Functional MRI

Abnormal cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reportedly associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). We have investigated CBF changes in early-onset depression (EOD) and late-onset depression (LOD), and their impact on cognitive function. Thirty-two remitted EOD patients, 32 remitted LOD patients, and 43 age-matched healthy controls were recruited, and the pulsed arterial spin labeling data were scanned under 3.0T MRI and processed through voxel-by-voxel statistical analysis. Compared to healthy controls, LOD patients had decreased normalized CBF in the bilateral precuneus, cuneus, right fronto-cingulate-striatal areas, and right temporal, occipital and parietal lobes, but increased normalized CBF in the left frontal and temporal cortices and the cingulate gyrus...

The parietal lobe (PL) supports cognitive domains, including attention and memory, which are impaired in bipolar disorder (BD). Although cross-sectional voxel-based morphometry studies found reduced PL grey matter (GM) in BD, none has longitudinally focused on PL anatomy in BD, relating it to patients' functioning. Thirty-eight right-handed BD patients and 42 matched healthy subjects (HS) underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan at baseline. Seventeen BD patients and 16 matched HS underwent a follow-up MRI...

Glutamate is the prime excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain and has been implicated in a wide range of psychiatric conditions. To improve the applicability and clinical reach of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), research is needed to develop shortened, yet reliable, MRS scanning procedures for standard 1.5-3-T clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems, particularly with young or vulnerable populations unable to tolerate longer protocols. To this end, we evaluated the test-retest reliability of a shortened J-resolved MRS sequence in healthy adolescents (n = 22) aged 12-14 years...

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cerebral small vessel disease. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are common anti-hypertensive treatments, but have differential effects on cortical amyloid. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between anti-hypertensive treatment, brain volume, and cognition, using a propensity-weighted analysis to account for confounding by indication...

AIM: To examine the efficacy of abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of bilateral hands. METHOD: This prospective study included 35 RA patients. MRI of bilateral hands was performed at baseline and after 12 months of treatment with intravenous abatacept. MRI images were scored for synovitis, osteitis, erosion and joint space narrowing (JSN) according to the RA MRI Scoring System (RAMRIS). The primary endpoint was the change in RAMRIS score from baseline...

Sex-biased psychophysiology, behavior, brain function, and conditions are extensive, yet underlying structural brain mechanisms remain unclear. There is contradicting evidence regarding sexual dimorphism when it comes to brain structure, and there is still no consensus on whether or not there exists such a dimorphism for brain white matter. Therefore, we conducted a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis along with global volume analysis for white matter across sex. We analyzed 384 T1-weighted MRI brain images (192 male, 192 female) to investigate any differences in white matter (WM) between males and females...

The aim was to investigate whether diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) detects and monitors inflammatory and lung function changes during respiratory tract exacerbations (RTE) treatment in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).29 patients with RTE underwent DWI pre- and post-antibiotic treatment. A control group of 27 stable patients, matched for age and sex, underwent DWI with the same time gap as those undergoing RTE treatment. Clinical status and lung function were assessed at each DWI time point...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to systematically review the evidence relating to findings generated by multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) following structural or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to determine if this analysis is able to: a) Discriminate between individuals with musculoskeletal pain and healthy controls, b) Predict pain perception in healthy individuals stimulated with a noxious stimulus compared to those stimulated with a non-noxious stimulus...

PURPOSE: To compare the upgrading rate obtained by re-sampling precise spots of prostate cancer (tracking biopsy) vs conventional systematic re-sampling, during follow-up of; men in active surveillance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects were all 352 men, from 2009 to 2017, with Gleason 3+3 (n=268) or Gleason 3+4 (n=84) prostate cancer at initial MRI/ultrasound fusion biopsy and who subsequently had a second fusion biopsy. At first biopsy session, all men underwent 12-core systematic biopsies and, when MRI-visible lesions were present, targeted biopsies...

