Background:Previous studies have demonstrated the underlying neurophysiologic mechanism during general anesthesia in adults.However,the mechanism of propofol-induced moderate-deep sedation(PMDS)in modulating pediatric...Background:Previous studies have demonstrated the underlying neurophysiologic mechanism during general anesthesia in adults.However,the mechanism of propofol-induced moderate-deep sedation(PMDS)in modulating pediatric neural activity remains unknown,which therefore was investigated in the present study based on functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI).Methods:A total of 41 children(5.10�1.14 years,male/female 21/20)with fMRI were employed to construct the functional connectivity network(FCN).The network communication,graph-theoretic properties,and network hub identification were statistically analyzed(t test and Bonferroni correction)between sedation(21 children)and awake(20 children)groups.All involved analyses were established on the whole-brain FCN and seven sub-networks,which included the default mode network(DMN),dorsal attentional network(DAN),salience network(SAN),auditory network(AUD),visual network(VIS),subcortical network(SUB),and other networks(Other).Results:Under PMDS,significant decreases in network communication were observed between SUB-VIS,SUB-DAN,and VIS-DAN,and between brain regions from the temporal lobe,limbic system,and subcortical tissues.However,no significant decrease in thalamus-related communication was observed.Most graph-theoretic properties were significantly decreased in the sedation group,and all graphical features of the DMN showed significant group differences.The superior parietal cortex with different neurological functions was identified as a network hub that was not greatly affected.Conclusions:Although the children had a depressed level of neural activity under PMDS,the crucial thalamus-related communication was maintained,and the network hub superior parietal cortex stayed active,which highlighted clinical prac-tices that the human body under PMDS is still perceptible to external stimuli and can be awakened by sound or touch.展开更多
The ability to localize sound sources rapidly allows human beings to efficiently understand the surrounding environment.Previous studies have suggested that there is an auditory“where”pathway in the cortex for proce...The ability to localize sound sources rapidly allows human beings to efficiently understand the surrounding environment.Previous studies have suggested that there is an auditory“where”pathway in the cortex for processing sound locations.The neural activation in regions along this pathway encodes sound locations by opponent hemifield coding,in which each unilateral region is activated by sounds coming from the contralateral hemifield.However,it is still unclear how these regions interact with each other to form a unified representation of the auditory space.In the present study,we investigated whether functional connectivity in the auditory“where”pathway encoded sound locations during passive listening.Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while passively listening to sounds from five distinct horizontal locations(−90°,−45°,0°,45°,90°).We were able to decode sound locations from the functional connectivity patterns of the“where”pathway.Furthermore,we found that such neural representation of sound locations was primarily based on the coding of sound lateralization angles to the frontal midline.In addition,whole-brain analysis indicated that functional connectivity between occipital regions and the primary auditory cortex also encoded sound locations by lateralization angles.Overall,our results reveal a lateralization-angle-based representation of sound locations encoded by functional connectivity patterns,which could add on the activation-based opponent hemifield coding to provide a more precise representation of the auditory space.展开更多
Patients with mild traumatic brain injury have a diverse clinical presentation,and the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood.Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technique that has been widely u...Patients with mild traumatic brain injury have a diverse clinical presentation,and the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood.Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technique that has been widely utilized to investigate neuro biological markers after mild traumatic brain injury.This approach has emerged as a promising tool for investigating the pathogenesis of mild traumatic brain injury.G raph theory is a quantitative method of analyzing complex networks that has been widely used to study changes in brain structure and function.However,most previous mild traumatic brain injury studies using graph theory have focused on specific populations,with limited exploration of simultaneous abnormalities in structural and functional connectivity.Given that mild traumatic brain injury is the most common type of traumatic brain injury encounte red in clinical practice,further investigation of the patient characteristics and evolution of structural and functional connectivity is critical.In the present study,we explored whether abnormal structural and functional connectivity in the acute phase could serve as indicators of longitudinal changes in imaging data and cognitive function in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.In this longitudinal study,we enrolled 46 patients with mild traumatic brain injury who were assessed within 2 wee ks of injury,as well as 36 healthy controls.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging data were acquired for graph theoretical network analysis.In the acute phase,patients with mild traumatic brain injury demonstrated reduced structural connectivity in the dorsal attention network.More than 3 months of followup data revealed signs of recovery in structural and functional connectivity,as well as cognitive function,in 22 out of the 46 patients.Furthermore,better cognitive function was associated with more efficient networks.Finally,our data indicated that small-worldness in the acute stage could serve as a predictor of longitudinal changes in connectivity in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.These findings highlight the importance of integrating structural and functional connectivity in unde rstanding the occurrence and evolution of mild traumatic brain injury.Additionally,exploratory analysis based on subnetworks could serve a predictive function in the prognosis of patients with mild traumatic brain injury.展开更多
Thalamocortical circuitry has a substantial impact on emotion and cognition.Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in thalamocortical functional connectivity(FC),characterized by region-dependent hypo-or hyper...Thalamocortical circuitry has a substantial impact on emotion and cognition.Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in thalamocortical functional connectivity(FC),characterized by region-dependent hypo-or hyper-connectivity,among individuals with major depressive disorder(MDD).However,the dynamical reconfiguration of the thalamocortical system over time and potential abnormalities in dynamic thalamocortical connectivity associated with MDD remain unclear.Hence,we analyzed dynamic FC(dFC)between ten thalamic subregions and seven cortical subnetworks from resting-state functional magnetic resonance images of 48 patients with MDD and 57 healthy controls(HCs)to investigate time-varying changes in thalamocortical FC in patients with MDD.Moreover,dynamic laterality analysis was conducted to examine the changes in functional lateralization of the thalamocortical system over time.Correlations between the dynamic measures of thalamocortical FC and clinical assessment were also calculated.We identified four dynamic states of thalamocortical circuitry wherein patients with MDD exhibited decreased fractional time and reduced transitions within a negative connectivity state that showed strong correlations with primary cortical networks,compared with the HCs.In addition,MDD patients also exhibited increased fluctuations in functional laterality in the thalamocortical system across the scan duration.The thalamo-subnetwork analysis unveiled abnormal dFC variability involving higher-order cortical networks in the MDD cohort.Significant correlations were found between increased dFC variability with dorsal attention and default mode networks and the severity of symptoms.Our study comprehensively investigated the pattern of alteration of the thalamocortical dFC in MDD patients.The heterogeneous alterations of dFC between the thalamus and both primary and higher-order cortical networks may help characterize the deficits of sensory and cognitive processing in MDD.展开更多
Ejaculation is regulated by the central nervous system.However,the central pathophysiology of primary intravaginal anejaculation(PIAJ)is unclear.The present study aimed to examine the changes in regional brain activit...Ejaculation is regulated by the central nervous system.However,the central pathophysiology of primary intravaginal anejaculation(PIAJ)is unclear.The present study aimed to examine the changes in regional brain activity and functional connectivity underlying PIAJ.A total of 20 PIAJ patients and 16 healthy controls(HCs)were enrolled from September 2020 to September 2022 in the Department of Andrology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital(Nanjing,China).Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from all participants and then were preprocessed.The measures of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and functional connectivity(FC)were calculated and compared between the groups.PIAJ patients showed increased fALFF values in the left precuneus compared with HCs.Additionally,PIAJ patients showed increased ReHo values in the left precuneus,left postcentral gyrus,left superior occipital gyrus,left calcarine fissure,right precuneus,and right middle temporal gyrus,and decreased ReHo values in the left inferior parietal gyrus,compared with HCs.Finally,brain regions with altered fALFF and ReHo values in PIAJ patients showed increased FC with widespread cortical regions,which included the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,compared with HCs.In conclusion,increased regional brain activity in the parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,and increased FC between these brain regions,may be associated with PIAJ occurrence.展开更多
