Dorsolateral Superior Frontal Gyrus Research Articles

Gray matter alterations in Huntington's disease: A meta-analysis of VBM neuroimaging studies.

Increasing neuroimaging studies have attempted to identify biomarkers of Huntington's disease (HD) progression. Here, we conducted voxel-based meta-analyses of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies on HD to investigate the evolution of gray matter volume (GMV) alterations and explore the effects of genetic and clinical features on GMV changes. A systematic review was performed to identify the relevant studies. Meta-analyses of whole-brain VBM studies were performed to assess the regional GMV changes in all HD mutation carriers, in presymptomatic HD (pre-HD), and in symptomatic HD (sym-HD). A quantitative comparison was performed between pre-HD and sym-HD. Meta-regression analyses were used to explore the effects of genetic and clinical features on GMV changes. Twenty-eight studies were included, comparing a total of 1811 HD mutation carriers [including 1150 pre-HD and 560 sym-HD] and 969 healthy controls (HCs). Pre-HD showed decreased GMV in the bilateral caudate nuclei, putamen, insula, anterior cingulate/paracingulate gyri, middle temporal gyri, and left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus compared with HCs. Compared with pre-HD, GMV decrease in sym-HD extended to the bilateral median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, Rolandic operculum and middle occipital gyri, left amygdala, and superior temporal gyrus. Meta-regression analyses found that age, mean lengths of CAG repeats, and disease burden were negatively associated with GMV atrophy of the bilateral caudate and right insula in all HD mutation carriers. This meta-analysis revealed the pattern of GMV changes from pre-HD to sym-HD, prompting the understanding of HD progression. The pattern of GMV changes may be biomarkers for disease progression in HD.

Functional Connectivity-Based Searchlight Multivariate Pattern Analysis for Discriminating Schizophrenia Patients and Predicting Clinical Variables.

Schizophrenia, a multifaceted psychiatric disorder characterized by functional dysconnectivity, poses significant challenges in clinical practice. This study explores the potential of functional connectivity (FC)-based searchlight multivariate pattern analysis (CBS-MVPA) to discriminate between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls while also predicting clinical variables. We enrolled 112 schizophrenia patients and 119 demographically matched healthy controls. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected, and whole-brain FC subnetworks were constructed. Additionally, clinical assessments and cognitive evaluations yielded a dataset comprising 36 clinical variables. Finally, CBS-MVPA was utilized to identify subnetworks capable of effectively distinguishing between the patient and control groups and predicting clinical scores. The CBS-MVPA approach identified 63 brain subnetworks exhibiting significantly high classification accuracies, ranging from 62.2% to 75.6%, in distinguishing individuals with schizophrenia from healthy controls. Among them, 5 specific subnetworks centered on the dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, orbital part of inferior frontal gyrus, superior occipital gyrus, hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus showed predictive capabilities for clinical variables within the schizophrenia cohort. This study highlights the potential of CBS-MVPA as a valuable tool for localizing the information related to schizophrenia in terms of brain network abnormalities and capturing the relationship between these abnormalities and clinical variables, andthus, deepens our understanding of the neurological mechanisms of schizophrenia.

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.

Abnormalities of white matter network properties in middle-aged and elderly patients with functional constipation.

To explore white matter network topological properties changes in middle-aged and elderly patients with functional constipation (Functional Constipation, FC) by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and to evaluate the correlation between the abnormal changes and clinical data. 29 FC patients and 31 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were recruited. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical data were collected. The white matter network changes in FC patients were analyzed using deterministic fiber tracking methods, graph theory algorithms, and partial correlation analysis with clinical data. The nodal clustering coefficient and nodal local efficiency of FC patients in the right orbital inferior frontal gyrus, right medial superior frontal gyrus, right rectus muscle, right hippocampus, left paracentral lobule and left temporal pole, and the nodal clustering coefficient in right orbital superior frontal gyrus, left cuneus lobe and right superior occipital gyrus, the nodal local efficiency in the right medial and paracingulate gyrus, right precuneus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus of FC patients are lower than that of HC. The nodal local efficiency and clustering coefficient of FC patients in left hippocampus, left amygdala, right parietal inferior limbic angular gyrus and right angular gyrus, the nodal local efficiency in the right fusiform gyrus, left supplementary motor cortex and the nodal efficiency in the left lateral temporal gyrus and right orbital middle frontal gyrus (ORBmid.R) of FC patients are higher than that of HC. The nodal efficiency of ORBmid.R in FC was positively correlated with the Patient Assessment of Constipation quality of life questionnaire (PAC-QoL). Middle-aged and elderly FC patients have differences in the nodal level properties in the limbic system, supplementary motor cortex, and default mode network brain regions, and the nodal efficiency of ORBmid.R was positively correlated with the PAC-QoL score, revealing that FC may be related to the abnormal processing of visceral sensorimotor in ORBmid.R and providing potential imaging diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for middle-aged and elderly FC patients.

