AIM:To analyze whether alterations of voxel mirror homology connectivity(VMHC)values,as determined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rsfMRI),occur in cerebral regions of patients with hypertensive...AIM:To analyze whether alterations of voxel mirror homology connectivity(VMHC)values,as determined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rsfMRI),occur in cerebral regions of patients with hypertensive retinopathy(HR)and to determine the relationship between VMHC values and clinical characteristics in patients with HR.METHODS:Twenty-one patients with HR and 21 agematched healthy controls(HCs)were assessed by rsfMRI scanning.The functional connectivity between the hemispheres of the cerebrum was assessed by measuring VMHC,with the ability of VMHC to distinguish between the HR and HC groups assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the HR and HC groups were analyzed by independent sample t-tests.The relationship between average VMHC in several brain areas of HR patients and clinical features was determined using Pearson correlation analysis.RESULTS:Mean VMHC values of the bilateral cuneus gyrus(BA19),bilateral middle orbitofrontal gyrus(BA47),bilateral middle temporal gyrus(BA39)and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus(BA9)were lower in the HR than in the HC group.CONCLUSION:VMHC values can predict the development of early HR,prevent the transformation of hypertensive microangiopathy,and provide useful information explaining the changes in neural mechanism associated with HR.展开更多
In the present study, 10 patients with ischemic stroke in the left hemisphere and six healthy controls were subjected to acupuncture at right Waiguan （TE5）. In ischemic stroke subjects, functional MRI showed enhance...In the present study, 10 patients with ischemic stroke in the left hemisphere and six healthy controls were subjected to acupuncture at right Waiguan （TE5）. In ischemic stroke subjects, functional MRI showed enhanced activation in Broadmann areas 5, 6, 7, 18, 19, 24, 32, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the mamiilary body, and the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 4, 6, 7, 18, 19 and 32 of the right hemisphere, but attenuated activation of Broadmann area 13, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum, and the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, in the left hemisphere and Broadmann area 13 in the right hemisphere. In ischemic stroke subjects, a number of deactivated brain areas were enhanced, including Broadmann areas 6, 11,20, 22, 37, and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, alae lingulae cerebella, and the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 8, 37, 45 and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, pars tuberalis adenohypophyseos, inferior border of lentiform nucleus, lateral globus pallidus, inferior temporal gyrus, and the parahippocampal gyrus of the right hemisphere. These subjects also exhibited attenuation of a number of deactivated brain areas, including Broadmann area 7. These data suggest that acupuncture at Waiguan specifically alters brain function in regions associated with sensation, vision, and motion in ischemic stroke patients. By contrast, in normal individuals, acupuncture at Waiguan generally activates brain areas associated with insomnia and other functions.展开更多
We compared the activities of functional regions of the brain in the Deqi versus non-Deqi state, as reported by physicians and subjects cludng acupuncture, Twelve healthy volunteers received sham and true needling at ...We compared the activities of functional regions of the brain in the Deqi versus non-Deqi state, as reported by physicians and subjects cludng acupuncture, Twelve healthy volunteers received sham and true needling at the Waiguan （TE5） acupoint. Real-time cerebral functional MRI showed that compared with non-sensation after sham needling, true needling activated Brodmann areas 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 37, 39, 40, 43, and 47, the head of the caudate nucleus, the parahippocampal gyrus, thalamus and red nucleus. True needling also deactivated Brodmann areas 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. 10. 18.24.31.40 and 46.展开更多
Shaoyang acupoints are the most frequently used in migraine treatment. However, the central anal- gesic mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that single stimulus of the verum acupuncture in h...Shaoyang acupoints are the most frequently used in migraine treatment. However, the central anal- gesic mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that single stimulus of the verum acupuncture in healthy subjects can induce significant connectivity or activity changes in pain- related central networks compared with sham acupuncture. However, these findings are not indicative of the central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints. Thus, we recruited 100 migraine sufferers and randomly assigned them into five groups： Shaoyang