Brain Connectivity Research Articles

Molecular Lineages and Spatial Distributions of Subplate Neurons in the Human Fetal Cerebral Cortex.

The expansion of neural progenitors and production of distinct neurons are crucial for architectural assembly and formation of connectivity in human brains. Subplate neurons (SPNs) are among the firstborn neurons in the human fetal cerebral cortex, and play a critical role in establishing intra- and extracortical connections. However, little is known about SPN origin and developmental lineages. In this study, spatial landscapes and molecular trajectories of SPNs in the human fetal cortices from gestational weeks (GW) 10 to 25 are created by performing spatial transcriptomics and single-cell RNA sequencing. Genes known to be evolutionarily human-specific and genes associated with extracellular matrices (ECMs) are found to maintain stable proportions of subplate neurons among other neuronal types. Enriched ECM gene expression in SPNs varies in distinct cortical regions, with the highest level in the frontal lobe of human fetal brains. This study reveals molecular origin and lineage specification of subplate neurons in the human fetal cerebral cortices, and highlights underpinnings of SPNs to cortical neurogenesis and early structural folding.

Asymmetry of attentive networks contributes to adult Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) pathophysiology.

Diffusion imaging studies in Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have revealed alterations in anatomical brain connections, such as the fronto-parietal connection known as superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Studies in neurotypical adults have shown that the three SLF branches (SLF I, II, III) support distinct brain functions, such as attention and inhibition; and that their pattern of lateralization is associated with attention performance. However, most studies in ADHD have investigated the SLF as a single bundle and in children; thus, the potential contribution of the lateralization of the SLF branches to adult ADHD pathophysiology remains to be elucidated. We used diffusion-weighted spherical deconvolution tractography to dissect the SLF branches in 60 adults with ADHD (including 26 responders and 34 non-responders to methylphenidate, MPH) and 20 controls. Volume and hindrance modulated orientational anisotropy (HMOA), which respectively reflect white matter macro- and microstructure, were extracted to calculate the corresponding lateralization indices. We tested whether neurotypical controls differed from adults with ADHD, and from treatment response groups in sensitivity analyses; and investigated associations with clinico-neuropsychological profiles. All the three SLF branches were lateralized in adults with ADHD, but not in controls. The lateralization of theSLFI HMOA was associated with performance at the line bisection, not that of the SLF II volume as previously reported in controls. Further, an increased left-lateralization of the SLF I HMOA was associated with higher hyperactivity levels in the ADHD group. Thus, an altered asymmetry of the SLF, perhaps especially of the dorsal branch, may contribute to adult ADHD pathophysiology.

Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Reveals the Effects of rTMS on Neural Activity and Brain Connectivity After Experimental Stroke.

Limited understanding of neurobiological mechanisms of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) prevents us from choosing optimal therapeutic regimen for patients to improve therapeutic efficiency. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has been demonstrated to obtain comparable functional readouts across species. Intermittent and continuous theta burst stimulation were used to stimulate ipsilesional and contralesional hemisphere, respectively, during the subacute phase after stroke. We used a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and functional connectivity analyses of rs-fMRI were chosen to detect neuron activity and functional connectivity. The expression of neuron activation marker c-Fos and axonal plasticity marker GAP43 was examined by an immunochemistry method to corroborate the results of rs-fMRI. iTBS altered the long-term neuronal activity in bilateral sensorimotor cortex, whereas cTBS influenced immediate neuronal activity of bilateral sensorimotor cortex. In addition, cTBS enhanced interhemispheric and intrahemisheric functional connectivity in contralesional hemisphere, accompanied by axonal and dendritic remodeling in the perilesional cortical areas and contralesional homologous areas after large stroke. rTMS exerted complex effects on brain structural and functional connectivity in addition to affecting cortical excitability. cTBS promoted the compensatory effect of contralesional hemisphere after stroke with large lesions.