AIM:To study functional brain abnormalities in patients with eye trauma(ET)and to discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of ET.METHODS:Totally 31 ET patients and 31 healthy controls(HCs)were recruited.The age,gende...AIM:To study functional brain abnormalities in patients with eye trauma(ET)and to discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of ET.METHODS:Totally 31 ET patients and 31 healthy controls(HCs)were recruited.The age,gender,and educational background characteristics of the two groups were similar.After functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scanning,the subjects’spontaneous brain activity was evaluated with the functional connectivity(FC)method.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to classify the data.Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between FC values in specific brain regions and clinical behaviors in patients with ET.RESULTS:Significantly increased FC between several regions was identified including the medial prefrontal cortex(MPFC)and left hippocampus formations(HF),the MPFC and left inferior parietal lobule(IPL),the left IPL and left medial temporal lobe(MTL),the left IPL and right MTL,and the right IPL and left MTL.No decreased region-to-region connectivity was detected in default mode network(DMN)sub-regions in patients with ET.Compared with HCs,ET patients exhibited significantly increased FC between several paired DMN regions,as follows:posterior cingulate cortex(PCC)and right HF(HF.R,t=2.196,P=0.032),right inferior parietal cortices(IPC.R)and left MTL(MTL.L,t=2.243,P=0.029),and right MTL(MTL.R)and HF.R(t=2.236,P=0.029).CONCLUSION:FC values in multiple brain regions of ET patients are abnormal,suggesting that these brain regions in ET patients may be dysfunctional,which may help to reveal the pathophysiological mechanisms of ET.展开更多
Numerous studies have shown abnormal brain functional connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease(AD)or amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI).However,most studies examined traditional resting state functi...Numerous studies have shown abnormal brain functional connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease(AD)or amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI).However,most studies examined traditional resting state functional connections,ignoring the instantaneous connection mode of the whole brain.In this case-control study,we used a new method called dynamic functional connectivity(DFC)to look for abnormalities in patients with AD and aMCI.We calculated dynamic functional connectivity strength from functional magnetic resonance imaging data for each participant,and then used a support vector machine to classify AD patients and normal controls.Finally,we highlighted brain regions and brain networks that made the largest contributions to the classification.We found differences in dynamic function connectivity strength in the left precuneus,default mode network,and dorsal attention network among normal controls,aMCI patients,and AD patients.These abnormalities are potential imaging markers for the early diagnosis of AD.展开更多
People with schizophrenia exhibit impaired social cognitive functions, particularly emotion regulation. Abnormal activations of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex （vMPFC） during emotional tasks have been demonstra...People with schizophrenia exhibit impaired social cognitive functions, particularly emotion regulation. Abnormal activations of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex （vMPFC） during emotional tasks have been demonstrated in schizophrenia, suggesting its important role in emotion processing in patients. We used the resting-state functional connectivity approach, setting a functionally relevant region, the vMPFC, as a seed region to examine the intrinsic functional interactions and communication between the vMPFC and other brain regions in schizophrenic patients. We found hypo-connectivity between the vMPFC and the medial frontal cortex, right middle temporal lobe （MTL）, right hippocampus, parahippocampal cortex （PHC） and amygdala. Further, there was a decreased strength of the negative connectivity （or anticorrelation） between the vMPFC and the bilateral dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex （DLPFC） and pre-supplementary motor areas. Among these connectivity alterations, reduced vMPFC-DLPFC connectivity was positively correlated with positive symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, while vMPFC-right MTL/PHC/amygdala functional connectivity was positively correlated with the performance of emotional regulation in patients. These findings imply that communication and coordination throughout the brain networks are disrupted in schizophrenia. The emotional correlates of vMPFC connectivity suggest a role of the hypo-connectivity between these regions in the neuropathology of abnormal social cognition in chronic schizophrenia.展开更多
Objective:To clarify altered whole brain functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)patients,and then to explore cerebral influence of acupuncture with deqi treating for FD...Objective:To clarify altered whole brain functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)patients,and then to explore cerebral influence of acupuncture with deqi treating for FD.Methods:Thirty-two FD patients and 35 healthy subjects(HS)were firstly scanned by the resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging(BOLD-fMRI)to compare differences of ACC-based functional connectivity(FC).Then 32 FD patients were randomized to receive 20 sessions’acupuncture treatment with(n=16)and without deqi(n=16),as well as underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans after treatment.After group re-division according to deqi response,changes of ACC subregions-based resting-state FC(rsFC)were compared between the actual with and without deqi group.Two seeds with bilateral of each were selected as regions of interest(ROIs)of the ACC,including two from the dorsal ACC:S2(BA24)(x=±5,y=2,z=46,r=3.5 mm)and two from the pregenual ACC:17(BA24)(x=±5,y=38,z=6,r=3.5 mm).The clinical changes of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index(NDI)that measuring symptoms and quality of life(QOL)were also used to further assess the correlation with ACC subregions rsFC in FD patients.Results:Compared to HS,FD patients showed significantly increased ACC subregions rsFC with left fusiform gyrus,temporal cortex,hippocampus(HIPP)/amygdala,temporal pole,and right INS,superior occipital gyrus,and bilateral precuneus,superior parietal lobule(SPL),and decreased rsFC with left postcentral/precentral gyrus(PoG/PrG),supplementary motor area(SMA)and right cerebellum.32 FD patients which were then re-divided into the actual deqi group(n=16)and actual without deqi group(n=16).The decrease of the NDI symptom score(pre-pos)in the actual deqi group was significantly greater than that in the actual without deqi group(P<0.05).Among the two groups,the actual deqi group showed increased ACC subregions rsFC with right SMA and bilateral PrG/PoG,and decreased rsFC with right precuneus,middle occipital gyrus,bilateral posterior cingulate cortex(PCC),HIPP/paraHIPP,angular gyrus and SPL after treatment.In addition,the changed NDI QOL scores(pre-post)of the actual deqi group was significantly positively correlated with their Fisher’s transformed Z value of the altered ACC subregion(left I7)rsFC with right SPL(r=-0.597,P=0.04<0.05,FDR corrected P>0.05).Conclusion:The results tested the hypothesis that the advantage of deqi on efficacy is related to affecting the ACC subregions rsFC.It suggested that deqi might participate in the adaptive modulation of disrupted relationship between the ACC subregions and the default mode network(DMN).展开更多
Background： Functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） is a novel method for studying the changes of brain networks due to acupuncture treatment. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on the brain f...Background： Functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） is a novel method for studying the changes of brain networks due to acupuncture treatment. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on the brain functional connectivity network of acupuncture stimulation. Objective： To offer an overview of the different influences of acupuncture on the brain functional connec- tivity network from studies using resting-state fMRI. Search strategy： The authors performed a systematic search according to PRISMA guidelines, The database PubMed was searched from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016 with restriction to human studies in English language. Inclusion criteria： Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed using the keywords ＂acupuncture＂ and ＂neuroimaging＂ or ＂resting-state fMRI＂ or ＂functional connectivity＂, Data extraction and analysis： Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were respectively conducted by two review authors. Results： Forty-four resting-state fMRI studies were included in this systematic review according to inclu- sion criteria. Thirteen studies applied manual acupuncture vs. sham, four studies applied electro- acupuncture vs. sham, two studies also compared transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation vs. sham, and nine applied sham acupoint as control. Nineteen studies with a total number of 574 healthy subjects selected to perform fMRI only considered healthy adult volunteers. The brain functional connec- tivity of the patients had varying degrees of change. Compared with sham acupuncture, verum acupunc- ture could increase default mode network and sensorimotor network connectivity with pain-, affective- and memory-related brain areas. It has significantly greater connectivity of genuine acupuncture between the periaqueductal gray, anterior cingulate cortex, left posterior cingulate cortex, right anterior insula, limbic/paralimbic and precuneus compared with sham acupuncture. Some research had also shown that acupuncture could adjust the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network, brainstem, cerebellum, subcortical and hippocampus brain areas. Conclusion： It can be presumed that the functional connectivity network is closely related to the mech- anism of acupuncture, and central integration plays a critical role in the acupuncture mechanism.展开更多