uncommon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, non-acupoint control, and blank control groups. Subjects were subjected to evaluation of curative effects and functional MRI prior to and after 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. All subjects were diagnosed by physicians and enrolled following clinical physical examination. Subjects were observed during 1-4 weeks after inclusion. At the fifth week, the first clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI were conducted. The Shaoyang uncom- mon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, and non-acupoint control grousp then were treated with acupuncture, five times per week, 20 times in total over 4 weeks. The second and third clinical evaluations and resting functional MRI screenings were conducted following 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. The blank control group was observed during the 5 to 8 week pe- riod, followed by clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI. The aim of this study was to examine changes in brain functional activity and central networks in subjects with migraine undergoing acu- puncture at Shaoyang uncommon acupoints. This study provides a further explanation of the central analgesic mechanism by which acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints treats migraine,展开更多
BACKGROUND： Functional MRI （fMRI） demonstrates the localization of hand representation in the motor cortex, thereby providing feasible noninvasive mapping of functional activities in the human brain. OBJECTIVE： To...BACKGROUND： Functional MRI （fMRI） demonstrates the localization of hand representation in the motor cortex, thereby providing feasible noninvasive mapping of functional activities in the human brain. OBJECTIVE： To observe cortical activation within different cortical motor regions during repetitive hand movements in healthy subjects through the use of fMRI. DESIGN： An observational study, with each subject acting as his own control. SETTING： Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. PARTICIPANTS： Seven healthy volunteers, 4 males and 3 females, aged 19 to 38 years, participated in the study. All subjects were right-handed, with no neurological or psychological disorders. Informed written consent was obtained from all subjects, and the study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. METHODS： The study was performed at the Department of Radiology between June-August 2005. A 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI scanner （Symphony, Germany） was used to acquire T1-weighted structural images, which were oriented parallel to the line running through the anterior and the posterior commissures. Subjects were instructed on a task and were allowed to practice briefly prior to the imaging procedure. The motor activation task consisted of the right hand performing a clenching movement. The T1-W images were acquired from six alternating epochs of rest and activation from all seven healthy subjects. Data were collected with echoplanar imaging of brain oxygen level dependent （BOLD） sequence. Each series comprised six cycles of task performance （30 seconds）, alternating with rest （30 seconds） periods, and 3-second time intervals. The differences between active and baseline fMRI imaging were calculated using the student t-test. Differential maps were overlaid on the high resolution TI-W structural image for neuroanatomical correlation of activation areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The omega-shaped hand knobs were recognized on T1-W structural images. Active signal changes in the primary （M1） and secondary motor （M2） areas, as well as the relationship between the hand knobs and M1 area activation, were analyzed. Region of interest was selected for signal change quantitative graphic analysis. RESULTS： All 7 enrolled volunteers were included in the final analysis. In the present study, hand knob structures were recognized on T1-weighted images in all subjects and were omega-shaped in the axial plane. Significant functional activations were observed in the contralateral primary motor area of all subjects. Activation signals were distributed mainly in the central sulcus around the hand knob. The contralateral primary sensory （S1） cortex was activated in most cases, and ipsilateral M1 was activated in 3 subjects. Contralateral or bilateral supplementary motor area （SMA） was also activated in 6 cases. Premotor area, or super parietal lobe, was activated in two subjects. Three-dimensional reconstruction demonstrated that the active signal of M1 was primarily located at the middle-lateral surface of the contralateral precentral gyrus in Brodman＇s area 4, and the signal of SMA activation was located in the mesial surface of the premotor area. CONCLUSION： The knob structure of the precentral gyrus is the representative motor area for hand movement. The cerebral cortical motor network was extensively activated during voluntary hand movements in normal subjects. In alert, conscious human subjects, the activated fMRI signal safely and non-invasively localized and lateralized the motor cortical activity associated with simple voluntary repetitive hand movements. Whether higher cognitive functions, such as perception and speech, can be similarly mapped using the fMRI technique and the BOLD method remains to be determined in future well-designed human studies.展开更多
