Bilateral Postcentral Gyrus Research Articles

Abnormal Alterations of the White Matter Structural Network in Patients with Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia.

PHN is one of the most common clinical complications of herpes zoster (HZ), the pathogenesis of which is unclear and poorly treated clinically, and many studies now suggest that postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) pain may be related to central neurologic mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the white matter structural networks and changes in the organization of the rich-club in HZ and PHN. Diffusion imaging (DTI) data from 89 PHN patients, 76 HZ patients, and 66 healthy controls (HCs) were used to construct corresponding structural networks. Using graph-theoretic analysis, changes in the overall and local characteristics of the structural networks and rich-club organization were analyzed, and their correlations with clinical scales were analyzed. Compared with HCs, PHN patients had reduced global efficiency (Eg), reduced local efficiency (Eloc), a reduced clustering coefficient (Cp), a longer characteristic path length (Lp), and reduced nodal efficiency (Ne) in several brain regions, including the right posterior cingulate gyrus, the right supraoccipital gyrus, the bilateral postcentral gyrus, and the right precuneus; HZ patients had reduced Eg, a longer Lp, and reduced right orbital frontalis suprachiasmatic Ne. Moreover, HZ and PHN patients showed a significant reduction in the strength of rich-club connections. Compared with HZ patients, the intensities of the rich-club and feeder connections were lower in the PHN patients. Moreover, the changes in the structural networks and rich-club organization topology indices of the patients in the HZ and PHN patients were significantly correlated with disease duration, pain scores, and emotional changes. The structural networks of HZ and PHN patients exhibited reduced network transmission efficiency and rich-club connectivity, possibly due to structural damage to the white matter, and this was more obvious in PHN patients. The rich-club connectivity of HZ patients showed incomplete compensation in the acute pain stage.

Multimodal abnormalities of brain function in chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

ObjectivesNeuroimaging investigations into chronic low back pain (CLBP) have detected functional abnormalities across a spectrum of brain regions, yet the findings have often been inconsistent. In this meta-analysis, we integrated the existing data, delineating a pattern of coherent results from the encompassed studies.MethodsA systematic search of neuroimaging studies investigating the brain activity differences between CLBP and Healthy controls (HCs) was conducted in seven databases up to December 22, 2024. An anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping (AES-SDM)-based meta-analysis was carried out to report the results and perform a multimodal analysis.ResultsA total of 20 publications reporting on 24 experiments in this meta-analysis. The ReHo meta-analysis showed abnormal spontaneous activity of left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), right precuneus, right fusiform gyrus and bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG) in CLBP patients. The ALFF meta-analysis demonstrated functional alterations in the right rolandic operculum (extending to the right insula and right IFG), left ITG, left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left paracentral lobule, left PoCG and bilateral cuneus cortex in CLBP patients. The results of the functional group meta-analysis revealed that patients with CLBP displayed new decreased functional activity in the right thalamus, right precentral gyrus (PreCG) and right lingual gyrus.ConclusionPatients with CLBP exhibit extensive multimodal functional neuroimaging abnormalities, involving brain regions related to pain perception, emotional processing, cognitive functions, and both the visual and motor cortices. These meta-analysis findings might provide a valuable reference for the identification of potential therapeutic targets for CLBP in the brain.

Age-related differences of subjective visual vertical perception in adults-a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

The perception of Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV) is crucial for postural orientation and significantly reflects an individual's postural control ability, relying on vestibular, visual, and somatic sensory inputs to assess the Earth's gravity line. The neural mechanisms and aging effects on SVV perception, however, remain unclear. This study seeks to examine aging-related changes in SVV perception and uncover its neurological underpinnings through functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). In a comparative study of 19 young and 19 older adults, the standardized SVV task executed in Eprime 3.0 software evaluated participants' SVV orientation and uncertainty. Cortical responses were monitored via fNIRS during the task, with block averaging analysis employed to delineate the associated hemodynamic responses. The study further correlated these neuroimaging findings with behavioral measures. Young individuals exhibit superior accuracy and stability in perceiving the subjective visual vertical (SVV) direction. Neuroimaging data, adjusted for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate, reveal activation of the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdor) in both age groups during SVV tasks. However, older participants show additional activation in regions such as the bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG) and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG). Lateralization studies indicate that young participants predominantly exhibit right lateralization in sensory and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, with left lateralization in the motor cortex. In contrast, elderly participants demonstrate bilateral dominance across sensory, dorsolateral prefrontal, and motor cortices. Correlational analyses link modified SVV metrics to the activation levels of various brain regions, with negative correlations observed in both age groups, and a unique positive correlation with the left inferior frontal gyrus of the triangular part (IFGtriang) in young participants. Young individuals outperform the older individuals in SVV performance due to age-related differences in brain functional patterns during the execution of vertical perception judgment. Both age groups activate the right SMG and left SFGdor, but the older individuals additionally activate regions such as bilateral PoCG and right MFG. While young people exhibit right-brain dominance, the older people rely on bilateral cognitive resources, indicating bilateral dominance. Except for the left IFGtriang in the young, higher activation in brain regions correlates with better SVV performance.

