{"title":"Diverse and distributed haemodynamic effects of theta burst stimulation in the prefrontal cortex","authors":"Amy Miller, Melanie Burke","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that can induce neuroplastic changes in the underlying intracortical areas. It has significant potential in clinical and research settings for modulating cognitive and motor performance. Little is known about how TBS affects oxygenations levels within and across brain hemispheres during stimulation of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC). This study aimed to investigate blood oxygenation levels in the DLPFC during TBS, using concurrent functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>44 young adults completed within-subjects 2 × 2 design with 4 conditions that included intermittent TBS (iTBS), and continuous TBS (cTBS) stimulation applied to the left and right DLPFC. FNIRS was recorded concurrently, with 12 optode channels spanning across the left, medial and right prefrontal cortex.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Findings focused on corrected significant effects that revealed clear neurovascular coupling during stimulation. Right hemisphere iTBS stimulation on the DLPFC resulted in excitation within and between hemispheres as expected, however left hemisphere stimulation decreased oxygenation levels both ipsilaterally and contralaterally. CTBS on the right and left hemisphere revealed reductions in HbO as expected in support of previous literature and potential LTD-like effects.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This is the first study to show the extent and dispersion of blood-oxygenation changes in the ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres during excitatory and inhibitory TBS applied to the DLPFC. The findings demonstrate that TMS stimulation may originate from more global and interhemispheric effects, but that iTBS on the left-DLPFC induces decreases in oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO) providing the potential links for beneficial effects in cognition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100282"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yan Xue , Yuxiang Zhou , Xiaoxu Na , Xiawei Ou , Yongming Liu
{"title":"ADHD diagnostics and severity assessment using topological manifold learning of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI)","authors":"Yan Xue , Yuxiang Zhou , Xiaoxu Na , Xiawei Ou , Yongming Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-intrusive neuroimaging technology offers fast and robust diagnostic tools for neuro-disorder disease diagnosis, such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Resting-state functional magnetic imaging (rs-fMRI) has been demonstrated to have great potential for such applications due to its unique capability and convenience in providing spatial-temporal brain imaging. One critical challenge of using rs-fMRI data is the high dimensionality for both spatial and temporal domains. Thus, direct use of rs-fMRI data for the diagnosis will usually perform poorly due to the “curse of dimensionality.” This paper proposes a novel nonlinear dimension reduction technique for rs-fMRI data for easy downstream analysis, such as diagnostics, regression, and visualization. The proposed method integrates the Curvature Augmented Manifold Embedding and Learning (CAMEL) algorithm with key rs-fMRI features, such as Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations (ALFF), Regional Homogeneity (ReHo), and Functional Connectivity (FC). The ADHD diagnosis problem is formulated as a classification problem in the reduced latent space and is validated with 551 data points from an open fMRI database. Compared to available literature models and results, 13 %–26 % improvement in diagnostic accuracy is observed. Additionally, the proposed methodology also supports individualized ADHA severity assessment by regression analysis in the latent space and provides a potential tool for personalized treatment. Finally, an ADHD sensitivity map is developed, highlighting brain regions associated with ADHD scores and providing interpretable insights into ADHD's neural underpinnings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100283"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Madelief Wijdeveld , Anouk Schrantee , Júlia Tolra Azor , Francesca van Baarzel , Eelco van Duinkerken , Max Nieuwdorp , Richard G. Ijzerman
