Structural and functional whole brain changes in autism spectrum disorder at different age stages.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder involving regional changes and local neural disturbances. However, few studies have investigated the dysfunctional phenomenon across different age stages. This study explores the structural and functional brain changes across different developmental stages in individuals with ASD, focusing on childhood (6-12 years), adolescence (12-18 years), and adulthood (18 + years). Using a comprehensive set of neuroimaging metrics, including modulated and non-modulated voxel-based morphometry (VBM), regional homogeneity (ReHo), amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF), we identified significant stage-specific alterations in both VBM and functional measurements. Our results reveal that ASD is associated with progressive and stage-specific abnormalities in brain structure and function, with distinct patterns emerging at each developmental stage. Specifically, we observed significant modulated VBM reductions in the precuneus, lentiform nucleus, and inferior parietal lobule, accompanied by increases in the midbrain and sub-gyral regions. Moreover, we observed unmodulated VBM increment in regions including lentiform nucleus and thalamus. Functionally, ReHo analyses demonstrated disrupted local synchronization in the medial frontal gyrus, while ALFF and fALFF metrics highlighted altered spontaneous brain activity in the sub-gyral and sub-lobar. Finally, correlation analyses revealed that stage-specific findings are closely linked to clinical social- and behavior-related scores, with VBM in the inferior parietal lobule and putamen as well as ReHo in supplemental motor area being significantly associated with restrictive repetitive behaviors in childhood. These findings underscore the importance of considering age-specific brain changes when studying ASD and suggest that targeted interventions may be necessary at different developmental stages.

Mapping brain activity and neurotransmitters pre-cigarette smoking evolution: A study of male subjects.

BACKGROUND: The impact of tobacco smoking on global health persists and it is essential to understand the progression of addiction and the involvement of neurotransmitters. METHODS: This study assessed 47 participants with tobacco use disorder (TUD) categorized based on changes in Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scores over 6 years: progressive TUD (pTUD), regressive TUD (rTUD), and stable TUD (sTUD). Additionally, 35 healthy controls were included. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to evaluate brain regional homogeneity (ReHo) and correlations with neurotransmitter distributions using JuSpace. RESULTS: Significant differences in ReHo were observed among pTUD, rTUD, sTUD, and controls. After strict Bonferroni correction, rTUD exhibited increased ReHo in the dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus compared to sTUD (p < 0.001) and controls (p < 0.001). Both pTUD (p < 0.001) and rTUD (p < 0.001) showed decreased ReHo in the superior temporal gyrus compared to sTUD. sTUD had increased ReHo in the supramarginal gyrus compared to all other groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.002, separately). The strongest association, which survived rigorous Bonferroni correction, was between the ReHo changes in rTUD compared to sTUD and neurotransmitter distribution. This includes 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (p = 0.001), gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (p < 0.001), norepinephrine transporter (p < 0.001), and N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into how smoking behaviors correlate with alterations in brain activity and neurotransmitter function. By elucidating these neural links to tobacco use disorder progression, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of smoking's neurological impact and potentially inform more targeted therapeutic strategies.

Altered brain activity associated with premature ejaculation improved by electroacupuncture in rats.

Background: Premature ejaculation (PE) is linked with abnormal brain activity that is modifiable by electroacupuncture (EA). Aim: In this study we aimed to explore the central pathological mechanism underlying EA in treating PE. Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a PE group (n = 8) and a control group (n = 8) according to ejaculatory frequency during copulatory behavior. All rats underwent EA at the Zusanli acupoint (ST-36) for 4 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after EA. Outcomes: The behavioral parameters, plasma norepinephrine levels, fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were evaluated. Results: The PE group ejaculated more times with shorter latency compared with controls. After EA, the ejaculation frequency of the PE group decreased, and the ejaculation latency period increased, with no changes observed in the control group. Norepinephrine levels were higher in the PE group than in the controls and were positively correlated with ejaculation frequency and negatively correlated with ejaculation latency. The PE group showed lower fALFF in the right striatum and higher ReHo in the brainstem compared with controls. After EA, controls showed decreased fALFF in the right striatum, left olfactory bulb, and dorsal fornix and increased ReHo in the right interpeduncular nucleus, as well as decreased ReHo in the left striatum, prelimbic system, right basal forebrain region, septal region, and olfactory bulb, while the model group exhibited increased fALFF in the right hypothalamic region, decreased fALFF in the left globus pallidum and right basal forebrain region and increased ReHo in the right interpeduncular nucleus, as well as decreased ReHo in the left striatum, olfactory bulb, basal forebrain region, dentate gyrus, right dysgranular insular cortex, and striatum. Compared with the controls after EA, the model group showed increased ReHo of the right hypothalamic region and decreased ReHo of the right dysgranular insular cortex. Clinical Implications: These findings might enhance the understanding of PE and contribute to new, targeted therapies for PE. Strengths and Limitations: The therapeutic effects might be achieved by EA inhibiting the activity in brain regions involved in ejaculatory behavior. However, the curative effect of acupuncture might be underestimated due to some curative effects of sham acupuncture used in the control group. Conclusion: In conclusion, the ejaculatory frequency of rats may be reduced and ejaculation latency could be extended by EA at ST-36, which might be achieved by the effects of this treatment on brain activity.

