Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment (Jan 2020)

Abnormal Baseline Brain Activity in Neuromyelitis Optica Patients Without Brain Lesion Detected by Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

  • Liu Y,
  • Xiong H,
  • Li X,
  • Zhang D,
  • Yang C,
  • Yu J,
  • Liao R,
  • Zhou B,
  • Huang X,
  • Tang Z

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 16
pp. 71 – 79

Abstract

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Yi Liu,1,* Hua Xiong,2,3,* Xiaojiao Li,2,3 Dan Zhang,2,3 Chao Yang,2,3 Jiayi Yu,2,3 Ruikun Liao,2,3 Bi Zhou,2,3 Xianlong Huang,2,3 Zhuoyue Tang2,3 1Department of Radiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400014, People’s Republic of China; 3Molecular and Functional Imaging Laboratory, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400014, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhuoyue TangDepartment of Radiology, Chongqing General Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 104 Pipashan Main Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing 400014, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: To investigate the baseline brain activity in neuromyelitis optica patients without brain lesion using the regional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) as indexes.Materials and methods: Forty-two patients of NMO with normal performance in conventional MRI and 42 healthy controls, matched in gender and age, were enrolled in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data acquired using the rs-fMRI Data Analysis Toolkit. The relationships between expanded disability states scale (EDSS) scores, abnormal baseline brain activity and disease duration were explored.Results: The left inferior temporal, left cerebellum_4_5, bilateral superior temporal pole, left caudate, right superior temporal, left middle frontal and left superior occipital showed significantly increased ALFF in the NMO. Regions of abnormal fALFF were similar to those of ALFF except that increased fALFF were also indicated in the right cerebellum crus2, right hippocampus, left parahippocampal gyrus and left supplementary motor area. Furthermore, a significant correlation between EDSS scores and ALFF/fALFF was noted in the left inferior temporal gyrus.Conclusion: Results confirmed the disturbances in NMO-related neural networks, which probably be related to spinal cord damage.Keywords: neuromyelitis optica, magnetic resonance imaging, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, rs-fMRI

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