Increased regional homogeneity in internet addiction disorder： a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background Internet addition disorder （lAD） is currently becoming a serious mental health problem among Chinese adolescents. The pathogenesis of lAD, however, remains unclear. The purpose of this study applied regional homogeneity （ReHo） method to analyze encephalic functional characteristic of lAD college students under resting state. Methods Functional magnetic resonanc image （fMRI） was performed in 19 lAD college students and 19 controls under resting state. ReHo method was used to analyze the differences between the average ReHo in two groups. Results The following increased ReHo brain regions were found in lAD group compared with control group： cerebellum, brainstem, right cingulate gyrus, bilateral parahippocampus, right frontal lobe （rectal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus）, left superior frontal gyrus, left precuneus, right postcentral gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus. The decreased ReHo brain regions were not found in the lAD group compared with the control group. Conclusions There are abnormalities in regional homogeneity in lAD college students compared with the controls and enhancement of synchronization in most encephalic regions can be found. The results reflect the functional change of brain in lAD college students. The connections between the enhancement of synchronization among cerebellum, brainstem, limbic lobe, frontal lobe and apical lobe may be relative to reward pathways.

Altered regional homogeneity in post-traumatic stress disorder: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Objective Little is known about the brain systems that contribute to vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder （PTSD）. Comparison of the resting-state patterns of intrinsic functional synchronization, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI）, between groups with and without PTSD following a traumatic event can help identify the neural mechanisms of the disorder and targets for intervention. Methods Fifty-four PTSD patients and 72 matched traumatized subjects who experienced the 2008 Sichuan earthquake were imaged with blood oxygen level-dependent （BOLD） fMRI and analyzed using the measure of regional homogeneity （ReHo） during the resting state. Results PTSD patients presented enhanced ReHo in the left inferior parietal lobule and right superior frontal gyrus, and reduced ReHo in the right middle temporal gyrus and lingual gyrus, relative to traumatized individuals without PTSD. Conclusion Our findings showed that abnormal brain activity exists under resting conditions in PTSD patients who had been exposed to a major earthquake. Alterations in the local functional connectivity of cortical regions are likely to contribute to the neural mechanisms underlying PTSD.

Effect and cerebral mechanism of moxibustion at heat-sensitized Yaoyangguan(GV3)in patients with lumbar disc herniation and myofascial pain syndrome by resting-state functionality magnetic resonance imaging:protocol for an observational study

We want to explore the analgesic brain effect of the moxibustion at heat-sensitized Yaoyangguan(GV3)in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH)and myofascial pain syndrome(MPS).In an assessor-blinded observational study,we will include 15 LDH and 15 MPS.They will accept same treatment of heat-sensitive moxibustion at Yaoyangguan(GV3).The resting-state functionality magnetic resonance imaging image data of brain activities before and after treatment will be analyzed by mean fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation,regional homogeneity analysis and brain functional connection.We select seed of first sensory cortex,second sensory cortex,insula cortex,periaqueductal gray and anterior cingulate cortex as the regions of interest to analyse the relationship between brain functional connectivity of pain-related networks and clinical data.Our study could disclose key brain targets and central response characteristics of the analgesic brain effect and the brain functional connection of heat-sensitive moxibustion.

Modulatory effect of International standard Scalp Acupuncture on brain activation in the elderly as revealed by resting-state fMRI

The specific mechanisms by which acupuncture affects the central nervous system are unclear. In the International Standard Scalp Acupuncture system, acupuncture needles are applied at the middle line of the vertex, anterior parietal-temporal oblique line, and the posterior parietal-temporal oblique line. We conducted a single-arm prospective clinical trial in which seven healthy elderly volunteers (three men and four women;50–70 years old) received International Standard Scalp Acupuncture at MS5 (the mid-sagittal line between Baihui (DU20) and Qianding (DU21)), the left MS6 (line joining Sishencong (EX-HN1) and Xuanli (GB6)), and the left MS7 (line joining DU20 and Qubin (GB7)). After acupuncture, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated changes in the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity in various areas, showing remarkable enhancement of regional homogeneity in the bilateral anterior cingulate, left medial frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, and inferior frontal gyrus. Functional connectivity based on a seed region at the right middle frontal gyrus (42, 51, 9) decreased at the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus. Our data preliminarily indicates that the international standard scalp acupuncture in healthy elderly participants specifcally enhances the correlation between the brain regions involved in cognition and implementation of the brain network regulation system and the surrounding adjacent brain regions. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the China-Japan Union Hospital at Jilin University, China, on July 18, 2016 (approval No. 2016ks043).

