Online PhD defence Bedia Samanci

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, Habenula, 7-tesla MRI, Brain connectivity

"Parkinson's Disease and The Habenula: An Ultra-High Field MRI Study Beyond the Basal Ganglia"

This thesis investigated the habenula, a small brain region involved in motivation, mood, reward and movement, in people with early Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is often described mainly as a disorder of dopamine and movement, but it also affects wider brain networks and causes non-motor symptoms. Using ultra-high-field 7-tesla MRI, the thesis examined the habenula’s size and its structural and functional connections. Compared with healthy participants, people with Parkinson’s had a larger average and right habenula and stronger connections between the habenula and areas involved in movement, memory, reward and cognition. Most changes were present independently of depressive symptoms, although one connection was related to higher depression scores. The findings may suggest that the habenula is involved in Parkinson’s disease beyond mood regulation and may reflect early reorganisation or compensation within the brain. Further long-term studies are needed to determine whether these changes can help identify disease subtypes, monitor progression or guide more personalised diagnosis and treatment.

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