Brain Regional Homogeneity Changes in Cirrhotic Patients with or without Hepatic Encephalopathy Revealed by Multi-Frequency Bands Analysis Based on Resting-State Functional MRI

OBJECTIVE: To investigate brain regional homogeneity (ReHo) changes of multiple sub-frequency bands in cirrhotic patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy using resting-state functional MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study recruited 46 cirrhotic patients without clinical hepatic encephalopathy (noHE), 38 cirrhotic patients with clinical hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and 37 healthy volunteers. ReHo differences were analyzed in slow-5 (0.010−0.027 Hz), slow-4 (0.027−0.073 Hz), and slow-3 (0.073−0.198 Hz) bands. Routine analysis of (0.010−0.080 Hz) band was used as a benchmark. Associations of abnormal ReHo values in each frequency band with neuropsychological scores and blood ammonia level were analyzed. Pattern classification analyses were conducted to determine whether ReHo differences in each band could differentiate the three groups of subjects (patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy and healthy controls). RESULTS: Compared to routine analysis, more differences between HE and noHE were observed in slow-5 and slow-4 bands (p 12, overall corrected p < 0.05). Sub-frequency band analysis also showed that ReHo abnormalities were frequency-dependent (overall corrected p < 0.05). In addition, ReHo abnormalities in each sub-band were correlated with blood ammonia level and neuropsychological scores, especially in the left inferior parietal lobe (overall corrected p < 0.05 for all frequency bands). Pattern classification analysis demonstrated that ReHo differences in lower slow-5 and slow-4 bands (both p < 0.05) and higher slow-3 band could differentiate the three groups (p < 0.05). Compared to routine analysis, ReHo features in slow-4 band obtained better classification accuracy (89%). CONCLUSION: Cirrhotic patients showed frequency-dependent changes in ReHo. Sub-frequency band analysis is important for understanding HE and clinical monitoring.

Effects on the regional homogeneity of resting-state brain function in the healthy subjects of gastric distention treated with acupuncture at the front- and back- points of the stomach, Weishu (BL 21) and Zhongwan (CV 12) / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the regional homogeneity (ReHo) of resting-state brain function in the healthy subjects of gastric distention treated with acupuncture at the back- and front- points of the stomach, Weishu (BL 21) and Zhongwan (CV 12) and the correlation with gastric motility so as to explore the mechanism on the central integration of the front- and back- points of the stomach.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The crossover test design was adopted. Twenty-four healthy subjects were assigned to a Weishu group, a Zhongwan group and a combined-point group separately, 8 cases in each one in each of the three times. Totally, 24 subjects were included in each group. Under the water load condition, the subjects received acupuncture at Weishu (BL 21), Zhongwan (CV 12) and the combined Weishu (BL 21) and Zhongwan (CV 12). Before and after each acupuncture, the resting-state brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan and electrogastrogram (EGG) test were applied. The ReHo value was calculated in the collected fMRI imaging data. The changes in ReHo values were analyzed and compared before and after acupuncture in each group, as well as among the groups. The gastric motility was analyzed before and after acupuncture. Additionally, the correlative analysis was conducted between the gastric motility and ReHo changes before and after acupuncture.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) After acupuncture, EGG amplitudes in the subjects of each group were lower remarkably as compared with those before acupuncture (all <0.01). The EGG frequencies were not different significantly as compared with those before acupuncture (all >0.05). The EGG amplitudes in the Weishu group and the Zhongwan group were higher than those in the combined-point group (both <0.05). (2) As compared with the conditions before acupuncture, acupuncture at the combined front- and the back- points as well as Weishu (BL 21) and Zhongwan (CV 12) separately all induced the changes in the brain ReHo. Acupuncture at the combined front- and the back- points significantly increased Reho values in the right inferior temporal gyrus, the left thalamus, the precuneus and the posterior cingulate gyrus (all <0.05) and remarkably reduced the ReHo values in the the middle temporal gyrus of the right temporal pole, sulcus calcarinus and precuneus (all <0.05). Compared with the single point groups, acupuncture at the combined front- and the back- points induced the increase of ReHo value in the posterior cingulate gyrus and the decrease of ReHo in the temporal pole (all <0.05). (3) The correlative analysis showed that the changes in the ReHo values in the posterior cingulate gyrus, the thalamus and the precuneus were positively correlated to the changes of the gastric motility amplitudes. The changes in the ReHo values in the temporal pole was negatively correlated to the changes of the gastric motility amplitudes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture at the combined back- and front- points of the stomach, as well as acupuncture at single Weishu (BL 21) and Zhongwan (CV 12) induce the ReHo changes in the different brain regions. Acupuncture at the combined back- and front- points of the stomach may induce the ReHo changes in some new brain regions as compared with the acupuncture at the single point. The thalamus, the posterior cingulate gyrus and the precuneus may be the the important integrated brain regions for acupuncture at the back- and the front- points in regulating the gastric motility. The effects of acupuncture at the back- and the front- points for the regulation of the gastric motility are closely related to the thalamus, the limbic system and the default network of the brain regions.</p>

