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Objective To explore the changes in brain structure after short-term withdrawal therapy in patients with alcohol use disorder(AUD).Methods A total of 28 male patients with AUD were included,and brain MRI scans were performed at the time of enrollment and 2-3 weeks after standardized treatment.The total volume of brain tissue,gray matter,white matter and cerebrospi-nal fluid volume before and after treatment were measured by voxel-based morphometry(VBM)technology,and the gray matter volume of each brain region of the whole brain was measured and statistically analyzed according to the automated anatomical labeling(AAL)template.Results Compared with the baseline data,after 2-3 weeks of standardized treatment,the volume of gray matter in brain tissue increased significantly,and the volume of cerebrospinal fluid decreased significantly.Compared with before treatment,the brain regions with increased gray matter volume in the left hemisphere were distributed in the medial and paracingulate gyrus,central sulcus cover,anterior wedge lobe and insula,and the brain regions with increased gray matter volume in the right hemisphere were distributed in the anterior cingulate gyrus,paracingulate gyrus,central sulcus cover,amygdala,superior temporal gyrus,middle temporal gyrus,transverse temporal gyrus,anterior cuneiformus,posterior central gyrus,superior marginal gyrus,peritaloid cortex and insula.Conclusion Patients with AUD experience some increases in gray matter volume,especially in the prefrontal lobe,after short-term withdrawal therapy.
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Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the changes in gray matter in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with normal hearing (Group 1) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with hearing loss (Group 2) after radiotherapy using voxel-based morphological analysis and to analyze the relationship with the radiation doses of the temporal lobe. Methods 21 patients in Group 1, 14 patients in Group 2, and 21 healthy volunteers were selected. All participants underwent an otologic examination and three-dimensional magnetization preparatory rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence scan. The correlation between the variation of whole brain gray matter volume and the doses of the temporal lobe was analyzed by Data Processing & Analysis for Brain Imaging software. Results Compared with the normal control group, the brain areas with reduced gray matter volume in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy were mainly in the left posterior cerebellar lobe (T = −8.797), left insular lobe (T = −7.96), and the right insular lobe (T = −6.632). Compared to Group 1, the brain areas of Group 2 patients with reduced gray matter volume were mainly in the left superior temporal gyrus (T = −2.366), left olfactory bulb (T = −2.52), left Rolandic operculum (T = −2.431), and right olfactory bulb (T = −3.100). Compared with Group 1, the brain areas of Group 2 patients with increased gray matter volume were mainly in the left calcarine sulcus (T = 3.425) and right calcarine sulcus (T = 3.169). There were no correlations between the changes of brain gray matter volume and the radiation doses of the temporal lobe in both Group 1 and Group 2. Conclusions The radiotherapy may cause the changes of brain areas associated with cognitive function in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a long-term follow-up. At the same time, nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients with the radiation-induced hearing loss had abnormal gray matter volumes in the auditory center and other sensory centers. Our findings might provide new understanding into the pathogenesis of radiation-induced brain damage in normal-appearing brain tissue. Yet this exploratory study should be taken with caution.
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Objective:To explore the structural and functional alterations of related brain regions in patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods:A single-center, observational, cross-sectional study design was used. Patients who had brain MRI scans during hospitalization between July 2020 and July 2021 in Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and had good neurologic outcomes were consecutive enrolled in this study. The healthy control (HC) group consisted of age- and sex-matched volunteers. The demographic and clinical data were recorded. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to check the recovery and degree of continued disabilities when patients performed MRI. Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) was used to assess cognitive functions. The analyses of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) were conducted. After data preprocessing, comparison of gray matter volume (GMV) and fALFF values between the case group and HC group were carried out, and the information of different brain regions was obtained. Partial correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation between the image parameters of different clusters and clinical parameters.Results:Totally 13 patients were enrolled in this study and 13 were in the HC group. All patients achieved good neurologic outcome; mRS was 3 in 1 case, 2 in 3 cases, and 1 in 5 cases during MEI examination. The case group showed significantly lower MoCA score compared with the HC group ( P<0.001). There were significantly decreased GMVs in the right inferior frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and transverse temporal gyrus in the case group. The patients showed significantly decreased fALFF values in the left postcentral gyrus and precentral gyrus, while increased fALFF values in the right putamen than the HC group (voxel-level P<0.001 and cluster-level P<0.05 with GRF correction). In addition, mean fALFF value in the right putamen was negatively correlated with MoCA score in the case group ( r=-0.710, P=0.021). Conclusions:Patients after CPR may have GMVs and neuronal spontaneous activity changes in some brain regions, and VBM and fALFF methods can be used to objectively evaluate the impaired brain functional activity in patients after successful CPR.
