完全睡眠剥夺对大脑注意网络冲突效应和脑电样本熵的影响*

目的: 本研究分析睡眠剥夺对个体选择性注意网络冲突效应和脑电样本熵的影响,探讨睡眠剥夺对大脑注意网络的影响。方法: 25名健康受试者参与36 h完全睡眠剥夺试验。试验于当天9:00开始,于次日21:00结束,试验采用自身前后对照设计。受试者在睡眠剥夺前后分别完成注意网络任务,同步采集受试者的脑电图。用脑电样本熵算法分析脑电图的delta、theta、alpha、beta和gamma频率段的脑电复杂度并对比各频段脑电样本熵在睡眠剥夺前、后的变化。结果: 同睡眠剥夺前比较,睡眠剥夺后与受试者的注意网络冲突效应密切相关的反应时显著下降(P＜0.01),正确率显著增加(P＜0.01)。脑电样本熵分析发现在beta频率段,与注意网络冲突控制相关的脑电样本熵值在睡眠剥夺后明显增大(P＜0.01)。其余脑电频率段脑电样本熵未发现显著差异。结论: 表明完全睡眠剥夺后大脑的注意网络冲突效应降低,表明睡眠剥夺后执行冲突控制能力的下降。     

36 h完全睡眠剥夺对客体工作记忆相关电位的影响*

目的:采用事件相关电位(ERP)技术探讨36 h完全睡眠剥夺对客体工作记忆的影响。方法:本研究采用自身前后对照设计,16名睡眠质量良好的健康大学生(平均年龄为23岁,年龄范围21～28岁)分别在清醒状态下及36 h完全睡眠剥夺后接受2-back客体工作记忆任务,同时采集脑电数据。选用重复测量方差分析的方法比较睡眠剥夺前后与客体工作记忆有关的P2、N2、P3成分的波幅和潜伏期的差异。结果:在36 h完全睡眠剥夺后,与客体工作记忆加工相关的N2波的潜伏期显著延长(P＜0.05),波幅减少但未见统计学差异(P＞0.05); P2波潜伏期显著延长(P＜0.05),波幅未见明显变化(P＞0.05)。P3波波幅、潜伏期未见统计学差异(P＞0.05)。结论:36 h的完全睡眠剥夺影响了客体工作记忆相关电位,损害了个体的客体工作记忆加工能力。     

丁苯酞对睡眠剥夺大鼠额叶小胶质细胞活化的影响*

目的: 探讨丁苯酞对慢性睡眠剥夺后大鼠脑部额叶小胶质细胞活化及炎症因子的影响。方法: 本实验共分为4组(n＝8):空白对照组、大平台对照组、慢性睡眠剥夺组、丁苯酞干预组。慢性睡眠剥夺组和丁苯酞干预组采用改良多平台睡眠剥夺法建立大鼠慢性睡眠剥夺模型,对大鼠进行每日18 h,连续28 d的睡眠剥夺。在这28 d内,空白对照组大鼠不进行睡眠干预,大平台对照组大鼠放于大平台箱内。丁苯酞干预组在睡眠剥夺28 d结束后按100 mg/kg腹腔注射丁苯酞针剂,每日1次,共14 d,其他组大鼠在这14 d内腹腔注射同样剂量的生理盐水。腹腔注射结束后各组大鼠取脑组织,免疫组化检测额叶皮质离子钙接头分子(Iba-1)阳性细胞并计数,Western blot检测额叶诱导型一氧化氮合成酶(iNOS)、精氨酸酶1(Arg1)表达,实时定量PCR检测额叶白介素-1(IL-1)mRNA、IL-6 mRNA、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α) mRNA。结果: 与空白对照组、大平台对照组比较,慢性睡眠剥夺组额叶Iba-1阳性细胞体积增大伴细胞突起增多,且细胞数增加(P均＜0.05),iNOS和IL-1 mRNA、IL-6 mRNA、TNF-α mRNA表达增加,而Arg1表达减少(P均＜0.05);与慢性睡眠剥夺组比较,丁苯酞干预组额叶Iba-1细胞数减少(P＜ 0.05),iNOS和IL-1 mRNA、IL-6 mRNA、TNF-α mRNA表达减少(P均＜0.05)而Arg1表达无明显改变。结论: 丁苯酞可抑制慢性睡眠剥夺导致的大鼠额叶小胶质细胞活化、减少慢性睡眠剥夺后的炎症因子表达。     

