Brain multiplexes reveal morphological connectional biomarkers fingerprinting late brain dementia states
Authors: Mahjoub Ines , Mahjoub Mohamed Ali , Rekik Islem ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, Weiner Michael , Aisen Paul , Petersen Ronald , Jack Cliford , Jagust William , Trojanowki John , Toga Arthur , Beckett Laurel , Green Robert , Saykin Andrew , Morris John , Shaw Leslie , Kaye Jefrey , Quinn Joseph , Silbert Lisa , Lind Betty , Carter Raina , Dolen Sara , Schneider Lon , Pawluczyk Sonia , Beccera Mauricio , Teodoro Liberty , Spann Bryan , Brewer James , Vanderswag Helen , Fleisher Adam , Heidebrink Judith , Lord Joanne , Mason Sara , Albers Colleen , Knopman David , Johnson Kris , Doody Rachelle , Villanueva-Meyer Javier , Chowdhury Munir , Rountree Susan , Dang Mimi , Stern Yaakov , Honig Lawrence , Bell Karen , Ances Beau , Carroll Maria , Creech Mary , Franklin Erin , Mintun Mark , Schneider Stacy , Oliver Angela , Marson Daniel , Grifth Randall , Clark David , Geldmacher David , Brockington John , Roberson Erik , Natelson Love Marissa , Grossman Hillel , Mitsis Efe , Shah Raj , deToledo-Morrell Leyla , Duara Ranjan , Varon Daniel , Greig Maria , Roberts Peggy , Albert Marilyn , Onyike Chiadi , D’Agostino Daniel , Kielb Stephanie , Galvin James , Cerbone Brittany , Michel Christina , Pogorelec Dana , Rusinek Henry , de Leon Mony , Glodzik Lidia , De Santi Susan , Doraiswamy P. , Petrella Jefrey , Borges-Neto Salvador , Wong Terence , Coleman Edward , Smith Charles , Jicha Greg , Hardy Peter , Sinha Partha , Oates Elizabeth , Conrad Gary , Porsteinsson Anton , Goldstein Bonnie , Martin Kim , Makino Kelly , Ismail M. , Brand Connie , Mulnard Ruth , Thai Gaby , Mc-Adams-Ortiz Catherine , Womack Kyle , Mathews Dana , Quiceno Mary , Levey Allan , Lah James , Cellar Janet , Burns Jefrey , Swerdlow Russell , Brooks William , Apostolova Liana , Tingus Kathleen , Woo Ellen , Silverman Daniel , Lu Po , Bartzokis George , Graf-Radford Neill , Parftt Francine , Kendall Tracy , Johnson Heather , Farlow Martin , Hake Ann Marie , Matthews Brandy , Brosch Jared , Herring Scott , Hunt Cynthia , Dyck Christopher , Carson Richard , MacAvoy Martha , Varma Pradeep , Chertkow Howard , Bergman Howard , Hosein Chris , Black Sandra , Stefanovic Bojana , Caldwell Curtis , Robin Hsiung Ging-Yuek , Feldman Howard , Mudge Benita , Assaly Michele , Finger Elizabeth , Pasternack Stephen , Rachisky Irina , Trost Dick , Kertesz Andrew , Bernick Charles , Munic Donna , Mesulam Marek-Marsel , Lipowski Kristine , Weintraub Sandra , Bonakdarpour Borna , Kerwin Diana , Wu Chuang-Kuo , Johnson Nancy , Sadowsky Carl , Villena Teresa , Turner Raymond Scott , Johnson Kathleen , Reynolds Brigid , Sperling Reisa , Johnson Keith , Marshall Gad , Yesavage Jerome , Taylor Joy , Lane Barton , Rosen Allyson , Tinklenberg Jared , Sabbagh Marwan , Belden Christine , Jacobson Sandra , Sirrel Sherye , Kowall Neil , Killiany Ronald , Budson Andrew , Norbash Alexander , Johnson Patricia Lynn , Obisesan Thomas , Wolday Saba , Allard Joanne , Lerner Alan , Ogrocki Paula , Tatsuoka Curtis , Fatica Parianne , Fletcher Evan , Maillard Pauline , Olichney John , DeCarli Charles , Carmichael Owen , Kittur Smita , Borrie Michael , Lee T-Y , Bartha Rob , Johnson Sterling , Asthana Sanjay , Carlsson Cynthia , Potkin Steven , Preda Adrian , Nguyen Dana , Tariot Pierre , Burke Anna , Trncic Nadira , Reeder Stephanie , Bates Vernice , Capote Horacio , Rainka Michelle , Scharre Douglas , Kataki Maria , Adeli Anahita , Zimmerman Earl , Celmins Dzintra , Brown Alice , Pearlson Godfrey , Blank Karen , Anderson Karen , Flashman Laura , Seltzer Marc , Hynes Mary , Santulli Robert , Sink Kaycee , Gordineer Leslie , Williamson Jef , Garg Pradeep , Watkins Franklin , Ott Brian , Querfurth Henry , Tremont Geofrey , Salloway Stephen , Malloy Paul , Correia Stephen , Rosen Howard , Miller Bruce , Perry David , Mintzer Jacobo , Spicer Kenneth , Bachman David , Pomara Nunzio , Hernando Raymundo , Sarrael Antero , Relkin Norman , Chaing Gloria , Lin Michael , Ravdin Lisa , Smith Amanda , Raj Balebail Ashok , Fargher Kristin 
Published: March 2018

Accurate diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) before conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is invaluable for patient treatment. Many works showed that MCI and AD affect functional and structural connections between brain regions as well as the shape of cortical regions. However, ‘shape connections’ between brain regions are rarely investigated -e.g., how morphological attributes such as cortical thickness and sulcal depth of a specific brain region change in relation to morphological attributes in other regions. To fill this gap, we unprecedentedly design morphological brain multiplexes for late MCI/AD classification. Specifically, we use structural T1-w MRI to define morphological brain networks, each quantifying similarity in morphology between different cortical regions for a specific cortical attribute. Then, we define a brain multiplex where each intra-layer represents the morphological connectivity network of a specific cortical attribute, and each inter-layer encodes the similarity between two consecutive intra-layers. A significant performance gain is achieved when using the multiplex architecture in comparison to other conventional network analysis architectures. We also leverage this architecture to discover morphological connectional biomarkers fingerprinting the difference between late MCI and AD stages, which included the right entorhinal cortex and right caudal middle frontal gyrus.