Feed aggregator

Neuroimage Clin. 2025 Nov 30;49:103919. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2025.103919. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Alterations in brain network centrality are key features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may offer insights into the disruption of network organization underlying cognitive decline. We introduce a novel centrality metric, DomiRank, to characterize dominance-driven connectivity patterns in the human brain network, using a multi-center MRI dataset comprising 809 participants. Compared with conventional metrics, DomiRank centrality showed greater sensitivity in detecting AD-related network disruptions, particularly within the cingulate gyrus, precuneus, and subcortical hubs such as the basal ganglia-regions critical for cognition. Regional DomiRank alterations were significantly correlated with clinical cognitive scores, indicating their potential relevance to disease severity. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that areas with reduced DomiRank centrality were enriched for genes involved in synaptic signaling and neuronal communication, suggesting molecular mechanisms underlying network vulnerability. These findings highlight DomiRank centrality as a promising biomarker for characterizing network disorganization in AD, linking changes in brain connectivity with underlying molecular processes.

PMID:41371028 | DOI:10.1016/j.nicl.2025.103919

Age Ageing. 2025 Nov 28;54(12):afaf353. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf353.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) correlates with cognitive performance in neurodegenerative conditions, the age-related spatial patterns of CVR alterations and their relationships with grey matter (GM) atrophy and cognition are underexplored.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 301 cognitively unimpaired participants (181 younger, 18-34 years; 120 older: 60-89 years) underwent multi-echo resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for CVR measurement. Voxel-wise t-tests compared regional CVR between age groups, with significant clusters defined as regions of interest (ROIs). Mediation analyses examined regional GM atrophy as a mediator of the ageing-CVR relationships within ROIs. Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline analyses evaluated the association between ROI-CVR and cognition in older adults.

RESULTS: Compared with younger adults, older adults showed lower CVR primarily in the temporal, basal ganglia, cingulate, brainstem and cerebellum regions, while higher CVR in the frontal, parietal, occipitotemporal, thalamus and caudate regions. Regional GM atrophy partially mediated age-related CVR increases in the right frontal pole (P = .004) and fusiform/lingual gyrus (P = .001), as well as age-related CVR reduction in bilateral brainstem/cerebellum vermis 45 (P < .001). The proportions mediated were 55.9%, 56.6% and 79.2%, respectively. Among older adults, six ROI-CVRs were associated with executive function, exhibiting linear or nonlinear relationships.

CONCLUSIONS: Resting-state CVR demonstrated regionally heterogeneous age-related decreases or increases, partly mediated by GM atrophy. In older adults, CVR in age-sensitive regions was selectively associated with executive function through linear and nonlinear patterns. Cerebrovascular ageing may involve region-specific vascular adaptations and macrostructural-microvascular (GM-CVR) interactions. Region- and range-dependent CVR could serve as a biomarker for executive function changes.

PMID:41370625 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf353

J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2025 Dec 1;50(6):E337-E350. doi: 10.1139/jpn-25-0063.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Brain network dynamics are responsive to task induced fluctuations, but such responsivity may not hold in schizophrenia (SCZ). We introduce and implement Centrality Dynamics (CD), a method developed specifically to capture task-driven dynamic changes in graph theoretic measures of centrality. We applied CD to functional MRI (fMRI) data in SCZ and Healthy Controls (HC) acquired during associative learning.

METHODS: fMRI (3T Siemens Verio) was acquired in 88 participants (49 SCZ). Time series were extracted from 246 functionally defined cerebral nodes. We applied a dynamic windowing technique to estimate 280 partially overlapping connectomes (with 30 135 unique region-pairs per connectome). In each connectome, we calculated every node's Betweenness Centrality (BC) following which we built 246 unique time series from a node's BC in successive connectomes (where each such time series represents a node's CD). Next, in each group similarities in CD were used to cluster nodes.

RESULTS: Clustering revealed fewer sub-networks in SCZ, and these sub-networks were formed by nodes with greater functional heterogeneity. The averaged CD of nodes in these sub-networks also showed greater Approximate Entropy (ApEn) (indicating greater stochasticity) but lower amplitude variability (suggesting less adaptability to task-induced dynamics). Finally, higher ApEn was associated with worse clinical symptoms and poorer task performance.

