Researchers identify brain network linked to Parkinson’s disease

An international team, led by Changping Laboratory in collaboration with Peking University, Tsinghua University, and overseas institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis and Harvard University, analyzed comprehensive imaging data from 863 individuals.

The team found that in Parkinson’s patients, the SCAN shows excessive connectivity to subcortical regions, including the substantia nigra, where dopamine-producing neurons degenerate, as well as all known targets for deep brain stimulation.

Importantly, the study demonstrated that existing Parkinson’s treatments — ranging from oral medications to surgical interventions — share a common mechanism of reducing this pathological hyperconnectivity. As these connections normalize, patients’ symptoms tend to improve.

“SCAN hyperconnectivity appears central to Parkinson’s pathophysiology, and its reduction is a hallmark of successful neuromodulation,” the study said. It added that precisely targeting SCAN nodes could improve current therapies and pave the way for novel, minimally invasive treatments.

Building on these insights, Chinese researchers have developed a noninvasive brain circuit modulator designed to target the SCAN network. Results from a clinical trial of 36 patients show that this approach is twice as effective as traditional motor-region stimulation, achieving a response rate of 55.5 percent.