Insomnia-related brain functional correlates in first-episode drug-naïve major depressive disorder revealed by resting-state fMRI.

Introduction: Insomnia is a common comorbidity symptom in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. Abnormal brain activities have been observed in both MDD and insomnia patients, however, the central pathological mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of insomnia in MDD patients are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the differences of spontaneous brain activity between MDD patients with and without insomnia, as well as patients with different level of insomnia. Methods: A total of 88 first-episode drug-naïve MDD patients including 44 with insomnia (22 with high insomnia and 22 with low insomnia) and 44 without insomnia, as well as 44 healthy controls (HC), were enrolled in this study. The level of depression and insomnia were evaluated by HAMD-17, adjusted HAMD-17 and its sleep disturbance subscale in all subjects. Resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from all participants and then were preprocessed by the software of DPASF. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) values of brain regions were calculated by the software of REST and were compared. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were conducted to determine the values of abnormal brain regions for identifying MDD patients with insomnia and evaluating the severity of insomnia. Results: Analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences in ReHo values in the left middle frontal gyrus, left pallidum, right superior frontal gyrus, right medial superior frontal gyrus and right rectus gyrus among three groups. Compared with HC, MDD patients with insomnia showed increased ReHo values in the medial superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, triangular inferior frontal gyrus, calcarine fissure and right medial superior frontal gyrus, medial orbital superior frontal gyrus, as well as decreased ReHo values in the left middle occipital gyrus, pallidum and right superior temporal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, middle cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, putamen. MDD patients without insomnia demonstrated increased ReHo values in the left middle frontal gyrus, orbital middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus and right triangular inferior frontal gyrus, as well as decreased ReHo values in the left rectus gyrus, postcentral gyrus and right rectus gyrus, fusiform gyrus, pallidum. In addition, MDD patients with insomnia had decreased ReHo values in the left insula when compared to those without insomnia. Moreover, MDD patients with high insomnia exhibited increased ReHo values in the right middle temporal gyrus, and decreased ReHo values in the left orbital superior frontal gyrus, lingual gyrus, right inferior parietal gyrus and postcentral gyrus compared to those with low insomnia. ROC analysis demonstrated that impaired brain region might be helpful for identifying MDD patients with insomnia and evaluating the severity of insomnia. Conclusion: These findings suggested that MDD patients with insomnia had wider abnormalities of brain activities in the prefrontal-limbic circuits including increased activities in the prefrontal cortex, which might be the compensatory mechanism underlying insomnia in MDD. In addition, decreased activity of left insula might be associated with the occurrence of insomnia in MDD patients and decreased activities of the frontal-parietal network might cause more serious insomnia related to MDD.

Brain plasticity following lumbar disc herniation treatment with spinal manipulation therapy based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

As a prevalent spine disorder, Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) has been affecting more than 2 % of the worldwide population and is characterised by uncertain causes and recurring episodes. Studying the brain activity of patients could potentially provide insights into its pathogenesis and significantly enhance therapy. Therefore, we here examined brain function in patients under Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT). By analysing regional homogeneity (ReHo) at different frequency bands, we identified the discrepancies in brain activity between LDH patients and healthy people, highlighting the frequency dependence of spontaneous low-frequency oscillations among patients with LDH. Choosing seeds based on the peak ReHo differences helped to elucidate the functional connectivity alterations in the brain regions of LDH. Overall, this study showed that SMT significantly reduced pain, improved dysfunction, and partially rectified aberrant local consistency and functional connection in patients with LDH, not only offering insights into the pathophysiology of LDH from a neurological standpoint, but also providing inspiration for the development of new therapies based on neurobiology.