We studied the influence of doctor-patient communication skills training on brain functional architecture using resting-state functional MRI（rs-fMRI） with a regional homogeneity（ReHo） method. Ten medical students ...We studied the influence of doctor-patient communication skills training on brain functional architecture using resting-state functional MRI（rs-fMRI） with a regional homogeneity（ReHo） method. Ten medical students participated in the study. A 1-year long doctor-patient communication skills training program was conducted. RsfMRI data were collected at baseline, one month and one year after training. There was a significant increase in the communication skills test average scores between baseline and 1-month duration of training（P〈0.001）. After one month of communication skills training, medical students had decreased ReHo in the right superior temporal gyrus compared with the baseline. After one year of communication skills training, students had increased ReHo in multiple regions and decreased ReHo in several regions（P 〈0.05, Alphasim corrected）. The change of ReHo values in the superior temporal gyrus negatively correlated with the change of communication skills scale score between one month after communication skills training and baseline（r=-0.734, P= 0.036）. The training program we used can be an effective approach of improving doctor-patient communication skills, and the training resulted in functional plasticity of the brain’s architecture toward optimizing locally functional organization.展开更多
Examining the spontaneous BOLD activity to understand the neural mechanism of Parkinson’s disease(PD)with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is a focus in resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)studies.This study aimed to i...Examining the spontaneous BOLD activity to understand the neural mechanism of Parkinson’s disease(PD)with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is a focus in resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)studies.This study aimed to investigate the alteration of brain functional connectivity in PD with MCI in a systematical way at two levels:functional connectivity analysis within resting state networks(RSNs)and functional network connectivity(FNC)analysis.Using group independent component analysis(ICA)on rs-fMRI data acquired from 30 participants(14 healthy controls and 16 PD patients with MCI),16 RSNs were identified,and functional connectivity analysis within the RSNs and FNC analysis were carried out between groups.Compared to controls,patients with PD showed decreased functional connectivity within putamen network,thalamus network,cerebellar network,attention network,and self-referential network,and increased functional connectivity within execution network.Globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC was observed in PD group,and insular network and execution network were the dominant network with extensively increased functional connectivity with other RSNs.Cerebellar network showed decreased functional connectivity with caudate network,insular network,and self-referential network.In general,decreased functional connectivity within RSNs and globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC may be characteristics of PD.Increased functional connectivity within execution network may be an early marker of PD.The multi-perspective study based on RSNs may be a valuable means to assess functional changes corresponding to specific RSN,contributing to the understanding of the neural mechanism of PD.展开更多
Many studies have investigated the evidence for tactile and visual interactive responses to activation of various brain regions.However,few studies have reported on the effects of visuo-tactile multisensory integratio...Many studies have investigated the evidence for tactile and visual interactive responses to activation of various brain regions.However,few studies have reported on the effects of visuo-tactile multisensory integration on the amount of brain activation on the somatosensory cortical regions.The aim of this study was to examine whether coincidental information obtained by tactile stimulation can affect the somatosensory cortical activation using functional MRI.Ten right-handed healthy subjects were recruited for this study.Two tasks（tactile stimulation and visuotactile stimulation）were performed using a block paradigm during f MRI scanning.In the tactile stimulation task,in subjects with eyes closed,tactile stimulation was applied on the dorsum of the right hand,corresponding to the proximal to distal directions,using a rubber brush.In the visuotactile stimulation task,tactile stimulation was applied to observe the attached mirror in the MRI chamber reflecting their hands being touched with the brush.In the result of SPM group analysis,we found brain activation on the somatosensory cortical area.Tactile stimulation task induced brain activations in the left primary sensory-motor cortex（SM1）and secondary somatosensory cortex（S2）.In the visuo-tactile stimulation task,brain activations were observed in the both SM1,both S2,and right posterior parietal cortex.In all tasks,the peak activation was detected in the contralateral SM1.We examined the effects of visuo-tactile multisensory integration on the SM1 and found that visual information during tactile stimulation could enhance activations on SM1 compared to the tactile unisensory stimulation.展开更多