{"title":"Intestinal short-chain fatty acid turnover is not associated with resting state functional connectivity in mesolimbic dopaminergic network in healthy adults","authors":"Madelief Wijdeveld , Anouk Schrantee , Júlia Tolra Azor , Francesca van Baarzel , Eelco van Duinkerken , Max Nieuwdorp , Richard G. Ijzerman","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>People with obesity tend to have altered functional connectivity of reward-related areas in the brain, contributing to overeating and weight gain. The gut-brain axis may function as a mediating factor, with gut-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as possible intermediates in the relationship between microbiota and functional connectivity. We investigated the influence of SCFA turnover on resting state functional connectivity in healthy individuals with extremely high and extremely low levels of intestinal SCFA turnover. In this study, we included individuals with low or high intestinal SCFA turnover (estimated by fecal concentration of the butyryl-coenzyme A (CoA)-transferase (ButCoA) gene). Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to assess functional connectivity of eight regions of interest (ROIs) either directly involved in the mesolimbic dopaminergic network (amygdala, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, putamen and nucleus accumbens) or primary projection regions of this network (middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, insula). Functional connectivity was assessed using connectivity strength and eigenvector centrality. No differences in connectivity strength or eigenvector centrality were observed between the high and the low ButCoA group in any of our ROIs, suggesting SCFA turnover is not associated with resting state functional connectivity of central reward-related areas. Although previous studies provide evidence for an association between gut microbiota and resting state functional connectivity of reward-related areas, our findings do not support the hypothesis that this relationship is mediated by SCFAs. This suggests the existence of alternative mechanisms via which the intestinal microbiota may affect appetite, beyond local SCFA production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100285"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peter Kang , Matthew R. Brier , Chunwei Ying , Andria L. Ford , Hongyu An , Jin-Moo Lee
{"title":"MRI signatures associated with active ischemia and disease severity in cerebral small vessel disease","authors":"Peter Kang , Matthew R. Brier , Chunwei Ying , Andria L. Ford , Hongyu An , Jin-Moo Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Cerebral small vessel disease, a leading cause of stroke and cognitive impairment, manifests on neuroimaging with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and disrupted microstructure in normal-appearing white matter. WMH, by definition have high T2 FLAIR signal; however, both T2 FLAIR and T1 signal in WMH are highly variable. We hypothesized that signal intensity parameters would differ in cerebral small vessel disease compared to healthy controls and that signal heterogeneity would be associated with more severe ischemia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this case-control cross-sectional study, participants with cerebral small vessel disease (n = 27) and controls (n = 35) underwent T1-weighted and T2 FLAIR MRI for signal intensity quantification as well as pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling and asymmetric spin echo to measure cerebral blood flow, and oxygen extraction fraction, respectively, and diffusion tensor imaging to assess white matter microstructure. Following signal intensity normalization, we quantified white matter T1 and T2 FLAIR mean and heterogeneity and correlated them to biomarkers of disease severity and physiology (cerebral blood flow and oxygen extraction fraction) in order to understand how signal variability relates to tissue hypoxia-ischemia.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The cerebral small vessel disease group had increased T2 FLAIR intensity (<em>P</em> = 0.006) and heterogeneity (<em>P</em> = 0.017) in normal-appearing white matter compared to controls. Within those with WMH, normal-appearing white matter T2 FLAIR intensity (<em>P</em> = 0.0016) and heterogeneity (<em>P</em> = 0.00036) showed significant relationships with lesion burden. Focal voxel-wise analyses within individual WMH demonstrated that T1 and T2 FLAIR signal intensities were highly variable within lesions, with greater variability in larger lesions. Moreover, the combination of regionally high T2 FLAIR and low T1 intensities was associated with elevated oxygen extraction, suggesting active underlying ischemia. Cluster analysis of lesion signal properties revealed a cluster of lesions that had low T1 intensity, high T2 FLAIR intensity, elevated oxygen extraction and mean diffusivity, representing a specific group of lesions characterized by ischemic physiology.</div></div><div><h3>Interpretation</h3><div>In conclusion, we found evidence that T1 and T2 FLAIR signal is heterogeneous in cerebral small vessel disease and is associated with disease severity. Within WMH, focal T1 hypointensity and variability, as well as T2 FLAIR hyperintensity and variability is associated with ischemia, but not infarction, particularly in larger lesions, suggesting that these patterns of MRI signal follow both disease severity and aberrant physiology. Finally, WMH clustered by structural properties align with specific physiologic patterns suggesting that imaging appearance may reveal underlying ischemic vulnerability. Although these ","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100281"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Camilo J. Cela-Conde , Sara Lumbreras , Sandra Pusil , Brenda Chino , José M. Caamaño , Laura Gismera , Fernando Maestú , Luis Rojas-Marcos
