Voxel-Based Morphometry and Social Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

In recent years, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has been increasingly used to investigate local brain structures in Parkinson's disease (PD). Compared to healthy participants, PD patients tend to show reduced brain volume in limbic and paralimbic areas in early disease stages, while the neocortical areas, such as the temporal and frontal cortices, are affected in advanced patients. Moreover, there are many studies showing correlation between cognitive performance and local brain volume. In the last decade, emotional and social cognitive function, such as facial emotion recognition, emotional decision-making, and theory of mind, have been the target of VBM analysis in PD. These studies facilitate understanding of the nature of communication and behavioral disorders that some PD patients display. However, there are discrepancies in VBM results between studies. Future studies need to employ larger sample sizes and combined analysis of brain perfusion or network connectivity in order to confirm brain structural changes and their effects on social cognitive function in PD patients.