Functional Brain Abnormalities Research Articles

Structural and functional whole brain changes in autism spectrum disorder at different age stages.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder involving regional changes and local neural disturbances. However, few studies have investigated the dysfunctional phenomenon across different age stages. This study explores the structural and functional brain changes across different developmental stages in individuals with ASD, focusing on childhood (6-12 years), adolescence (12-18 years), and adulthood (18 + years). Using a comprehensive set of neuroimaging metrics, including modulated and non-modulated voxel-based morphometry (VBM), regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF), we identified significant stage-specific alterations in both VBM and functional measurements. Our results reveal that ASD is associated with progressive and stage-specific abnormalities in brain structure and function, with distinct patterns emerging at each developmental stage. Specifically, we observed significant modulated VBM reductions in the precuneus, lentiform nucleus, and inferior parietal lobule, accompanied by increases in the midbrain and sub-gyral regions. Moreover, we observed unmodulated VBM increment in regions including lentiform nucleus and thalamus. Functionally, ReHo analyses demonstrated disrupted local synchronization in the medial frontal gyrus, while ALFF and fALFF metrics highlighted altered spontaneous brain activity in the sub-gyral and sub-lobar. Finally, correlation analyses revealed that stage-specific findings are closely linked to clinical social- and behavior-related scores, with VBM in the inferior parietal lobule and putamen as well as ReHo in supplemental motor area being significantly associated with restrictive repetitive behaviors in childhood. These findings underscore the importance of considering age-specific brain changes when studying ASD and suggest that targeted interventions may be necessary at different developmental stages.

Altered Functional Coupling of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis and Amygdala in Spider Phobic Fear.

Background: Individuals with spider phobic (SP) fear show hypervigilance and amygdala hyperactivity toward fear-associated stimuli, which may promote the development of other anxiety disorders. The amygdala is a key region within the fear network, which is connected to the anxiety system, where the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) plays a crucial role. However, the BNST's involvement in phobic fear is unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the association of phobic fear and anxiety on these regions' functional connectivity (FC) in SP compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods: 7T-functional MRI resting-state FC of 30 individuals with SP and 45 HC was assessed to detect network differences between these groups. The association of phobic fear severity, trait anxiety, and social anxiety on FC was explored using linear regressions combined with seed-to-voxel analyses with amygdala and BNST as primary seeds, corrected for age and sex. Results: In SP, phobic fear was associated with reduced FC between the left amygdala and the right supramarginal gyrus. In contrast, anxiety severity was related to increased FC between the right BNST and the left inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, social anxiety was related to decreased FC between bilateral BNST and left precuneus. Conclusions: These findings show changes in FC in SP, connecting fear with altered activity in the BNST and amygdala. The results suggest that persistent anxiety in phobic fear is associated with abnormal brain function in these regions, potentially explaining susceptibility to anxiety disorders and processes involved in phobic fear, such as threat perception, avoidance, and salience. Impact statement This is the first study to report altered FC mechanisms of BNST and amygdala in individuals with SP using 7T ultra-high field resting-state data. So far, only distinct characterization of brain regions, especially of BNST and amygdala, involved in those disorders exists. Our results contribute to closing this knowledge gap by providing the first evidence that deviant BNST and amygdala function in SP might elucidate the susceptibility to other anxiety disorders.

Identification of multimodal brain imaging biomarkers in first-episode drugs-naive major depressive disorder through a multi-site large-scale MRI consortium data

