Mara Cercignani

This paper will introduce the concept of connectivity and how it can be measured using MRI data. Potential pitfalls will also be reviewed

Koji Kamagata

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of chronic, progressive disorders that are characterized by the gradual loss of neurons in various areas of the central nervous system. The onset and progression of neurodegeneration are closely linked to brain network degeneration via demyelination, axonal degeneration, and dendrite retraction. The pathophysiology is also characterized by “prion-like” abnormal protein aggregation and its propagation along neural connections. Connectomic analysis, the comprehensive mapping of neural connections within the brain, may thus provide novel ways to characterize neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we introduce the clinical application of connectomics in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.