骶神经电刺激对急性脊髓损伤大鼠肠黏膜免疫屏障功能的影响*

目的:观察骶神经根电刺激对急性完全性脊髓损伤大鼠肠黏膜免疫屏障功能的影响。方法:56只Wistar大鼠分为正常组(SG=8只)、脊髓损伤组(CG=24只)和骶神经电刺激组(EG=24只)。CG、EG (分别设24、48和72 h 组,8只/组)。CG、EG大鼠均于全麻下用Fehlings法98 g动脉瘤夹横行钳夹行脊髓损伤并植入骶神经刺激电于右侧骶3神经孔。CG不进行干预,EG行骶神经电刺激。刺激参数:电压4 V,波宽210 μs,频率15 Hz,刺激10 s,间歇20 s。每次持续10 min,间歇10 min,共2 h。早8:00-10:00,晚6:00-8:00两次。分组采集标本,进行HE染色光镜、透射电镜组织学观察、Western blot 方法检测组织锌指蛋白A20、NOD2和CD68蛋白表达量。结果:① 肠道形态学观察:光镜和电镜观察脊髓损伤后黏膜结构破坏明显,肠腔细菌和杂质进入破损的肠黏膜上皮细胞、M细胞和经细胞间连接缝隙进入黏膜下,引起局部炎症反应;经电刺激后均有了很大程度改善。② 锌指蛋白A20:与SG相比,CG各小组A20表达均明显降低(P＜0.01);与SG、CG相比,EG各小组A20的表达均明显升高(P＜0.01)。NOD2:与SG比,CG各组NOD2的表达明显升高(24 h、72 h P＜0.05;48 h P＜0.01);与CG比,EG 48 h、72 h NOD2的表达明显降低( 48 h P＜0.01,72 h P＜0.05);与SG相比,EG各组NOD2表达均无统计学意义。CD68:与SG、EG比,CG各组CD68的表达均明显升高(P＜0.01);与SG相比,EG24 h、48 h组NOD2表达明显升高(P＜0.01),72 h组无统计学意义。结论:电刺激S3神经根能保护肠黏膜机械屏障,减少病原体入侵,改善肠黏膜免疫屏障功能。     

海马齿状回内beta肾上腺素能受体对睡眠剥夺大鼠空间学习记忆的作用及其机制*

目的: 探究海马齿状回(DG)内beta肾上腺素能受体(beta-AR)对睡眠剥夺(SD)大鼠空间学习记忆的作用及其机制。方法: 本研究应用剥夺杆式睡眠剥夺仪建立21 d(18 h/d)慢性SD模型。动物分为4组(n=6):对照组,ISO组(异丙肾上腺素组),SD组和SD+ISO组。每天训练前30 min,以0.5 ml/min速度向DG区微量注入ISO (2 mg/μl) 或盐水1 ml。Morris水迷宫检测大鼠空间学习记忆能力。免疫组织化学和免疫印迹法检测海马DG区c-Fos和脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)表达。结果: 与对照组相比, SD组大鼠前4 d逃逸时间显著增加(P＜0.01),且第5日目标象限时间比和穿台次数明显减少(P＜0.05),与SD组相比SD+ISO组上述行为学指标显著改善(P均＜0.05)。与对照组比较,SD组大鼠海马DG区c-Fos和BDNF蛋白表达水平均显著降低(P均＜0.05),然而与SD组比较,SD+ISO组两蛋白表达水平明显增加(P均＜0.05)。结论: 海马DG区beta-AR激活可改善SD诱发的空间学习和记忆障碍,其机制可能与上调DG区c-Fos和BDNF蛋白表达有关。     