Objective: To identify the clinical and genetic characteristics in 43 Chinese children diagnosed with type Ⅰ Alexander disease (AxD). Method: Forty-three type Ⅰ AxD cases identified by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene mutations in Peking University First Hospital from 2005 to 2016 were followed up. The data of medical history, physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were collected. All these patients were followed up in December 2010, Febury 2012, June 2014 and January 2016, respectively...

Certain organizational features of brain networks present in the individual are lost when central tendencies are examined in the group. Here we investigated the detailed network organization of four individuals each scanned 24 times using MRI. We discovered that the distributed network known as the default network is comprised of two separate networks possessing adjacent regions in eight or more cortical zones. A distinction between the networks is that one is coupled to the hippocampal formation while the other is not...

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ) can develop into postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), both of which are painful diseases. PHN patients suffer chronic pain and emotional disorders. Previous studies showed that the PHN brain displayed abnormal activity and structural change, but the difference in brain activity between HZ and PHN is still not known. OBJECTIVES: To identify regional brain activity changes in HZ and PHN brains with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) technique, and to observe the differences between HZ and PHN patients...

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic Tarlov cysts are a common cause of chronic pain. Many methods have been reported to treat this disease, with variable results. Most previous reports concerning the treatment methods of symptomatic Tarlov cysts were either sporadic case reports or series of limited cases. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to further optimize the management for patients with symptomatic Tarlov cysts (TCs) by analyzing the results of 82 patients who were treated with different strategies...

The effective delivery of bioimaging probes to a selected cancerous tissue has extensive significance for biological studies and clinical investigations. Herein, the peptide functionalized NaGdF4 nanodots (termed as, pPeptide-NaGdF4 nanodots) have been prepared for highly efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of tumor by formation of Gd-phosphonate coordinate bonds among hydrophobic NaGdF4 nanodots (4.2 nm in diameter) with mixed phosphorylated peptide ligands including a tumor targeting phosphopeptide and a cell penetrating phosphopeptide...

Executive function (EF) refers to a set of cognitive abilities involved in self-regulated behavior. Given the critical role of EF in cognition, strategies for improving EF have attracted intensive attention in recent years. Previous studies have explored the effects of abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training on several cognitive abilities. However, it remains unclear whether AMC training affects EF and its neural correlates. In this study, participants were randomly assigned to AMC or control groups upon starting primary school...

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is the most common form of infantile chronic lung disease and results in significant health-care expenditure. The roles of chest radiography and computed tomography (CT) are well documented but numerous recent advances in imaging technology have paved the way for newer imaging techniques including structural pulmonary assessment via lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional assessment via ventilation, and perfusion MRI and quantitative imaging techniques using both CT and MRI...

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder that disrupts central nervous system development and neuronal function. Cognitively, NF1 is characterized by difficulties with executive control and visuospatial abilities. Little is known about the neural substrates underlying these deficits. The current study utilized Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) to explore the neural correlates of spatial working memory (WM) deficits in patients with NF1. METHODS: BOLD images were acquired from 23 adults with NF1 (age M = 32...

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas are benign, encapsulated, peripheral nerve tumours that arise from the Schwann cell. Approximately 25%-45% of schwannomas occur in the head and neck. The most common site is the parapharyngeal space of the neck. However, schwannoma of the supraglottic oropharynx is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on a 35-year-old female who complained of progressive dysphagia, from whom a large schwannoma in the supraglottic oropharynx was excised through a transoral approach...

INTRODUCTION: Color processing is a central component of mammalian vision. Gender-related differences of color processing revealed by non-invasive functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound suggested right hemisphere pattern for blue/yellow chromatic opponency by men, and a left hemisphere pattern by women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study measured the accumulation of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) in mouse brain using small animal positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) with statistical parametric mapping (SPM) during light stimulation with blue and yellow filters compared to darkness condition...

RATIONALE: The lower rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is a rare entity and warrants special attentions because of the considerations of preserving of anal and urinal functions. Neoadjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate (IM) has achieved great success in GIST, which potentially extends the applications of function-preserving minimally invasive surgical procedures. Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) is a well-developed minimally invasive technique for benign tumors in lower rectum...