Brain network functional connectivity as unilateral or bilateral upper limb training for patients with upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke: study with functional near-infrared spectroscopy / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo compare the functional connectivity of brain networks in stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction during unilateral or bilateral upper limb movement using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). MethodsFrom April to June, 2021, 40 stroke patients with upper limb motor dysfunction in Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Huashan Hospital, finished unilateral (affected) and bilateral upper limb movement. Eight-minute fNIRS data were collected before and after movement, and the functional activities and connectivity of prefrontal cortex (PFC), upper limb and hand functional area (H), primary sensory cortex (S1) were analyzed based on oxygenated hemoglobin. ResultsFunctional activities increased in affected H after unilateral task (t = -3.135, P < 0.05), while the functional connectivity increased between affected H and affected S1, affected H and unaffected S1, and affected S1 and unaffected S1 (|t| > 3.218, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the functional activities and connectivity of all the areas after bilateral upper limb task (|t| < 2.385, P > 0.05). The improvement of affected H was more after unilateral task than after bilateral upper limb task (t = 2.026, P < 0.05). ConclusionUnilateral affected upper limb training is more effective on functional activities and connectivity for corresponding brain regions than bilateral task.

Effect of acupuncture on pain-emotion related brain regions in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type: a fMRI study / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the changes of functional connectivity of brain pain-emotion regulation region in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).@*METHODS@#Thirty-two subjects were selected. Of them, 16 patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type were divided into an observation group and 16 healthy subjects into a control group. The patients in the observation group were treated with acupuncture at Tianzhu (BL 10), Jingbailao (EX-HN 15), Jianzhongshu (SI 15) and @*RESULTS@#In the observation group, the VAS score was (1.94±1.12) after the treatment, which was lower than (5.62±1.20) before treatment (@*CONCLUSION@#Pain involves the formation and expression of "pain-emotion-cognition". Acupuncture can systematically regulate the brain functional connections between cognitive regions such as dorsal prefrontal lobe and anterior cingulate gyrus and emotional regions such as insula and VTA in patients with cervical spondylosis of cervical type, suggesting that acupuncture has a multi-dimensional and comprehensive regulation effect on pain.

Brain functional connectivity of functional magnetic resonance imaging of patients with early-onset schizophrenia / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Objective To detect whether and where brain functional connectivity exists in the resting state of patients with early-onset schizophrenia by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods Nineteen early-onset schizophrenic patients were diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) of American Psychiatric Association. The 19 early-onset schizophrenic patients and another 19 healthy volunteers underwent fMRI in resting state. Cingulate gyrus was selected as region of interest and the difference was analyzed in the cingulate gyrus functional connectivity pattern between the 19 patients with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) and 19 matched controls using resting-state fMRI. A two-sample t test was performed on the individual in a voxel by voxel manner. Results Statistical map was set a combined threshold of P＜0.005 and the number of voxel>20. Functional connectivity in the resting state was abnormal in the patients,including decreased functional connectivity and increased functional connectivity. The abnormal area was distributed all over the brain. The brain area with decreased functional connectivity included bilateral posterior cerebellar lobes, superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, gyrus rectus,hippocampus, cuneus gyrus,fusiform gyrus,middle occipital gyrus,inferior occipital gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus,right middle temporal gyrus, and right angular gyrus. The brain area with increased functional connectivity included left middle temporal and left inferior temporal gyrus. Conclusion Abnormal cingulate gyrus functional connectivity of schizophrenia might exist in the resting state. Resting state fMRI is important for the research of schizophrenia.