Global Functional Network Connectivity Disturbances in Parkinson’s Disease with Mild Cognitive Impairment by Resting-State Functional MRI

Examining the spontaneous BOLD activity to understand the neural mechanism of Parkinson’s disease(PD)with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)is a focus in resting-state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)studies.This study aimed to investigate the alteration of brain functional connectivity in PD with MCI in a systematical way at two levels:functional connectivity analysis within resting state networks(RSNs)and functional network connectivity(FNC)analysis.Using group independent component analysis(ICA)on rs-fMRI data acquired from 30 participants(14 healthy controls and 16 PD patients with MCI),16 RSNs were identified,and functional connectivity analysis within the RSNs and FNC analysis were carried out between groups.Compared to controls,patients with PD showed decreased functional connectivity within putamen network,thalamus network,cerebellar network,attention network,and self-referential network,and increased functional connectivity within execution network.Globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC was observed in PD group,and insular network and execution network were the dominant network with extensively increased functional connectivity with other RSNs.Cerebellar network showed decreased functional connectivity with caudate network,insular network,and self-referential network.In general,decreased functional connectivity within RSNs and globally disturbed,mostly increased functional connectivity of FNC may be characteristics of PD.Increased functional connectivity within execution network may be an early marker of PD.The multi-perspective study based on RSNs may be a valuable means to assess functional changes corresponding to specific RSN,contributing to the understanding of the neural mechanism of PD.

Age-related connectivity differences between attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder patients and typically developing subjects：a resting-state functional MRI study

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder（ADHD） is a disorder characterized by behavioral symptoms including hyperactivity/impulsivity among children,adolescents,and adults.These ADHD related symptoms are influenced by the complex interaction of brain networks which were under explored.We explored age-related brain network differences between ADHD patients and typically developing（TD） subjects using resting state f MRI（rs-f MRI） for three age groups of children,adolescents,and adults.We collected rs-f MRI data from 184 individuals（27 ADHD children and 31 TD children;32 ADHD adolescents and 32 TD adolescents;and 31 ADHD adults and 31 TD adults）.The Brainnetome Atlas was used to define nodes in the network analysis.We compared three age groups of ADHD and TD subjects to identify the distinct regions that could explain age-related brain network differences based on degree centrality,a well-known measure of nodal centrality.The left middle temporal gyrus showed significant interaction effects between disease status（i.e.,ADHD or TD） and age（i.e.,child,adolescent,or adult）（P 0.001）.Additional regions were identified at a relaxed threshold（P 0.05）.Many of the identified regions（the left inferior frontal gyrus,the left middle temporal gyrus,and the left insular gyrus） were related to cognitive function.The results of our study suggest that aberrant development in cognitive brain regions might be associated with age-related brain network changes in ADHD patients.These findings contribute to better understand how brain function influences the symptoms of ADHD.

Vulnerable brain regions in adolescent major depressive disorder:A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Adolescent major depressive disorder(MDD)is a significant mental health concern that often leads to recurrent depression in adulthood.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)offers unique insights into the neural mechanisms underlying this condition.However,despite previous research,the specific vulnerable brain regions affected in adolescent MDD patients have not been fully elucidated.AIM To identify consistent vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients using rs-fMRI and activation likelihood estimation(ALE)meta-analysis.METHODS We performed a comprehensive literature search through July 12,2023,for studies investigating brain functional changes in adolescent MDD patients.We utilized regional homogeneity(ReHo),amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations(ALFF)and fractional ALFF(fALFF)analyses.We compared the regions of aberrant spontaneous neural activity in adolescents with MDD vs healthy controls(HCs)using ALE.RESULTS Ten studies(369 adolescent MDD patients and 313 HCs)were included.Combining the ReHo and ALFF/fALFF data,the results revealed that the activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus was lower in the adolescent MDD patients than in the HCs(voxel size:648 mm3,P<0.05),and no brain region exhibited increased activity.Based on the ALFF data,we found decreased activity in the right cuneus and left precuneus in adolescent MDD patients(voxel size:736 mm3,P<0.05),with no regions exhibiting increased activity.CONCLUSION Through ALE meta-analysis,we consistently identified the right cuneus and left precuneus as vulnerable brain regions in adolescent MDD patients,increasing our understanding of the neuropathology of affected adolescents.

