Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40370658›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neuroscience2025

Cognitive impairment and vulnerability of cholinergic brain network in the Alzheimer's continuum: free-water imaging based on diffusion tensor imaging.

Simin Zhao, Yuting Nie, Lulu Wen, Xinzuo Qin, Liyuan Huang, Changbiao Chu, Miao Qu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

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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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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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

7 authors.

Simin ZhaoThird Clinical Medical College of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.
Yuting NieThe Department of Neurology, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China.
Lulu WenDepartment of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xinzuo QinDepartment of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Liyuan HuangDepartment of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Changbiao ChuDepartment of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Miao QuDepartment of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Increased extracellular free water (FW) is considered to provide better pathophysiological information than conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics. The cholinergic brain network is a key hub for cognitive function, and microstructural changes detected by free water imaging in this system may be associated with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific impact of FW changes in the cholinergic brain network on cognitive domains across the AD continuum and their diagnostic value remain unclear. Methods: Here, we investigated the basal forebrain cholinergic free water alterations based on free water-corrected diffusion tensor imaging in healthy controls ( Results: FWf in the bilateral Ch1-3 and Ch4 regions increased with age, and was significantly higher in aMCI and AD ( Conclusion: FW imaging captures microstructural damage in the cholinergic brain network across the entire AD continuum. These changes occur early in aMCI but selectively affect domain-specific cognition in the later stages of AD, possibly through cholinergic network dysfunction. Our results highlight the potential of free water imaging as a biomarker for cognitive decline.

Indexed as

Alzheimer’s diseasecholinergic brain networkcognitive impairmentdiffusion tensor imagingfree water imaging

Identifiers

PMID40370658
PMCPMC12075144

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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.