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Objective:To analyze whether patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) have cognitive impairment and changes of brain structure, and explore the possible mechanisms of cognitive impairment in MG patients from the perspective of brain structure.Methods:Twenty-eight patients with MG admitted to Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from July 2019 to December 2021 were selected as MG group, and 30 family members from MG patients or healthy subjects who underwent physical examination in Physical Examination Center during the same period were selected as healthy control group. Neuropsychological test was used to evaluate the cognitive function. VBM was used to analyze the changes of brain structure on structural MRI (sMRI). Correlations of gray matter volumes of different brain regions with cognitive function between the two groups were analyzed.Results:Compared with the healthy control group, the MG group had significantly decreased scores of Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Clock Painting Test (CDT), and Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), and significantly decreased Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) immediate memory and delayed memory scores, while statistically increased time consuming in Making Track Test Part A (TMT-A), and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores ( P<0.05). Compared with healthy control group, MG group had significantly decreased gray matter volumes of the left orbital superior frontal gyrus, right orbital middle frontal gyrus, right triangular inferior frontal gyrus, left insula, left middle frontal gyrus, right superior limbic gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus, right lateral cingulate gyrus, left medial cingulate gyrus, left lateral cingulate gyrus, left medial superior frontal gyrus, and left dorsalateral superior frontal gyrus ( P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that gray matter volume in the left insula was negatively correlated with time consuming in Stroop Color-Word Test-A ( r=-0.407, P=0.035). Conclusion:Patients with MG may have cognitive decline and gray matter cortical atrophy of some brain regions, and brain areas with gray matter cortical atrophy correspond to areas of cognitive impairment.
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Objective:To explore the pathogenesis of glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) in central nervous system from perspective of brain morphology.Methods:A prospective study was performed. Twenty-seven patients with right primary GPN admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, People's Hospital of Peking University from April 2019 to June 2023 and 27 healthy subjects (controls) matched with age, gender, dominant hand, and education level during the same period were recruited. These patients were divided into GPN with neurovascular compression group ( n=18) and GPN without neurovascular compression ( n=9) based on intraoperative presence of neurovascular compression. SPM8 software based on Matlab R2017b programming platform and VBM8 toolbox were used to process the whole-brain high-resolution 3D-T1 brain structural image data of the participants and analyze the differences in the gray matter volume of each brain region between the 2 groups. Pearson correlation was applied to analyze the correlations of gray matter volumes in brain regions enjoying significant difference with baseline data and pain characteristics of these GPN patients. Results:Compared with controls, patients with GPN had significantly reduced gray matter volumes in the left anterior cingulate gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, right insula, thalamus, inferior parietal lobule, precentral gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and inferior temporal gyrus ( P<0.05, FDR corrected). Compared with GPN patients with neurovascular compression, GPN patients without neurovascular compression had significantly reduced gray matter volume in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus ( P<0.05, FDR corrected). Changes of gray matter volume in the right insula were negatively correlated with disease duration of GPN patients ( r=-0.521, P=0.005). Conclusion:GPN patients have extensive gray matter atrophy in the brain, which may play an essential role in GPN development and maintenance.
