Longitudinal Spatial Patterns of Intrinsic Brain Activity and Functional Connectivity in Upper Limb Amputees Patients
Abstract Background: Amputation in adults is a serious condition and previous studies suggested a remapping of representations in motor and sensory brain networks. However, little is known about the longitudinal reorganizing pattern in upper limb amputees’ patients.Methods: The present study included 8 healthy volunteers and 16 patients with amputation. We use resting-state fMRI to investigate the local and large-scale brain plasticity in patients suffering from amputation. Both the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) were used for the assessment of neuroplasticity.Results: We described changes in spatial patterns of intrinsic brain activity and functional connectivity in amputees; and we found that not only the sensory and motor cortex, but also the cognitive-related brain regions involved in the functional plasticity after upper extremity deafferentation.Conclusion: Our findings showed local and extensive cortical changes in the sensorimotor and cognitive-related brain regions, which may imply the dysfunction in not only sensory and motor function, but also sensorimotor integration and motor plan. The changes in activation and intrinsic connectivity in the brain showed correlation with the deafferentation status.