Stress-induced cortisol response predicts empathy for pain: The role of task-based connectivity between the insula and sensorimotor cortex during acute stress

Empathy for pain is a key driver of prosocial behavior and is influenced by acute psychosocial stress. However, the role of task-based brain connectivity during acute stress have been neglected. Hence, we aimed to explore the relationship between the magnitude of cortisol response to acute stress and empathy for pain, as well as the neural connectivity mechanisms involved. In this study, 80 healthy participants (37 women and 43 men) were exposed to the acute psychosocial stress paradigm (ScanSTRESS) and were scanned by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Saliva samples were collected to measure the magnitude of cortisol stress response. Subsequently, the participants took part in a pain-video task to assess their empathy for pain. Six participants were excluded because of physical discomfort or excessive head movement in all runs during the task-dependent fMRI scan. Therefore, 33 women and 41 men were included in data analysis. We found that empathy for pain was negatively correlated with the magnitude of cortisol stress response (r = -0.268, p = 0.018) and that the task-based connectivity between the salience network and sensorimotor network, including its sub-network and sub-region, was negatively correlated with the magnitude of cortisol stress response, and positively correlated with empathy for pain. Furthermore, task-based connectivity between the insula and the paracentral lobule mediates the effect of the stress-induced cortisol response on empathy for pain (indirect effect = -0.0152, 95% CI = [- 0.036, -0.001], p = 0.036). Our research suggests that empathy is not only correlated with stress-induced glucocorticoids but also tied to the stress-induced reduced communication between basic and higher brain regions.

Making the most of errors: Utilizing erroneous classifications generated by machine-learning models of neuroimaging data to capture disorder heterogeneity.

Within-disorder heterogeneity complicates mapping the neurobiological features of psychopathology to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders conceptualizations. The present study explored the patterns of diagnostic classification errors among disorders with commonly co-occurring features to examine this heterogeneity. Classification analyses were conducted with the University of California, Los Angeles Phenomics Study database using a support-vector classifier to differentiate disorders via whole brain task-based functional connectivity, predicting that model misclassifications would provide insight about brain connectivity characteristics shared across disorders. Whether symptoms and specific brain networks could account for misclassification rates was also explored. The classification model performed better than chance (44% accuracy, p = .01) and revealed that misclassification of schizophrenia (SCZ) as bipolar disorder (BD; 38%) and BD as SCZ (36%) was symmetrical. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was misclassified as BD at the highest rate (46%) and higher than the converse (17%). SCZ and ADHD were misclassified least (15% SCZ as ADHD and 22% ADHD as SCZ). Considerable variance in misclassification of SCZ as BD (R2 = .83) and BD as SCZ (R2 = .71) could be accounted for by symptoms of both SCZ and BD. Permutation testing revealed disorder- and network-specific effects, with certain networks improving classification accuracy and others hindering it for specific disorders. An approach focused on classification errors replicated known disorder overlap, producing errors in the expected configuration. Further, it identified clinical and neural features within and across diagnostic categories that contribute to disorder misclassification and within-disorder heterogeneity. This approach may facilitate neurobiologically informed phenotypic differentiation within diagnostic groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Dissecting human brain connectivity across biophysical scales.

Dissecting human brain connectivity across biophysical scales.

Integration across biophysical scales identifies molecular and cellular correlates of person-to-person variability in human brain connectivity.

Brain connectivity arises from interactions across biophysical scales, ranging from molecular to cellular to anatomical to network level. To date, there has been little progress toward integrated analysis across these scales. To bridge this gap, from a unique cohort of 98 individuals, we collected antemortem neuroimaging and genetic data, as well as postmortem dendritic spine morphometric, proteomic and gene expression data from the superior frontal and inferior temporal gyri. Through the integration of the molecular and dendritic spine morphology data, we identified hundreds of proteins that explain interindividual differences in functional connectivity and structural covariation. These proteins are enriched for synaptic structures and functions, energy metabolism and RNA processing. By integrating data at the genetic, molecular, subcellular and tissue levels, we link specific biochemical changes at synapses to connectivity between brain regions. These results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating data from vastly different biophysical scales to provide a more comprehensive understanding of brain connectivity.

Neural mechanisms of reward processing in preadolescent irritability: Insights from the ABCD study.

