Feng Liu1, Chunyan Zhu2, Yifeng Wang3, Wenbin Guo4, Meiling Li3, Wenqin Wang5, Zhiliang Long3, Yajing Meng2, Qian Cui6, Ling Zeng3, Qiyong Gong7, Wei Zhang8, Huafu Chen9. 1. Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, PR China; Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, PR China. 2. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China; Psychiatric Genetics Laboratory, Biotherapy State Key Laboratory, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China. 3. Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, PR China. 4. Mental Health Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, PR China. 5. School of Sciences, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin 300130, PR China. 6. School of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, PR China. 7. Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China. 8. Mental Health Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China; Psychiatric Genetics Laboratory, Biotherapy State Key Laboratory, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: weizhang27@163.com. 9. Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, PR China. Electronic address: chenhf@uestc.edu.cn.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The network hubs, characterized by the large number of connections to other regions, play important roles in the proper and effective transfer of information. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have aberrant functional connectivity. The changing pattern in functional network hubs in SAD, however, remains incompletely understood. METHODS: Twenty SAD patients and 20 matched healthy controls were recruited. Resting-state fMRI data were obtained using a gradient-recalled echo-planar imaging sequence. Whole-brain voxel-wise functional networks were constructed by measuring the temporal correlations of each pair of brain voxels and then hubs were identified by using the graph theory method. Specifically, a functional connectivity strength (FCS) map was computed in each subject and the regions with higher FCS value were considered as functional network hubs. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, SAD patients showed significantly decreased FCS in the bilateral precuneus and significantly increased FCS in the right fusiform gyrus. Furthermore, a significantly negative correlation was observed between the FCS value in the precuneus and the illness duration. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated for the first time that disrupted cortical hubs existed in patients with SAD during resting state. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings may provide novel insight into understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying SAD.
OBJECTIVE: The network hubs, characterized by the large number of connections to other regions, play important roles in the proper and effective transfer of information. Previous functional neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have aberrant functional connectivity. The changing pattern in functional network hubs in SAD, however, remains incompletely understood. METHODS: Twenty SADpatients and 20 matched healthy controls were recruited. Resting-state fMRI data were obtained using a gradient-recalled echo-planar imaging sequence. Whole-brain voxel-wise functional networks were constructed by measuring the temporal correlations of each pair of brain voxels and then hubs were identified by using the graph theory method. Specifically, a functional connectivity strength (FCS) map was computed in each subject and the regions with higher FCS value were considered as functional network hubs. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, SADpatients showed significantly decreased FCS in the bilateral precuneus and significantly increased FCS in the right fusiform gyrus. Furthermore, a significantly negative correlation was observed between the FCS value in the precuneus and the illness duration. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated for the first time that disrupted cortical hubs existed in patients with SAD during resting state. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings may provide novel insight into understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying SAD.
Authors: Alex Doruyter; Patrick Dupont; Lian Taljaard; Dan J Stein; Christine Lochner; James M Warwick Journal: Metab Brain Dis Date: 2017-11-03 Impact factor: 3.584