Small-world properties of the brain functional networks in patients with chronic ischemic stroke

Abstract

To explore the characteristics of small-world properties of the brain functional networks in patients with chronic ischemic stroke. A total of 42 stroke patients and 25 matched healthy volunteers were scanned with BOLD-fMRI and the whole-brain functional networks were constructed.Two sample t-tests were used to evaluate the changes.The properties including Eglobal, Elocal, Lp, Cp, γ, λ, σ. Within 0.1≤sparsity≤0.2, both groups satisfied the small-world properties(σ>1). However, the Cp and Elocal of stroke group was significantly lower (P<0.05). The networks in both groups still satisfied the small-world but parts of the properties in patients have changed. The reduced properties including Cp and Elocal.These changes will provide a new perspective for pathophysiological mechanism and also be helpful for understanding this disease.