Most recent paper

ArXiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jan 27:arXiv:2501.16409v1.

ABSTRACT

Dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is an advanced technique for capturing the dynamic changes of neural activities, and can be very useful in the studies of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet, existing studies have not fully leveraged the sequential information embedded within dFC that can potentially provide valuable information when identifying brain conditions. In this paper, we propose a novel framework that jointly learns the embedding of both spatial and temporal information within dFC based on the transformer architecture. Specifically, we first construct dFC networks from rs-fMRI data through a sliding window strategy. Then, we simultaneously employ a temporal block and a spatial block to capture higher-order representations of dynamic spatio-temporal dependencies, via mapping them into an efficient fused feature representation. To further enhance the robustness of these feature representations by reducing the dependency on labeled data, we also introduce a contrastive learning strategy to manipulate different brain states. Experimental results on 345 subjects with 570 scans from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method for MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment, the prodromal stage of AD) prediction, highlighting its potential for early identification of AD.

PMID:39975430 | PMC:PMC11838685

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Feb 2:2025.01.29.635539. doi: 10.1101/2025.01.29.635539.

ABSTRACT

Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) provides valuable insights into brain function during rest, but faces challenges in clinical applications due to individual differences in functional connectivity. While Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is commonly used, it struggles to balance individual variations with inter-subject information. To address this, constrained ICA (cICA) approaches have been developed using templates from multiple datasets to improve accuracy and comparability. In this study, we collected rs-fMRI data from 100,517 individuals across diverse datasets. Data were preprocessed through a standard fMRI pipeline. Our method first used replicable fMRI component templates as priors in constrained ICA (the NeuroMark pipeline), then estimated dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC). Through clustering analysis, we generated replicable dFNC states, which were then used as priors in constrained ICA to automatically estimate subject-specific states from new subjects.This approach provides a robust framework for analyzing individual rs-fMRI data while maintaining consistency across large datasets, potentially advancing clinical applications of rs-fMRI.

PMID:39975182 | PMC:PMC11838263 | DOI:10.1101/2025.01.29.635539

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Jan 27:2025.01.25.634845. doi: 10.1101/2025.01.25.634845.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Numerous studies have emphasized the time-varying modular architecture of functional brain networks and its relevance to cognitive functions in healthy participants. However, how brain modular dynamics change in schizophrenia and how these alterations relate to neurotransmitter and transcriptomic signatures have not been well elucidated.

METHODS: We harmonized resting-state fMRI data from a multi-site sample including 223 patients and 279 healthy controls and applied the multilayer network method to estimate the regional module switching rate (flexibility) of functional brain connectomes. We examined aberrant flexibility in patients relative to controls and explored its relations to neurotransmitter systems and postmortem gene expression.

RESULTS: Compared with controls, patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher flexibility in the somatomotor and right visual regions, and lower flexibility in the left parahippocampal gyrus, right supramarginal gyrus, right frontal-operculum-insula, bilateral precuneus posterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral inferior parietal gyrus. These alterations were associated with multiple neurotransmitter systems and weighted gene transcriptomic profiles. The most relevant genes were preferentially enriched for biological processes of transmembrane transport and brain development, specific cell types, and previously identified schizophrenia-related genes.

CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals aberrant modular dynamics in schizophrenia and its relations to neurotransmitter systems and schizophrenia-related transcriptomic profiles, providing insights into the understanding of the pathophysiology underlying schizophrenia.

PMID:39974915 | PMC:PMC11838238 | DOI:10.1101/2025.01.25.634845

World J Psychiatry. 2025 Feb 19;15(2):102412. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i2.102412. eCollection 2025 Feb 19.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Currently, adolescent depression is one of the most significant public health concerns, markedly influencing emotional, cognitive, and social maturation. Despite advancements in distinguish the neurobiological substrates underlying depression, the intricate patterns of disrupted brain network connectivity in adolescents warrant further exploration.

AIM: To elucidate the neural correlates of adolescent depression by examining brain network connectivity using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

METHODS: The study cohort comprised 74 depressed adolescents and 59 healthy controls aged 12 to 17 years. Participants underwent rs-fMRI to evaluate functional connectivity within and across critical brain networks, including the visual, default mode network (DMN), dorsal attention, salience, somatomotor, and frontoparietal control networks.

