scholarly journals Altered Spontaneous Brain Activity in Somatic Symptom Disorder: A Resting-state fMRI Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yangyang Cui ◽  
Huai-Bin Liang ◽  
Qian Zhu ◽  
Zhaoxia Qin ◽  
Yue Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Somatic Symptom ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Medical Disorders ◽  
Medial Frontal Gyrus ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background: Somatic symptom disorders (SSDs) are common medical disorders characterized by various biological, social, and psychological pathogenic factors. Little is known about the neural correlations of SSD. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the dysfunction in 45 patients with SSD and in 43 controls by combining the regional homogeneity (ReHo) amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) methods based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Compared to the controls, the patients with SSD exhibited significantly greater ReHo in the right cingulate gyrus and smaller ReHo in the right precuneus, left inferior and temporal gyrus extending to the left middle temporal gyrus and left parahippocampal gyrus, and right pons. The SSD patients showed higher ALFF values in the cingulate gyrus extending to the left medial frontal gyrus, right insula extending to the right inferior frontal gyrus, and left medial frontal gyrus extending to the left anterior cingulate cortex. Conclusions: These dysfunction areas seem to have a particular importance for the occurrence of SSD, which may result in dysfunction in self-relevant processes, emotional processing, multimodal integration, arousal, interoception, and body perception.

scholarly journals Neurochemical Correlates of Brain Atrophy in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Cortical Thickness Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 395
Author(s):  
Paola Feraco ◽  
Salvatore Nigro ◽  
Luca Passamonti ◽  
Alessandro Grecucci ◽  
Maria Eugenia Caligiuri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Pain Modulation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
The Right

(1) Background: Recently, a series of clinical neuroimaging studies on fibromyalgia (FM) have shown a reduction in cortical volume and abnormally high glutamate (Glu) and glutamate + glutamine (Glx) levels in regions associated with pain modulation. However, it remains unclear whether the volumetric decreases and increased Glu levels in FM are related each other. We hypothesized that higher Glu levels are related to decreases in cortical thickness (CT) and volume in FM patients. (2) Methods: Twelve females with FM and 12 matched healthy controls participated in a session of combined 3.0 Tesla structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single-voxel MR spectroscopy focused on the thalami and ventrolateral prefrontal cortices (VLPFC). The thickness of the cortical and subcortical gray matter structures and the Glu/Cr and Glx/Cr ratios were estimated. Statistics included an independent t-test and Spearman’s test. (3) Results: The Glu/Cr ratio of the left VLPFC was negatively related to the CT of the left inferior frontal gyrus (pars opercularis (p = 0.01; r = −0.75) and triangularis (p = 0.01; r = −0.70)). Moreover, the Glx/Cr ratio of the left VLPFC was negatively related to the CT of the left middle anterior cingulate gyrus (p = 0.003; r = −0.81). Significantly lower CTs in FM were detected in subparts of the cingulate gyrus on both sides and in the right inferior occipital gyrus (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: Our findings are in line with previous observations that high glutamate levels can be related, in a concentration-dependent manner, to the morphological atrophy described in FM patients.

Selective functional disconnection of the orbitofrontal subregions in schizophrenia

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
pp. 1637-1646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Xu ◽  
W. Qin ◽  
C. Zhuo ◽  
L. Xu ◽  
J. Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Cortical Atrophy ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Signal Loss ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Disconnection Syndrome ◽  
The Right

BackgroundAs a disconnection syndrome, schizophrenia has shown impaired resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC); however, the OFC is a rather heterogeneous region and the rsFC changes in the OFC subregions remain unknown.MethodA total of 98 schizophrenia patients and 102 healthy controls underwent resting-state functional MRI using a sensitivity-encoded spiral-in imaging sequence (SENSE-SPIRAL) to reduce susceptibility-induced signal loss and distortion. The OFC subregions were defined according to a previous parcellation study that divided the OFC into the anterior (OFCa), medial (OFCm), posterior (OFCp), intermediate (OFCi), and lateral (OFCl) subregions. The rsFC was compared using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA.ResultsWhether or not global signal regression, compared with healthy controls, schizophrenia patients consistently exhibited decreased rsFC between the left OFCi and the left middle temporal gyrus and the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), between the right OFCi and the right MFG and the left inferior frontal gyrus, between the right OFCm and the middle cingulate cortex and the left Rolandic operculum. These rsFC changes still remained significant even after cortical atrophy correction.ConclusionsThese findings suggest a selective functional disconnection of the OFC subregions in schizophrenia, and provide more precise information about the functional disconnections of the OFC in this disorder.

scholarly journals Altered patterns of fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and regional homogeneity in abstinent methamphetamine-dependent users