Neural adaptation of the reward system in primary dysmenorrhea.

Introduction: The brain's reward system (RS) reacts differently to pain and its alleviation. This study examined the correlation between RS activity and behavior during both painful and pain-free periods in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) to elucidate their varying responses throughout the menstrual cycle. Methods: Ninety-two individuals with PDM and 90 control participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) scans during their menstrual and peri-ovulatory phases. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analyses were used to evaluate RS responses. Psychological evaluations were conducted using the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Results: ReHo analysis showed higher values in the left putamen and right amygdala of the PDM group during the peri-ovulatory phase compared to the menstrual phase. ALFF analysis revealed lower values in the putamen of the PDM group compared to controls, regardless of phase. ReHo and ALFF values in the putamen, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens were positively correlated with pain scales during menstruation, while ALFF values in the ventral tegmental area inversely correlated with pain intensity. Those with severe PDM (pain intensity ≥7) displayed distinct amygdala ALFF patterns between pain and pain-free phases. PDM participants also had lower ReHo values in the left insula during menstruation, with no direct correlation to pain compared to controls. Discussion: Our study highlights the pivotal role of the RS in dysmenorrhea management, exhibiting varied responses between menstrual discomfort and non-painful periods among individuals with PDM. During menstruation, the RS triggers mechanisms for pain avoidance and cognitive coping strategies, while it transitions to processing rewards during the peri-ovulatory phase. This demonstrates the flexibility of the RS in adapting to the recurring pain experienced by those with PDM.

Changes of regional brain activity following Tuina therapy for patients with painful cervical spondylosis: a resting-state fMRI study.

Background: The effectiveness of Tuina therapy has been confirmed in treating pain of patients with cervical spondylosis (CS), however, its therapeutic mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to observe the changes of regional brain activity following Tuina therapy in patients with painful CS based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data. Methods: A total of 27 patients with CS and 27 healthy subjects (HCs) were enrolled in this study. All patients received Tuina therapy every 2 days for 2 weeks. The clinical manifestations of patients were evaluated by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) before and after treatment. In addition, rs-fMRI data were collected and preprocessed in all patients before and after treatment, as well as HCs. HCs underwent a 1-time rs-fMRI scan, whereas CS patients underwent 2-times of rs-fMRI scan. The measure of regional homogeneity (ReHo) was calculated and compared between groups. Finally, relationships between altered brain regions and clinical characteristics were evaluated by Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: After Tuina therapy, VAS and NDI scores of patients decreased. Before treatment, CS patients showed higher ReHo values in the left middle temporal gyrus, left thalamus, right anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus, left inferior parietal gyrus and lower ReHo values in the right gyrus rectus when compared with HCs. After treatment, CS patients exhibited higher ReHo values in the left inferior temporal gyrus, right anterior and posterior cingulate gyrus, left inferior parietal gyrus and lower ReHo values in the right rectus gyrus when compared with HCs. CS patients after treatment demonstrated higher ReHo values in the left inferior occipital gyrus when compared with those before treatment. Positive correlations were found between ReHo values of the right rectus gyrus and VAS, NDI scores in CS patients before treatment. Differences of VAS scores between before and after treatment were negatively correlated with ReHo values of the left inferior temporal gyrus in CS patients after treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the presence of asynchronous activity in certain brain regions in CS patients, which might be associated with pain and cervical spine dysfunction. Tuina therapy might modulate asynchronous activity of abnormal brain regions, which might contribute to the effectiveness of Tuina therapy in alleviating pain and cervical spine dysfunction in CS patients.

Static and temporal dynamic alterations of regional homogeneity in chronic insomnia: a resting-state fMRI study.

