Amplitude Of Low-frequency Fluctuation Values Research Articles

Altered functional activity and connectivity in Parkinson's disease with chronic pain: a resting-state fMRI study.

Chronic pain is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that significantly impacts patients' quality of life, but its neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated changes in spontaneous neuronal activity and functional connectivity (FC) associated with chronic pain in PD patients. The study included 41 PD patients with chronic pain (PDP), 41 PD patients without pain (nPDP), and 29 healthy controls. Pain severity was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS). Resting-state fMRI images were used to measure the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) as an indicator of regional brain activity. Subsequently, FC analysis was performed to evaluate synchronization between ALFF-identified regions and the entire brain. Compared to nPDP patients, PDP patients exhibited decreased ALFF in the right putamen, and increased ALFF in motor regions, including the right superior frontal gyrus/supplementary motor area and the left paracentral lobule/primary motor cortex. Additionally, PDP patients exhibited diminished right putamen-based FC in the midbrain, anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, middle frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and posterior cerebellar lobe. The correlation analysis revealed that ALFF values in the right putamen were negatively associated with VAS scores in PDP patients. This study demonstrates that chronic pain in PD is associated with reduced ALFF in the putamen and disrupted FC with brain regions involved in pain perception and modulation, highlighting the critical role of dopaminergic degeneration in the development and maintenance of pain in PD.

Abnormal characteristics in disorders of consciousness: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Abnormal characteristics in disorders of consciousness: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Multiparameter resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging as an indicator of neuropsychological changes in Binswanger's disease with mild cognitive impairment.

The underlying neuropathological mechanisms in Binswanger's disease (BD) with mild cognitive impairment (BD-MCI) remain unclear. The multiparameter functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), independent component analysis (ICA), and edge-link analysis was utilized to explore the abnormal brain networks of BD-MCI patients. Compared with the BD without MCI group, this study revealed that the ALFF values in the BD-MCI group were significantly increased in the Temporal_Inf_R, Frontal_Mid_Orb_L, and Hippocampus_L, while decreased in the SupraMarginal_R and Precuneus_R. The fALFF value in the BD-MCI group exhibited a reduction in the Frontal_Med_Orb_L. Additionally, ReHo values in the BD-MCI group increased in the Hippocampus_R but decreased in several areas including Precentral_L, Putamen_L, Postcentral_R, Supp_Motor_Area_R, and SupraMarginal_L. The results of ICA revealed that patients diagnosed with BD-MCI exhibited abnormal connectivity patterns across 12 groups of independent components and 5 distinct groups of brain networks. In one group, the internal connectivity within the brain network exhibited abnormalities. The correlation analysis between ALFF and ReHo values and clinical scales revealed a significant negative correlation between the bilateral hippocampus and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Conversely, ReHo values for Postcentral_R and SupraMarginal_L were significantly positively correlated with MMSE scores. In summary, the results of our study suggest that patients diagnosed with BD-MCI display atypical activity across several brain regions. The observed changes in these areas encompass a range of functional networks. The reduced coordination among these functional networks may play a role in the deterioration of cognitive functions and decision-making capabilities, potentially serving as a critical mechanism contributing to the early manifestation of cognitive impairments.

Dynamic and static brain functional abnormalities in autism patients at different developmental stages.

To date, most studies on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have focused on specific age ranges, while the mechanisms underlying the entire developmental process of autism patients remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in brain function in autistic individuals at different developmental stages by resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). We obtained rs-fMRI data from 173 ASD and 178 typical development (TD) individuals in Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange, spanning child, adolescent, and adult groups. We characterized local brain activity using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFFs), regional homogeneity (ReHo), dynamic ALFF (dALFF), and dynamic ReHo (dReHo) metrics. Pearson correlation analyses were conducted on relationships between Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule scores and activity measures in abnormal brain regions. We found abnormal ALFF values in the medial and lateral orbitofrontal gyrus and right insula cortex with ASD compared with the TD group. In addition, compared with adolescents with ASD, we found that adults with ASD exhibited an increase in dReHo values in the posterior lateral frontal lobe. We also found that changes in ALFF were associated with the severity of autism. We found abnormal activity in multiple brain regions in individuals with autism and correlated it with clinical characteristics. Our results may provide some help for further exploring the age-related neurobiological mechanisms of ASD patients.