WITHDRAWN: Association between aberrant brain activity and pain in patients with primary osteoporotic pain: a resting-state fMRI study

Studies have shown that chronic pain is associated with altered brain activity, while the pathological mechanism of Primary osteoporotic pain (POPP) is still unclear. MRI data and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of 15 POPP patients and 16 HCs were collected. MRI data were preprocessed and then regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) values were calculated and compared between groups. Moreover, the correlations between ReHo and ALFF values of impaired brain regions and VAS scores were evaluated. Reduced ReHo values were found in the left medial superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus of POPP patients. Increased ReHo values were detected in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus. Reduced ALFF values were identified in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, medial superior frontal gyrus, orbital part of middle frontal gyrus, opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. Increased ALFF values were observed in the right middle frontal gyrus and triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus. Negative correlations were identified between ReHo values of the left middle frontal gyrus and VAS scores in the patient group. In conclusion, the prefrontal dysfunction may be related to the occurrence of POPP. In addition, the left middle frontal gyrus can be used as an indicator to evaluate the severity of pain in patients with POPP.

Sex differences in functional connectivity and the predictive role of the connectome-based predictive model in Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive decline. Sex differences in the progression of AD exist, but the neural mechanisms are not well understood. The purpose of the current study was to explore sex differences in brain functional connectivity (FC) at different stages of AD and their predictive ability on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores using connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was collected from 81 AD patients (44 females), 78 amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients (44 females), and 92 healthy controls (50 females). The FC analysis was conducted and the interaction effect between sex and group was investigated using two-factor variance analysis. The CPM was used to predict MoCA scores. There were sex-by-group interaction effects on FC between the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus, left precuneus and right calcarine fissure surrounding cortex, left precuneus and left middle occipital gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus and left precentral gyrus, and between the left middle temporal gyrus and right cuneus. In the CPM, the positive network predictive model significantly predicted MoCA scores in both males and females. There were significant sex-by-group interaction effects on FC between the left precuneus and left middle occipital gyrus, and between the left middle temporal gyrus and right cuneus could predict MoCA scores in female patients. Our results suggest that there are sex differences in FC at different stages of AD. The sex-specific FC can further predict MoCA scores at individual level.

Abnormal functional connectivity of the occipital thalamus with the superior occipital gyrus is associated with mild cognitive impairment in elderly individuals with primary insomnia

AbstractStudy objectivesPrimary insomnia (PI) triggers a decline in cognitive function, and the thalamus plays an integral role in this process; however, the mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the altered functional connectivity (FC) of the thalamus in PI patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to explore the potential neural mechanisms of thalamic involvement in these patients.MethodsThis case–control study was conducted in older adults from various communities in Fuzhou, China with a PI diagnosis. These participants underwent neuropsychological assessment and were matched in a 1:2 ratio to the healthy control (HC) group and the PI group according to sex, age, and education level. Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to explore changes in thalamic FC in PI patients. To further compare changes in thalamic and whole‐brain FC, we further divided the PI group into cognitively normal patients and patients with MCI according to the diagnostic criteria for MCI. The relationship between abnormal FC and cognitive function was investigated.ResultsThe 28 HCs and 58 participants with PI showed significant differences in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores (p = .044). In comparison to the HC group, the PI group showed enhanced FC of the occipital thalamus with the left inferior occipital gyrus, right lingual gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, left superior marginal gyrus, left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, and right anterior central gyrus. The MoCA total score and the executive function, attention, and abstraction scores of PI patients with MCI (PI–MCI) were worse than those of PI patients without MCI. In comparison to the simple PI group, FC was enhanced in the PI–MCI group between the left occipital thalamus and the middle occipital gyrus, and between the right occipital thalamus and the right superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, right superior occipital gyrus, and orbital inferior frontal gyrus. There was a significant negative correlation between the MoCA total score and the enhanced FC between the right occipital thalamus and right superior occipital gyrus (r = −.419, p = .042).ConclusionThe early onset of cognitive impairment in patients with PI is associated with altered FC between the thalamus and the cortex. Enhanced FC between the thalamus and the visual cortex, that is, the superior occipital gyrus, which is involved in attentional processing, may play a role in the early onset of cognitive impairment in insomnia patients. Moreover, due to the fact that PI patients “overdraw” the compensatory capacity of these brain regions earlier, the PI–MCI may fall into the abyss of “decompensation” faster and face more severe cognitive impairments.

