Changes In Functional Connectivity Research Articles

Modeling functional connectivity changes during an auditory language task using line graph neural networks

Functional connectivity (FC) refers to the activation correlation between different brain regions. FC networks as typically represented as graphs with brain regions of interest (ROIs) as nodes and functional correlation as edges. Graph neural networks (GNNs) are machine learning architectures used to analyze FC graphs. However, traditional GNNs are limited in their ability to characterize FC edge attributes because they typically emphasize the importance of ROI node-based brain activation data. Line GNNs convert the edges of the original graph to nodes in the transformed graph, thereby emphasizing the FC between brain regions. We hypothesize that line GNNs will outperform traditional GNNs in FC applications. We investigated the performance of two common GNN architectures (GraphSAGE and GCN) trained on line and traditional graphs predicting task-associated FC changes across two datasets. The first dataset was from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) with 205 participants, the second was a dataset with 12 participants. The HCP dataset detailed FC changes in participants during a story-listening task, while the second dataset included the FC changes in a different auditory language task. Our findings from the HCP dataset indicated that line GNNs achieved lower mean squared error compared to traditional GNNs, with the line GraphSAGE model outperforming the traditional GraphSAGE by 18% (p < 0.0001). When applying the same models to the second dataset, both line GNNs also showed statistically significant improvements over their traditional counterparts with little to no overfitting. We believe this shows that line GNN models demonstrate promising utility in FC studies.

Functional connectivity changes in two cortico-hippocampal networks of Alzheimer's disease continuum and their correlations with cognition: A SILCODE study.

The anterior-temporal (AT) and posterior-medial (PM) networks have been proposed to play pivotal roles in the memory processing associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nevertheless, these two networks' intrinsic functional coupling characteristics are still vague in different AD stages. To explore the functional connectivity (FC) alterations within and across the AT&PM networks in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), subjective cognitive decline (SCD), and normal controls (NC). A total of 368 participants over 50 years old from the SILCODE study were recruited, including 99 NC, 134 SCD, 67 MCI, and 68 DAT patients. All the participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan and a battery of neuropsychological tests. The 56 regions-of-interest of the AT&PM networks were defined broadly following existing literature. The FCs were calculated using DPABINet and compared among these four groups. Correlation analyses were performed on FCs and cognitive tests. Analysis of variance of all four groups showed significant alteration, mainly in the PM networks. Compared to NC, globally decreased FCs regarding AT&PM networks were observed in DAT and MCI patients, while globally increased FCs regarding AT&PM networks were observed in SCD. The decreased FCs in DAT were significantly correlated with the neuropsychological test on the memory domain. The FC alteration showed different patterns across the AD continuum, especially in individuals with SCD. The elevated FCs in the AT&PM networks of SCD may implicate certain compensating processes in the early stage of AD.

Additive effects of cerebrovascular disease functional connectome phenotype and plasma p-tau181 on longitudinal neurodegeneration and cognitive outcomes.

We investigated the effects of multiple cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) neuroimaging markers on brain functional connectivity (FC), and how such CeVD-related FC changes interact with plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181 (an Alzheimer's disease [AD] marker) to influence downstream neurodegeneration and cognitive changes. Multivariate associations among four CeVD markers and whole-brain FC in 529 participants across the dementia spectrum were examined using partial least squares correlation. Interactive effects of CeVD-related FC patterns and p-tau181 on longitudinal gray matter volume (GMV) and cognitive changes were investigated using linear mixed-effects models. We identified a brain FC phenotype associated with high CeVD burden across all markers. Further, expression of this general CeVD-related FC phenotype and p-tau181 contributed additively, but not synergistically, to baseline and longitudinal GMV and cognitive changes. Our findings suggest that CeVD exerts global effects on the brain connectome and highlight the additive nature of AD and CeVD on neurodegeneration and cognition. Effects of multiple cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) markers on functional connectivity were studied. A global network phenotype linked to high burden across CeVD markers was identified. CeVD phenotype and plasma phosphorylated tau 181 contributed additively to downstream outcomes.

