RESUMO
Objective To observe characteristics of the activity in resting brain of asymptomatic reflux esophagitis (RE) patients,and explore the role of default network in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.Methods Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to scan the brains of 15 asymptomatic RE patients,15 symptomatic RE patients and 15 healthy volunteers under no-mission-stimulation state.With fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF),characteristics of the strengthened and weakened regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were compared and analyzed.SPM 5 was applied for data preprocessing.Single-sample t test was performed to observe the noticeable active regions of each group under resting state,and then double-sample t test was used to compare the characteristics of active regions of the entire brain between asymptomatic RE patients and symptomatic RE patients or healthy individuals.Results Under resting state,the active brain regions of asymptomatic RE patients,symptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals were similar.The activity of only small part of brain regions in visceral sensory processing relevant networks changed.There was no significant difference in the active regions of default network under resting state between asymptomatic RE patients and healthy individuals.Compared with symptomatic RE patients,fALEF decreased at right central sulcus cover,right superior temporal gyrus,right insula,right transverse temporal gyrus,right postcentral gyrus,superior temporal gyrus and temporal pole (X=50,Y=-6,Z=12,t=2.7874,P＜0.01).Conclusion The difference in characteristics of activity in default network under resting state may play an important role in the pathogenesis of asymptomatic RE.