Multiscale entropy and small-world network analysis in rs-fMRI — new tools to evaluate early basal ganglia dysfunction in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Abstract

ObjectiveThe risk of falling increases in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) patients. As a central part, Basal ganglia play an important role in motor and balance control, but whether its involvement in DPN is unclear.MethodsTen patients with confirmed DPN, ten diabetes patients without DPN, and ten healthy age-matched controls(HC) were recruited to undergo magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) to assess brain structure and zone adaptability. Multiscale entropy and small-world network analysis were then used to assess the complexity of the hemodynamic response signal, reflecting the adaptability of the basal ganglia.ResultsThere was no significant difference in brain structure among the three groups, except the duration of diabetes in DPN patients was longer (p < 0.05). The complexity of basal ganglia was significantly decreased in the DPN group compared with the non-DPN and HC group (p < 0.05), which suggested their poor adaptability.ConclusionIn the sensorimotor loop, peripheral and early central nervous lesions exist simultaneously in DPN patients. Multiscale Entropy and Small-world Network Analysis could detect basal ganglia dysfunction prior to structural changes in MRI, potentially valuable tools for early non-invasive screening and follow-up.

Altered cortical thickness-based structural covariance networks in type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…Previous studies have demonstrated reduced gray matter volume ( Zhang et al, 2020 ) and cortical thickness ( Selvarajah et al, 2019 ) in the precentral region in patients with diabetic neuropathy. A small-world network analysis showed decreased nodal importance in the precentral gyrus in patients with diabetic neuropathy ( Yuan et al, 2022 ), suggesting that diabetic neuropathy is closely related to abnormal central sensorimotor function. In this study, the T2DM group included 27 patients with peripheral neuropathy, which may have been responsible for the abnormal structural topological properties in the precentral region.…”