Manual acupuncture is widely used for pain relief and stress control.Previous studies on acupuncture have shown its modulatory effects on the functional connectivity associated with one or a few preselected brain regi...Manual acupuncture is widely used for pain relief and stress control.Previous studies on acupuncture have shown its modulatory effects on the functional connectivity associated with one or a few preselected brain regions.To investigate how manual acupuncture modulates the organization of functional networks at a whole-brain level,we acupuncture at ST36 of a right leg to obtain electroencephalograph（EEG） signals.By coherence estimation,we determine the synchronizations between all pairwise combinations of EEG channels in three acupuncture states.The resulting synchronization matrices are converted into functional networks by applying a threshold,and the clustering coefficients and path lengths are computed as a function of threshold.The results show that acupuncture can increase functional connections and synchronizations between different brain areas.For a wide range of thresholds,the clustering coefficient during acupuncture and postacupuncture period is higher than that during the pre-acupuncture control period,whereas the characteristic path length is shorter.We provide further support for the presence of ＂small-world＂ network characteristics in functional networks by using acupuncture.These preliminary results highlight the beneficial modulations of functional connectivity by manual acupuncture,which could contribute to the understanding of the effects of acupuncture on the entire brain,as well as the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture.Moreover,the proposed method may be a useful approach to the further investigation of the complexity of patterns of interrelations between EEG channels.展开更多
Age-related changes in the brain connectivity of healthy older adults have been widely studied in recent years,with some differences in the obtained results.Most of these studies showed decreases in general functional...Age-related changes in the brain connectivity of healthy older adults have been widely studied in recent years,with some differences in the obtained results.Most of these studies showed decreases in general functional connectivity,but they also found increases in some particular regions and areas.Frequently,these studies compared young individuals with older subjects,but few studies compared different age groups only in older populations.The purpose of this study is to analyze whole-brain functional connectivity in healthy older adult groups and its network characteristics through functional segregation.A total of 114 individuals,48 to 89 years old,were scanned using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in a resting state paradigm and were divided into six different age groups(<60,60–64,65–69,70–74,75–79,≥80 years old).A partial correlation analysis,a pooled correlation analysis and a study of 3-cycle regions with prominent connectivity were conducted.Our results showed progressive diminution in the functional connectivity among different age groups and this was particularly pronounced between 75 and 79 years old.The oldest group(≥80 years old)showed a slight increase in functional connectivity compared to the other groups.This occurred possibly because of compensatory mechanism in brain functioning.This study provides information on the brain functional characteristics of every age group,with more specific information on the functional progressive decline,and supplies methodological tools to study functional connectivity characteristics.Approval for the study was obtained from the ethics committee of the Comision de Bioetica de la Universidad de Barcelona(approval No.PSI2012-38257)on June 5,2012,and from the ethics committee of the Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic(approval No.2009-5306 and 2011-6604)on October 22,2009 and April 7,2011 respectively.展开更多
Although cerebral neuroplasticity following amputation has been observed, little is understood about how network-level functional reorganization occurs in the brain following upper-limb amputation. The objective of th...Although cerebral neuroplasticity following amputation has been observed, little is understood about how network-level functional reorganization occurs in the brain following upper-limb amputation. The objective of this study was to analyze alterations in brain network functional connectivity(FC) in upper-limb amputees(ULAs). This observational study included 40 ULAs and 40 healthy control subjects;all participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Changes in intra-and inter-network FC in ULAs were quantified using independent component analysis and brain network FC analysis. We also analyzed the correlation between FC and clinical manifestations, such as pain. We identified 11 independent components using independent component analysis from all subjects. In ULAs, intra-network FC was decreased in the left precuneus(precuneus gyrus) within the dorsal attention network and left precentral(precentral gyrus) within the auditory network;but increased in the left Parietal_Inf(inferior parietal, but supramarginal and angular gyri) within the ventral sensorimotor network, right Cerebelum_Crus2(crus Ⅱ of cerebellum) and left Temporal_Mid(middle temporal gyrus) within the ventral attention network, and left Rolandic_Oper(rolandic operculum) within the auditory network. ULAs also showed decreased inter-network FCs between the dorsal sensorimotor network and ventral sensorimotor network, the dorsal sensorimotor network and right frontoparietal network, and the dorsal sensorimotor network and dorsal attention network. Correlation analyses revealed negative correlations between inter-network FC changes and residual limb pain and phantom limb pain scores, but positive correlations between inter-network FC changes and daily activity hours of stump limb. These results show that post-amputation plasticity in ULAs is not restricted to local remapping;rather, it also occurs at a network level across several cortical regions. This observation provides additional insights into the plasticity of brain networks after upper-limb amputation, and could contribute to identification of the mechanisms underlying post-amputation pain.展开更多
Recent research has highlighted structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebral cortex of patients with premature ejaculation(PE).These anomalies could play a pivotal role in the physiological mechanisms under...Recent research has highlighted structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebral cortex of patients with premature ejaculation(PE).These anomalies could play a pivotal role in the physiological mechanisms underlying PE.This study leveraged functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI),a noninvasive technique,to explore these neural mechanisms.We conducted resting-state fMRI scans on 36 PE patients and 22 healthy controls(HC),and collected data on Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool(PEDT)scores and intravaginal ejaculation latency time(IELT).Employing a surface-based regional homogeneity(ReHo)approach,we analyzed local neural synchronous spontaneous activity,diverging from previous studies that utilized a volume-based ReHo method.Areas with significant ReHo differences between PE and HC groups underwent surface-based functional connectivity(FC)analysis.Significant discrepancies in ReHo and FC across the cortical surface were observed in the PE cohort.Notably,PE patients exhibited decreased ReHo in the left triangular inferior frontal gyrus and enhanced ReHo in the right middle frontal gyrus.The latter showed heightened connectivity with the left lingual gyrus and the right orbital superior frontal gyrus.Furthermore,a correlation between ReHo and FC values with PEDT scores and IELT was found in the PE group.Our findings,derived from surface-based fMRI data,underscore specific brain regions linked to the neurobiological underpinnings of PE.展开更多
Neurostimulation remarkably alleviates the symptoms in a variety of brain disorders by modulating the brain-wide network. However, how brain-wide effects on the direct and indirect pathways evoked by focal neurostimul...Neurostimulation remarkably alleviates the symptoms in a variety of brain disorders by modulating the brain-wide network. However, how brain-wide effects on the direct and indirect pathways evoked by focal neurostimulation elicit therapeutic effects in an individual patient is unknown. Understanding this remains crucial for advancing neural circuit-based guidance to optimize candidate patient screening, pre-surgical target selection, and post-surgical parameter tuning. To address this issue, we propose a functional brain connectome-based modeling approach that simulates the spreading effects of stimulating different brain regions and quantifies the rectification of abnormal network topology in silico. We validated these analyses by pinpointing nuclei in the basal ganglia circuits as top-ranked targets for 43 local patients with Parkinson’s disease and 90 patients from a public database. Individual connectome-based analysis demonstrated that the globus pallidus was the best choice for 21.1% and the subthalamic nucleus for 19.5% of patients. Down-regulation of functional connectivity(up to 12%) at these prioritized targets optimally maximized the therapeutic effects. Notably, the priority rank of the subthalamic nucleus significantly correlated with motor symptom severity(Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III) in the local cohort. These findings underscore the potential of neural network modeling for advancing personalized brain stimulation therapy,and warrant future experimental investigation to validate its clinical utility.展开更多