Hemispheric divergence of interoceptive processing across psychiatric disorders

Interactions between top-down attention and bottom-up visceral inputs are assumed to produce conscious perceptions of interoceptive states, and while each process has been independently associated with aberrant interoceptive symptomatology in psychiatric disorders, the neural substrates of this interface are unknown. We conducted a preregistered functional neuroimaging study of 46 individuals with anxiety, depression, and/or eating disorders (ADE) and 46 propensity-matched healthy comparisons (HC), comparing their neural activity across two interoceptive tasks differentially recruiting top-down or bottom-up processing within the same scan session. During an interoceptive attention task, top-down attention was voluntarily directed towards cardiorespiratory or visual signals. In contrast, during an interoceptive perturbation task, intravenous infusions of isoproterenol (a peripherally-acting beta-adrenergic receptor agonist) were administered in a double-blinded and placebo-controlled fashion to drive bottom-up cardiorespiratory sensations. Across both tasks, neural activation converged upon the insular cortex, localizing within the granular and ventral dysgranular subregions bilaterally. However, contrasting hemispheric differences emerged, with the ADE group exhibiting (relative to HCs) an asymmetric pattern of overlap in the left insula, with increased or decreased proportions of co-activated voxels within the left or right dysgranular insula, respectively. The ADE group also showed less agranular anterior insula activation during periods of bodily uncertainty (i.e. when anticipating possible isoproterenol-induced changes that never arrived). Finally, post-task changes in insula functional connectivity were associated with anxiety and depression severity. These findings confirm the dysgranular mid-insula as a key cortical interface where attention and prediction meet real-time bodily inputs, especially during heightened awareness of interoceptive states. Furthermore, the dysgranular mid-insula may indeed be a ‘locus of disruption’ for psychiatric disorders.

Hemispheric divergence of interoceptive processing across psychiatric disorders.

Interactions between top-down attention and bottom-up visceral inputs are assumed to produce conscious perceptions of interoceptive states, and while each process has been independently associated with aberrant interoceptive symptomatology in psychiatric disorders, the neural substrates of this interface are unknown. We conducted a preregistered functional neuroimaging study of 46 individuals with anxiety, depression, and/or eating disorders (ADE) and 46 propensity-matched healthy comparisons (HC), comparing their neural activity across two interoceptive tasks differentially recruiting top-down or bottom-up processing within the same scan session. During an interoceptive attention task, top-down attention was voluntarily directed towards cardiorespiratory or visual signals. In contrast, during an interoceptive perturbation task, intravenous infusions of isoproterenol (a peripherally-acting beta-adrenergic receptor agonist) were administered in a double-blinded and placebo-controlled fashion to drive bottom-up cardiorespiratory sensations. Across both tasks, neural activation converged upon the insular cortex, localizing within the granular and ventral dysgranular subregions bilaterally. However, contrasting hemispheric differences emerged, with the ADE group exhibiting (relative to HCs) an asymmetric pattern of overlap in the left insula, with increased or decreased proportions of co-activated voxels within the left or right dysgranular insula, respectively. The ADE group also showed less agranular anterior insula activation during periods of bodily uncertainty (i.e. when anticipating possible isoproterenol-induced changes that never arrived). Finally, post-task changes in insula functional connectivity were associated with anxiety and depression severity. These findings confirm the dysgranular mid-insula as a key cortical interface where attention and prediction meet real-time bodily inputs, especially during heightened awareness of interoceptive states. Furthermore, the dysgranular mid-insula may indeed be a 'locus of disruption' for psychiatric disorders.

