Resting‑state functional magnetic resonance imaging indices are related to electrophysiological dysfunction in degenerative cervical myelopathy

Scientific Reports, 2024 · DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53051-x · Published: February 1, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Medical Imaging

Simple Explanation

This study investigates the relationship between brain activity and nerve function in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). DCM is a condition where the spinal cord is compressed in the neck, leading to motor and sensory problems. The researchers measured brain activity using rs-fMRI and nerve function using electrophysiological tests (CMCT and SEP). They found correlations between specific brain regions' connectivity and the electrophysiological measures, suggesting that rs-fMRI could be a way to assess the severity of DCM. The study suggests that analyzing brain connectivity through rs-fMRI might offer a non-invasive method to evaluate the extent of nerve damage and functional impairment in DCM patients, potentially serving as a complementary tool to traditional electrophysiological tests.

Study Duration

May 2020 to June 2021

Participants

34 patients with DCM and 21 healthy controls

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
FC strength between the primary motor cortex and the precuneus correlated significantly positively with CMCT, indicating a relationship between motor function and brain connectivity.
2
FC strength between the sensorimotor cortex and the lateral occipital cortex showed a significantly positive correlation with SEP amplitudes, suggesting a link between sensory function and brain activity.
3
Patients with DCM showed a significant increase in fALFF in the occipital pole and lateral occipital cortex superior division compared with healthy controls.

Research Summary

This study explored the use of resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) to evaluate the severity of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) by correlating functional connectivity (FC) strength with electrophysiological indices like central motor conduction time (CMCT) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP). The findings revealed significant correlations between FC strength in specific brain regions and CMCT/SEP values, suggesting that rs-fMRI could provide quantitative biomarkers reflecting the severity of motor and sensory dysfunction in DCM patients. The study also found that patients with DCM showed significant differences in fALFF (fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations) in several brain regions compared to healthy controls, indicating alterations in spontaneous brain activity related to the disease.

Practical Implications

Diagnostic Tool

rs-fMRI and FC analysis can potentially serve as a non-invasive tool to assess the neurological severity of DCM, complementing traditional methods.

Understanding Compensatory Mechanisms

The correlations between FC and electrophysiological measures suggest that the brain compensates for motor and sensory deficits in DCM, providing insights into the pathophysiology of the disease.

Personalized Treatment

Identifying specific brain regions and their connectivity patterns associated with DCM severity may help in developing personalized treatment strategies.

Study Limitations

1
Analgesic use by some patients might have influenced the resting brain activity.
2
The 'floor effect' due to severe sensory dysfunction in some patients might have affected the correlation analysis of SEP amplitudes.
3
The study only revealed correlations and did not validate the accuracy of FC as a predictive measure of DCM severity.

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