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe and common mental illness. The first-episode drugs-naive MDD (FEDN-MDD) patients, who have not undergone medication intervention, contribute to understanding the biological basis of MDD. Multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging can provide a comprehensive understanding of brain functional and structural abnormalities in MDD. However, most MDD studies use single-modal, small-scale MRI data. And several multimodal studies of MDD are limited to simple linear combinations of functional and structural features. MethodsWe screened a large sample of FEDN-MDD patients and healthy controlsmultimodal MRI data. Extracting the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) feature from functional magnetic resonance imaging and the gray matter volume (GMV) feature from structural magnetic resonance imaging. The mCCA-jICA method was used to integrate these two modal features to investigate the functional-structural co-variation abnormalities in MDD. To validate the stability of the extracted functional-structural covariant abnormalities features, we apply them to identify FEDN-MDD patients. ResultsThe results show that compared to healthy controls, FEDN-MDD patients exhibit joint group-discriminative independent component and modality-specific group-discriminative independent component, suggesting functional-structural covariant abnormalities in MDD patients. Using lightGBM classifier, we achieve a classification accuracy of 99.84 %. LimitationWe use GMV and fALFF for multimodal fusion shows promise, but requires further validation with other datasets and exploration of additional multimodal features. ConclusionsThis may indicate that multimodal fusion features can effectively explore information between different modalities and can accurately identify FEDN-MDD patients, suggesting their potential as multimodal brain imaging biomarkers for MDD.

Unveiling the interplay of MAPK/NF-κB/MLKL axis in brain health: Omega-3 as a promising candidates against copper neurotoxicity

Excessive intake of copper (Cu) may lead to increased inflammatory responses in brain, which can cause damage to neurons and glial cells, thereby affecting normal brain function. Omega-3 (ω-3) is a common dietary supplement, particularly rich in DHA in the brain, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and its role in lipid balance regulation and structural maintenance. Here, ω-3 is supplemented to Cu-exposed chickens to assess its neuroprotection in vivo and in vitro. Pathologically, ω-3 significantly alleviated structural and functional abnormalities in brain under excess Cu, including barrier disruption, neuronal shrinkage necroptosis and increased release of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β. The molecular docking analyses unveiled high enrichment values of inflammation and MAPK pathway, with IL-1β gene enrichment the highest value. Mechanistically, DHA stabilized the active site of IL-1β, thereby reducing the activation of NF-κB signal and phosphorylation of MAPK/MLKL cascades, ultimately mitigating Cu-induced inflammatory effects. These mechanisms elucidate the action mode of Cu neurotoxicity from aspect of MAPK/NF-κB/MLKL axis and the promising neuroprotection of ω-3.

Structural and functional brain markers of cognitive impairment in healthcare workers following mild SARS-CoV-2 infection during the original stream.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection often involves the nervous system, leading to cognitive dysfunctions, fatigue and many other neurological signs that are becoming increasingly recognized. Despite mild forms of the disease accounting for most cases worldwide, research on the pathophysiology driving mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has received little attention. In this respect, recent evidence has pointed out that around 30-40% of non-critical, mild-to-moderate severity COVID-19 survivors may display cognitive disturbances several months post-illness. Hence, the impact of COVID-19 on the brain structure and function, through potential neuropathological mechanisms underpinning cognitive alterations in post-mild COVID-19 infections, remains largely unexplored. This retrospective multicentre observational cohort study, entirely based on a healthcare worker sample (n = 65; 55% females, aged 21-61), investigated the cognitive status and the structural and functional brain integrity among non-hospitalized individuals who developed mild COVID-19 symptoms during the occurrence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 variants Alpha to Delta, compared with healthy controls tested before the pandemic onset. All evaluations were performed at an average of 9-month follow-up post-infection period. Participants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and structural and functional MRI exams. Radiological inspection sought to detect the presence of white matter hyperintensities on axial fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. Global and regional grey matter integrity assessment, analysing changes in grey matter volumes and cortical thinning, and functional connectivity alterations of resting-state brain networks were also conducted. Regression analyses tested the relationships between the presence of specific cognitive impairments and potential structural and functional brain findings. Our results revealed that clinical, cognitive screening and neuropsychological examinations were average between both groups, except for specific impairments related to executive functions in the mild COVID-19. Compared to healthy controls, mild COVID-19 subjects exhibited increased juxtacortical white matter hyperintensities, thalamic and occipital volume loss and diminished resting-state functional connectivity involving the left precuneus and cuneus in default-mode network and affecting the right angular gyrus and left precuneus in the dorsal attentional network. Reduced thalamic volume was the only variable selected in the final model explaining the observed executive function impairment in mild COVID-19. The presence of cognitive, structural and functional brain abnormalities over time suggests that the action of widespread neurovascular and inflammatory phenomena on the nervous system might also occur in mild forms following COVID-19 infection rather than permanent brain damage linked to the direct or indirect action of the virus. Our findings emphasize the need to pay attention to the long-term brain-related consequences of mild COVID-19 infections during the original stream.

