Yifeng Wang1, Xinqi Wang1, Liangkai Ye1, Qi Yang1, Qian Cui2, Zongling He1, Liyuan Li1, Xuezhi Yang1, Qijun Zou1, Pu Yang1, Dongfeng Liu1, Huafu Chen3. 1. The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. 2. The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. 3. The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. Electronic address: chenhf@uestc.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Is it healthy to be chaotic? Recent studies have argued that mental disorders are associated with more orderly neural activities, corresponding to a less flexible functional system. These conclusions were derived from altered temporal complexity. However, the relationship between spatial complexity and health is unknown, although spatial configuration is of importance for normal brain function. METHODS: Based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we used Sample entropy (SampEn) to evaluate the altered spatial complexity in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; n = 47) compared to healthy controls (HCs; n = 38) and the relationship between spatial complexity and anxiety level. RESULTS: Converging results showed increased spatial complexity in patients with GAD, indicating more chaotic spatial configuration. Interestingly, inverted-U relationship was revealed between spatial complexity and anxiety level, suggesting complex relationship between health and the chaos of human brain. LIMITATIONS: Anxiety-related alteration of spatial complexity should be verified at voxel level in a larger sample and compared with results of other indices to clarify the mechanism of spatial chaotic of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Altered spatial complexity in the brain of GAD patients mirrors inverted-U relationship between anxiety and behavioral performance, which may reflect an important characteristic of anxiety. These results indicate that SampEn is a good reflection of human health or trait mental characteristic.
BACKGROUND: Is it healthy to be chaotic? Recent studies have argued that mental disorders are associated with more orderly neural activities, corresponding to a less flexible functional system. These conclusions were derived from altered temporal complexity. However, the relationship between spatial complexity and health is unknown, although spatial configuration is of importance for normal brain function. METHODS: Based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we used Sample entropy (SampEn) to evaluate the altered spatial complexity in patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; n = 47) compared to healthy controls (HCs; n = 38) and the relationship between spatial complexity and anxiety level. RESULTS: Converging results showed increased spatial complexity in patients with GAD, indicating more chaotic spatial configuration. Interestingly, inverted-U relationship was revealed between spatial complexity and anxiety level, suggesting complex relationship between health and the chaos of human brain. LIMITATIONS: Anxiety-related alteration of spatial complexity should be verified at voxel level in a larger sample and compared with results of other indices to clarify the mechanism of spatial chaotic of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Altered spatial complexity in the brain of GAD patients mirrors inverted-U relationship between anxiety and behavioral performance, which may reflect an important characteristic of anxiety. These results indicate that SampEn is a good reflection of human health or trait mental characteristic.