Altered eigenvector centrality is related to local resting-state network functional connectivity in patients with longstanding type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Introduction: Longstanding type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is associated with microangiopathy and poorer cognition. In the brain, T1DM is related to increased functional resting-state network (RSN) connectivity in patients without, which was decreased in patients with clinically evident microangiopathy. Subcortical structure seems affected in both patient groups. How these localized alterations affect the hierarchy of the functional network in T1DM is unknown. Eigenvector centrality mapping (ECM) and degree centrality are graph theoretical methods that allow determining the relative importance (ECM) and connectedness (degree centrality) of regions within the whole-brain network hierarchy. Methods: Therefore, ECM and degree centrality of resting-state functional MRI-scans were compared between 51 patients with, 53 patients without proliferative retinopathy, and 49 controls, and associated with RSN connectivity, subcortical gray matter volume, and cognition. Results: In all patients versus controls, ECM and degree centrality were lower in the bilateral thalamus and the dorsal striatum, with lowest values in patients without proliferative retinopathy (P FWE <0.05). Increased ECM in this group versus patients with proliferative retinopathy was seen in the bilateral lateral occipital cortex, and in the right cuneus and occipital fusiform gyrus versus controls (P FWE <0.05). In all patients, ECM and degree centrality were related to altered visual, sensorimotor, and auditory and language RSN connectivity (P FWE <0.05), but not to subcortical gray matter volume or cognition (P FDR >0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggested reorganization of the hierarchy of the cortical connectivity network in patients without proliferative etinopathy, which is lost with disease progression. Centrality seems sensitive to capture early T1DM-related functional connectivity alterations, but not disease progression.