Neural correlates of basketball proficiency: An MRI study across skill levels.

Basketball is an attractive sport required both cooperative and antagonistic motor skills. However, the neural mechanism of basketball proficiency remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the brain functional and structural substrates underlying varying levels of basketball capacity. Twenty advanced basketball athletes (AB), 20 intermediate basketball athletes (IB) and 20 age-matched non-athlete individuals without basketball experience (NI) participated in this study and underwent T1-weighted MRI and resting-state fMRI scanning. Voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and gray matter (GM) density were calculated and compared among the three groups. The VMHC in the bilateral postcentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus, as well as the GM density in the right precentral gyrus, exhibited a hierarchical structure of AB>IB>NI. Compared with NI group, AB and IB groups showed strengthened VMHC in supplementary motor area, paracentral lobule and superior frontal gyrus. Additionally, the ALFF of left middle occipital gyrus and right hippocampal and the GM density of left medial superior frontal gyrus exhibited differences in AB-IB and AB-NI comparisons. By conducting the cross-sectional comparison, this study firstly identifies the varying levels of basketball proficiency related brain resting-state functional and structural plasticity. Especially, the regions associated with motor perception and control, including bilateral postcentral gyrus, middle and superior temporal gyrus and right precentral gyrus, are involved in the key neural mechanisms of basketball proficiency. Future longitudinal studies are necessary to further validate these findings.

Altered intrinsic neural activity and its molecular analyses in first-episode schizophrenia with auditory verbal hallucinations.

Auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) are one of the signature positive symptoms of schizophrenia, affecting a substantial portion of patients with schizophrenia. These hallucinations seriously impact the lives of patients, resulting in a substantial social burden. Recent studies have shown a significant correlation between abnormal local brain activity and the neurobiological mechanisms of AVHs. However, it is not fully clear whether altered intrinsic brain activity in schizophrenia patients with AVHs is correlated with specific neurotransmitter systems. We included 50 first-episode, drug-naïve schizophrenia patients with AVHs, 50 patients without AVHs (NAVHs), and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was utilized to explore the altered intrinsic brain activity in the AVH group. Subsequently, we spatially correlated the altered ALFF with neurotransmitter maps using JuSpace. In our study, compared to HCs, the AVH group exhibited significantly reduced ALFF in multiple brain regions, mainly including the left precuneus, bilateral supplementary motor areas, bilateral paracentral lobules, bilateral precentral gyri, and bilateral postcentral gyri. The NAVH group showed significantly reduced ALFF in the left inferior occipital gyrus, left calcarine gyrus, and left lingual gyrus compared to HCs. Furthermore, the AVH group showed higher ALFF in the right inferior frontal gyrus compared to the NAVH group. Additionally, these ALFF alterations in the AVH group were closely related to three neurotransmitters, including dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. We link neurotransmitters to abnormal intrinsic brain activity in first-episode, drug-naïve schizophrenia patients with AVHs, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiological processes and treatment pathways underlying AVHs.

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.

Comparison of Resting-State Functional Connectivity Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder: Differences in the Nucleus Accumbens and Thalamus Network.