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Objective To explore the correlation between changes of gray matter volume and related cognitive impairment domains in patients with cognitive impairment of cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)based on 7.0T magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and voxel-based morphometry(VBM).Methods All subjects were recruited from the study on Correlation between Cerebral Deep Medullary Vein Morphology and Cognitive Impairment due to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease(registration No.:ChiCTR2100045136)from September 2021 to June 2023.We retrospectively enrolled CSVD patients with cognitive impairment as CSVD group and healthy controls with matched age,gender and education level as control group according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)scale(Beijing version)score＜26 was divided into cognitive impairment.All subjects was assessed with MoCA,digit span test(DST),digit symbol substitution test(DSST),trail making test-A(TMT-A),verbal fluency test(VFT),Boston naming test(BNT)and auditory verbal learning test(AVLT).All subjects underwent 7.0T brain MRI scan to acquire T1-weighted three-dimensional magnetization prepared 2 rapid gradient echo(T1WI-MP2RAGE)for VBM analysis.General data and above cognitive function scores were compared between 2 groups.VBM analysis was used to compare the gray matter volume(GMV)between 2 groups and get mean GMV of significant brain regions of CSVD to explore the correlation between regions and cognitive function scores.Results(1)There were 18 individuals in control group,aged 55-70 years,and 19 individuals in CSVD group,aged 57-75 years.There was no significant difference in age,gender,education,body mass index,history of coronary heart disease,history of hyperlipidemia,smoking,drinking,total cholesterol,triglyceride,low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein between the two groups(all P＞0.05).But the proportion of hypertension and diabetes history in the CSVD group was higher than control group,and there were significant differences between the two groups(12/19 vs.5/18,7/19 vs.0;all P＜0.05).(2)The scores of MoCA scale(22.0[20.0,23.0]vs.27.0[26.0,28.0],Z=-5.242),DSST(18±9 vs.40±4,t=5.212),DST(10.6±2.5 vs.13.9±2.0,t=4.364),VFT(38±11 vs.47±8,t=3.224),AVLT-immediate memory(13±3 vs.21±4,t=6.877),AVLT-short delay recall(3.4±2.5 vs.6.9±2.2,t=4.555)and BNT(22.7±3.6 vs.27.0±2.1,t=4.357)in CSVD group were lower than those in the control group.The time taken to complete TMT-A in CSVD group was longer than the control group(93.00[76.04,125.69]s vs.29.77[25.75,40.97]s,Z=-4.832).The difference of the above between two group was statistically significant(all P＜0.01).(3)Brain parenchymal fraction in CSVD group was lower than control group,and there was significant difference between two group([78.2±4.3]％vs.[80.9±3.7]％,t=2.079,P＜0.05).VBM analysis showed that gray matter volume of right inferior temporal gyrus(rITG)and right Crus 2 of cerebellar hemisphere(rCERCRU2)in CSVD group was significantly lower than control group(both P＜0.05 and corrected by false discovery rate).(4)Partial correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between gray matter volume in rITG and AVLT-short delay recall score(r=0.543,P=0.036).Conclusions CSVD patients with cognitive impairment had gray matter atrophy in rITG and rCERCRU2 and the gray matter volume in rITG was correlated with delayed memory impairment.The results of this study need to be further verified.
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Objective:To explore the difference of gray matter volume between anxious depression(AD)and non anxious depression(NAD) patients, and its correlation with clinical characteristics.Methods:One hundred and fifty patients with depression were included from September 2014 to October 2018, meanwhile 62 healthy controls with matching demographic characteristic were recruited. The severity of the patients was assessed by Hamilton depression scale-17(HAMD-17). Patients were divided into anxious depression group(AD group, n=80)and non-anxious depression group (NAD group, n=70) according to whether anxiety/somatization factor scored 7. All subjects were scanned with 3.0 T underwent structural MRI scan. The structural magnetic resonance data were preprocessed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM). The rest toolkit was used to calculate the difference of gray matter volume among the three groups. By SPSS 19.0, post-hoc t test was used for pairwise comparison and Pearson correlation analysis was performed between gray matter volume and clinical factors in patients with anxious depression. Results:Compared to the NAD group, the gray matter volume of the right middle frontal gyrus(MNI: x=28.5, y=21.0, z=48.0, t=-4.83, Bonferroni multiple comparison adjustment, P<0.05/3) and left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus(MNI: x=-18.0, y=27.0, z=43.5, t=-6.08, Bonferroni multiple comparison correction, P<0.05/3)were significantly decreased in AD group. Correlation analysis found that the gray matter volume of the right middle frontal gyrus in patients with anxious depression was negatively correlated with the insight of anxiety/somatization factor score ( r=-0.36, P=0.001). Conclusion:The volume of prefrontal lobe in patients with anxiety depression is lower than that in patients with non anxiety depression, which may be related to the serious clinical symptoms in patients with anxiety depression.The decrease of right middle frontal gyrus volume can be used as a potential biological marker for the severity of impaired insight.