The Impact of Ageing on Episodic Memory Retrieval: How Valence Influences Neural Functional Connectivity

Age-related decline in episodic memory is often linked to structural and functional changes in the brain. Here, we investigated how these alterations might affect functional connectivity during memory retrieval following exposure to emotional stimuli. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), participants viewed images with varying emotional valences (positive, negative, and neutral) followed by unrelated non-arousing videos and were then asked to retrieve an episodic detail from the previously shown video. We conducted Multivariate Pattern Analysis (MVPA) to identify regions with divergent responses between age groups, which then served as seeds in Seed-Based Connectivity (SBC) analyses. The results revealed an age-related decline in behavioural performance following exposure to negative stimuli but preserved performance following positive stimuli. Young adults exhibited increased functional connectivity following negative valence. Conversely, old adults displayed increased connectivity more scarcely, and only following positive valence. These findings point to an adaptive response of the impact of emotions on task performance that depends on neural adaptations related to ageing. This suggests that age-related changes in functional connectivity might underlie how emotions influence memory, highlighting the need to tailor memory support strategies in older adulthood.

Changes in brain functional connectivity between on and off states and their relationship with cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. Cognitive decline is crucial in disease progression and affect quality of life; however, their underlying mechanisms in PD remain unclear. We explored the relationship between cognitive impairment and functional connectivity (FC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 26 patients with sporadic PD, focusing on the changes in FC between on and off states. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. The correlation between MMSE scores and changes in FC values during on and off states was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The correlation between changes in FC during the on and off periods and cognitive function differed for each cognitive function item. MMSE memory scores were positively correlated with FC between the brainstem and the left cerebral hemisphere. MMSE attention scores were positively correlated with FC between the bilateral thalamus and frontal lobes and negatively correlated with FC between the left cerebral hemispheres. These findings may facilitate our understanding of the neural correlates underlying cognitive impairment in PD and help develop treatment strategies to preserve cognitive function.

Changes in the functional connections of the brain in patients with hypersomnia in acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND: The Disorders of cerebral circulation and sleep are inextricably related, since sleep disorders, including hypersomnia, are closely intertwined with cardiovascular diseases and increase the risk of stroke. Research works on visualization of functional brain changes in patients with sleep disorders and acute ischemic stroke are very few and need more study. AIM: to determine the functional connections of the brain in hypersomnia in patients with acute ischemic stroke by performing functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest. A study of 40 patients with acute ischemic stroke and sleep disorders was performed on the basis of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Almazov Research Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. All patients underwent neurological examination, assessment of sleepiness, worry and depression, magnetic resonance imaging was performed on tomographs with a magnetic field induction force of 1.5T, using a standard protocol and special pulse sequences of T-gradient echo 3D MPRAGE and BOLD. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain at rest was used to assess functional connections. Postprocessing was performed using specialized CONN-TOOLBOX software with an appropriate graphical representation of quantitative results based on the selection of areas of interest. RESULTS: Among the examined patients, 23 had hypersomnolence; of these, 8 patients were diagnosed with secondary hypersomnia associated with sleep apnea syndrome. Thus, in the examined sample, post-stroke hypersomnolence was detected in 15 patients (34%). Patients with an unspecified subtype of stroke and right-sided lesions showed a high degree of drowsiness (p 0.05). With the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain at rest, changes in functional connections between the main nodes of the default mode network with the left temporal pole, cerebellum, central cerebral cortex on the left, angular gyrus on the left, with the dorsal attention network on the right are determined (p 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of complex magnetic resonance imaging, which includes structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with acute ischemic stroke and sleep disorders, allows us to identify structural changes and changes in functional connectivity and identify neuroimaging markers of this pathology. Hypersomnolence is typical for patients with an unspecified subtype of ischemic stroke and damage to the right hemisphere of the brain.

Functional connectivity and cognitive decline: a review of rs-fMRI, EEG, MEG, and graph theory approaches in aging and dementia