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) are distinguished by whether anxiety is limited to social situations. However, reports on the differences in brain functional networks between GAD and SAD are few. Our objective is to understand the pathogenesis of GAD and SAD by examining the differences in resting brain function between patients with GAD and SAD and healthy controls (HCs). Methods: This study included 21 patients with SAD, 17 patients with GAD, and 30 HCs. Participants underwent psychological assessments and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Whole-brain analyses were performed to compare resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) among the groups. In addition, logistic regression analysis was conducted on the rsFC to identify significant differences between GAD and SAD. Results: Patients with SAD and GAD had significantly higher rsFC between the bilateral postcentral gyri and bilateral amygdalae/thalami than HCs. Compared with patients with SAD, those with GAD had significantly higher rsFC between the right nucleus accumbens and bilateral thalami and between the left nucleus accumbens and right thalamus. rsFC between the left nucleus accumbens and right thalamus positively correlated with state anxiety in patients with SAD and GAD, respectively. In addition, logistic regression analysis revealed that the right nucleus accumbens and the right thalamus connectivity could distinguish SAD from GAD. Conclusions: GAD and SAD were distinguished by the right nucleus accumbens and the right thalamus connectivity. Our findings offer insights into the disease-specific neural basis of SAD and GAD. Clinical Trial Registration Number: UMIN000024087. Impact Statement This study is the first to identify a resting state functional connectivity that distinguishes social anxiety disorder (SAD) from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and to clarify a common connectivity in both disorders. We found that the connectivity between the right nucleus accumbens and the right thalamus differentiated SAD from GAD. Furthermore, these rsFC differences suggest an underlying basis for fear overgeneralization. Our findings shed light on the pathophysiology of these conditions and could be used as a basis for further studies to improve outcomes for such patients.

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.

Preoperative early-stage lung cancer patients and local brain area changes: a cross-sectional observational descriptive study.

Lung cancer is a major global health concern. Patients undergo a substantial process of emotional transformation following a lung cancer diagnosis, during which subtle changes in brain function and/or structure may occur. As such, the present study aimed to investigate the neuroplastic changes induced by negative emotions in patients with early-stage lung cancer. This cross-sectional study recruited 35 patients with early-stage lung cancer and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy control patients. All participants completed the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were used as the fMRI indices. Correlations between the clinical assessments and ALFF and ReHo values were calculated. Our analysis revealed no significant differences in HAMD and HAMA scores between patients and control patients (p > 0.05). However, significant alterations in ALFF and ReHo were observed in multiple brain regions in patients with early-stage lung cancer compared to healthy controls (P FalseDiscoveryRate < 0.05). Specifically, ALFF values were decreased in the right postcentral gyrus, calcarine, and left middle cingulate, while ReHo values increased in the right angular gyrus and decreased in the bilateral postcentral gyrus, insula, left calcarine, putamen, superior temporal gyrus, middle cingulate, and right Rolandic gyrus. The HAMD score was significantly correlated with the ALFF value in the right postcentral gyrus (P = 0.007). This study provides valuable insights into the adaptive responses of the brain following the early diagnosis of lung cancer, revealing potential disturbances in negative emotional processing. Harnessing neuroplasticity may open new avenues for the establishment of personalized treatment strategies and targeted interventions to support the emotional and mental health of patients with lung cancer.

Altered thalamus functional connectivity in patients with acute unilateral vestibulopathy: a resting-state fMRI study.

Acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUVP) is the second leading cause of peripheral vestibular vertigo. Full recovery of AUVP is related to sufficient central vestibular compensation. It has been confirmed that the vestibular nucleus and vestibular cortex are involved in the process of vestibular compensatory in AUVP patients. However, few studies have focused on the functional compensation of thalamus in patients with AUVP. This study aimed to explore the alterations of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) focused on thalamus using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in AUVP patients. Data of 3D-T1 and resting-state fMRI were collected from 40 AUVP patients and 35 healthy controls (HC). Seeds-based (bilateral thalamus) FC was analyzed to investigate the changes in FC between the two groups. Furthermore, we evaluated the associations between altered thalamus FC and clinical features in AUVP patients using Pearson's partial correlation. Compared with HC, AUVP patients showed decreased FC between bilateral thalamus and left insula. We also observed decreased FC between right thalamus and left supramarginal gyrus. Additionally, we found increased FC between left thalamus and right postcentral gyrus (PCG), as well as increased FC between right thalamus and regions of bilateral PCG, right middle frontal gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus in AUVP patients. Furthermore, the FC between left thalamus and left insula was negatively correlated with values of canal paresis in patients with AUVP (p = 0.010, r = -0.434). Our results provided first evidence for the decreased thalamo-vestibular cortex pathway, as well as increased thalamo-somatosensory and thalamo-visual cortex pathway in AUVP patients. These findings help us better understand the underlying mechanisms of central dynamic compensatory following an acute unilateral peripheral vestibular damage.

