Changes In Spontaneous Brain Activity Research Articles

Relation Between Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity and Altered Neuromuscular Activation of Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles in Chronic Low Back

ObjectiveTo investigate the neural mechanism underlying functional reorganization and motor coordination strategies in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP). DesignA case-control study based on data collected during routine clinical practice. SettingThis study was conducted at a university hospital. ParticipantsFifteen patients with cLBP and 15 healthy controls. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresWhole brain blood oxygen level-dependent signals were measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method to identify pain-induced changes in regional spontaneous brain activity. A novel approach based on the surface electromyogram (EMG) system and fine-wire electrodes was used to record EMG signals in the deep multifidus, superficial multifidus, and erector spinae. ResultsIn cLBP, compared with healthy groups, ALFF was higher in the medial prefrontal, primary somatosensory, primary motor, and inferior temporal cortices, whereas it was lower in the cerebellum and anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate cortices. Furthermore, the decrease in the average EMG activity of the 3 lumbar muscles in the cLBP group was positively correlated with the ALFF values of the primary somatosensory cortex, motor cortex, precuneus, and middle temporal cortex but significantly negatively correlated with the ALFF values of the medial prefrontal and inferior temporal cortices. Interestingly, the correlation between the functional activity in the cerebellum and the EMG activity varied in the lumbar muscles. ConclusionsThese findings suggest a functional association between changes in spontaneous brain activity and altered voluntary neuromuscular activation patterns of the lumbar paraspinal muscles, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying pain chronicity as well as important implications for developing novel therapeutic targets of cLBP.

Abnormalities in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity are associated with cognitive impairments in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether alterations in brain function occur in the early stage of pediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM). We aimed to examine changes in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity (FC) in children with T1DM using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), and to pinpoint potential links between neural changes and cognitive performance. MethodsIn this study, 22 T1DM children and 21 age-, sex-matched healthy controls underwent rs-fMRI. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and seed-based FC analysis were performed to examine changes in intrinsic brain activity and functional networks in T1DM children. Partial correlation analyses were utilized to explore the correlations between ALFF values and clinical parameters. ResultsThe ALFF values were significantly lower in the lingual gyrus (LG) and higher in the left medial superior frontal gyrus (MSFG) in T1DM children compared to controls. Subsequent FC analysis indicated that the LG had decreased FC with bilateral inferior occipital gyrus, and the left MSFG had decreased FC with right precentral gyrus, right inferior parietal gyrus and right postcentral gyrus in children with T1DM. The ALFF values of LG were positively correlated with full-scale intelligence quotient and age at disease onset in T1DM children, while the ALFF values of left MSFG were positively correlated with working memory scores. ConclusionOur findings revealed abnormal spontaneous activity and FC in brain regions related to visual, memory, default mode network, and sensorimotor network in the early stage of T1DM children, which may aid in further understanding the mechanisms underlying T1DM-associated cognitive dysfunction.

Fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation alterations in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a resting-state fMRI study.

We sought to use the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) method to investigate the changes in spontaneous brain activity in CSM patients and their relationships with clinical features. We recruited 20 patients with CSM, and 20 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and education status. The fALFF method was used to evaluate the altered spontaneous brain activities. The Pearson correlation analysis of fALFF and the clinical features were carried out. Compared with HC, CSM group showed increased fALFF values in the left middle frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and right angular gyrus. Decreased fALFF values were found in the right lingual gyrus, cuneus (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis shows that the fALFF values of all CSM were positively correlated with JOA score in the right angular gyrus (r = 0.518, P < 0.05). CSM patients have abnormal fALFF distribution in multiple brain regions and might be an appealing alternative approach for further exploration of the pathological and neuropsychological states in CSM.