RESULTS: Analyses revealed pronounced functional disparities within key neural circuits among adolescents with depression. The results demonstrated existence of hemispheric asymmetries characterized by enhanced activity in the left visual network, which contrasted the diminished activity in the right hemisphere. The DMN facilitated increased activity within the left prefrontal cortex and reduced engagement in the right hemisphere, implicating disrupted self-referential and emotional processing mechanisms. Additionally, an overactive right dorsal attention network and a hypoactive salience network were identified, underscoring significant abnormalities in attentional and emotional regulation in adolescent depression.

CONCLUSION: The findings from this study underscore distinct neural connectivity disruptions in adolescent depression, underscoring the critical role of specific neurobiological markers for precise early diagnosis of adolescent depression. The observed functional asymmetries and network-specific deviations elucidate the complex neurobiological architecture of adolescent depression, supporting the development of targeted therapeutic strategies.

PMID:39974491 | PMC:PMC11758046 | DOI:10.5498/wjp.v15.i2.102412

J Neuromuscul Dis. 2025 Jan-Feb;12(1):22143602241307197. doi: 10.1177/22143602241307197.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) patients show both structural and functional brain alterations, including abnormal resting-state (RS) functional connectivity. Although some studies have investigated RS functional connectivity in DM1, methodological differences make it challenging to draw consistent conclusions.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to analyze 1) RS functional connectivity in DM1 patients compared to healthy controls (HC), 2) graph theory metrics, 3) longitudinal connectivity variations, and 4) the relationship between connectivity and clinical, cognitive, and structural brain data.

METHODOLOGY: Twenty-one DM1 patients and 21 matched HCs underwent 3 T MRI scans, including RS fMRI. Of these, 15 DM1 patients and 13 HCs participated in the follow-up after 3 years. Additionally, DM1 patients underwent baseline clinical, molecular and cognitive assessments. Functional connectivity analysis (ROI-to-ROI) and graph theory measures were employed. Longitudinal changes in connectivity were examined, and total hyperconnectivity and hypoconnectivity values were calculated to explore correlations with clinical, brain, and cognitive correlates.

RESULTS: DM1 patients showed widespread hyperconnectivity compared to HCs. Although no statistically significant differences were found in graph theory measures, patients tended to show decreased efficiency, strength, and clustering (with moderate effect sizes). Patients remained hyperconnected over time, with a progression similar to HCs. Hyperconnectivity was associated with more severe disease, greater muscular impairment, and molecular defects, as well as lower cognitive performance. Conversely, hypoconnectivity was associated with less severe disease.

DISCUSSION: DM1 patients are characterized by brain hyperconnectivity and a less efficient brain network organization. Hyperconnectivity is discussed as a compensatory mechanism and is suggested as a disease severity marker.

PMID:39973452 | DOI:10.1177/22143602241307197

BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Feb 19;25(1):147. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06535-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study focused on the relationship between facial working memory and resting-state brain function abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia.

METHODS: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were collected from 28 first-episode schizophrenia (FSZ) patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs). Degree centrality (DC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA) were used to assess brain region connectivity. A delayed matching-to-sample task was used to examine visual working memory for faces and houses. Correlations between DC and facial working memory accuracy were analysed. Brain regions were selected as regions of interest (ROIs) and subjected to further GCA. MRI signals of the DC or GCA were extracted and analysed for correlation with clinical symptom scores.

RESULT: The results revealed that FSZ patients presented facial working memory impairments at high loads (t = 2.21, P = 0.03). DC values of the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) were linked to facial working memory accuracy (P < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) correction). GCA indicated inhibited connectivity from the right MFG to the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right thalamus and from the right postcentral gyrus to the right MFG in FSZ patients (P < 0.05, FDR correction). The DC values of the right thalamus were correlated with negative symptom scores (r = -0.44, P = 0.02) and affective symptom scores (r = -0.57, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that FSZ patients may have impaired facial working memory ability, which may be associated with altered functions in multiple brain regions. Some of these functions are associated with clinical symptoms, which may provide insight into the underlying neural mechanisms of schizophrenia.