The Optimization in Sensorimotor System in Dancers: Evidences from Resting State fMRI / 中国运动医学杂志

Objective To explore the functional improvement of dancers' sensorimotor system after years of dance training.Methods Twenty-three dancers(the dance group) of more than 6 years of dancing experience and twenty-one college students (the control group) without any dance experience were recruited in this study.Then the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging(RS-fMRI) was conducted for both groups and the data were collected.Regional homogeneity (ReHo),fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) were compared between the two groups.Results Compared to the control group,significant increase was observed in the ReHo of the bilateral postcentral gyruses,the left superior temporal gyrus,the right precentral gyrus and the middle occipital gyrus and fALFF in the bilateral precentral gyruses of the dance group.Moreover,the connection between the right precentral gyrus and left precentral gyrus and the FC between the right precentral gyrus and bilateral postcentral gyrus enhanced significantly in the dance group compared to the control group.Conclusions The functional modulation of dancers' sensorimotor system may be associated with the long-term dancing experience,which may lead to the changes in action perception,memory processing,motor learning and movement control to enhance the formation of the mode to observe,implement and adjust complex actions.Our study has provided a supporting evidence for dancing-induced brain plasticity.

Relationship between regional homogeneity of male depressed patients and the severity of depression: a resting-state fMRI study / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the regional homogeneity (ReHo) feature of the spontaneous neural activity within young male depressed patients,and conduct correlation analysis of the abnormal regions with the severity of depressive symptoms.Methods 19 male depressed patients and 19 educated age-matched male healthy controls were undergone resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning at 3.0 Tesla.The whole brain' s regional homogeneity was calculated.The ReHo values of abnormal brain regions after alphasim correction were conducted correlation analysis with the total score of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression.Results As compared with the controls,the depressed patients exhibited significantly increased ReHo in the bilateral parahippocampal (-30,-42,-9:K=43:27,-33,-12:K=18) and the right posterior cingulate gyrus(3,15,33:K=54),while decreased ReHo in the right postcentral gyms (27,-36,54,K =21) (P＜0.05,Alphasim).The correlation analysis showed that the ReHo of the right parahippocampal gyrus was positively correlated with the HAMD17 total scores (r=0.535,P=0.018).Conclusions The male depressed patients exhibit abnormities in the limbicrelated brain regions during rest,and the extent of damage is correlated with the severity of depression.

Relationship between regional homogeneity of depressed patients and anxious symptoms: a resting-state fMRI study / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the differences of regional homogeneity(ReHo) in depressed patients with vary degrees of anxiety using resting-state function MRI,and the relationship vary degrees of anxiety symptoms.Methods 10 depressed patients with scores less than 1 in anxiety/somatization factor of Hamilton depression scale,10 depressed patients with scores above 2,and 10 age-,gender-,education-matched healthy controls were underwent resting-state fMRI scanning at 3.0 Tesla.Correlation analysis between ReHo with significant differences level of brain region and the total score of Hamilton depression scale,and anxiety/somatization factor were underwent respectively.Results The brain regions with significant difference level among three groups were the left posterior cerebellum(-39,-77,-29 ; K =15),the left angular gyrus (-56,-63,22 ; K =13) and the left anterior cingulate (-3,22,29 ; K =19) (P ＜ 0.05,Alphasim) ; compared with healthy group,the mild anxiety group showed significantly decreased ReHo in the left posterior cerebellum,and increased ReHo in the left anterior cingulate; the moderate and severe anxiety group showed significantly decreased ReHo in the left posterior cerebellum,and increased ReHo in the left anterior cingulate and the left angular gyrus; no significant differences were found in patient groups.In the mild anxiety group,the left anterior cingulate positively correlated with the anxiety severity(r=0.646,P=0.043),and in the severe anxiety group positively correlated with the somatic anxiety(r =0.693,P=0.038).Conclusion Depressed patients showed abnormal neural activity in resting state,and the degree of abnormality is associated with clinical anxiety/somatization symptoms.