{"title":"Teaching-induced changes in neural networks: Toward a model of the creative universe","authors":"Camilo J. Cela-Conde , Sara Lumbreras , Sandra Pusil , Brenda Chino , José M. Caamaño , Laura Gismera , Fernando Maestú , Luis Rojas-Marcos","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>According to the standard definition, a creative act requires originality and effectiveness. Creativity is widely considered an exclusively human characteristic, linked to the activity of brain networks such as the Default Mode Network (DMN), the Fronto-Parietal Network (FPN), and, to a lesser extent, the Salience Network (SN). A significant body of literature explores the viability of teaching creativity, often reporting positive results. However, little attention has been paid to the neural network modifications induced by creativity training.</div><div>This study investigates changes of creativity-related brain networks over time in the resting state (participants without specific cognitive activities). The stages considered were before and after a learning process focused on visual aesthetic creation tasks (Gabarron Method). High-density electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record brain activity. 51 female volunteers participated in the research.</div><div>The results show a significant increase in the activation of the DMN and FPN, with a more limited effect in the SN. The DMN and FPN are neural networks commonly activated during artistic creation and aesthetic perception tasks. This finding supports the existence of what could be called a 'creative universe,' encompassing capacities such as creation, perception, and divergent thinking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100280"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144749338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohammad Chaposhloo , Margaret C. McKinnon , Breanne E. Kearney , Saurabh B. Shaw , Ruth Lanius , Suzanna Becker
{"title":"Unraveling trauma memory: Differential functional connectivity profiles of anterior and posterior hippocampus in post-traumatic stress disorder and its dissociative subtype","authors":"Mohammad Chaposhloo , Margaret C. McKinnon , Breanne E. Kearney , Saurabh B. Shaw , Ruth Lanius , Suzanna Becker","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has long been viewed by many as a disorder of memory. Consequently, the hippocampal brain networks have been an important focus of research on the neural circuitry of PTSD given its core involvement in episodic memory and mechanisms underlying traumatic memory. The primate hippocampus is functionally divided along its long axis into the anterior (aHipp) and posterior parts (pHipp), with the anterior portion playing a greater role in emotion-related memories, while the posterior region is more involved in cognitive and spatial processing. This suggests that the aHipp may be more actively involved in PTSD. Critically, however, little research has investigated the differential involvement of these hippocampal subregions in PTSD, and most research in this area has been conducted during rest rather than during the active recall of traumatic or extremely emotional memories. It is an open question whether anterior and posterior hippocampal regions might play differential roles during trauma-related memory recall. Here, we addressed this question by investigating the activity and the whole-brain functional connectivity of the aHipp and pHipp during the recall of traumatic/moral injury (MI) related trauma memories versus neutral memories in three groups: those with PTSD without dissociative symptoms, referred to as PTSD (DS-; n = 49), those with the dissociative subtype, referred to as PTSD (DS+; n = 19), and trauma-exposed healthy controls (n = 36). Both anterior and posterior hippocampal subregions displayed abnormal functional connectivity with various brain regions in PTSD (DS+) during trauma memory recall, with the pHipp showing more extensive abnormalities compared to the anterior part. For example, the pHipp showed abnormal functional connectivity with areas such as the anterior cerebellum, the parahippocampal and fusiform gyri, sensorimotor cortex, and early visual areas of the occipital lobe in PTSD (DS+) compared to PTSD (DS-) and controls during the recall of traumatic/MI memories. Collectively, these results suggest differential involvement of the anterior and posterior hippocampus in the recall of traumatic memories in traumatic/MI-related PTSD and its dissociative subtype, which may