Modulatory effects of aerobic training on the degree centrality of brain functional activity in subthreshold depression

BackgroundAerobic training has been shown to effectively prevent the progression of depressive symptoms from subthreshold depression (StD) to major depressive disorder (MDD), and understanding how aerobic training promotes changes in neuroplasticity is essential to comprehending its antidepressant effects. Few studies, however, have quantified the alterations in spontaneous brain activity before and after aerobic training for StD. MethodsParticipants included 44 individuals with StD and 34 healthy controls (HCs). Both groups underwent moderate aerobic training for eight weeks, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were collected before and after training. The degree centrality (DC) changes between the two groups and the DC changes in each group before and after training were quantified. ResultsThe rs-fMRI results showed that compared with the HCs, the DC values of the StD group in the orbital region of the left inferior frontal gyrus significantly depreciated at baseline. After aerobic training, the results of the follow-up examination revealed no significant difference in the DC values between the two groups. In addition, compared with baseline, the StD group exhibited an significant decrease in the DC values of the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus; while the HCs group exhibited an significant decrease in the DC values of the left thalamus. No statistically significant connection was seen between changes in DC values and psychological scale scores in the StD group. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that regular aerobic training can enhance brain plasticity in StD. In addition, we demonstrated that DC is a relevant and accessible method for evaluating the functional plasticity of the brain induced by aerobic training in StD.

Altered connectivity between frontal cortex and supplementary motor area in various types of Parkinson's disease.

Tremor-dominant (TD) and postural instability/gait difficulty (PIGD) are common subtypes of Parkinson's disease, each with distinct clinical manifestations and prognoses. The neural mechanisms underlying these subtypes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the altered connectivity of the frontal cortex and supplementary motor area (SMA) in different types of Parkinson's disease. Data of 173 participants, including 41 TD patients, 65 PIGD patients, and 67 healthy controls, were retrospectively analyzed. All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and clinical assessments. Differences in amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF), voxel-wise functional connectivity (FC), and functional network connectivity (FNC) among the three groups were compared, followed by partial correlation analysis. Compared to healthy controls, the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (DLSFG) ALFF was significantly increased in both PIGD and TD patients. The FC between the left DLSFG and the left SMA, as well as between the left paracentral lobule and the right DLSFG, was significantly decreased. Similarly, the FNC between the visual network and the auditory network was reduced. Compared to TD patients, PIGD patients showed a significantly higher ALFF in the left DLSFG and a notably reduced FC between the left DLSFG and left SMA. Additionally, the FC of the left DLSFG-SMA was inversely correlated with the PIGD score exclusively in PIGD patients. The FNC of the visual-auditory network was inversely associated with the tremor score only in TD patients. Decreases in the left DLSFG-SMA connectivity may be a key feature of the PIGD subtype, while reduced VN-AUD connectivity may characterize the TD subtype.

