Functional Connectivity from Hypothalamus and Whole Brain Anisotropy in Patients with Dysphagia after Stroke: A Study with Magnetic Resonance Imaging / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the changes of the functional connectivity of hypothalamus and the whole brain anisotropy in patients with dysphagia after stroke using magnetic resonance imaging. Methods:From December, 2018 to December, 2019, 14 patients with dysphagia after stroke and 15 healthy controls matched in age, sex and dominant hemisphere were selected. The functional connections from bilateral hypothalamus were researched with resting-state functional nuclear magnetic resonance, and the correlation between functional connection and scores of Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) was analyzed. Meanwhile, the whole brain white matter integrity was observed with diffusion tensor imaging, and the fraction anisotropy (FA) was compared. Results:Compared with the controls, the functional connections from left hypothalamus to left precentral gyrus, left postcentral gyrus, left marginal lobe, left parietal lobe and left occipital lobe decreased in the patients; while the functional connections to left thalamus, left midbrain and right occipital lobe increased; the functional connections from right hypothalamus to right precentral gyrus, bilateral marginal lobe, bilateral superior temporal gyrus and right parietal lobe decreased; the functional connection to bilateral parietal lobe and bilateral occipital lobe increased. There was negative correlation of EAT-10 scores to functional connection from left hypothalamus to left precentral gyrus (r = -0.595, P = 0.025) and left postcentral gyrus (r = -0.934, P < 0.001), and positive correlation to functional connections from left hypothalamus to left parietal lobe (r = 0.583, P = 0.028) and from right hypothalamus to left occipital lobe (r = 0.630, P = 0.016). Compared with the controls, FA decreased in bilateral precentral gyrus, bilateral postcentral gyrus, bilateral frontal lobe, bilateral parietal lobe, bilateral occipital lobe, bilateral caudate nucleus, bilateral thalamus, right medulla, right superior temporal gyrus, right pontine and left posterior cerebellar lobe in the patients; while FA increased in bilateral anterior lobe of cerebellum and right cingulate gyrus. Conclusion:The motor and sensory cortices are important for swallowing. Patients with dysphagia after stroke may spend more attention and visual compensation. Impairment of white matter is found in swallowing cortex, subcortical structure and brainstem swallowing center in patients with dysphagia after stroke.