Altered static brain activity and functional connectivity after heat stroke.

This study aimed to investigate the alteration of brain function based on resting-state functional MRI in patients after heat stroke. This study included 10 cases of patients after heat stroke and 10 cases of healthy controls. Abnormal brain function was calculated using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and degree centrality analysis, as well as functional connectivity analysis based on regions of interest (ROI). Correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the association between brain function changes and clinical scales. Combining ALFF and degree centrality results, the decreased brain regions included the left cuneus and the right angular gyrus, while the increased brain regions included the right cerebellar_Crus1. Using the left cuneus with significant differences in ALFF and degree centrality as ROI, the functional connectivity results revealed decreased brain regions including bilateral lingual gyrus, bilateral postcentral cingulate gyrus, and left precentral gyrus. The degree centrality value of the right cerebellar_Crus1 was positively correlated with glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores ( r = 0.726, P = 0.027), and the functional connectivity value of the right posterior cingulate gyrus was positively correlated with GCS scores ( r = 0.717, P = 0.030). Heat stroke patients exhibit abnormal activity in multiple brain regions, which has important clinical significance for evaluating the severity of the disease.

Altered spontaneous brain activity patterns in hypertensive retinopathy using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

To study functional brain abnormalities in patients with hypertensive retinopathy (HR) and to discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of HR by fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFFs) method. Twenty HR patients and 20 healthy controls (HCs) were respectively 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 fALFF method. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to classify the data. Further, we used Pearson's correlation analysis to explore the relationship between fALFF values in specific brain regions and clinical behaviors in patients with HR. The brain areas of the HR group with lower fALFF values than HCs were the right orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus (RO-MFG) and right lingual gyrus. In contrast, the values of fALFFs in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left superior temporal pole (STP), left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), left superior marginal gyrus (SMG), left superior parietal lobule (SPL), and right supplementary motor area (SMA) were higher in the HR group. The results of a t-test showed that the average values of fALFFs were statistically significantly different in the HR group and HC group (P<0.001). The fALFF values of the left middle frontal gyrus in HR patients were positively correlated with anxiety scores (r=0.9232; P<0.0001) and depression scores (r=0.9682; P<0.0001). fALFF values in multiple brain regions of HR patients are abnormal, suggesting that these brain regions in HR patients may be dysfunctional, which may help to reveal the pathophysiological mechanisms of HR.

Novel cyclic homogeneous oscillation detection method for high accuracy and specific characterization of neural dynamics.

Determining the presence and frequency of neural oscillations is essential to understanding dynamic brain function. Traditional methods that detect peaks over 1/f noise within the power spectrum fail to distinguish between the fundamental frequency and harmonics of often highly non-sinusoidal neural oscillations. To overcome this limitation, we define fundamental criteria that characterize neural oscillations and introduce the cyclic homogeneous oscillation (CHO) detection method. We implemented these criteria based on an autocorrelation approach to determine an oscillation's fundamental frequency. We evaluated CHO by verifying its performance on simulated non-sinusoidal oscillatory bursts and validated its ability to determine the fundamental frequency of neural oscillations in electrocorticographic (ECoG), electroencephalographic (EEG), and stereoelectroencephalographic (SEEG) signals recorded from 27 human subjects. Our results demonstrate that CHO outperforms conventional techniques in accurately detecting oscillations. In summary, CHO demonstrates high precision and specificity in detecting neural oscillations in time and frequency domains. The method's specificity enables the detailed study of non-sinusoidal characteristics of oscillations, such as the degree of asymmetry and waveform of an oscillation. Furthermore, CHO can be applied to identify how neural oscillations govern interactions throughout the brain and to determine oscillatory biomarkers that index abnormal brain function.

