颞叶癫痫脑“默认模式”的fMRI研究

功能磁共振成像(functional magnetic resonance imaging,fMRI)被用于检测静息时脑功能神经网络.作者运用静息fMRI检测海马硬化颞叶癫痫(temporal lobe epilepsy,TLE)脑"默认模式",采用感兴趣区域功能连接分析检测16例TLE患者和16名正常对照静息时脑的"默认模式",并进行组内和组间分析.研究发现,与正常对照相比,TLE静息时海马、颞极、额叶、颞叶、壳核及楔前叶等脑区与后扣带回的功能连接增强.研究结果表明TLE患者的固有脑功能组织模式有可能出现紊乱.这一研究将有助于从脑功能的角度了解癫痫患者某些临床症状的发病机理,为今后癫痫诊治的发展提供一定的帮助.     

基于ICA的颞叶癫痫缺省模式网络的研究

很多fMRI研究表明部分癫痫患者缺省模式网络存在中断现象,但均采用广义线性模型的假设驱动方法。作者尝试运用独立成分分析（independent component analysis, ICA）分离出l5例单侧颞叶癫痫（temporal lobe epilepsy,TLE）患者和17例正常对照的缺省模式网络,并采用拟合度值（goodness-of-fit scores）分析对感兴趣成分进行挑选,将其结果进行组内分析和组间分析。结果表明颞叶癫痫患者的缺省模式网络犬部分区域功能连接度下降,以前额叶和同侧颞上回为著,这可能是由于颞叶癫痫患者的大脑功能内源性组织发生破坏所致。拟合度值下降表明缺省模式网络激活区域为单侧TLE患者提供了一个灵敏的生物信号特征。     

儿童失神癫痫的默认模式网络的结构连接研究

大脑结构连接是其功能连接的物质基础．已有研究表明,失神癫痫患者默认模式网络(default mode network,DMN)中的功能连接发生了改变．为了探索这些改变相应的结构基础,对11名儿童失神癫痫患者和12名正常对照,使用基于弥散张量成像(diffusion tensor imaging,DTI)的纤维束追踪技术,构建了每个被试DMN脑区间的纤维束连接．结果表明,在所有被试的DMN网络中一致发现后扣带/楔前叶到内侧前额叶、后扣带/楔前叶到左右双侧的内侧颞叶都存在纤维束连接．通过两组间统计比较这些纤维束连接的平均长度、连接强度、平均部分各向异性(fractional anisotropic,FA)值和平均弥散度(mean diffusivity,MD)值等参数,发现患者组的后扣带/楔前叶到内侧前额叶纤维束连接上的平均FA值及连接强度都显著降低,而平均MD值显著增加,并且其FA值与癫痫病程呈显著的负相关关系,这些改变可能影响了患者DMN网络的功能连接．本研究结果为DMN功能连接异常提供了相关的结构上的依据,提示后扣带/楔前叶到内侧前额叶的连接异常可能在儿童失神癫痫中起着非常重要的作用．     

慢性疼痛患者静息态脑功能磁共振的默认网络研究

运用静息态功能磁共振成像技术(resting-state fMRI)研究慢性疼痛患者脑默认网络结构.通过选择双侧膝骨性关节炎(knee osteoarthritis,KOA)患者20例和正常志愿者20名,以后扣带回(posterior cingulated cortex,PCC)为种子点,分别进行fMRI扫描,分析配对两组受试者的脑功能连接情况.结果显示相对正常受试者,KOA患者存在异常脑功能连接,主要表现为PCC呈负激活,边缘叶、脑岛呈正激活.     

