Associations between the multitrajectory neuroplasticity of neuronavigated rTMS‐mediated angular gyrus networks and brain gene expression in AD spectrum patients with sleep disorders

Abstract INTRODUCTION The multifactorial influence of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on neuroplasticity in neural networks is associated with improvements in cognitive dysfunction and sleep disorders. The mechanisms of rTMS and the transcriptional‐neuronal correlation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with sleep disorders have not been fully elucidated. METHODS Forty‐six elderly participants with cognitive impairment (23 patients with low sleep quality and 23 patients with high sleep quality) underwent 4‐week periods of neuronavigated rTMS of the angular gyrus and neuroimaging tests, and gene expression data for six post mortem brains were collected from another database. Transcription‐neuroimaging association analysis was used to evaluate the effects on cognitive dysfunction and the underlying biological mechanisms involved. RESULTS Distinct variable neuroplasticity in the anterior and posterior angular gyrus networks was detected in the low sleep quality group. These interactions were associated with multiple gene pathways, and the comprehensive effects were associated with improvements in episodic memory. DISCUSSION Multitrajectory neuroplasticity is associated with complex biological mechanisms in AD‐spectrum patients with sleep disorders. Highlights This was the first transcription‐neuroimaging study to demonstrate that multitrajectory neuroplasticity in neural circuits was induced via neuronavigated rTMS, which was associated with complex gene expression in AD‐spectrum patients with sleep disorders. The interactions between sleep quality and neuronavigated rTMS were coupled with multiple gene pathways and improvements in episodic memory. The present strategy for integrating neuroimaging, rTMS intervention, and genetic data provide a new approach to comprehending the biological mechanisms involved in AD.