BACKGROUND Large-scale functional connectivity(LSFC)patterns in the brain have unique intrinsic characteristics.Abnormal LSFC patterns have been found in patients with dementia,as well as in those with mild cognitive ...BACKGROUND Large-scale functional connectivity(LSFC)patterns in the brain have unique intrinsic characteristics.Abnormal LSFC patterns have been found in patients with dementia,as well as in those with mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and these patterns predicted their cognitive performance.It has been reported that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)may develop MCI that could progress to dementia.We investigated whether we could adopt LSFC patterns as discriminative features to predict the cognitive function of patients with T2DM,using connectome-based predictive modeling(CPM)and a support vector machine.AIM To investigate the utility of LSFC for predicting cognitive impairment related to T2DM more accurately and reliably.METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance images were derived from 42 patients with T2DM and 24 healthy controls.Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA).Patients with T2DM were divided into two groups,according to the presence(T2DM-C;n=16)or absence(T2DM-NC;n=26)of MCI.Brain regions were marked using Harvard Oxford(HOA-112),automated anatomical labeling(AAL-116),and 264-region functional(Power-264)atlases.LSFC biomarkers for predicting MoCA scores were identified using a new CPM technique.Subsequently,we used a support vector machine based on LSFC patterns for among-group differentiation.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve determined the appearance of the classification.RESULTS CPM could predict the MoCA scores in patients with T2DM(Pearson’s correlation coefficient between predicted and actual MoCA scores,r=0.32,P=0.0066[HOA-112 atlas];r=0.32,P=0.0078[AAL-116 atlas];r=0.42,P=0.0038[Power-264 atlas]),indicating that LSFC patterns represent cognition-level measures in these patients.Positive(anti-correlated)LSFC networks based on the Power-264 atlas showed the best predictive performance;moreover,we observed new brain regions of interest associated with T2DM-related cognition.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values(T2DM-NC group vs.T2DM-C group)were 0.65-0.70,with LSFC matrices based on HOA-112 and Power-264 atlases having the highest value(0.70).Most discriminative and attractive LSFCs were related to the default mode network,limbic system,and basal ganglia.CONCLUSION LSFC provides neuroimaging-based information that may be useful in detecting MCI early and accurately in patients with T2DM.展开更多
AIM： To evaluate the differences in the functional connectivity（FC） of the primary visual cortex（V1） between the youth comitant exotropia（CE） patients and health subjects using resting functional magnetic reson...AIM： To evaluate the differences in the functional connectivity（FC） of the primary visual cortex（V1） between the youth comitant exotropia（CE） patients and health subjects using resting functional magnetic resonance imaging（f MRI） data.METHODS： Totally, 32 CEs（25 males and 7 females） and 32 healthy control subjects（HCs）（25 males and 7 females） were enrolled in the study and underwent the MRI scanning. Two-sample t-test was used to examine differences in FC maps between the CE patients and HCs. RESULTS： The CE patients showed significantly less FC between the left brodmann area（BA17） and left lingual gyrus/cerebellum posterior lobe, right middle occipital gyrus, left precentral gyrus/postcentral gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule/postcentral gyrus. Meanwhile, CE patients showed significantly less FC between right BA17 and right middle occipital gyrus（BA19, 37）.CONCLUSION： Our findings show that CE involves abnormal FC in primary visual cortex in many regions, which may underlie the pathologic mechanism of impaired fusion and stereoscopic vision in CEs.展开更多
Multiple sclerosis is associated with structural and functional brain alterations leading to cognitive impairments across multiple domains including attention,memory,and the speed of information processing.The hippoca...Multiple sclerosis is associated with structural and functional brain alterations leading to cognitive impairments across multiple domains including attention,memory,and the speed of information processing.The hippocampus,which is a brain important structure involved in memory,undergoes microstructural changes in the early stage of multiple sclerosis.In this study,we analyzed hippocampal function and structure in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and explored correlations between the functional connectivity of the hippocampus to the whole brain,changes in local brain function and microstructure,and cognitive function at rest.We retrospectively analyzed data from 20 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients admitted to the Department of Neurology at the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University,China,from April 2015 to November 2019.Sixteen healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group.All participants were evaluated using a scale of extended disability status and the Montreal cognitive assessment within 1 week before and after head diffusion tensor imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging.Compared with the healthy control group,the patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis had lower Montreal cognitive assessment scores and regions of simultaneously enhanced and attenuated whole-brain functional connectivity and local functional connectivity in the bilateral hippocampus.Hippocampal diffusion tensor imaging data showed that,compared with the healthy control group,patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis had lower hippocampal fractional anisotropy values and higher mean diffusivity values,suggesting abnormal hippocampal structure.The left hippocampus whole-brain functional connectivity was negatively correlated with the Montreal cognitive assessment score(r=-0.698,P=0.025),and whole-brain functional connectivity of the right hippocampus was negatively correlated with extended disability status scale score(r=-0.649,P=0.042).The mean diffusivity value of the left hippocampus was negatively correlated with the Montreal cognitive assessment score(r=-0.729,P=0.017)and positively correlated with the extended disability status scale score(r=0.653,P=0.041).The right hippocampal mean diffusivity value was positively correlated with the extended disability status scale score(r=0.684,P=0.029).These data suggest that the functional connectivity and presence of structural abnormalities in the hippocampus in patients with relapse-remission multiple sclerosis are correlated with the degree of cognitive function and extent of disability.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University,China(approval No.201702202)on February 22,2017.展开更多
In this study, we investigated alterations in the resting-state functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex in chronic heroin abusers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that, compared with norm...In this study, we investigated alterations in the resting-state functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex in chronic heroin abusers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that, compared with normal controls, in heroin abusers the left prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left hippocampus, right anterior cingulate, left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. However, the right prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left orbital frontal cortex and the left middle frontal gyrus in chronic heroin abusers. These alterations of resting-state functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortices of heroin abusers suggest that their frontal executive neural network may be impaired, and that this may contribute to their continued heroin abuse and relapse after withdrawal.展开更多
The regional specifi city of hippocampal abnormalities in late-life depression（LLD） has been demonstrated in previous studies. In this study,we sought to examine the functional connectivity（FC） patterns of hippoca...The regional specifi city of hippocampal abnormalities in late-life depression（LLD） has been demonstrated in previous studies. In this study,we sought to examine the functional connectivity（FC） patterns of hippocampal subregions in remitted late-onset depression（r LOD）,a special subtype of LLD. Fourteen r LOD patients and 18 healthy controls underwent clinical and cognitive evaluations as well as resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline and at ~21 months of follow-up. Each hippocampus was divided into three parts,the cornu ammonis（CA）,the dentate gyrus,and the subicular complex,and then six seed-based hippocampal subregional networks were established.Longitudinal changes of the six networks over time were directly compared between the rL OD and control groups. From baseline to follow-up,the r LOD group showed a greater decline in connectivity of the left CA to the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus（PCC/PCUN）,but showed increased connectivity of the right hippocampal subregional networks with the frontal cortex（bilateral medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex and supplementary motor area）. Further correlative analyses revealed thatthe longitudinal changes in FC between the left CA and PCC/PCUN were positively correlated with longitudinal changes in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test（r = 0.624,P = 0.017） and the Digit Span Test（r = 0.545,P = 0.044） scores in the r LOD group. These results may provide insights into the neurobiological mechanism underlying the cognitive dysfunction in r LOD patients.展开更多
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,ZR2024MH072Open Project of Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence of Hunan Province,Xiangnan University,YXZN2022002+2 种基金Projects of Xiamen Scientific and Technological Plan,3502Z20199096 and 3502Z20209220the National Natural Science Foundation of China,61802330the Yantai City Science and Technology Innovation Development Plan,2023XDRH006.
