Aberrant topological organization of the default mode network in temporal lobe epilepsy revealed by graph-theoretical analysis. (24th August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhou, Xia; Zhang, Zhao; Liu, Jinping; Qin, Lu; Zheng, Jinou
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience letters. Volume 708(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-08-24
• Subjects: TLE temporal lobe epilepsy -- DMN default mode network -- HC healthy control -- rs-fMRI resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging -- ANT Attention Network Test -- FC functional connectivity -- EEG electroencephalogram -- DTI diffusion tensor imaging -- ROI region of interest -- ICA independent component analysis -- MNI Montreal Neurological Institute -- AAL automated anatomical labeling -- AUC area under the curve -- NBS network-based statistic; Temporal lobe epilepsy -- Default mode network -- Topological organization -- Executive function; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Research -- Periodicals; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Neuroanatomie -- Périodiques; Neuropharmacologie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 617.48
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134351
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-3940

Abstract

Highlights: The nodal strengths were decreased in the left medial orbital superior frontal gyrus and increased in the right inferior parietal gyrus in TLE patients. Enhanced functional connectivities between subregions of the DMN were presented in TLE patients. The disrupted topological organization of the DMN contributed to executive deficits in patients with TLE. Abstract: Numerous neuroimaging studies have reported aberrant functional activities of the default mode network (DMN) in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, the alteration on topological organization within the DMN has not been clearly illuminated. In this study, we aimed to investigate the topological abnormalities within the DMN from a larger-scale perspective. Twenty three patients with TLE and 23 age, gender, and education matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in this study. All participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning and completed the Attention Network Test (ANT) for executive function assessment. Specific subregions in the DMN were extracted for network construction according to the automated anatomical labelling atlas. Network properties, including global properties, nodal properties and edge analyses, were assessed using graph theory. Correlation analyses were performed between significantly different topological properties and clinical factors in patients. The ANT tests showed that executive function was impaired in the patients with TLE compared with the HCs. Furthermore, the TLE group showed decreased nodal strength in the left medial orbital superior frontal gyrus and increased nodal strength in the right inferior parietal gyrus in the DMN. Significantly increased functional connectivities between subregions in the DMN were primarily located in the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal gyrus, precuneus, and posterior cingulate gyrus. Moreover, the degree centrality of the right inferior parietal gyrus was positively correlated with disease duration. In conclusion, this study indicated that there existed a disrupted topological reorganization within the DMN in patients with TLE, which may further contribute to executive deficits and, to some extent, play a compensatory role.