Page 26 - MEGIN Book Of Abstracts - 2023

ing, University of Naples "Parthenope", Naples, Italy line with the idea that topological changes relate to
neurodegenerative processes. However, the absence of
ABSTRACT Aim: The present study aims at investigat- correlation between blood cytokines and topological
ing the possible correlation between peripheral mark- parameters of brain networks does not preclude that
ers of inflammation and brain networks. Introduction: inflammatory processes contribute to the alterations of
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenera- the brain networks. Impact statement The progression
tive disease dominated by progressive motor impair- of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis entails both neurode-
ment. Among the complex mechanisms contributing generative and inflammatory processes. Furthermore,
to the pathogenesis of the disease, neuroinflammation, disease progression induces global modifications of
which is associated with altered circulating cytokine the brain networks, with advanced stages showing a
levels, is suggested to play a prominent role. Methods: more compact, hyperconnected network topology. The
Based on magnetoencephalography data, we esti- pathophysiological processes underlying topological
mated topological properties of the brain networks in changes are unknown. In this article, we hypothesized
ALS patients and healthy controls. Subsequently, the that the global inflammatory profile would relate to the
blood levels of a subset of cytokines were assayed. topological alterations. Our results showed that this is
Finally, we modeled the brain topological features in not the case, as modeling the topological properties as
the function of the cytokine levels. Results: Significant a function of the inflammatory state did not yield good
differences were found in the levels of the cytokines predictions. Hence, our results suggest that topologi-
interleukin (IL)-4, IL-1β, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) cal changes might directly relate to neurodegenerative
between patients and controls. In particular, IL-4 and processes instead.
IL-1β levels increased in ALS patients, while the IFN-γ
level was higher in healthy controls. We also detected Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, brain networks,
modifications in brain global topological parameters connectivity, cytokines, magnetoencephalography, neu-
in terms of hyperconnectedness. Despite both blood roinflammation
cytokines and brain topology being altered in ALS
patients, such changes do not appear to be in a direct Brain connectivity (2020), Vol. 10, No. 8 (32731760) (7
relationship. Conclusion: Our results would be in citations)

 ontents  Index 5
C