Most recent paper

Front Psychiatry. 2025 Nov 26;16:1689119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1689119. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The amygdala-hippocampal complex (AHC) plays a central role in the neural mechanisms underlying Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), particularly in emotional regulation, memory processing, and reward-related functions. However, the dynamic interactions between the AHC and large-scale brain networks, and their relationship with cognitive performance in IGD, remain poorly understood.

METHODS: A total of 123 adolescents (66 with IGD and 57 healthy controls) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Temporal fluctuations in AHC connectivity were assessed using dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis. Correlation and mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between aberrant AHC-related dFNC and cognitive function.

RESULTS: Three distinct connectivity states were identified, each characterized by unique network configurations. In State 2, dFNC strength between the AHC and both the attentional network (ATN) and visual network (VN) was positively correlated with T scores of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Further mediation analysis revealed that weakened dFNC between the AHC and VN regions, particularly the calcarine sulcus and cuneus, served as a mediator linking cognitive impairment to the internet addiction severity of IGD.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that aberrant dynamic connectivity of the AHC, particularly its disrupted interaction with VN, may underlie the cognitive impairments in adolescents with IGD. This study provides novel insights into the neurobiological basis of behavioral addiction and highlights the importance of dynamic network analysis in elucidating its underlying pathology.

PMID:41383994 | PMC:PMC12689908 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1689119

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Dec 1:2025.11.26.690332. doi: 10.1101/2025.11.26.690332.

ABSTRACT

Numerous studies report that BOLD fMRI signal variance (SD BOLD ) decreases with age. However, these associations may partly reflect cardiovascular contributions to the BOLD signal. For example, heart rate variability (HRV) has been positively associated with Resting State Fluctuation Amplitude (RSFA), which captures low frequency components of BOLD fMRI variability. HRV is also negatively associated with age, which could potentially confound age-SD BOLD associations. Yet, limited research has examined HRV-SD BOLD associations or tested within-person HRV-SD BOLD coupling using sliding window analyses of simultaneous HRV and SD BOLD . We analyzed resting-state fMRI data from two independent Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) samples: Core at M3 (n=115) and Refresher at MR1 (n=101). Partial Least Squares (PLS) analyses revealed significant positive HRV-SD BOLD associations (Core: permutation p=0.018; Refresher: permutation p<0.001). Whole brain age-SD BOLD PLS associations were non-significant via permutation tests across several models (Core: permutation p=0.201; Refresher: permutation p=0.121). We found age-related decreases in SD BOLD across ∼70% of voxels in both samples. Concordance analyses showed 67-69% of brain voxels exhibited negative age-SD BOLD but positive HRV-SD BOLD relationships, suggesting that regions showing age-related decreases in SD BOLD also showed HRV-related increases in SD BOLD . Sliding-window analyses demonstrated robust positive within-person associations between person-centered HRV and SD BOLD via different HRV metrics: SDNN (Core: p < 0.001; Refresher: p < 0.001), RMSSD (Core: p = 0.072; Refresher: p = 0.009), and low frequency (Core: p < 0.001; Refresher: p < 0.001), with non-significant effects of high frequency (Core: p = 0.516; Refresher: p = 0.12) HRV. Thus, regardless of baseline levels, windows with higher HRV corresponded to higher SD BOLD , suggesting that cardiovascular factors partially explain age-SD BOLD associations and HRV may mechanistically influence SD BOLD . These results suggest that controlling for HRV, especially low-frequency HRV or SDNN, may be necessary when analyzing SD BOLD to isolate neural effects.

PMID:41383773 | PMC:PMC12694588 | DOI:10.1101/2025.11.26.690332

Neuroprotection. 2025 Jan 7;3(1):104-115. doi: 10.1002/nep3.70. eCollection 2025 Mar.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease characterized by autoimmune attacks on myelin sheaths. Its deleterious effects may be reversed by remyelination, a process that restores the integrity of myelin sheaths and, consequently, neuronal function. However, the functional implications of demyelination and remyelination in MS, as well as the potential impact of therapeutic interventions, remain incompletely understood. We used noninvasive longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in a cuprizone murine model of demyelination to investigate these unsolved questions.