LIMITATIONS: Centrality Dynamics is a new method for network discovery in health and schizophrenia. Further extensions to other task-driven and resting data in other psychiatric conditions will provide fuller understanding of its promise.

CONCLUSION: The brain's functional connectome under task-driven conditions is not static. Characterizing these task-driven dynamics will provide new insight on the dysconnection syndrome that is schizophrenia. Centrality Dynamics provides novel characterization of task-induced changes in the brain's connectome and shows that in the schizophrenia brain, learning-evoked sub-network dynamics were (a) less responsive to learning evoked changes and (b) showed greater stochasticity.

PMID:41369098 | DOI:10.1139/jpn-25-0063

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Dec 1;15(12):12707-12720. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-317. Epub 2025 Nov 21.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke affecting the basal ganglia disrupts motor, cognitive, and emotional functions, yet the underlying neural network mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate alterations in brain network topology in patients with acute basal ganglia ischemic stroke (BGIS) through use of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and graph theory analysis (GTA).

METHODS: We constructed whole-brain functional networks and analyzed global and local topological properties in 82 patients with acute BGIS and compared them those in 83 healthy controls (HCs) using the Dosenbach atlas.

RESULTS: Both groups retained small-world attributes (Sigma >1). However, patients with BGIS exhibited significantly lower normalized clustering coefficient (Gamma, P=0.016), small-worldness (Sigma, P=0.021), and modularity (P=0.025), indicating disrupted local network organization. Local centrality analyses revealed significantly higher degree centrality (DC) (false-discovery rate-corrected Q <0.05), betweenness centrality (Q <0.05), and eigenvector centrality (Q <0.05) in the right precentral gyrus (a motor hub) in patients with BGIS. Conversely, lower centrality was observed in cognitive and emotional hubs, including the left ventral prefrontal cortex (Q <0.05 for DC, betweenness centrality, and eigenvector centrality) and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (Q <0.05 for DC). Global efficiency and assortativity were preserved (P>0.05). No direct associations between these network alterations and clinical scales persistent in the multiple comparisons.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a BGIS-induced reconfiguration of brain network topology, characterized by a tendency toward randomization, compensatory hyperconnectivity in motor regions, and impaired integration in cognitive networks. The findings indicated the right precentral gyrus to be a pivotal hub for poststroke recovery and offers novel insights into network-level mechanisms and potential targets for neuromodulatory interventions.

PMID:41367755 | PMC:PMC12682516 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-317

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Dec 1;15(12):12361-12371. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-1062. Epub 2025 Nov 21.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pituitary adenomas (PA) frequently compress the optic chiasm, leading to visual field defects (VFDs) and potentially affecting the function of brain networks. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate alterations in brain networks in PA patients with chiasmal compression using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

METHODS: In this study, 35 PA patients with chiasmal compression and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and underwent rs-fMRI scanning. Network-Based Statistic (NBS) and large-scale network analyses were performed. Additionally, correlations were analyzed between altered functional connectivity (FC) and suprasellar extension distance, duration of VFDs, as well as mean deviation (MD), reflecting the degree of VFDs.

RESULTS: Combining NBS and large-scale network analyses, we found that PA patients with chiasmal compression mainly showed significantly decreased intra- and inter-network connectivity, including the visual network (VN), dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN), somatosensory-motor network (SMN), and subcortical network (SCN). Moreover, the decreased mean FC values within VN and between VN-VAN were negatively correlated with suprasellar extension distance, and the decreased mean FC within VN was positively correlated with MD.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the widespread dysfunction of brain networks in PA patients with chiasmal compression. These findings offer new insights into the brain dysfunction in PA patients with chiasmal compression and could also aid in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy for the disease.

