Evaluation of the default mode network using nonnegative matrix factorization in patients with cognitive impairment induced by occupational aluminum exposure

Abstract Aluminum (Al) is an important environmental pathogenic factor for neurodegenerative diseases, especially mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the gray matter volume of structural covariance network alterations in patients with Al-induced MCI. Male subjects who had been exposed to Al for >10 years were included in the present study. The plasma Al concentration, Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score, and verbal memory assessed by the Rey auditory verbal learning test (AVLT) score were collected from each participant. Nonnegative matrix factorization was used to identify the structural covariance network. The neural structural basis for patients with Al-induced MCI was investigated using correlation analysis and group comparison. Plasma Al concentration was inversely related to MoCA scores, particularly AVLT scores. In patients with Al-induced MCI, the gray matter volume of the default mode network (DMN) was considerably lower than that in controls. Positive correlations were discovered between the DMN and MoCA scores as well as between the DMN and AVLT scores. In sum, long-term occupational Al exposure has a negative impact on cognition, primarily by affecting delayed recognition. The reduced gray matter volume of the DMN may be the neural mechanism of Al-induced MCI.