METHODS: Three groups of (n = 6) animals were studied. A control group was fed with standard food for 5 weeks while two treatment groups (cuprizone and clemastine) suffered progressive demyelination by feeding them with 2% cuprizone. At Week 5 (W5), all animals returned to the standard diet and studied for another 5-week period to compare controls vs spontaneous (cuprizone group) vs clemastine-aided (clemastine group) remyelination group. Group clemastine was treated with this antihistaminic (oral gavage) during the remyelination period (Weeks 5-10). Anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (T2w-MRI) and resting state functional MRI (rs-FMRI) studies were conducted on weeks W0, W2, W5 (maximal demyelination) W7 and W10 (remyelination). MRI images were processed with the FMRIB Software Library, involving seed-free functional imaging and seed-based correlation. This study uses the t-test and the D'Agostino-Pearson normality test to make an assessment.

RESULTS: The principal findings of our research include: (1) cuprizone-treated animals suffer an initial phase of elevated connectivity at Week 2 with respect to controls, transitioning to reduced connectivity at Week 5; (2) different temporal trajectories across brain regions, reflecting varying susceptibility to demyelination; (3) while spontaneous remyelination normalizes connectivity in most networks at Week 10 (5 weeks after ceasing cuprizone intoxication), the thalamocortical axis exhibits lasting disruption even 6 months after normalization of diet; and (4) on the contrary, clemastine-aided remyelination re-establishes normal thalamocortical connectivity at 6 months after demyelination.

CONCLUSION: This approach provides insights into the dynamic processes of demyelination and remyelination, informing the development of more effective interventions for MS.

PMID:41383521 | PMC:PMC12486909 | DOI:10.1002/nep3.70

Br J Dermatol. 2025 Jun 27;193(Supplement_1):ljaf085.380. doi: 10.1093/bjd/ljaf085.380.

ABSTRACT

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a T helper 2-mediated inflammatory condition, resulting in erythematous and pruritic skin. Patients with AD often have chronic itching, leading to subsequent scratching, which further damages the skin and exacerbates cutaneous inflammation. Patients with AD often experience severe itching-scratching behaviour at night, leading to poor sleep quality. Chronic sleep disturbances during early childhood may alter brain development and neural connectivity, contributing to the increased risk of neuropsychological problems in patients with AD. In Mind & Skin, we aim to understand how inflammation and itch experienced by patients with AD can affect sleep, functional connectivity and cognitive function. Adolescent patients with AD were recruited from paediatric allergy and dermatology clinics, whereas healthy controls were recruited from patients' healthy siblings or through internal newsletters. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were acquired from the participants. The participants also completed a series of cognitive tasks using the Maudsley Attention and Response Suppression task battery to assess their attention, motor and cognitive inhibition, and time perception. Eighteen adolescent patients with AD with a range of disease severities (median age 15 years, range 12-18) and nine healthy controls (median age 15 years, range 12-16) were recruited for the study. The patients with AD had a median Eczema Area and Severity Index score of 4.45 (range 0.8-30.9). Sixteen resting-state networks were identified from fMRI analysis. The patients with AD, relative to healthy controls, had significant increases in functional connectivity within the somatosensory motor network, likely associated with chronic itching-scratching behaviours. The patients with AD exhibited reduced functional connectivity between the visual cortex and the temporoparietal network compared with healthy controls. The cohort with AD also showed decreased performance in the Simon (cognitive interference inhibition) and time discrimination tasks compared with healthy controls. The temporoparietal junction (TPJ) has been suggested to be a multisensory integration hub and is crucial for visual-spatial attention to external stimuli. Enhanced somatosensory connectivity in AD may disrupt TPJ-visual connectivity, potentially affecting selective visual-spatial attention and contributing to reduced ability in the Simon task. Our preliminary findings provide insights into the neurocognitive effects of the chronic itch-scratch behaviours associated with AD and how they may be associated with changes in brain network connectivity. These insights highlight the need for a multidisciplinary approach to address the dermatological and neurodevelopmental impacts of AD, with future studies aimed at identifying targeted interventions that mitigate these specific cognitive difficulties and improve quality of life.

PMID:41382893 | DOI:10.1093/bjd/ljaf085.380

Brain Res Bull. 2025 Dec 9:111681. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111681. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological tests provide standardized cognitive assessment but have limited ecological validity. Virtual reality (VR) creates immersive environments, better reflecting real-world cognitive performance. Although impaired VR performance correlates with early cognitive decline, its neural mechanisms remain unclear in non-demented elders. This study investigates fMRI biomarkers linked to VR performance to identify neural predictors of cognitive decline.

