Dynamics of connector hubs in EEG functional networks with Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) induced the abnormalities of resting-state brain functional connectivity. The hubs play crucial roles in maintaining efficient information communication across brain networks, but their dynamical evolution under the PD remains unclear. Here, we defined the connector hubs that facilitate inter-network information processing and analyzed the temporal property of connector hubs in dynamic functional connectivity networks using the sourced EEG data of the PD and health control (HC) groups. First, the duration of connector hubs in PD patients significantly decreased under eye-open condition in the delta band, showing the diminished integration of slow oscillatory activity. Second, opening eyes led to increased integration in HCs, but this functional alternation response to eye condition was lost in PD patients. Then, stable connector hubs were identified in the somatomotor and frontoparietal networks, particularly in high-frequency bands. Finally, the theta band activities were significantly correlated with PD clinical score, and the declined motor ability in PD patients was related to decreased network integration. Our results deepen the understanding of hub reorganization in dynamic functional networks affected by PD and offer new perspectives on neural features of PD.