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
An Xie ◽  
Qiuxia Wu ◽  
Winson Fu Zun Yang ◽  
Chang Qi ◽  
Yanhui Liao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Regional Homogeneity ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Frequency Fluctuation ◽  
Early Recovery ◽  
Left Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
The Right

AbstractMethamphetamine (MA) could induce functional and structural brain alterations in dependent subjects. However, few studies have investigated resting-state activity in methamphetamine-dependent subjects (MADs). We aimed to investigate alterations of brain activity during resting-state in MADs using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). We analyzed fALFF and ReHo between MADs (n = 70) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 84) and performed regression analysis using MA use variables. Compared to HCs, abstinent MADs showed increased fALFF and ReHo values in the bilateral striatum, decreased fALFF in the left inferior frontal gyrus, and decreased ReHo in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and left precuneus. We also observed the fALFF values of bilateral striatum were positively correlated with the age of first MA use, and negatively correlated with the duration of MA use. The fALFF value of right striatum was also positively correlated with the duration of abstinence. The alterations of spontaneous cerebral activity in abstinent MADs may help us probe into the neurological pathophysiology underlying MA-related dysfunction and recovery. Since MADs with higher fALFF in the right striatum had shorter MA use and longer abstinence, the increased fALFF in the right striatum might implicate early recovery during abstinence.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Study on Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Individuals with Disorganized Attachment: Evidence for Key Regions in Amygdala and Hippocampus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1539
Author(s):  
Gianluca Cruciani ◽  
Maddalena Boccia ◽  
Vittorio Lingiardi ◽  
Guido Giovanardi ◽  
Pietro Zingaretti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Functional Coupling ◽  
Brain Abnormalities ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Posterior Portion ◽  
The Right

Studies comparing organized (O) and unresolved/disorganized (UD) attachment have consistently shown structural and functional brain abnormalities, although whether and how attachment patterns may affect resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) is still little characterized. Here, we investigated RSFC of temporal and limbic regions of interest for UD attachment. Participants’ attachment was classified via the Adult Attachment Interview, and all participants underwent clinical assessment. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 11 UD individuals and seven matched O participants during rest. A seed-to-voxel analysis was performed, including the anterior and the posterior cingulate cortex, the bilateral insula, amygdala and hippocampus as seed regions. No group differences in the clinical scales emerged. Compared to O, the UD group showed lower RSFC between the left amygdala and the left cerebellum (lobules VIII), and lower functional coupling between the right hippocampus and the posterior portion of the right middle temporal gyrus. Moreover, UD participants showed higher RSFC between the right amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex. Our findings suggest RSFC alterations in regions associated with encoding of salient events, emotion processing, memories retrieval and self-referential processing in UD participants, highlighting the potential role of attachment experiences in shaping brain abnormalities also in non-clinical UD individuals.

scholarly journals S143. NEURAL MECHANISMS OF ROBOT-INDUCED HALLUCINATIONS IN HEALTHY PARTICIPANTS AND SYMPTOMATIC HALLUCINATIONS OF NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC ORIGIN

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S90-S91
Author(s):  
Eva Blondiaux ◽  
Giedre Stripeikyte ◽  
Giulio Rognini ◽  
Michel Akselrod ◽  
Jevita Potheegadoo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Robotic System ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Neurological Patients ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background The ability to recognize whether sensory consequences have been self-generated or externally produced is an important element of motor control and self-monitoring. Deficits in self-monitoring have been proposed to cause abnormal bodily experiences and psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations. A recent study designed a robotic system that applies sensorimotor stimulation in healthy subjects and safely induces mild presence hallucinations (PH) and passivity experiences (Blanke et al., 2014). PH are defined as the sensation that someone is close by when actually no one is present and passivity experiences are characterized by perceptions or beliefs that an external agent is controlling one’s actions, perceptions, and/or thoughts. Although, both symptoms occur in schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease, their neural mechanisms are unknown. Methods Here, we first investigated the neural mechanisms of PH and passivity experiences in 25 healthy subjects. We developed a new MR-compatible robotic system able to generate the aforementioned sensorimotor conflicts, while recording subjects’ brain activity using fMRI. In addition, we applied lesion network mapping to 11 neurological patients with symptomatic PH and compared both populations to find a common PH network. In a final step, we investigated the relevance of the PH network by analyzing the connectivity of the PH network in resting state fMRI data from 58 psychotic patients. Results We first evaluated the regions associated with the general sensorimotor conflict, which revealed the left sensorimotor area, the left putamen, the right inferior parietal lobule and the right cerebellum. Then, we analyzed the regions that were more activated during the condition eliciting PH and passivity experiences and found the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), the insula, the superior medial gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Comparison of these two networks with the symptomatic PH network in neurological patients highlighted the IFG, the MTG and the vPMc. The resting state analysis within those regions in psychotic patients revealed no global differences between the groups but a functional connectivity decrease between MTG and IFG (bilaterally) specific for psychotic patients experiencing passivity experiences. Discussion Collectively, we showed that through the use of a robotic system generating sensorimotor conflicts, the neural correlates of induced-PH and passivity experiences can be studied in healthy subjects in a controlled manner. In addition, we found two networks associated with induced-PH and passivity experience. Of these regions, three were also recruited in patients with PH of neurological origin, forming the PH network. MTG-IFG connectivity in the PH network was altered selectively in psychotic patients with passivity experiences, revealing the relevance of the neural mechanisms of PH and passivity experiences in psychosis.

