Research On Resting-state Intra-and Inter-network Functional Connectivity In Patients With Lumbar Disc Herniation

Objectives:In this study,the independent component analysis(ICA)is used to explore the changes of functional connectivity in resting-state intraand inter-network in patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH),and we will explore the correlations between functional connectivity intensity in brain network and the disease duration,pain intensity and emotional score.Methods:The high-resolution 3D-T1 structural images and resting-state fMRI data were collected from 26 patients with lumbar disc herniation and 24 healthy controls(HC)with similar sex,age and education level.Based on the software packages of GRETNA,GIFT and SPM12 in MATLAB R2013b platform,the data were processed and statistically analyzed.The ICA method was used to extract the resting-state brain networks,and the brain regions with different functional connectivity in resting-state brain network between LDH group and HC group were compared.And the correlations between the mean value of functional connectivity in different brain regions and the disease duration,visual analogue scale(VAS)and beck depression inventory(BDI)scores were analyzed.Finally,the functional connectivities between resting-state inter-network were compared between LDH group and HC group.Results:(1)Through ICA method,we obtain a total of 9 resting-state brain networks,which were anterior default mode network,posterior default mode network,cerebellum network,executive control network,dorsal attention network,medial visual network,dorsal sensorimotor network,ventral sensorimotor network,and right frontal parietal network.(2)Compared with HC group,the functional connectivity of the right anterior cingulate gyrus in anterior default network was decreased in LDH group;the functional connectivity of the right middle frontal gyrus in executive control network was reduced.And the functional connectivity of the right angular gyrus in right frontal parietal network was decreased.The right lingual gyrus haved increasing functional connectivity in medial visual network.(3)Compared with HC group,the significant enhancements of the functional connectivity were observed between medial visual network and dorsal attention network,dorsal attention network and dorsal sensorimotor network.(4)The functional connectivity of the right anterior cingulate gyrus in anterior default mode network was negatively correlation with the disease duration in LDH group(R=-0.467,P<0.05).Conclusions:There are significant changes in functional connectivity of some brain regions in anterior default mode network,executive control network,right frontal parietal network and medial visual network in LDH patients,which involve in the pain perception regulation,movement,cognition,vision and other aspects.These results reveal that the chronic pain can damage and remodel the brain network function in patients with LDH,and provide a new perspective and basis for us to further understand the central mechanism of LDH.