Correlation between cerebral cortex changes and clinical features in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder with normal-appearing brain tissue:a case-control study

Neuro myelitis optica spectrum disorder(NMOSD) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system.However,whether and how cortical changes occur in NMOSD with normal-appearing brain tissue,or whether any cortical changes correlate with clinical chara cteristics,is not completely clear.The current study recruited 43 patients with NMOSD who had normal-appearing brain tissue and 45 healthy controls matched for age,sex,and educational background from December 2020 to February 2022.A surface-based morphological analysis of high-resolution T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images was used to calculate the cortical thickness,sulcal depth,and gyrification index.Analysis showed that cortical thickness in the bilate ral rostral middle frontal gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus was lower in the patients with NMOSD than in the control participants.Subgroup analysis of the patients with NMOSD indicated that compared with those who did not have any optic neuritis episodes,those who did have such episodes exhibited noticeably thinner cortex in the bilateral cuneus,superior parietal co rtex,and pericalcarine co rtex.Correlation analysis indicated that co rtical thickness in the bilateral rostral middle frontal gyrus was positively correlated with scores on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test and negatively correlated with scores on the Trail Making Test and the Expanded Disability Status Scale.These results are evidence that cortical thinning of the bilateral regional frontal cortex occurs in patients with NMOSD who have normal-appearing brain tissue,and that the degree of thinning is correlated with clinical disability and cognitive function.These findings will help im prove our understanding of the imaging chara cteristics in NMOSD and their potential clinical significance.

Exploring the potential of the metaverse medical paradigm in drug addiction treatment: a preliminary discussion and future prospects

INTRODUCTION,Drug addiction is a chronic and recurrent encephalopathy characterised by impulsive behaviour,spiritual cravings,psychological distortion and physical damage!'According to the role of molecular biology mechanisms on the central nervous system,addictive substances can be classified as inhibitors(eg,opioids,etc),stimulants(eg,methamphetamine(MA),nicotine,cocaine,etc)and hallucinogens(eg,cannabis,etc).As published by the World Drug Report 2022,over284million individualsaged 15-64 worldwide have reportedly abused drugs in the past 12 months,emphasising the international challenge of effective detox treatment.

Survivors of COVID-19 exhibit altered amplitudes of low frequency fluctuation in the brain: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study at 1-year follow-up

Although some short-term follow-up studies have found that individuals recovering from coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)exhibit anxiety,depression,and altered brain microstructure,their long-term physical problems,neuropsychiatric sequelae,and changes in brain function remain unknown.This observational cohort study collected 1-year follow-up data from 22 patients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19(8 males and 11 females,aged 54.2±8.7 years).Fatigue and myalgia were persistent symptoms at the 1-year follow-up.The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that compared with 29 healthy controls(7 males and 18 females,aged 50.5±11.6 years),COVID-19 survivors had greatly increased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation(ALFF)values in the left precentral gyrus,middle frontal gyrus,inferior frontal gyrus of operculum,inferior frontal gyrus of triangle,insula,hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,fusiform gyrus,postcentral gyrus,inferior parietal angular gyrus,supramarginal gyrus,angular gyrus,thalamus,middle temporal gyrus,inferior temporal gyrus,caudate,and putamen.ALFF values in the left caudate of the COVID-19 survivors were positively correlated with their Athens Insomnia Scale scores,and those in the left precentral gyrus were positively correlated with neutrophil count during hospitalization.The long-term follow-up results suggest that the ALFF in brain regions related to mood and sleep regulation were altered in COVID-19 survivors.This can help us understand the neurobiological mechanisms of COVID-19-related neuropsychiatric sequelae.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University(approval No.2020 S004)on March 19,2020.