scholarly journals Altered connectivity in the right inferior frontal gyrus associated with self-control in adolescents exhibiting problematic smartphone use: A fMRI study

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Problematic Smartphone Use ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background With the continued spread of smartphones and development of the internet, the potential negative effects arising from problematic smartphone use (PSU) in adolescents are being reported on an increasing basis. This study aimed to investigate whether altered resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) is related to the psychological factors underlying PSU in adolescents. Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance images were acquired from 47 adolescents with PSU and 46 healthy control adolescents (the CON group). Seed-based functional connectivity analyses were then performed to compare the two groups with respect to rsFC in the right inferior frontal gyrus, associated with various forms of self-control, and rsFC in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Results Compared to the CON group, the PSU group exhibited a reduction in rsFC between the right inferior frontal gyrus and limbic areas, including the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, the left amygdala, and the right hippocampus. In addition, a reduction in fronto-limbic rsFC was associated with the severity of PSU, the degree of self-control, and the amount of time the subjects used their smartphones. Conclusion Adolescents with PSU exhibited reduced levels of fronto-limbic functional connectivity; this mechanism is involved in salience attribution and self-control, attributes that are critical to the clinical manifestation of substance and behavioral addictions. Our data provide clear evidence for alterations in brain connectivity with respect to self-control in PSU.

scholarly journals Altered local and distant functional connectivity density relate to headache frequency in migraine without aura

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Ke ◽  
Yang Yu ◽  
Xiaodong Zhang ◽  
Yunyan Su ◽  
Ximing Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Parahippocampal Gyrus ◽  
Connectivity Pattern ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Functional Connectivity Density ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Migraine Frequency ◽  
The Right

Abstract Background Episodic migraine (EM) is associated with alterations in functional connectivity of several regions or resting-state networks, but it is not well known how large-scale functional connectivity pattern of the whole brain is affected in chronic migraine (CM). Methods Fifty-six migraineurs without aura (39 with EM, 17 with CM) and 35 healthy controls (HC) underwent clinical assessment and resting-state functional MRI. Functional connectivity density (FCD) was calculated in a voxel-wise way to examine large-scale brain network property over the whole brain. Results Compared with HC, both migraine groups showed increased local FCD in the left orbital frontal gyrus (OFG), right hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (HP/PHG), cerebellum, and decreased local FCD in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Local FCD of the left OFG increased in CM compared to EM. In comparison with HC, EM showed increased local FCD in the left middle temporal gyrus, and CM exhibited decreased local FCD in the left sensorimotor cortex and bilateral precuneus. Furthermore, relative to HC, EM showed increased distant FCD in the right PHG while CM showed increased distant FCD in the right HP and OFG. Importantly, majority of the observed local and distant FCD alterations were associated with migraine frequency across all migraineurs. Conclusion Patients with higher migraine frequency present more extensive and pronounced functional connectivity dysfunctions in regions involved in pain processing and modulation. FCD, especially local FCD may be a sensitive biomarker for examining the neural mechanism of migraine.

Brain reactivity to humorous films is affected by insomnia

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Sanz-Arigita ◽  
Yannick Daviaux ◽  
Marc Joliot ◽  
Bixente Dilharreguy ◽  
Jean-Arthur Micoulaud-Franchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Reactivity ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Gyrus ◽  
Left Caudate ◽  
Neural Reactivity ◽  
The Right