Elevated youth irritability is characterized by increased proneness to frustration relative to peers when rewards are blocked, and is a transdiagnostic symptom that predicts multiple forms of psychopathology and poorer socioeconomic outcomes in adulthood. Although mechanistic models propose that irritability is the result of aberrant reward-related brain function, youth irritability as it relates to multiple components of reward processes, including reward anticipation, gain, and loss, has yet to be examined in large, population-based samples. Data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) baseline sample (N = 5923) was used to examine associations between youth irritability (measured by parent-report) and reward-related brain activation and connectivity in a large, preadolescent sample. Preadolescents (M age = 9.96 years, SD = 0.63) performed the Monetary Incentive Delay task during functional MRI acquisition. In the task, during the anticipation period, participants were informed of the upcoming trial type (win money, lose money, no money at stake) and waited to hit a target; during the feedback period, participants were informed of their success. Whole brain and region of interest (ROI) analyses evaluated task conditions in relation to irritability level. Preadolescents with higher compared to lower levels of irritability demonstrated blunted prefrontal cortex activation in the anticipation period and exaggerated striatum-prefrontal connectivity differences among reward conditions during the feedback period. These effects persisted after adjusting for co-occurring anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms. These findings provide evidence for the role of reward salience in pathophysiological models of youth irritability, suggesting a mechanism that may contribute to exaggerated behavioral responses.

Increased functional connectivity between brain regions involved in social cognition, emotion and affective-value in psychedelic states induced by N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

The modulation of social cognition is suggested as a possible mechanism contributing to the potential clinical efficacy of psychedelics in disorders involving socio-emotional and reward processing deficits. Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) can be used to detect changes in brain connectivity during psychedelic-induced states. Thus, this pharmacoimaging study investigates the effects of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) on functional connectivity in brain areas relevant to social cognition, using a within-subject design in eleven healthy experienced users. The study included both an active and a control condition, conducted at different time points. The active condition involved DMT inhalation, while the control condition did not. Seed-based connectivity was measured for the two core regions involved in theory of mind and emotional processing, respectively, the posterior supramarginal gyrus and the amygdala. DMT increased supramarginal gyrus connectivity with the precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, amygdala, and orbitofrontal cortex. Additionally, increased connectivity emerged between the amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex. These results demonstrate that DMT modulates brain connectivity in socio-emotional and affective-value circuits, advancing our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the psychedelic experience and its potential therapeutic action.

Promising Neuroscience Methods in Exploring the Spatiotemporal Mechanisms underlying Speech Motor Control

Speech motor control is a complex neuromotor behavior that requires the combined efforts of feedforward control and feedback control subsystems. With the advent of neuroscience, multiple lines of research have explored the spatiotemporal mechanisms underlying this process. The purpose of this review was to point out several promising neuroscience methods and their unique values in enriching the speech motor control literature. We discussed the clinical value of noninvasive brain stimulation methods, and the theoretical value of invasive brain recording methods, as well as the predictive value of brain connectivity techniques. Based on prior findings, we propose a roadmap for future research, identifying structure-function coupling that supports speech motor control.

Longitudinal functional brain connectivity maturation in premature newborn infants: modulatory influence of early music enrichment

Abstract Premature birth affects brain maturation, illustrated by altered brain functional connectivity at term equivalent age (TEA) and alters neurobehavioral outcome. To correct early developmental differences and improve neurological outcome, music during the NICU stay has been proposed as an auditory enrichment with modulatory effects on functional and structural brain development, but longitudinal effects of such interventions have not been studied so far. We longitudinally investigated resting-state functional connectivity (RS-FC) maturation in preterm infants (n=43). Data-driven Independent Component Analyses (ICA) were performed on scans obtained at 33- and 40-weeks gestational age (GA), determining the presence of distinct RSNs. Connectome analysis ´accordance measure´ quantitively examined the RS-FC both at 33- and 40-weeks GA. Further comparing the internetwork RS-FC at 33- and 40 weeks GA provided a circuitry of interest (COI) for significant maturational changes in which the effects on the RS-FC of a music intervention was tested. The connectome analyses resulted in a COI of RS-FC connections significantly maturing from 33 to 40 weeks GA, namely between the thalamic/brainstem and prefrontal-limbic, salience, sensorimotor, auditory and prefrontal cortical networks; between the prefrontal-limbic and cerebellar, visual and left hemispheric precuneus networks; between the salience and visual, and cerebellar networks; and between the sensorimotor and auditory, and posterior cingulate/precuneus networks. The infants exposed to music exhibited significantly increased maturation in RS-FC between the thalamic/brainstem and salience networks, compared to controls. This study exemplifies that preterm infant RS-FC maturation is modulated through NICU music exposure, highlighting the importance of environmental enrichment for neurodevelopment in premature newborns.

