Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39932591›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurology2025

Locus coeruleus neuromelanin, cognitive dysfunction, and brain metabolism in multiple system atrophy.

Jacopo Pasquini, Hilmar P Sigurdsson, Michael Firbank, Laura Best, Victoria Foster, Debra Galley, Ross Maxwell, Vincenzo Silani, Roberto Ceravolo, George Petrides and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. The role of neuro-imaging in multiple system atrophy.Journal of neural transmission (Vienna, Austria : 1996) · 2026
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Neurotransmitter Systems in Alzheimer's Disease.Current issues in molecular biology · 2026
    Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jacopo PasquiniClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1856-2995
Hilmar P SigurdssonClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0624-065X
Michael FirbankClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9536-0185
Laura BestRegional Neurosciences Centre, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK.
Victoria FosterClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
Debra GalleyClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
Ross MaxwellClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.
Vincenzo SilaniDepartment of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7698-3854
Roberto CeravoloDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1412-9406
George PetridesNuclear Medicine Department, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
David J BrooksClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2602-2518
Nicola PaveseClinical Ageing Research Unit, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 5PL, UK. nicola.pavese@newcastle.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6801-6194

Funding

Multiple System Atrophy Trust NP61010/18Parkinson's UK K-1703
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCognitive dysfunction is increasingly recognized in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Locus coeruleus (LC) integrity is associated with cognitive performance both in healthy controls (HC) and neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Furthermore, cortical glucose hypometabolism is associated with impaired cognitive performance in MSA. However, knowledge about LC sub-regional degeneration and its association with cognitive dysfunction and cortical glucose metabolism is lacking.

objectiveTo investigate LC sub-regional involvement and its association with cognitive impairment and brain metabolism in MSA.

methodsEleven MSA, eighteen PD, and eighteen HC participants were included in the study. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI was used to determine rostral, middle and caudal LC neuromelanin signals. Brain glucose metabolism was investigated with [

resultsMiddle LC neuromelanin signal was significantly reduced in MSA [t(43) = 3.70, corrected-p = 0.004] and PD [t(43) = 2.63, corrected-p = 0.041] compared to HC, while caudal LC was only reduced in MSA [t(43) = 2.82, corrected-p = 0.030]. In MSA, decreased rostral LC neuromelanin was associated with lower MoCA scores (ρ = 0.760, p = 0.006) which, in turn, were associated with lower frontal cortex glucose metabolism. An association between rostral LC neuromelanin signal and frontal cortex glucose metabolism was found in exploratory analyses.

conclusionLoss of LC neuromelanin signal was found in MSA, the middle and caudal parts being targeted. Rostral LC neuromelanin signal loss was associated with both frontal cortex hypometabolism and lower MoCA scores. This pathophysiological link should be further investigated as the noradrenergic system transmission is amenable to pharmacological manipulation.

Indexed as

BrainCognitive DysfunctionLocus CoeruleusMelaninsMultiple System AtrophyAgedFemaleFluorodeoxyglucose F18GlucoseHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedParkinson DiseasePositron-Emission TomographyFluorodeoxyglucose F18GlucoseMelaninsneuromelaninCognitive declineFDG-PETLocus coeruleusMultiple system atrophy

Identifiers

PMID39932591
PMCPMC11814031

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.