Correlation between functional connectivity of the precuneus and early efficacy to antidepressant treatment in patients of major depressive disorder / 四川精神卫生

BackgroundThe activity in precuneus within default mode network has been reported to be associated with antidepressant response， whereas the relationship between the functional network of precuneus and early response to antidepressant medications remains unclear. ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between precuneus functional connectivity （FC） and early efficacy of antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder， so as to find a neurobiomarker to predict the early efficacy of antidepressants. MethodsA consecutive sample of 47 patients with major depressive disorder who attended the Mental Health Center， West China Hospital of Sichuan University from July 2017 to February 2019 and fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） were recruited. Baseline resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan findings and clinical assessments were recorded in participants. All patients treated with antidepressants for two weeks. Improvement was defined as 20% or greater reduction in baseline 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms Self-Report Scale （QIDS-SR16） by treatment exit， and patients were then classified into early improved group （n=27） and non-improved group （n=20）. FC values of precuneus and whole brain were calculated using bilateral precuneus as seed region， and baseline precuneus FC values were compared between two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to explore the correlation between FC values in brain regions with statistically significant differences and QIDS-SR16 total scores and reduction rates. ResultsFC values between the left precuneus and left precentral gyrus and between the right precuneus and right fusiform gyrus in early improved group were both higher than those in non-improved group （GRF correction， P<0.01）. The FC valves between the left precuneus and the left precentral gyrus and between the right precuneus and the right fusiform gyrus were positively correlated with QIDS-SR16 reduction rate （r=0.475， 0.297， P<0.05）. ConclusionWeakened FC between the left precuneus and left precentral gyrus and between the right precuneus and right fusiform gyrus are related to poor early efficacy to antidepressant treatment， and FC of precuneus may be a potential predictor of early response to antidepressants. ［Funded by the National Key Research & Development Program of China （number， 2016YFC1307204）； Key Development Project of the Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Plan （number， 2018SZ0131）］

Study on altered functional and effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus in drug-naïve first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia / 四川精神卫生

BackgroundCompared with adult-onset schizophrenia， patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia experience a high genetic susceptibility， severe negative symptoms， high recurrence rate， poor prognosis and social function recovery. And clarifying the brain functional alterations in adolescent-onset schizophrenia is of great significance for further elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease and exploring personalized and precise treatment. ObjectiveTo investigate the altered functional and effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus in first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging （rs-fMRI）， thus providing reliable imaging evidence in guiding the study on mechanism involved in adolescent-onset schizophrenia. MethodsTwenty-one drugnaïve first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders， fifth edition （DSM-5） criteria for schizophrenia were enrolled， and another 21 psychiatrially healthy controls matched on age， educational background and gender were concurrently selected. The schizophrenic subjects were evaluated using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales （PSYRATS） and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale （PANSS）. All participants underwent rs-fMRI scans， and the whole-brain seed-based functional and effective connectivity analyses were conducted in bilateral cuneus region. Then the correlation between functional connectivity strength and clinical symptoms of patients was discussed. ResultsIn terms of functional connectivity， the functional connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle temporal gyrus was increased in patient group compared with healthy control group ［P<0.01， family-wise error （FWE） correction at cluster level， P<0.05］. In terms of effective connectivity， patient group responded to negative feedback with greater activation of seed region and left middle frontal gyrus than healthy control group. Correlation analysis within patient group denoted that the decreased effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle frontal gyrus was positively correlated with the total PANSS score （r=0.450， P<0.05）. ConclusionThe resting-state functional and effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus is abnormally alerted in drugnaïve first-episode patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia， and the decreased effective connectivity of bilateral precuneus and left middle frontal gyrus may be related to the development of clinical symptoms. ［Funded by National Key Research and Development Program of China （number， 2022YFC2009901， 2022YFC2009900）］

Resting-state functional connectivity of bilateral precuneus and other brain regions in minimal hepatic encephalopathy / 中国医学影像技术

