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α-synuclein pathology drives multi-scale reorganization of fronto-limbic networks and cognitive flexibility in the common marmoset

Zanini, A.; Saini, J.; Yang, J.; Dureux, A.; Gacoin, M.; Dollet, C.; Johnston, K. D.; Luo, W.; Shlaifer, I.; Durcan, T. M.; Huot, P.; Jayabal, S.; Bussey, T. J.; Saksida, L. M.; Prado, V.; Prado, M. A.; Menon, R. S.; Clery, J. C.; Everling, S.

2026-06-16 animal behavior and cognition
10.64898/2026.06.11.731687 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Understanding how -synuclein misfolding and spreading affect brain systems is central to synucleinopathy research, yet evidence from primate models remains limited. Here, we combined histology, awake structural MRI, awake resting-state fMRI, regional homogeneity, actimetry and touchscreen behavioral testing to longitudinally track the consequences of striatal -synuclein seeding in the common marmoset. Phosphorylated -synuclein inclusions were detected from 2 months post-injection and spread progressively to distributed cortical and subcortical regions bilaterally, accompanied by regionally specific structural atrophy. Functional imaging revealed widespread disruption of large-scale networks, particularly within fronto-limbic circuits, alongside reductions in local functional coherence. Despite the absence of overt motor or sleep deficits, animals exhibited a selective impairment in cognitive flexibility, with preserved learning and task engagement. These findings indicate that striatal -synuclein seeding induces a multi-scale reorganization of brain networks preferentially affecting circuits supporting cognitive flexibility and limbic processing, establishing a primate platform for studying early stages of synucleinopathy.

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