Temporal evolution of brain structural changes associated with anxiety sensitivity in patients with breast cancer: A causal network analysis

IF 3.7 3区医学 Q2 NEUROSCIENCES

Brain Research Bulletin Pub Date : 2025-10-08 DOI:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111575

Tian-Ye Lin , Shao-Shuai Sun , Yang Yang , Qing-Yang Li , Nan Sun , Ying-Shi Sun

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) significantly impacts treatment outcomes and quality of life in breast cancer patients, yet the neural mechanisms underlying AS-related brain structural changes remain poorly understood.

Aims

To investigate brain structural alterations associated with AS and their temporal evolution in patients with breast cancer.

Methods

Eighty-five patients with breast cancer (42 with high AS and 43 with low AS) and 42 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was conducted to examine gray matter volume (GMV) differences between the high and low AS patient groups and the HCs. Causal structural covariance network (CaSCN) analysis was employed to investigate the inferred temporal evolution of GMV alterations in relation to AS levels and disease duration using cross-sectional data.

Results

AS levels showed a marked decline within the first two months post-diagnosis before stabilizing. Both patient groups exhibited GMV reduction compared with HCs, with low AS patients showing more widespread atrophy. The left middle cingulum (MCC.L) GMV negatively correlated with AS scores in high AS patients (r = −0.448, P = 0.0029). CaSCN analysis revealed a directional influence pathway from the MCC.L to the right thalamus (THA.R), with the THA.R showing positive self-feedback. Conjunction analysis identified shared effects of decreasing AS and increasing illness duration mediated by the THA.R, resulting in concordant atrophy in regions such as the left cerebellum (lobule VI) and discordant changes in temporal, parietal, and limbic areas.

Conclusions

THA.R plays a central role in mediating AS-related brain structural alterations in breast cancer patients, offering potential therapeutic targets for managing AS.

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乳腺癌患者与焦虑敏感性相关的脑结构变化的时间演化：因果网络分析

背景：焦虑敏感性（AS）显著影响乳腺癌患者的治疗结果和生活质量，但其相关的脑结构改变的神经机制尚不清楚。目的：探讨乳腺癌患者与AS相关的脑结构改变及其时间演变。方法：85例乳腺癌患者（高AS 42例，低AS 43例）和42例健康对照（hc）。采用基于体素的形态学分析来检测高、低AS患者组与hcc之间的灰质体积（GMV）差异。采用因果结构协方差网络（CaSCN）分析，利用横断面数据研究GMV变化与AS水平和疾病持续时间的推断时间演变。结果：AS水平在诊断后两个月内明显下降，而后趋于稳定。与hcc患者相比，两组患者均表现出GMV减少，低AS患者表现出更广泛的萎缩。左中带（MCC）。L)高AS患者GMV与AS评分呈负相关（r = -0.448, P = 0.0029）。CaSCN分析揭示了MCC的定向影响途径。L到右侧丘脑（THA）。R)，与THA。R表现出积极的自我反馈。联合分析确定了THA介导的AS减少和病程增加的共同效应。R，导致左小脑（第六小叶）等区域的一致性萎缩，以及颞、顶叶和边缘区域的不一致性变化。结论:那。R在介导乳腺癌患者AS相关的脑结构改变中起核心作用，为控制AS提供了潜在的治疗靶点。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Brain Research Bulletin 医学-神经科学

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

2.60%

发文量

253

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： The Brain Research Bulletin (BRB) aims to publish novel work that advances our knowledge of molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie neural network properties associated with behavior, cognition and other brain functions during neurodevelopment and in the adult. Although clinical research is out of the Journal''s scope, the BRB also aims to publish translation research that provides insight into biological mechanisms and processes associated with neurodegeneration mechanisms, neurological diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders. The Journal is especially interested in research using novel methodologies, such as optogenetics, multielectrode array recordings and life imaging in wild-type and genetically-modified animal models, with the goal to advance our understanding of how neurons, glia and networks function in vivo.