Characterization of cognitive function in survivors of diffuse gliomas using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI)

Abstract

As treatments for diffuse gliomas have advanced, survival for patients with gliomas has also increased. However, there remains limited knowledge on the relationships between brain connectivity and the lasting changes to cognitive function that glioma survivors often experience long after completing treatment. This resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) study explored functional connectivity (FC) alterations associated with cognitive function in survivors of gliomas. In this pilot study, 22 patients (mean age 43.8 ± 11.9) with diffuse gliomas who completed treatment within the past 10 years were evaluated using rs-fMRI and neuropsychological measures. Novel rs-fMRI analysis methods were used to account for missing brain in the resection cavity. FC relationships were assessed between cognitively impaired and non-impaired glioma patients, along with self-reported cognitive impairment, non-work daily functioning, and time with surgery. In the cognitively non-impaired patients, FC was stronger in the medial prefrontal cortex, rostral prefrontal cortex, and intraparietal sulcus compared to the impaired survivors. When examining non-work daily functioning, a positive correlation with FC was observed between the accumbens and the intracalcarine cortices, while a negative correlation with FC was observed between the parietal operculum cortex and the cerebellum. Additionally, worse self-reported cognitive impairment and worse non-work daily functioning were associated with increased FC between regions involved in cognition and sensorimotor processing. These preliminary findings suggest that neural correlates for cognitive and daily functioning in glioma patients can be revealed using rs-fMRI. Resting-state network alterations may serve as a biomarker for patients’ cognition and functioning.

Advancements in Image-Based Models for High-Grade Gliomas Might Be Accelerated

“…22 patients with diffuse gliomas who completed treatment within the past 10 years. [110] Assessment of side effects of RT should include depression.…”

The impact of brain lesions on health-related quality of life in patients with WHO CNS grade 3 or 4 glioma: a lesion-function and resting-state fMRI analysis

“…While several studies have been performed to elucidate the underlying causes of neurocognitive deterioration in glioma patients by modern neuroimaging methods, including voxelwise lesion-symptom mapping, fMRI, and tractography [38][39][40][41][42][43], these approaches have rarely been applied to selfreported HRQoL data [44]. It is reasonable to assume that apart from the presence of distracting symptoms, quality of life depends on various functional abilities, such as perception of sensory and emotional stimuli, attention, planning and execution of complex actions, language, speech, and memory.…”

The impact of brain lesions on quality of life in patients with WHO CNS grade 3 or 4 glioma: A lesion-function and resting-state fMRI analysis

“…While several have been to elucidate the underlying causes of neurocognitive deterioration in glioma patients by modern neuroimaging methods, including voxel-wise lesion-symptom mapping, fMRI, and tractography [35][36][37][38][39][40], these approaches have rarely been applied to self-reported QoL data [41]. It is reasonable to assume that quality of life depends on many different abilities, such as perception of physical and emotional stimuli, attention, planning of complex actions, language, speech, and memory.…”