Disrupted topological organization of the motor execution network in alcohol dependence. (30th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Jiajia; Zhao, Wenming; Zhang, Cun; Wang, Haibao; Cheng, Wenwen; Li, Zipeng; Qian, Yinfeng; Li, Xiaohu; Yu, Yongqiang
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 280(2018)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 8
• Publication Date: 2018-10-30
• Subjects: Alcohol dependence -- Functional magnetic resonance imaging -- Resting state -- Motor execution network -- Graph theory; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.08.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Highlights: This study aimed to identify changes in the topological organization of the motor execution network in alcohol dependence (AD). At the global level, AD patients exhibited increased local specialization, indicative of a shift toward regular networks. At the node level, nodal degree was higher in AD patients in the cerebellum. At the edge level, we observed a cerebello–thalamo–striato–cortical circuit with altered functional connectivity strength in AD. These findings may provide important insights into the neurobiology of the AD-related motor impairments. Abstract: Motor function damage is one of the most common symptoms in patients with alcohol dependence (AD). However, relatively little is known about the neuropathology of the motor impairments in AD. The aim of this study was to identify changes in the topological organization of the motor execution network in AD. Here, a total of 39 male individuals, including 19 AD patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls, underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The motor execution network was constructed and analyzed using graph theoretical approaches. Topological properties (including global, nodal and edge measures) were compared between the two groups. At the global level, AD patients exhibited increased local specialization (indexed by increased clustering coefficient and local efficiency) relative to healthy controls, indicating that the motor execution network of AD patients shifts toward regularization. At the node level, nodal degree was higher in AD patients in the cerebellum. At the edge level, we observed a cerebello–thalamo–striato–cortical circuit with altered functional connectivity strength in AD patients. These findings suggest that topological architecture of the motor execution network is disrupted in AD patients, which may provide important insights into the neurobiology of the AD-related motor impairments.