Application of Functional MRI in Parkinson's Disease and Default Mode Network: Review of the Literature.
The Canadian journal of neurological sciences. Le journal canadien des sciences neurologiques May 19, 2025 Zain A Khan, M Abdullah Shafiq, Jyotpal Singh et al. 1 citation
Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in aging individuals, involves dopamine neuron loss in the midbrain, causing motor and non-motor issues like cognitive and psychological abnormalities. The default mode network (DMN), a brain network active during rest involved in memory, self-referential processing, social cognition, and consciousness, includes regions such as the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, and lateral temporal cortex. Normal DMN connectivity is vital for consciousness and self-awareness. PD disrupts DMN connectivity. Functional MRI studies show impaired DMN connectivity in the posterior cingulate cortex, medial prefrontal cortex, and precuneus in PD patients. Greater motor symptoms correlate with larger alterations in DMN connections within the frontal lobe and posterior cingulate cortex. Future research should clarify mechanisms linking DMN abnormality to PD severity.