Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Have Similar Cognitive Symptoms, But Show Different Patterns on MRI

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease are similarly devastating neurological conditions, but they have contrasting alterations in brain connectivity. A new comparative analysis in "Academic Radiology" describes multiple variations of altered brain connectivity linked to cognitive decline in both Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s (PD). Despite causing similar cognitive dysfunction for some patients, functional MRI scans suggest the two conditions have opposing connectivity patterns in some regions of the brain.