Association between sleep problems and impulsivity mediated through regional homogeneity abnormalities in male methamphetamine abstainers.

Sleep problems and impulsivity frequently occur in methamphetamine (MA) abstainers and are linked to aberrant brain function. However, the interplay between these factors remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sleep, impulsivity, and regional homogeneity (ReHo) through mediation analysis in MA abstainers. 46 MA abstainers and 44 healthy controls were included. Impulsivity and sleep problems were evaluated using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale, respectively. ReHo, indicative of local brain spontaneous neural activity, was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results unveiled correlations between different dimensions of impulsivity and ReHo values in specific brain regions. Motor impulsivity correlated with ReHo values in the left postcentral gyrus and left precentral gyrus, while non-planning impulsivity was only associated with ReHo values in the left precentral gyrus. Additionally, the need for sleep medications correlated with ReHo values in the left precentral gyrus and bilateral postcentral gyrus. Also, the need for sleep medications was positively correlated with cognitive impulsivity and motor impulsivity. Mediation analysis indicated that reduced ReHo values in the left precentral gyrus mediated the association between impulsivity and the need for sleep medications. These findings imply that addressing sleep problems, especially the need for sleep medications, might augment spontaneous neural activity in specific brain regions linked to impulsivity among MA abstainers. This underscores the importance of integrating sleep interventions into comprehensive treatment strategies for MA abstainers.

Changes in brain structure and function during early aging in patients with chronic low back pain.

To explore the structural and functional changes in cognition-related brain regions in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) at earlier ages, and explore the impact of the interaction between CLBP and age on the brain. Seventy-six patients with CLBP were recruited and divided into "younger" age group (20-29 years, YA), "middle" age group (30-39 years, MA), and "older" age group (40-49 years, OA). All patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as well as clinical psychological and pain-related symptoms assessments. Structural analysis showed that patients in OA group had lower gray matter (GM) volumes in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) bilaterally and the right superior frontal gyrus (SFG) compared to YA group. The resting-state brain activity analysis showed that amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) values in the bilateral postcentral gyrus and left ventral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were significantly different in the OA group. The functional connectivity (FC) in the right ventral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the right insula was significantly decreased in the OA group compared to the YA and MA groups. Likewise, the FC in the left caudal parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) and left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) were significantly lower in the MA and OA groups compared to the YA group. In addition, both the structural properties and the FC values of these brain regions were significantly correlated with age. This preliminary study concludes that CLBP affects the aging process. The synergistic effects of CLBP and aging accelerate the functional and structural decline of certain areas of the brain, which not only affects pain processing, but are also may be associated with cognitive declines.

Dynamical changes of interaction across functional brain communities during propofol-induced sedation.

It is crucial to understand how anesthetics disrupt information transmission within the whole-brain network and its hub structure to gain insight into the network-level mechanisms underlying propofol-induced sedation. However, the influence of propofol on functional integration, segregation, and community structure of whole-brain networks were still unclear. We recruited 12 healthy subjects and acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data during 5 different propofol-induced effect-site concentrations (CEs): 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0μg/ml. We constructed whole-brain functional networks for each subject under different conditions and identify community structures. Subsequently, we calculated the global and local topological properties of whole-brain network to investigate the alterations in functional integration and segregation with deepening propofol sedation. Additionally, we assessed the alteration of key nodes within the whole-brain community structure at each effect-site concentrations level. We found that global participation was significantly increased at high effect-site concentrations, which was mediated by bilateral postcentral gyrus. Meanwhile, connector hubs appeared and were located in posterior cingulate cortex and precentral gyrus at high effect-site concentrations. Finally, nodal participation coefficients of connector hubs were closely associated to the level of sedation. These findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between increasing propofol dosage and enhanced functional interaction within the whole-brain networks.