Altered regional brain activity and functional connectivity in primary intravaginal anejaculation patients revealed by resting-state fMRI

Ejaculation is regulated by the central nervous system.However,the central pathophysiology of primary intravaginal anejaculation(PIAJ)is unclear.The present study aimed to examine the changes in regional brain activity and functional connectivity underlying PIAJ.A total of 20 PIAJ patients and 16 healthy controls(HCs)were enrolled from September 2020 to September 2022 in the Department of Andrology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital(Nanjing,China).Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from all participants and then were preprocessed.The measures of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and functional connectivity(FC)were calculated and compared between the groups.PIAJ patients showed increased fALFF values in the left precuneus compared with HCs.Additionally,PIAJ patients showed increased ReHo values in the left precuneus,left postcentral gyrus,left superior occipital gyrus,left calcarine fissure,right precuneus,and right middle temporal gyrus,and decreased ReHo values in the left inferior parietal gyrus,compared with HCs.Finally,brain regions with altered fALFF and ReHo values in PIAJ patients showed increased FC with widespread cortical regions,which included the frontal,parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,compared with HCs.In conclusion,increased regional brain activity in the parietal,temporal,and occipital regions,and increased FC between these brain regions,may be associated with PIAJ occurrence.

网络游戏成瘾患者脑功能异常静息态功能磁共振成像研究

目的采用局部一致性(regional homogeneity,ReHo)和功能连接(functional connectivity,FC)相结合的方法探究网络游戏成瘾(Internet gaming disorder,IGD)患者静息状态下的脑局部固有连接的改变。材料与方法对44例IGD患者和49例年龄、性别、受教育年限相匹配的健康对照者进行静息态功能磁共振成像(resting state-functional magnetic resonance imaging,rs-fMRI)检查。计算并比较两组的ReHo值,以检测IGD患者脑内局部连接的改变;以ReHo值异常的脑区进行功能连接,以得到不同脑区间连接性的改变。采用网络成瘾测试(Internet Addiction Test,IAT)评估IGD的严重程度。Pearson相关分析用于评估具有ReHo改变的脑区域与IAT评分之间的关系。结果IGD组双侧内侧额上回、双侧背外侧额上回、左侧辅助运动区、右侧额中回ReHo增加;左侧枕下回、左侧枕中回、左侧舌回、左侧距状裂周围皮层、左侧梭状回、左侧颞上回以及左侧小脑ReHo值减低(体素水平P<0.005,团块水平P<0.05,高斯随机场校正)。IGD组右侧背外侧额上回与右侧额上回、双侧辅助运动区、右侧中央前回的功能连接性增加(体素水平P<0.005,团块水平P<0.05,高斯随机场校正)。此外,左侧距状裂周围皮层ReHo值与IAT评分呈负相关(r=-0.340,P=0.024)。结论在前额叶皮层、颞枕叶皮层局部连接发生改变,可能表明IGD的认知控制和奖励处理以及视觉、听觉网络已受到影响。此外,左侧距状裂周围皮层ReHo值与IAT评分呈负相关,可能为IGD的神经病理机制提供新的认识。

Dopamine D4 Receptor Gene Associated with the Frontal-Striatal-Cerebellar Loop in Children with ADHD: A Resting-State fMRI Study

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder（ADHD）is a common childhood neuropsychiatric disorder that has been linked to the dopaminergic system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of regulation of the dopamine D4 receptor（DRD4） on functional brain activity during the resting state in ADHD children using the methods of regional homogeneity（Re Ho） and functional connectivity（FC）. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed in 49 children with ADHD. All participants were classified as either carriers of the DRD44-repeat/4-repeat（4 R/4 R） allele（n = 30） or the DRD42-repeat（2 R） allele（n = 19）. The results showed that participants with the DRD4 2 R allele had decreased Re Ho bilaterally in the posterior lobes of the cerebellum, while Re Ho was increased in the left angular gyrus. Compared with participants carrying the DRD4 4 R/4 R allele, those with the DRD4 2 R allele showed decreased FC to the left angular gyrus in the left striatum, right inferior frontal gyrus, and bilateral lobes of the cerebellum. The increased FC regions included the left superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus, and rectus gyrus. These data suggest that the DRD4 polymorphisms are associated with localized brain activity and specific functional connections, including abnormality in the frontal-striatal-cerebellar loop. Our study not only enhances the understanding of the correlation between the cerebellar lobes and ADHD, but also provides an imaging basis for explaining the neural mechanisms underlying ADHD in children.

