{"title":"Cortical structural degeneration and functional network connectivity changes in patients with subcortical vascular cognitive impairment.","authors":"Haixia Mao, Yachen Shi, Qianqian Gao, Min Xu, Xiaoyun Hu, Feng Wang, Xiangming Fang","doi":"10.1007/s00234-025-03550-z","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To explore the structural basis of functional network connectivity (FNC) changes and early cortical degenerative patterns in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We prospectively included SVCI cases and healthy controls (HCs). FNC alterations were evaluated using group-independent component analysis of resting-state functional MRI data. Cortical microstructural and macrostructural alterations were assessed using gray matter-based spatial statistics analysis with neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging and cortical thickness analysis with FreeSurfer software on T1-weighted images, respectively. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to assess relationships between FNC alterations and cortical microstructural/macrostructural alterations and between FNC, cortical thickness, or neurite density index (NDI)/orientation dispersion index (ODI) alterations and cognitive performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-six SVCI patients and 73 HCs were recruited. FNC analysis showed lower network connectivity between the visual network (VN) and sensorimotor network (SMN) in SVCI, positively correlated with information processing speed (p=0.008) and negatively with summary SVD score (p = 0.037). Cortical microstructural analyses exhibited a lower NDI, mainly in the VN and default mode network (DMN) areas (P<sub>FWE</sub> < 0.05, cluster > 100 voxels), and lower ODI, mainly in the SMN and DMN areas (P<sub>FWE</sub> < 0.05, cluster > 100 voxels) in SVCI, both of which were related to cognitive function (p < 0.05). However, cortical thickness did not differ between groups. Lower NDI in the lateral occipital cortex was linked to lower VN-SMN connectivity in SVCI (p = 0.002).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Cortical microstructural alterations may serve as the basis for FNC changes in SVCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":19422,"journal":{"name":"Neuroradiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Neuroradiology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-025-03550-z","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CLINICAL NEUROLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: To explore the structural basis of functional network connectivity (FNC) changes and early cortical degenerative patterns in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI).
Methods: We prospectively included SVCI cases and healthy controls (HCs). FNC alterations were evaluated using group-independent component analysis of resting-state functional MRI data. Cortical microstructural and macrostructural alterations were assessed using gray matter-based spatial statistics analysis with neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging and cortical thickness analysis with FreeSurfer software on T1-weighted images, respectively. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to assess relationships between FNC alterations and cortical microstructural/macrostructural alterations and between FNC, cortical thickness, or neurite density index (NDI)/orientation dispersion index (ODI) alterations and cognitive performance.
Results: Forty-six SVCI patients and 73 HCs were recruited. FNC analysis showed lower network connectivity between the visual network (VN) and sensorimotor network (SMN) in SVCI, positively correlated with information processing speed (p=0.008) and negatively with summary SVD score (p = 0.037). Cortical microstructural analyses exhibited a lower NDI, mainly in the VN and default mode network (DMN) areas (PFWE < 0.05, cluster > 100 voxels), and lower ODI, mainly in the SMN and DMN areas (PFWE < 0.05, cluster > 100 voxels) in SVCI, both of which were related to cognitive function (p < 0.05). However, cortical thickness did not differ between groups. Lower NDI in the lateral occipital cortex was linked to lower VN-SMN connectivity in SVCI (p = 0.002).
Conclusion: Cortical microstructural alterations may serve as the basis for FNC changes in SVCI.
期刊介绍:
Neuroradiology aims to provide state-of-the-art medical and scientific information in the fields of Neuroradiology, Neurosciences, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, and related medical specialities. Neuroradiology as the official Journal of the European Society of Neuroradiology receives submissions from all parts of the world and publishes peer-reviewed original research, comprehensive reviews, educational papers, opinion papers, and short reports on exceptional clinical observations and new technical developments in the field of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention. The journal has subsections for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Advanced Neuroimaging, Paediatric Neuroradiology, Head-Neck-ENT Radiology, Spine Neuroradiology, and for submissions from Japan. Neuroradiology aims to provide new knowledge about and insights into the function and pathology of the human nervous system that may help to better diagnose and treat nervous system diseases. Neuroradiology is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows the COPE core practices. Neuroradiology prefers articles that are free of bias, self-critical regarding limitations, transparent and clear in describing study participants, methods, and statistics, and short in presenting results. Before peer-review all submissions are automatically checked by iThenticate to assess for potential overlap in prior publication.