| Objective To evaluate the brain function changes of neurosyphilis based on resting-state functional MRI. Methods Twety-five patients with neurosyphilis were involved in this study(which include 14 males and 11 females, with average age of(39.9±11.5)years; average eduation duration(10.0±2.0)years; average course(25.1±7.7)months), all of them were right-handed. Meanwhile, 25 healthy volunteers were selected as control group(male, 14; female, 11; age, 25-58 years; average age(40.1±11.4)years; average eduation duration(9.6±1.7)years). They had no disease, and they were right-handed. Subjects in both groups were examined by echo planner imaging(EPI) and spoiled gradient recalled acquisition in steady state,(3D-FSPGR) in the resting state. Images were processed with Data Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI(DPASF). Mean amplitude of low frequency fluctuations(mfALFF) and regional homogeneity(ReHo) and functional connectivity(FC) of five brain networks(DMN, DAN, VAN, FPCN, EMN)were acquired in the two groups. SPM8 and SPSS13.0 software were used to analyze the difference between neurosyphilis group and normal group. Results 1. mfALFF in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral precentral gyrus, bilateral postcentral gyrus, left superior medial frontal gyrus, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left middle temporal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus(P<0.01); mfALFF was higher than those in control group in bilateral caudatum, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, left lingualis gyrus, right middle cingulate cortex, right posterior cingulate cortex cinguli, right Rolando area, right superior temporal gyrus and right middle temporal gyrus, right insular lobe and right cuneus(P<0.01).2. The value of ReHo in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left postcentral gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus(P<0.01), while it was higher than that in control group in bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral supplementary motor area, left insular lobe, right middle and right Rolando area(P<0.01).3. The FC intensity of default mode netwok(DMN) in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral supplementary motor area, bilateral temporal pole superior temporal gyrus, left occipital gyrus, right superior medial frontal gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right paracentral lobule, right inferior frontal gyrus, right precuneus(P<0.001), while it was higher than that in control group in bilateral middle cingulate cortex, left caudatum and right posterior cingulate cortex(P<0.001).4. The FC intensity of dorsal attention network(DAN) in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral supplementary motor area, bilateral cerebellum, left inferior frontal gyrus, left superior medial frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right precentral gyrus(P<0.001), while it was higher than that in control group in bilateral insular lobe, bilateral middle cingulate cortex, left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, right transverse temporal gyrus(P<0.001).5. The FC intensity of ventral attention network(VAN) in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral inferior frontal gyrus, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, right superior medial frontal gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus(P<0.001), while it was higher than that in control group in left insular lobe, left middle cingulate cortex and left transverse temporal gyrus(P<0.001).6. The FC intensity of frontoparietal control network(FPCN) in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral superior frontal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus, right superior medial frontal gyrus and right orbit frontal cortex(P<0.001), while it was higher than that in control group in left cerebellum, bilateral caudatum, right middle cingulate cortex and right transverse temporal gyrus(P<0.001).7. The FC intensity of amygdala dependent emotion memory network(EMN) in neurosyphilis group was lower than that in control group in bilateral supplementary motor area, temporal pole superior temporal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, bilateral cerebellum, left middle frontal gyrus, left olfactory cortex and fusiform gyrus(P<0.001), while it was higher than that in control group in bilateral insular lobe(P<Conclusion Prefrontal lobe in neurosyphilis was damaged widely. Function of sensorimotor, attention, execution control and memory may be injured by the infection of treponema pallidum. The amplitude of low frequency fluctuations, regional homogeneity and functional connectivity were increased in insular lobe and cingulate cortex, which may be related to its compensatory mechanism. |
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