The human brain is known to be influenced by environmental stimuli（Feeney et al.,1982;Kaplan,1988）.Therefore,research on the brain activation pattern by external stimuli has been an important topic in neuroscience（...The human brain is known to be influenced by environmental stimuli（Feeney et al.,1982;Kaplan,1988）.Therefore,research on the brain activation pattern by external stimuli has been an important topic in neuroscience（Kaplan,1988）.Chewing gum has been known to have a positive effect on cognition,including alertness,attention,cognitive processing speed,展开更多
Parkinson＇s disease （PD） is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 10 million people world- wide （Planetta et al., 2014; Zigmond and Smeyne, 2014）. The principal clinical features of PD ...Parkinson＇s disease （PD） is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 10 million people world- wide （Planetta et al., 2014; Zigmond and Smeyne, 2014）. The principal clinical features of PD are bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor at rest and postural instability （Planetta et al., 2014）. It is known that both PD itself and the use of anti-parkinson drugs are associated with several non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric disturbances and sleep, autonomic, and sensory disorders （Park and Stacy, 2009; Foster et al., 2014）. The histopathological hallmark of PD is the reduction of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta, causing dopamine deficiency in spe- cific nuclei of the basal ganglia such as the dorsal striatum （Fearnley and Lees, 1991; Planetta et al., 2014）. The disrup- tion of the dopaminergic system has long been regarded as the major cause of PD; however, it has been shown that a widespread involvement of several non-dopaminergic path- ways also contribute to the clinical manifestations of PD （Park et al., 2014）.展开更多
As one of the most widely used languages in the world,Chinese language is distinct from most western languages in many properties,thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the brain basis of human language...As one of the most widely used languages in the world,Chinese language is distinct from most western languages in many properties,thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the brain basis of human language and cognition.In recent years,non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)blaze a new trail to comprehensively study specific neural correlates of Chinese language processing and Chinese speakers.We reviewed the application of functional MRI(fMRI)in such studies and some essential findings on brain systems in processing Chinese.Specifically,for example,the application of task fMRI and resting-state fMRI in observing the process of reading and writing the logographic characters and producing or listening to the tonal speech.Elementary cognitive neuroscience and several potential research directions around brain and Chinese language were discussed,which may be informative for future research.展开更多
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.82160195,No.82460203).
文摘AIM:To analyze whether alterations of voxel mirror homology connectivity(VMHC)values,as determined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rsfMRI),occur in cerebral regions of patients with hypertensive retinopathy(HR)and to determine the relationship between VMHC values and clinical characteristics in patients with HR.METHODS:Twenty-one patients with HR and 21 agematched healthy controls(HCs)were assessed by rsfMRI scanning.The functional connectivity between the hemispheres of the cerebrum was assessed by measuring VMHC,with the ability of VMHC to distinguish between the HR and HC groups assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the HR and HC groups were analyzed by independent sample t-tests.The relationship between average VMHC in several brain areas of HR patients and clinical features was determined using Pearson correlation analysis.RESULTS:Mean VMHC values of the bilateral cuneus gyrus(BA19),bilateral middle orbitofrontal gyrus(BA47),bilateral middle temporal gyrus(BA39)and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus(BA9)were lower in the HR than in the HC group.CONCLUSION:VMHC values can predict the development of early HR,prevent the transformation of hypertensive microangiopathy,and provide useful information explaining the changes in neural mechanism associated with HR.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program),No.2006CB504505,2012CB518504the Third Key Construction Program of "211 Project" of Guangdong Province