Alterations of brain local functional connectivity in amnestic mild cognitive impairment

Background:Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies using a regional homogeneity(ReHo)method have reported that amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI)was associated with abnormalities in local functional connectivity.However,their results were not conclusive.Methods:Seed-based d Mapping was used to conduct a coordinate-based meta-analysis to identify consistent ReHo alterations in aMCI.Results:We identified 10 studies with 11 datasets suitable for inclusion,including 378 patients with aMCI and 435 healthy controls.This meta-analysis identified significant ReHo alterations in patients with aMCI relative to healthy controls,mainly within the default mode network(DMN)(bilateral posterior cingulate cortex[PCC],right angular gyrus,bilateral middle temporal gyri,and left parahippocampal gyrus/hippocampus),executive control network(right superior parietal lobule and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex),visual network(right lingual gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus),and sensorimotor network(right paracentral lobule/supplementary motor area,right postcentral gyrus and left posterior insula).Significant heterogeneity of ReHo alterations in the bilateral PCC,left parahippocampal gyrus/hippocampus,and right superior parietal lobule/angular gyrus was observed.Exploratory meta-regression analyses indicated that general cognitive function,gender distribution,age,and education level partially contributed to this heterogeneity.Conclusions:This study provides provisional evidence that aMCI is associated with abnormal ReHo within the DMN,executive control network,visual network,and sensorimotor network.These local functional connectivity alterations suggest coexistence of functional deficits and compensation in these networks.These findings contribute to the modeling of brain functional connectomes and to a better understanding of the neural substrates of aMCI.Confounding factors merit much attention and warrant future investigations.

Effects of methylphenidate on resting-state brain activity in normal adults: an fMRI study

Methylphenidate （MPH） is one of the most commonly used stimulants for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder （ADHD）. Although several studies have evaluated the effects of MPH on human brain activation during specific cognitive tasks using functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI）, few studies have focused on spontaneous brain activity. In the current study, we investigated the effect of MPH on the intra-regional synchronization of spontaneous brain activity during the resting state in 18 normal adult males. A handedness questionnaire and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale were applied before medication, and a resting-state fMRI scan was obtained 1 h after medication （20 mg MPH or placebo, order counterbalanced between participants）. We demonstrated that： （1） there were no significant differences in the performance of behavioral tasks between the MPH and placebo groups; （2） the left middle and superior temporal gyri had stronger MPH-related regional homogeneity （ReHo）; and （3） the left lingual gyrus had weaker MPH-related ReHo. Our findings showed that the ReHo in some brain areas changes with MPH compared to placebo in normal adults, even though there are no behavioral differences. This method can be applied to patients with mental illness who may be treated with MPH, and be used to compare the difference between patients taking MPH and normal participants, to help reveal the mechanism of how MPH works.

Altered brain activity in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy with a monotherapy:a resting-state fMRI study

Background:Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy(JME)is the most common syndrome of idiopathic generalized epilepsy.Although resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)studies have found thalamocortical circuit dysfunction in patients with JME,the pathophysiological mechanism of JME remains unclear.In this study,we used three complementary parameters of rs-fMRI to investigate aberrant brain activity in JME patients in comparison to that of healthy controls.Methods:Rs-fMRI and clinical data were acquired from 49 patients with JME undergoing monotherapy and 44 ageand sex-matched healthy controls.After fMRI data preprocessing,the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF),regional homogeneity(ReHo),and degree centrality(DC)were calculated and compared between the two groups.Correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between local brain abnormalities and clinical features in JME patients.Results:Compared with the controls,the JME patients exhibited significantly decreased fALFF,ReHo and DC in the cerebellum,inferior parietal lobe,and visual cortex(including the fusiform and the lingual and middle occipital gyri),and increased DC in the right orbitofrontal cortex.In the JME patients,there were no regions with reduced ReHo compared to the controls.No significant correlation was observed between regional abnormalities of fALFF,ReHo or DC,and clinical features.Conclusions:We demonstrated a wide range of abnormal functional activity in the brains of patients with JME,including the prefrontal cortex,visual cortex,default mode network,and cerebellum.The results suggest dysfunctions of the cerebello-cerebral circuits,which provide a clue on the potential pathogenesis of JME.