To explore brain function alterations in chronic insomnia (CI). 65 CI patients and 48 healthy controls were included to analyze abnormal alterations in brain spontaneous activity using static regional homogeneity (sReHo) and dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) methods. CI patients focused on decreased sReHo in bilateral lingual gyrus, bilateral middle occipital gyrus, bilateral inferior occipital gyrus and right superior occipital gyrus; decreased dReHo in bilateral superior occipital gyrus, bilateral cortical area around the talus fissure, and right middle occipital gyrus. CI patients exhibit abnormal activity in multiple brain regions, which can reflect the sleep quality index. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41105-024-00541-0.

Static and temporal dynamic alterations of local functional connectivity in chronic insomnia.

Several studies have revealed altered intrinsic neural activity in chronic insomnia (CI). However, the temporal variability of intrinsic neural activity in CI is rarely mentioned. This study aimed to explore static and temporal dynamic alterations of regional homogeneity (ReHo) in CI and excavate the potential associations between these changes and clinical characteristics. Eighty-seven patients with CI and seventy-eight healthy controls (HCs) were included. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed on all subjects and both static and dynamic ReHo were used to detect local functional connectivity. We then tested the relationship between altered brain regions, disease duration, and clinical scales. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to reveal the potential capability of these indicators to screen CI patients from HCs. CI showed increased dynamic ReHo in the right precuneus and decreased static ReHo in the right cerebellum_6. The dynamic ReHo values of the right precuneus were negatively correlated with the self-rating depression score and the static ReHo values of the right cerebellum_6 were positively correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Naming score. In addition, the combination of the two metrics showed a potential capacity to distinguish CI patients from HCs, which was better than a single metric alone. The present study has revealed the altered local functional connectivity under static and temporal dynamic conditions in patients with CI, and found the relationships between these changes, mood-related scales, and cognitive-related scales. These may be useful in elucidating the neurological mechanisms of CI and accompanying symptoms.

Local brain abnormalities in emotional disorders: Evidence from resting state fMRI studies.

Emotional disorders inflict an enormous burden on society. Research on brain abnormalities implicated in emotional disorders has witnessed great progress over the past decades. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and its analytic approaches have been applied to characterize the local properties of patients with emotional disorders. Additionally, brain activity alterations of emotional disorders have shown frequency-specific. Despite the gains in understanding the roles of brain abnormalities in emotional disorders, the limitation of the small sample size needs to be highlighted. Lastly, we proposed that evidence from the positive psychology research stream presents it as a viable discipline, whose suggestions could be developed in future emotional disorders research. Such interdisciplinary research may produce novel treatments and intervention options. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Brain Function and Dysfunction.

Subclinical brain manifestations of repeated mild traumatic brain injury are changed by chronic exposure to sleep loss, caffeine, and sleep aids.

INTRODUCTION: After mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), the brain is labile for weeks and months and vulnerable to repeated concussions. During this time, patients are exposed to everyday circumstances that, in themselves, affect brain metabolism and blood flow and neural processing. How commonplace activities interact with the injured brain is unknown. The present study in an animal model investigated the extent to which three commonly experienced exposures-daily caffeine usage, chronic sleep loss, and chronic sleep aid medication-affect the injured brain in the chronic phase. METHODS: Subclinical trauma by repeated mTBIs was produced by our head rotational acceleration injury model, which causes brain injury consistent with the mechanism of concussion in humans. Forty-eight hours after a third mTBI, chronic administrations of caffeine, sleep restriction, or zolpidem (sedative hypnotic) began and were continued for 70 days. On Days 30 and 60 post injury, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed. RESULTS: Chronic caffeine, sleep restriction, and zolpidem each changed the subclinical brain characteristics of mTBI at both 30 and 60 days post injury, detected by different MRI modalities. Each treatment caused microstructural alterations in DTI metrics in the insular cortex and retrosplenial cortex compared with mTBI, but also uniquely affected other gray and white matter regions. Zolpidem administration affected the largest number of individual structures in mTBI at both 30 and 60 days, and not necessarily toward normalization (sham treatment). Chronic sleep restriction changed local functional connectivity at 30 days in diametrical opposition to chronic caffeine ingestion, and both treatment outcomes were different from sham, mTBI-only and zolpidem comparisons. The results indicate that commonly encountered exposures modify subclinical brain activity and structure long after healing is expected to be complete. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in activity and structure detected by fMRI are widely understood to reflect changes in the functions of the affected region which conceivably underlie mTBI neuropathology and symptomatology in the chronic phase after injury.