Altered temporal lobe connectivity is associated with psychotic symptoms in drug-naïve adolescent patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

Research on individuals with a younger onset age of schizophrenia is important for identifying neurobiological processes derived from the interaction of genes and the environment that lead to the manifestation of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has long been recognized as a disorder of dysconnectivity, but it is largely unknown how brain connectivity changes are associated with psychotic symptoms. Twenty-one adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) patients and 21 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to investigate local brain connectivity alterations in AOS. Regions with significant ReHo changes in patients were selected as "seeds" for further functional connectivity (FC) analysis and Granger causality analysis (GCA), and associations of the obtained functional brain measures with psychotic symptoms in patients with AOS were examined. Compared with HCs, AOS patients showed significantly increased ReHo in the right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), which was positively correlated with PANSS-positive scores, PSYRATS-delusion scores and auditory hallucination scores. With the MTG as the seed, lower connectivity with the bilateral postcentral gyrus (PCG) and higher connectivity with the right precuneus were observed in patients. The reduced FC between the right MTG and bilateral PCG was significantly and positively correlated with hallucination scores. GCA indicated decreased Granger causality from the right MTG to the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and from the right MFG to the right MTG in AOS patients, but such effects did not significantly associate with psychotic symptoms. Abnormalities in the connectivity within the MTG and its connectivity with other networks were identified and were significantly correlated with hallucination and delusion ratings. This region may be a key neural substrate of psychotic symptoms in AOS.

Bilateral effect of acupuncture on cerebrum and cerebellum in ischaemic stroke patients with hemiparesis: a randomised clinical and neuroimaging trial

BackgroundAcupuncture involving the limb region may be effective for stroke rehabilitation clinically, but the visualised and explanatory evidence is limited. Our objectives were to assess the specific effects of acupuncture...

Decreased inter-hemispheric cooperation in major depressive disorder and its association with neurotransmitter profiles

BackgroundInter-hemispheric cooperation is a prominent feature of the human brain, and previous neuroimaging studies have revealed aberrant inter-hemispheric cooperation patterns in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Typically, inter-hemispheric cooperation is examined by calculating the functional connectivity (FC) between each voxel in one hemisphere and its anatomical (structurally homotopic) counterpart in the opposite hemisphere. However, bilateral hemispheres are actually asymmetric in anatomy. MethodsIn the present study, we utilized connectivity between functionally homotopic voxels (CFH) to investigate abnormal inter-hemispheric cooperation in 96 MDD patients compared to 173 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). In addition, we analyzed the spatial correlations between abnormal CFH and the density maps of 13 neurotransmitter receptors and transporters. ResultsThe CFH values in bilateral orbital frontal gyri and bilateral postcentral gyri were abnormally decreased in patients with MDD. Furthermore, these CFH abnormalities were correlated with clinical symptoms. In addition, the abnormal CFH pattern in MDD patients was spatially correlated with the distribution pattern of 5-HT1AR. Limitationsdrug effect; the cross-sectional research design precludes causal inferences; the neurotransmitter atlases selected were constructed from healthy individuals rather than MDD patients. ConclusionThese findings characterized the abnormal inter-hemispheric cooperation in MDD using a novel method and the underlying neurotransmitter mechanism, which promotes our understanding of the pathophysiology of depression.

Altered Functional Connectivity of the Multisensory Vestibular Cortex in Patients with Chronic Unilateral Vestibulopathy.

Background: Chronic unilateral vestibulopathy (CUVP) is a common chronic vestibular syndrome; the mechanisms of central vestibular compensation in CUVP are rarely studied. Methods: This study analyzed the data of 18 patients with CUVP and 18 healthy controls (HCs) and used seed-based functional connectivity (FC) and voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) analyses to explore the FC alterations. Results: Compared with HCs, patients with CUVP showed decreased FC between the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and the right hippocampus; the left middle frontal gyrus and the right posterior cingulate gyrus, the right hippocampus, the right parahippocampal gyrus. There is also a reduction in FC betweenthe left and right insula. There was enhanced FC between the left supplementary motor area (SMA) and the bilateral superior occipital gyrus, the left hippocampus and the left posterior cingulate gyrus, as wellas a the left middle temporal gyrus (p = 0.03). Additionally,VMHC was decreased betweenthe bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus, the bilateral precentral gyrus, and the bilateral postcentral gyrus (p = 0.001). The zVMHC values in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus and the precentral gyrus were both negatively corrected with the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) score.wellas Conclusions: Altered FC in regions of bilateral multisensory vestibular cortex existed in patients with CUVP. Decreased FC and VMHC in the bilateral multisensory vestibular cortex may affect vestibular information integration, thus affecting self-motion perception, spatial orientation, and postural control.