Postpartum depression and major depressive disorder:the same or not?Evidence from resting-state functional MRI

Background Although postpartum depression(PPD)and non-peripartum major depressive disorder(MDD)occurring within and outside the postpartum period share many clinical characteristics,whether PPD and MDD are the same or not remains controversial.Methods The current study was devoted to identify the shared and different neural circuits between PPD and MDD by resting-state functionalmagnetic resonance imaging data from 77 participants(22 first-episodic drug-naleMDD,26 drug-nale PPD,and 29 healthy controls(HC)).Results Both the PPD andMDD groups exhibited higher fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(fALFF)in left temporal pole relative to the HC group;the MDD group showed specifically increased degree centrality in the right cerebellum while PPD showed specifically decreased fALFF in the left supplementary motor area and posterior middle temporal gyrus(pMTG_L),and specifically decreased functional connectivities between pMTG and precuneus and between left subgeneual anterior cingulate cortex(sgACC_L)and right sgACC.Moreover,sgACC and left thalamus showed abnormal regional homogeneity of functional activities between any pair of HC,MDD,and PPD.Conclusions These results provide initial evidence that PPD and MDD have common and distinct neural circuits,which may facilitate understanding the neurophysiological basis and precision treatment for PPD.

A review of functional MRI application for brain research of Chinese language processing

As one of the most widely used languages in the world,Chinese language is distinct from most western languages in many properties,thus providing a unique opportunity for understanding the brain basis of human language and cognition.In recent years,non-invasive neuroimaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)blaze a new trail to comprehensively study specific neural correlates of Chinese language processing and Chinese speakers.We reviewed the application of functional MRI(fMRI)in such studies and some essential findings on brain systems in processing Chinese.Specifically,for example,the application of task fMRI and resting-state fMRI in observing the process of reading and writing the logographic characters and producing or listening to the tonal speech.Elementary cognitive neuroscience and several potential research directions around brain and Chinese language were discussed,which may be informative for future research.

The development of brain functional connectivity networks revealed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Previous studies on brain functional connectivity networks in children have mainly focused on changes in function in specific brain regions, as opposed to whole brain connectivity in healthy children. By analyzing the independent components of activation and network connectivity between brain regions, we examined brain activity status and development trends in children aged 3 and 5 years. These data could provide a reference for brain function rehabilitation in children with illness or abnormal function. We acquired functional magnetic resonance images from 15 3-year-old children and 15 5-year-old children under natural sleep cond让ions. The participants were recruited from five kindergartens in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen City, China. The parents of the participants signed an informed consent form with the premise that they had been fully informed regarding the experimental protocol. We used masked independent component analysis and BrainNet Viewer software to explore the independent components of the brain and correlation connections between brain regions. We identified seven independent components in the two groups of children, including the executive control network, the dorsal attention network, the default mode network, the left frontoparietal network, the right frontoparietal network, the salience network, and the motor network. In the default mode network, the posterior cingulate cortex, medial frontal gyrus, and inferior parietal lobule were activated in both 3- and 5-year-old children, supporting the "three-brain region theory” of the default mode network. In the frontoparietal network, the frontal and parietal gyri were activated in the two groups of children, and functional connectivity was strengthened in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, although the nodes and network connections were not yet mature. The high-correlation network connections in the default mode networks and dorsal attention networks had been significantly strengthened in 5-year-olds vs. 3-year-olds. Further, the salience network in the 3-year-old children included an activated insula/inferior frontal gyrus-anterior cingulate cortex network circu让 and an activated thalamus-parahippocampal-posterior cingulate cortex-subcortical regions network circuit. By the age of 5 years, no des and high-correlation network connections (edges) were reduced in the salience network. Overall, activation of the dorsal attention network, default mode network, left frontoparietal network, and right frontoparietal network increased (the volume of activation increased, the signals strengthened, and the high-correlation connections increased and strengthened) in 5-year-olds compared with 3-year-olds, but activation in some brain nodes weakened or disappeared in the salience network, and the network connections (edges) were reduced. Between the ages of 3 and 5 years, we observed a tendency for function in some brain regions to be strengthened and for the generalization of activation to be reduced, indicating that specialization begins to develop at this time. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China with approval No. SIAT-IRB- 131115-H0075 on November 15, 2013.