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Objective:To investigate the impact of altering brain gray matter volume (GMV) on cognition and gait disorder in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).Methods:Thirty-six patients with aMCI, who admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from July 2018 to August 2020, were collected, and 33 normal controls (NC) matched with age, sex and education level were included in the same period. The neuropsychological assessment was done in all the subjects using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA), Cambridge Cognitive Examination-Chinese version (CAMCOG-C), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and Activities of Daily Living scale (ADL). The timed up and go test (TUG), dual task of timed up and go test (D-TUG) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used in the subjects for assessment. The parameters such as stride length, gait speed, gait frequency were collected by intelligent device for energy expenditure and activity. All the subjects received 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging scan to obtain high-resolution T 1 structural images. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to compare the difference of GMV between aMCI patients and NC. Partial correlation analysis was performed among altering GMV in the regions of interest (ROI), cognitive score and gait parameters, respectively. Linear regression analysis was used between whole brain GMV and gait parameters. Results:The scores of MMSE, MoCA, CAMCOG-C and the subitems of CAMCOG-C in aMCI group were significantly lower than those in NC group ( P<0.05). In aMCI patients, both the test time of TUG and D-TUG increased, gait speed slowed down, stride length shortened, and stride frequency and BBS score decreased ( P<0.05).VBM analysis showed that the whole brain GMV in aMCI patients was obviously lower than that of NC. In the aMCI group, GMV in ROI1 (right hippocampus, right parahippocampal gyrus, right amygdala and right fusiform gyrus), ROI2 (right middle temporal gyrus), ROI3 (right angular gyrus), ROI4 (right occipital lobe), ROI5 (bilateral orbital frontal lobe), ROI6 (left middle frontal gyrus and rectus gyrus), ROI7 (left fusiform gyrus and left parahippocampal gyrus) was significantly decreased compared with the NC group [Gaussian random field (GRF) correction, two-tailed test, voxel level P<0.001, cluster level P<0.05). In the aMCI group, GMV in ROI1 was positively correlated with orientation ( r=0.437, P=0.012), memory ( r=0.360, P=0.043), execution ( r=0.414, P=0.019), and negatively correlated with ADL score ( r=-0.529, P=0.002). GMV in ROI2 was negatively correlated with ADL score ( r=-0.400, P=0.023). GMV in ROI4 and in ROI5 was positively correlated with the calculation ( r=0.370, P=0.037) and execution ( r=0.360, P=0.043), respectively. GMV in ROI6 was positively correlated with MMSE score ( r=0.357, P=0.045), CAMCOG-C total score ( r=0.503, P=0.003) and calculation ( r=0.395, P=0.025), and negatively correlated with ADL score ( r=-0.387, P=0.028). GMV in ROI5 was positively correlated with gait speed ( r=0.391, P=0.027). In the aMCI group, CAMCOG-C total score was negatively correlated with D-TUG results ( r=-0.387, P=0.035), executive function was negatively correlated with TUG results ( r=-0.450, P=0.013) and D-TUG results ( r=-0.553, P=0.002), and positively correlated with gait speed ( r=0.379, P=0.039). Attention was positively correlated with gait speed ( r=0.590, P=0.001), and computing was positively correlated with gait speed ( r=0.371, P=0.044). The linear regression of whole brain GMV and gait parameters showed negative correlation between the GMV of left occipital lobe and TUG results in the aMCI group. The GMV of bilateral prefrontal cortex, right occipital lobe and surrounding cortex was positively correlated with gait speed (GRF correction, two-tailed test, voxel level P<0.001, cluster level P<0.05). Conclusions:Patients with aMCI presented with gray matter atrophy, cognition impairment, and gait disorders. The cognition impairment was closely related to the atrophy of medial temporal lobe. Gait disorders were not only associated with cognition impairment but also with gray matter volume in the prefrontal lobe, occipital lobe and its surrounding cortex, and anterior central gyrus.
