and rfMRI.Results UPDRS scores and Hoehn-Yahr staging were 0.00 (0.00, 3.75) and 0.00 (0.00, 0.50) respectively in the RBD group, which were significantly different from that in the PD group (30.5 (18.75, 33.00) and 1.75 (1.50, 2.50), respectively;Z=-3.782, P0.05 and Z=1.10, P>0.05).The FC analysis showed alterations from the right SN to bilateral cerebellum respectively among the three groups (Fright cerebellum=12.975, Fleft cerebellum=6.144;P0.05).Conclusions There was abnormal FC from the SN to motor areas in RBD patients, and partial alterations were similar as PD patients.rfMRI provided an evidence that RBD might be presymptom of PD.