静息态脑功能成像在青少年网络成瘾中的初步研究

目的运用静息态脑功能磁共振成像局部一致性(ReHo)方法探索网络成瘾(internet addiction,IA)青少年静息态脑功能的变化。资料与方法采用3.0TMRI对18名IA青少年和18名年龄、性别相匹配的正常对照组进行静息态脑功能扫描。采用静息态功能磁共振数据处理工具包(DPARSF)进行数据预处理和ReHo分析,采用双样本t检验分析,P<0.001,体素个数>10个被认为有统计学意义。结果在静息状态下,与正常组比较,IA组以下脑区ReHo降低有统计意义,包括右侧海马旁回、右侧舌回、左侧脑岛、右侧中央后回和左侧顶下小叶。结论 IA青少年静息状态下脑默认网络与正常对照组存在差异,这可能为研究IA的发病机制提供新的依据。

网络游戏成瘾的磁共振研究进展

网络游戏成瘾(internet game addiction,IGA)给青少年带来的各种行为异常、心理及人格障碍以及神经功能紊乱等消极后果,越来越多地引起了心理学家、医务工作者、教育工作者及全社会的普遍关注。本文通过回顾分析文献就功能磁共振基本原理及应用、网络游戏成瘾脑结构和脑功能磁共振研究三方面综述网络游戏成瘾的研究进展。

槟榔依赖者动态脑自发活动特征及其与临床特征的相关性

目的探讨槟榔依赖(BQD)者脑自发活动的动态特征及其与临床特征的相关性。方法招募海南省人民医院2019年4至12月53名单纯BQD嚼食者(BQD组)[男37名,女16名,年龄20~58(38±11)岁]及37名健康对照者(对照组)[男24名,女13名,年龄23~57(42±12)岁]。受试者行静息态功能磁共振成像(rs-fMRI)检测并分析其数据。采用滑动时间窗方法计算所有受试者rs-fMRI指标动态特征,包括动态低频振幅(ALFF)、动态局部一致性(ReHo)、动态度中心性(DC),分析比较两组间性别、年龄、动态ReHo等参数。采用Pearson相关分析动态指标与BQD组的槟榔依赖程度评分(BQDS)、病程之间的关系。结果与对照组相比,BQD组左侧眶部前额皮质(0.138±0.041比0.171±0.070)、右侧颞上回(0.277±0.070比0.319±0.086)、右侧顶下小叶(0.223±0.052比0.259±0.088)的动态ALFF减低(均P<0.05),右侧颞下回(0.055±0.008比0.061±0.009)、左侧眶部前额皮质(0.058±0.005比0.063±0.008)、右侧额下回(0.081±0.006比0.087±0.011)、右侧枕上回(0.056±0.007比0.062±0.008)、左侧中央前回(0.068±0.008比0.074±0.008)、左侧额上回(0.058±0.008比0.064±0.009)的动态ReHo减低(均P<0.05),右侧楔前叶(0.095±0.009比0.089±0.008)的动态ReHo增高(P<0.05)。BQD组与对照组动态度中心性差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。动态ALFF的3个差异脑区(r=-0.104、-0.015、-0.119)和动态ReHo的7个差异脑区(r=-0.099、-0.141、-0.055、-0.078、-0.027、-0.111、-0.090)与BQDS、动态ALFF的3个差异脑区(r=-0.122、-0.095、-0.171)和动态ReHo的7个差异脑区与病程(r=0.242、-0.252、0.035、0.056、0.047、0.081、0.169)均无相关性(均P>0.05)。结论BQD嚼食者出现了以前额皮质为主的多个脑区的动态ReHo和(或)ALFF减低,右侧楔前叶动态ReHo值升高。