Alterations of Functional Connectivity in Stroke Patients With Basal Ganglia Damage and Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Background: Stroke with basal ganglia damage (SBG) is a neurological disorder characterized by cognitive impairment. The neurobiological mechanism of cognitive impairment in stroke patients with basal ganglia damage (SBG patients) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the underlying neurobiological mechanism of cognitive impairment in SBG patients using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: The differences in functional connectivity (FC) between 14 SBG patients (average age: 61.00 ± 7.45 years) and 21 healthy controls (HC) (average age: 60.67 ± 6.95 years) were examined using voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) and degree centrality (DC). Moreover, we compared the cognitive functions of SBG patients with HC using the Chinese Revised Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-RC) and Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Results: Full-scale intelligence quotient (FIQ) (t = 2.810, p < 0.010) and memory quotient (MQ) (t = 2.920, p < 0.010) scores of SBG patients were significantly lower than those of HC. Compared with HC, significantly decreased VMHC values in the bilateral angular gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, hippocampus, precuneus, precentral gyrus, and middle occipital gyrus and decreased DC values in the right supramarginal gyrus, bilateral angular gyrus, and right postcentral gyrus were observed in SBG patients. Moreover, the VMHC values in the angular gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and middle temporal gyrus and the DC values in the right supramarginal gyrus were significantly correlated with cognitive functions in all participants. Conclusion: Our findings may provide a neural basis for cognitive impairments in SBG patients. Furthermore, local abnormalities of functional networks and interhemispheric interaction deficits may provide new ideas and insights for understanding and treating SBG patients' cognitive impairments.

Montreal Cognitive Assessment of cognitive dysfunction after basal ganglia stroke

“…Here we provide evidence that the MoCA can be used to assess cognitive impairment of patients after basal ganglia stroke, and our analysis suggests that such stroke can indeed reduce cognitive function, consistent with previous studies [ 13 – 15 ]. In addition, our analysis shows that such stroke can reduce function in multiple cognitive domains.…”

Montreal Cognitive Assessment of cognitive dysfunction after basal ganglia stroke

“…Here we provide evidence that the MoCA can be used to assess cognitive impairment of patients after basal ganglia stroke, and our analysis suggests that such stroke can indeed reduce cognitive function, consistent with previous studies (13)(14)(15). In addition, our analysis shows that such stroke can reduce function in multiple cognitive domains.…”

Frequency-Specific Changes of Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations in Patients with Acute Basal Ganglia Ischemic Stroke

“…A previous study showed that decreased functional connectivity (FC) between hippocampal and SMG was associated with impaired working memory function in stroke patients [ 31 ]. Similar results were also found in the previous studies focusing on the patients with acute BGIS which observed the decreased degree centrality (DC) and voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) values in SMG [ 32 ]. Furthermore, aphasia is a common symptom in stroke [ 33 ].…”