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Objective To investigate the abnormalities of gray matter volume in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients relative to controls using the method of voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and to analyze the extent of change relative to clinical symptom. Methods Using VBM to compare the MRI images of 31 adult OCD patients with 31 healthy controls. Correlation analyses were conducted between the structural abnormalities of gray matter volume in each brain area among patients relative to their clinical scores. Results Compared with the healthy controls, the OCD patients showed reductions of gray matter volume in left putamen, insula, premotor area, superior parietal and right angular gyrus (P<0.01, Alphasim corrected). The gray matter volumes of left putamen and insular in the OCD patients showed a negative correlation with the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) scores. Conclusion The changes in gray matter volumes of left putamen, insula, premotor area, superior parietal lobule and right angular gyrus may be related to the pathogenesis of OCD. The declines of left putamen and insula are related to the abnormal anxiety in the OCD patients.
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Objective:To investigate the changes of gray matter volume in patients with chronic nonfluent aphasia after cortical cerebral infarction and the relationship between gray matter volume and language function. Methods:From June, 2016 to June, 2019, 19 patients with chronic nonfluent aphasia after cortical cerebral infarction from the First Affiliated Hospital of Ji'nan University and 28 healthy subjects (controls) were scanned with structural magnetic resonance imaging. The data were analyzed using voxel-based morphological measurement to measure the gray matter volumes of the brain regions, and the differences between patients and controls were compared. The correlation between volumes of brain regions with difference and scores of items of Aphasia Battery of Chinese (ABC) was analyzed. Results:The gray matter volumes increased in the brain regions of right inferior frontal gyrus triangle, right inferior frontal gyrus island cover, right angular gyrus, the right medial frontal gyrus, left insula, left medial frontal gyrus in the patients; while decreased in right globus pallidus. The volumes of left insular lobe correlated with the scores of repeating (r = 0.665, P = 0.001) and naming (r = 0.638, P = 0.003); and the volumes of right inferior frontal gyrus triangle correlated with the scores of hearing comprehension (r = 0.493, P = 0.031), repeating (r = 0.576, P = 0.009) and naming (r = 0.674, P = 0.001) in the patients. Conclusion:The cortex volumes of left insula and right inferior frontal gyrus triangle increase in patients with chronic nonfluent aphasia after cerebral infarction, which may play a role in the language dysfunction.