封面图片介绍

正脑默认网络(default mode network,DMN)是由在脑处于静息状态时相互联系、维持健康代谢活动的若干脑区组成的网络,主要包括楔后扣带回/前楔叶(PCC/Precuneus)、内侧前额叶(MPFC)、双侧角回(bilateral AG)、双侧外侧颞叶(bilateral lateral temporal cortex,LTC)、双侧海马(bilateral hippocampus,HIP)等脑区,在个体从事如监控外界环境、记忆提取和控制自身心理状态等多种事务中发挥着重要作用。脑默认网络与阿兹海     

不同术式对颞叶癫痫患者术后认知功能、记忆能力以及生活质量的影响

目的:探讨不同术式对颞叶癫痫患者术后认知功能、记忆能力以及生活质量的影响。方法:选取2014年2月～2018年4月期间我院收治的103例颞叶癫痫患者为研究对象,根据随机数字表法将患者分为单侧前颞叶切除术(ATL)组(n=51,给予ATL治疗)和选择性海马杏仁核切除术(SAH)组(n=52,给予SAH治疗),比较两组患者的手术疗效、术后认知功能、记忆能力、生活质量以及并发症。结果:两组术后6个月临床总有效率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。两组患者术后6个月生活质量量表各项评分均较术前升高(P0.05)。两组患者术后6个月总智商(FIQ)、语言智商(VIQ)评分均较术前升高,且SAH组高于ATL组(P0.05)。两组术后6个月优势半球侧记忆商数(MQ)评分降低,非优势半球侧MQ评分升高(P0.05);SAH组术后6个月非优势半球侧MQ评分高于ATL组(P0.05)。两组患者术后并发症发生率比较无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:颞叶癫痫患者采用ATL、SAH术式治疗,可获得相似的治疗效果,安全性均较好,但SAH术式在保护患者的认知功能及记忆能力方面更优。     

创伤后应激障碍患者脑固有连接网络研究

采用静息态功能磁共振成像方法 ,探索创伤后应激障碍(post-trauma stress disorder,PTSD)患者脑固有网络的功能异常情况。应用独立成分分析方法,提取14名PTSD患者和性别年龄均匹配的14例健康被试的脑固有连接网络。两样本检验的结果显示,PTSD患者组较健康对照组的高级认知网络有不同程度的改变。其中,默认模式网络的后扣带回、楔前叶和右侧角回功能连接呈现降低趋势;背侧注意网络和自我参考网络的功能连接呈现升高趋势,主要包括左侧顶下小叶和内侧前额叶(P0.05)。静息态下PTSD患者高级认知网络脑区之间的连接效能异常可能同其认知功能损害有关,这些异常在PTSD的病理机制中可能发挥了重要作用。     

基于纤维束追踪空间统计的内侧颞叶癫痫患者弥散张量成像研究

本研究通过分析磁共振弥散张量成像(diffusion tensor imaging,DTI)数据,观察内侧颞叶癫痫(mesial temporal lobe epilepsy,mTLE)患者大脑白质的改变。46例伴有单侧海马硬化的内侧颞叶癫痫患者(24例左侧颞叶癫痫和22例右侧颞叶癫痫),以及42例年龄和性别匹配的正常志愿者纳入本研究。采用基于纤维束追踪的空间统计分析方法(track-based spatialstatistics,TBSS),主要观察患者各向异性系数(fractionsal anisotropy,FA)的变化。结果发现,与正常志愿者相比,左侧mTLE患者FA降低的区域呈双侧分布,稍偏向患侧,胼胝体、上纵束、下纵束、内囊前肢等白质双侧都有异常,而扣带束、下额枕束只在左脑显著降低;右侧mTLE患者FA降低主要见于右脑,包括胼胝体、上纵束、下纵束和钩束等。结果表明,基于TBSS方法的DTI研究揭示了伴有海马硬化的mTLE患者的脑白质异常,有助于加深对mTLE病理生理机制的了解。     

伴海马硬化的颞叶癫痫患者海马组织内BDNF 表达变化

目的:研究伴海马硬化的难治性颞叶癫痫(TLE)患者海马组织内脑源性神经营养因子(brain derived neurotrophic factor,BDNF)的表达变化,探讨其在难治性颞叶癫痫发病机制中的作用。方法:采集5例伴海马硬化的难治性TLE患者手术中切除的海马组织,用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)法检测BDNF mRNA表达,并与3例非海马硬化TLE患者对照。结果:与非海马硬化组比较,伴海马硬化的难治性TLE患者海马组织中的BDNF mRNA表达明显增加(P<0.01)。结论:伴海马硬化的难治性TLE患者海马组织中BDNF mRNA表达表达增高,可能在海马硬化和难治性颞叶癫痫发生、发展中具有重要作用。     