The interplay of ADHD, social media usage, and dopamine receptors in adolescents: A literature review

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by symptoms such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, with a prevalence rate exceeding 5%. The pathophysiology of ADHD includes cognitive and functional brain abnormalities, particularly in the anterior cingulate gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as decreased activity in the frontostriatal region. Diagnosis involves comprehensive assessments based on behavioral criteria outlined in the DSM-5. Treatment primarily includes stimulant medications, which are effective in about 70% of patients, and non-stimulant options such as atomoxetine and antidepressants. The review explores the effects of social media on adolescents, highlighting both negative impacts, such as social isolation, depression, and cyberbullying, and positive aspects, such as enhanced communication and knowledge sharing. Adolescents with ADHD are particularly vulnerable to behavioral addictions due to their poor impulse control, making them susceptible to excessive social media use. Additionally, the role of D2-dopamine receptors in ADHD is discussed, noting that genetic components like the DRD2 gene can affect dopamine neurotransmission, impacting attention and pleasure experiences. The pleasure principle, as proposed by Freud, is also analyzed in the context of ADHD, suggesting that individuals with ADHD may engage in behaviors that provide immediate gratification to avoid discomfort. Therefore, this review underscores the correlation between ADHD symptoms, social media usage, dopamine receptor function, and the underlying psychological drives in adolescents, providing a comprehensive understanding of these interrelated factors.

Schizophrenia and Neurodevelopment: Insights From Connectome Perspective.

Schizophrenia is conceptualized as a brain connectome disorder that can emerge as early as late childhood and adolescence. However, the underlying neurodevelopmental basis remains unclear. Recent interest has grown in children and adolescent patients who experience symptom onset during critical brain development periods. Inspired by advanced methodological theories and large patient cohorts, Chinese researchers have made significant original contributions to understanding altered brain connectome development in early-onset schizophrenia (EOS). We conducted a search of PubMed and Web of Science for studies on brain connectomes in schizophrenia and neurodevelopment. In this selective review, we first address the latest theories of brain structural and functional development. Subsequently, we synthesize Chinese findings regarding mechanisms of brain structural and functional abnormalities in EOS. Finally, we highlight several pivotal challenges and issues in this field. Typical neurodevelopment follows a trajectory characterized by gray matter volume pruning, enhanced structural and functional connectivity, improved structural connectome efficiency, and differentiated modules in the functional connectome during late childhood and adolescence. Conversely, EOS deviates with excessive gray matter volume decline, cortical thinning, reduced information processing efficiency in the structural brain network, and dysregulated maturation of the functional brain network. Additionally, common functional connectome disruptions of default mode regions were found in early- and adult-onset patients. Chinese research on brain connectomes of EOS provides crucial evidence for understanding pathological mechanisms. Further studies, utilizing standardized analyses based on large-sample multicenter datasets, have the potential to offer objective markers for early intervention and disease treatment.

Risk factor patterns define social anxiety subtypes in adolescents with brain and clinical feature differences.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adolescents. The heterogeneity of both symptoms and etiology is an essential source of difficulties in the treatment and prevention of SAD. The study aimed to identify subtypes of adolescent SAD based on etiology-related phenotype dimensions and examine symptom and brain associations of the subtypes. We used a deeply phenotyped sample (47 phenotype subscales from 13 measures) of adolescents with SAD (n = 196) and healthy controls (n = 109) to extract etiology-relevant risk factors, based on which we identified subtypes of SAD. We compared the subtypes on clinical characteristics and brain morphometrics and functional connectivity, and examined subtype-specific links between risk factors, brain aberrance, and clinical characteristics. We identified six etiology-relevant risk factors and two subtypes of adolescent SAD. One subtype showed mainly elevated negative emotionality trait and coping style and diminished positive emotionality trait and coping style, while the other additionally had significantly high environmental risk factors, more severe impairments in social functioning, and significant abnormalities in brain structure and function. There were subtype-specific links between the risk factor profiles, brain aberrance, and clinical characteristics. The finding suggests two etiology-based subtypes of adolescent SAD, providing novel insights to the diversity of pathological pathways and precise intervention strategies.

Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA with a point mutation in tRNALeu(UUR) gene induces brain dysfunction in mice

Brain functions are mediated via the complex interplay between several complex factors, and hence, identifying the underlying cause of an abnormality within a certain brain region can be challenging. In mitochondrial disease, abnormalities in brain function are thought to be attributed to accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with pathogenic mutations; however, only few previous studies have directly demonstrated that accumulation of mutant mtDNA induced abnormalities in brain function. Herein, we examined the effects of mtDNA mutations on brain function via behavioral analyses using a mouse model with an A2748G point mutation in mtDNA tRNALeu(UUR). Our results revealed that mice with a high percentage of mutant mtDNA showed a characteristic trend toward reduced prepulse inhibition and memory-dependent test performance, similar to that observed in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia; however, muscle strength and motor coordination were not markedly affected. Upon examining the hippocampus and frontal lobes of the brain, mitochondrial morphology was abnormal, and the brain weight was slightly reduced. These results indicate that the predominant accumulation of a point mutation in the tRNALeu(UUR) gene may affect brain functions, particularly the coordination of sensory and motor functions and memory processes. These abnormalities probably caused by both direct effects of accumulation of the mutant mtDNA in neuronal cells and indirect effects via changes of systemic extracellular environments. Overall, these findings will lead to a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanism underlying this complex disease and facilitate the development of optimal treatment methods.

Investigating changes of functional brain networks in major depressive disorder by graph theoretical analysis of resting-state fMRI

BackgroundMajor Depressive Disorder (MDD), as a chronic mental disorder, causes changes in mood, thoughts, and behavior. The pathophysiology of the disorder and its treatment are still unknown. One of the most notable changes observed in patients with MDD through fMRI is abnormal functional brain connectivity. MethodsPreprocessed data from 60 MDD patients and 60 normal controls (NCs) were selected, which has been performed using the DPARSF toolbox. The whole-brain functional networks and topologies were extracted using graph theory-based methods. A two-sample, two-tailed t-test was used to compare the topological features of functional brain networks between the MDD and NCs groups using the DPABI-Net/Statistical Analysis toolbox. ResultsThe obtained results showed a decrease in both global and local efficiency in MDD patients compared to NCs, and specifically, MDD patients showed significantly higher path length values. Acceptable p-values were obtained with a small sample size and less computational volume compared to the other studies on large datasets. At the node level, MDD patients showed decreased and relatively decreased node degrees in the sensorimotor network (SMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN), respectively, as well as decreased node efficiency in the SMN, default mode network (DMN), and DAN. Also, MDD patients showed slightly decreased node efficiency in the visual networks (VN) and the ventral attention network (VAN), which were reported after FDR correction with Q < 0.05. LimitationsAll participants were Chinese. ConclusionsCollectively, increased path length, decreased global and local efficiency, and also decreased nodal degree and efficiency in the SMN, DAN, DAN, VN, and VAN were found in patients compared to NCs.

Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography monitoring results of hospitalized neonates in plateau areas

To investigate the amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) monitoring results of hospitalized neonates in plateau areas. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 945 neonates who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, Kunming Children's Hospital, and received aEEG monitoring from January 2020 to December 2022. According to the aEEG monitoring results, they were divided into a normal aEEG group and an abnormal aEEG group. The incidence rate of aEEG abnormalities was analyzed in neonates with various systemic diseases, as well as the manifestations of aEEG abnormalities and the consistency between aEEG abnormalities and clinical abnormalities. Among the 5 945 neonates, the aEEG abnormality rate was 19.28% (1 146/5 945), with an abnormality rate of 29.58% (906/3 063) in critically ill neonates and 8.33% (240/2 882) in non-critically ill neonates (P<0.05). The children with inherited metabolic diseases showed the highest aEEG abnormality rate of 60.77% (79/130), followed by those with central nervous system disorders [42.22% (76/180)] and preterm infants [35.53% (108/304)]. Compared with the normal aEEG group, the abnormal aEEG group had significantly lower age and gestational age, as well as a significantly lower birth weight of preterm infants (P<0.05). Among the 1 146 neonates with aEEG abnormalities, the main types of aEEG abnormalities were sleep cycle disorders in 597 neonates (52.09%), background activity abnormalities in 294 neonates (25.65%), and epileptiform activity in 255 neonates (22.25%), and there were 902 neonates (78.71%) with abnormal clinical manifestations. The sensitivity and specificity of aEEG monitoring for brain function abnormalities were 33.51% and 92.50%, respectively. In plateau areas, there is a relatively high rate of aEEG abnormalities among hospitalized neonates, particularly in critically ill neonates and those with smaller gestational ages and younger ages, suggesting a high risk of brain injury. Therefore, routine aEEG monitoring for the hospitalized neonates can help with the early detection of brain function abnormalities, the decision-making in treatment, and the formulation of brain protection strategies.