Total sleep deprivation alters spontaneous brain activity in medical staff during routine clinical work: a resting-state functional MR imaging study.

To assess the effect of total sleep deprivation (TSD) on spontaneous brain activity in medical staff during routine clinical practice. A total of 36 medical staff members underwent resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans and neuropsychological tests twice, corresponding to rested wakefulness (RW) after normal sleep and 24 h of acute TSD. The rs-fMRI features, including the mean fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (mfALFF), z-score transformed regional homogeneity (zReHo), and functional connectivity (zFC), were compared between RW and TSD. Correlation coefficients between the change in altered rs-fMRI features and the change in altered scores of neuropsychological tests after TSD were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of significantly altered rs-fMRI features in distinguishing between RW and TSD states. Brain regions, including right superior temporal gyrus, bilateral postcentral gyrus, left medial superior frontal gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and left precuneus, showed significantly enhanced rs-fMRI features (mfALFF, zReHo, zFC) after TSD. Moreover, the changes in altered rs-fMRI features of the right superior temporal gyrus, bilateral postcentral gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, and left precuneus were significantly correlated with the changes in several altered scores of neuropsychological tests. The combination of mfALFF (bilateral postcentral gyrus) and zFC (left medial superior frontal gyrus and left precuneus) showed the highest area under the curve (0.870) in distinguishing RW from TSD. Spontaneous brain activity alterations occurred after TSD in routine clinical practice, which might explain the reduced performances of these participants in neurocognitive tests after TSD. These alterations might be potential imaging biomarkers for assessing the impact of TSD and distinguishing between RW and TSD states.

Morphological changes of cerebral gray matter in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 using fractal dimension analysis.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), or Machado-Joseph disease, presents as a cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS) and represents the predominant SCA genotype in Taiwan. Beyond cerebellar involvement, SCA3 patients exhibit cerebral atrophy. While prior neurodegenerative disease studies relied on voxel-based morphometry (VBM) for brain atrophy assessment, its qualitative nature limits individual and region-specific evaluations. To address this, we employed fractal dimension (FD) analysis to quantify cortical complexity changes in SCA3 patients. We examined 50 SCA3 patients and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC), dividing MRI cerebral gray matter (GM) into 68 auto-anatomical subregions. Using three-dimensional FD analysis, we identified GM atrophy manifestations in SCA3 patients. Results revealed lateral atrophy symptoms in the left frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes, and fewer symptoms in the right hemisphere's parietal and occipital lobes. Focal areas of atrophy included regions previously identified in SCA3 studies, alongside additional regions with decreased FD values. Bilateral postcentral gyrus and inferior parietal gyrus exhibited pronounced atrophy, correlating with Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) scores and disease duration. Notably, the most notable focal areas were the bilateral postcentral gyrus and the left superior temporal gyrus, serving as imaging biomarkers for SCA3. Our study enhances understanding of regional brain atrophy in SCA3, corroborating known clinical features while offering new insights into disease progression.

Sex differences of neural connectivity in internet gaming disorder and its association with sleep quality: an exploratory fMRI study.

Sex-specific differences in internet gaming disorder (IGD) neurophysiology remain underexplored. Here we investigated sex-related variability in regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) in IGD and their correlations with sleep quality. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were performed on 52 subjects with IGD and 50 healthy controls (HCs). Two-way ANOVA was used to examine sex and diagnosis interactions in ReHo and FC, followed by post-hoc analyses to explore FC biomarkers for different sexes. In ReHo analysis, the four groups showed significant sex and diagnosis interactions in the right middle frontal gyrus (rMFG). FC analysis with rMFG as the seed region revealed a significant sex and diagnosis interaction effect in FC of the rMFG with the bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG). In male IGD group, FC between the rMFG and the bilateral PoCG correlates strongly with daytime dysfunction score and the Pittsburgh sleep quality inventory (PSQI) total score. These findings emphasize the importance of considering sexual dimorphism in the neurobiology of IGD, which might influence subsequent treatment strategies.