PMID:39972263 | DOI:10.1186/s12888-025-06535-7

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 4;15:1405425. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1405425. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Most studies of dyslexia focus on domains of impairment (e.g., reading and phonology, among others), but few examine possible strengths. In the present study, we investigated semantic fluency as a cognitive strength in English-speaking children with dyslexia aged 8-13.

METHODS: Ninety-seven children with dyslexia completed tests of letter and semantic verbal fluency, standardized measures of reading and cognitive functions, and task-free resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). First, we adjusted performance on semantic fluency by letter fluency and created a residual score that was used to separate participants into high (residual >0) or average (residual <0) semantic performance groups. We then employed a psycholinguistic clustering and switching approach to the semantic fluency task and performed dynamic task-free rs-fMRI connectivity analysis to reveal group differences in brain dynamics.

RESULTS: High and average semantic fluency groups were well-matched on demographics and letter fluency but differed on their psycholinguistic patterns on the semantic fluency task. The high semantic fluency group, compared to the average semantic fluency group, produced a higher number of words within each cluster, a higher max cluster size, and a higher number of switches. Differential dynamic rs-fMRI connectivity (shorter average dwell time and greater brain state switches) was observed between the high and average groups in a large-scale bilateral frontal-temporal-occipital network.

DISCUSSION: These data demonstrate that a subgroup of children with dyslexia perform above average on semantic fluency tasks and their performance is strongly linked to distinct psycholinguistic patterns and differences in a task-free resting-state brain network, which includes regions previously implicated in semantic processing. This work highlights that inter-individual differences should be taken into account in dyslexia and reveals a cognitive area of strength for some children with dyslexia that could be leveraged for reading interventions.

PMID:39967994 | PMC:PMC11832474 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1405425

Int J Ophthalmol. 2025 Feb 18;18(2):297-307. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2025.02.14. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To analyze whether alterations of voxel mirror homology connectivity (VMHC) values, as determined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), occur in cerebral regions of patients with hypertensive retinopathy (HR) and to determine the relationship between VMHC values and clinical characteristics in patients with HR.

METHODS: Twenty-one patients with HR and 21 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were assessed by rs-fMRI scanning. The functional connectivity between the hemispheres of the cerebrum was assessed by measuring VMHC, with the ability of VMHC to distinguish between the HR and HC groups assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the HR and HC groups were analyzed by independent sample t-tests. The relationship between average VMHC in several brain areas of HR patients and clinical features was determined using Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS: Mean VMHC values of the bilateral cuneus gyrus (BA19), bilateral middle orbitofrontal gyrus (BA47), bilateral middle temporal gyrus (BA39) and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus (BA9) were lower in the HR than in the HC group.

CONCLUSION: VMHC values can predict the development of early HR, prevent the transformation of hypertensive microangiopathy, and provide useful information explaining the changes in neural mechanism associated with HR.

PMID:39967983 | PMC:PMC11754017 | DOI:10.18240/ijo.2025.02.14

Transl Psychiatry. 2025 Feb 19;15(1):58. doi: 10.1038/s41398-025-03282-x.

ABSTRACT

Bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar depression (UD) are defined as distinct diagnostic categories. However, due to some common clinical and pathophysiological features, it is a clinical challenge to distinguish them, especially in the early stages of BD. This study aimed to explore the common and disease-specific connectivity patterns in BD and UD. This study was constructed over 181 BD, 265 UD and 204 healthy controls. In addition, an independent group of 90 patients initially diagnosed with major depressive disorder at the baseline and then transferred to BD with the episodes of mania/hypomania during follow-up, was identified as initial depressive episode BD (IDE-BD). All participants completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (R-fMRI) at recruitment. Both network-based analysis and graph theory analysis were applied. Both BD and UD showed decreased functional connectivity (FC) in the whole brain network. The shared aberrant network across groups of patients with depressive episode (BD, IDE-BD and UD) mainly involves the visual network (VN), somatomotor networks (SMN) and default mode network (DMN). Analysis of the topological properties over the three networks showed that decreased clustering coefficient was found in BD, IDE-BD and UD, however, decreased shortest path length and increased global efficiency were only found in BD and IDE-BD but not in UD. The study indicate that VN, SMN, and DMN, which involve stimuli reception and abstraction, emotion processing, and guiding external movements, are common abnormalities in affective disorders. The network separation dysfunction in these networks is shared by BD and UD, however, the network integration dysfunction is specific to BD. The aberrant network integration functions in BD and IDE-BD might be valuable diagnostic biomarkers.