PMID:41367739 | PMC:PMC12682495 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-1062

Sci Data. 2025 Dec 9. doi: 10.1038/s41597-025-06398-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This dataset supports research on neuroplasticity and motor adaptation in motor learning and rehabilitation. It includes multimodal longitudinal data from 46 healthy adults performing motor imagery and physical training of a backward glide shot put task. Participants received one of three interventions: function-specific repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) guided by task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), rTMS targeting hand motor hotspots, or motor training alone. The dataset contains resting-state and task-based fMRI, individualized stimulation coordinates, and daily kinematic parameters collected before and after intervention. These data enable analysis of brain network plasticity, motor performance changes, and the effects of targeted neuromodulation, providing a reproducible resource for advancing studies on precise brain stimulation and motor rehabilitation.

PMID:41365922 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-025-06398-3

Neuroimage. 2025 Dec 7:121636. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121636. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Disruptions in synaptic plasticity and alterations in effective connectivity (EC) involving the hippocampus and amygdala are hallmarks of early Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the interplay between these neurophysiological changes and their relationships with cognitive functions in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains poorly understood.

METHODS: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were used to assess long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity and EC involving the amygdala and hippocampus in 34 individuals with SCD, 27 with MCI, and 35 healthy controls (HC). Between-group differences in cognitive performance, EC alterations, and LTP-like plasticity were examined and their relationships were assessed via correlation and mediation analyses.

RESULTS: Both SCD and MCI groups exhibited disrupted EC between the amygdala/hippocampus and the inferior occipital gyrus, inferior parietal lobule (IPL), medial frontal lobe (MFL), and precuneus. Also, both LTP-5min and LTP-10min were significantly reduced in MCI group compared to SCD and HC groups. Importantly, EC from the left hippocampus to the IPL and from the IPL, MFL, and precuneus to the hippocampus was correlated with memory and executive functions. Moreover, precuneus-to-hippocampus EC was positively correlated with LTP-10min and mediated the relationship between LTP-like plasticity and cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel evidence that precuneus-to-hippocampus EC mediates the link between synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in SCD and MCI, suggesting the precuneus-hippocampus pathway as a promising target for early diagnosis and intervention.

PMID:41365452 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121636

Schizophr Res. 2025 Dec 8;287:113-121. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2025.12.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study examined topological features and network resilience in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), other specified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder (OSSO), and healthy controls (HC) with resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and graph theoretical analysis. Associations between topological metrics, resilience, and symptom severity were also explored.

METHODS: rs-fMRI data from SSDs (n = 77), OSSO (n = 86), and HC (n = 83) were analyzed for global efficiency (Eg), characteristic path length (Lp), nodal local efficiency (NLe), nodal clustering coefficient (NCp), and resilience derived from k-shell decomposition and targeted-attack simulations. Symptom severity was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

RESULTS: Both patient groups showed reduced Eg and increased Lp compared with HC, indicating disrupted global integration. At the nodal level, the fusiform gyrus exhibited decreased NLe and NCp in both groups. In OSSO, these nodal metrics correlated with PANSS general and total scores. SSDs displayed pronounced reductions in k-core and maximum-core resilience, whereas OSSO largely retained network stability. k-Shell resilience was most impaired in SSDs, with OSSO showing intermediate deficits. Notably, k-shell resilience in the right superior occipital gyrus significantly differed between OSSO and SSDs.

CONCLUSION: This study presents the first investigation of OSSO-specific neuroimaging signatures using network resilience analysis. OSSO showed partial preservation of k-core resilience and intermediate k-shell resilience between SSDs and HC, suggesting distinct neurobiological organization within the psychosis spectrum. k-Shell resilience in the superior occipital gyrus may serve as a potential neuroimaging marker distinguishing OSSO from SSDs.

PMID:41365234 | DOI:10.1016/j.schres.2025.12.002

Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2025 Nov 20;356:112093. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112093. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are marked by working memory impairments associated with abnormal functional brain connectivity. Although transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows promise in modulating dysconnectivity patterns and improving cognitive symptoms, current protocols often lack target personalization, overlooking significant variability in functional network topography between individuals. Twenty-two individuals with SSD and cognitive deficits underwent 20Hz repetitive TMS to the left lateral prefrontal cortex. Personalized TMS targeted regions with the strongest central executive-default mode network (CEN-DMN) antagonism, while standardized TMS focused on the EEG F3 site. Resting-state fMRI scans were conducted pre- and post-TMS sessions to evaluate changes in CEN-DMN connectivity, and working memory performance was assessed after the post-TMS fMRI scan. Both TMS protocols failed to significantly alter CEN-DMN connectivity or improve cognitive function, which may be due to the low reliability of the biomarker used for personalized targeting. However, stronger DMN intra-network connectivity at the stimulation site was positively correlated with a reduction in CEN-DMN connectivity and improved working memory performance. These findings highlight the need for more extensive fMRI data for better target determination, and suggest that targeting left prefrontal areas with higher DMN connectivity could more effectively modulate functional connectivity and improve working memory performance through TMS.

