The somato-cognitive action network links diverse neuromodulatory targets for Parkinson’s disease

Abstract The newly-recognized somato-cognitive action network (SCAN) is posited to be important in movement coordination. Functional disruptions in Parkinson’s disease (PD) correspond with complex, non-effector-specific motor symptoms, indicating that SCAN dysfunction may underlie these symptoms. Along the same lines, the SCAN may link multiple neuromodulatory targets used for PD treatment. To investigate the role of the SCAN in PD, we leveraged resting-state precision functional mapping, analyzing data from 673 individuals across 6 independent datasets and 5 types of neuromodulation. Our findings revealed functional abnormalities within the SCAN in PD patients and the selective involvement of the SCAN in diverse neuromodulatory targets. Moreover, our data suggests causal links between SCAN connectivity changes and motor symptom alleviation following both invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation. Collectively, these findings underscore the critical role of the SCAN in the pathophysiology of PD and its brain stimulation treatments, and suggest the SCAN as a promising candidate target for neuromodulation.