Meeting Banner
Abstract #4670

BRAIN FUNCTIONAL CHANGES CORRELATE WITH COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN FRIEDREICH'S ATAXIA: AN RS-fMRI STUDY

Sirio Cocozza1, Teresa Costabile2, Enrico Tedeschi1, Filomena Abate2, Camilla Russo1, Agnese Liguori2, Walter Del Vecchio3, Francesca Paciello2, Mario Quarantelli3, Alessandro Filla2, Francesco Saccà2, and Arturo Brunetti1

1Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy, 2University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy, 3Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy

We performed a seed-based Resting-State fMRI analysis in Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) patients to assess possible brain functional connectivity (FC) changes in these patients, which are know to be charactherized by an impairment of neuropsychological functions. We found an increased FC in FRDA patients compared to controls in different brain regions, including the medial frontal gryrus, the angular gyri and cingulate gyrus, with a decreased cerebellar FC. Our findings of diffuse alterations of FC in FRDA patients compared to controls may shed new light on the pattern of supratentorial and infratentorial involvement and on dynamics of brain plasticity in this condition.

This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.

Join Here