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Objective:To investigate the brain characteristics of chronic schizophrenia by voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC).Methods:Forty seven patients with chronic schizophrenia from Tianjin Anding Hospital and 31 healthy controls from nearby communities were included in the study. The MRI data of the subjects were collected by Siemens Skyra 3.0 T MRI.Positive and negative symptoms scale (PANSS) was used to assess the illness severity of patients with chronic schizophrenia.SPM12 was used to process the collected MRI data. DPARSF was used to calculate the VMHC values of subjects in the two groups. The independent sample t test based on SPM12 was used to compare the VMHC values of the two groups. The significant brain regions in VMHC were regarded as regions of interest (ROI), and VBM8 was used to further analyze the gray matter volume of the ROI of the two groups. Results:Compared with healthy controls, the patients with chronic schizophrenia demonstrated decreased VMHC mainly located in lingual gyrus(voxel=208, T=4.98), occipital middle occipital gyrus(voxel=156, T=3.75) and postcentral gyrus(voxel=237, T=4.36) (FDR correction, q=0.05). Compared with healthy controls, the gray matter volumes in bilateral lingual gyrus(left(0.0034±0.0008), (0.0028±0.0013), t=-2.141, P=0.037; right(0.0025±0.0006), (0.0020±0.0011), t=2.268, P=0.028) and postcentral gyrus((0.0432±0.0051), (0.0372±0.0162), t=-2.070, P=0.045) increased, but non-significant change in postcentral gyrus of the patients with chronic schizophrenia. Conclusion:The abnormal VMHC mainly locate in lingual gyrus, middle occipital gyrus and postcentral gyrus in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
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Objective:To investigate the abnormalities of gray matter volume (GMV) and the synergistic changes in different cerebral regions in the first-episode and early-onset depression (EOD) patients.Methods:A total of 60 patients with untreated EOD (EOD group) and 64 healthy controls (control group) matched for age, gender, and education underwent high-resolution T 1WI MR scans. Voxel-based morphometry was used to calculate the cerebral GMV. The difference in GMV between the two groups was compared with the t-test. Different brain regions were selected as seeds for structural covariation network (SCN) analysis. Spearman correlation model was used to analyze the correlation between the GMV in different cerebral regions and illness duration as well as the scores of Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) 17 items in EOD group. Results:Compared to control group, the EOD group had significantly increased GMV in the right orbitofrontal cortex, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right inferior parietal lobule, right superior parietal lobule and bilateral precuneus ( P<0.05, corrected by FDR). Based on the right orbitofrontal cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as seed regions, structural covariance analysis revealed that abnormal cooperative brain regions in EOD group, mainly distributed in the bilateral frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, paralimbic system and cerebellum ( P<0.05, corrected by FDR). In EOD group, significant negative correlations were observed between the GMV in the right orbitofrontal cortex ( r=-0.314, P=0.015), the left precuneus ( r=-0.283, P=0.029), and illness duration. Significant positive correlations were observed between the GMV in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the scores of anxiety/somatization factor of HAMD17 ( r=0.331, P=0.010), the left precuneus and weight factor of HAMD17 ( r=0.255, P=0.049), respectively. Conclusions:Abnormal GMV changes are observed in some regions of the prefrontal and parietal lobule in patients with untreated EOD, accompanied by extensive covariant brain regions and additional structural connectivity. In addition, the abnormal GMV changes in some regions are associated with clinical features. Part of the prefrontal and parietal lobule may be the biomarkers to objectively evaluate abnormal brain structure in depression patients in the early stage.
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Objective: To investigate the changes of insular functional connectivity in patients with uremic restless legs syndrome (uRLS) using seed-based resting-state functional connectivity analysis so as to explore the related risk factors for RLS. Methods: 3D high-resolution structural imaging was applied in 29 patients with uremic restless legs (uRLS group) and 29 healthy volunteers (control group) with maintenance hemodialysis. The greymatter volume of the insular cortex was assessed using a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis and functional connectivity of insular variation was evaluated by a seed-based correlation analysis, while the seed was chosen as the significant difference of grey matter volume. Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the significant correlation between functional connectivity and RLS score. The relationship between brain alterations and clinical variables were investigated with Logistic stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results: Compared with that in the control group, the area with reduced gray matter volume in the uRLS group was located on the left posterior insula (P<0.05, FWE correction). Taking the left post insular as a seed region, we further found reduced functional connectivity in patients mainly between the insular and primary sensorimotor cortex (S1), supplementary motor areas (SMA), and posterior mid-cingulate gyrus (P<0.05, FDR corrected). In uRLS group, the severity score of RLS was negatively correlated with insular-S1 functional connectivity (P<0.05, FDR corrected), while the hemoglobin level was negetively correlated with functional connectivity degree of insular-S1 (r=-0.449, P=0.015, FDR corrected). Conclusion: The altered morphology of the post insular cortex was revealed in uRLS patients. Abnormal sensorimotor activities in patients with RLS were closely associated with reduced functional connectivity of insular-S1. Low hemoglobin level was the most important risk factor for the abnormal functional connectivity of the brain.