Differed brain spontaneous neural activity between limb-onset and bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

To investigate the differences in brain spontaneous neural activity between limb-onset and bulbar-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-L and ALS-B, respectively) patients using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) with amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). The rs-fMRI data were collected from 41 ALS patients (11 ALS-B and 30 ALS-L) and 25 healthy controls (HC). ALFF and ReHo values were calculated, and group differences were assessed using one-way ANCOVA and two-sample t-tests. Correlation analyses with clinical measures were conducted. Support vector machine (SVM) analysis was performed to distinguish ALS subtypes. Compared with ALS-L, ALS-B showed increased ALFF values in the right gyrus rectus/ orbital part of right middle frontal gyrus, orbital part of left middle frontal gyrus and left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus/ left medial superior frontal gyrus and decreased ALFF values in the left superior occipital gyrus (FDR-corrected, P < 0.05). Both ALS subtypes demonstrated distinct ALFF alterations compared to HC. Differences in ReHo values were only found between ALS-B and HC. Correlation analyses revealed associations between ALFF in specific brain regions and ALS clinical scores. SVM analysis achieved an accuracy of 90.2 %, with an AUC of 0.909 in differentiating ALS-B and ALS-L. ALS-B and ALS-L patients had distinct alterations in brain spontaneous neural activity, which could serve as potential biomarkers for accurately distinguishing these two subtypes. Our findings offer a new insight into the neural mechanism of ALS, underscoring the importance of personalized diagnostic approaches for this complex neurological disorder.

Neural mechanisms of tinnitus: An exploration from the perspective of varying severity levels.

Neural mechanisms of tinnitus: An exploration from the perspective of varying severity levels.

The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation and spontaneous brain activity alterations in age-related macular degeneration.

Wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) is a vision-threatening eye disease worldwide. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was used to observe changes in spontaneous brain activity, which may help to investigate the underlying pathological mechanism of AMD. Eighteen patients with wAMD and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The ALFF method was used on each subject and mean ALFF values were compared between groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the two groups. ALFF values in the temporal lobe and limbic lobe/parahippocampal gyrus were significantly higher than controls, while values in the postcentral gyrus were significantly lower. The under the curve of the ROC (AUC) of the three regions shows high accuracy of the diagnosis. The abnormal spontaneous brain activity of patients with AMD suggests scope for the use of ALFF in the diagnosis or prognosis in AMD.

Altered amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and functional connectivity in patients with acute unilateral vestibulopathy: a resting-state fMRI study.

To investigate changes of brain functional activity in patients with acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We studied 32 AUVP patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) who received resting-state fMRI scanning. Methods of voxel-based amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC) were adopted to compare the difference in brain function between the two groups. In addition, we evaluated the associations between abnormal neuroimaging results and clinical data in AUVP patients. Compared with HC, patients with AUVP showed lower ALFF in brain regions of bilateral insular, right precentral gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus, as well as higher ALFF in left cerebellar anterior lobe. Using these abnormal brain areas as seeds, we observed decreased FC between left insular and left precuneus in AUVP patients. Furthermore, AUVP patients showed increased FC between left insular and left supplementary motor area. Results of correlation analysis indicated that ALFF value (z-value) in left insular was negatively correlated with the canal paresis value (p = 0.005, r = -0.483), and the FC (z-value) between left insular and left precuneus was negatively correlated with dizziness handicap inventory score (p = 0.012, r = -0.438) in patients with AUVP. Patients with AUVP during acute period showed altered functional activity and connectivity in brain regions mainly involved in motor control and vestibular information processing. These changes in brain functional activity and connectivity were potentially attributed to decreased vestibular input resulting from unilateral peripheral vestibular impairment.

Frequency-dependent changes in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in post stroke apathy: a resting-state fMRI study.