PMID:41364985 | DOI:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112093

Addict Behav. 2025 Nov 27;174:108575. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108575. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been associated with withdrawal-like symptoms and altered intrinsic neural activity (INA). While previous studies suggest that PSU affects brain function, little is known about how INA is modulated by smartphone restriction. This longitudinal fMRI study investigated group- and time-dependent changes in resting-state INA following short-term smartphone deprivation. 36 participants (aged 18-29; 22 female) were categorized into PSU (n = 19) and non-PSU (n = 17) groups using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Resting-state fMRI scans were obtained before and after a 72-hour period of smartphone restriction. Psychometric measures included the Mannheim Craving Scale (MaCS) and the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI). A significant group-by-time interaction revealed INA changes in the left inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, right middle frontal and precentral gyri, and left calcarine cortex. INA increased over time in the non-PSU group but decreased in the PSU group in prefrontal and cingulate areas. In contrast, sensorimotor and occipital regions showed increased INA over time in PSU individuals. Associations between neural activity and MaCS scores indicated that greater craving was linked to reduced INA in the posterior cingulate cortex. Within the PSU group, higher smartphone-use severity, as measured by the SPAI, was associated with altered INA in occipital, parietal, and cerebellar regions. These findings suggest PSU is linked to distinct and state-dependent neurofunctional alterations that may reflect withdrawal-related processes and maladaptive reward and cognitive control mechanisms.

PMID:41364954 | DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108575

Cereb Cortex. 2025 Nov 27;35(12):bhaf330. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf330.

ABSTRACT

Adequately responding towards a threat is a crucial mechanism for survival. Adapting this response when a threat-associated stimulus or situation has become safe requires extinction learning and formation of an extinction memory. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) affords to longitudinally monitor network activity, yet, in the rodent, still suffers from significant variability of results and practical restrictions, mainly related to the different approaches of subject immobilization. Physical restraint of awake animals permits only short scanning times, while anesthesia can induce uncontrolled brain states with limited stimulus responsiveness and processing. Here, we implement a paradigm where light medetomidine sedation permits long scanning times in a stable brain state with functional characteristics comparable to the human resting state. We observe responsiveness of the brain to visual stimulation and large-scale resting-state network activity with small-world connectivity features. After visual fear conditioning outside the MRI scanner, rats exposed to the unreinforced visual conditioned stimulus in this stable persistent activity state inside the scanner (extinction) exhibit a significantly lower conditioned fear response when re-exposed to the conditioned stimulus days after scanning (test). We present a brain state-informed paradigm easily adaptable for future studies involving invasive neural manipulations to causally investigate extinction and its memory consolidation.

PMID:41364669 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhaf330

Cereb Cortex. 2025 Nov 27;35(12):bhaf327. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf327.

ABSTRACT

The hippocampus, in both children and adults, has shown functional specialization along its long axis, with the anterior region associated with emotional processing and the posterior region with spatial memory and navigation. This specialization is also reflected in separate patterns of functional connectivity, but it is unclear whether it is present before birth. Here, we collected resting-state fMRI data in 51 healthy third-trimester fetuses to examine long-axis functional specialization in utero. Using structural regions of interest in the anterior and posterior hippocampus, a seed-based connectivity analysis was performed. We identified distinct networks of functional organization for the anterior and posterior hippocampus. These patterns showed spatial organization and anticorrelation consistent with long-axis specialization. While less mature than those observed in postnatal human and preclinical models, the fetal patterns suggest that the foundation for hippocampal functional differentiation supporting early affective and cognitive processing is already present before birth. Key points We used resting-state fMRI in the third trimester fetal brain to examine the functional projections of the anterior and posterior hippocampus. We identified distinct networks of functional organization that were independently related to the anterior and posterior hippocampus. The groundwork for the specificity of the hippocampus is being laid in utero, with functional anticorrelation contributing to the separation between long-axis segments.