文摘Background:Previous studies have demonstrated the underlying neurophysiologic mechanism during general anesthesia in adults.However,the mechanism of propofol-induced moderate-deep sedation(PMDS)in modulating pediatric neural activity remains unknown,which therefore was investigated in the present study based on functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI).Methods:A total of 41 children(5.10�1.14 years,male/female 21/20)with fMRI were employed to construct the functional connectivity network(FCN).The network communication,graph-theoretic properties,and network hub identification were statistically analyzed(t test and Bonferroni correction)between sedation(21 children)and awake(20 children)groups.All involved analyses were established on the whole-brain FCN and seven sub-networks,which included the default mode network(DMN),dorsal attentional network(DAN),salience network(SAN),auditory network(AUD),visual network(VIS),subcortical network(SUB),and other networks(Other).Results:Under PMDS,significant decreases in network communication were observed between SUB-VIS,SUB-DAN,and VIS-DAN,and between brain regions from the temporal lobe,limbic system,and subcortical tissues.However,no significant decrease in thalamus-related communication was observed.Most graph-theoretic properties were significantly decreased in the sedation group,and all graphical features of the DMN showed significant group differences.The superior parietal cortex with different neurological functions was identified as a network hub that was not greatly affected.Conclusions:Although the children had a depressed level of neural activity under PMDS,the crucial thalamus-related communication was maintained,and the network hub superior parietal cortex stayed active,which highlighted clinical prac-tices that the human body under PMDS is still perceptible to external stimuli and can be awakened by sound or touch.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2023YFF1203502)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62171300,62301343,and 62394314)+1 种基金the Project of Cultivation for Young Top-Notch Talents of Beijing Municipal Institutions(BPHR202203109)the Capital Medical University Research and Development Fund(PYZ22027).
文摘The ability to localize sound sources rapidly allows human beings to efficiently understand the surrounding environment.Previous studies have suggested that there is an auditory“where”pathway in the cortex for processing sound locations.The neural activation in regions along this pathway encodes sound locations by opponent hemifield coding,in which each unilateral region is activated by sounds coming from the contralateral hemifield.However,it is still unclear how these regions interact with each other to form a unified representation of the auditory space.In the present study,we investigated whether functional connectivity in the auditory“where”pathway encoded sound locations during passive listening.Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while passively listening to sounds from five distinct horizontal locations(−90°,−45°,0°,45°,90°).We were able to decode sound locations from the functional connectivity patterns of the“where”pathway.Furthermore,we found that such neural representation of sound locations was primarily based on the coding of sound lateralization angles to the frontal midline.In addition,whole-brain analysis indicated that functional connectivity between occipital regions and the primary auditory cortex also encoded sound locations by lateralization angles.Overall,our results reveal a lateralization-angle-based representation of sound locations encoded by functional connectivity patterns,which could add on the activation-based opponent hemifield coding to provide a more precise representation of the auditory space.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.81671671(to JL),61971451(to JL),U22A2034(to XK),62177047(to XK)the National Defense Science and Technology Collaborative Innovation Major Project of Central South University,No.2021gfcx05(to JL)+6 种基金Clinical Research Cen terfor Medical Imaging of Hunan Province,No.2020SK4001(to JL)Key Emergency Project of Pneumonia Epidemic of Novel Coronavirus Infection of Hu nan Province,No.2020SK3006(to JL)Innovative Special Construction Foundation of Hunan Province,No.2019SK2131(to JL)the Science and Technology lnnovation Program of Hunan Province,Nos.2021RC4016(to JL),2021SK53503(to ML)Scientific Research Program of Hunan Commission of Health,No.202209044797(to JL)Central South University Research Program of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,No.2023Q YJC020(to XK)the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,No.2022JJ30814(to ML)。
文摘Patients with mild traumatic brain injury have a diverse clinical presentation,and the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood.Magnetic resonance imaging is a non-invasive technique that has been widely utilized to investigate neuro biological markers after mild traumatic brain injury.This approach has emerged as a promising tool for investigating the pathogenesis of mild traumatic brain injury.G raph theory is a quantitative method of analyzing complex networks that has been widely used to study changes in brain structure and function.However,most previous mild traumatic brain injury studies using graph theory have focused on specific populations,with limited exploration of simultaneous abnormalities in structural and functional connectivity.Given that mild traumatic brain injury is the most common type of traumatic brain injury encounte red in clinical practice,further investigation of the patient characteristics and evolution of structural and functional connectivity is critical.In the present study,we explored whether abnormal structural and functional connectivity in the acute phase could serve as indicators of longitudinal changes in imaging data and cognitive function in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.In this longitudinal study,we enrolled 46 patients with mild traumatic brain injury who were assessed within 2 wee ks of injury,as well as 36 healthy controls.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging data were acquired for graph theoretical network analysis.In the acute phase,patients with mild traumatic brain injury demonstrated reduced structural connectivity in the dorsal attention network.More than 3 months of followup data revealed signs of recovery in structural and functional connectivity,as well as cognitive function,in 22 out of the 46 patients.Furthermore,better cognitive function was associated with more efficient networks.Finally,our data indicated that small-worldness in the acute stage could serve as a predictor of longitudinal changes in connectivity in patients with mild traumatic brain injury.These findings highlight the importance of integrating structural and functional connectivity in unde rstanding the occurrence and evolution of mild traumatic brain injury.Additionally,exploratory analysis based on subnetworks could serve a predictive function in the prognosis of patients with mild traumatic brain injury.
基金supported by the Science and Technology Innovation 2030-Major Projects(Nos.2021ZD0202000,2021ZD0200800,and 2021ZD0200701)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2019YFA0706200)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.62227807,62202212,U21A20520,and U22A2033)the Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province(No.23YFGA0004),China.
文摘Thalamocortical circuitry has a substantial impact on emotion and cognition.Previous studies have demonstrated alterations in thalamocortical functional connectivity(FC),characterized by region-dependent hypo-or hyper-connectivity,among individuals with major depressive disorder(MDD).However,the dynamical reconfiguration of the thalamocortical system over time and potential abnormalities in dynamic thalamocortical connectivity associated with MDD remain unclear.Hence,we analyzed dynamic FC(dFC)between ten thalamic subregions and seven cortical subnetworks from resting-state functional magnetic resonance images of 48 patients with MDD and 57 healthy controls(HCs)to investigate time-varying changes in thalamocortical FC in patients with MDD.Moreover,dynamic laterality analysis was conducted to examine the changes in functional lateralization of the thalamocortical system over time.Correlations between the dynamic measures of thalamocortical FC and clinical assessment were also calculated.We identified four dynamic states of thalamocortical circuitry wherein patients with MDD exhibited decreased fractional time and reduced transitions within a negative connectivity state that showed strong correlations with primary cortical networks,compared with the HCs.In addition,MDD patients also exhibited increased fluctuations in functional laterality in the thalamocortical system across the scan duration.The thalamo-subnetwork analysis unveiled abnormal dFC variability involving higher-order cortical networks in the MDD cohort.Significant correlations were found between increased dFC variability with dorsal attention and default mode networks and the severity of symptoms.Our study comprehensively investigated the pattern of alteration of the thalamocortical dFC in MDD patients.The heterogeneous alterations of dFC between the thalamus and both primary and higher-order cortical networks may help characterize the deficits of sensory and cognitive processing in MDD.
基金supported by grants from the Nanjing Medical Technology Development Project(No.YKK19059)Excellent Young Doctor Training Program of Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine(No.2023QB0126)+1 种基金Jiangsu Province Graduate Research and Practice Innovation Program Project-School Assisted General Project(No.SJCX23_0804)the General project of Natural Science Foundat。
文摘Ejaculation is regulated by the central nervous system.However,the central pathophysiology of primary intravaginal anejaculation(PIAJ)is unclear.The present study aimed to examine the changes in regional brain activity and functional connectivity underlying PIAJ.A total of 20 PIAJ patients and 16 healthy controls(HCs)were enrolled from September 2020 to September 2022 in the Department of Andrology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital(Nanjing,China).Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from all participants and then were preprocessed.The measures of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and functional connectivity(FC)were calculated and compared between the groups.PIAJ patients showed increased fALFF values in the left precuneus compared with HCs.Additionally,PIAJ patients showed increased ReHo values in the left precuneus,left postcentral gyrus,left superior occipital gyrus,left calcarine fissure,right precuneus,and right middle temporal gyrus,and decreased ReHo values in the left inferior parietal gyrus,compared with HCs.Finally,brain regions with altered fALFF and ReHo values in PIAJ patients showed increased FC with widespread cortical regions,which included the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,compared with HCs.In conclusion,increased regional brain activity in the parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,and increased FC between these brain regions,may be associated with PIAJ occurrence.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82160195,No.82460203)Key R&D Program of Jiangxi Province(No.20223BBH80014)+1 种基金Science and Technology Project of Jiangxi Province Health Commission of Traditional Chinese Medicine(No.2022B258)Science and Technology Project of Jiangxi Health Commission(No.202210017).