Objective: To explore the changes of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of bilateral precuneus and other brain regions in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). Methods: Twenty-two liver cirrhosis patients with MHE (MHE group), 23 liver cirrhotic patients without MHE (NMHE group) and 24 healthy subjects (control group) underwent resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). Bilateral precuneus was picked as seeds, and then FC of bilateral precuneus and other brain regions were calculated for statistical analysis by using standard seed-based whole-brain correlation method. Results: Compared with control group, the left precuneus showed reduced FC with the right superior frontal gyrus, left middle cingulate gyrus, while the right precuneus showed reduced FC with the right temporal pole, left superior temporal gyrus, bilateral frontal lobe and medial cingulum cortex in MHE group, and the left precuneus showed reduced FC with the right middle frontal gyrus, while the right precuneus showed reduced FC with the left precuneus and left middle cingulate gyrus in NMHE group (all P<0.05). Compared with the NMHE group, the left precuneus showed reduced FC with the right superior frontal gyrus, while the right precuneus showed reduced FC with the right insula and right superior/middle frontal gyrus in MHE group (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Abnormal resting-state FC of bilateral precuneus and multiple brain regions are demonstrated in patients with MHE, which may be the mechanism of endogenous neurological impairment of MHE.

A contralateral transfalcine transprecuneus approach for resection of meningiomas in the atrium of lateral ventricle / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of meningiomas in atrium of lateral ventricle with contralateral transfalcine transprecuneus approach.Methods Four patients with meningiomas in the atrium of the lateral ventricle,admitted to our hospital from August 2015 to February 2017,were chosen in our study;two of the meningiomas were at the left side and two of them were at the right side;the diameters of meningiomas were of 2-4 cm.Resection via contralateral transfalcine transprecuneus approach was performed on these meningiomas in the atrium of the lateral ventricle.A retrospective study on their clinical data and efficacies was performed.Results Complete resection was achieved in all patients enjoying Simpson grading I.Postoperative pathology revealed 3 with meningiomas of fiber type and one with meningioma of mixed type.No postoperative visual field damage or sensory aphasia was noted.One patient with dizziness before operation was completely relieved after operation.No recurrence of postoperative epilepsy after half a year of antiepileptic treatment was noted in one patient with preoperative epilepsy.All the 4 patients had no recurrence and no new symptom during the 2-18 months of follow-up.Conclusion The contralateral transfalcine transprecuneus approach is appropriate for most lesions of 2-4 cm in the atrium of the lateral ventricle,enjoying good safety and efficacy.

Spontaneous activity in medial orbitofrontal cortex correlates with trait anxiety in healthy male adults / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) abnormalities have been observed in various anxiety disorders. However, the relationship between mOFC activity and anxiety among the healthy population has not been fully examined. Here, we conducted a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) study with 56 healthy male adults from the Nathan Kline Institute/Rockland Sample (NKI-RS) to examine the relationship between the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) signals and trait anxiety across the whole brain. A Louvain method for module detection based on graph theory was further employed in the automated functional subdivision to explore subregional correlates of trait anxiety. The results showed that trait anxiety was related to fALFF in the mOFC. Additionally, the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the right subregions of the mOFC and the precuneus was correlated with trait anxiety. These findings provided evidence about the involvement of the mOFC in anxiety processing among the healthy population.

Functional connectivity analysis of different subtypes of Parkinson′s disease / 中华神经科杂志

Objective To investigate the changed brain areas of functional connectivity ( FC ) patterns of subthalamic nucleus ( STN) between different subtypes of Parkinson′s disease ( PD) and healthy controls and their clinical significance .Methods Twenty-three PD patients and 12 health controls were enrolled, and PD patients were divided into 11 tremor dominant PD patients and 12 postural instability and gait disorder (PIGD) dominant PD patients.The difference of whole-brain resting-state FC with STN among the three groups was investigated and the relationship between the changed areas and clinical symptoms was calculated.Results Compared with healthy controls , PIGD dominant group showed increased FC between STN and right calcarine and decreased FC between STN and right precuneus , and tremor dominant PD patients showed decreased FC between STN and precuneus , right angular gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus , while the FC strength between the STN and left middle frontal gyrus showed positive relationship with MMSE scores ( r=0.64, P=0.034 ) .Compared with tremor dominant PD patients , PIGD dominant patients showed increased FC in the area of left calcarine .Conclusions Decreased FC between STN and precuneus was gained in different subtypes of PD , and PIGD dominant patients showed increased FC between STN and calcarine.Changed areas based on the FC of STN in different subtypes of PD were found related with cognition and mood control .