PMID:41364666 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhaf327

Cereb Cortex. 2025 Nov 27;35(12):bhaf322. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf322.

ABSTRACT

Choice consistency denotes the capacity to maintain stable, coherent preferences across diverse contexts-a cornerstone of rational decision-making. However, real-world decisions frequently diverge from normative models, marked by inconsistencies and irrationalities. Memory processes may underlie this variability, influencing the formation and maintenance of choice consistency. Yet, the interplay between memory and choice consistency, particularly their shared neural substrates, remains poorly understood. To address these gaps, we developed a novel behavioral paradigm integrating memory retrieval and food-based decision tasks. Resting-state and task functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 44 healthy young adults (age range: 18 to 27 years). Behaviorally, remembered food items exhibited significantly faster choice reaction times compared to forgotten items. Leveraging data-driven connectome-based predictive modeling of resting-state functional connectivity, we identified distinct neural predictors: intra-default mode network connectivity and default mode network-memory network connectivity positively predicted memory accuracy, whereas default mode network-frontoparietal control network connectivity negatively predicted memory accuracy. Furthermore, intra-default mode network connectivity and default mode network-frontoparietal control network connectivity positively predicted choice consistency. These findings advance our understanding of memory-decision interactions, highlighting the default mode network and frontoparietal control network as critical neural substrates that bridge mnemonically modulated value signals and choice consistency.

PMID:41364664 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhaf322

Neuroimage Rep. 2025 Nov 20;5(4):100300. doi: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100300. eCollection 2025 Dec.

ABSTRACT

The ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) is an important part of daily life and can promote well-being and independence. There is currently limited knowledge of brain activity during ADLs (e.g. dressing tasks). Previous studies explored brain activity during dressing using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); however, the supine position during fMRI is not a natural dressing posture and may impact findings. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a promising method of data collection as it can investigate brain activity in a natural state (sitting) during dressing. In this study, to understand brain activity during buttoning in unimpaired adults, twenty participants (25-65 years) completed an upper extremity task of buttoning in three 20 s repetitions with 15 s rest in between each activity block. Brain activation patterns were recorded using fNIRS over the prefrontal, premotor, supplementary motor, sensorimotor, and posterior parietal cortices. Compared to the resting period, significantly higher activation during the activity block was observed in all recorded regions but the posterior parietal cortex. Understanding brain activity in unimpaired adults during the performance of activities of daily living is a critical first-step for investigating brain activation in different clinical populations.

PMID:41362878 | PMC:PMC12681552 | DOI:10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100300

Depress Anxiety. 2025 Nov 30;2025:4530547. doi: 10.1155/da/4530547. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between alterations in lymphocyte subsets and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) patterns in patients with comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) and insomnia disorder (ID).

METHODS: A total of 114 patients with MDD, 108 with ID, 126 with comorbid MDD and ID, and 168 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, all experiencing their first episode. Emotional and sleep quality were assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), self-rating depression scale (SDS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). rs-fMRI data and lymphocyte subsets were analyzed. Multivariate prediction models were constructed using correlation analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression with 10-fold cross-validation, and logistic regression. Model performance was evaluated with calibration curves and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in age (p=0.552), sex distribution (p=0.248), education level, or anxiety scores among the four groups, whereas depression and insomnia scores differed significantly (all p < 0.0001). The MDD with comorbid insomnia (iMDD) group exhibited lower fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFFs) in the right lingual gyrus and fusiform gyrus compared to the MDD, ID, and HC groups. Additionally, compared with HCs, CD3+ and CD4+ T cell percentages were elevated, while natural killer (NK) cell percentage was reduced, with the most pronounced alterations in the iMDD group. fALFF values were negatively correlated with CD3+ and CD4+ T cell percentages, but positively correlated with NK cell percentage. The fALFF in the right lingual gyrus, CD4+ T and NK cell percentage, SDS score, and ISI score were identified as key risk predictors. Multivariable prediction models for ID, MDD, and iMDD demonstrated robust calibration (e.g., calibration degree = 0.502), high discrimination (AUC for iMDD vs. HC = 0.991; MDD vs. ID = 0.821), and good clinical applicability.