PMID:39966397 | DOI:10.1038/s41398-025-03282-x

Brain Imaging Behav. 2025 Feb 18. doi: 10.1007/s11682-025-00982-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Lesions in the basal ganglia present different neuroimaging manifestations compared to other regions. The functional connectivity and white matter (WM) microstructural alterations in patients with left basal ganglia acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the alterations of functional connectivity and WM microstructure, as well as their relationship with cognitive performance in patients with left basal ganglia AIS. We acquired resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) data from 41 individuals with left basal ganglia AIS and 41 healthy controls (HC). The degree centrality (DC) method was applied to calculate the functional connectivity and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics was employed to evaluate the voxel-based group differences of diffusion metrics for the values of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity, mean kurtosis (MK), axial kurtosis, and radial kurtosis (RK). AIS showed attenuated DC in the bilateral precuneus and enhanced DC in the left caudate nucleus, compared with HC. In AIS, DC in the left caudate nucleus correlated positively with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (r = 0.681, p < 0.05). AIS had significantly decreased FA, AD, MK, and RK in WM tracts, including the internal capsule (IC), genu of corpus callosum (CC), body of CC, left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), left cerebral peduncle, left corticospinal tract, anterior corona radiata (ACR), and left cingulum gyrus (CG). The MK in a cluster including the body of CC, right IC, left cingulate, SLF, ACR, and left CG was also significantly negatively correlated with MoCA scores (r = -0.508, p < 0.05). This study revealed that left basal ganglia AIS not only disrupted the functional connectivity of the whole brain but also had a pervasive impact on the WM microstructure of the whole brain. These findings provide novel insights into the underlying neural mechanisms of early cognitive decline in patients after AIS.

PMID:39964657 | DOI:10.1007/s11682-025-00982-2

Childs Nerv Syst. 2025 Feb 18;41(1):116. doi: 10.1007/s00381-025-06774-9.

ABSTRACT

The role of connectivity in the function and development of the human brain has been intensely studied over the last two decades. These findings have begun to be translated to the clinical setting, particularly in the context of epilepsy. Determining connectivity in the epileptic brain can be challenging and is even more difficult in the pediatric patient. In pediatric epilepsy, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has emerged as a powerful method for determining connectivity. Resting-state fMRI is a non-invasive method of determining correlated activity (functional connectivity) between brain regions in a task-free manner. This modality is especially useful in the pediatric population as it can be done under sedation and requires minimal cooperation from the patient. Over the last decade, rs-fMRI has been increasingly used and studied in pediatric epilepsy. In this article, we review this recent work and discuss the current state of rs-fMRI in the diagnosis and management of the different pediatric epilepsy syndromes. We first provide an overview of rs-fMRI in practice, including the different methods of analysis. We then describe the connectivity findings in pediatric epilepsy that have been revealed by rs-fMRI and the current state of rs-fMRI use in practice. Finally, we discuss what rs-fMRI has revealed about postoperative changes in connectivity and provide several recommendations for future research.

PMID:39964613 | DOI:10.1007/s00381-025-06774-9

Front Nutr. 2025 Feb 3;12:1440373. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1440373. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Dietary interventions such as caloric restriction (CR) exert positive effects on brain health. Unfortunately, poor compliance hinders the success of this approach. A proposed alternative is resveratrol (Rsv), a CR-mimetic known to promote brain health. Direct comparison between the effects of Rsv and CR on brain health is lacking, with limited knowledge on their sex-specific effects. Therefore, we aimed to compare and unravel the sex-specific impact of these dietary interventions on spontaneous brain activity.

METHODS: Here, we used resting-state fMRI to investigate functional connectivity (FC) changes in five prominent resting-state brain networks (RSNs) in healthy 4 month old male and female F344 rats supplemented to either 40% CR or daily Rsv supplementation (10 mg/kg, oral) for the duration of 1 month.