Mapping the landscape: a bibliometric analysis of resting-state fMRI research on schizophrenia over the past 25 years

Schizophrenia, a multifaceted mental disorder characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, and emotion, has been extensively investigated through resting-state fMRI, uncovering changes in spontaneous brain activity among those affected. However, a bibliometric examination regarding publication trends in resting-state fMRI studies related to schizophrenia is lacking. This study obtained relevant publications from the Web of Science Core Collection spanning the period from 1998 to 2022. Data extracted from these publications included information on countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords. The collected data underwent analysis and visualization using VOSviewer software. The primary analyses included examination of international and institutional collaborations, authorship patterns, co-citation analyses of authors and journals, as well as exploration of keyword co-occurrence and temporal trend networks. A total of 859 publications were retrieved, indicating an overall growth trend from 1998 to 2022. China and the United States emerged as the leading contributors in both publication outputs and citations, with Central South University and the University of New Mexico being identified as the most productive institutions. Vince D. Calhoun had the highest number of publications and citation counts, while Karl J. Friston was recognized as the most influential author based on co-citations. Key journals such as Neuroimage, Schizophrenia Research, Schizophrenia Bulletin, and Biological Psychiatry played pivotal roles in advancing this field. Recent popular keywords included support vector machine, antipsychotic medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and related terms. This study systematically synthesizes the historical development, current status, and future trends in resting-state fMRI research in schizophrenia, offering valuable insights for future research directions.

Investigating the impact of rumination and adverse childhood experiences on resting-state neural activity and connectivity in depression

BackgroundBoth ruminative thought processes and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are well-established risk factors for the emergence and maintenance of depression. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these associations remain poorly understood. MethodsWe examined resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data (3 T Tim Trio MR scanner; Siemens, Erlangen) of 44 individuals diagnosed with an acute depressive episode. Specifically, we focused on investigating functional brain activity and connectivity within and between three large-scale neural networks associated with processes affected in depression: the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN), and the central executive network (CEN). Correlational and regression-based analyses were performed. ResultsOur regions of interest analyses revealed that region-specific spontaneous neural activity in the anterior DMN was associated with self-reported trait rumination, specifically, the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC). Furthermore, using a liberal statistical threshold, we found that spontaneous neural activity of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the pgACC were associated with depression symptom severity. Neither spontaneous neural activity in the SN and CEN nor functional connectivity within and across the investigated networks was associated with depression severity or rumination. Furthermore, there was no association between ACEs and brain activity and connectivity. LimitationsLack of a formal control group or low-risk group for comparison. ConclusionsOverall, our results indicate network-specific changes in spontaneous brain activity, that are linked to both depression severity and rumination. Findings underscore the crucial role of the pgACC in depression and contribute to a dimensional and symptom-based understanding of depression-related network imbalances.

A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Using Dynamic Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation to Assess Brain Activity in Patients with Moyamoya Disease.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to monitor and record the dynamic brain activity of patients with moyamoya disease (MMD), as well as to study the relationship between brain abnormalities and presenting clinical features. Methods: A total of 16 patients with MMD (2 males and 14 females) were invited to participate in the study, as were healthy controls (HCs) with the same number and sex ratio. In this study, the dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) was utilized to assess changes in spontaneous brain activity. Moreover, we also used correlation analysis to study the relationship among the measured mean of dALFF, behavioral performances, and the retinal nerve fiber layer and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score to explore the potential relationship between MMD and anxiety and depression. Results: Our study reveals that in MMD, dALFF levels decreased in the left lingual gyrus, right insula, and occipital lobe. Discussion: In this study, we found and discussed the potential relationship between the abnormal activities in multiple brain regions and related functional network disorders in patients with MMD, as well as the damage to brain regions that process emotion and vision, in the hopes of providing more ideas for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of MMD.

The role of the fronto-parietal network in modulating sustained attention under sleep deprivation: an functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