METHODS: 24 non-demented older adults, including cognitively normal (CN) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), completed baseline resting-state fMRI and immersive VR tasks combining physical and cognitive demands (dog walking, mountain climbing, drone protection). VR performance score (VRS) was quantified via entropy weight method. We analyzed relationships between VRS, neuropsychological scores, and resting-state functional connectivity (FC).

RESULTS: VRS significantly correlated with MoCA visuospatial/executive scores (p = 0.015). Whole-brain FC analysis revealed a strong association between VRS and FC between the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left paracentral lobule (PCL) in the overall sample (adjusted p = 1.94 × 10⁻⁶), present in CN but absent in MCI. Stepwise regression confirmed this FC as the significant VRS predictor in CN (R² = 0.599, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Immersive VR performance reflects visuospatial/executive function and is predicted by left ACC-PCL connectivity, serving as a neuroimaging biomarker for real-world cognition that complements traditional assessments. Practically, this biomarker requires validation in larger longitudinal cohorts.

PMID:41380786 | DOI:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111681

Brain Res Bull. 2025 Dec 9:111682. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111682. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The heterogeneity of basal ganglia (BG) atrophy in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) has not been fully elucidated. This study employed a multimodal fusion framework to examine the potential heterogeneity of BG atrophy among TLE patients. 89 patients diagnosed with TLE were recruited. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), resting - state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), consensus clustering (CC), and neuroimaging - transcriptomic approaches were integrated to explore the structural and functional alterations in the BG and their molecular mechanisms. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was employed to investigate the associations between MRI features and clinical characteristics. An individualized prediction model was constructed to facilitate clinical decision-making. CC identified a significant subgroups of BG atrophy in TLE: widespread BG atrophy (TLE-Cluster1, TLE-C1). In TLE-C1, the functional connectivity between the BG and cortical regions associated with sensation, emotion, and memory was notably enhanced. These patients additionally exhibited more severe cognitive impairment as well as higher degrees of anxiety and depression. Transcriptomic analysis established a connection between the heterogeneity of BG atrophy and specific gene expression patterns that were enriched in biological processes such as synaptic function, neurostructural development, and learning and memory. Further analyses uncovered a positive correlation between the gray matter volume of BG and cognitive performance. A classifier based on a Neural Network (NNET) predicted cognitive function with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.983. This study characterizes BG atrophy heterogeneity in TLE, its molecular mechanisms, and clinical relevance, offering insights for personalized diagnosis and management.

PMID:41380785 | DOI:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111682

Front Neurosci. 2025 Nov 25;19:1675610. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1675610. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to utilize multimodal neuroimaging techniques to simultaneously analyze global topological properties of white matter structural networks and resting-state functional networks in aMCI patients, comparing them with healthy controls. By conducting independent and integrative analyses of topological impairments in both networks, we seek to systematically characterize the multimodal network disruption patterns in aMCI.

METHODS: 45 aMCI patients and 42 healthy adults from the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, were enrolled. A case-control cross-sectional study was conducted. DTI and rs-fMRI data were collected for all participants. Global topological properties of structural and functional networks were constructed using PANDA and dpabi software and were calculated via graph-theoretical analysis in GRETNA software, followed by statistical comparisons between groups.

RESULTS: In patients with aMCI, the small-world (C p , aC p , Lambda, aLambda) of the WM structural network were significantly higher than those in the HC group; Rich-club nodes showed redistribution, and the Rich-club coefficient was decreased; aE loc was significantly increased; the Assortativity index (r < 0) indicated disassortativity; the Hierarchy index (b > 0) exhibited a significant decrease in b within the sparsity range of 0.39∼0.4; the synchronization coefficient (s) was significantly reduced at sparsity levels ranging from 0.28 to 0.30. For the functional network, the small-world index aL p in the aMCI group was significantly lower than that in the HC group; Rich-club nodes showed redistribution, and the Rich-club coefficient was increased within a certain Degree range; aE g was significantly increased; the Assortativity index (r > 0) indicated assortativity; the Hierarchy index (b > 0) was observed within a specific sparsity range.

CONCLUSION: We identified a "structure-function dissociation" in aMCI, where the structural network suffers from fragmentation and hub disruption, while the functional network compensates through rigid, hyper-localized reorganization with elevated local efficiency. This divergence reveals a core pathological mechanism of the disease.