文摘AIM:To study functional brain abnormalities in patients with eye trauma(ET)and to discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of ET.METHODS:Totally 31 ET patients and 31 healthy controls(HCs)were recruited.The age,gender,and educational background characteristics of the two groups were similar.After functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scanning,the subjects’spontaneous brain activity was evaluated with the functional connectivity(FC)method.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to classify the data.Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between FC values in specific brain regions and clinical behaviors in patients with ET.RESULTS:Significantly increased FC between several regions was identified including the medial prefrontal cortex(MPFC)and left hippocampus formations(HF),the MPFC and left inferior parietal lobule(IPL),the left IPL and left medial temporal lobe(MTL),the left IPL and right MTL,and the right IPL and left MTL.No decreased region-to-region connectivity was detected in default mode network(DMN)sub-regions in patients with ET.Compared with HCs,ET patients exhibited significantly increased FC between several paired DMN regions,as follows:posterior cingulate cortex(PCC)and right HF(HF.R,t=2.196,P=0.032),right inferior parietal cortices(IPC.R)and left MTL(MTL.L,t=2.243,P=0.029),and right MTL(MTL.R)and HF.R(t=2.236,P=0.029).CONCLUSION:FC values in multiple brain regions of ET patients are abnormal,suggesting that these brain regions in ET patients may be dysfunctional,which may help to reveal the pathophysiological mechanisms of ET.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81471120Fund Projects in Technology of the Foundation Strengthening Program of China,No.2019-JCJQ-JJ-151(both to XZ).
文摘Numerous studies have shown abnormal brain functional connectivity in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease(AD)or amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI).However,most studies examined traditional resting state functional connections,ignoring the instantaneous connection mode of the whole brain.In this case-control study,we used a new method called dynamic functional connectivity(DFC)to look for abnormalities in patients with AD and aMCI.We calculated dynamic functional connectivity strength from functional magnetic resonance imaging data for each participant,and then used a support vector machine to classify AD patients and normal controls.Finally,we highlighted brain regions and brain networks that made the largest contributions to the classification.We found differences in dynamic function connectivity strength in the left precuneus,default mode network,and dorsal attention network among normal controls,aMCI patients,and AD patients.These abnormalities are potential imaging markers for the early diagnosis of AD.
基金supported by grants from the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission(D0906001040191,D101107047810005,D101100050010051)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(7102086)+3 种基金the Fund for Capital Medical Development and Research(2007-3059)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81171409)Startup Foundation for Distinguished Research Professors of the Institute for Psychology(Y0CX492S03)Fund for Outstanding Talents in Beijing(2012D003034000003)
文摘People with schizophrenia exhibit impaired social cognitive functions, particularly emotion regulation. Abnormal activations of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex （vMPFC） during emotional tasks have been demonstrated in schizophrenia, suggesting its important role in emotion processing in patients. We used the resting-state functional connectivity approach, setting a functionally relevant region, the vMPFC, as a seed region to examine the intrinsic functional interactions and communication between the vMPFC and other brain regions in schizophrenic patients. We found hypo-connectivity between the vMPFC and the medial frontal cortex, right middle temporal lobe （MTL）, right hippocampus, parahippocampal cortex （PHC） and amygdala. Further, there was a decreased strength of the negative connectivity （or anticorrelation） between the vMPFC and the bilateral dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex （DLPFC） and pre-supplementary motor areas. Among these connectivity alterations, reduced vMPFC-DLPFC connectivity was positively correlated with positive symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, while vMPFC-right MTL/PHC/amygdala functional connectivity was positively correlated with the performance of emotional regulation in patients. These findings imply that communication and coordination throughout the brain networks are disrupted in schizophrenia. The emotional correlates of vMPFC connectivity suggest a role of the hypo-connectivity between these regions in the neuropathology of abnormal social cognition in chronic schizophrenia.
基金grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of Outstanding Youth Fund in China:81622052National Natural Science Foundation of China:81473602+2 种基金the major program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China:81590950the Ten Thousand Talent Program:W02020595Youth Science and Technology Innovative Team of Sichuan Province:2019JDTD0011。
文摘Objective:To clarify altered whole brain functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex(ACC)in functional dyspepsia(FD)patients,and then to explore cerebral influence of acupuncture with deqi treating for FD.Methods:Thirty-two FD patients and 35 healthy subjects(HS)were firstly scanned by the resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging(BOLD-fMRI)to compare differences of ACC-based functional connectivity(FC).Then 32 FD patients were randomized to receive 20 sessions’acupuncture treatment with(n=16)and without deqi(n=16),as well as underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans after treatment.After group re-division according to deqi response,changes of ACC subregions-based resting-state FC(rsFC)were compared between the actual with and without deqi group.Two seeds with bilateral of each were selected as regions of interest(ROIs)of the ACC,including two from the dorsal ACC:S2(BA24)(x=±5,y=2,z=46,r=3.5 mm)and two from the pregenual ACC:17(BA24)(x=±5,y=38,z=6,r=3.5 mm).The clinical changes of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index(NDI)that measuring symptoms and quality of life(QOL)were also used to further assess the correlation with ACC subregions rsFC in FD patients.Results:Compared to HS,FD patients showed significantly increased ACC subregions rsFC with left fusiform gyrus,temporal cortex,hippocampus(HIPP)/amygdala,temporal pole,and right INS,superior occipital gyrus,and bilateral precuneus,superior parietal lobule(SPL),and decreased rsFC with left postcentral/precentral gyrus(PoG/PrG),supplementary motor area(SMA)and right cerebellum.32 FD patients which were then re-divided into the actual deqi group(n=16)and actual without deqi group(n=16).The decrease of the NDI symptom score(pre-pos)in the actual deqi group was significantly greater than that in the actual without deqi group(P<0.05).Among the two groups,the actual deqi group showed increased ACC subregions rsFC with right SMA and bilateral PrG/PoG,and decreased rsFC with right precuneus,middle occipital gyrus,bilateral posterior cingulate cortex(PCC),HIPP/paraHIPP,angular gyrus and SPL after treatment.In addition,the changed NDI QOL scores(pre-post)of the actual deqi group was significantly positively correlated with their Fisher’s transformed Z value of the altered ACC subregion(left I7)rsFC with right SPL(r=-0.597,P=0.04<0.05,FDR corrected P>0.05).Conclusion:The results tested the hypothesis that the advantage of deqi on efficacy is related to affecting the ACC subregions rsFC.It suggested that deqi might participate in the adaptive modulation of disrupted relationship between the ACC subregions and the default mode network(DMN).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81473784)University Science Research Project of Anhui Province of China(No.KJ2017A298)+1 种基金the Key Project of the Youth Elite Support Plan in Universities of Anhui Province of China(No.gxyq ZD2016134)Construction Project of Scientific Research Innovation Platform of Anhui Province of China(No.2015TD033)
文摘Background： Functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） is a novel method for studying the changes of brain networks due to acupuncture treatment. In recent years, more and more studies have focused on the brain functional connectivity network of acupuncture stimulation. Objective： To offer an overview of the different influences of acupuncture on the brain functional connec- tivity network from studies using resting-state fMRI. Search strategy： The authors performed a systematic search according to PRISMA guidelines, The database PubMed was searched from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2016 with restriction to human studies in English language. Inclusion criteria： Electronic searches were conducted in PubMed using the keywords ＂acupuncture＂ and ＂neuroimaging＂ or ＂resting-state fMRI＂ or ＂functional connectivity＂, Data extraction and analysis： Selection of included articles, data extraction and methodological quality assessments were respectively conducted by two review authors. Results： Forty-four resting-state fMRI studies were included in this systematic review according to inclu- sion criteria. Thirteen studies applied manual acupuncture vs. sham, four studies applied electro- acupuncture vs. sham, two studies also compared transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation vs. sham, and nine applied sham acupoint as control. Nineteen studies with a total number of 574 healthy subjects selected to perform fMRI only considered healthy adult volunteers. The brain functional connec- tivity of the patients had varying degrees of change. Compared with sham acupuncture, verum acupunc- ture could increase default mode network and sensorimotor network connectivity with pain-, affective- and memory-related brain areas. It has significantly greater connectivity of genuine acupuncture between the periaqueductal gray, anterior cingulate cortex, left posterior cingulate cortex, right anterior insula, limbic/paralimbic and precuneus compared with sham acupuncture. Some research had also shown that acupuncture could adjust the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network, brainstem, cerebellum, subcortical and hippocampus brain areas. Conclusion： It can be presumed that the functional connectivity network is closely related to the mech- anism of acupuncture, and central integration plays a critical role in the acupuncture mechanism.