Altered local intrinsic neural activity and molecular architecture in internet use disorders.

BACKGROUND: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is mainly characterized by its core dysfunction in higher-order brain cortices involved in inhibitory control, whose neurobiological basis remains unclear. Then, we will investigate local intrinsic neural activity (INA) alterations in IGD, ascertain whether these potential alterations are related to clinical characteristics, and further explore the underlying molecular architecture. METHOD: In this study, we performed the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to explore the impact of IGD on local INA. Correlation analysis revealed the relationship between ReHo and fALFF in terms of group differences and clinical characteristics. Moreover, correlations between fALFF, ReHo, and PET- and SPECT-driven maps were investigated to elucidate the specific molecular architecture alternations in IGD. Finally, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to show the potential abilities of fALFF and ReHo in distinguishing individuals with IGD (IGDs) from healthy controls (HCs). RESULT: Compared with HCs, IGDs revealed increased ReHo and fALFF in the prefrontal cortex. Significantly decreased ReHo was observed in the temporal lobe, occipital lobe, and cerebellum. In addition, the ReHo values in the cerebellum_7b_R were positively correlated with internet addiction severity. ROC curve analysis showed that ReHo and fALFF-altered brain regions could effectively distinguish IGDs from HCs. More importantly, cross-modal correlations revealed local INA changes in brain regions associated with the monoamine neurotransmitter system and the less studied cholinergic/GABAergic system. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that local functional impairments are shown in the audiovisual and inhibitory control circuits in IGDs. This may be associated with underlying neurotransmitter system alterations. Therefore, this study provides the possibility of GABAergic receptor agonists and cholinergic receptor inhibitors for the treatment of IGD.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies in bipolar disorder in resting state: A coordinates-based meta-analysis.

Exploring changes in the intrinsic activity of the brain in people with bipolar disorder (BD) is necessary. However, the findings have not yet led to consistent conclusions. In this regard, this paper aims to extract more obvious differential brain areas and neuroimaging markers, for the purpose of providing assistance for early clinical diagnosis and subsequent treatment. We conducted a meta-analysis of whole-brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) studies using seed-based d-mapping software that examined differences in amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) between patients with BD and healthy controls (HCs). Seed-based d-Mapping (formerly Signed Differential Mapping) with Permutation of Subject Images, or SDM-PSI, is a statistical technique for meta-analyzing studies of differences in brain activity or structure. A total of 16 articles involving 1112 individuals were included in this study for meta-analysis. This paper confidently analyzes the correlation between the clinical scales HAMD, HAMA, and YMRS, and the area of difference. We found significant changes that increased activation in the anterior connective and left lens nucleus, the nucleus of the shell, and BA 48 in BD patients compared with HC (P < 0.05, uncorrected), as well as a significant correlation between HAMD and the left superior frontal gyrus (after FWE correction P < 0.05). Therefore, basal ganglia and frontal cortex may have important significance in the pathogenesis and pathological basis of BD, making it an important issue to be attached importance to.

Repetitive Mild Closed-Head Injury Induced Synapse Loss and Increased Local BOLD-fMRI Signal Homogeneity.

Repeated mild head injuries due to sports, or domestic violence and military service are increasingly linked to debilitating symptoms in the long term. Although symptoms may take decades to manifest, potentially treatable neurobiological alterations must begin shortly after injury. Better means to diagnose and treat traumatic brain injuries requires an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying progression and means through which they can be measured. Here, we employ a repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI) and chronic variable stress mouse model to investigate emergent structural and functional brain abnormalities. Brain imaging is achieved with [18F]SynVesT-1 positron emission tomography, with the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A ligand marking synapse density and BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Animals were scanned six weeks after concluding rmTBI/Stress procedures. Injured mice showed widespread decreases in synaptic density coupled with an increase in local BOLD-fMRI synchrony detected as regional homogeneity. Injury-affected regions with higher synapse density showed a greater increase in fMRI regional homogeneity. Taken together, these observations may reflect compensatory mechanisms following injury. Multimodal studies are needed to provide deeper insights into these observations.

