Changes of brain function and cognitive function in patients with acute cerebellar stroke / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the changes of brain function and cognitive function in patients with acute cerebellar stroke using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and functional connection (FC).Methods The cognitive function assessment and resting state functional magnetic resonance (rs-fMRI) scan were performed on patients with acute cerebellar stroke hospitalized in Taizhou People's Hospital or Nanjing Brain Hospital from May 2017 to June 2018.The differences of ALFF and FC values were compared.Pearson correlation analysis was used to understand the correlation between FC values and cognitive function scores.A total of 32 patients with acute cerebellar stroke and 34 healthy controls were included.Results Compared with the healthy controls,the scores of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (23.97 ± 6.04 vs 26.56 ± 2.93,t=-2.237,P=0.029),the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT;3(2) vs 6(2),Z=-4.136,P=0.000) were significantly lower,and the time consuming of Trail Making Test(TMT)-B ((251.56 ± 112.62) s vs (164.76± 52.37) s) was significantly higher (t=4.054,P=0.000) in the patients with acute cerebellar stroke.The rs-fMRI results showed significant group differences in ALFF values at the four brain regions,including the right frontal lobe,left hippocampus,right cingulate gyrus and cerebellum posterior lobe.The regions that showed significant group differences were set as regions of interest (ROIs),and then the functional connectivity between ROIs and the whole brain were analyzed.The results showed significant positive correlation between the RAVLT scores and the FC values from the left hippocampus to the left frontal lobe (r=0.272,P=0.031).The FC values from the right cingulate gyrus to right inferior parietal lobule were found to be correlated positively with the scores on the TMT-B (r=0.410,P=0.023).Conclusions The patients with cerebellar stroke had cognitive impairment,mainly in memory and executive function.The changes of ALFF and FC values in related brain area from cerebellar stroke enrich our understanding of cerebellar involvement in cognitive performance.