Relationship between Small-world Network and Cognitive Impairment for Patients with White Matter Lesions Based On Diffusion Tensor Imaging / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the relationship between small-worldness of brain network and cognitive impairment in patients with white matter lesions (WMLs) based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods:From January, 2016 to December, 2017, 46 WMLs patients and 36 controls matched genders, ages and education levels from Beijing Tiantan Hospital were screened with DTI. The patients were divided into vascular cognitive impairment non-dementia (VCIND) and vascular dementia (VaD) groups according to the results of cognitive assessments. The brain structure network was created based on DTI data, and the topological properties of the whole-brain small-world network were calculated, and the correlation between the small-worldness and the severity of cognitive impairment was analyzed. Results:The global efficiency, local efficiency, shortest path length and clustering coefficient were different between the patients and the controls (F > 3.252, P < 0.05), as well as the properties of the small-world network, λ, γ and σ (F > 7.378, P < 0.01). The λ, γ and σ were correlated with the total score of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (|r| > 0.402, P < 0.05). Conclusion:The brain structure network is small-world network for patients with WMLs, and the decrease of small-world properties may relate to the cognitive impairment.