Regional brain activity and connectivity associated with childhood trauma in drug-naive patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive, compulsive behaviors, with childhood trauma recognized as a contributing factor to its pathophysiology. This study aimed to delineate brain functional aberrations in OCD patients and explore the association between these abnormalities and childhood trauma, to gain insights into the neural underpinnings of OCD. Forty-eight drug-naive OCD patients and forty-two healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and clinical assessments, including the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF). Compared to HCs, OCD patients exhibited significantly decreased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in the right cerebellum, decreased regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the right cerebellum and right superior occipital lobes (FWE-corrected p < 0.05), which negatively correlated with Y-BOCS scores (p < 0.05). Furthermore, cerebellar ALFF negatively correlated with the CTQ emotional abuse subscale (r = - 0.514, p < 0.01). Mediation analysis revealed that cerebellar ALFF mediated the relationship between CTQ-emotional abuse and Y-BOCS (good model fit: R2 = 0.231, MSE = 14.311, F = 5.721, p < 0.01; direct effect, c' = 0.153, indirect effect, a*b = 0.191). Findings indicated abnormal spontaneous and regional cerebellar activity in OCD, suggesting childhood trauma impacts OCD symptoms through cerebellar neural remodeling, highlighting its importance for clinical treatment selection.

Unraveling multi-scale neuroimaging biomarkers and molecular foundations for schizophrenia: A combined multivariate pattern analysis and transcriptome-neuroimaging association study.

AIMS: Schizophrenia is characterized by alterations in resting-state spontaneous brain activity; however, it remains uncertain whether variations at diverse spatial scales are capable of effectively distinguishing patients from healthy controls. Additionally, the genetic underpinnings of these alterations remain poorly elucidated. We aimed to address these questions in this study to gain better understanding of brain alterations and their underlying genetic factors in schizophrenia. METHODS: A cohort of 103 individuals with diagnosed schizophrenia and 110 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional MRI scans. Spontaneous brain activity was assessed using the regional homogeneity (ReHo) metric at four spatial scales: voxel-level (Scale 1) and regional-level (Scales 2-4: 272, 53, 17 regions, respectively). For each spatial scale, multivariate pattern analysis was performed to classify schizophrenia patients from healthy controls, and a transcriptome-neuroimaging association analysis was performed to establish connections between gene expression data and ReHo alterations in schizophrenia. RESULTS: The ReHo metrics at all spatial scales effectively discriminated schizophrenia from healthy controls. Scale 2 showed the highest classification accuracy at 84.6%, followed by Scale 1 (83.1%) and Scale 3 (78.5%), while Scale 4 exhibited the lowest accuracy (74.2%). Furthermore, the transcriptome-neuroimaging association analysis showed that there were not only shared but also unique enriched biological processes across the four spatial scales. These related biological processes were mainly linked to immune responses, inflammation, synaptic signaling, ion channels, cellular development, myelination, and transporter activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of multi-scale ReHo as a valuable neuroimaging biomarker in the diagnosis of schizophrenia. By elucidating the complex molecular basis underlying the ReHo alterations of this disorder, this study not only enhances our understanding of its pathophysiology, but also pave the way for future advancements in genetic diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.

Resting-State Brain Function Alteration in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the abnormal pattern of altered functional activity in the brain and the neuroimaging mechanisms underlying the cognitive impairment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CRC patients (n = 56) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 50) were studied. The participants underwent rs-fMRI scans and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), degree centrality (DC), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and MoCA scores, were calculated for participants. RESULTS: The scores of executives, visuospatial, memory, language and attention were lower in CRC patients. ReHo and ALFF values in the left postcentral gyrus, ReHo values in the right postcentral gyrus, ALFF and DC values in the left middle occipital gyrus, ReHo and DC values in the right lingual gyrus, DC values in the right angular gyrus and precuneus, and ALFF values in the left middle temporal gyrus decreased conspicuously in the CRC patients. CONCLUSION: CRC patients have abnormal resting state function, mainly in the brain areas involved in cognitive function. The overlapping brain regions with abnormal functional indicators are in the middle occipital gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and lingual gyrus. This study reveals the potential biological pathways involved in brain impairment and neurocognitive decline in patients with CRC.

