难治性癫痫患者脑网络介数及其异常脑区间功能连接变化研究

Changes in betweenness in brain network and functional connectivity between brain regions with abnormal betweenness among patients with refractory epilepsy

目的基于图论的分析方法了解难治性癫痫患者脑功能网络介数属性变化,探讨介数异常脑区间功能连接改变的意义。方法采集难治性癫痫患者及健康被试RS-f MRI数据后,通过Gretna中Network Analysis模块预处理并计算出各脑区的介数值,经统计检验找出介数值有差异脑区;运用REST软件将上述脑区作为ROI两两之间做功能连接,经统计检验后找出脑区间差异的连接。结果与对照组相比,癫痫组介数值升高的脑区有右侧额下回三角部、右侧嗅皮质;介数值下降的脑区有右侧额上回背外侧、左侧额上回眶部、左侧前扣带回、右侧颞上回、右侧颞下回;与健康被试相比,额下回三角部与颞上回之间的连接降低。结论难治性癫痫患者脑功能网络介数属性及异常脑区间的功能连接改变,引起脑区间信息交流的障碍,可能导致癫痫患者认知功能的损伤。

Objective To investigate changes in the betweenness in brain network and the functional connectivity between brain re- gions with abnormal betweenness among patients with refractory epilepsy based on graph theory. Methods Resting-state functional mag- netic resonance imaging （RS-fMRI） was performed in patients with refractory epilepsy and healthy controls. The acquired RS-fMRI data were preprocessed with the Network Analysis module （Gretna） to calculate the betweenness value of each brain region. Statistical analysis was performed to detect the brain regions with differential betweenness values. The REST software was used to calculate the functional connectivity value between each pair of brain regions （regions of interest）. Statistical analysis was performed to detect the differential functional connectivity. Results In the patients with refractory epilepsy, the betweenness value increased in the right triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus and the right olfactory cortex and decreased in the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, the left orbital part of the superior frontal gyrus, the left anterior eingulate gyrus, the fight superior temporal gyrus, and the fight inferior temporal gyrus, as compared with the healthy controls. The functional connectivity between the triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus was lower in the patients with refractory epilepsy than in the healthy controls. Conclusions There are changes in the be- tweenness in brain network and the functional connectivity between brain regions with abnormal betweenness among patients with refractory epilepsy, which affects the information communication between brain regions and may cause cognitive impairment in epilepsy patients.