Altered topological patterns of brain functional networks in Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) has been reported to relate with the functional and structural alterations in several local brain regions. However, it remains unknown whether the possible abnormalities of information transmission and integration between brain regions are associated with CD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the topological alterations of brain functional networks and the potential relationships between the neuroimaging findings and CD clinical characteristics. 43 remissive CD patients and 37 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited to obtain their resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Independent component analysis was applied to decompose fMRI data for building brain functional networks. The local and global topological properties of networks and connectivity of brain regions were computed within each group. We then examined the relationships between the topological patterns and CD clinical characteristics. Compared to HCs, CD patients exhibited disrupted local and global topological patterns of brain functional networks including the decreased nodal graph metrics in the subcortical, sensorimotor, cognitive control and default-mode networks and dysfunctional interactions within and among these four networks. The connectivity strength of putamen negatively correlated with CD duration in patients. Moreover, CD patients with high level of anxiety and/or depression had altered local topological patterns associated with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) compared to other patients. By revealing CD-related changes in topological patterns of brain functional networks, our findings provide further neuroimaging evidence on the pathophysiology of CD involved in pain, sensory, emotional and/or cognitive processing.

Changes in the anterior cingulate cortex in Crohn’s disease: A neuroimaging perspective

“…In addition to the analysis methods mentioned above, graph theory is another data‐driven approach used to explore the topological conditions of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) and data extracted from fMRI processed with ICA. In Liu's report (2018), CD patients with a higher HADS score demonstrated an increase in connectivity strength, clustering coefficient, and local efficiency in the ACC. These findings suggest an impairment in the “small world” pattern, an aberrant ability to transform and integrate information and emotional regulation, and are consistent with previous studies suggesting a role for the ACC in psychiatric disorders.…”

Alterations in resting-state functional connectivity in patients with Crohn’s disease in remission

“…Limited studies have evaluated RSFC in the CD population 7,8 . Our study provides an addition to this literature and suggests that CD can alter the functional connectivity of the brain.…”

“…Liu et al . found disrupted local and global topological patterns of functional neural networks (i.e., subcortical, sensorimotor, cognitive control, and default-mode networks) as well as altered local topological patterns associated with clinical characteristics (i.e., anxiety) in CD patients 7 . The connectivity changes in the default mode network during remission period was examined by Thomann et al .…”

Brain Resting-State Network Alterations Associated With Crohn's Disease

“…Studies of brain structure in CD may be in agreement on one result, altered gray matter (GM) of the superior frontal gyrus, although laterality and direction of alteration are inconsistent (22)(23)(24). Studies of brain function in CD have reported numerous FC alterations with very little overlap (25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32) aside from some agreement on changes in brain networks or regions involved in executive function and/or default mode (26,30,32). Our study aimed to identify brain structural and functional changes in CD as compared to HC.…”