Prediction of anxious depression using multimodal neuroimaging and machine learning

Anxious depression is a common subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD) associated with adverse outcomes and severely impaired social function. It is important to clarify the underlying neurobiology of anxious depression to refine the diagnosis and stratify patients for therapy. Here we explored associations between anxiety and brain structure/function in MDD patients. A total of 260 MDD patients and 127 healthy controls underwent three-dimensional T1-weighted structural scanning and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Demographic data were collected from all participants. Differences in gray matter volume (GMV), (fractional) amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation ((f)ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and seed point-based functional connectivity were compared between anxious MDD patients, non-anxious MDD patients, and healthy controls. A random forest model was used to predict anxiety in MDD patients using neuroimaging features. Anxious MDD patients showed significant differences in GMV in the left middle temporal gyrus and ReHo in the right superior parietal gyrus and the left precuneus than HCs. Compared with non-anxious MDD patients, patients with anxious MDD showed significantly different GMV in the left inferior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus (orbital part), and left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus; fALFF in the left middle temporal gyrus; ReHo in the inferior temporal gyrus and the superior frontal gyrus (orbital part); and functional connectivity between the left superior temporal gyrus(temporal pole) and left medial superior frontal gyrus. A diagnostic predictive random forest model built using imaging features and validated by 10-fold cross-validation distinguished anxious from non-anxious MDD with an AUC of 0.802. Patients with anxious depression exhibit dysregulation of brain regions associated with emotion regulation, cognition, and decision-making, and our diagnostic model paves the way for more accurate, objective clinical diagnosis of anxious depression.

Changes in brain function and heart sound in acute sleep deprivation individuals

AimsSleep deprivation (SD) has become a health problem in modern society due to its adverse effects on different aspects. However, the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular system function remains unclear. Here we explored the changes occurring in the brain and the heart sounds after SD. MethodsNinety healthy adult men were recruited and subjected to 36 h of Sleep Deprivation (SD). They participated in a number of tests, including measurements of the heart sound, blood oxygen, and heart rate every 2 h. By using of principal component analysis to reduced the dimensionality of heart sound data. While the ALFF and ReHo indexes were measured via fMRI before and after SD. Correlation and regression analyses were used to reveal the relationship between fMRI and heart sound changes due to SD. ResultsIn this study, there were no abnormal values in the heart rate and blood oxygen during 36 h of SD, whereas the intensity of heart sounds fluctuated significantly increased and decreased. The ALFF was increased in bilateral pericalcarine(Calcarine), left anterior cuneus, (Precuneus_L), right superior temporal gyrus(Temporal_Sup_R), left supplementary motor area (Supp_Motor_Area_L); However, it was reduced in the right medial superior frontal gyrus (Frontal_Sup_Medial_R), right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (Frontal_Sup_R) and left medial frontal gyrus (Frontal_Mid_L). The regression analysis uncovered that the intensity of the heart sound in the systole, s1, and s2 phase could be explained by Calcarine_L changes. ConclusionAcute sleep deprivation affects cardiac-brain axis and the specific brain regions. Calcarine_L changes during sleep deprivation are involved in regulating heart contractions.

Impaired interhemispheric synchrony and effective connectivity in right temporal lobe epilepsy.

The brain functional network plays a crucial role in cognitive impairment in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Based on voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), this study explored how directed functional connectivity changes and is associated with impaired cognition in right TLE (rTLE). Twenty-seven patients with rTLE and twenty-seven healthy controls were included to perform VMHC and Granger causality analysis (GCA). Correlation analysis was performed based on GCA and cognitive function. Bilateral middle frontal gyrus (MFG), middle temporal gyrus, dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdor), and supramarginal gyrus (SMG) exhibited decreased VMHC values in the rTLE group. Brain regions with altered VMHC had abnormal directed functional connectivity with multiple brain regions, mainly belonging to the default mode network, sensorimotor network, and visual network. Besides, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was positively correlated with the connectivity from the left SFGdor to the right cerebellum crus2 and was negatively correlated with the connectivity from the left SMG to the right supplementary motor area (SMA) before correction. Before correction, both phasic and intrinsic alertness reaction time were positively correlated with the connectivity from the left MFG to the left precentral gyrus (PreCG), connectivity from the left SMG to the right PreCG, and the connectivity from the left SMG to the right SMA. The executive control effect reaction time was positively correlated with the connectivity from the left MFG to the left calcarine fissure surrounding cortex before correction. The disordered functional network tended to be correlated with cognition impairment in rTLE.

Regional Homogeneity of the Left Posterior Cingulate Gyrus May Be a Potential Imaging Biomarker of Manic Episodes in First-Episode, Drug-Naive Bipolar Disorder.