Apathy is a prevalent psychiatric condition after stroke, affecting approximately 30% of stroke survivors. It is associated with slower recovery and an increased risk of depression. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms of post stroke apathy (PSA) is crucial for developing targeted rehabilitation strategies. In this study, we recruited a total of 18 PSA patients, 18 post-stroke non-apathy (NPSA) patients, and 18 healthy controls (HCs). Apathy was measured using the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was utilized to investigate spontaneous brain activity. We estimated the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) across three different frequency bands (typical band: 0.01-0.08 Hz; slow-4: 0.027-0.073 Hz; slow-5: 0.01-0.027 Hz) and the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Band-specific ALFF differences among the three groups were analyzed. Significant differences were found in the typical band within the left lingual gyrus, right fusiform gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus (STG), and left insula. In the slow-4 band, significant differences were observed in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and right STG. In the slow-5 band, significant differences were identified in the left calcarine cortex and right insula. For fALFF values, significant differences were found in the left lingual gyrus and right thalamus. Moreover, positive correlations were observed between AES scores and the ALFF values in the right STG (r = 0.490, p = 0.002) in the typical band, left MFG (r = 0.478, p = 0.003) and right STG (r = 0.451, p = 0.006) in the slow-4 band, and fALFF values of the right thalamus (r = 0.614, p < 0.001). This study is the first to investigate the neural correlates of PSA using voxel-level analysis and different ALFF banding methods. Our findings indicate that PSA involves cortical and subcortical areas, including the left MFG, right STG, and right thalamus. These results may help elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying PSA and could serve as potential neuroimaging indicators for early diagnosis and intervention.

Lateralization of the Aberrant Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation within the Default Mode Network in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Lateralization of the Aberrant Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation within the Default Mode Network in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Impact of Spinal Manipulative Therapy on Brain Function and Pain Alleviation in Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Resting-State fMRI Study.

To elucidate how spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) exerts its analgesic effects through regulating brain function in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients by utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). From September 2021 to September 2023, we enrolled LDH patients (LDH group, n=31) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs, n=28). LDH group underwent rs-fMRI at 2 distinct time points (TPs): prior to the initiation of SMT (TP1) and subsequent to the completion of the SMT sessions (TP2). SMT was administered once every other day for 30 min per session, totally 14 treatment sessions over a span of 4 weeks. HCs did not receive SMT treatment and underwent only one fMRI scan. Additionally, participants in LDH group completed clinical questionnaires on pain using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, whereas HCs did not undergo clinical scale assessments. The effects on the brain were jointly characterized using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). Correlation analyses were conducted between specific brain regions and clinical scales. Following SMT treatment, pain symptoms in LDH patients were notably alleviated and accompanied by evident activation of effects in the brain. In comparison to TP1, TP2 exhibited the most significant increase in ALFF values for Temporal_Sup_R and the most notable decrease in ALFF values for Paracentral_Lobule_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Additionally, the most substantial enhancement in ReHo values was observed for the Cuneus_R, while the most prominent reduction was noted for the Olfactory_R (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Moreover, a comparative analysis revealed that, in contrast to HCs, LDH patients at TP1 exhibited the most significant increase in ALFF values for Temporal_Pole_Sup_L and the most notable decrease in ALFF values for Frontal_Mid_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Furthermore, the most significant enhancement in ReHo values was observed for Postcentral_L, while the most prominent reduction was identified for ParaHippocampal_L (voxelwise P<0.005; clusters >30; FDR correction). Notably, correlation analysis with clinical scales revealed a robust positive correlation between the Cuneus_R score and the rate of change in the VAS score (r=0.9333, P<0.0001). Long-term chronic lower back pain in patients with LDH manifests significant activation of the "AUN-DMN-S1-SAN" neural circuitry. The visual network, represented by the Cuneus_R, is highly likely to be a key brain network in which the analgesic efficacy of SMT becomes effective in treating LDH patients. (Trial registration No. NCT06277739).

Disruption of the gut microbiota-inflammation-brain axis in unmedicated bipolar disorder II depression

The relationships of the gut microbiota-inflammation-brain axis in depressive bipolar disorder (BD) remains under-elaborated. Sixty-five unmedicated depressive patients with BD II and 58 controls (HCs) were prospectively enrolled. Resting-state functional MRI data of static and dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was measured, and abnormal ALFF masks were subsequently set as regions of interest to calculate whole-brain static functional connectivity (sFC) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC). Fecal samples were collected to assess gut diversity and enterotypes using 16S amplicon sequencing. Blood samples were also collected, serum was assayed for levels of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α). Patients with BD II exhibited decreased static ALFF values in the left cerebellum Crus II, and decreased cerebellar sFC and dFC to the right inferior parietal lobule and right superior frontal gyrus, respectively. Moreover, higher pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines levels, and increased proinflammatory bacteria and glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolism related bacteria were identified in BD II. The interaction of Parabacteroides levels × IL-8 levels was an independent contributor to static ALFF in the left cerebellar Crus II. The findings bridged a gap in the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of the gut microbiota-inflammation-brain axis in BD II depression.