CONCLUSIONS: The identified risk predictors might facilitate individualized clinical decision-making for iMDD patients. While the multivariable prediction model demonstrated strong internal diagnostic accuracy, further external validation using independent cohorts is needed to confirm its generalizability.

PMID:41362845 | PMC:PMC12682451 | DOI:10.1155/da/4530547

Complement Med Res. 2025 Dec 8:1-19. doi: 10.1159/000549822. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background Cognitive impairment is one of the long COVID symptoms that many people experience after Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Many individuals report a decline in cognitive functions, such as reduced memory and brain fog. These symptoms not only directly affect the cognitive functions of the brain but also hinder daily living activities, thereby reducing the quality of life. Moreover, these symptoms are significant risk factors for long-term cognitive decline in the elderly and can have both short-term and long-term effects on brain function.Clinically, acupuncture is widely used to improve cognitive impairment in the elderly. Elucidating the brain network mechanisms underlying acupuncture therapy for Long COVID-related cognitive impairment represents an urgently needed research focus. In this study, we employed acupuncture as an intervention to mitigate cognitive decline in Long COVID patients and investigate the potential mechanisms by which acupuncture alleviates cognitive impairment. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, 60 eligible participants are planned to be recruited and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the acupuncture group and the health education group, which will then receive acupuncture treatment and health education.The acupuncture group will participate in treatment three times per week for a total of eight weeks. The health education group will receive health education once per week for a total of eight weeks.The primary assessment index was the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and the secondary assessment indexes included Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Activity of Daily Living Scale (ADL), Auditory Verbal Learning Test - Huashan Version (AVLT-H) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data. These assessment indicators were all tested in one week each before and after the intervention was implemented. Discussion This trial aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of acupuncture on cognitive impairment in patients with long COVID and to further explore the imaging mechanisms by which acupuncture alleviates cognitive dysfunction in these patients. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www,chictr,org.cn), Registration number: ChiCTR2400092961,Date of Reqistration: 2024-11-26.

PMID:41362171 | DOI:10.1159/000549822

World J Gastrointest Surg. 2025 Nov 27;17(11):112341. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i11.112341.

ABSTRACT

This letter presents a critical analysis of the study by Zhao et al, which proposed a therapeutic strategy for difficult common bile duct stones focusing on the "ice-breaking sign" as a pivotal radiological feature. Based on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with three-dimensional reconstruction, the diagnostic criteria for this sign were established by identifying an abrupt narrowing at the distal bile duct caused by impacted stones, analogous to the morphology of an ice-breaking vessel. Specifically, the proximal bile duct (hepatic hilar side) exhibited significant dilatation upstream of the stenosis, while the distal segment (duodenal papillary side) presented with stricture or occlusion. This study was the first to introduce the radiological marker termed the "ice-breaking sign", providing a novel dimension for the evaluation of refractory common bile duct stones. However, notable limitations were also present in this study. The interpretation of the ice-breaking sign depended largely on subjective assessments by physicians, even though a multidisciplinary consensus approach was employed. Objective quantification criteria, such as specific thresholds for the degree of stenosis, were not established. Furthermore, being a single-center study, it might have influenced the reproducibility of findings across different centers. Future studies should explore the pathophysiological mechanisms of the "ice-breaking sign" in greater depth, increase the sample size, and conduct multicenter research to validate its clinical universality and guiding significance for treatment strategies.