Abnormal brain networks with emotional response in bipolar disorder (BD). However, there have been few studies on the local consistency between manic episodes in drug-naive first-episode BD patients and healthy controls (HCs). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of neural activity values analyzed by Regional Homogeneity (ReHo). Thirty-seven manic episodes in first-episode, drug-naive BD patients and 37 HCs participated in resting-state functional magnetic resonance rescanning and scale estimation. Reho and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve methods were used to analyze the imaging data. Support vector machine (SVM) method was used to analyze ReHo in different brain regions. Compared to HCs, ReHo increased in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG.L), posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG), inferior parietal gyrus, and bilateral angular gyrus, and decreased in the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus in target group. The ROC results showed that the ReHo value of the left PCG could discriminate the target group from the HCs, and the AUC was 0.8766. In addition, the results of the support vector machine show that the increase in ReHo value in the left PCG can effectively discriminate the patients from the controls, with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 86.02%, 86.49%, and 81.08%, respectively. The increased activity of the left PCG may contribute new evidence of participation in the pathophysiology of manic episodes in first-episode, drug-naive BD patients. The Reho value of the left posterior cingulate gyrus may be a potential neuroimaging biomarker to discriminate target group from HCs.

Alterations of brain activity in patients with alcohol use disorder: a resting-state fMRI study

BackgroundAlcohol use disorder (AUD) has a negative impact on one’s health and wastes a lot of societal resources since it damages one’s brain tissue. Yet the knowledge of the neural mechanisms underlying alcohol addiction still remains limited. This study aims to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying alcohol addiction by using voxel-wise binarized degree centrality (DC), weighted DC and functional connectivity (FC) methods to analyze brain network activity in individuals with AUD.MethodsThirty-three AUD patients and 29 healthy controls (HC) participated in this study. Binarized and weighted DC approach coupled with a second seed-based FC algorithm was used to assess the abnormal intrinsic hub features in AUD. We also examined the correlation between changes in functional network nodes and the severity of alcohol dependence.ResultsThirty AUD patients and 26 HC were retained after head motion correction. The spatial distribution maps of the binarized DC and weighted DC for the AUD and HC groups were roughly similar. In comparison to HC, the AUD group had decreased binarized DC and decreased weighted DC in the left precentral gyrus (PreCG) and the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Significantly different brain regions in the DC analysis were defined as seed points in the FC analysis. Compared with HC, changes in FC within the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdor), bilateral IPL, left precuneus (PCUN), left lingual gyrus (LING), right cerebellum_crus1/ITG/inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) and right superior parietal gyrus (SPG) were observed. The correlation analysis revealed that FC of right MTG-right PreCG was negatively correlated with MAST scores, and FC of right IPL-left IPL was positively correlated with ADS scores.ConclusionsAlcohol use disorder is associated with aberrant regional activities in multiple brain areas. Binarized DC, weighted DC and FC analyses may be useful biological indicators for the detection of regional brain activities in patients with AUD. Intergroup differences in FC have also been observed in AUD patients, and these variations were connected to the severity of the symptoms. The AUD patients with lower FC value of the right IPL - left IPL has a lighter dependence on alcohol. This difference in symptom severity may be a compensation for cognitive impairment, indicating a difference in pathological pathways. Future AUD research will now have a fresh path thanks to these discoveries.

Static and dynamic functional connectivity combined with the triple network model in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are characterized by abnormal functional connectivity (FC) of default-mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN). Static FC (sFC) and dynamic FC (dFC) combined with triple network model can better study the dynamic and static changes of brain networks, and improve its potential diagnostic value in the diagnosis of AD spectrum disorders. Differences in sFC values and dFC variability patterns among the three brain networks of the three groups (53 AD patients, 40 aMCI patients, and 40 NCs) were computed by ANOVA using Gaussian Random Field theory (GRF) correction. The correlation between FC values (sFC values and dFC variability) in the three networks and cognitive scores (MMSE and MoCA) in AD and aMCI groups was analyzed separately. Within the DMN network, there were significant differences of sFC values in right/left medial superior frontal gyrus and dFC variability in left opercular part inferior frontal gyrus and right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus among the three groups. Within the CEN network, there were significant differences of sFC values in left superior parietal gyrus. Within the SN network, there were significant differences of dFC variability in right Cerebelum_7b and left opercular part inferior frontal gyrus. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between FC values (sFC values of CEN and dFC variability of SN) and MMSE and MoCA scores. It suggests that sFC, dFC combined with triple network model can be considered as potential biomarkers for AD and aMCI.