Age-related changes in the brain cause cognitive decline and dementia. In recent year’s researchers’ extensively studied the relationship between age related changes in functional connectivity (FC) in dementia. Those studies explore the alterations in FC patterns observed in aging and neurodegenerative disorders using techniques such as resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) coherence analysis, and graph theory approaches. The current review summarizes the findings, which highlight the impact of FC changes on cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease progression using these techniques and emphasize the importance of understanding neural alterations for early detection and intervention. The findings underscore the complexity of cognitive aging and the need for further research to differentiate normal aging from pathological conditions. rs-fMRI is essential for studying brain changes associated with aging and pathology by capturing coherent fluctuations in brain activity during rest, providing insights into FC without task-related confounds. Key networks such as the default mode network and front parietal control network are crucial in revealing age-related connectivity changes. Despite challenges like neurovascular uncoupling and data complexity, ongoing advancements promise improved clinical applications of rs-fMRI in understanding cognitive decline across the lifespan. EEG and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are cost-effective techniques with high temporal resolution, allowing detailed study of brain rhythms and FC. Recent studies highlight EEG/MEG’s potential in early Alzheimer’s disease detection by identifying changes in brain connectivity patterns. Integration of machine learning techniques enhances diagnostic accuracy, although further validation and research are necessary. Graph theory offers a quantitative framework to analyze cognitive networks, identifying distinct topological differences between healthy aging and pathological conditions. Future research should expand exploration into diverse neurodegenerative disorders beyond mild cognitive impairment, integrating neuroimaging techniques to refine diagnostic precision and deepen insights into brain function and connectivity.

Changes in Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Cognitive-Affective Symptoms in Patients With Post-Concussion Syndrome Treated With N-Acetyl Cysteine.

Concussion accounts for more than 80% of people experiencing traumatic brain injury. Acute concussion is associated with characteristic cognitive and functional deficits that may persist for weeks to months. A subgroup of these patients (from 10% to 50%) have persistent symptoms referred to as chronic post-concussion syndrome (PCS). There are limited treatment options for these patients and the pathophysiology is poorly understood, though oxidative stress is thought to be a contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), might be beneficial in patients with PCS. Outpatient medicine center. Fifty patients with chronic PCS for at least 3 months post injury. The patients with PCS were enrolled in this randomized unblinded clinical trial to receive the antioxidant NAC as a combination of daily oral and weekly intravenous infusions, or assigned to a waitlist control group where they would continue to receive standard of care. Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) magnetic resonance imaging (rsFC-MRI) was performed pre and post either NAC or the waitlist period along with cognitive, emotional, and sensory symptom assessments. The results demonstrated significant (P <.05) improvements in symptoms as determined by the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Profile of Mood Scale in the PCS group receiving NAC as compared to patients receiving ongoing standard care. Importantly, there were significant (P<.01) changes in FC in the NAC group, particularly in networks such as the default mode network, salience network, and executive control network. These changes in FC also correlated with improvements in symptoms. In patients with chronic PCS, NAC treatment was associated with significant changes in resting state FC and improvement in a variety of symptoms, particularly cognitive and affective symptoms.

APOE4 rat model of Alzheimer’s disease: sex differences, genetic risk and diet

The strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (ApoE ε4). A high fat diet also adds to the risk of dementia and AD. In addition, there are sex differences as women carriers have a higher risk of an earlier onset and rapid decline in memory than men. The present study looked at the effect of the genetic risk of ApoE ε4 together with a high fat/high sucrose diet (HFD/HSD) on brain function in male and female rats using magnetic resonance imaging. We hypothesized female carriers would present with deficits in cognitive behavior together with changes in functional connectivity as compared to male carriers. Four-month-old wildtype and human ApoE ε4 knock-in (TGRA8960), male and female Sprague Dawley rats were put on a HFD/HSD for four months. Afterwards they were imaged for changes in function using resting state BOLD functional connectivity. Images were registered to, and analyzed, using a 3D MRI rat atlas providing site-specific data on 173 different brain areas. Resting state functional connectivity showed male wildtype had greater connectivity between areas involved in feeding and metabolism while there were no differences between female and male carriers and wildtype females. The data were unexpected. The genetic risk was overshadowed by the diet. Male wildtype rats were most sensitive to the HFD/HSD presenting with a deficit in cognitive performance with enhanced functional connectivity in neural circuitry associated with food consumption and metabolism.