基于脑结构子网络分析的颞叶肿瘤患者认知功能研究

本研究旨在结合图论讨论颞叶肿瘤对整个大脑结构网络的影响以及患者认知功能变化情况.本文基于弥散张量成像技术,构建颞叶肿瘤患者以及正常对照组脑结构网络,依据纤维束连接长度,将整个脑网络分为3个子网络,对比分析各个子网络的网络参数全局效率和局部效率,进而对颞叶肿瘤患者大脑内纤维束的再生以及消亡情况做简单分析.并对两组受试者进行认知能力评估,分析患者认知能力与节点效率之间的相关性,从而得到患者大脑认知分布情况.研究结果显示,全局效率和局部效率在全脑网络结构中均无显著差异,子网络拓扑参数显示,仅在短距离子网络中,患者组较正常组有显著升高,局部参数研究结果显示,正常组均优于患者组,且患者认知能力普遍低于正常组.脑区内部纤维束再生以及不同功能区之间纤维束连接发生变化从而使得颞叶肿瘤患者脑结构网络发生重组,且患者在注意力、记忆功能、学习能力等方面较正常人有显著降低,患者额颞-顶叶部分脑区参与认知过程,特殊脑区信息处理效率的变化可间接反映认知变化情况.     

Increased Intrinsic Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Evidence from Resting-State MEG Recordings

The electrophysiological signature of resting state oscillatory functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) during spike-free periods in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) remains unclear. Using magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings, this study investigated how the connectivity within the DMN was altered in TLE, and we examined the effect of lateralized TLE on functional connectivity. Sixteen medically intractable TLE patients and 22 controls participated in this study. Whole-scalp 306-channel MEG epochs without interictal spikes generated from both MEG and EEG data were analyzed using a minimum norm estimate (MNE) and source-based imaginary coherence analysis. With this processing, we obtained the cortical activation and functional connectivity within the DMN. The functional connectivity was increased between DMN and the right medial temporal (MT) region at the delta band and between DMN and the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) regions at the theta band. The functional change was associated with the lateralization of TLE. The right TLE showed enhanced DMN connectivity with the right MT while the left TLE demonstrated increased DMN connectivity with the bilateral MT. There was no lateralization effect of TLE upon the DMN connectivity with ACC. These findings suggest that the resting-state functional connectivity within the DMN is reinforced in temporal lobe epilepsy during spike-free periods. Future studies are needed to examine if the altered functional connectivity can be used as a biomarker for treatment responses, cognitive dysfunction and prognosis in patients with TLE.     

Default Mode Network Connectivity in Stroke Patients

The pathophysiology of episodic memory dysfunction after infarction is not completely understood. It has been suggested that infarctions located anywhere in the brain can induce widespread effects causing disruption of functional networks of the cortical regions. The default mode network, which includes the medial temporal lobe, is a functional network that is associated with episodic memory processing. We investigated whether the default mode network activity is reduced in stroke patients compared to healthy control subjects in the resting state condition. We assessed the whole brain network properties during resting state functional MRI in 21 control subjects and 20 ‘first-ever’ stroke patients. Patients were scanned 9–12 weeks after stroke onset. Stroke lesions were located in various parts of the brain. Independent component analyses were conducted to identify the default mode network and to compare the group differences of the default mode network. Furthermore, region-of-interest based analysis was performed to explore the functional connectivity between the regions of the default mode network. Stroke patients performed significantly worse than control subjects on the delayed recall score on California verbal learning test. We found decreased functional connectivity in the left medial temporal lobe, posterior cingulate and medial prefrontal cortical areas within the default mode network and reduced functional connectivity between these regions in stroke patients compared with controls. There were no significant volumetric differences between the groups. These results demonstrate that connectivity within the default mode network is reduced in ‘first-ever’ stroke patients compared to control subjects. This phenomenon might explain the occurrence of post-stroke cognitive dysfunction in stroke patients.     