PMID:41378344 | PMC:PMC12685844 | DOI:10.3389/fnins.2025.1675610

bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Dec 1:2025.11.26.690831. doi: 10.1101/2025.11.26.690831.

ABSTRACT

The Risk Reduction for Alzheimer's Disease (rrAD) trial included 513 cognitively normal, sedentary, hypertensive older adults (aged 60 to 85 years) with dementia risk factors. We utilized 420 high-quality baseline resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans from this cohort to develop a functional atlas tailored for aging populations. Typical rs-fMRI atlases derived from healthy young adults do not account for age-related changes, such as cortical atrophy, enlarged ventricles, and altered connectivity. To address this gap, we created a cohort-specific MNI-adjacent anatomical template, rrAD420, using SPM12's DARTEL registration. In this space, we derived a comprehensive functional atlas using both group independent component analysis (GICA) and probabilistic functional mode decomposition (PROFUMO). The rrAD420 atlas offers detailed representations of Resting-State Network (RSN) connectivity, encompassing unique configurations and overlapping interactions. It features two Default-Mode Network (DMN)-specific seed-based maps (DMN24 with cerebellum, DMN18 without) and data-driven components resembling the major RSNs. Furthermore, PROFUMO allowed for the identification of multimodal and combinatory networks, capturing connections within and between RSNs. While optimized for hypertensive older adults, the rrAD420 atlas serves as a versatile tool for broader aging populations, aiding in the study of neurodegenerative processes and biomarker discovery.

PMID:41377509 | PMC:PMC12687787 | DOI:10.1101/2025.11.26.690831

Front Neurol. 2025 Nov 25;16:1675066. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1675066. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common form of drug-resistant epilepsy often treated with surgical interventions, including laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT). However, patient-specific factors influencing LITT outcomes remain unclear. This retrospective study aimed to identify pre-operative resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) patterns associated with seizure freedom following LITT in mesial TLE.

METHODS: We analyzed rs-fMRI data from 28 patients with mesial TLE who underwent LITT, classifying them into seizure-free (SF) and not seizure-free (NSF) groups based on 12-month post-operative outcomes. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify subject-specific brain networks, and generalized linear models (GLM) were employed to assess associations between pre-operative spatial patterns of ICA-derived functional connectivity (FC) and surgical outcomes, controlling for clinical variables.

RESULTS: Significant differences in brain ICA-derived FC patterns were observed between SF and NSF groups, with SF exhibiting more locally distributed ICA-derived FC patterns around the mesial temporal lobe, including the posterior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and anterior parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). In contrast, NSF demonstrated more diffusely distributed ICA-derived FC patterns encompassing the insula and thalami.

SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight the potential of pre-operative rs-fMRI as a prognostic tool for identifying TLE patients more likely to benefit from LITT. Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted to confirm these results and optimize patient selection for surgical interventions.

PMID:41376770 | PMC:PMC12685642 | DOI:10.3389/fneur.2025.1675066

Neuroimage Clin. 2025 Nov 30;49:103919. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2025.103919. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Alterations in brain network centrality are key features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and may offer insights into the disruption of network organization underlying cognitive decline. We introduce a novel centrality metric, DomiRank, to characterize dominance-driven connectivity patterns in the human brain network, using a multi-center MRI dataset comprising 809 participants. Compared with conventional metrics, DomiRank centrality showed greater sensitivity in detecting AD-related network disruptions, particularly within the cingulate gyrus, precuneus, and subcortical hubs such as the basal ganglia-regions critical for cognition. Regional DomiRank alterations were significantly correlated with clinical cognitive scores, indicating their potential relevance to disease severity. Gene enrichment analysis revealed that areas with reduced DomiRank centrality were enriched for genes involved in synaptic signaling and neuronal communication, suggesting molecular mechanisms underlying network vulnerability. These findings highlight DomiRank centrality as a promising biomarker for characterizing network disorganization in AD, linking changes in brain connectivity with underlying molecular processes.

PMID:41371028 | DOI:10.1016/j.nicl.2025.103919

Age Ageing. 2025 Nov 28;54(12):afaf353. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaf353.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) correlates with cognitive performance in neurodegenerative conditions, the age-related spatial patterns of CVR alterations and their relationships with grey matter (GM) atrophy and cognition are underexplored.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 301 cognitively unimpaired participants (181 younger, 18-34 years; 120 older: 60-89 years) underwent multi-echo resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for CVR measurement. Voxel-wise t-tests compared regional CVR between age groups, with significant clusters defined as regions of interest (ROIs). Mediation analyses examined regional GM atrophy as a mediator of the ageing-CVR relationships within ROIs. Multivariable linear regression and restricted cubic spline analyses evaluated the association between ROI-CVR and cognition in older adults.