Evaluation of Neurovascular Coupling in Early-Onset and Late-Onset Epilepsy of Unknown Etiology.

Previous studies have shown neurovascular coupling (NVC) dysfunction in epilepsy, suggesting its role in the pathological mechanisms. However, it remains unclear whether NVC abnormalities exist in epilepsy of unknown etiology (EU). To integrate multiparametric MRI to assess NVC and its relationship with cognition in early-onset and late-onset EU patients. Prospective. Ninety-six EU patients (46 early-onset, M/F = 20/26; 50 late-onset, M/F = 29/21) and 60 healthy controls (HCs, M/F = 25/35). 3.0 T, resting-state gradient echo-planar imaging, pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pc-ASL), and T1-weighted brain volume sequence. Functional MRI data were analyzed to assess intrinsic brain activity including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and functional connectivity strength (FCS), while pc-ASL provided cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements. Coupling correlation coefficients and ratios of CBF to neural activity were calculated to evaluate global and regional NVC. Two-sample t-test, Analysis of Variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-square test, Analysis of Covariance, family-wise error/Bonferroni correction, partial correlation analyses. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. Whole-brain analysis revealed increased ALFF values in both patient groups' left precentral and postcentral gyri. Both patient groups had lower global NVC coefficients than HCs, with reduced CBF-ALFF (0.28 vs. 0.30), CBF-fALFF (0.43 vs. 0.45), and CBF-ReHo (0.40 vs. 0.41) in early-onset patients, and lower CBF-fALFF (0.38 vs. 0.45) and CBF-ReHo (0.32 vs. 0.41) in late-onset patients. Regional analysis showed significantly decreased CBF/ALFF ratios in the left precentral and postcentral gyri (T = 3.85 to 5.33). Reduced global NVC in early-onset patients was significantly associated with poorer executive function (r = 0.323), while global coupling in late-onset patients was negatively correlated with disease duration (r = -0.348 to -0.426). This study showed abnormal global and regional NVC in both early-onset and late-onset EU patients, emphasizing the potential role of NVC in the pathophysiological mechanisms of EU. 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Altered resting-state brain activity of the superior parietal cortex and striatum in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia

Altered resting-state brain activity of the superior parietal cortex and striatum in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia

Local Neuronal Activity and the Hippocampal Functional Network Can Predict the Recovery of Consciousness in Individuals With Acute Disorders of Consciousness Caused by Neurological Injury.

There is limited research on predicting the recovery of consciousness in patients with acute disorders of consciousness (aDOC). The purpose of this study is to investigate the altered characteristics of the local neuronal activity indicated by the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus network in patients with aDOC caused by neurological injury and to explore whether these characteristics can predict the recovery of consciousness. Thirty-seven patients with aDOC were included, all of whom completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) scans. The patients were divided into two groups based on prognosis of consciousness recovery, 24 patients were in prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDOC) and 13 in emergence from minimally conscious state (eMCS) at 3 months after neurological injury. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the clinical indicators affecting patients' recovery of consciousness. The ALFF values and FC of the hippocampal network were compared between patients with pDOC and those with eMCS. Additionally, we employed the support vector machine (SVM) method to construct a predictive model for prognosis of consciousness based on the ALFF and FC values of the aforementioned differential brain regions. The accuracy (ACC), area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were used to evaluate the efficacy of the model. The FOUR score at onset and the length of mechanical ventilation (MV) were found to be significant influential factors for patients who recovered to eMCS at 3 months after onset. Patients who improved to eMCS showed significantly increased ALFF values in the right calcarine gyrus, left lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, and right precuneus compared to patients in a state of pDOC. Furthermore, significant increases in FC values of the hippocampal network were observed in the eMCS group, primarily involving the right lingual gyrus and bilateral precuneus, compared to the pDOC group. The predictive model constructed using ALFF alone or ALFF combined with FC values from the aforementioned brain regions demonstrated high accuracies of 83.78% and 81.08%, respectively, with AUCs of 95% and 94%, sensitivities of 0.92 for both models, and specificities of 0.92 for both models in predicting the recovery of consciousness in patients with aDOC. The present findings demonstrate significant differences in the local ALFF and FC values of the hippocampus network between different prognostic groups of patients with aDOC. The constructed predictive model, which incorporates ALFF and FC values, has the potential to provide valuable insights for clinical decision-making and identifying potential targets for early intervention.