Network Analysis of the Default Mode Network Using Functional Connectivity MRI in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI) is an fMRI method that examines the connectivity of different brain areas based on the correlation of BOLD signal fluctuations over time. Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type of adult epilepsy and involves multiple brain networks. The default mode network (DMN) is involved in conscious, resting state cognition and is thought to be affected in TLE where seizures cause impairment of consciousness. The DMN in epilepsy was examined using seed based fcMRI. The anterior and posterior hubs of the DMN were used as seeds in this analysis. The results show a disconnection between the anterior and posterior hubs of the DMN in TLE during the basal state. In addition, increased DMN connectivity to other brain regions in left TLE along with decreased connectivity in right TLE is revealed. The analysis demonstrates how seed-based fcMRI can be used to probe cerebral networks in brain disorders such as TLE.     

Impaired resting-state functional integrations within default mode network of generalized tonic-clonic seizures epilepsy

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) are characterized by unresponsiveness and convulsions, which cause complete loss of consciousness. Many recent studies have found that the ictal alterations in brain activity of the GTCS epilepsy patients are focally involved in some brain regions, including thalamus, upper brainstem, medial prefrontal cortex, posterior midbrain regions, and lateral parietal cortex. Notably, many of these affected brain regions are the same and overlap considerably with the components of the so-called default mode network (DMN). Here, we hypothesize that the brain activity of the DMN of the GTCS epilepsy patients are different from normal controls, even in the resting state. To test this hypothesis, we compared the DMN of the GTCS epilepsy patients and the controls using the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Thirteen brain areas in the DMN were extracted, and a complete undirected weighted graph was used to model the DMN for each participant. When directly comparing the edges of the graph, we found significant decreased functional connectivities within the DMN of the GTCS epilepsy patients comparing to the controls. As for the nodes of the graph, we found that the degree of some brain areas within the DMN was significantly reduced in the GTCS epilepsy patients, including the anterior medial prefrontal cortex, the bilateral superior frontal cortex, and the posterior cingulate cortex. Then we investigated into possible mechanisms of how GTCS epilepsy could cause the reduction of the functional integrations of DMN. We suggested the damaged functional integrations of the DMN in the GTCS epilepsy patients even during the resting state, which could help to understand the neural correlations of the impaired consciousness of GTCS epilepsy patients.     

Disrupted functional brain connectivity in partial epilepsy: a resting-state fMRI study

Examining the spontaneous activity to understand the neural mechanism of brain disorder is a focus in recent resting-state fMRI. In the current study, to investigate the alteration of brain functional connectivity in partial epilepsy in a systematical way, two levels of analyses (functional connectivity analysis within resting state networks (RSNs) and functional network connectivity (FNC) analysis) were carried out on resting-state fMRI data acquired from the 30 participants including 14 healthy controls(HC) and 16 partial epilepsy patients. According to the etiology, all patients are subdivided into temporal lobe epilepsy group (TLE, included 7 patients) and mixed partial epilepsy group (MPE, 9 patients). Using group independent component analysis, eight RSNs were identified, and selected to evaluate functional connectivity and FNC between groups. Compared with the controls, decreased functional connectivity within all RSNs was found in both TLE and MPE. However, dissociating patterns were observed within the 8 RSNs between two patient groups, i.e, compared with TLE, we found decreased functional connectivity in 5 RSNs increased functional connectivity in 1 RSN, and no difference in the other 2 RSNs in MPE. Furthermore, the hierarchical disconnections of FNC was found in two patient groups, in which the intra-system connections were preserved for all three subsystems while the lost connections were confined to intersystem connections in patients with partial epilepsy. These findings may suggest that decreased resting state functional connectivity and disconnection of FNC are two remarkable characteristics of partial epilepsy. The selective impairment of FNC implicated that it is unsuitable to understand the partial epilepsy only from global or local perspective. We presumed that studying epilepsy in the multi-perspective based on RSNs may be a valuable means to assess the functional changes corresponding to specific RSN and may contribute to the understanding of the neuro-pathophysiological mechanism of epilepsy.     

