Functional Connectivity Within the Default Mode Network in Response to Exercise During Return-to-Sport Following Concussion

ObjectiveThe aim of this pilot study is to explore changes in EEG derived functional connectivity of the default mode network in response to physical exercise during return-to-sports (RTS) after sports related concussion (SRC).BackgroundThe rehabilitation of athletes with SRC is challenging. Presently, there are no objective biomarkers to predict effects of exercise during RTS. SRC associated diffuse axonal injuries predominantly affect the Default Mode Network (DMN). Assessing exercise induced changes in functional connectivity of the DMN may therefore be a potential target.Design/MethodsEleven athletes were examined during the early stages of RTS after SRC (age: 23.90 ± 4.81) and compared to 13 control athletes (age: 24.00 ± 4.90). Resting state 128-channel EEGs were collected before and after a progressive ergometer exercise protocol working up to 70% of the maximal heart rate. DMN connectivity was assessed by calculating the phase locking value (PLV) in 3 frequency bands (theta: 3–7, alpha: 7–13, beta: 14–25). Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests were used to explore statistical significance between pre- and post-exercise.ResultsIn SRC athletes PLV within the alpha band decreased significantly post-exercise (median [Mdn] = 0.445, interquartile range [IQR = 0.069) in comparison to pre-exercise (Mdn = 0.436, IQR = 0.047; Z = −1.956, p < 0.05), whereas no difference was observed in the control group (post-exercise [Mdn = 0.476, IQR = 0.072] compared to pre-exercise [Mdn = 0.461, IQR = 0.100; Z = −0.175, p = 0.86]). PLVs in the theta and beta band before and after exercise differed neither in the patient nor in the control group.ConclusionsExercise induced changes of functional connectivity of the DMN within the alpha band were only present in post-concussed athletes and may be suitable as a potential objective marker to reflect pathophysiologic changes in further clinical studies to guide RTS.

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A Dissociation in Effects of Risperidone Monotherapy on Functional and Anatomical Connectivity Within the Default Mode Network

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sby175 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 1309-1318 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Xiaofen Zong ◽

Maolin Hu ◽

Spiro P Pantazatos ◽

J John Mann ◽

Gaohua Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Structure Function ◽

Healthy Volunteers ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Control Group ◽

Functional Coupling ◽

Antipsychotic Treatment ◽

Positive Symptoms ◽

Default Mode

Abstract Respective changes in functional and anatomical connectivities of default mode network (DMN) after antipsychotic treatment have been reported. However, alterations in structure–function coupling after treatment remain unknown. We performed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in 42 drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) both at baseline and after 8-weeks risperidone monotherapy, and in 38 healthy volunteers. Independent component analysis was used to assess voxel-wise DMN synchrony. A 3-step procedure was used to trace fiber paths between DMN components. Structure–function couplings were assessed by Pearson’s correlations between mean fractional anisotropy and temporal correlation coefficients in major tracts of DMN. Pretreatment, FESP showed impaired functional connectivity in posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCUN) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), but no abnormalities in fibers connecting DMN components. After treatment, there were significant increases in functional connectivities of PCC/PCUN. Increases in functional connectivity between PCC/PCUN and mPFC correlated with improvement in positive symptoms. The structure–function coupling in tracts connecting PCC/PCUN and bilateral medial temporal lobes decreased after treatment. No alterations in DMN fiber integrity were detected. This combination of functional and anatomical findings in FESP contributes novel evidence related to neurobehavioral treatment effects. Increased functional connectivities between PCC/PCUN and mPFC may be treatment response biomarkers for positive symptoms. Increases in functional connectivities, no alterations in fiber integrity, combined with decreases in structural–functional coupling, suggest that DMN connectivities may be dissociated by modality after 8-week treatment. Major limitations of this study, however, include lack of repeat scans in healthy volunteers and control group of patients taking placebo or comparator antipsychotics.

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Motor Imagery Learning Induced Changes in Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network

IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering ◽

10.1109/tnsre.2014.2332353 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 138-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Ruiyang Ge ◽

Hang Zhang ◽

Li Yao ◽

Zhiying Long

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Motor Imagery ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Default Mode ◽

Induced Changes

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Electroacupuncture Modulates Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Default Mode Network for Healthy Older Adults

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology ◽

10.1177/0891988719868304 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 85-92

Author(s):

Dong-qiong Fan ◽

Hai-chao Zhao ◽

Jing Sheng ◽

Yun-rui Liu ◽

Jing Yu

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Functional Connectivity ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Control Group ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Default Mode ◽

Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex

Aging involves cognitive decline and prominent alterations in brain activity. Electroacupuncture (EA), a traditional Chinese medicine approach, is demonstrated to be effective in improving cognitive function of older adults. However, the specific neural mechanism underlying this modulation effect remains unclear. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether EA could improve cognitive performance of community-dwelling older adults and whether these potential improvements are associated with the EA-induced brain functional connectivity alterations. Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to the EA group and the control group. Behaviorally, we observed an EA-induced improvement in cognitive performance of older adults in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. On a neural perspective, the EA intervention significantly increased the functional connectivity within the default mode network. Moreover, we found a positive association between the improvement in delayed memory performance and the alterations in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex-hippocampal formation connectivity in the EA group. This study extends previous findings by showing that healthy older adults exhibit neural plasticity manifested as increased functional connectivity after EA sessions, which could induce therapeutic effects in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

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Acupuncture Modulates the Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Stroke Patients

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1155/2014/765413 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Yong Zhang ◽

Kuangshi Li ◽

Yi Ren ◽

Fangyuan Cui ◽

Zijing Xie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Resting State Fmri ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Default Mode ◽

Function Recovery ◽

Abundant Evidence ◽

Before And After ◽

Hemispheric Infarction

Abundant evidence from previous fMRI studies on acupuncture has revealed significant modulatory effects at widespread brain regions. However, few reports on the modulation to the default mode network (DMN) of stroke patients have been investigated in the field of acupuncture. To study the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients, eight right hemispheric infarction and stable ischemic stroke patients and ten healthy subjects were recruited to undergo resting state fMRI scanning before and after acupuncture stimulation. Functional connectivity analysis was applied with the bilateral posterior cingulate cortices chosen as the seed regions. The main finding demonstrated that the interregional interactions between the ACC and PCC especially enhanced after acupuncture at GB34 in stroke patients, compared with healthy controls. The results indicated that the possible mechanisms of the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients could be interpreted in terms of cognitive ability and motor function recovery.

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Music Intervention Reduces Persistent Fibromyalgia Pain and Alters Functional Connectivity Between the Insula and Default Mode Network

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnaa071 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 1546-1552

Author(s):

Chie Usui ◽

Eiji Kirino ◽

Shoji Tanaka ◽

Rie Inami ◽

Kenya Nishioka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

Network Connectivity ◽

Music Intervention ◽

Default Mode ◽

Pain Scores ◽

Short Period ◽

Before And After ◽

The Difference ◽

The Right

Abstract Objective The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of short-term music interventions among patients with fibromyalgia (FM) and to clarify the alterations in functional connectivity and persistent pain. Design Pilot study. Setting All participants were evaluated at Juntendo University from November 2017 to January 2019. Subjects We enrolled female patients who had been clinically diagnosed with FM (N = 23). Methods All participants listened to Mozart’s Duo for Violin and Viola No. 1, K. 423, in a quiet room for 17 minutes. We compared the degree of pain using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and the numeric rating scale before and after listening to music. Results Pain scores were significantly reduced after listening to music. Further, we observed there was a significant difference in connectivity between the right insular cortex (IC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus (PCu) before and after listening to music. We also found that the difference between the right IC-PCu connectivity and the difference in pain scores were significantly correlated. Conclusions We found that a short period of music intervention reduced chronic pain and altered functional IC–default mode network connectivity. Furthermore, music potentially normalized the neural network via IC–default mode network connectivity, yielding temporary pain relief in patients with FM. Further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these results.

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Decrease of Functional Connectivity within the Default Mode Network by a Brief Training of Focused Attention on the Breath in Novices

10.1101/2021.02.09.430388 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sara Trova ◽

Yuki Tsuji ◽

Haruka Horiuchi ◽

Sotaro Shimada

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Default Mode Network ◽

State Level ◽

Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽

Control Group ◽

Focused Attention ◽

List Type ◽

Default Mode ◽

Brief Training ◽

Meditation Group

AbstractExperienced meditators reduce the activity of the default mode network (DMN), a brain system preferentially active when people are not engaged in specific tasks. However, the neural modulation of the DMN in novices remain largely unexplored. By using electroencephalography, we investigated the DMN functional connectivity in two groups of novices: the meditation group practiced six consecutive days of focused attention on the breath; the control group practiced only on the first and last days. After the brief training, results showed a decrease in the DMN functional connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex in theta and alpha bands during the focused attention condition, in the meditation group compared to the control group. The change in DMN functional connectivity was significantly correlated with the increase in state-level mindfulness scores. These data elucidate DMN modifications already arising at the initial stages of mindfulness meditation training in novices.HighlightsAn effect of brief meditation training on brain activity in novices was examined by using EEG.A six-day training of focused attention on the breath improved state-level mindfulness scores.Brief meditation training also reduced the functional connectivity within anterior-posterior DMN.The amount of change in DMN functional connectivity was significantly correlated with the subjective score.

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