The intricate relationship between sleep deprivation (SD) and cognitive performance has long been a subject of research. Our study offers a novel angle by closely examining the neurobiological underpinnings of sustained attention deficits through the lens of the fronto-parietal network (FPN). Using state-of-the-art imaging techniques, we delve into the changes in spontaneous brain activity after SD and explore their associations with performance on the psychomotor vigilance task (PVT). We conducted an elaborate investigation involving 64 healthy, right-handed participants who underwent resting-state functional MRI scans before and after experiencing 24 h of sleep deprivation. Employing sophisticated statistical analyses, we scrutinized the changes in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) through paired t-tests. Pearson correlation analyses were then applied to dissect the associations between these neurobiological shifts and behavioral outcomes in PVT. The study yielded remarkable findings, revealing a dramatic decrease in fALFF values within critical areas of the FPN following SD. These alterations predominantly occurred in the frontal and parietal gyri and were inversely correlated with PVT performance metrics. Furthermore, we discovered that baseline fALFF values in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) have the potential to serve as compelling neurobiological markers, with high discriminatory power in identifying individual responses to the adverse effects of SD on cognitive performance. Our groundbreaking research underscores the pivotal role that the FPN plays in modulating attention and executive function, especially under the challenging conditions brought about by sleep deprivation. The findings offer critical insights that could shape the way we understand, assess, and potentially mitigate the cognitive impacts of SD, setting the stage for future research in this riveting domain.

Clinical observation of spontaneous brain activity in children with congenital cortical cataract amblyopia

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of spontaneous brain activity in children with congenital cortical cataract amblyopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Twenty cases of unilateral congenital cortical cataract amblyopia (unilateral amblyopia group) and 14 cases of bilateral congenital cortical cataract amblyopia (bilateral amblyopia group) were enrolled from January 2022 to December 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. Seventeen age and gender matched children with normal visual acuity were recruited as the healthy control group. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) was performed on all participants, and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) technique was used to analyze their spontaneous brain activities. The original ALFF value of each voxel was divided by the average ALFF value of the whole brain to obtain the standardized ALFF value (referred to as ALFF value), which reflected the intensity of spontaneous brain activity in different brain regions. General demographic data were compared using one-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test, and chi-square test. Comparison of ALFF values was conducted using one-way analysis of variance. Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender, distribution of amblyopic eye or non-dominant eye, and degree of refractive error among the three groups (all P>0.05). Compared to the healthy control group, the unilateral amblyopia group showed higher ALFF values in the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum (67 voxels, t=3.48) and left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (71 voxels, t=4.09), and lower ALFF values in the right postcentral gyrus (91 voxels, t=-3.91), right inferior parietal lobule (73 voxels, t=-4.88), right inferior frontal gyrus (78 voxels, t=-4.09), left inferior parietal lobule (556 voxels, t=-4.82), and left inferior frontal gyrus (122 voxels, t=-4.27) (all P<0.01). The bilateral amblyopia group showed higher ALFF values in the right insula (60 voxels, t=3.54), right Rolandic operculum (69 voxels, t=3.73), right posterior lobe of the cerebellum (54 voxels, t=3.43), and left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (143 voxels, t=3.69), and lower ALFF values in the left inferior frontal gyrus (99 voxels, t=-4.39), left postcentral gyrus (231 voxels, t=-4.28), and right inferior parietal lobule (54 voxels, t=-3.77) (all P<0.01). Compared to the unilateral amblyopia group, the bilateral amblyopia group showed higher ALFF values in the left middle frontal gyrus (52 voxels, t=3.15, P=0.029), left posterior lobe of the cerebellum (77 voxels, t=3.39, P=0.001), and right Rolandic operculum (53 voxels, t=3.59, P=0.007). Conclusion: Children with congenital cortical cataract amblyopia exhibit altered spontaneous brain activity in multiple brain regions, and there are differences in spontaneous brain activity changes between unilateral and bilateral amblyopia.

Genes associated with spontaneous brain activity changes in clinically different patients with major depressive disorder: Atranscription-neuroimaging association study.