RESULTS: Our results demonstrated a decreased body weight (BW) in CR rats, as well as an increase in body weight in male Rsv supplemented rats, compared to female Rsv supplemented rats, whereas this difference between sexes was not observed in the control or CR groups. Furthermore, we found that both CR or Rsv supplementation induce a female-specific decrease of FC between the subcortical network and hippocampal network, and between the subcortical network and lateral cortical network. Moreover, Rsv supplementation lowered FC within the hippocampal network and between the hippocampal and the default mode like network, the lateral cortical network and the sensory network-an effect not observed for the CR rats.

DISCUSSION: Our findings reveal that both CR and Rsv induce a similar female-specific decrease of FC in RSNs associated with memory and emotion, all the while CR and Rsv induce dissimilar changes in body weight and other within- and between-RSN FC measures. Altogether, this study provides insight into the effects and comparability of short-term CR and Rsv supplementation on brain connectivity within- and between-RSNs in both male and female F344 rats, providing a FC reference for future research of dietary effects.

PMID:39963669 | PMC:PMC11830597 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1440373

Front Neurosci. 2025 Feb 3;19:1531375. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1531375. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Ketamine demonstrates robust and rapidly occurring antidepressant effects in patients with difficult-to-treat major depressive disorder. Ketamine's antidepressant effects and its impact on functional networks in non-resistant forms of major depressive disorder are expected to provide valuable insight into ketamine's mechanism of action related to depression.

METHODS: This study employs an existing network model of major depressive disorder to investigate the effects of ketamine on resting state connectivity in a therapy-non-resistant major depressive disorder population. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, 0.5 mg/kg racemic ketamine or 0.9%NaCl was administered intravenously in 16 MDD patients. We applied resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to explore changes in functional brain connectivity directly at 50, 80 and 165 min (acute) and 24 h (delayed) following ketamine administration. A clinician-rated 10-item scale (MADRS) was administered at 165 min and 24 h after ketamine administration. Connections-of-interest (COIs) were based on the previously published corticolimbic-insular-striatalpallidal-thalamic (CLIPST) circuitry model of major depressive disorder.

RESULTS: Compared with placebo, ketamine significantly (p < 0.0014) reduced the mean (SD) MADRS total score from 21.2 (5.9) pre-dose to 10.3 (4.6) 24 h post-dose. At both acute (p < 0.0172) and delayed (p < 0.0488) time points, significant rs-fMRI connectivity changes occurred only in MDD-related COIs as proposed by the CLIPST model. No changes in functional connectivity were found in non-CLIPST connections.

DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that ketamine specifically affects depression-related circuitry. Analyzing functional connectivity based on a neurocircuitry model of a specific CNS disease and drug action may be an effective approach that could result in a more targeted analysis in future pharmaco-fMRI studies in CNS drug development.

PMID:39963257 | PMC:PMC11830811 | DOI:10.3389/fnins.2025.1531375

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025 Feb 17. doi: 10.1038/s41386-025-02058-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Craving in alcohol drinkers is often triggered by chemosensory cues, such as taste and smell, which are linked to brain network connectivity. This study aimed to investigate whether these brain connectivity patterns could predict alcohol intake in young adults. Resting-state fMRI data were obtained from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) Young Adult cohort, comprising 1003 participants. Functional connectomes generated from 100 independent components were analyzed, identifying significant connections correlated with taste and odor scores after applying a false discovery rate (FDR) correction using the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) method. These significant connections were then utilized as predictors in general linear models for various alcohol intake metrics. The models were validated in an independent sample to assess their accuracy. The training sample (n = 702) and the validation sample (n = 117) showed no significant demographic differences. Out of 742 possible connections, 41 related to odor and 25 related to taste passed the significance threshold (P < 0.05) after FDR-BH correction. Notable predictors included visual-visual connectivity (node32-node13: β = 0.028, P = 0.02) for wine consumption and connectivity between the ventral attention network (VAN) and the frontal parietal/caudate nucleus (FP/CN) (node27-node9: β = -0.31, P = 0.04) for total alcohol intake in the past-week and maximum number of drinks per day in the past-year. The predictive models demonstrated strong accuracy, with root mean square error (RMSE) values of 5.15 for odor-related models and 5.14 for taste-related models. The F1 scores were 0.74 for the odor model and 0.71 for the taste model, indicating reliable performance. These findings suggest that specific patterns of brain connectivity associated with taste and olfactory perception may serve as predictors of alcohol consumption behaviors in young adults. Our study highlight the need for longitudinal research to evaluate the potential of taste- and smell-related brain connectivity patterns for early screening and targeted interventions, as well as their role in personalized treatment strategies for individuals at risk of AUD.

