Universität zu Köln

Kuzu, Taylan D. ORCID: 0000-0003-2146-2442, Brinkmann, Elena, Bonkhoff, Anna K., Wunderle, Veronika ORCID: 0009-0008-0389-9230, Bischof, Gérard N. ORCID: 0000-0002-4366-5171, Giehl, Kathrin ORCID: 0000-0002-0092-5164, Schmieschek, Maximilian H. T. ORCID: 0000-0001-8726-4647, Onur, Oezguer A. ORCID: 0000-0001-8336-7075, Jessen, Frank ORCID: 0000-0003-1067-2102, Fink, Gereon R. ORCID: 0000-0002-8230-1856, Drzezga, Alexander ORCID: 0000-0001-6018-716X and Weiss, Peter H. ORCID: 0000-0002-5230-9080 (2026). Apraxic deficits in Alzheimer’s disease are associated with altered dynamic connectivity in praxis-related networks. Neurobiology of Aging, 157. pp. 36-47. Elsevier. ISSN 0197-4580

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Abstract

Apraxia is a common symptom in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that reduces autonomy and quality of life. However, the neural basis underlying apraxia in AD, for example, reflected by functional connectivity (FC) alterations, remains unexplored. We investigated static and dynamic FC using resting-state functional imaging in 14 patients with biomarker-confirmed AD pathology and 14 matched healthy participants. FC was estimated as average (static) and short-term (dynamic) connectivity strengths between motor- and praxis-related functional networks. Recurring connectivity patterns were clustered into dynamic states to compute temporal connectivity measures. Connectivity measures were used for correlations with apraxic deficits. In AD patients, static connectivity between visual and inferior parietal networks correlated with apraxic imitation (r = 0.762, PFDR = 0.043) and arm/hand gesture deficits (r = 0.848, PFDR = 0.020), while dynamic connectivity between these networks correlated with apraxic imitation deficits (r = 0.851, PFDR = 0.020). Dynamic FC analysis revealed a segregated and integrated state. AD patients spent more time overall (fraction time, PFDR < 0.001) and remained longer without switching (dwell time, PFDR = 0.004) in the segregated state. Both fraction (ρ = –0.858, PFDR = 0.015) and dwell time (ρ = –0.914, PFDR = 0.003) correlated with apraxic imitation deficits. Connectivity strengths between visual and inferior parietal networks and fraction time in the segregated state predicted apraxic imitation deficits (adjusted R2 = 0.782, P < 0.001). We conclude that apraxia in AD patients is associated with altered FC in praxis-related networks, suggesting FC as a potential clinical indicator for predicting motor-cognitive deficits.

Item Type:	Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Kuzu, Taylan D. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2146-2442 UNSPECIFIED Brinkmann, Elena UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Bonkhoff, Anna K. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Wunderle, Veronika UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0389-9230 UNSPECIFIED Bischof, Gérard N. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4366-5171 UNSPECIFIED Giehl, Kathrin UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0092-5164 UNSPECIFIED Schmieschek, Maximilian H. T. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8726-4647 UNSPECIFIED Onur, Oezguer A. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8336-7075 UNSPECIFIED Jessen, Frank UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1067-2102 UNSPECIFIED Fink, Gereon R. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8230-1856 UNSPECIFIED Drzezga, Alexander UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6018-716X UNSPECIFIED Weiss, Peter H. UNSPECIFIED https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5230-9080 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-810277
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.09.007
Journal or Publication Title:	Neurobiology of Aging
Volume:	157
Page Range:	pp. 36-47
Number of Pages:	12
Date:	January 2026
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0197-4580
Language:	English
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine External institution
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Neurologie > Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie Außeruniversitäre Forschungseinrichtungen > Forschungszentrum Jülich Faculty of Medicine > Nuklearmedizin > Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin Faculty of Medicine > Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie > Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie
Subjects:	Life sciences Medical sciences Medicine
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language Motor system ; Aging ; Cologne apraxia screening (KAS) ; Functional magnetic resonance imaging ; Resting-state ; Alzheimer’s disease ; Praxis English
['eprint_fieldname_oa_funders' not defined]:	Publikationsfonds UzK
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/81027