文摘In the present study, 10 patients with ischemic stroke in the left hemisphere and six healthy controls were subjected to acupuncture at right Waiguan （TE5）. In ischemic stroke subjects, functional MRI showed enhanced activation in Broadmann areas 5, 6, 7, 18, 19, 24, 32, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the mamiilary body, and the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 4, 6, 7, 18, 19 and 32 of the right hemisphere, but attenuated activation of Broadmann area 13, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum, and the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, in the left hemisphere and Broadmann area 13 in the right hemisphere. In ischemic stroke subjects, a number of deactivated brain areas were enhanced, including Broadmann areas 6, 11,20, 22, 37, and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, alae lingulae cerebella, and the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 8, 37, 45 and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, pars tuberalis adenohypophyseos, inferior border of lentiform nucleus, lateral globus pallidus, inferior temporal gyrus, and the parahippocampal gyrus of the right hemisphere. These subjects also exhibited attenuation of a number of deactivated brain areas, including Broadmann area 7. These data suggest that acupuncture at Waiguan specifically alters brain function in regions associated with sensation, vision, and motion in ischemic stroke patients. By contrast, in normal individuals, acupuncture at Waiguan generally activates brain areas associated with insomnia and other functions.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), No. 2006CB504505,2012CB518504the Third Key Construction Program of"211 Project" of Guangdong Province
文摘We compared the activities of functional regions of the brain in the Deqi versus non-Deqi state, as reported by physicians and subjects cludng acupuncture, Twelve healthy volunteers received sham and true needling at the Waiguan （TE5） acupoint. Real-time cerebral functional MRI showed that compared with non-sensation after sham needling, true needling activated Brodmann areas 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 37, 39, 40, 43, and 47, the head of the caudate nucleus, the parahippocampal gyrus, thalamus and red nucleus. True needling also deactivated Brodmann areas 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. 10. 18.24.31.40 and 46.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program),No.2012CB518501the Key Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.30930112/C190301
文摘Shaoyang acupoints are the most frequently used in migraine treatment. However, the central anal- gesic mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that single stimulus of the verum acupuncture in healthy subjects can induce significant connectivity or activity changes in pain- related central networks compared with sham acupuncture. However, these findings are not indicative of the central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints. Thus, we recruited 100 migraine sufferers and randomly assigned them into five groups： Shaoyang uncommon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, non-acupoint control, and blank control groups. Subjects were subjected to evaluation of curative effects and functional MRI prior to and after 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. All subjects were diagnosed by physicians and enrolled following clinical physical examination. Subjects were observed during 1-4 weeks after inclusion. At the fifth week, the first clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI were conducted. The Shaoyang uncom- mon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, and non-acupoint control grousp then were treated with acupuncture, five times per week, 20 times in total over 4 weeks. The second and third clinical evaluations and resting functional MRI screenings were conducted following 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. The blank control group was observed during the 5 to 8 week pe- riod, followed by clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI. The aim of this study was to examine changes in brain functional activity and central networks in subjects with migraine undergoing acu- puncture at Shaoyang uncommon acupoints. This study provides a further explanation of the central analgesic mechanism by which acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints treats migraine,