The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of resting-state functional MRI signals is a reliable neuroimaging measure of spontaneous brain activity. Inconsistent ALFF alterations have been reported in major depressive disorder (MDD) possibly due to clinical heterogeneity. This study was designed to investigate clinically sensitive and insensitive genes associated with ALFF alterations in MDD and the potential mechanisms. Transcription-neuroimaging association analyses of case-control ALFF differences from two independent neuroimaging datasets with gene expression data from Allen Human Brain Atlas were performed to identify the two gene sets. Various enrichment analyses were conducted to characterize their preference in biological functions, cell types, temporal stages, and shared effects with other psychiatric disorders. Compared with controls, first-episode and drug-naïve patients showed more extensive ALFF alterations than patients with varied clinical features. We identified 903 clinically sensitive genes and 633 clinically insensitive genes, and the former was enriched for genes with down-regulated expression in the cerebral cortex of MDD patients. Despite shared functions of cell communication, signaling, and transport, clinically sensitive genes were enriched for cell differentiation and development whereas clinically insensitive genes were for ion transport and synaptic signaling. Clinically sensitive genes showed enrichment for microglia and macrophage from childhood to young adulthood in contrast to clinically insensitive genes for neurons before early infancy. Clinically sensitive genes (15.2%) were less likely correlated with ALFF alterations in schizophrenia than clinically insensitive genes (66.8%), and both were not relevant to bipolar disorder and adult attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder based on a third independent neuroimaging dataset. Present results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of spontaneous brain activity changes in clinically different patients with MDD.

Altered functional activity in the right superior temporal gyrus in patients with definite vestibular migraine.

Vestibular migraine (VM) is one of the most common causes of episodic central vestibular disorders; it is worth investigating whether VM belongs to the migraine subtype or is a separate disorder. The study is aimed at investigating resting-state functional brain activity alterations in patients with definite VM (dVM). Seventeen patients with dVM, 8 patients with migraine, and 17 health controls (HCs) were recruited. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were calculated to observe the changes in spontaneous brain activity. Compared with HCs, VM patients showed significantly increased ALFF values in the right temporal lobe (P = 0.002) and increased ReHo values in the right superior, middle, and inferior temporal gyrus (STG, MTG, and ITG, P = 0.013); patients with migraine showed significantly increased ALFF values in the right limbic lobe (P = 0.04), left ITG (P = 0.024), and right frontal lobe (P < 0.001), significantly decreased ALFF values in the pons and brainstem (P = 0.013), and significantly decreased ReHo values in the frontal cortex (P < 0.001). Compared with patients with migraine, VM patients showed significantly increased fALFF values in the right parietal lobe (P = 0.011) and right frontal lobe (P = 0.026) and significantly increased ReHo values in the right thalamus (P = 0.043). Patients with VM and migraine both had altered brain function, but the regions involved are different.

The complexity of spontaneous brain activity changes in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and ADHD was examined using different variations of entropy.

Adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia (SCHZ), and bipolar disorder (BP) have common symptoms and differences, and the underlying neural mechanisms are still unclear. This article will thoroughly discuss the differences between ADHD, BP, and SCHZ (31 healthy control and 31 ADHD; 34 healthy control and 34 BP; 42 healthy control and 42 SCHZ) relative to healthy subjects in combination with three atlases (et al., the Brainnetome atlas, the Dosenbach atlas, the Power atlas) and seven entropies (et al., approximate entropy (ApEn), sample entropy (SaEn), permutation entropy (PeEn), fuzzy entropy (FuEn), differential entropy (DiffEn), range entropy (RaEn), and dispersion entropy (DispEn)), as well as the prominent significant brain regions, in the hope of giving information that is more suitable for analyzing different diseases' entropy. First, the reliability (et al., intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]) of seven kinds of entropy is calculated and analyzed by using the MSC dataset (10 subjects and 100 sessions in total) and simulation data; then, seven types of entropy and multiscale entropy expanded based on seven kinds of entropy are used to explore the differences and brain regions of ADHD, BP, and SCHZ relative to healthy subjects; and finally, by verifying the classification performance of the seven information entropies on ADHD, BP, and SCHZ, the effectiveness of the seven entropy methods is evaluated through these three methods. The core brain regions that affect the classification are given, and DiffEn performed best on ADHD, SaEn for BP, and RaEn for SCHZ.

Explore the effects of overweight and smoking on spontaneous brain activity: Independent and reverse.