Repetitive mild closed-head injury induced synapse loss and increased local BOLD-fMRI signal homogeneity.

Repeated mild head injuries due to sports, or domestic violence and military service are increasingly linked to debilitating symptoms in the long term. Although symptoms may take decades to manifest, potentially treatable neurobiological alterations must begin shortly after injury. Better means to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries, requires an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying progression and means through which they can be measured. Here, we employ a repetitive mild closed-head injury (rmTBI) and chronic variable stress (CVS) mouse model to investigate emergent structural and functional brain abnormalities. Brain imaging is achieved with [18F]SynVesT-1 positron emission tomography, with the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A ligand marking synapse density and BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Animals were scanned six weeks after concluding rmTBI/Stress procedures. Injured mice showed widespread decreases in synaptic density coupled with an increase in local BOLD-fMRI synchrony detected as regional homogeneity. Injury-affected regions with higher synapse density showed a greater increase in fMRI regional homogeneity. Taken together, these observations may reflect compensatory mechanisms following injury. Multimodal studies are needed to provide deeper insights into these observations.

The abnormalities of brain function in females with primary insomnia: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

The neuropathologic mechanism of primary insomnia (PI) of females remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the features of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in females with PI using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and then explore the abnormalities of functional connectivity (FC). A total of 39 female PI patients and 31 female healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in the study. The sleep condition was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and their depressive symptom was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24). The rs-fMRI was once conducted for every subject. ReHo, ALFF, and ROI-based FC were used to analyze the changes of brain function. ALFF values were increased in the Cerebelum_4_5_L, as well as decreased ALFF in the bilateral Frontal_Sup_Medial (SFGmed), Angular_L (ANG.L), Parietal_Inf_R (IPL.R), SupraMarginal_R (SMG.R), and Postcentral_R (PoCG.R). ReHo values were increased in the Temporal_Pole_Mid_R (TPOsup.R), as well as decreased ReHo in the Insula_R (INS.R), Frontal_Inf_Oper_R (ORBinf.R), Putamen_R (PUT.R), Rolandic_Oper_R (ROL.R), bilateral Cingulum_Post (PCG), bilateral Frontal_Sup_Medial (SFGmed), bilateral anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri (ACG), and the bilateral precuneus (PCUN). Across the entire brain, there was a decline in the FC between Angular_R and Frontal_Sup_Medial_L. Alterations in brain regions of female patients with PI involved multiple functional networks, including the default mode network, the salience network, the central executive network, and the limbic network. Reduced coordination between functional networks may be an important mechanism for insomnia and may lead to reduced cognitive function and decision-making ability.

Differences in gray matter atrophy and functional connectivity between motor subtypes of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with postural gait abnormalities exhibit poorer motor function scores, more severe non-motor symptoms, faster cognitive function deterioration, and a less favorable response to drugs and surgery compared to PD patients with tremor. This discrepancy is believed to be associated with more pronounced gray matter atrophy and abnormal functional connectivity. To investigate the distinctive pathological mechanisms between PD subtypes, we examined gray matter volume (GMV) and functional connectivity in patients with Parkinson's disease presenting with postural instability/gait difficulty (PD-PIGD), patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (PD-TD), and healthy controls. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) of T1-weighted images was conducted to compare GMV among 64 PD-PIGD patients, 44 PD-TD patients, and 32 controls. Subsequently, functional connectivity within regions showing reduced GMV was compared across the groups. We analyzed whether differences among the groups were associated with clinical characteristics and neuroimaging biomarkers using partial correlation and binary logistic regression. Our comparison between PD-PIGD and PD-TD patients revealed a link between PD-PIGD and more extensive frontotemporal atrophy, potentially indicating increased basal ganglia activity accompanied by decreased cerebellum activity. Furthermore, in addition to the smaller GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus, the increased functional connectivity between this brain region and the right caudate was also the independent risk factor for PD-PIGD. In addition, we compared brain network connectivity between the PIGD and TD subtypes, using an independent component analysis (ICA). We found that Compared to PD-TD, PD-PIGD patients showed an enhanced sensorimotor network (SMN) around the left supplementary motor area. These findings suggest that severe gray matter atrophy and abnormal functional connectivity and brain networks may serve as pathophysiological mechanisms distinguishing PD-PIGD patients from other subtypes.