文摘BACKGROUND： Functional MRI （fMRI） demonstrates the localization of hand representation in the motor cortex, thereby providing feasible noninvasive mapping of functional activities in the human brain. OBJECTIVE： To observe cortical activation within different cortical motor regions during repetitive hand movements in healthy subjects through the use of fMRI. DESIGN： An observational study, with each subject acting as his own control. SETTING： Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. PARTICIPANTS： Seven healthy volunteers, 4 males and 3 females, aged 19 to 38 years, participated in the study. All subjects were right-handed, with no neurological or psychological disorders. Informed written consent was obtained from all subjects, and the study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. METHODS： The study was performed at the Department of Radiology between June-August 2005. A 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI scanner （Symphony, Germany） was used to acquire T1-weighted structural images, which were oriented parallel to the line running through the anterior and the posterior commissures. Subjects were instructed on a task and were allowed to practice briefly prior to the imaging procedure. The motor activation task consisted of the right hand performing a clenching movement. The T1-W images were acquired from six alternating epochs of rest and activation from all seven healthy subjects. Data were collected with echoplanar imaging of brain oxygen level dependent （BOLD） sequence. Each series comprised six cycles of task performance （30 seconds）, alternating with rest （30 seconds） periods, and 3-second time intervals. The differences between active and baseline fMRI imaging were calculated using the student t-test. Differential maps were overlaid on the high resolution TI-W structural image for neuroanatomical correlation of activation areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The omega-shaped hand knobs were recognized on T1-W structural images. Active signal changes in the primary （M1） and secondary motor （M2） areas, as well as the relationship between the hand knobs and M1 area activation, were analyzed. Region of interest was selected for signal change quantitative graphic analysis. RESULTS： All 7 enrolled volunteers were included in the final analysis. In the present study, hand knob structures were recognized on T1-weighted images in all subjects and were omega-shaped in the axial plane. Significant functional activations were observed in the contralateral primary motor area of all subjects. Activation signals were distributed mainly in the central sulcus around the hand knob. The contralateral primary sensory （S1） cortex was activated in most cases, and ipsilateral M1 was activated in 3 subjects. Contralateral or bilateral supplementary motor area （SMA） was also activated in 6 cases. Premotor area, or super parietal lobe, was activated in two subjects. Three-dimensional reconstruction demonstrated that the active signal of M1 was primarily located at the middle-lateral surface of the contralateral precentral gyrus in Brodman＇s area 4, and the signal of SMA activation was located in the mesial surface of the premotor area. CONCLUSION： The knob structure of the precentral gyrus is the representative motor area for hand movement. The cerebral cortical motor network was extensively activated during voluntary hand movements in normal subjects. In alert, conscious human subjects, the activated fMRI signal safely and non-invasively localized and lateralized the motor cortical activity associated with simple voluntary repetitive hand movements. Whether higher cognitive functions, such as perception and speech, can be similarly mapped using the fMRI technique and the BOLD method remains to be determined in future well-designed human studies.
文摘We studied the influence of doctor-patient communication skills training on brain functional architecture using resting-state functional MRI（rs-fMRI） with a regional homogeneity（ReHo） method. Ten medical students participated in the study. A 1-year long doctor-patient communication skills training program was conducted. RsfMRI data were collected at baseline, one month and one year after training. There was a significant increase in the communication skills test average scores between baseline and 1-month duration of training（P〈0.001）. After one month of communication skills training, medical students had decreased ReHo in the right superior temporal gyrus compared with the baseline. After one year of communication skills training, students had increased ReHo in multiple regions and decreased ReHo in several regions（P 〈0.05, Alphasim corrected）. The change of ReHo values in the superior temporal gyrus negatively correlated with the change of communication skills scale score between one month after communication skills training and baseline（r=-0.734, P= 0.036）. The training program we used can be an effective approach of improving doctor-patient communication skills, and the training resulted in functional plasticity of the brain’s architecture toward optimizing locally functional organization.
基金This project was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81701655 and No.81600317)Platform Research Foundation of Union Hospital,Tongji Medical College,Huazhong university of Science and Technology(No.02.03.2017-14).