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In recent years,magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used in the early diagnosis as well as long-term follow-up study of Alzheimer's disease (AD).The studies were reviewed which applied the structural MRI and arterial spin labeling MRI (ASL-MRI) in AD over the past 20 years,and found more gray matter volume loss in multiple brain structures in individuals with AD spectrum.Among them,medial temporal lobe atrophy and posterior cortical atrophy are the most diagnostic.Meanwhile,cerebral blood flow changes in various brain regions with the progression of the AD.More investigations combining the changes of gray matter volume and cerebral blood flow to explore pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cognitive decline in AD spectrum are necessary in the future.
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Objective To investigate the characteristics of gray matter volume in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients compared with healthy controls, and to explore the correlation between brain regions with altered gray matter volume and the patients'cognitive function and clinical symptoms. Method Thirty-six patients with first-episode OCD and 35 healthy controls who were matched by age, gender and education level were selected and examined by MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). The head MRI and the Voxel-based morphometry was used to test the volume of gray matter. The correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between brain areas with altered gray matter volume and patients'cognitive function and Y-BOCS results. Results Compared with the control group, the OCD group had increased gray matter volume in frontal parietal lobe (postcentral gyrus-L, precentral gyrus-L) (t=4.299, P<0.0005, voxels>100) and temporal-limbic system (fusiform gyrus-L, superior temporal gyrus-L, medial temporal lobe-L, parahippocampal gyrus-L) (t=4.841, P<0.0005, voxels> 100). Meanwhile, the volume of gray matter decreased in bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus (t=-4.181, P<0.0005, voxels>100). In the case group, there were a positive correlation between the volume of gray matter in the temporal lobo-limbic system and social cognition score (r=0.347,P=0.038) and a positive correlation between the volume of gray matter in the anterior cingulate gyrus and obsessions score (r=0.416,P=0.012). Conclusion Patients with OCD have abnormal gray matter volume in a wide range of brain regions, including the frontal parietal lobe, the temporal-limbic system, and bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus, among which the volume of gray matter in the temporal-limbic system is correlated with social cognition, and gray matter volume in the anterior cingulate gyrus is correlated with obsessions.
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Objective The study aims to analyze the changes in gray matter among Bipolar Disorder (BD) with suicidal ideation, those without suicidal ideation and health control (HC) and to explore the altered brain imaging changes of BD patients with suicidal ideation. Method The study recruited 28 BD with suicidal ideation, 40 BD without suicidal ideation and 46 HCs who undergone the high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, the data of all participants were analyzed by voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Results Significantly decreased gray matter volume was detected in the right superior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, left caudate nucleus, left lenticular putamen, left middle occipital gyrus and left occipital gyrus in patients with BD compared to HCs. However, there was no significant difference in gray matter volume between BD with suicidal ideation and those without suicidal ideation. There were significant differences in gray matter volume in the right postcentral, the right superior parietal gyrus and the right precuneus among BD with and without suicidal ideation and HCs. The gray matter volumes of BD with suicidal ideation were significantly lower than that of the other two groups. Conclusion Gray matter volume abnormalities in parietal lobe play an important role in the brain structural alternation of BD with suicidal ideation.
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OBJECTIVE: Structural changes of brain areas have been reported in depressive disorder and suicidal behavior (SB), in which TPH1 also has been known as a promising candidate gene. We investigated gray matter volume (GMV) differences, TPH1 rs1800532 and rs1799913 polymorphisms previously found to be associated with depressive disorder and SB, and the relationship between the two markers. METHODS: Thirteen depressive disorder patients with suicidal attempts (SA) and twenty healthy controls were included. We examined GMV differences using a voxel-based morphometry and regions of interest analysis. Direct sequencing was used for genotyping. RESULTS: The patients showed significant GMV reduction in left cerebral region including middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex; in right middle temporal gyrus; in left cerebellar tonsil; and in right cerebral region including precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus (corrected p < 0.005). The right precentral and postcentral gyri GMV values of AA and CA genotypes patients were significantly decreased compared to those of CC genotype subjects (corrected p=0.040). CONCLUSION: These findings show the possibility that both GMV reductions and TPH1 rs1800532/rs1799913 A allele may be involved in the pathogenesis of depressive disorder patients with SA.