PMID:39962224 | DOI:10.1038/s41386-025-02058-7

Sci Data. 2025 Feb 17;12(1):284. doi: 10.1038/s41597-025-04569-w.

ABSTRACT

Neuroimaging has greatly improved our understanding of phobic mechanisms. To expand on these advancements, we present data on the heterogeneity of neural patterns in spider phobia combined with various psychological dimensions of spider phobia, using spider-relevant stimuli of various intensities. Specifically, we have created a database in which 49 spider-fearful individuals viewed 225 spider-relevant images in the fMRI scanner and performed behavioral avoidance tasks before and after the fMRI scan. For each participant, the database consists of the neuroimaging part, which includes an anatomical scan, five passive-viewing, and two resting-state functional runs in both raw and pre-processed form along with associated quality control reports. Additionally, the behavioral section includes self-report questionnaires and avoidance tasks collected in pre- and post-sessions. The dataset is well suited for investigating neural mechanisms of phobias, brain-behavior correlations, and also contributes to the existing phobic neuroimaging datasets with spider-fearful samples.

PMID:39962218 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-025-04569-w

Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 17;15(1):5794. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-87204-3.

ABSTRACT

Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (MPH), are beneficial for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but individual response varies. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underpinning response is needed. Previous studies suggest that a single MPH dose modulates resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc). We investigated whether single-dose induced rs-fc changes were associated with post-dose optimization clinical response. Fifty-six adults with ADHD underwent rs-functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) under placebo and a single MPH dose, before starting MPH treatment. Clinical response was measured at two months. We tested if a single MPH dose (vs. placebo) shifted rs-fc; how these shifts were associated with treatment response (categorical approach); and whether these associations were driven by improvement on either ADHD symptom domain. A single MPH dose (vs. placebo) increased rs-fc in three subcortical-cortical and cerebellar-cortical clusters. Enhanced rs-fc between the cerebellar vermis (lobule 6) and the left precentral gyrus was associated with a greater probability of responding to treatment (χ2(7) = 22.740, p = .002) and with an improvement on both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms (both p ≤ .001). We provide proof-of-concept that the brain functional response to a single MPH dose, administered before starting routine treatment, is indicative of two-month clinical response in adult ADHD. This may encourage future replication using clinically applicable measures.

PMID:39962109 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-025-87204-3

Int J Womens Health. 2025 Feb 11;17:369-376. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S508593. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disorder that significantly impacts women of reproductive age. Recent evidence suggests a bidirectional link between endometriosis and brain functional networks, though the causal mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to explore these relationships using Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis.

METHODS: Data from 191 resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) phenotypes and endometriosis genetic datasets were analyzed using both forward and reverse MR approaches. Genetic Instrument Selection was performed to identify valid instrumental variables, ensuring their independence from confounders and strong association with the exposure. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings.

RESULTS: Forward MR analysis identified three brain networks (Pheno20, Pheno38, Pheno44) significantly associated with endometriosis risk (P FDR < 0.05). Notably, Pheno38 activity was inversely associated with fallopian tube endometriosis, whereas Pheno20 and Pheno44 were positively linked to adenomyosis. Reverse MR analysis revealed that endometriosis of the ovary was inversely associated with functional connectivity in Pheno932, a network involved in cognitive and attention processes. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of these results.

DISCUSSION: This study highlights a complex bidirectional relationship between brain functional networks and endometriosis. Increased activity in specific networks may protect against or predispose individuals to certain subtypes of endometriosis. Conversely, endometriosis also can influence brain connectivity, potentially contributing to cognitive and emotional symptoms.

PMID:39959755 | PMC:PMC11829589 | DOI:10.2147/IJWH.S508593

Psychol Med. 2025 Feb 17;55:e49. doi: 10.1017/S0033291725000054.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the health of millions of people worldwide, and many manifest new or persistent symptoms long after the initial onset of the infection. One of the leading symptoms of long-COVID is cognitive impairment, which includes memory loss, lack of concentration, and brain fog. Understanding the nature and underlying mechanisms of cognitive impairment in long-COVID is important for developing preventive and therapeutic interventions.