Accumulating evidence suggested that overweight and smoking often co-exist. However, current neuroimaging researches have almost always studied smoking or overweight status separately. Here we sought to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of this comorbid association, by detecting spontaneous brain activity changes associated with smoking and weight status separately and collectively. We used 2 × 2 factorial design and included the following four groups: overweight/normal-weight smokers (n = 34/n = 30) and overweight/normal-weight non-smokers (n = 22/n = 24). The spontaneous brain activity among the four groups was comparable using an amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method based on resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI). Furthermore, correlation analyses between brain activity changes, smoking severity and BMI values were performed. A main effect of smoking was discovered in the default mode network (DMN) and visual network related brain regions. Moreover, overweight people had high ALFF value in the brain regions associated with reward and executive control. More importantly, smoking and overweight both affected brain activity of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG), but the effect was opposite. And the brain activity of MTG was negatively correlated with smoking years, pack year and BMI value. These results suggest that smoking and overweight not only affect spontaneous brain activity alone, but also paradoxically affect spontaneous brain activity in the MTG. This suggests that we need to control for weight as a variable when studying spontaneous brain activity in smokers. Besides, this interaction may provide a neurological explanation for the comorbidity of overweight and smoking and a target for the treatment of comorbid populations.

Functional network antagonism and consciousness.

Spontaneous brain activity changes across states of consciousness. A particular consciousness-mediated configuration is the anticorrelations between the default mode network and other brain regions. What this antagonistic organization implies about consciousness to date remains inconclusive. In this Perspective Article, we propose that anticorrelations are the physiological expression of the concept of segregation, namely the brain's capacity to show selectivity in the way areas will be functionally connected. We postulate that this effect is mediated by the process of neural inhibition, by regulating global and local inhibitory activity. While recognizing that this effect can also result from other mechanisms, neural inhibition helps the understanding of how network metastability is affected after disrupting local and global neural balance. In combination with relevant theories of consciousness, we suggest that anticorrelations are a physiological prior that can work as a marker of preserved consciousness. We predict that if the brain is not in a state to host anticorrelations, then most likely the individual does not entertain subjective experience. We believe that this link between anticorrelations and the underlying physiology will help not only to comprehend how consciousness happens, but also conceptualize effective interventions for treating consciousness disorders in which anticorrelations seem particularly affected.

Shifting Baselines: Longitudinal Reductions in EEG Beta Band Power Characterize Resting Brain Activity with Intensive Meditation

ObjectivesA core assumption of meditation training is that cognitive capacities developed during formal practice will transfer to other contexts or activities as expertise develops over time. This implies that meditation training might influence domain-general neurocognitive systems, the spontaneous activity of which should be reflected in the dynamics of the resting brain. Previous research has demonstrated that 3 months of meditation training led to reductions in EEG beta band power during mindfulness of breathing practice. The current study extends these findings to ask whether concomitant shifts in power are observed during 2 min of eyes closed rest, when participants are not explicitly engaged in formal meditation.MethodsExperienced meditation practitioners were randomly assigned to practice 3 months of focused attention meditation in a residential retreat, or to serve as waitlist controls. The waitlist controls later completed their own 3-month retreat. Permutation-based cluster analysis of 88-channel resting EEG data was used to test for spectral changes in spontaneous brain activity over the course of the retreats.ResultsLongitudinal reductions in EEG power in the beta frequency range were identified and replicated across the two independent training periods. Less robust reductions were also observed in the high alpha frequency range, and in individual peak alpha frequency. These changes closely mirror those previously observed during formal mindfulness of breathing meditation practice.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the neurocognitive effects of meditation training can extend beyond the bounds of formal practice, influencing the spontaneous activity of the resting brain. Rather than serving as an invariant baseline, resting states might carry meaningful training-related effects, blurring the line between state and trait change.

Disrupted Spontaneous Neural Activity and Its Interaction With Pain and Emotion in Temporomandibular Disorders.