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Humans , Alleles , Brain , Depressive Disorder , Frontal Lobe , Genotype , Gray Matter , Gyrus Cinguli , Palatine Tonsil , Prefrontal Cortex , Somatosensory Cortex , Temporal LobeABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the abnormal region of gray matter and distribution in long-term night shift physicians of the emergency department,and explore the brain structural changes closely related to long-term chronic sleep loss.Methods The study was carried out among two groups of medical staff,with the chronic sleep deprived(CSD)group(n=15)performing a fixed night work and the regular sleep controls (RSC)group (n=15)working regularly during the day at our hospital.Both groups were age-and gender-matched.The data of two groups were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM)based on SPM8 to generate gray maps.Results Compared to the RSC group without night shifts,increased gray matter volume in the CSD group was observed in the middle temporal gyrus,inferior frontal fyrus,insula,thalamus,posterior cingulate,medial frontal gyrus,inferior parietal lobule and postcentral gyrus (P<0.05).Conclusion These findings suggest that long-term,chronic sleep loss is associated with the change of the gray matter volume in the network,and may have a neuroanatomical basis.The brain structural changes are related with the domains of emotion and language,this contributes to further explore on the neural mechanism of the effects of the long-term night shift on brain function.
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Objective To investigate the morphological changes of whole brain gray matter in patients with postherpetic neuralgia(PHN),and evaluate the correlation between morphological changes of whole brain gray matter,visual analogue scale (VAS) and duration of PHN.Methods By using VBM-DARTEL method,firstly the 3D T1WI structure images of 17 patients with PHN and 17 normal control were preprocessed,then the segmented gray matter volume was compared between the two groups, and the correlation between difference of cerebral gray matter volume,VAS and duration of PHN were analyzed.Results Compared with the normal control, gray matter decrease in PHN group was found in bilateral orbital frontal regions(orbital gyrus,rectus gyri),left inferior frontal gyrus,left insular lobe, left caudate, right cingulate gyrus,left superior temporal gyrus, left cuneus, bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe and bilateral cerebellum anterior lobe.And gray matter increase in PHN group was found in bilateral superior frontal gyri, left middle frontal gyrus, vermis, pons.The gyrus volume change for two hemispheres was asymmetric (the left side greater than the right side).These different brain region changes in gray matter volume for patients with PHN were not correlated with VAS and duration of PHN.
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Objective To explore the gray matter changes in aggressive patients with schizophrenia,and the relationship between the gray matter and aggression in patients.Methods Eighteen aggressive patients with schizophrenia (SZ1),18 age-and gender-matched un-aggressive patients with schizophrenia (SZ2) and 18 normal controls (NC) were enrolled in the study.Then a 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan was conducted for each participant.The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach and the Chinese version of Buss & Perry aggression questionnaire (B&P) were used to explore imaging data and to assess the aggression,respectively.Results Compared with NC,patients with schizophrenia showed changes in gray matter volume (GMV) in the frontal,temporal and the occipital lobes (P＜0.05,AlphaSim corrected).Compared with SZ2,SZ1 showed increased GMV in the right supramarginal gyrus,right postcentral gyms,bilateral insula and orbito-frontal gyri (P＜0.05,AlphaSim corrected).The GMV of the right insula,right postcentral gyms and right supramarginal grus were positively associated with B&P scores in patients with schizophrenia (P＜0.01,AlphaSim corrected),respectively.Conclusions These preliminary findings support that the aggression in schizophrenia is associated with GMV changes of brain regions in patients with schizophrenia.The right postcentral gyrus,the right insula and the right supramarginal gyrus may be involved in the neural mechanism of aggression in schizophrenia.