Resting-state functional connectivity abnormalities in first-onset unmedicated depression

Depression is closely linked to the morphology and functional abnormalities of multiple brain regions; however, its topological structure throughout the whole brain remains unclear. We col- lected resting-state functional MRI data from 36 first-onset unmedicated depression patients and 27 healthy controls. The resting-state functional connectivity was constructed using the Auto- mated Anatomical Labeling template with a partial correlation method. The metrics calculation and statistical analysis were performed using complex network theory. The results showed that both depressive patients and healthy controls presented typical small-world attributes. Compared with healthy controls, characteristic path length was significantly shorter in depressive patients, suggesting development toward randomization. Patients with depression showed apparently abnormal node attributes at key areas in cortical-striatal-pallidal-thalamic circuits. In addition, right hippocampus and right thalamus were closely linked with the severity of depression. We se- lected 270 local attributes as the classification features and their P values were regarded as criteria for statistically significant differences. An artificial neural network algorithm was applied for classification research. The results showed that brain network metrics could be used as an effec- tive feature in machine learning research, which brings about a reasonable application prospect for brain network metrics. The present study also highlighted a significant positive correlation between the importance of the attributes and the intergroup differences; that is, the more sig- nificant the differences in node attributes, the stronger their contribution to the classification. Experimental findings indicate that statistical significance is an effective quantitative indicator of the selection of brain network metrics and can assist the clinical diagnosis of depression.

Brain activation and inhibition after acupuncture at Taichong and Taixi: resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Acupuncture can induce changes in the brain. However, the majority of studies to date have focused on a single acupoint at a time. In the present study, we observed activity changes in the brains of healthy volunteers before and after acupuncture atTaichong （LR3） andTaixi （KI3） using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Fifteen healthy volunteers underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain 15 minutes before acupuncture, then received acupuncture atTaichong andTaixi using the nail-pressing needle insertion method, after which the needle was retained in place for 30 minutes. Fifteen minutes after withdrawal of the needle, the volunteers underwent a further session of resting-state functional magnetic res-onance imaging, which revealed that the amplitude of low-frequency lfuctuation, a measure of spontaneous neuronal activity, increased mainly in the cerebral occipital lobe and middle occipital gyrus （Brodmann area 18/19）, inferior occipital gyrus （Brodmann area 18） and cuneus （Brodmann area 18）, but decreased mainly in the gyrus rectus of the frontal lobe （Brodmann area 11）, inferi-or frontal gyrus （Brodmann area 44） and the center of the posterior lobe of the cerebellum. The present ifndings indicate that acupuncture atTaichong andTaixi speciifcally promote blood lfow and activation in the brain areas related to vision, emotion and cognition, and inhibit brain areas related to emotion, attention, phonological and semantic processing, and memory.

An abnormal resting-state functional brain network indicates progression towards Alzheimer's disease

Brain structure and cognitive function change in the temporal lobe, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex of patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer＇s disease, and brain network-connection strength, network efficiency, and nodal attributes are abnormal. However, existing research has only analyzed the differences between these patients and normal controls. In this study, we constructed brain networks using resting-state functional MRI data that was extracted from four populations （nor- mal controls, patients with early mild cognitive impairment, patients with late mild cognitive impairment, and patients with Alzheimer＇s disease） using the Alzheimer＇s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative data set. The aim was to analyze the characteristics of resting-state functional neural networks, and to observe mild cognitive impairment at different stages before the transformation to Alzheimer＇s disease. Results showed that as cognitive deficits increased across the four groups, the shortest path in the rest- ing-state functional network gradually increased, while clustering coefficients gradually decreased. This evidence indicates that dementia is associated with a decline of brain network efficiency. In addi- tion, the changes in functional networks revealed the progressive deterioration of network function across brain regions from healthy elderly adults to those with mild cognitive impairment and AIz- heimer＇s disease. The alterations of node attributes in brain regions may reflect the cognitive functions in brain regions, and we speculate that early impairments in memory, hearing, and language function can eventually lead to diffuse brain injury and other cognitive impairments.