Connectome-based predictive modelling can predict follow-up craving after abstinence in individuals with opioid use disorders

Background Individual differences have been detected in individuals with opioid use disorders(OUD)in rehabilitation following protracted abstinence.Recent studies suggested that prediction models were effective for individual-level prognosis based on neuroimage data in substance use disorders(SUD).Aims This prospective cohort study aimed to assess neuroimaging biomarkers for individual response to protracted abstinence in opioid users using connectome-based predictive modelling(CPM).Methods One hundred and eight inpatients with OUD underwent structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)scans at baseline.The Heroin Craving Questionnaire(HCQ)was used to assess craving levels at baseline and at the 8-month follow-up of abstinence.CPM with leave-one-out cross-validation was used to identify baseline networks that could predict follow-up HCQ scores and changes in HCQ(HCQtolow V-up-HCQpa baseline).Then,the follow-up aseline predictive ability of identified networks was tested in a separate,heterogeneous sample of methamphetamine individuals who underwent MRI scanning before abstinence for SUD.Results CPM could predict craving changes induced by long-term abstinence,as shown by a significant correlation between predicted and actual HCQ fllow-up(r=0.417,p<0.001)and changes in HCQ(negative:r=0.334,p=0.002;positive:r=0.233,p=0.038).Identified craving-related prediction networks included the somato-motor network(SMN),salience network(SALN),default mode network(DMN),medial frontal network,visual network and auditory network.In addition,decreased connectivity of frontal-parietal network(FPN)-SMN,FPN-DMN and FPN-SALN and increased connectivity of subcortical network(SCN)-DMN,SCN-SALNandSCN-SMN were positively correlated with craving levels.Conclusions These findings highlight the potential applications of CPM to predict the craving level of individuals after protracted abstinence,as well as the generalisation ability;the identified brain networks might be the focus of innovative therapies in the future.

Clustering cases of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia mimicking COVID-19 pneumonia

BACKGROUND The onset symptoms of people infected by Chlamydia psittaci can mimic the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).However,the differences in laboratory tests and imaging features between psittacosis and COVID-19 remain unknown.AIM To better understand the two diseases and then make an early diagnosis and treatment.METHODS Six patients from two institutions confirmed as psittacosis by high-throughput genetic testing and 31 patients confirmed as COVID-19 were retrospectively included.The epidemiology,clinical characteristics,laboratory tests and computed tomography(CT)imaging features were collected and compared between the two groups.The follow-up CT imaging findings of patients with psittacosis were also investigated.RESULTS The white blood cell count(WBC),neutrophil count and calcium were more likely to be decreased in patients with COVID-19 but were increased in patients with psittacosis(all P=0.000).Lymphocyte count and platelet count were higher in patients with psittacosis than in those with COVID-19(P=0.044,P=0.035,respectively).Lesions in patients with psittacosis were more likely to be unilateral(P=0.001),involve fewer lung lobes(P=0.006)and have pleural effusions(P=0.002).Vascular enlargement was more common in patients with COVID-19(P=0.003).Consolidation in lung CT images was absorbed in all 6 patients.CONCLUSION Psittacosis has the potential for human-to-human transmission.Patients with psittacosis present increased WBC count and neutrophil count and have specific CT imaging findings,including unilateral distribution,less involvement of lung lobes and pleural effusions,which might help us to differentiate it from COVID-19.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with the COVID-19 and its potential nervous system infection mechanism:the role of imaging in the study

The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has broken the normal spread mode of respiratory viruses,namely,mainly spread in winter,resulting in over 230 million confirmed cases of COVID-19.Many studies have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2(SARS-CoV-2)can affect the nervous system by varying degrees.In this review,we look at the acute neuropsychiatric impacts of COVID-19 patients,including acute ischemic stroke,encephalitis,acute necrotizing encephalopathy,dysosmia,and epilepsy,as well as the long-term neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19 survivors:mental disorder and neurodegenerative diseases.In particular,this review discusses long-term changes in brain structure and function associated with COVID-19 infection.We believe that the traditional imaging sequences are important in the acute phase,while the nontraditional imaging sequences are more meaningful for the detection of long-term neuropsychiatric sequelae.These long-term follow-up changes in structure and function may also help us understand the causes of neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 survivors.Finally,we review previous studies and discuss some potential mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the nervous system.Continuous focus on neuropsychiatric sequelae and a comprehensive understanding of the long-term impacts of the virus to the nervous system is significant for formulating effective sequelae prevention andmanagement strategies,andmay provide important clues for nervous system damage in future public health crises.