Brain structural and functional abnormalities in affective network are associated with anxious depression

BackgroundAnxious depression (AD) is a common subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD). Neuroimaging studies of AD have revealed inconsistent and heterogeneous brain alterations with the use of single-model methods. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the pathogenesis of AD using multi-model imaging analyses to obtain more homogeneous and robust results.MethodsOne hundred and eighty-two patients with MDD and 64 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to estimate the gray matter volume (GMV) of all subjects. The GMV differences between the AD and non-anxious depression (NAD) participants were used as regions of interest (ROIs) for subsequent resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analyses. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the associations between clinical symptoms and abnormal function in specific brain areas.ResultsDecreased GMV in the medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) was observed in the AD group compared to the NAD group. Taking the MFG and SFG as ROIs, the rs-FC analysis revealed decreased FC between the left SFG and left temporal pole and between the left SFG and right MFG in the AD group compared to the NAD group. Finally, the FC between the left SFG and left temporal pole was negatively correlated with HAMD-17 scores in the AD group.ConclusionBy combining the GMV and rs-FC models, this study revealed that structural and functional disruption of the affective network may be an important pathophysiology underlying AD. The structural impairment may serve as the foundation of the functional impairment.

Reading disability is characterized by reduced print-speech convergence.

Reading disability (RD) may be characterized by reduced print-speech convergence, which is the extent to which neurocognitive processes for reading and hearing words overlap. We examined how print-speech convergence changes from children (mean age: 11.07+0.48) to adults (mean age: 21.33+1.80)in 86 readers with or without RD. The participants were recruited in elementary schools and associate degree colleges in China (from 2020 to 2021). Three patterns of abnormalities were revealed: (1) persistent reduction of print-speech convergence in the left inferior parietal cortex in both children and adults with RD, suggesting a neural signature of RD; (2) reduction of print-speech convergence in the left inferior frontal gyrus only evident in children but not adults with RD, suggesting a developmental delay; and (3) increased print-speech convergence in adults with RD than typical adults in the bilateral cerebella/fusiform, suggesting compensations. It provides insights into developmental differences in brain functional abnormalities in RD.

Comparisons of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and functional connectivity in major depressive disorder and social anxiety disorder: A resting-state fMRI study

BackgroundStudies comparing the brain functions of major depressive disorder (MDD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) at the regional and network levels remain scarce. This study aimed to elucidate their pathogenesis using neuroimaging techniques and explore biomarkers that can differentiate these disorders. MethodsResting-state fMRI data were collected from 48 patients with MDD, 41 patients with SAD, and 82 healthy controls. Differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) among the three groups were examined to identify regions showing abnormal regional spontaneous activity. A seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis was conducted using ALFF results as seeds and different connections were identified between regions showing abnormal local spontaneous activity and other regions. The correlation between abnormal brain function and clinical symptoms was analyzed. ResultsPatients with MDD and SAD exhibited similar abnormal ALFF and FC in several brain regions; notably, FC between the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and the right posterior supramarginal gyrus (pSMG) in patients with SAD was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. Furthermore, patients with MDD showed higher ALFF in the right SFG than HCs and those with SAD. LimitationPotential effects of medications, comorbidities, and data type could not be ignored. ConclusionMDD and SAD showed common and distinct aberrant brain function patterns at the regional and network levels. At the regional level, we found that the ALFF in the right SFG was different between patients with MDD and those with SAD. At the network level, we did not find any differences between these disorders.