In search of early neuroradiological biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease: Alterations in resting state functional connectivity and gray matter microarchitecture in PINK1 -/- rats.

•Neuroradiological methods were employed to assess brain-wide alterations in a preclinical model of Parkinson’s Disease: PINK1 knock-out (−/−) rat.•Basal ganglia, the limbic cortex, and the hippocampal complex showed changes in putative gray matter microarchitecture.•Altered resting state connectivity in many brain areas including the basal ganglia, amygdala, cortex, septum, pons.•Findings suggest that a PINK1 mutation can significantly affect neural function well before clinical signs emerge.