ABSTRACT
Objective:To use the resting state functional network connectivity (FNC) method based on independent component analysis (ICA) to analyze the characteristics of FNC changes in patients with basal ganglia aphasia (BGA) after stroke, and to explore its occurrence and recovery mechanism under the intervention of acupuncture combined with language rehabilitation training.Methods:Using a prospective observational research method, 16 right-handed BGA patients who were treated at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University from July 2021 to December 2022, as well as 14 healthy subjects matched in age, gender, education level, and handedness, were included. The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, demographic information, and Western Aphasia Examination data of healthy subjects and BGA patients before and after intervention were collected. The GIFT toolbox based on MATLAB platform was applied for ICA and resting state brain network FNC analysis. The FNC differences between BGA patients and healthy subjects were compared horizontally, and the FNC changes in BGA patients before and after intervention were compared vertically.Results:Compared with healthy subjects, post-stroke BGA patients showed decreased connectivity between the basal ganglia network, default network, and visual network before intervention, while increased connectivity between the auditory network, right frontoparietal network, and anterior cuneiform network; After the intervention of acupuncture combined with language rehabilitation training, the connectivity between the basal ganglia network, visual network, and anterior cuneiform network decreased, while the connectivity between the anterior convex network and bilateral frontoparietal network decreased, while the connectivity between the default network, auditory network, right frontoparietal network, and visual network increased. The BGA patient group showed enhanced connectivity between the basal ganglia network and the left frontoparietal network before and after intervention.Conclusions:The FNC changes between the basal ganglia network and other brain networks are key to reflecting the mechanism of BGA occurrence and language function recovery. Acupuncture combined with language rehabilitation training may improve language function by enhancing the connectivity between the basal ganglia network and the left frontoparietal network, and the redistribution of attention resources may also be one of the reasons for promoting language function recovery in BGA patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To estimate the predictive ability of group differences on autistic traits of social communication impairment by comparing the intrinsic functional network connectivity between default mode network and other brain networks between preschoolers with autism and typically developing control.Methods:Sixty preschoolers diagnosed autism according to DSM-5 and 60 typical developing individuals matched by age and sex were analyzed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Establish functional network connections between the default mode network and other brain networks based on the results of the data-driven approach (independent component analysis). Subsequently, the correlation between the connectivity strength with statistical differences and the autistic traits of social communications impairments was analyzed.Results:Relative to typically developing control participants, preschoolers with autism showed increased functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and subcortical networks (basal ganglia and thalamus, Bg/Th) ( t=3.758, P<0.01, FDR-corrected). The strength of such connections was significantly associated with the severity of autistic core social communication disorders ( r=0.34, P=0.007). Furthermore, the average connection strength of DMN showed a hyper-FNC with the basal ganglion network ( t=3.455, P<0.01, FDR-corrected). Conclusion:There is an excessive functional connection between medial prefrontal cortex and subcortical nucleus in preschool autism children. The abnormal functional connection of DMN may be the key factor of core social disorder in preschool autism children.