Changes in resting-state functional connectivity of large-scale brain networks in bulimia nervosa: evidence from causal analysis.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) has been observationally linked to the functional connectivity (FC) of large-scale brain networks, but the biological mechanisms remain unclear. This study used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) with genetic variations as instrumental variables (IVs) to explore potential causal relationships between FC and BN. Summary data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving 2,564 individuals were analyzed to identify genetically predicted BN. Functional magnetic resonance imaging parameters and materials were sourced from the UK Biobank. The variables underwent independent component analysis processing by the database to generate the final GWAS dataset. Various methods, including MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier, MR Egger, and weighted median, were employed to detect heterogeneity and pleiotropy, with inverse variance weighting serving as the principal estimation method (P < 0.05). The FC imaging-derived phenotypes revealed that BN exerted a causal influence on the FC between large-scale networks, including the visual network, default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network, somatosensory network (SSN), and ventral attention network. Additionally, BN had a causal impact on the within-network FC of both the DMN and SSN. The study provides evidence that BN leads to further changes in FC patterns within and between large-scale brain networks.

Global changes in the pattern of connectivity in developmental prosopagnosia.

Developmental prosopagnosia is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in recognizing the identity of a person from their face. While current theories of the neural basis of developmental prosopagnosia focus on the face processing network, successful recognition of face identities requires broader integration of neural signals across the whole brain. Here, we asked whether disruptions in global functional and structural connectivity contribute to the face recognition difficulties observed in developmental prosopagnosia. We found that the left temporal pole was less functionally connected to the rest of the brain in developmental prosopagnosia. This was driven by weaker contralateral connections to the middle and inferior temporal gyri, as well as to the medial prefrontal cortex. The pattern of global connectivity in the left temporal pole was also disrupted in developmental prosopagnosia. Critically, these changes in global functional connectivity were only evident when participants viewed faces. Structural connectivity analysis revealed localized reductions in connectivity between the left temporal pole and a number of regions, including the fusiform gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and orbitofrontal cortex. Our findings underscore the importance of whole-brain integration in supporting typical face recognition and provide evidence that disruptions in connectivity involving the left temporal pole may underlie the characteristic difficulties of developmental prosopagnosia.

Different stimulation targets of rTMS modulate specific triple-network and hippocampal-cortex functional connectivity

BackgroundRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is widely applied to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). Various treatment targets are currently being explored in clinical research. However, target diversity can result in considerable heterogeneity. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate whether different rTMS targets can enhance cognitive domains by modulating functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus (HIP) and triple network, which comprises the salience network (SN), central executive network (CEN), and default mode network (DMN). MethodsWe enrolled 63 patients with AD, of whom 48 and 15 underwent rTMS targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and the bilateral angular gyrus (ANG), respectively. We examined the network-level FC differences within the triple-network before and after treatment. Additionally, we utilized HIP as a seed for voxel-level analysis. We compared the similarities and differences in the effects of dlPFC and ANG rTMS. ResultsrTMS targeting the dlPFC primarily influenced the FC of the CEN, whereas rTMS targeting the ANG primarily influenced the SN and DMN. Moreover, the right temporal lobe within the DMN exhibited reduced FC with the left HIP following both therapies. The results of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis indicated that hippocampal-cortex FC played a dominant role in the therapeutic effect. The observed FC changes significantly correlated with improvements in multiple cognitive scales. ConclusionrTMS targeting different regions affected the FC of specific networks. Both stimulation targets modulate the FC of hippocampal-cortex to influence therapeutic outcomes. Classification of patients based on damaged networks can further inform subsequent treatment strategies.