Reduced Intra- and Inter-Network Functional Connectivity Identified in Patients with Tinnitus with and without Hearing Loss

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate differences in the intra- and inter-network functional connectivity (FC) of the brain using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in patients with tinnitus, with (T + H) or without hearing loss (T). Methods: We performed rs-fMRI on 82 participants (21 T, 32 T + H, and 29 healthy controls). An independent component analysis (ICA) was performed to obtain the resting-state networks (RSNs) and calculate the differences in FC. Moreover, we investigated the relationships between networks using functional network connectivity analysis. Results: We identified nine major RSNs, including the auditory network; default mode network; executive control network (ECN), including the right frontoparietal network and left frontoparietal network (LFPN); somatomotor network (SMN); dorsal attention network; ventral attention network; salience network (SN); and visual network (VN). These RSNs were extracted in all groups using ICA. Compared with that in the control group, we observed reduced FC between the LFPN and VN in the T group and between the LFPN and SN in the T + H group. The inter-network connectivity analysis revealed decreased network interactions in the SMN (IC 22)-ECN (IC 2), SMN (IC 22)-VN (IC 8), and VN (IC 14)-SN (IC 3) connections in the T + H group, compared with the healthy control group. Furthermore, we observed significantly decreased network interactions in the SMN (IC 22)-VN (IC 8) in the T group. Conclusions: Our results indicated abnormalities within the brain networks of the T and T + H groups, including the SMN, ECN, and VN, compared with the control group. Furthermore, both T and T + H groups demonstrated reduced FC between the LFPN, VN, and SMN. There were no significant differences between the T and the T + H groups. Furthermore, we observed reduced FC between the right olfactory cortex and the orbital part of the right middle frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, and right triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus within the T and T + H groups. Thus, disruptions in brain regions responsible for attention, stimulus monitoring, and auditory orientation contribute to tinnitus generation.

Decreased grey matter volume in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and thalamus accompanied by compensatory increases in middle cingulate gyrus of premature ejaculation patients.

The prefrontal-cingulate-thalamic areas are associated with ejaculation control. Functionalabnormalities of these areas and decreased grey matter volume (GMV) in the subcortical areas have been confirmed in premature ejaculation (PE) patients. However, no study has explored the corresponding GMVchanges in the prefrontal-cingulate-thalamic areas, which are considered as the important basis for functionalabnormalities. This study aimed to investigated whether PE patients exhibited impaired GMV in the brain, especially the prefrontal-cingulate-thalamic areas, and whether these structural deficits were associated with declined ejaculatory control. T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were acquired from 50 lifelong PE patients and 50 age-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs). The PE diagnostic tool (PEDT) was applied to assess the subjective symptoms of PE. Based on the method of voxel-based morphometry (VBM), GMV were measured and compared between groups. In addition, the correlations between GMV of brain regions showed differences between groups and PEDT scores were evaluated in the patient group. PE patients showed decreased GMV in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (clusters=13, peak T-values=-4.30) and left thalamus (clusters=47, T=-4.33), and increased GMV in the left middle cingulate gyrus (clusters=12, T=4.02) when compared with HCs. In the patient group, GMV of the left thalamus were negatively associated with PEDT scores (r=-0.35; P=0.01). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that GMV of the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (AUC=0.71, P<0.01, sensitivity=60%, specificity=78%), left thalamus (AUC=0.72, P<0.01, sensitivity=92%, specificity=46%) and middle cingulate gyrus (AUC=0.69, P<0.01, sensitivity=50%, specificity=90%), and the combined model (AUC=0.84, P<0.01, sensitivity=78%, specificity=80%) all had theability to distinguish PE patients from HCs. Disturbances in GMV were revealed in the prefrontal-cingulate-thalamic areas of PE patients. The findings implied that decreased GMV in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and thalamus might be associated with the central pathological neural mechanism underlying the declined ejaculatory control while increased GMV in the middle cingulate gyrus might be the compensatory mechanism underlying PE.

