Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-27-2026
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This study assessed the changes in functional connectivity from resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) given N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), the prodrug to L-cysteine and a precursor to the natural biological antioxidant glutathione (GSH). The aim of this study was to determine whether NAC is associated with changes in functional connectivity, particularly in the basal ganglia, and improvements in Parkinson's symptoms.
METHODS: Forty-four patients with PD were randomized to either weekly intravenous infusions of NAC (50 mg/kg) plus oral doses (500 mg twice per day) for six months plus standard of care, or standard of care only. Participants received pre and post brain imaging with resting Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) MRI to measure functional connectivity between key brain regions involved with PD. These findings were compared to changes in PD symptoms as measured by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS).
RESULTS: There were significant differences in the NAC group compared to the control group in functional connectivity measures after NAC. Specifically, there was significantly different functional connectivity between basal ganglia structures and the precuneus, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and particularly the Rolandic operculum. Changes in the precuneus also correlated with changes in UPDRS scores.
CONCLUSION: The results suggest that NAC may positively affect brain functional connectivity in PD patients, with corresponding positive clinical effects. Larger scale studies are warranted.
Recommended Citation
Monti, Daniel A.; Zabrecky, George; Kremens, Daniel; Liang, Tsao-Wei; Wintering, Nancy A.; Vedaei, Faezeh; Navarreto, Emily; Gupta, Monisha; Steinmetz, Alicia; Bazzan, Anthony J.; Mohamed, Feroze; and Newberg, Andrew B., "N-Acetylcysteine is Associated With Changes in Functional Connectivity in Patients With Parkinson's Disease" (2026). Marcus Institute of Integrative Health Faculty Papers. Paper 32.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/jmbcimfp/32
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
PubMed ID
41619526
Language
English
Comments
This article is the author's final published version in Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, Volume 144, March 2026, Article number 108216.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2026.108216. Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.