基金Project supported by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50537030)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61072012 and 61172009)+1 种基金the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61104032 and 60901035)the Tianjin Municipal Natural Science Foundation,China (Grant No. 12JCZDJC21100)
文摘Manual acupuncture is widely used for pain relief and stress control.Previous studies on acupuncture have shown its modulatory effects on the functional connectivity associated with one or a few preselected brain regions.To investigate how manual acupuncture modulates the organization of functional networks at a whole-brain level,we acupuncture at ST36 of a right leg to obtain electroencephalograph（EEG） signals.By coherence estimation,we determine the synchronizations between all pairwise combinations of EEG channels in three acupuncture states.The resulting synchronization matrices are converted into functional networks by applying a threshold,and the clustering coefficients and path lengths are computed as a function of threshold.The results show that acupuncture can increase functional connections and synchronizations between different brain areas.For a wide range of thresholds,the clustering coefficient during acupuncture and postacupuncture period is higher than that during the pre-acupuncture control period,whereas the characteristic path length is shorter.We provide further support for the presence of ＂small-world＂ network characteristics in functional networks by using acupuncture.These preliminary results highlight the beneficial modulations of functional connectivity by manual acupuncture,which could contribute to the understanding of the effects of acupuncture on the entire brain,as well as the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture.Moreover,the proposed method may be a useful approach to the further investigation of the complexity of patterns of interrelations between EEG channels.
基金the Grup de Recerca en Tecniques Estadistiques Avancades Aplicades a la Psicologia(GTEAAP)members of the Generalitat de Catalunya’s 2014 SGR 326 Consolidated Research Group(GRC)the PSI2013-41400-P project of Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad of the Spanish Government
文摘Age-related changes in the brain connectivity of healthy older adults have been widely studied in recent years,with some differences in the obtained results.Most of these studies showed decreases in general functional connectivity,but they also found increases in some particular regions and areas.Frequently,these studies compared young individuals with older subjects,but few studies compared different age groups only in older populations.The purpose of this study is to analyze whole-brain functional connectivity in healthy older adult groups and its network characteristics through functional segregation.A total of 114 individuals,48 to 89 years old,were scanned using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in a resting state paradigm and were divided into six different age groups(<60,60–64,65–69,70–74,75–79,≥80 years old).A partial correlation analysis,a pooled correlation analysis and a study of 3-cycle regions with prominent connectivity were conducted.Our results showed progressive diminution in the functional connectivity among different age groups and this was particularly pronounced between 75 and 79 years old.The oldest group(≥80 years old)showed a slight increase in functional connectivity compared to the other groups.This occurred possibly because of compensatory mechanism in brain functioning.This study provides information on the brain functional characteristics of every age group,with more specific information on the functional progressive decline,and supplies methodological tools to study functional connectivity characteristics.Approval for the study was obtained from the ethics committee of the Comision de Bioetica de la Universidad de Barcelona(approval No.PSI2012-38257)on June 5,2012,and from the ethics committee of the Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic(approval No.2009-5306 and 2011-6604)on October 22,2009 and April 7,2011 respectively.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.81974331(to XYZ)Shanghai Municipal Education Commission-Gaofeng Clinical Medicine Grant, No.20161429(to XYZ)
文摘Although cerebral neuroplasticity following amputation has been observed, little is understood about how network-level functional reorganization occurs in the brain following upper-limb amputation. The objective of this study was to analyze alterations in brain network functional connectivity(FC) in upper-limb amputees(ULAs). This observational study included 40 ULAs and 40 healthy control subjects;all participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Changes in intra-and inter-network FC in ULAs were quantified using independent component analysis and brain network FC analysis. We also analyzed the correlation between FC and clinical manifestations, such as pain. We identified 11 independent components using independent component analysis from all subjects. In ULAs, intra-network FC was decreased in the left precuneus(precuneus gyrus) within the dorsal attention network and left precentral(precentral gyrus) within the auditory network;but increased in the left Parietal_Inf(inferior parietal, but supramarginal and angular gyri) within the ventral sensorimotor network, right Cerebelum_Crus2(crus Ⅱ of cerebellum) and left Temporal_Mid(middle temporal gyrus) within the ventral attention network, and left Rolandic_Oper(rolandic operculum) within the auditory network. ULAs also showed decreased inter-network FCs between the dorsal sensorimotor network and ventral sensorimotor network, the dorsal sensorimotor network and right frontoparietal network, and the dorsal sensorimotor network and dorsal attention network. Correlation analyses revealed negative correlations between inter-network FC changes and residual limb pain and phantom limb pain scores, but positive correlations between inter-network FC changes and daily activity hours of stump limb. These results show that post-amputation plasticity in ULAs is not restricted to local remapping;rather, it also occurs at a network level across several cortical regions. This observation provides additional insights into the plasticity of brain networks after upper-limb amputation, and could contribute to identification of the mechanisms underlying post-amputation pain.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant No.82001793)Social Development Project of Science and Technology in Jiangsu Province(grant No.BE2019606)。
文摘Recent research has highlighted structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebral cortex of patients with premature ejaculation(PE).These anomalies could play a pivotal role in the physiological mechanisms underlying PE.This study leveraged functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI),a noninvasive technique,to explore these neural mechanisms.We conducted resting-state fMRI scans on 36 PE patients and 22 healthy controls(HC),and collected data on Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool(PEDT)scores and intravaginal ejaculation latency time(IELT).Employing a surface-based regional homogeneity(ReHo)approach,we analyzed local neural synchronous spontaneous activity,diverging from previous studies that utilized a volume-based ReHo method.Areas with significant ReHo differences between PE and HC groups underwent surface-based functional connectivity(FC)analysis.Significant discrepancies in ReHo and FC across the cortical surface were observed in the PE cohort.Notably,PE patients exhibited decreased ReHo in the left triangular inferior frontal gyrus and enhanced ReHo in the right middle frontal gyrus.The latter showed heightened connectivity with the left lingual gyrus and the right orbital superior frontal gyrus.Furthermore,a correlation between ReHo and FC values with PEDT scores and IELT was found in the PE group.Our findings,derived from surface-based fMRI data,underscore specific brain regions linked to the neurobiological underpinnings of PE.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB02050006)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81571300, 81527901, 31771174, 81271518 and 81471387)+4 种基金the National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFC1310400)the Natural Science Foundation and Major Basic Research Program of Shanghai (16JC1420100)the support from Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine Institute of Neuroscience Research Center for Brain Disordersthe Shanghai JiaoTong University K.C. Wong Medical Fellowship Fundfunded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
文摘Neurostimulation remarkably alleviates the symptoms in a variety of brain disorders by modulating the brain-wide network. However, how brain-wide effects on the direct and indirect pathways evoked by focal neurostimulation elicit therapeutic effects in an individual patient is unknown. Understanding this remains crucial for advancing neural circuit-based guidance to optimize candidate patient screening, pre-surgical target selection, and post-surgical parameter tuning. To address this issue, we propose a functional brain connectome-based modeling approach that simulates the spreading effects of stimulating different brain regions and quantifies the rectification of abnormal network topology in silico. We validated these analyses by pinpointing nuclei in the basal ganglia circuits as top-ranked targets for 43 local patients with Parkinson’s disease and 90 patients from a public database. Individual connectome-based analysis demonstrated that the globus pallidus was the best choice for 21.1% and the subthalamic nucleus for 19.5% of patients. Down-regulation of functional connectivity(up to 12%) at these prioritized targets optimally maximized the therapeutic effects. Notably, the priority rank of the subthalamic nucleus significantly correlated with motor symptom severity(Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III) in the local cohort. These findings underscore the potential of neural network modeling for advancing personalized brain stimulation therapy,and warrant future experimental investigation to validate its clinical utility.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81771815.
