Brain default mode network study of consciousness disorder patients with diffuse axonal injury

Abstract

Objective To investigate the early abnormal functional connectivity of brain default mode network (DMN) and its evaluation for consciousness level after injury in consciousness disorder patients with diffuse axonal injury. Methods A total of 15 patients with consciousness disorder diagnosed as diffuse axonal injury at Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command from April 2013 to March 2014 were selected. The resting-state functional magnetic resonance data of the 15 consciousness disorder patients with diffuse axonal injury and 15 healthy volunteers were collected. The independent component analysis was used to extract the DMN ingredient in each subject. The two-sample t-test was performed between the groups in order to obtain the different brain areas, and the correlation analysis of the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) and the coma recovery scale-revised (CRS-R) at 6 months after injury were performed at the different brain areas and the magnetic resonance data were collected on the same day. Results The functional connectivity degree of the precuneus/posterior cingulate, bilateral inferior parietal lobule, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and left temporal lobe in brain DMN in patients with diffuse axonal injury were significantly lower than those of control group (P<0.01). The functional connectivity of the precuneus/posterior cingulated and GCS showed significant power correlation (P<0.05), and it also showed significant power correlation with CRS-R (P<0.01). Conclusions The early brain DMN functional connectivity has abnormality in consciousness disorder patients with diffuse axonal injury. The abnormal functional connectivity of the precuneus/posterior cingulate may become an indicator for assessing the degree of consciousness disorder and the prognosis of consciousness disorder. Key words: Diffuse axonal injury; Consciousness disorders; Prognosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Default mode network