Atrolnc-1在制动诱导小鼠后肢肌萎缩中的作用研究*

目的: 探讨Atrolnc-1在制动诱导小鼠后肢肌萎缩中的作用。方法: 将雄性C57BL/6小鼠随机分为对照组(Control)和制动组(Immobilization),每组10只。对照组不作任何实验处理,制动组小鼠右侧后肢装入自制塑料制动器固定。2周后分离其腓肠肌,用苏木素-伊红(HE)染色并观察腓肠肌形态学改变,测定肌纤维横截面积。采用实时荧光定量PCR(QRT-PCR)检测肌肉萎缩F-box蛋白(Atrogin-1)及肌萎缩特异性长链非编码RNA Atrolnc-1的变化。蛋白免疫印迹(WB)检测Atrogin-1、肌肉环状指蛋白1(MuRF-1)、胞浆及胞核p-NF-κB蛋白的表达。结果: 制动2周后小鼠腓肠肌萎缩。与对照组相比,制动组小鼠腓肠肌湿重减少(P＞0.05),腓肠肌湿重/体重千分比明显降低(P＜0.05);HE染色可见制动组骨骼肌大量肌纤维缩小或溶解,肌纤维横纹排列紊乱,间质见炎症细胞浸润;肌纤维横截面积减少(P＜0.01)。QRT-PCR及WB结果显示,Atrolnc-1表达上升(P＜0.01),胞浆p-NF-κB蛋白表达减少(P＜0.01),但胞核p-NF-κB蛋白表达升高(P＜0.01),同时Atrogin-1(P＜0.01)与MuRF-1(P＜0.01)表达均升高。结论: 制动诱导小鼠腓肠肌萎缩,可能与Atrolnc-1激活NF-κB入核,促进MuRF-1表达增加有关。     

推拿对慢性应激大鼠抑郁行为的影响及其机制

目的: 探讨推拿对慢性应激大鼠抑郁行为的影响及其作用机制。方法: 制备慢性轻度不可预见性的应激大鼠模型^[1-2],造模21 d后,进行推拿治疗14 d。分组:空白对照组、模型组、推拿组、氟西汀组,每组10只。每日推拿膀胱经重要穴位10 min(间隔2 min,共2次)。通过体质量检测、旷场、糖水消耗实验和水迷宫实验评价抑郁模型大鼠行为学改变情况;蛋白质免疫印迹法(Western blot)法检测大鼠海马及前额叶皮质组织中ERK/P-ERK、BDNF蛋白表达情况。结果: 模型组与空白组比较,大鼠的体质量、旷场、糖水消耗实验和水迷宫数据均显著下降(P＜0.01),P-ERK、BDNF蛋白含量均显著降低(P＜0.01);推拿组和氟西汀组与模型组比较,大鼠的体质量、旷场实验、糖水消耗实验和水迷宫实验数据均显著上升(P＜0.01),推拿组和氟西汀组大鼠海马及前额叶皮质组织中P-ERK、BDNF蛋白含量均显著升高(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),氟西汀组升高更为显著(P＜0.01)。结论: 推拿可上调大鼠海马及前额叶皮质组织中ERK蛋白的磷酸化水平,激活ERK信号通路,促进效应蛋白BDNF的表达,改善慢性应激大鼠的抑郁行为。     

不同压力血流限制结合低强度抗阻训练对大学生下肢肌肉及心肺功能影响*

目的:探讨不同压力血流限制(BFR)结合低强度抗阻训练对男性大学生下肢肌肉及心肺功能影响。方法:27名健康男性大学生随机分为对照组(C组)、低压组(L组)、高压组(H组),每组9人,受试者大腿近端放置可充气非弹性袖带后分别进行无压力、120 mmHg、180 mmHg,进行20%1次重复最大力量(1RM)强度的负重半蹲训练,比较每周3次,共12周训练前后及各组间股直肌、股中肌肌肉厚度(MTH)、相对伸膝峰值力矩(rM)、峰值功率(P)、相对最大摄氧量(rVO₂max)、每搏输出量(SV)、心输出量(CO)、射血分数(EF)等指标的变化。结果:与训练前比较,12周训练后L组和H组股直肌MTH、股中肌MTH、rM、rVO₂max、SV、EF均显著提高(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),且显著高于训练后C组(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),而L组与H组之间无显著性差异。结论:12周120 mmHg或180 mmHg压力下20%1RM强度BFR训练均可有效提高男性大学生股四头肌肌肉厚度及力量并显著提高心肺功能。     