Multimodal MRI changes associated with non-motor symptoms of rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in Parkinson's disease patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, assumes a more adverse prognosis when accompanied by rapid eye movement sleep disorder (RBD). Non-motor symptoms, particularly sleep and emotional disturbances, significantly impair patients' quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the neuroimaging underpinnings of PD-RBD using structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to explore the associations between these imaging biomarkers and non-motor symptoms. Brain scans were acquired from 33 PD patients without and 21 with probable RBD (PD-pRBD). Comparative analyses were performed to evaluate structural and functional alterations between the two groups. Additionally, the correlations between neuroimaging metrics and clinical assessment scales were assessed. PD-pRBD patients demonstrated more pronounced grey matter atrophy, particularly in the putamen and insula. Functional MRI revealed decreased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex and left precuneus of PD-pRBD patients. Furthermore, reduced functional connectivity (FC) was observed in specific regions of the whole brain and within the default mode network (DMN) in PD-pRBD. Notably, a negative correlation was found between mean ALFF values in the left posterior cingulate cortex of PD-pRBD patients and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. PD-pRBD is characterized by more severe grey matter loss and functional MRI abnormalities compared to PD alone. Dysfunction of the posterior cingulate cortex is implicated in more pronounced affective impairments, providing novel insights into the complex pathophysiology of PD-RBD.

Immediate modulatory effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on patients with Parkinson's disease: a crossover self-controlled fMRI study.

Previous studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the mechanism underlying the effect of taVNS on PD remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of taVNS in PD patients. This crossover self-controlled study included 50 PD patients. Each patient underwent three sessions of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) under three conditions: real taVNS, sham taVNS, and no taVNS intervention. We analyzed whole-brain amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) from preprocessed fMRI data across different intervention conditions. ALFF values in altered brain regions were correlated with clinical symptoms in PD patients. Forty-seven participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. Real taVNS was associated with a widespread decrease in ALFF in the right hemisphere, including the superior parietal lobule, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and cuneus (voxel p < 0.001, GRF corrected). The ALFF value in the right superior parietal lobule during real taVNS was negatively correlated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (r = -0.417, p = 0.004, Bonferroni corrected). TaVNS could immediately modulate the functional activity of brain regions involved in superior parietal lobule, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, and cuneus. These findings offer preliminary insights into the mechanism of taVNS in treating PD and bolster confidence in its long-term therapeutic potential. TaVNS appears to reduce ALFF values in specific brain regions, suggesting a potential modulation mechanism for treating PD.

Alterations of regional brain activity and corresponding brain circuits in drug-naïve adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is one of the major public health problems endangering adolescents. However, the neural mechanisms of NSSI is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore regional brain activity and corresponding brain circuits in drug-naïve adolescents with NSSI using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) combined with functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Thirty-two drug-naïve adolescents with NSSI (NSSI group) and 29 healthy controls matched for sex, age, and level of education (HC group) were enrolled in this study. ALFF and seed-based FC analyses were used to examine the alterations in regional brain activity and corresponding brain circuits. The correlation between ALFF or FC values of aberrant brain regions and clinical characteristics were detected by Pearson correlation analysis. The NSSI group showed increased ALFF in the left inferior and middle occipital gyri, lingual gyrus, and fusiform gyrus; additionally, decreased ALFF in the right medial cingulate gyrus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, and left medial superior frontal gyrus compared to those in the HC group. With the left inferior occipital gyrus as seed, the NSSI group showed increased FC between the left inferior occipital gyrus and the bilateral superior parietal gyrus, right inferior parietal angular gyrus, right inferior frontal gyrus of the insular region, and left precuneus relative to that the HC group. With the left anterior cingulate gyrus as seed, the NSSI group showed increased FC between the left anterior cingulate gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. With the left lingual gyrus as seed, the NSSI group showed increased FC between the left lingual gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus, and decreased FC between the left lingual gyrus and the left superior temporal gyrus, right supplementary motor area, and left rolandic operculum. With the left fusiform gyrus as seed, the NSSI group showed increased FC between the left fusiform gyrus and left middle and inferior temporal gyrus, and decreased FC between the left fusiform gyrus and the bilateral postcentral gyrus, right precentral gyrus, right lingual gyrus, and left inferior parietal angular gyrus. Moreover, the FC value between the left fusiform gyrus and left inferior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with suicidal ideations score. This study highlights alterations in regional brain activity and corresponding brain circuits in brain regions related to visual and emotional regulation functions in drug-naïve adolescents with NSSI. These findings may facilitate better understand the underlying neural mechanisms of NSSI in adolescents.