METHODS: Our present study investigated functional connectivity (FC) changes in patients with long-COVID and their associations with cognitive impairment. Resting-state functional MRI data from 60 long-COVID patients and 52 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were analyzed using seed-based functional connectivity analysis.

RESULTS: We found increased FC between the right caudate nucleus and both the left and right precentral gyri in long-COVID patients compared with healthy controls. In addition, elevated FC was observed between the right anterior globus pallidus and posterior cingulate cortex as well as the right temporal pole in long-COVID patients. Importantly, the magnitude of FC between the caudate and the left precentral gyrus showed a significant negative correlation with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores and a negative correlation with Trail Making Test B performance in the patient group.

CONCLUSION: Patients with long-COVID present enhanced FC between the caudate and the left precentral gyrus. Furthermore, those FC alterations are related to the severity of cognitive impairment, particularly in the domain of executive functions.

PMID:39957507 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291725000054

J Sleep Res. 2025 Feb 17:e70015. doi: 10.1111/jsr.70015. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To investigate the effective connectivity between the bilateral insulae and other regions of the whole brain in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to reveal the relationships between these abnormal connections and cognitive dysfunction in this condition. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data and clinical variables were collected from 55 children with OSA [5.0 (5.0, 8.0) years, 32 males, 28 pre-school children] and 25 healthy controls [6.0 (5.0, 9.0) years, 11 males, 9 pre-school children], matched for age, gender, and education. Rs-fMRI data were analysed to investigative group-difference in the effective connectivity between the bilateral insulae and other regions of the brain of children with OSA with those of controls. Spearman correlation analysis was conducted between these abnormal connections and clinical variables among children with OSA. Compared with controls, children with OSA showed abnormal clinical variables (i.e., increased OAHI, AHI, OAI, HI, ODI, time of SpO2 < 90%, total AI, and respiratory-related AI, while decreased minimal SpO2, FIQ, VIQ, and PIQ). Additionally, significant alterations were observed in the effective connectivity between the bilateral insulae and other regions of brain, such as frontal, parietal, occipital, and cerebellum and so forth. Furthermore, the mean values of the effective connectivity in children with OSA were significantly correlated with several sleep-related and neurocognitive parameters. There exist abnormal causal interactions between the bilateral insulae and other regions throughout the brain in OSA children, accompanied by impaired cognitive function, suggesting that the former may be a potential neural mechanism underlying the latter.

PMID:39957378 | DOI:10.1111/jsr.70015

Brain Res Bull. 2025 Feb 14:111259. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111259. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Sensory impairment after stroke has become an important health problem that affects the health and quality of life of patients. Acupuncture is a widely accepted method for stroke rehabilitation. The development of fMRI provides a good platform for the study of neural activity patterns induced by acupuncture, and many studies have found that acupuncture can induce special activation of the brain in stroke patients. We introduced the inter-subject functional connectivity(ISFC) method into the study of acupuncture treatment for sensory impairment after stroke to explore the group effects of acupuncture treatment and the specific mode of action of acupuncture for sensory impairment. In this study, 24 stroke patients with limb numbness and 23 healthy controls were included, and three functional magnetic resonance scans were designed, including resting state, acupuncture task state, and acupuncture-retention state(LI11 and ST36 were used during the task fMRI). The main observation was the connection changes in 50 regions of interest, including the sensory-motor network, central executive network, thalamus, cingulate gyrus, and other brain regions. The findings showed that acupuncture could cause certain patterns of neural activity in the patients. These patterns included a significant rise in ISFC within the sensory-motor network and between the sensory-motor network and the thalamus and the central executive network. When different types of acupuncture were compared, it was found that the first effect of acupuncture was mostly large-scale activation of the sensory-motor network and the thalamus. The second effect, on the other hand, was low-intensity activation in a limited range. In general, this study explored the group mechanism of acupuncture for sensory function rehabilitation after stroke and provided some help for understanding neural activity patterns from a cross-subject dimension.

PMID:39956399 | DOI:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111259