Altered single-subject gray matter structural networks in first-episode drug-naïve adolescent major depressive disorder

Although previous studies have demonstrated regional gray matter (GM) structural abnormalities in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD), how the topological organization of GM networks is affected in these patients is still unclear. Structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 100 first-episode drug-naïve adolescent MDD patients and 80 healthy controls (HCs). Whole-brain GM structural network was constructed for each subject, and a graph theory analysis was used to calculate the topological metrics of GM networks. Adolescent MDD patients showed significantly lower cluster coefficient and local efficiency compared to HCs. Compared to controls, adolescent MDD patients showed higher nodal centralities in the bilateral cuneus, left lingual gyrus, and right middle occipital gyrus and lower nodal centralities in the bilateral dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, bilateral hippocampus, bilateral amygdala, bilateral caudate nucleus, and bilateral thalamus. Nodal centralities of the hippocampus were negatively associated with symptom severity and illness duration. Our findings suggest disrupted topological organization of GM structural networks in adolescent MDD patients. Impaired local segregation and abnormal nodal centralities in the prefrontal-subcortical-limbic areas and visual cortex regions may play important roles in the neurobiology of adolescent-onset MDD.

Effects of brain atrophy and altered functional connectivity on poststroke cognitive impairment

Background and PurposeBrain atrophy and disrupted functional connectivity are often present in patients with poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). This study aimed to explore the relationship between remote brain atrophy, connectional diaschisis and cognitive impairment in ischemic stroke patients to provide valuable information about the mechanisms underlying cognitive function recovery. MethodsForty first-time stroke patients with basal ganglia infarcts and twenty-nine age-matched healthy people were enrolled. All participants underwent T1-weighted and functional MRI scans, comprehensive cognitive function assessments at baseline, and 3-month follow-up. Brain volumes were calculated, and the atrophic regions were regarded as regions of interest in seed-based functional connectivity analyses. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationships among cognitive performance, brain atrophy, and functional connectivity alterations. ResultsCompared with healthy participants, stroke patients had worse cognitive performance at baseline and the 3-month follow-up. Worse cognitive performance was associated with smaller bilateral thalamus, left hippocampus, and left amygdala volumes, as well as lower functional connectivity between the left thalamus and the left medial superior frontal gyrus, between the right thalamus and the left median cingulate and paracingulate gyri, between the right hippocampus and the left medial superior frontal gyrus, and between the left amygdala and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus. ConclusionsIn patients with basal ganglia infarction, connectional diaschisis between remote brain atrophy and the prefrontal lobe plays a significant role in PSCI. This finding provides new scientific evidence for understanding the mechanisms of PSCI and indicates that the prefrontal lobe may be a target to improve cognitive function after stroke.

Longitudinal unraveling: The impact of recombinant human growth hormone on spontaneous brain activity in children with short stature–A resting-state fMRI study

Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is an approved method to improve the growth and ameliorate behavioral issues in children with short stature. However, the data concerning the effects of rhGH treatment on spontaneous brain activity remains unclear. This study included 35 children with short stature, categorized into two groups: the treated group (n = 14) and the untreated group (n = 21). All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological assessments at baseline and at the end of a one-year follow-up. The rs-fMRI based amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis method was employed to assess spontaneous brain activity. Interaction effects between rhGH and time on ALFF were detected using a mixed-effects analysis. Additionally, Stepwise regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between ALFF values and significant clinical indicators. The treated group exhibited significant improvements in height, weight, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) levels, and processing speed index (PSI) when reevaluated from baseline. The interaction effect of rhGH × time was evident in the right putamen (RPUT), where the ALFF value showed a significant increase following rhGH treatment, while also demonstrating a notable positive correlation with height. Moreover, The main effect of time was manifested as a significant decrease in the ALFF value of the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (LSFG) within the untreated group during the follow-up period, concurrently displaying a positive correlation with age. In conclusion, rhGH treatment not only has a positive effect on the growth, cognition, and behavior of children with short stature, but also improves and normalizes spontaneous brain activity.