平原就读的藏族与汉族腹型肥胖大学生心肺功能比较研究*

目的: 探讨腹型肥胖对平原就读藏汉族大学生心肺功能影响的差异研究。方法: 选取在校男性大学生96人,依照BMI和WC分类标准,分为藏族腹型肥胖组 (TA)、藏族对照组(TC)、汉族腹型肥胖组(HA)、汉族对照组(HC)各24名。使用心脏彩色多普勒超声检查仪检测超声心动图,检测心脏结构和AV、PV、MVE、MVA、TVE、TVA等心功能指标。检测VC、FVC、FEV1、PEF、MMF、MVV等肺功能指标。检测身体形态学,血液和脂肪肝状况等基础指标。结果: 腹型肥胖对血压的影响:与TC组相比,TA组SBP显著增加 (P＜0.01 );与HC组相比,HA组SBP和DBP均显著增加 (P＜0.01,P＜0.05 )。腹型肥胖对心功能的负性影响:与TC组相比,TA组AV和PV显著减慢(P均＜0.01);与HC组相比,HA组IVSA显著增大(P＜0.05 )。腹型肥胖对肺功能的负性影响:与TC组相比,TA组MMF和肺活量/体重水平显著降低(P＜0.05);与HC组相比,HA组FEV1、FEV1%、PEF、MMF、MVV、MVV%和肺活量/体重水平均显著降低(P均＜0.05)。相关性结果显示:TA组SBP与BMI、WC呈正相关(r均=0.6,P＜0.05);MPAID与BMI、WC、WHtR呈正相关(r均=0.6,P＜0.05);AV与WC呈负相关(r=-0.6,P＜0.05);PV与BMI(r=-0.8,P＜0.01)、BFR(r=-0.7,P＜0.01)、WC(r=-0.7,P＜0.05)、WHR(r=-0.7,P＜0.05)、WHtR(r=-0.7,P＜0.01)呈负相关;TVE与BMI呈负相关(r=-0.6,P＜0.05);MVV与BFR(r=-0.9,P＜0.05)、WC(r=-0.6,P＜0.05)呈负相关。结论: 腹型肥胖可导致平原就读藏族大学生心肺功能下降,主要表现为主肺动脉流速和最大呼气中段流量降低,收缩压增加。腹型肥胖对藏汉族大学生心肺功能影响存在差异,对藏族血压、室间隔搏幅和肺功能的负性影响小于汉族。藏族腹型肥胖大学生身体形态学指标与心肺功能呈负相关,其中BMI、WC与心脏功能指标相关性较为密切,BFR与肺通气功能指标相关性较为密切。     

不同刺激方式对在体和离体蛙腓肠肌单收缩影响的定量分析*

目的: 自编程定量分析不同电刺激方式对在体和离体蛙腓肠肌单收缩的影响。方法: 实验分为四个组:间接刺激在体标本组(n=12),直接刺激在体标本组(n=8),间接刺激离体标本组(n=12),直接刺激离体标本组(n=8)。分别制备在体和离体蛙腓肠肌标本, 施以间接电刺激(经坐骨神经)或直接电刺激(细针灸针刺激电极直接刺入腓肠肌中):强度从0 V开始,周期3 s,增量0.02 V,刺激150次;用生物机能实验系统(BL-420F)实时记录不同强度刺激对肌肉收缩的影响。后续通过自编程辅助处理分析肌肉收缩数据,对单收缩特征参数进行定量比较分析。 结果: ①对在体标本,与直接刺激比较:间接刺激的阈强度、半高强度和最适强度均更小(P＜0.05);最大单收缩幅度更大,收缩期更长,上升斜率更小(P＜0.05)。②对离体标本,与直接刺激比较:间接刺激的阈强度、半高强度和最适强度也均更小(P＜0.05);最大单收缩幅度更大,收缩期更长,上升斜率更小(P＜0.05)。③均采用间接刺激或直接刺激时,与离体标本比较,在体标本单收缩的各项参数均无差异(P＞0.05)。 结论: 不论使用间接刺激或是直接刺激,在体标本和离体标本的单收缩功能特点均无显著差异; 但间接刺激比直接刺激更容易触发腓肠肌产生单收缩,且单收缩幅度更高。     

Decreased Thalamocortical Functional Connectivity after 36 Hours of Total Sleep Deprivation: Evidence from Resting State fMRI

Objectives

The thalamus and cerebral cortex are connected via topographically organized, reciprocal connections, which hold a key function in segregating internally and externally directed awareness information. Previous task-related studies have revealed altered activities of the thalamus after total sleep deprivation (TSD). However, it is still unclear how TSD impacts on the communication between the thalamus and cerebral cortex. In this study, we examined changes of thalamocortical functional connectivity after 36 hours of total sleep deprivation by using resting state function MRI (fMRI).

Materials and Methods

Fourteen healthy volunteers were recruited and performed fMRI scans before and after 36 hours of TSD. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was employed and differences of thalamocortical functional connectivity were tested between the rested wakefulness (RW) and TSD conditions.