文摘Examining the spontaneous BOLD activity to understand the neural mechanism of Parkinson’s disease(PD)with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is a focus in resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)studies.This study aimed to investigate the alteration of brain functional connectivity in PD with MCI in a systematical way at two levels:functional connectivity analysis within resting state networks(RSNs)and functional network connectivity(FNC)analysis.Using group independent component analysis(ICA)on rs-fMRI data acquired from 30 participants(14 healthy controls and 16 PD patients with MCI),16 RSNs were identified,and functional connectivity analysis within the RSNs and FNC analysis were carried out between groups.Compared to controls,patients with PD showed decreased functional connectivity within putamen network,thalamus network,cerebellar network,attention network,and self-referential network,and increased functional connectivity within execution network.Globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC was observed in PD group,and insular network and execution network were the dominant network with extensively increased functional connectivity with other RSNs.Cerebellar network showed decreased functional connectivity with caudate network,insular network,and self-referential network.In general,decreased functional connectivity within RSNs and globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC may be characteristics of PD.Increased functional connectivity within execution network may be an early marker of PD.The multi-perspective study based on RSNs may be a valuable means to assess functional changes corresponding to specific RSN,contributing to the understanding of the neural mechanism of PD.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)Grant funded by the Korean Government(MSIP)(NRF-2015R1A5A7037508)the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)funded by the Ministry of Education(No.2017R1D1A1B03033985)
文摘Many studies have investigated the evidence for tactile and visual interactive responses to activation of various brain regions.However,few studies have reported on the effects of visuo-tactile multisensory integration on the amount of brain activation on the somatosensory cortical regions.The aim of this study was to examine whether coincidental information obtained by tactile stimulation can affect the somatosensory cortical activation using functional MRI.Ten right-handed healthy subjects were recruited for this study.Two tasks（tactile stimulation and visuotactile stimulation）were performed using a block paradigm during f MRI scanning.In the tactile stimulation task,in subjects with eyes closed,tactile stimulation was applied on the dorsum of the right hand,corresponding to the proximal to distal directions,using a rubber brush.In the visuotactile stimulation task,tactile stimulation was applied to observe the attached mirror in the MRI chamber reflecting their hands being touched with the brush.In the result of SPM group analysis,we found brain activation on the somatosensory cortical area.Tactile stimulation task induced brain activations in the left primary sensory-motor cortex（SM1）and secondary somatosensory cortex（S2）.In the visuo-tactile stimulation task,brain activations were observed in the both SM1,both S2,and right posterior parietal cortex.In all tasks,the peak activation was detected in the contralateral SM1.We examined the effects of visuo-tactile multisensory integration on the SM1 and found that visual information during tactile stimulation could enhance activations on SM1 compared to the tactile unisensory stimulation.
基金supported by the Medical Research Center Program(2015R1A5A2009124)through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)funded by the Ministry of Science,ICT and Future Planning
文摘The human brain is known to be influenced by environmental stimuli（Feeney et al.,1982;Kaplan,1988）.Therefore,research on the brain activation pattern by external stimuli has been an important topic in neuroscience（Kaplan,1988）.Chewing gum has been known to have a positive effect on cognition,including alertness,attention,cognitive processing speed,
文摘Parkinson＇s disease （PD） is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 10 million people world- wide （Planetta et al., 2014; Zigmond and Smeyne, 2014）. The principal clinical features of PD are bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor at rest and postural instability （Planetta et al., 2014）. It is known that both PD itself and the use of anti-parkinson drugs are associated with several non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric disturbances and sleep, autonomic, and sensory disorders （Park and Stacy, 2009; Foster et al., 2014）. The histopathological hallmark of PD is the reduction of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta, causing dopamine deficiency in spe- cific nuclei of the basal ganglia such as the dorsal striatum （Fearnley and Lees, 1991; Planetta et al., 2014）. The disrup- tion of the dopaminergic system has long been regarded as the major cause of PD; however, it has been shown that a widespread involvement of several non-dopaminergic path- ways also contribute to the clinical manifestations of PD （Park et al., 2014）.
基金the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China(Grants 81790650,81790651,81727808,81627901,and 31771253)the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission(Grants Z171100000117012 and Z181100001518003)the Collaborative Research Fund of the Chinese Institute for Brain Research,Beijing(No.2020-NKXPT-02).
文摘As one of the most widely used languages in the world,Chinese language is distinct from most western languages in many properties,thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the brain basis of human language and cognition.In recent years,non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)blaze a new trail to comprehensively study specific neural correlates of Chinese language processing and Chinese speakers.We reviewed the application of functional MRI(fMRI)in such studies and some essential findings on brain systems in processing Chinese.Specifically,for example,the application of task fMRI and resting-state fMRI in observing the process of reading and writing the logographic characters and producing or listening to the tonal speech.Elementary cognitive neuroscience and several potential research directions around brain and Chinese language were discussed,which may be informative for future research.
