Study of the default mode network alteration after subacute pontine infarction using rs-fMRI / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the alteration and possible compensation mechanism of the default mode network (DMN) in patients with subacute pontine infarction.Methods Rs-fMRI data were collected from 23 patients with subacute pontine infarction and 23 normal controls.The data was analyzed with the functional connectivity (FC) method and compared between subacute pontine infarction patients and controls.All imaging was performed on a Philips Achieva 3.0T MRI scanner.Posterior cingulated cortox (PCC) was used as seed points to analyze the FC changes in the brain regions between the pontine infarction group and the controls.The discrepancies of experiment data between two groups were compared by using two-sample t-test analysis.Results The FC of the DMN showed a significant increase in the right postcentral gyrus, left medial prefrontal cortex and left precuneus compared with normal controls and a significant decrease in bilateral insula,posterior lobe of the left cerebellum,right parahippocampal gyrus and left inferior occipital gyrus.Conclusion The DMN altered in patients with subacute pontine infarction and the changes of the FC suggested the plasticity of cortical or compensation in the relevant brain areas.