Results

We found that the right thalamus showed decreased functional connectivity with the right parahippocampal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus in the resting brain after TSD when compared with that after normal sleep. As to the left thalamus, decreased connectivity was found with the right medial frontal gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyri and left superior frontal gyrus.

Conclusion

These findings suggest disruptive changes of the thalamocortical functional connectivity after TSD, which may lead to the decline of the arousal level and information integration, and subsequently, influence the human cognitive functions.     

Caloric Vestibular Stimulation Reduces Pain and Somatoparaphrenia in a Severe Chronic Central Post-Stroke Pain Patient: A Case Study

Central post-stroke pain is a neuropathic syndrome characterized by intolerable contralesional pain and, in rare cases, somatic delusions. To date, there is limited evidence for the effective treatments of this disease. Here we used caloric vestibular stimulation to reduce pain and somatoparaphrenia in a 57-year-old woman suffering from central post-stroke pain. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess the neurological effects of this treatment. Following vestibular stimulation we observed impressive improvements in motor skills, pain, and somatic delusions. In the functional connectivity study before the vestibular stimulation, we observed differences in the patient’s left thalamus functional connectivity, with respect to the thalamus connectivity of a control group (N = 20), in the bilateral cingulate cortex and left insula. After the caloric stimulation, the left thalamus functional connectivity with these regions, which are known to be involved in the cortical response to pain, disappeared as in the control group. The beneficial use of vestibular stimulation in the reduction of pain and somatic delusion in a CPSP patient is now documented by behavioral and imaging data. This evidence can be applied to theoretical models of pain and body delusions.     

Altered Resting-State Amygdala Functional Connectivity after 36 Hours of Total Sleep Deprivation

Objectives

Recent neuroimaging studies have identified a potentially critical role of the amygdala in disrupted emotion neurocircuitry in individuals after total sleep deprivation (TSD). However, connectivity between the amygdala and cerebral cortex due to TSD remains to be elucidated. In this study, we used resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) to investigate the functional connectivity changes of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and centromedial amygdala (CMA) in the brain after 36 h of TSD.

Materials and Methods

Fourteen healthy adult men aged 25.9±2.3 years (range, 18–28 years) were enrolled in a within-subject crossover study. Using the BLA and CMA as separate seed regions, we examined resting-state functional connectivity with fMRI during rested wakefulness (RW) and after 36 h of TSD.

Results

TSD resulted in a significant decrease in the functional connectivity between the BLA and several executive control regions (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC], right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], right inferior frontal gyrus [IFG]). Increased functional connectivity was found between the BLA and areas including the left posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PrCu) and right parahippocampal gyrus. With regard to CMA, increased functional connectivity was observed with the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and right precentral gyrus.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that disturbance in amygdala related circuits may contribute to TSD psychophysiology and suggest that functional connectivity studies of the amygdala during the resting state may be used to discern aberrant patterns of coupling within these circuits after TSD.     

Altered Spontaneous Brain Activity in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury Revealed by Resting-State Functional MRI

Background

Previous neuroimaging studies have provided evidence of structural and functional reorganization of brain in patients with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). However, it remains unknown whether the spontaneous brain activity changes in acute SCI. In this study, we investigated intrinsic brain activity in acute SCI patients using a regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods

A total of 15 patients with acute SCI and 16 healthy controls participated in the study. The ReHo value was used to evaluate spontaneous brain activity, and voxel-wise comparisons of ReHo were performed to identify brain regions with altered spontaneous brain activity between groups. We also assessed the associations between ReHo and the clinical scores in brain regions showing changed spontaneous brain activity.

Results

Compared with the controls, the acute SCI patients showed decreased ReHo in the bilateral primary motor cortex/primary somatosensory cortex, bilateral supplementary motor area/dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, right inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral caudate; and increased ReHo in bilateral precuneus, the left inferior parietal lobe, the left brainstem/hippocampus, the left cingulate motor area, bilateral insula, bilateral thalamus and bilateral cerebellum. The average ReHo values of the left thalamus and right insula were negatively correlated with the international standards for the neurological classification of spinal cord injury motor scores.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that acute distant neuronal damage has an immediate impact on spontaneous brain activity. In acute SCI patients, the ReHo was prominently altered in brain regions involved in motor execution and cognitive control, default mode network, and which are associated with sensorimotor compensatory reorganization. Abnormal ReHo values in the left thalamus and right insula could serve as potential biomarkers for assessment of neuronal damage and the prediction of clinical outcomes in acute SCI.     

