Wei Zhang1, Xianjun Liu2, Yi Zhang3, Lingheng Song4, Jingming Hou5, Bing Chen6, Mei He7, Ping Cai8, Haitao Lii9. 1. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial Corps Hospital, Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Leshan 614000, China. Electronic address: will.zhang.1111@gmail.com. 2. Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial Corps Hospital, Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Leshan 614000, China. Electronic address: xianjun6.liu@gmail.com. 3. Department of Radiology, Sichuan Provincial Corps Hospital, Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Leshan 614000, China. Electronic address: yi.zhang.0833@gmail.com. 4. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: songlh1023@hotmail.com. 5. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: jingminghou@hotmail.com. 6. Department of Endocrinology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: chenbing3@medmail.com.cn. 7. Department of Clinical Psychology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: sunnusunny0105@gmail.com. 8. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: pingc_ddd@sina.com. 9. Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China. Electronic address: haitaolii023@gmail.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The hippocampus expresses high levels of thyroid hormone receptors, suggesting that hippocampal functions, including cognition and regulation of mood, can be disrupted by thyroid pathology. Indeed, structural and functional alterations within the hippocampus have been observed in hyperthyroid patients. In addition to internal circuitry, hippocampal processing is dependent on extensive connections with other limbic and neocortical structures, but the effects of hyperthyroidism on functional connectivity (FC) with these areas have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible abnormalities in the FC between the hippocampus and other neural structures in hyperthyroid patients using resting-state fMRI. METHODS: Seed-based correlation analysis was performed on resting-state fMRI data to reveal possible differences in hippocampal FC between hyperthyroid patients and healthy controls. Correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the strength of FC in regions showing significant group differences and clinical variables. RESULTS: Compared to controls, hyperthyroid patients showed weaker FC between the bilateral hippocampus and both the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), as well as between the right hippocampus and right medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC). Disease duration was negatively correlated with FC strength between the bilateral hippocampus and bilateral ACC and PCC. Levels of depression and anxiety were negatively correlated with FC strength between the bilateral hippocampus and bilateral ACC. CONCLUSION: Decreased functional connectivity between the hippocampus and bilateral ACC, PCC, and right mOFC may contribute to the emotional and cognitive dysfunction associated with hyperthyroidism.
OBJECTIVE: The hippocampus expresses high levels of thyroid hormone receptors, suggesting that hippocampal functions, including cognition and regulation of mood, can be disrupted by thyroid pathology. Indeed, structural and functional alterations within the hippocampus have been observed in hyperthyroidpatients. In addition to internal circuitry, hippocampal processing is dependent on extensive connections with other limbic and neocortical structures, but the effects of hyperthyroidism on functional connectivity (FC) with these areas have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible abnormalities in the FC between the hippocampus and other neural structures in hyperthyroidpatients using resting-state fMRI. METHODS: Seed-based correlation analysis was performed on resting-state fMRI data to reveal possible differences in hippocampal FC between hyperthyroidpatients and healthy controls. Correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the strength of FC in regions showing significant group differences and clinical variables. RESULTS: Compared to controls, hyperthyroidpatients showed weaker FC between the bilateral hippocampus and both the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), as well as between the right hippocampus and right medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC). Disease duration was negatively correlated with FC strength between the bilateral hippocampus and bilateral ACC and PCC. Levels of depression and anxiety were negatively correlated with FC strength between the bilateral hippocampus and bilateral ACC. CONCLUSION: Decreased functional connectivity between the hippocampus and bilateral ACC, PCC, and right mOFC may contribute to the emotional and cognitive dysfunction associated with hyperthyroidism.
Authors: Stephen M Smith; Gwenaëlle Douaud; Winfield Chen; Taylor Hanayik; Fidel Alfaro-Almagro; Kevin Sharp; Lloyd T Elliott Journal: Nat Neurosci Date: 2021-04-19 Impact factor: 24.884