文摘BACKGROUND Large-scale functional connectivity(LSFC)patterns in the brain have unique intrinsic characteristics.Abnormal LSFC patterns have been found in patients with dementia,as well as in those with mild cognitive impairment(MCI),and these patterns predicted their cognitive performance.It has been reported that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)may develop MCI that could progress to dementia.We investigated whether we could adopt LSFC patterns as discriminative features to predict the cognitive function of patients with T2DM,using connectome-based predictive modeling(CPM)and a support vector machine.AIM To investigate the utility of LSFC for predicting cognitive impairment related to T2DM more accurately and reliably.METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance images were derived from 42 patients with T2DM and 24 healthy controls.Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment(MoCA).Patients with T2DM were divided into two groups,according to the presence(T2DM-C;n=16)or absence(T2DM-NC;n=26)of MCI.Brain regions were marked using Harvard Oxford(HOA-112),automated anatomical labeling(AAL-116),and 264-region functional(Power-264)atlases.LSFC biomarkers for predicting MoCA scores were identified using a new CPM technique.Subsequently,we used a support vector machine based on LSFC patterns for among-group differentiation.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve determined the appearance of the classification.RESULTS CPM could predict the MoCA scores in patients with T2DM(Pearson’s correlation coefficient between predicted and actual MoCA scores,r=0.32,P=0.0066[HOA-112 atlas];r=0.32,P=0.0078[AAL-116 atlas];r=0.42,P=0.0038[Power-264 atlas]),indicating that LSFC patterns represent cognition-level measures in these patients.Positive(anti-correlated)LSFC networks based on the Power-264 atlas showed the best predictive performance;moreover,we observed new brain regions of interest associated with T2DM-related cognition.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values(T2DM-NC group vs.T2DM-C group)were 0.65-0.70,with LSFC matrices based on HOA-112 and Power-264 atlases having the highest value(0.70).Most discriminative and attractive LSFCs were related to the default mode network,limbic system,and basal ganglia.CONCLUSION LSFC provides neuroimaging-based information that may be useful in detecting MCI early and accurately in patients with T2DM.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81660158No.81160118No.81400372)
文摘AIM： To evaluate the differences in the functional connectivity（FC） of the primary visual cortex（V1） between the youth comitant exotropia（CE） patients and health subjects using resting functional magnetic resonance imaging（f MRI） data.METHODS： Totally, 32 CEs（25 males and 7 females） and 32 healthy control subjects（HCs）（25 males and 7 females） were enrolled in the study and underwent the MRI scanning. Two-sample t-test was used to examine differences in FC maps between the CE patients and HCs. RESULTS： The CE patients showed significantly less FC between the left brodmann area（BA17） and left lingual gyrus/cerebellum posterior lobe, right middle occipital gyrus, left precentral gyrus/postcentral gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule/postcentral gyrus. Meanwhile, CE patients showed significantly less FC between right BA17 and right middle occipital gyrus（BA19, 37）.CONCLUSION： Our findings show that CE involves abnormal FC in primary visual cortex in many regions, which may underlie the pathologic mechanism of impaired fusion and stereoscopic vision in CEs.
基金supported by the Project of International Cooperation of Jilin Province in China,No.20180414062GH(to XMH)Health research talents Project of Jilin Province in China,No.2019sc2018(to XMH)。
文摘Multiple sclerosis is associated with structural and functional brain alterations leading to cognitive impairments across multiple domains including attention,memory,and the speed of information processing.The hippocampus,which is a brain important structure involved in memory,undergoes microstructural changes in the early stage of multiple sclerosis.In this study,we analyzed hippocampal function and structure in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and explored correlations between the functional connectivity of the hippocampus to the whole brain,changes in local brain function and microstructure,and cognitive function at rest.We retrospectively analyzed data from 20 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients admitted to the Department of Neurology at the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University,China,from April 2015 to November 2019.Sixteen healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control group.All participants were evaluated using a scale of extended disability status and the Montreal cognitive assessment within 1 week before and after head diffusion tensor imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging.Compared with the healthy control group,the patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis had lower Montreal cognitive assessment scores and regions of simultaneously enhanced and attenuated whole-brain functional connectivity and local functional connectivity in the bilateral hippocampus.Hippocampal diffusion tensor imaging data showed that,compared with the healthy control group,patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis had lower hippocampal fractional anisotropy values and higher mean diffusivity values,suggesting abnormal hippocampal structure.The left hippocampus whole-brain functional connectivity was negatively correlated with the Montreal cognitive assessment score(r=-0.698,P=0.025),and whole-brain functional connectivity of the right hippocampus was negatively correlated with extended disability status scale score(r=-0.649,P=0.042).The mean diffusivity value of the left hippocampus was negatively correlated with the Montreal cognitive assessment score(r=-0.729,P=0.017)and positively correlated with the extended disability status scale score(r=0.653,P=0.041).The right hippocampal mean diffusivity value was positively correlated with the extended disability status scale score(r=0.684,P=0.029).These data suggest that the functional connectivity and presence of structural abnormalities in the hippocampus in patients with relapse-remission multiple sclerosis are correlated with the degree of cognitive function and extent of disability.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University,China(approval No.201702202)on February 22,2017.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30973084
文摘In this study, we investigated alterations in the resting-state functional connectivity of the prefrontal cortex in chronic heroin abusers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We found that, compared with normal controls, in heroin abusers the left prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left hippocampus, right anterior cingulate, left middle frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. However, the right prefrontal cortex showed decreased functional connectivity with the left orbital frontal cortex and the left middle frontal gyrus in chronic heroin abusers. These alterations of resting-state functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortices of heroin abusers suggest that their frontal executive neural network may be impaired, and that this may contribute to their continued heroin abuse and relapse after withdrawal.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30825014,81061120529,30970814,81371488,91132727 and 30830046)the Key Program for Clinical Medicine and Science and Technology,Jiangsu Provincial Clinical Medical Research Center,China (BL2013025)
文摘The regional specifi city of hippocampal abnormalities in late-life depression（LLD） has been demonstrated in previous studies. In this study,we sought to examine the functional connectivity（FC） patterns of hippocampal subregions in remitted late-onset depression（r LOD）,a special subtype of LLD. Fourteen r LOD patients and 18 healthy controls underwent clinical and cognitive evaluations as well as resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline and at ~21 months of follow-up. Each hippocampus was divided into three parts,the cornu ammonis（CA）,the dentate gyrus,and the subicular complex,and then six seed-based hippocampal subregional networks were established.Longitudinal changes of the six networks over time were directly compared between the rL OD and control groups. From baseline to follow-up,the r LOD group showed a greater decline in connectivity of the left CA to the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus（PCC/PCUN）,but showed increased connectivity of the right hippocampal subregional networks with the frontal cortex（bilateral medial prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex and supplementary motor area）. Further correlative analyses revealed thatthe longitudinal changes in FC between the left CA and PCC/PCUN were positively correlated with longitudinal changes in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test（r = 0.624,P = 0.017） and the Digit Span Test（r = 0.545,P = 0.044） scores in the r LOD group. These results may provide insights into the neurobiological mechanism underlying the cognitive dysfunction in r LOD patients.