PMID:41357635 | PMC:PMC12679030 | DOI:10.4240/wjgs.v17.i11.112341

Sci Rep. 2025 Dec 8. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-30847-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from insulin secretion and/or resistance. This study investigated intrinsic brain activity alterations using static and dynamic resting-state fMRI metrics in 65 T2DM patients versus 60 healthy controls. We analyzed fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), dynamic fALFF (dfALFF) and dynamic functional stability(DFS). The T2DM group exhibited increased fALFF in the left inferior temporal gyrus and left fusiform gyrus and decreased fALFF in the bilateral precuneus, medial superior frontal gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, and right supramarginal gyrus when compared with health controls. The T2DM group also showed increased dfALFF in the bilateral precuneus, left inferior parietal lobule, and right middle frontal gyrus. Moreover, the T2DM group exhibited decreased DFS in the bilateral precuneus, supramarginal gyrus, and left middle frontal gyrus, while the left cuneus showed increased dynamic stability. In the T2DM group, montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scores correlated negatively with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose (FBG), and positively with right supramarginal gyrus acticity in both fALFF and DFS difference regions, Multiple brain regions exhibiting fALFF and DFS alterations showed negative correlations with fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol. These findings indicate that T2DM brain activity demonstrates a distinctive "low-intensity, highly-fluctuating, and destabilized" pattern, suggesting complex neural network dysfunction beyond simple functional suppression.

PMID:41361357 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-30847-z

J Neurosci. 2025 Dec 8:e0109252025. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0109-25.2025. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Perioperative abstinent smokers experience heightened pain sensitivity and increased postoperative analgesic requirements, likely due to nicotine withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia. However, the underlying neural mechanisms in humans remain unclear. To address this issue, this study enrolled 60 male patients (30 abstinent smokers and 30 nonsmokers) undergoing partial hepatectomy, collecting clinical data, smoking history, pain-related measures, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Compared to nonsmokers, abstinent smokers showed lower pain threshold and higher postoperative analgesic requirements. Neuroimaging revealed altered brain function in abstinent smokers, including reduced fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF, 0.01 - 0.1 Hz) in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), increased regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the left middle occipital gyrus, and decreased functional connectivity (FC) between the vmPFC to both the bilateral middle temporal gyrus and precuneus. Preoperative pain threshold was positively correlated with abstinence duration and specific regional brain activities and connectivity. Further, the observed association between abstinent time and pain threshold was mediated by the calcarine and posterior cingulate cortex activity. The dysfunction in vmPFC and left anterior cingulate cortex was totally mediated by the association between withdrawal symptoms and postoperative analgesic requirements. These findings suggest that nicotine withdrawal might alter brain functional activity and contribute to hyperalgesia for the abstinent smokers. This study provided novel insights into the supraspinal neurobiological mechanisms underlying nicotine withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia and potential therapeutic targets for postoperative pain in abstinent smokers.Significance statement Abstinent smokers experienced heightened pain and require more analgesics after surgery, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. This prospective cohort study identified altered regional brain activity associated with reduced pain thresholds and increased postoperative analgesic requirements in abstinent smokers. We found specific brain regions that were functionally altered and correlated with pain-related outcomes, which mediated the relationship between abstinence and pain-related behaviors. These findings provided novel insights into the supraspinal mechanisms of nicotine withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia and point to potential therapeutic targets for improving postoperative pain management in abstinent smokers.

PMID:41360674 | DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0109-25.2025

Behav Brain Res. 2025 Dec 6:115985. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115985. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide known for its role in social behavior, has unclear neural mechanisms when administered intranasally, especially across different ages. Brain entropy (BEN), a metric of neural irregularity, shows promise for revealing OT's neurophysiological effects. This study examined whether BEN could detect neural changes induced by intranasal OT and how these effects are modulated by age. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, young adults (YA) and older adults (OA) were assigned to receive intranasal OT or placebo (PL). Using fMRI-based BEN mapping, we identified a significant age-dependent effect in the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ), where OT increased BEN in YA but decreased it in OA. Further analyses showed OT also elevated the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) in the same region, particularly in YA. Additionally, OT enhanced functional connectivity within the left TPJ and between the left and right TPJ in both age groups. These results establish BEN as a sensitive biomarker capable of capturing age-specific OT effects, providing information beyond traditional measures of oscillatory power and temporal synchronization. The findings suggest that the timing of post-administration brain state changes under OT may vary with age, potentially due to differences in OT receptor density.

PMID:41360155 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115985