Corticospinal Tract Sparing in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Disruptions in the brain’s connections to the hands resulting from a cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) can lead to severe and persistent functional impairments. The integrity of these connections is an important predictor of upper extremity recovery in stroke and may similarly act as a biomarker in cSCI. In this perspective article, we review recent findings from a large cohort of individuals with cSCI, demonstrating the predictive value of corticospinal tract (CST) integrity in cSCI—CST sparing. This research underscores that, akin to stroke, the integrity of brain-to-hand connections is crucial for predicting upper extremity recovery following cSCI. We address the limitations of commonly used metrics, such as sacral sparing and the concept of central cord syndrome. Furthermore, we offer insights on emerging metrics, such as tissue bridges, emphasizing their potential in assessing the integrity of brain connections to the spinal cord.

Mild cognitive impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: current view.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal multi-system neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatment or cure. Although primarily characterized by motor degeneration, cognitive dysfunction is an important non-motor symptom that has a negative impact on patient and caregiver burden. Mild cognitive deficits are present in a subgroup of non-demented patients with ALS, often preceding motor symptoms. Detailed neuropsychological assessments reveal deficits in a variety of cognitive domains, including those of verbal fluency and retrieval, language, executive function, attention and verbal memory. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a risk factor for developing dementia, affects between 10% and over 50% of ALS patients. Neuroimaging revealed atrophy of frontal and temporal cortices, disordered white matter Integrity, volume reduction in amygdala and thalamus, hypometabolism in the frontal and superior temporal gyrus and anterior insula. Neuronal loss in non-motor brain areas, associated with TDP-43 deposition, one of the morphological hallmarks of ALS, is linked to functional disruption of frontostriatal and frontotemporo-limbic connectivities as markers for cognitive deficits in ALS, the pathogenesis of which is still poorly understood. Early diagnosis by increased cerebrospinal fluid or serum levels of neurofilament light/heavy chain or glial fibrillary acidic protein awaits confirmation for MCI in ALS. These fluid biomarkers and early detection of brain connectivity signatures before structural changes will be helpful not only in establishing early premature diagnosis but also in clarifying the pathophysiological mechanisms of MCI in ALS, which might serve as novel targets for prohibition/delay and future adequate treatment of this debilitating disorder.

Atypical Brain Connectivity During Pragmatic and Semantic Language Processing in Children with Autism

Background/Objectives: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face challenges in social communication due to difficulties in considering context, processing information, and interpreting social cues. This study aims to explore the neural processes related to pragmatic language communication in children with ASD and address the research question of how functional brain connectivity operates during complex pragmatic language tasks. Methods: We examined differences in brain functional connectivity between children with ASD and typically developing peers while they engaged in video recordings of spoken language tasks. We focused on two types of speech acts: semantic and pragmatic. Results: Our results showed differences between groups during the pragmatic and semantic language processing, indicating more idiosyncratic connectivity in children with ASD in the Left Somatomotor and Left Limbic networks, suggesting that these networks play a role in task-dependent functional connectivity. Additionally, these functional differences were mainly localized to the left hemisphere.