Effective doctor-patient communication skills training optimizes functional organization of intrinsic brain architecture:a restingstate functional MRI study

We studied the influence of doctor-patient communication skills training on brain functional architecture using resting-state functional MRI（rs-fMRI） with a regional homogeneity（ReHo） method. Ten medical students participated in the study. A 1-year long doctor-patient communication skills training program was conducted. RsfMRI data were collected at baseline, one month and one year after training. There was a significant increase in the communication skills test average scores between baseline and 1-month duration of training（P〈0.001）. After one month of communication skills training, medical students had decreased ReHo in the right superior temporal gyrus compared with the baseline. After one year of communication skills training, students had increased ReHo in multiple regions and decreased ReHo in several regions（P 〈0.05, Alphasim corrected）. The change of ReHo values in the superior temporal gyrus negatively correlated with the change of communication skills scale score between one month after communication skills training and baseline（r=-0.734, P= 0.036）. The training program we used can be an effective approach of improving doctor-patient communication skills, and the training resulted in functional plasticity of the brain’s architecture toward optimizing locally functional organization.

术中MRI指导下经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术治疗巨大无功能垂体腺瘤的疗效分析

目的探讨术中MRI指导下经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术治疗巨大(最大径>4 cm)无功能垂体腺瘤的疗效。方法回顾性分析2009年2月至2015年6月经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术治疗的24例巨大无功能垂体腺瘤的临床资料。术中使用MRI指导手术切除肿瘤。结果肿瘤最大直径4~5 cm有18例,>5 cm有6例。术中MRI扫描1次15例,2次6例,3次2例,4次1例;平均(1.5±0.8)次/例。肿瘤全切除18例,次全切除6例。术中发现脑脊液鼻漏2例,术后出现脑脊液鼻漏1例、一过性尿崩6例;未出现颅内感染、颅内血肿。术后随访3~60个月,平均45个月;术后视力及视野改善19例,头痛缓解11例;新发垂体功能低下3例,嗅觉功能障碍4例,肿瘤复发2例。结论术中MRI指导下经鼻蝶入路神经内镜手术是治疗巨大无功能垂体腺瘤安全有效的方式,能获得比较满意的疗效,手术安全性高、并发症少。

MRI功能成像联合血清学对鉴别前列腺病变性质的临床意义

目的探讨MRI功能成像联合血清学对鉴别前列腺病变性质的临床意义。方法回顾性选取2021年7月至2023年7月延安市人民医院收治的疑似前列腺癌(PCa)患者120例,均为男性,均行3.0T MRI常规扫描、弥散加权成像(DWI)扫描、磁共振波谱(MRS)成像扫描及病理检查。根据病理结果,将患者分为PCa组(53例)及良性组(67例)。PCa组年龄(63.19±4.72)岁,良性组年龄(61.75±4.54)岁。比较两组血清游离前列腺特异性抗原(fPSA)水平、总前列腺特异性抗原(tPSA)水平、MRI功能成像结果、病理结果及不同检查方式的诊断效能。采用独立样本t检验和χ^(2)检验。结果PCa组血清fPSA、tPSA水平均高于良性组(均P<0.05);MRI常规扫描诊断灵敏度为69.81%(37/53)、特异度为83.58%(56/67)、准确率为77.50%(93/120),DWI诊断灵敏度为75.47%(40/53)、特异度为88.06%(59/67)、准确率为82.50%(99/120),MRS诊断灵敏度为73.58%(39/53)、特异度为86.57%(58/67)、准确率为80.83%(97/120),血清学诊断灵敏度为71.70%(38/53)、特异度为86.57%(58/67)、准确率为80.00%(96/120),联合诊断灵敏度为94.34%(50/53)、特异度为83.58%(56/67)、准确率为88.33%(106/120);联合诊断灵敏度、阳性预测值均高于MRI功能成像、血清学单独应用,漏诊率低于MRI功能成像、血清学单独应用(均P<0.05)。结论MRI功能成像联合血清学对PCa具有一定诊断价值,可作为临床鉴别前列腺病变性质的有效检查方式。

Acupuncture at Waiguan (TE5) influences activation/deactivation of functional brain areas in ischemic stroke patients and healthy people A functional MRI study