Background and PurposeTemporomandibular disorders (TMD), especially pain-related TMD, are closely related to social and psychological factors. We aimed to measure changes in spontaneous brain activity and its related functional connectivity (FC), as well as FC characteristics within the mood-regulating circuits (MRC) in TMD patients by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI), and to analyze the relationship between these parameters and emotional symptoms.Materials and MethodsTwenty-one adult TMD patients and thirty demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent clinical scale evaluation and RS-fMRI scanning. After processing RS-fMRI data, the values of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between the two groups were compared. Regions with abnormal ALFF values were selected as areas of interest (ROIs) to compare the differences of whole-brain seed-based FC between groups. The FCs between regions within MRC were also analyzed and compared. In addition, the relationships between RS-fMRI characteristics and pain and mood were explored by correlation and mediation analyses.ResultsCompared with HCs, TMD patients showed increased ALFF in the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), the right supplementary motor area, and the bilateral precentral gyrus, with decreased ALFF in the right cerebelum_crus2. Patients showed enhanced right PHG-related FC in the vermis and posterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-related FC in the striatal-frontal regions, while decreased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-related FC in the amygdala. In TMD patients, ALFF values in the right PHG and FC values between the right PHG and the vermis were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Abnormal FCs in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway were correlated with pain and depressive symptoms. More importantly, mediation analysis revealed that chronic pain mediates the relationship between FC of right PHG with vermis and depressive symptoms, and abnormal FC in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway can mediate the association between pain and depressive symptoms.ConclusionTMD patients have dysregulated spontaneous activity and FC in the default mode network, sensorimotor network and pain-related regions, as well as dysfunction of the fronto-striatal-limbic circuits. The development of negative emotions in TMD may be related to the dysfunction of components within the reward system (especially hippocampus complex, OFC, striatum) due to chronic pain.

Alterations in Spontaneous Brain Activity in Drug-Naïve First-Episode Schizophrenia: An Anatomical/Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis.

Objective The etiology of schizophrenia is unknown and is associated with abnormal spontaneous brain activity. There are no consistent results regarding the change in spontaneous brain activity of people with schizophrenia. In this study, we determined the specific changes in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation/fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF/fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in patients with drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (Dn-FES). Methods A comprehensive search of databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase was conducted to find articles on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging using ALFF/fALFF and ReHo in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls (HCs) and then, anatomical/activation likelihood estimation was performed. Results Eighteen eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to the spontaneous brain activity of HCs, we found changes in spontaneous brain activity in Dn-FES based on these two methods, mainly including the frontal lobe, putamen, lateral globus pallidus, insula, cerebellum, and posterior cingulate cortex. Conclusion We found that widespread abnormalities of spontaneous brain activity occur in the early stages of the onset of schizophrenia and may provide a reference for the early intervention of schizophrenia.

Alterations in Spontaneous Neuronal Activity and Microvascular Density of the Optic Nerve Head in Active Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy.

PurposeTo investigate changes in local spontaneous brain activity in patients with active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and explore the relationship between such alterations and microvascular indices.MethodsThirty-six active TAO patients with active phase and 39 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study. All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), neuropsychological tests, and ophthalmological examinations. The rs-fMRI-based fractional low-frequency fluctuation amplitude (fALFF) analysis methods were used to assess spontaneous brain activity in both groups. The structure (peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer, pRNFL) and microvascular indices (the optic nerve head (ONH) whole image vessel density, ONH-wiVD, and peripapillary vessel density) were analyzed through optical coherence tomographic angiography imaging. The relationship between abnormal spontaneous brain activity and ophthalmological indices was analyzed using the Spearman’s rank correlation analysis.ResultsCompared with HCs, active TAO patients had increased fALFF in the right inferior temporal gyrus (R.ITG) and left posterior cingulate gyrus (L.PCC), but decreased fALFF in the right calcarine (R.CAL). The fALFF values in L.PCC were positively correlated with peripapillary vessel density, whereas fALFF values in R.CAL were negatively related to peripapillary vessel density.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that changes in spontaneous brain activity of active TAO are accompanied by peripapillary microvascular variations. These results provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of active TAO. In addition, the combination of fALFF values and peripapillary vessel density may be served as important references for better clinical decision making.

Modulation of Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity by Acupuncture Combined With Donepezil on Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: A Neuroimaging Pilot Study.

