A FDG-PET Study of Metabolic Networks in Apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 Allele Carriers

作者：Yao, Zhijun; Hu, Bin^*; Zheng, Jiaxiang; Zheng, Weihao; Chen, Xuejiao; Gao, Xiang; Xie, Yuanwei; Fang, Lei

来源：PLos One, 2015, 10(7): e0132300.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0132300

• MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT
• ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
• SMALL-WORLD
• FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY
• TOPOLOGICAL PATTERNS
• GENETIC INFLUENCE
• AUDITORY-CORTEX
• HESCHLS GYRUS
• APOE GENOTYPE
• FMRI EVIDENCE

Recently, some studies have applied the graph theory in brain network analysis in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). However, relatively little research has specifically explored the properties of the metabolic network in apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon 4 allele carriers. In our study, all the subjects, including ADs, MCIs and NCs (normal controls) were divided into 165 APOE epsilon 4 carriers and 165 APOE epsilon 4 noncarriers. To establish the metabolic network for all brain regions except the cerebellum, cerebral glucose metabolism data obtained from FDG-PET (F-18-fluorodeoxyglu-cose positron emission tomography) were segmented into 90 areas with automated anatomical labeling (AAL) template. Then, the properties of the networks were computed to explore the between-group differences. Our results suggested that both APOE epsilon 4 carriers and noncarriers showed the small-world properties. Besides, compared with APOE epsilon 4 noncarriers, the carriers showed a lower clustering coefficient. In addition, significant changes in 6 hub brain regions were found in between-group nodal centrality. Namely, compared with APOE epsilon 4 noncarriers, significant decreases of the nodal centrality were found in left insula, right insula, right anterior cingulate, right paracingulate gyri, left cuneus, as well as significant increases in left paracentral lobule and left heschl gyrus in APOE epsilon 4 carriers. Increased local short distance inter-regional correlations and disrupted long distance inter-regional correlations were found, which may support the point that the APOE epsilon 4 carriers were more similar with AD or MCI in FDG uptake. In summary, the organization of metabolic network in APOE epsilon 4 carriers indicated a less optimal pattern and APOE epsilon 4 might be a risk factor for AD.

• 出版日期2015-7-10
• 单位兰州大学; 中国人民解放军兰州军区兰州总医院