In the present study, 10 patients with ischemic stroke in the left hemisphere and six healthy controls were subjected to acupuncture at right Waiguan （TE5）. In ischemic stroke subjects, functional MRI showed enhanced activation in Broadmann areas 5, 6, 7, 18, 19, 24, 32, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the mamiilary body, and the ventral posterolateral nucleus of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 4, 6, 7, 18, 19 and 32 of the right hemisphere, but attenuated activation of Broadmann area 13, the hypothalamic inferior lobe, the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum, and the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, in the left hemisphere and Broadmann area 13 in the right hemisphere. In ischemic stroke subjects, a number of deactivated brain areas were enhanced, including Broadmann areas 6, 11,20, 22, 37, and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, alae lingulae cerebella, and the posterior lobe of the tonsil of cerebellum of the left hemisphere, and Broadmann areas 8, 37, 45 and 47, the culmen of the anterior lobe of hypophysis, pars tuberalis adenohypophyseos, inferior border of lentiform nucleus, lateral globus pallidus, inferior temporal gyrus, and the parahippocampal gyrus of the right hemisphere. These subjects also exhibited attenuation of a number of deactivated brain areas, including Broadmann area 7. These data suggest that acupuncture at Waiguan specifically alters brain function in regions associated with sensation, vision, and motion in ischemic stroke patients. By contrast, in normal individuals, acupuncture at Waiguan generally activates brain areas associated with insomnia and other functions.

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).

Functional MRI activation of primary and secondary motor areas in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND： Functional MRI （fMRI） demonstrates the localization of hand representation in the motor cortex, thereby providing feasible noninvasive mapping of functional activities in the human brain. OBJECTIVE： To observe cortical activation within different cortical motor regions during repetitive hand movements in healthy subjects through the use of fMRI. DESIGN： An observational study, with each subject acting as his own control. SETTING： Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. PARTICIPANTS： Seven healthy volunteers, 4 males and 3 females, aged 19 to 38 years, participated in the study. All subjects were right-handed, with no neurological or psychological disorders. Informed written consent was obtained from all subjects, and the study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. METHODS： The study was performed at the Department of Radiology between June-August 2005. A 1.5 Tesla Siemens MRI scanner （Symphony, Germany） was used to acquire T1-weighted structural images, which were oriented parallel to the line running through the anterior and the posterior commissures. Subjects were instructed on a task and were allowed to practice briefly prior to the imaging procedure. The motor activation task consisted of the right hand performing a clenching movement. The T1-W images were acquired from six alternating epochs of rest and activation from all seven healthy subjects. Data were collected with echoplanar imaging of brain oxygen level dependent （BOLD） sequence. Each series comprised six cycles of task performance （30 seconds）, alternating with rest （30 seconds） periods, and 3-second time intervals. The differences between active and baseline fMRI imaging were calculated using the student t-test. Differential maps were overlaid on the high resolution TI-W structural image for neuroanatomical correlation of activation areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The omega-shaped hand knobs were recognized on T1-W structural images. Active signal changes in the primary （M1） and secondary motor （M2） areas, as well as the relationship between the hand knobs and M1 area activation, were analyzed. Region of interest was selected for signal change quantitative graphic analysis. RESULTS： All 7 enrolled volunteers were included in the final analysis. In the present study, hand knob structures were recognized on T1-weighted images in all subjects and were omega-shaped in the axial plane. Significant functional activations were observed in the contralateral primary motor area of all subjects. Activation signals were distributed mainly in the central sulcus around the hand knob. The contralateral primary sensory （S1） cortex was activated in most cases, and ipsilateral M1 was activated in 3 subjects. Contralateral or bilateral supplementary motor area （SMA） was also activated in 6 cases. Premotor area, or super parietal lobe, was activated in two subjects. Three-dimensional reconstruction demonstrated that the active signal of M1 was primarily located at the middle-lateral surface of the contralateral precentral gyrus in Brodman＇s area 4, and the signal of SMA activation was located in the mesial surface of the premotor area. CONCLUSION： The knob structure of the precentral gyrus is the representative motor area for hand movement. The cerebral cortical motor network was extensively activated during voluntary hand movements in normal subjects. In alert, conscious human subjects, the activated fMRI signal safely and non-invasively localized and lateralized the motor cortical activity associated with simple voluntary repetitive hand movements. Whether higher cognitive functions, such as perception and speech, can be similarly mapped using the fMRI technique and the BOLD method remains to be determined in future well-designed human studies.