Role of the insula in rTMS response for depression

BackgroundThe insula has a significant impact on interoception and depression. This study aims to explore the role of the insula in mediating treatment responses to high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). MethodsTwenty-five patients with either bipolar disorder (BD, n = 15) or major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 10) were recruited. All subjects were aged between 20 and 70, with a minimum score of 18 on the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS-24). Each patient received 12 sessions of rTMS treatment using a figure-eight-shaped coil at 10 Hz high-frequency stimulation intensity, targeted to the left DLPFC. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted before and after the rTMS treatment to assess changes in insula-seeded functional connectivity. ResultsBoth BD and MDD patients experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms following rTMS therapy. The respective response rates at weeks 4, 8 and 12 were 64.0 %, 64.0 % and 68.0 % and remission rates were 40.0 %, 36.0 % and 44.0 %. Decreases in functional connectivity between the right anterior insula and right calcarine were significantly larger in the remitters than in the non-remitters (p = 0.013). Additionally, a higher baseline functional connectivity between the right anterior insula and right superior temporal gyrus correlated with better treatment outcome. LimitationsThe small sample size of 25 participants is small. ConclusionOur findings highlight the potential role of the insula in depression and suggest that insula-seeded functional connectivity could serve as a predictive biomarker for rTMS efficacy.

Changes in thalamic functional connectivity in post-Covid patients with and without fatigue

BackgroundFunctional brain alterations in post-Covid-19 condition have been minimally explored to date. Here, we investigate differences in resting-state thalamic functional connectivity among post-Covid patients with and without fatigue, alongside structural brain changes and cognition. MethodsThirty-nine post-Covid patients (n=15 fatigued, n=24 non-fatigued) participated in our study, undergoing comprehensive cognitive assessments, as well as functional and structural neuroimaging. We conducted a seed-based functional connectivity analysis using the thalamus as a seed region, exploring its connectivity with the entire brain. To further elucidate our findings, correlation analyses were performed using the functional coupling between the thalamus and regions showing different connectivity between the two patient groups. ResultsOur results reveal that patients experiencing fatigue exhibit anti-correlated functional coupling between the thalamus and motor-associated regions, including the motor cortex (M1), supplementary motor area (SMA), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), compared to non-fatigued patients, who are showing positive functional coupling. Furthermore, this observed coupling was found to correlate with both the fatigue scores obtained from a fatigue questionnaire and performance on the Trail Making Test, Part A, which represents a measure of processing speed. ConclusionsOur study highlights significant differences in resting-state functional connectivity between post-Covid patients with and without fatigue, particularly within motor-associated brain regions. These findings suggest a potential neural mechanism underlying post-Covid fatigue and underscore the importance of considering both functional and structural brain changes in understanding the symptomatic sequelae of post-Covid-19 condition. Further research is warranted to provide insight into the longitudinal trajectories of these neural alterations.

Harsh parenting, amygdala functional connectivity changes across childhood, and behavioral problems.

Harsh parenting in early childhood is related to offspring's adverse behavioral outcomes. Due to the scarcity of longitudinal neuroimaging data, few studies have explored the neurobiological underpinnings of this association, focusing on within-person variability. This study examined the temporal associations among harsh parenting, later behavioral problems, and the developmental trajectories of amygdala volume and amygdala resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) profiles, using longitudinal neuroimaging data. The study was embedded in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort. T1-weighted (296 children, 642 scans) and resting-state functional scans (256 children, 509 scans) were collected at ages 4.5, 6, 7.5, and 10.5 years. Amygdala volume and RSFC between the amygdala and six brain regions that have leading roles in emotional regulation were extracted. Harsh parenting at 4.5 years and child behavioral problems at 10.5 years were assessed via parent-report questionnaires. Linear regression and linear mixed models were applied. Harsh parenting was associated with more severe externalizing problems in girls (β = 0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0.40) but not boys (pint = 0.07). In the overall sample, harsh parenting was associated with the developmental trajectories of amygdala-ACC, amygdala-OFC, and amygdala-DLPFC RSFC. In addition, the developmental trajectory of amygdala-ACC RSFC mediated the harsh parenting-externalizing problems association in girls (indirect effect = 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.14). Harsh parenting in early childhood was associated with amygdala neurocircuitry development and behavioral problems. The developmental trajectory of amygdala-ACC RSFC is a potential neural mechanism linking harsh parenting and externalizing problems in girls.