Brain functional alteration and cognitive performance in cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of fMRI studies.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a useful tool to evaluate brain inefficiencies secondary to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs); nevertheless, limited fMRI studies have been conducted to investigate the effect of CVDs on brain functional changes and cognitive function. This systematic review aims to explore, synthesise, and report fMRI outcomes (resting state and task-based) and cognitive performance in patients with CVDs. Two reviewers independently searched published literature until April 2024 on ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov adhering to the PRISMA protocol. A total of 26 eligible studies were considered for full-text screening, of which 10 were included in this review. The methodological quality was assessed by mixed methods appraisal tool and was reported as empirically fair. Among 336 subjects with CVDs, aged between 49.90 ± 6.10 to 72.20 ± 5.70 years, the majority had coronary artery diseases (n = 177, 52.68%) and hypertension (n = 200, 59.52%), and approximately half of them were females (n = 169, 50.30%). Based on the qualitative synthesis, subjects with CVDs demonstrated an increased cognitive decline (reduced Mini-Mental State Examination/Montreal Cognitive Assessment mean values) and attenuated task performance (lower mean 2-back task scores and slower reaction time). Results also indicated impaired brain activity at the supplementary motor area associated with poor ejection fraction; reduced default mode network suppression linked to high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; lower regional homogeneity and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation values; and reduced functional connectivity. In summary, alterations in brain networks connectivity may have contributed to an impaired cognitive performance in patients with cardiovascular diseases. It can be extrapolated that CVDs tend to alter the brain network connectivity and result in cognitive impairment and poorer task performance. However, for future imaging studies, more stringent and homogenous demographic data are highly recommended.

Brain Functional Alterations in Patients With Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Demonstrate the Visual-Vestibular Interaction and Integration.

This study aimed to analyze the features of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and clinical relevance in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) that have undergone repositioning maneuvers. A total of 38 patients with BPPV who have received repositioning maneuvers and 38 matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in the present study from March 2018 to August 2021. Imaging analysis software was employed for functional image preprocessing and indicator calculation, mainly including the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF), and seed-based functional connectivity (FC). Statistical analysis of the various functional indicators in patients with BPPV and HCs was also conducted, and correlation analysis with clinical data was performed. Patients with BPPV displayed decrease in ALFF, fALFF, and PerAF values, mainly in the bilateral occipital lobes in comparison with HCs. Additionally, their ALFF and fALFF values in the proximal vermis region of the cerebellum increased relative to HCs. The PerAF values in the bilateral paracentral lobules, the right supplementary motor area (SMA), and the left precuneus decreased in patients with BPPV and were negatively correlated with dizziness visual analog scale (VAS) scores 1 week after repositioning (W1). In addition, in the left fusiform gyrus and lingual gyrus, the PerAF values show a negative correlation with dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) scores at initial visit (W0). Seed-based FC analysis using the seeds from differential clusters of fALFF, ALFF, and PerAF showed reductions between the left precuneus and bilateral occipital lobe, the left precuneus and left paracentral lobule, and within the occipital lobes among patients with BPPV. The spontaneous activity of certain brain regions in the bilateral occipital and frontoparietal lobes of patients with BPPV was reduced, whereas the activity in the cerebellar vermis was increased. Additionally, there were reductions in FC between the precuneus and occipital cortex or paracentral lobule, as well as within the occipital cortex. The functional alterations in these brain regions may be associated with the inhibitory interaction and functional integration of visual, vestibular, and sensorimotor systems. The functional alterations observed in the visual cortex and precuneus may represent adaptive responses associated with residual dizziness.