relate to the decontextualized and fragmented nature of traumatic memories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100279"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pre-CBT resting-state connectivity and white matter integrity in OCD remission: A multimodal MRI study","authors":"Yuki Ikemizu , Yuko Isobe , Yusuke Sudo , Junko Ota , Ritu Bhusal Chhatkuli , Tubasa Sasaki , Kohei Kurita , Tokiko Yoshida , Koji Matsumoto , Masaru Kuno , Naoko Kato , Akiko Nakagawa , Eiji Shimizu , Yoshiyuki Hirano","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is commonly treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), yet many patients fail to achieve remission. Neuroimaging markers, such as pre-treatment functional and structural connectivity, may help elucidate OCD pathology and CBT mechanisms, and predict treatment outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between pre-treatment functional and structural connectivity and remission status in OCD patients following CBT.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Thirty-three OCD patients underwent multimodal MRI, including resting-state fMRI to assess pre-treatment functional connectivity and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to evaluate white matter integrity. Functional connectivity multivariate pattern analysis (fc-MVPA) identified patterns linked to treatment outcomes. TRACULA, a probabilistic tractography technique, analyzed white matter tracts, focusing on diffusion metrics such as fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine group differences.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Remission was associated with significantly higher pre-treatment resting-state functional connectivity between the occipital pole and lateral occipital cortex (height threshold: p < 0.001 uncorrected and cluster threshold: p < 0.05 cluster-size FDR corrected for multiple comparisons), suggesting a role in visual processing. Differences in white matter integrity were found in the corpus callosum rostrum, left acoustic radiation, right dorsal cingulum bundle, and right superior longitudinal fasciculus II, though these results were not corrected for multiple comparisons.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Enhanced pre-treatment functional connectivity in visual processing regions and specific white matter tracts may serve as biomarkers for remission in OCD following CBT. These findings could improve understanding of CBT’s neural effects and guide personalized treatment strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100275"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144572707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tahereh Rashnavadi , Raphael F. Casseb , Kristine E. Woodward , Paolo Federico , Bradley Goodyear
{"title":"Motor and default mode network states of rest in frontal lobe epilepsy","authors":"Tahereh Rashnavadi , Raphael F. Casseb , Kristine E. Woodward , Paolo Federico , Bradley Goodyear","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), marked by recurrent seizures arising from the frontal lobes, can significantly impair cognitive and motor function, reducing quality of life. Recent studies suggest that epilepsies can involve functional networks throughout the brain that can be identified using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this study, we aimed to determine whether FLE is associated with a distinct functional network brain states. Using dynamic functional connectivity analysis in combination with <em>k</em>-means clustering, we investigated dynamic connectivity patterns of the somatomotor network (SMN) and default mode network (DMN) of ten right-hemisphere and six left-hemisphere FLE patients, as well as nine healthy controls. We found two distinct states of rest for both the SMN and DMN: a high connectivity state and a lower, more variable connectivity state that was often specific to individual patients. Both FLE groups showed reduced overall connectivity compared to controls, with the greatest differences emerging during the low connectivity state. Right FLE patients and controls exhibited relatively uniform reductions, whereas left FLE patients showed spatially specific disruptions, including reduced lateral-to-medial SMN connectivity and decreased connectivity in posterior and left-lateralized DMN regions. Our findings suggest that dynamic connectivity analysis can uncover the temporal complexity and patient-specific nature of brain network disruption in FLE, supporting the development of personalized diagnostic and treatment strategies. Further research with larger cohorts is necessary to validate these results and explore additional factors affecting brain functional connectivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100278"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S.B. Jelsma , M. Zijlmans , I.B. Heijink , F.W.A. Hoefnagels , M. Raemaekers , W.M. Otte , N.E.C. van Klink , D. van Blooijs