DIAGNOSIS OF BRAIN REGIONS DISORDERS CAUSED BY DIVING USING INTELLIGENT MODEL BASED ON CELLULAR NEURAL NETWORK

Diver’s disease is a complication that the human body suffers from after being in a high-pressure space and then quickly entering a low-pressure space. These pressures are very harmful for the tissues of the body, especially for the brain. Decompression sickness occurs when nitrogen bubbles up in the bloodstream, caused by staying underwater too long or surfacing too quickly. Decompression sickness symptoms usually appear with a delay after diving. By processing electroencephalography, information about neurophysiological disorders can be extracted precisely. Since the diagnosis of divers’ diseases has not been dealt with using a unique model, this paper deals with the diagnosis of brain abnormalities caused by diving. In this paper, an intelligent model using the electroencephalography of divers will be presented to diagnose the brain disorders. The proposed model based on the brain function can show the connections of the divers’ brain regions using cellular neural networks. First, the effective features are extracted from the signals, and then based on the proposed architecture based on the brain, the differences in the brain connections of divers compared to non-divers are expressed. The obtained results show that there are differences in intra-regional connections of some brain regions of divers including T7, T8, O1 and O2 ([Formula: see text] < 0.05) compared to nondivers.

Age-associated alteration of innate defensive response to a looming stimulus and brain functional connectivity pattern in mice

Innate defensive behaviors are essential for species survival. While these behaviors start to develop early in an individual’s life, there is still much to be understood about how they evolve with advancing age. Considering that aging is often accompanied by various cognitive and physical declines, we tested the hypothesis that innate fear behaviors and underlying cerebral mechanisms are modified by aging. In our study we investigated this hypothesis by examining how aged mice respond to a looming visual threat compared to their younger counterparts. Our findings indicate that aged mice exhibit a different fear response than young mice when facing this imminent threat. Specifically, unlike young mice, aged mice tend to predominantly display freezing behavior without seeking shelter. Interestingly, this altered behavioral response in aged mice is linked to a distinct pattern of functional brain connectivity compared to young mice. Notably, our data highlights a lack of a consistent brain activation following the fear response in aged mice, suggesting that innate defensive behaviors undergo changes with aging.

Structural and functional sex differences in medial temporal lobe subregions at midlife

BackgroundResearch has increasingly recognized sex differences in aging and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) susceptibility. However, sex effects on the medial temporal lobe (MTL), a crucial region affected by aging and AD, remain poorly understood when it comes to the intricacies of morphology and functional connectivity. This study aimed to systematically analyze structural and functional connectivity among MTL subregions, which are known to exhibit documented morphological sex differences, during midlife, occurring before the putative pivotal age of cerebral decline. The study sought to explore the hypothesis that these differences in MTL subregion volumes would manifest in sex-related functional distinctions within the broader brain network.Methods201 cognitively unimpaired adults were included and stratified into four groups according to age and sex (i.e., Women and Men aged 40–50 and 50–60). These participants underwent comprehensive high-resolution structural MRI as well as resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Utilizing established automated segmentation, we delineated MTL subregions and assessed morphological differences through an ANOVA. Subsequently, the CONN toolbox was employed for conducting ROI-to-ROI and Fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations (fALFF) analyses to investigate functional connectivity within the specific MTL subregions among these distinct groups.ResultsSignificant differences in volumetric measurements were found primarily between women aged 40–50 and men of all ages, in the posterior hippocampus (pHPC) and the parahippocampal (PHC) cortex (p < 0.001), and, to a lesser extent, between women aged 50–60 and men of all ages (p < 0.05). Other distinctions were observed, but no significant differences in connectivity patterns or fALFF scores were detected between these groups.DiscussionDespite notable sex-related morphological differences in the posterior HPC and PHC regions, women and men appear to share a common pattern of brain connectivity at midlife. Longitudinal analyses are necessary to assess if midlife morphological sex differences in the MTL produce functional changes over time and thus, their potential role in cerebral decline.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

Long-term cognitive training enhances fluid cognition and brain connectivity in individuals with MCI