Alterations of regional homogeneity and functional connectivity in different hoehn and yahr stages of Parkinson's disease

PurposeUsing regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity (FC) to assess alterations in brain function and their potential relation to different Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stages in Parkinson's disease (PD). Materials and methods66 patients with PD and 57 age- and sex-matched healthy control (HC) participants were recruited. All subjects underwent clinical assessments and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning. We analyzed alterations in regional brain activity using ReHo analyses in all subjects and further explored their relationship to disease severity. Finally, the brain region significantly associated with disease severity was used as a seed point to analyze the FC changes between it and other brain regions in the whole brain. ResultsCompared with HC participants, PD patients showed a significant decrease ReHo in the sensorimotor network (bilateral precentral and postcentral gyrus). The ReHo value of the left precentral gyrus in PD patients decreased with increasing H&Y stage and correlated negatively with Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III scores. Further, FC analysis of the left precentral gyrus as a region of interest showed that functional activity between the left precentral gyrus and sensorimotor network, default network, and visual network was decreased. ConclusionThe left precentral gyrus plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanisms of PD patients, and this finding further highlights the potential of the primary motor cortex (M1) as a non-invasive therapeutic target for neuromodulation in PD patients.

Augmenting mindfulness training through neurofeedback: a pilot study of the pre-post changes on resting-state functional connectivity in typically developing adolescents.

Mindfulness training has been shown to promote positive mental health outcomes and related changes in neural networks such as the default mode network, which has a central node in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Previous work from our group reported on the impact of a novel, neurofeedback augmented mindfulness training (NAMT) task on regulation of PCC hemodynamic activity in typically developing adolescents. The present pilot study aimed to expand on this finding by examining the pre-post changes of the NAMT task on resting-state functional connectivity of the PCC. Thirty-one typically developing adolescents (14.77 ± 1.23 years; 45% female) underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan both before and after completing the NAMT task. A linear mixed effects model was used to assess for changes in functional connectivity of the PCC across the two resting-state runs. Data did not support the hypothesized decrease in connectivity between the PCC seed and other DMN regions from pre- to post-NAMT task. However, we observed a significant increase in functional connectivity between the PCC and a cluster encompassing the left hippocampus and amygdala following completion of the NAMT task (run 1 Fisher's Z = 0.16; run 2 Fisher's Z = 0.26). Although preliminary, this finding suggests NAMT has the potential to strengthen connectivity between default mode and salience regions. We speculate that such changed connectivity may facilitate enhanced self-referential and emotional processing in adolescents. https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier NCT04053582.

Structural-informed functional MRI analysis of patients with empathy impairment following stroke.

The underlying functional alterations of brain structural changes among patients with empathy impairment following stroke remain unclear. We sought to investigate functional connectivity changes informed by brain structural abnormalities in multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among patients with empathy impairment following stroke. We enrolled people who had experienced their first ischemic stroke, along with healthy controls. We assessed empathy 3 months after stroke using the Chinese version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ). During the acute phase, all patients underwent basic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed by multimodal MRI during follow-up. Our MRI analyses encompassed acute infarction segmentation, volumetric brain measurements, regional quantification of diffusion parameters, and both region-of-interest-based and seed-based functional connectivity assessments. We grouped patients based on the severity of their empathy impairment for comparative analysis. We included 84 patients who had stroke and 22 healthy controls. Patients had lower EQ scores than controls. Patients with low empathy had larger left cortical infarcts (odds ratio [OR] 4.082, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.183-14.088), more pronounced atrophy in the right cingulate cortex (OR 1.248, 95% CI 1.038-1.502), and lower scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (OR 0.873, 95% CI 0.74-0.947). In addition, the cingulate cortex served as the seed in the seed-based analysis, which showed heightened functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate gyrus and the right superior parietal lobule, specifically in the low-empathy group. We did not evaluate the relationship between specific network involvement and empathy impairment among patients following stroke. Among patients with subacute ischemic stroke, reduced empathy was strongly associated with a more severe cognitive profile and atrophy of the right cingulate cortex. Our subsequent structural-informed functional MRI analysis suggests that the enhanced connectivity between the anterior cingulate gyrus and the superior parietal lobule may function as a compensatory mechanism for this atrophy.