{"title":"Structural and effective brain connectivity in focal epilepsy","authors":"S.B. Jelsma , M. Zijlmans , I.B. Heijink , F.W.A. Hoefnagels , M. Raemaekers , W.M. Otte , N.E.C. van Klink , D. van Blooijs","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Epilepsy surgery is usually based on the removal of a local epileptogenic zone. If epilepsy is considered a network disease, a network approach might be more suitable. Insight into patient-specific epileptic brain networks is necessary to establish network-based surgical strategies.</div><div>We included epilepsy surgery candidates who underwent diffusion-weighted imaging and intracranial EEG implantation with single pulse electrical stimulation (SPES, 0.2 Hz, 1–8 mA, 1 ms, monophasic stimuli) during presurgical evaluation. We reconstructed structural connectivity using fiber tractography taking intracranial electrodes as nodes. We reconstructed effective connectivity with SPES cortico-cortical evoked responses. We determined the inter-modal similarity between structural and effective connectivity with the Jaccard index, and compared network topologies using degree and betweenness centrality. We constructed a linear multilevel model to evaluate the relation between structural and effective connectivity at subject group level. The seizure onset zone nodes (SOZ), node proximity, and the volume of the electrode contact areas (VEA) were added to the model as possible predictors to accommodate for epilepsy and irregular spatial sampling.</div><div>We included 13 patients (five with electrocorticography, eight with stereo-EEG). The median Jaccard index was 0.25 (IQR: 0.20–0.29), which means there is a higher overlap than expected by chance (median expected Jaccard index = 0.1 (IQR: 0.07–0.17)) with a considerable amount of connections that did not overlap. The structural connectivity degree showed a significant positive correlation with the effective connectivity degree in 9/13 patients and at group level after accommodating for node proximity (β = 0.13, 95 %-CI = [0.04, 0.21], t(852) = 2.79, p = 0.0054). SOZ and VEA were no significant predictors for the correlation between structural and effective connectivity.</div><div>We showed a moderate overlap between non-invasive structural (measured with DWI) and invasive effective (measured with SPES) connectivity in epileptic brain networks. This overlap supports using non-invasively determined connectivity along with intracranial EEG to understand the epileptic brain. Future research needs to translate these findings towards network-based surgical strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erin L. Meier , Lisa D. Bunker , Hana Kim , Alexandra Zezinka Durfee , Victoria Tilton-Bolowsky , Voss Neal , Argye E. Hillis
{"title":"The effects of protocol factors and participant characteristics on functional near-infrared spectroscopy data quality after stroke","authors":"Erin L. Meier , Lisa D. Bunker , Hana Kim , Alexandra Zezinka Durfee , Victoria Tilton-Bolowsky , Voss Neal , Argye E. Hillis","doi":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an emerging neurotechnology that has several advantages over fMRI, but questions remain about factors that affect data quality and activity in stroke survivors. We examined the effect of protocol factors (Aim 1) and participant characteristics (Aim 2) on raw fNIRS signal quality and tested associations between quality control metrics and brain activity and connectivity (Aim 3) in a sample of 107 individuals with a history of left or right hemisphere stroke. Participants completed tasks that varied by cognitive and motor speech demands (from low to high): Resting State, Discourse Comprehension, and Picture Naming. Scalp-coupling indices, peak spectral power values, and number of bad channels from each task were extracted from the Quality Testing of Near Infrared Scans (QT-NIRS) toolbox (Montero-Hernandez and Pollonini, 2020) and used to index raw data quality. Data quality did not vary by session location or protocol experience, but all data quality metrics from Picture Naming were significantly lower than those from the other tasks. fNIRS signals were generally worse for Black women compared to Black men and White individuals regardless of gender. No significant associations between the raw fNIRS signal quality and Resting State functional connectivity were found. However, relative changes in Picture Naming hemoglobin concentrations were associated with scalp-coupling indices for certain channels. These results highlight the need for careful data preprocessing of already collected data and a systematic approach in future studies to mitigate inherent biases of optical instruments, thereby enhancing the inclusion of underrepresented groups in neuroscience research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74277,"journal":{"name":"Neuroimage. Reports","volume":"5 3","pages":"Article 100276"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}