Altered regional neural activity and functional connectivity in patients with non-communicating hydrocephalus: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is a frequent clinical symptom of non-communicating hydrocephalus (NCH) involving multiple domains, including executive function, working memory, visual-spatial function, language, and attention. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to obtain information on functional activity in local brain areas and functional connectivity (FC) across multiple brain regions. However, studies on the associated cognitive impairment are limited; further, the pathophysiological mechanisms of NCH with cognitive impairment remain unclear. Here, we aimed to explore alterations in regional neural activity and FC, as well as the mechanisms of cognitive impairment, in patients with NCH. Methods: Overall, 16 patients with NCH and 25 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and fMRI. Changes in regional homogeneity (ReHo), degree centrality (DC), and region of interest-based FC were analyzed in both groups. The relationship between fMRI metrics (ReHo, DC, and FC) and MMSE scores in patients with NCH was also investigated. Results and discussion: Compared with the HC group, the NCH group exhibited significantly lower ReHo values in the left precentral and postcentral gyri, and significantly higher ReHo values in the left medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). The NCH group also showed significantly higher DC values in the bilateral MPFC compared with the HC group. Regarding seed-based FC, the MPFC showed reduced FC values in the right superior parietal and postcentral gyrus in the NCH group compared with those in the HC group. Moreover, within the NCH group, MMSE scores were significantly negatively correlated with the ReHo value in the left MPFC and the DC value in the bilateral MPFC, whereas MMSE scores were significantly positively correlated with FC values. To conclude, regional neural activity and FC are altered in patients with NCH and are correlated with cognitive impairment. These results advance our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the association between NCH and cognitive impairment.

Abnormalities in static and dynamic intrinsic neural activity and neurotransmitters in first-episode OCD.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling disorder in which the temporal variability of regional brain connectivity is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in static and dynamic intrinsic neural activity (INA) in first-episode OCD and whether these changes have the potential to reflect neurotransmitters. METHODS: A total of 95 first-episode OCD patients and 106 matched healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. Based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), the static and dynamic local connectivity coherence (calculated by static and dynamic regional homogeneity, sReHo and dReHo) were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, correlations between abnormal INA and PET- and SPECT-derived maps were performed to examine specific neurotransmitter system changes underlying INA abnormalities in OCD. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, OCD showed decreased sReHo and dReHo values in left superior, middle temporal gyrus (STG/MTG), left Heschl gyrus (HES), left putamen, left insula, bilateral paracentral lobular (PCL), right postcentral gyrus (PoCG), right precentral gyrus (PreCG), left precuneus and right supplementary motor area (SMA). Decreased dReHo values were also found in left PoCG, left PreCG, left SMA and left middle cingulate cortex (MCC). Meanwhile, alterations in INA present in brain regions were correlated with dopamine system (D2, FDOPA), norepinephrine transporter (NAT) and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) maps. CONCLUSION: Static and dynamic INA abnormalities exist in first-episode OCD, having the potential to reveal the molecular characteristics. The results help to further understand the pathophysiological mechanism and provide alternative therapeutic targets of OCD.

An rs-fMRI based neuroimaging marker for adult absence epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately 20-30 % of epilepsy patients exhibit negative findings on routine magnetic resonance imaging, and this condition is known as nonlesional epilepsy. Absence epilepsy (AE) is a prevalent form of nonlesional epilepsy. This study aimed to investigate the clinical diagnostic utility of regional homogeneity (ReHo) assessed through the support vector machine (SVM) approach for identifying AE. METHODS: This research involved 102 healthy individuals and 93 AE patients. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was employed for data acquisition in all participants. ReHo analysis, coupled with SVM methodology, was utilized for data processing. RESULTS: Compared to healthy control individuals, AE patients demonstrated significantly elevated ReHo values in the bilateral putamen, accompanied by decreased ReHo in the bilateral thalamus. SVM was used to differentiate patients with AE from healthy control individuals based on rs-fMRI data. A composite assessment of altered ReHo in the left putamen and left thalamus yielded the highest accuracy at 81.64 %, with a sensitivity of 95.41 % and a specificity of 69.23 %. SIGNIFICANCE: According to the results, altered ReHo values in the bilateral putamen and thalamus could serve as neuroimaging markers for AE, offering objective guidance for its diagnosis.