Resting-State Connectivity of Auditory and Reward Systems in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

This study characterizes resting-state functional connectivity between auditory and reward brain systems in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, compared to healthy controls. Findings reveal significant disruptions in auditory-reward connectivity in early-stage Alzheimer's, providing a neurobiological rationale for using music — which powerfully engages both systems — as a targeted therapeutic intervention to restore these disrupted circuits.