BackgroundFunctional brain imaging changes have been proven as potential pathophysiological targets in early-stage AD. Current longitudinal neuroimaging studies of AD treated by acupuncture, which is one of the growingly acknowledged non-pharmacological interventions, have neither adopted comprehensive acupuncture protocols, nor explored the changes after a complete treatment duration. Thus, the mechanisms of acupuncture effects remain not fully investigated.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the changes in spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity and provide evidence for central mechanism of a 12-week acupuncture program on mild-to-moderate AD.MethodsA total of forty-four patients with mild-to-moderate AD and twenty-two age- and education-level-matched healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. The forty-four patients with AD received a 12-week intervention of either acupuncture combined with Donepezil (the treatment group) or Donepezil alone (the control group). The two groups received two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after treatment. The healthy subject group underwent no intervention, and only one fMRI scan was performed after enrollment. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) were applied to analyze the imaging data. The correlations between the imaging indicators and the changed score of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section (ADAS-cog) were also explored.ResultsAfter the 12-week intervention, compared to those in the control group, patients with AD in the treatment group scored significantly lower on ADAS-cog value. Moreover, compared to healthy subjects, the areas where the fALFF value decreased in patients with AD were mainly located in the right inferior temporal gyrus, middle/inferior frontal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, left precuneus, and bilateral superior temporal gyrus. Compared with the control group, the right precuneus demonstrated the greatest changed value of fALFF after the intervention in the treatment group. The difference in ADAS-cog after interventions was positively correlated with the difference in fALFF value in the left temporal lobe. Right precuneus-based FC analysis showed that the altered FC by the treatment group compared to the control group was mainly located in the bilateral middle temporal gyrus.ConclusionThe study revealed the key role of precuneus in the effect of the combination of acupuncture and Donepezil on mild-to-moderate AD for cognitive function, as well as its connection with middle temporal gyrus, which provided a potential treating target for AD.Trial Registration Number:NCT03810794 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).

Aberrant Spontaneous Brain Activity in Coronary Heart Disease Using Fractional Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations: A Preliminary Resting-State Functional MRI Study.

Objective This study is aimed at exploring the spontaneous brain activity changes by measuring the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and their relationship with clinical characteristics in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods Coronary heart disease patients (n = 25) and age, gender, and education level-matched control subjects (controls, n = 35) were included. The grey matter volume (GMV) and fALFF values were calculated to assess the difference in brain structure and function between the two groups, respectively. Correlation analyses between the fALFF values and clinical characteristics were further assessed in CHD patients. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were conducted to access the diagnostic ability of the fALFF method. Results There was no significant difference in GMV between the CHD and control groups. Compared with the control group, patients with CHD showed significantly decreased fALFF in the left precentral/postcentral gyrus and increased fALFF in the right inferior cerebellum. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) showed significantly decreased fALFF values of the right inferior cerebellum than patients without MI. There was no significant correlation between the fALFF values in specific brain regions and disease duration. Furthermore, the ROC curves of abnormal brain regions showed the perfect accuracy of the fALFF value in distinguishing between CHD patients and controls. Conclusion CHD demonstrated aberrant neural activity in specific brain regions mainly related to sensorimotor networks and pain processing, which may contribute to understanding the underlying neurological mechanism of CHD.

Decreased spontaneous brain activity in the dorsal visual pathway in age-related macular degeneration patients revealed by fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual loss in the developed world and damages the central retina. Growing evidences demonstrated that AMD patients were associated with brain structure changes in visual pathway. However, it remains unknown whether alterations of spontaneous brain activity changes occur in AMD patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of central vision loss on spontaneous brain activity in AMD patients. Seventeen AMD patients and 17 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state MRI scans. The fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFFs) was applied to investigate the spontaneous brain activity changes in AMD patients. Compared with HC group, AMD patients showed significant decreased fALFF values in the right calcarine/cuneus (brodmann area 17,8) and right superior parietal lobule (brodmann area 7). Our results showed that AMD patients had decreased brain activities in the dorsal visual pathway, which offer important insights into the neural mechanisms of central visual field defect in AMD patients.