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Multi-domain cognitive training (CT) may slow cognitive decline and delay AD onset. However, most work involves short interventions, targeting single cognitive domains or lacking active controls. We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of a 6-month, multi-domain CT on Fluid Cognition, functional connectivity in memory and executive functioning networks (primary outcomes), and white matter microstructural properties (secondary outcome) in aMCI. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to either a multi-domain CT or crossword training (CW) group, and thirty-four participants completed the intervention. We found a significant group-by-time interaction in Fluid Cognition (p = 0.007, F (1,28) = 8.26, Cohen’s d = 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.45–14.4), with 90% of CT patients showing post-intervention improvements (p < 0.01, Cohen’sd = 0.7). The CT group also showed better post-intervention Fluid Cognition than healthy controls (HCs, N = 45, p = 0.045). Functional connectivity analyses showed a significant group-by-time interaction (Cohen’s d ≥ 0.8) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and inferior parietal cortex (IPC) networks. Specifically, CT displayed post-intervention increases whereas CW displayed decreases in functional connectivity. Moreover, increased connectivity strength between the left DLPFC and medial PFC was associated with improved Fluid Cognition. At a microstructural level, we observed a decline in fiber density (FD) for both groups, but the CT group declined less steeply (1.3 vs. 2%). The slower decline in FD for the CT group in several tracts, including the cingulum-hippocampus tract, was associated with better working memory. Finally, we identified regions in cognitive control and memory networks for which baseline functional connectivity and microstructural properties were associated with changes in Fluid Cognition. Long-term, multi-domain CT improves cognitive functioning and functional connectivity and delays structural brain decline in aMCI (ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03883308).

Cortical Tracking of Speech Is Reduced in Adults Who Stutter When Listening for Speaking.

The purpose of this study was to investigate cortical tracking of speech (CTS) in adults who stutter (AWS) compared to typically fluent adults (TFAs) to test the involvement of the speech-motor network in tracking rhythmic speech information. Participants' electroencephalogram was recorded while they simply listened to sentences (listening only) or completed them by naming a picture (listening for speaking), thus manipulating the upcoming involvement of speech production. We analyzed speech-brain coherence and brain connectivity during listening. During the listening-for-speaking task, AWS exhibited reduced CTS in the 3- to 5-Hz range (theta), corresponding to the syllabic rhythm. The effect was localized in the left inferior parietal and right pre/supplementary motor regions. Connectivity analyses revealed that TFAs had stronger information transfer in the theta range in both tasks in fronto-temporo-parietal regions. When considering the whole sample of participants, increased connectivity from the right superior temporal cortex to the left sensorimotor cortex was correlated with faster naming times in the listening-for-speaking task. Atypical speech-motor functioning in stuttering impacts speech perception, especially in situations requiring articulatory alertness. The involvement of frontal and (pre)motor regions in CTS in TFAs is highlighted. Further investigation is needed into speech perception in individuals with speech-motor deficits, especially when smooth transitioning between listening and speaking is required, such as in real-life conversational settings. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27234885.

Characteristics of Functional Connections and Topographical Properties Distinguished the Healthy State and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by alterations in brain connectivity, particularly within the default mode network (DMN) and the salience network (SN). Investigating these connectivity differences can provide a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying OCD. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 58 patients diagnosed with OCD and 38 healthy control subjects, totaling 96 participants. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data were acquired and analyzed using the CONN toolbox to examine functional connectivity within intrinsic resting-state networks. Graph theory metrics were applied to evaluate node connections and the overall network topology. Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and their correlations with connectivity patterns and graph-theory parameters were analyzed. Results: The OCD patients and healthy controls were matched in terms of age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, and handedness. However, OCD patients had significantly worse general health, quality of life, and higher levels of depression and anxiety. Network analyses revealed altered whole-brain connectivity in OCD patients, particularly within the DMN and the frontoparietal network. The most significant between-group connectivity differences were observed between the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and the precuneus. Disruptions in the DMN, specifically altered connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex, and changes in the SN involving the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, were significantly correlated with the severity of OCD symptoms. Conclusions: The findings suggest that OCD is associated with distinct alterations in DMN connectivity, which may play a critical role in the disorder's pathophysiology. These disruptions offer potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Further research is needed to explore these connectivity changes in larger cohorts and at various stages of OCD to better understand their clinical significance.