Reduced Functional Connectivity of Default Mode and Set-Maintenance Networks in Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency

Background and Purpose

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) is an X-chromosome linked urea cycle disorder (UCD) that causes hyperammonemic episodes leading to white matter injury and impairments in executive functioning, working memory, and motor planning. This study aims to investigate differences in functional connectivity of two resting-state networks—default mode and set-maintenance—between OTCD patients and healthy controls.

Methods

Sixteen patients with partial OTCD and twenty-two control participants underwent a resting-state scan using 3T fMRI. Combining independent component analysis (ICA) and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses, we identified the nodes that comprised each network in each group, and assessed internodal connectivity.

Results

Group comparisons revealed reduced functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) of OTCD patients, particularly between the anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex (ACC/mPFC) node and bilateral inferior parietal lobule (IPL), as well as between the ACC/mPFC node and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) node. Patients also showed reduced connectivity in the set-maintenance network, especially between right anterior insula/frontal operculum (aI/fO) node and bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG), as well as between the right aI/fO and ACC and between the ACC and right SFG.

Conclusion

Internodal functional connectivity in the DMN and set-maintenance network is reduced in patients with partial OTCD compared to controls, most likely due to hyperammonemia-related white matter damage. Because several of the affected areas are involved in executive functioning, it is postulated that this reduced connectivity is an underlying cause of the deficits OTCD patients display in this cognitive domain.     

Disrupted Functional Connectivity of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Cirrhotic Patients without Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Resting State fMRI Study

Background

To evaluate the changes of functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in patients with cirrhosis without overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) using resting state functional MRI.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Participants included 67 cirrhotic patients (27 minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) and 40 cirrhotic patients without MHE (non-HE)), and 40 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. rsfMRI were performed on 3 Telsa scanners. The pregenual ACC resting-state networks (RSNs) were characterized by using a standard seed-based whole-brain correlation method and compared between cirrhotic patients and healthy controls. Pearson correlation analysis was performed between the ACC RSNs and venous blood ammonia levels, neuropsychological tests (number connection test type A [NCT-A] and digit symbol test [DST]) scores in cirrhotic patients. All thresholds were set at P<0.05, with false discovery rate corrected. Compared with controls, non-HE and MHE patients showed significantly decreased functional connectivity in the bilateral ACC, bilateral middle frontal cortex (MFC), bilateral middle cingulate cortex (MCC), bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG)/middle temporal gyri (MTG), bilateral thalami, bilateral putamen and bilateral insula, and increased functional connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left temporo-occipital lobe and bilateral lingual gyri. Compared with non-HE patients, MHE showed the decreased functional connectivity of right MCC, bilateral STG/MTG and right putamen. This indicates decreased ACC functional connectivity predominated with the increasing severity of HE. NCT-A scores negatively correlated with ACC functional connectivity in the bilateral MCC, right temporal lobe, and DST scores positively correlated with functional connectivity in the bilateral ACC and the right putamen. No correlation was found between venous blood ammonia levels and functional connectivity in ACC in cirrhotic patients.

Conclusions/Significance

Disrupted functional connectivity in ACC was found in cirrhotic patients which further deteriorated with the increasing severity of HE and correlated cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients.     

Dynamic Changes in Brain Activations and Functional Connectivity during Affectively Different Tactile Stimuli

In the present study, we compared brain activations produced by pleasant, neutral and unpleasant touch, to the anterior lateral surface of lower leg of human subjects. It was found that several brain regions, including the contralateral primary somatosensory area (SI), bilateral secondary somatosensory area (SII), as well as contralateral middle and posterior insula cortex were commonly activated under the three touch conditions. In addition, pleasant and unpleasant touch conditions shared a few brain regions including the contralateral posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and bilateral premotor cortex (PMC). Unpleasant touch specifically activated a set of pain-related brain regions such as contralateral supplementary motor area (SMA) and dorsal parts of bilateral anterior cingulated cortex, etc. Brain regions specifically activated by pleasant touch comprised bilateral lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), intraparietal cortex and left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Using a novel functional connectivity model based on graph theory, we showed that a series of brain regions related to affectively different touch had significant functional connectivity during the resting state. Furthermore, it was found that such a network can be modulated between affectively different touch conditions.