Imagine your brain is a bustling city, with different neighborhoods and connections between them. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common issue that scientists are still trying to understand. This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to analyze the changes in brain activity in PD patients with EDS compared to those without sleepiness. They found that there were differences in the neuronal activity of specific brain regions, such as the Cingulum-Ant-R, Putamen-R, and Thalamus-L. These regions showed altered fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity, meaning their activity levels and connections with other brain areas were abnormal. Interestingly, some regions showed increased connectivity with the medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, insular, and precuneus, while others showed decreased connectivity with the cerebellum, temporal gyrus, hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus, cingulate gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus. These findings suggest that EDS in PD may be linked to changes in brain activity and connections. To dive deeper into the research and explore all the fascinating details, check out the full article!