Abstract Study objectives Emotional reactivity to negative stimuli has been investigated in insomnia, but little is known about emotional reactivity to positive stimuli and its neural representation. Methods We used 3T fMRI to determine neural reactivity during the presentation of standardized short, 10-40-s, humorous films in insomnia patients (n=20, 18 females, aged 27.7 +/- 8.6 years) and age-matched individuals without insomnia (n=20, 19 females, aged 26.7 +/- 7.0 years), and assessed humour ratings through a visual analogue scale (VAS). Seed-based functional connectivity was analysed for left and right amygdala networks: group-level mixed-effects analysis (FLAME; FSL) was used to compare amygdala connectivity maps between groups. Results fMRI seed-based analysis of the amygdala revealed stronger neural reactivity in insomnia patients than in controls in several brain network clusters within the reward brain network, without humour rating differences between groups (p = 0.6). For left amygdala connectivity, cluster maxima were in the left caudate (Z=3.88), left putamen (Z=3.79) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=4.11), while for right amygdala connectivity, cluster maxima were in the left caudate (Z=4.05), right insula (Z=3.83) and left anterior cingulate gyrus (Z=4.29). Cluster maxima of the right amygdala network were correlated with hyperarousal scores in insomnia patients only. Conclusions Presentation of humorous films leads to increased brain activity in the neural reward network for insomnia patients compared to controls, related to hyperarousal features in insomnia patients, in the absence of humor rating group differences. These novel findings may benefit insomnia treatment interventions.

The Role of the Right Prefrontal Cortex in Self-evaluation of the Face: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 342-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoyo Morita ◽  
Shoji Itakura ◽  
Daisuke N. Saito ◽  
Satoshi Nakashita ◽  
Tokiko Harada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Face Recognition ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Video Recording ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
The Self ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Precentral Gyrus ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
The Right

Individuals can experience negative emotions (e.g., embarrassment) accompanying self-evaluation immediately after recognizing their own facial image, especially if it deviates strongly from their mental representation of ideals or standards. The aim of this study was to identify the cortical regions involved in self-recognition and self-evaluation along with self-conscious emotions. To increase the range of emotions accompanying self-evaluation, we used facial feedback images chosen from a video recording, some of which deviated significantly from normal images. In total, 19 participants were asked to rate images of their own face (SELF) and those of others (OTHERS) according to how photogenic they appeared to be. After scanning the images, the participants rated how embarrassed they felt upon viewing each face. As the photogenic scores decreased, the embarrassment ratings dramatically increased for the participant's own face compared with those of others. The SELF versus OTHERS contrast significantly increased the activation of the right prefrontal cortex, bilateral insular cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral occipital cortex. Within the right prefrontal cortex, activity in the right precentral gyrus reflected the trait of awareness of observable aspects of the self; this provided strong evidence that the right precentral gyrus is specifically involved in self-face recognition. By contrast, activity in the anterior region, which is located in the right middle inferior frontal gyrus, was modulated by the extent of embarrassment. This finding suggests that the right middle inferior frontal gyrus is engaged in self-evaluation preceded by self-face recognition based on the relevance to a standard self.

Humor Comprehension and Appreciation: An fMRI Study

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 1789-1798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Bartolo ◽  
Francesca Benuzzi ◽  
Luca Nocetti ◽  
Patrizia Baraldi ◽  
Paolo Nichelli
Keyword(s):  
Left Hemisphere ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Lesion ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Stage Model ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
The Right

Humor is a unique ability in human beings. Suls [A two-stage model for the appreciation of jokes and cartoons. In P. E. Goldstein & J. H. McGhee (Eds.), The psychology of humour. Theoretical perspectives and empirical issues. New York: Academic Press, 1972, pp. 81–100] proposed a two-stage model of humor: detection and resolution of incongruity. Incongruity is generated when a prediction is not confirmed in the final part of a story. To comprehend humor, it is necessary to revisit the story, transforming an incongruous situation into a funny, congruous one. Patient and neuroimaging studies carried out until now lead to different outcomes. In particular, patient studies found that right brain-lesion patients have difficulties in humor comprehension, whereas neuroimaging studies suggested a major involvement of the left hemisphere in both humor detection and comprehension. To prevent activation of the left hemisphere due to language processing, we devised a nonverbal task comprising cartoon pairs. Our findings demonstrate activation of both the left and the right hemispheres when comparing funny versus nonfunny cartoons. In particular, we found activation of the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47), the left superior temporal gyrus (BA 38), the left middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), and the left cerebellum. These areas were also activated in a nonverbal task exploring attribution of intention [Brunet, E., Sarfati, Y., Hardy-Bayle, M. C., & Decety, J. A PET investigation of the attribution of intentions with a nonverbal task. Neuroimage, 11, 157–166, 2000]. We hypothesize that the resolution of incongruity might occur through a process of intention attribution. We also asked subjects to rate the funniness of each cartoon pair. A parametric analysis showed that the left amygdala was activated in relation to subjective amusement. We hypothesize that the amygdala plays a key role in giving humor an emotional dimension.

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