Pilot Study on Resting-State Functional Connectivity under the Effects of Familial Loading in People at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis / 대한정신분열병학회지

OBJECTIVES: People at ultra-high risk for psychosis have heterogenous character and different long-term outcomes. We divided ultra-high risk subjects into two subgroups by presence of familial history and tried to find different pattern of functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) between the two groups in order to examine the effects familial loading. METHODS: Eleven subjects at clinical-high risk (CHR) group with familial history of psychiatric illness and nineteen subjects of CHR group without familial history were recruited. All the subjects were scanned using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. A posterior cingulate cortex was the seed region of the analysis, and the DMN of the both high risk group were analyzed with voxel-wise two sample T test. RESULTS: The CHR group with familial history showed greater functional connectivity in the precuneus area in contrast with the other high risk subjects (peak-level t=5.49, p<0.001). There were no significant differences in total score on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Scales of Psychosis-risk Syndrome between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that the abnormalities of functional connectivity between precuneus and posterior cingulate area may be associated with the genetic vulnerability of high risk trait.

Measurement of Precuneal and Hippocampal Volumes Using Magnetic Resonance Volumetry in Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with structural alterations in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and functional alterations in the posterior cortical region, especially in the early stages. However, it is unclear what mechanisms underlie these regional discrepancies or whether the posterior cortical hypometabolism reflects disconnection from the MTL lesion or is the result of local pathology. The precuneus, an area of the posteromedial cortex that is involved in the early stages of AD, has recently received a great deal of attention in functional neuroimaging studies. To assess the relationship between the precuneus and hippocampus in AD, we investigated the volumes of these two areas using a magnetic resonance volumetric method. METHODS: Twenty-three subjects with AD and 14 healthy age-matched controls underwent T1-weighted three-dimensional volumetric brain magnetic resonance imaging. Volumetric measurements were performed in the precuneus and hippocampus. RESULTS: Compared to controls, AD patients exhibited a significant reduction in total precuneal volume, which was more prominent on the right side, and significant bilateral reductions in hippocampal volume. No correlation was found between the total volumes of the precuneus and hippocampus in the AD group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that volumetric measurements of both the precuneus and hippocampus are useful radiological indices for the diagnosis of AD. Furthermore, the lack of correlation is attributable to local pathology rather than being a secondary consequence of MTL pathology.

Measurement of Precuneal and Hippocampal Volumes Using Magnetic Resonance Volumetry in Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with structural alterations in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and functional alterations in the posterior cortical region, especially in the early stages. However, it is unclear what mechanisms underlie these regional discrepancies or whether the posterior cortical hypometabolism reflects disconnection from the MTL lesion or is the result of local pathology. The precuneus, an area of the posteromedial cortex that is involved in the early stages of AD, has recently received a great deal of attention in functional neuroimaging studies. To assess the relationship between the precuneus and hippocampus in AD, we investigated the volumes of these two areas using a magnetic resonance volumetric method. METHODS: Twenty-three subjects with AD and 14 healthy age-matched controls underwent T1-weighted three-dimensional volumetric brain magnetic resonance imaging. Volumetric measurements were performed in the precuneus and hippocampus. RESULTS: Compared to controls, AD patients exhibited a significant reduction in total precuneal volume, which was more prominent on the right side, and significant bilateral reductions in hippocampal volume. No correlation was found between the total volumes of the precuneus and hippocampus in the AD group. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that volumetric measurements of both the precuneus and hippocampus are useful radiological indices for the diagnosis of AD. Furthermore, the lack of correlation is attributable to local pathology rather than being a secondary consequence of MTL pathology.