Default Mode,Dorsal Attention and Auditory Resting State Networks Exhibit Differential Functional Connectivity in Tinnitus and Hearing Loss

We investigated auditory, dorsal attention, and default mode networks in adults with tinnitus and hearing loss in a resting state functional connectivity study. Data were obtained using continuous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while the participants were at “rest” and were not performing any task. Participants belonged to one of three groups: middle-aged adults with tinnitus and mild-to-moderate high frequency hearing loss (TIN), age-matched controls with normal hearing and no tinnitus (NH), and a second control group with mild-to-moderate high frequency hearing loss without tinnitus (HL). After standard preprocessing, (a) a group independent component analysis (ICA) using 30 components and (b) a seeding-based connectivity analysis were conducted. In the group ICA, the default mode network was the only network to display visual differences between subject groups. In the seeding analysis, we found increased connectivity between the left parahippocampus and the auditory resting state network in the TIN group when compared to NH controls. Similarly, there was also an increased correlation between the right parahippocampus and the dorsal attention network when compared to HL controls. Other group differences in this attention network included decreased correlations between the seed regions and the right supramarginal gyrus in TIN patients when compared to HL controls. In the default mode network, there was a strong decrease in correlation between the seed regions and the precuneus when compared to both control groups. The findings of this study identify specific alterations in the connectivity of the default mode, dorsal attention, and auditory resting state networks due to tinnitus. The results suggest that therapies for tinnitus that mitigate the increased connectivity of limbic regions with auditory and attention resting state networks and the decreased coherence of the default mode network could be effective at reducing tinnitus-related distress.     

Resting-state EEG source localization and functional connectivity in schizophrenia-like psychosis of epilepsy

Background

It is unclear whether, like in schizophrenia, psychosis-related disruption in connectivity between certain regions, as an index of intrinsic functional disintegration, occurs in schizophrenia-like psychosis of epilepsy (SLPE). In this study, we sought to determine abnormal patterns of resting-state EEG oscillations and functional connectivity in patients with SLPE, compared with nonpsychotic epilepsy patients, and to assess correlations with psychopathological deficits.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Resting EEG was recorded in 21 patients with focal epilepsy and SLPE and in 21 clinically-matched non-psychotic epilepsy controls. Source current density and functional connectivity were determined using eLORETA software. For connectivity analysis, a novel nonlinear connectivity measure called “lagged phase synchronization” was used. We found increased theta oscillations in regions involved in the default mode network (DMN), namely the medial and lateral parietal cortex bilaterally in the psychotic patients relative to their nonpsychotic counterparts. In addition, patients with psychosis had increased beta temporo-prefrontal connectivity in the hemisphere with predominant seizure focus. This functional connectivity in temporo-prefrontal circuits correlated with positive symptoms. Additionally, there was increased interhemispheric phase synchronization between the auditory cortex of the affected temporal lobe and the Broca''s area correlating with auditory hallucination scores.

Conclusions/Significance

In addition to dysfunction of parietal regions that are part of the DMN, resting-state disrupted connectivity of the medial temporal cortex with prefrontal areas that are either involved in the DMN or implicated in psychopathological dysfunction may be critical to schizophrenia-like psychosis, especially in individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy. This suggests that DMN deficits might be a core neurobiological feature of the disorder, and that abnormalities in theta oscillations and beta phase synchronization represent the underlying neural activity.     

Changes of Functional Brain Networks in Major Depressive Disorder: A Graph Theoretical Analysis of Resting-State fMRI

Recent developments in graph theory have heightened the need for investigating the disruptions in the topological structure of functional brain network in major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and graph theory to examine the whole-brain functional networks among 42 MDD patients and 42 healthy controls. Our results showed that compared with healthy controls, MDD patients showed higher local efficiency and modularity. Furthermore, MDD patients showed altered nodal centralities of many brain regions, including hippocampus, temporal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal gyrus, mainly located in default mode network and cognitive control network. Together, our results suggested that MDD was associated with disruptions in the topological structure of functional brain networks, and provided new insights concerning the pathophysiological mechanisms of MDD.