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Yang B, Zheng W, Wang L, Jia Y, Qi Q, Xin H, Wang Y, Liang T, Chen X, Chen Q, Li B, Du J, Hu Y, Lu J, Chen N. Specific Alterations in Brain White Matter Networks and Their Impact on Clinical Function in Pediatric Patients With Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord Injury. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 60:1842-1852. [PMID: 38243392 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The alternation of brain white matter (WM) network has been studied in adult spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, the WM network alterations in pediatric SCI patients remain unclear. PURPOSE To evaluate WM network changes and their functional impact in children with thoracolumbar SCI (TSCI). STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Thirty-five pediatric patients with TSCI (8.94 ± 1.86 years, 8/27 males/females) and 34 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in this study. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3.0 T/DTI imaging using spin-echo echo-planar and T1-weighted imaging using 3D T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo sequence. ASSESSMENT Pediatric SCI patients were evaluated for motor and sensory scores, injury level, time since injury, and age at injury. The WM network was constructed using a continuous tracing method, resulting in a 90 × 90 matrix. The global and regional metrics were obtained to investigate the alterations of the WM structural network. topology. STATISTICAL TESTS Two-sample independent t-tests, chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Spearman correlation. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS Compared with HCs, pediatric TSCI patients displayed decreased shortest path length (Lp = 1.080 ± 0.130) and normalized Lp (λ = 5.020 ± 0.363), and increased global efficiency (Eg = 0.200 ± 0.015). Notably, these patients also demonstrated heightened regional properties in the orbitofrontal cortex, limbic system, default mode network, and several audio-visual-related regions. Moreover, the λ and Lp values negatively correlated with sensory scores. Conversely, nodal efficiency values in the right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex positively correlated with sensory scores. The age at injury positively correlated with node degree in the left parahippocampal gyrus and nodal efficiency in the right posterior cingulate gyrus. DATA CONCLUSION Reorganization of the WM networks in pediatric SCI patients is indicated by increased global and nodal efficiency, which may provide promising neuroimaging biomarkers for functional assessment of pediatric SCI. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beining Yang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Weimin Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Yulong Jia
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Qunya Qi
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Haotian Xin
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Tengfei Liang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Engineering University, Handan, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Baowei Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Engineering University, Handan, China
| | - Jubao Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongsheng Hu
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
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Yang B, Xin H, Wang L, Qi Q, Wang Y, Jia Y, Zheng W, Sun C, Chen X, Du J, Hu Y, Lu J, Chen N. Distinct brain network patterns in complete and incomplete spinal cord injury patients based on graph theory analysis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14910. [PMID: 39185854 PMCID: PMC11345750 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS To compare the changes in brain network topological properties and structure-function coupling in patients with complete spinal cord injury (CSCI) and incomplete spinal cord injury (ICSCI), to unveil the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying the different effects of CSCI and ICSCI on brain networks and identify objective neurobiological markers to differentiate between CSCI and ICSCI patients. METHODS Thirty-five SCI patients (20 CSCI and 15 ICSCI) and 32 healthy controls (HCs) were included in the study. Here, networks were constructed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to analyze functional connectivity (FC) and diffusion tensor imaging for structural connectivity (SC). Then, graph theory analysis was used to examine SC and FC networks, as well as to estimate SC-FC coupling values. RESULTS Compared with HCs, CSCI patients showed increased path length (Lp), decreased global efficiency (Eg), and local efficiency (Eloc) in SC. For FC, ICSCI patients exhibited increased small-worldness, clustering coefficient (Cp), normalized clustering coefficient, and Eloc. Also, ICSCI patients showed increased Cp and Eloc than CSCI patients. Additionally, ICSCI patients had reduced SC-FC coupling values compared to HCs. Moreover, in CSCI patients, the SC network's Lp and Eg values were significantly correlated with motor scores, while in ICSCI patients, the FC network's Cp, Eloc, and SC-FC coupling values were related to sensory/motor scores. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that CSCI patients are characterized by decreased efficiency in the SC network, while ICSCI patients are distinguished by increased local connections and SC-FC decoupling. Moreover, the differences in network metrics between CSCI and ICSCI patients could serve as objective biological markers, providing a basis for diagnosis and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beining Yang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Haotian Xin
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Qunya Qi
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Yulong Jia
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Weimin Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Chaoyang HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chuchu Sun
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Jubao Du
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yongsheng Hu
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear medicine, Xuanwu HospitalCapital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain InformaticsBeijingChina
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Functional connectivity and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations changes in people with complete subacute and chronic spinal cord injury. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20874. [PMID: 36463248 PMCID: PMC9719483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25345-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
After spinal cord injury (SCI), reorganization processes and changes in brain connectivity occur. Besides the sensorimotor cortex, the subcortical areas are strongly involved in motion and executive control. This exploratory study focusses on the cerebellum and vermis. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed. Between-group differences were computed using analysis of covariance and post-hoc tests for the seed-based connectivity measure with vermis and cerebellum as regions of interest. Twenty participants with complete SCI (five subacute SCI, 15 with chronic SCI) and 14 healthy controls (HC) were included. Functional connectivity (FC) was lower in all subjects with SCI compared with HC in vermis IX, right superior frontal gyrus (pFDR = 0.008) and right lateral occipital cortex (pFDR = 0.036). In addition, functional connectivity was lower in participants with chronic SCI compared with subacute SCI in bilateral cerebellar crus I, left precentral- and middle frontal gyrus (pFDR = 0.001). Furthermore, higher amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) was found in the left thalamus in individuals with subacute SCI (pFDR = 0.002). Reduced FC in SCI indicates adaptation with associated deficit in sensory and motor function. The increased ALFF in subacute SCI might reflect reorganization processes in the subacute phase.
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