Activated and deactivated functional brain areas in the Deqi state: A functional MRI study

We compared the activities of functional regions of the brain in the Deqi versus non-Deqi state, as reported by physicians and subjects cludng acupuncture, Twelve healthy volunteers received sham and true needling at the Waiguan （TE5） acupoint. Real-time cerebral functional MRI showed that compared with non-sensation after sham needling, true needling activated Brodmann areas 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 20, 21, 37, 39, 40, 43, and 47, the head of the caudate nucleus, the parahippocampal gyrus, thalamus and red nucleus. True needling also deactivated Brodmann areas 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. 10. 18.24.31.40 and 46.

A central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture for migraine An ongoing functional MRI study

Shaoyang acupoints are the most frequently used in migraine treatment. However, the central anal- gesic mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that single stimulus of the verum acupuncture in healthy subjects can induce significant connectivity or activity changes in pain- related central networks compared with sham acupuncture. However, these findings are not indicative of the central analgesic mechanism of acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints. Thus, we recruited 100 migraine sufferers and randomly assigned them into five groups： Shaoyang uncommon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, non-acupoint control, and blank control groups. Subjects were subjected to evaluation of curative effects and functional MRI prior to and after 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. All subjects were diagnosed by physicians and enrolled following clinical physical examination. Subjects were observed during 1-4 weeks after inclusion. At the fifth week, the first clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI were conducted. The Shaoyang uncom- mon acupoint, Shaoyang common acupoint, Yangming uncommon acupoint, and non-acupoint control grousp then were treated with acupuncture, five times per week, 20 times in total over 4 weeks. The second and third clinical evaluations and resting functional MRI screenings were conducted following 10 and 20 acupuncture treatments. The blank control group was observed during the 5 to 8 week pe- riod, followed by clinical evaluation and resting functional MRI. The aim of this study was to examine changes in brain functional activity and central networks in subjects with migraine undergoing acu- puncture at Shaoyang uncommon acupoints. This study provides a further explanation of the central analgesic mechanism by which acupuncture at Shaoyang acupoints treats migraine,

Estimating Brain Functional Networks Based on Spatiotemporal Higher-Order Correlations for Autism Identification

Brain functional network (BFN) has become an important tool for the analysis and diagnosis of brain diseases, and how to build a high-quality BFN based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has become a growing concern in the neuroscience community. Although some methods have been proposed to construct a high-quality BFN, they only encode the spatial characteristics of the ROIs, ignoring the temporal characteristics. As a result, it becomes challenging to accurately capture the true state of the brain. To address this problem, we propose a novel method to construct a higher-order BFN, considering both temporal and spatial domain characteristics. In particular, we get the characteristics of the temporal domain by differentiating the rs-fMRI signal itself, and then we integrate the information of the spatial domain and temporal domain to build a high-order BFN. To evaluate the proposed method, we conduct our experiments on ABIDE database to identify subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from normal controls. Experimental results show that our method can achieve higher performance than baseline methods.

Evaluating rehabilitation interventionsin Parkinson's disease with functional MRI:a promising neuroprotective strategy

Parkinson＇s disease （PD） is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 10 million people world- wide （Planetta et al., 2014; Zigmond and Smeyne, 2014）. The principal clinical features of PD are bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor at rest and postural instability （Planetta et al., 2014）. It is known that both PD itself and the use of anti-parkinson drugs are associated with several non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, neuropsychiatric disturbances and sleep, autonomic, and sensory disorders （Park and Stacy, 2009; Foster et al., 2014）. The histopathological hallmark of PD is the reduction of dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta, causing dopamine deficiency in spe- cific nuclei of the basal ganglia such as the dorsal striatum （Fearnley and Lees, 1991; Planetta et al., 2014）. The disrup- tion of the dopaminergic system has long been regarded as the major cause of PD; however, it has been shown that a widespread involvement of several non-dopaminergic path- ways also contribute to the clinical manifestations of PD （Park et al., 2014）.

The brain activation pattern of the medial temporal lobe during chewing gum: a functional MRI study

The human brain is known to be influenced by environmental stimuli（Feeney et al.,1982;Kaplan,1988）.Therefore,research on the brain activation pattern by external stimuli has been an important topic in neuroscience（Kaplan,1988）.Chewing gum has been known to have a positive effect on cognition,including alertness,attention,cognitive processing speed,