ePoster

Multimodal Ising-based connectomics reveals an excitation-inhibition imbalance in Alzheimer's Risk

Drew Burns, Igor Fortel, Liang Zhan, Orly Lazarov, Scott Mackin, Alexander Demos, Barbara Bendlin, Alex Leow
COSYNE 2025(2025)
Montreal, Canada

Conference

COSYNE 2025

Montreal, Canada

Resources

Authors & Affiliations

Drew Burns, Igor Fortel, Liang Zhan, Orly Lazarov, Scott Mackin, Alexander Demos, Barbara Bendlin, Alex Leow

Abstract

The balance between neural excitation and inhibition (E/I) is crucial for cognitive functions such as memory formation and retrieval. Disruptions in E/I balance are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD), where neuronal hyperexcitation has been observed. We present a novel multimodal model that integrates resting-state functional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging to recapitulate functional and structural connectivity dynamics with high fidelity (citations omitted: double-blind review). This model provides a whole-brain, systems-informed measure of excitation-inhibition levels, enabling the investigation of E/I balance in human studies. In this longitudinal study, we analyzed data from 106 cognitively unimpaired older adults over multiple time points. Using our multimodal connectomics approach, we constructed individualized resting-state structural connectomes (rsSC) that capture both functional and structural connectivity. We computed a whole-brain excitation-inhibition ratio (EIR) for each participant (see Additional Details). Linear mixed-effects models revealed a significant three-way interaction between time since first scan, sex, and APOE-$\varepsilon$4 status on EIR (p = 0.018). Specifically, female APOE-$\varepsilon$4 carriers exhibited a significant increase in EIR over time (p = 0.042), indicating a hyperexcitable trajectory not observed in male carriers or female non-carriers. Our model's high fidelity in capturing connectivity dynamics (both structural and functional) strengthens the validity of these findings. These results suggest that female APOE-$\varepsilon$4 carriers are at higher risk of developing neuronal hyperexcitation, potentially contributing to their increased susceptibility to AD. Our systems-informed measure of E/I balance could serve as a potential biomarker and provides mechanistic insight underlying sex- and genotype-specific AD risk. Moreover, identifying underlying hyperactivity opens avenues for using antiepileptic treatments, such as levetiracetam, to restore E/I balance, preventing or slowing the progression of AD in select high-risk populations. This work underscores the importance of incorporating computational models to develop personalized preventative therapies targeting E/I balance alterations in at-risk populations.

Unique ID: cosyne-25/multimodal-ising-based-connectomics-486fa079