RESULTS: Compared with younger adults, older adults showed lower CVR primarily in the temporal, basal ganglia, cingulate, brainstem and cerebellum regions, while higher CVR in the frontal, parietal, occipitotemporal, thalamus and caudate regions. Regional GM atrophy partially mediated age-related CVR increases in the right frontal pole (P = .004) and fusiform/lingual gyrus (P = .001), as well as age-related CVR reduction in bilateral brainstem/cerebellum vermis 45 (P < .001). The proportions mediated were 55.9%, 56.6% and 79.2%, respectively. Among older adults, six ROI-CVRs were associated with executive function, exhibiting linear or nonlinear relationships.

CONCLUSIONS: Resting-state CVR demonstrated regionally heterogeneous age-related decreases or increases, partly mediated by GM atrophy. In older adults, CVR in age-sensitive regions was selectively associated with executive function through linear and nonlinear patterns. Cerebrovascular ageing may involve region-specific vascular adaptations and macrostructural-microvascular (GM-CVR) interactions. Region- and range-dependent CVR could serve as a biomarker for executive function changes.

PMID:41370625 | DOI:10.1093/ageing/afaf353

J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2025 Dec 1;50(6):E337-E350. doi: 10.1139/jpn-25-0063.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Brain network dynamics are responsive to task induced fluctuations, but such responsivity may not hold in schizophrenia (SCZ). We introduce and implement Centrality Dynamics (CD), a method developed specifically to capture task-driven dynamic changes in graph theoretic measures of centrality. We applied CD to functional MRI (fMRI) data in SCZ and Healthy Controls (HC) acquired during associative learning.

METHODS: fMRI (3T Siemens Verio) was acquired in 88 participants (49 SCZ). Time series were extracted from 246 functionally defined cerebral nodes. We applied a dynamic windowing technique to estimate 280 partially overlapping connectomes (with 30 135 unique region-pairs per connectome). In each connectome, we calculated every node's Betweenness Centrality (BC) following which we built 246 unique time series from a node's BC in successive connectomes (where each such time series represents a node's CD). Next, in each group similarities in CD were used to cluster nodes.

RESULTS: Clustering revealed fewer sub-networks in SCZ, and these sub-networks were formed by nodes with greater functional heterogeneity. The averaged CD of nodes in these sub-networks also showed greater Approximate Entropy (ApEn) (indicating greater stochasticity) but lower amplitude variability (suggesting less adaptability to task-induced dynamics). Finally, higher ApEn was associated with worse clinical symptoms and poorer task performance.

LIMITATIONS: Centrality Dynamics is a new method for network discovery in health and schizophrenia. Further extensions to other task-driven and resting data in other psychiatric conditions will provide fuller understanding of its promise.

CONCLUSION: The brain's functional connectome under task-driven conditions is not static. Characterizing these task-driven dynamics will provide new insight on the dysconnection syndrome that is schizophrenia. Centrality Dynamics provides novel characterization of task-induced changes in the brain's connectome and shows that in the schizophrenia brain, learning-evoked sub-network dynamics were (a) less responsive to learning evoked changes and (b) showed greater stochasticity.

PMID:41369098 | DOI:10.1139/jpn-25-0063

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Dec 1;15(12):12707-12720. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-317. Epub 2025 Nov 21.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke affecting the basal ganglia disrupts motor, cognitive, and emotional functions, yet the underlying neural network mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate alterations in brain network topology in patients with acute basal ganglia ischemic stroke (BGIS) through use of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and graph theory analysis (GTA).

METHODS: We constructed whole-brain functional networks and analyzed global and local topological properties in 82 patients with acute BGIS and compared them those in 83 healthy controls (HCs) using the Dosenbach atlas.

RESULTS: Both groups retained small-world attributes (Sigma >1). However, patients with BGIS exhibited significantly lower normalized clustering coefficient (Gamma, P=0.016), small-worldness (Sigma, P=0.021), and modularity (P=0.025), indicating disrupted local network organization. Local centrality analyses revealed significantly higher degree centrality (DC) (false-discovery rate-corrected Q <0.05), betweenness centrality (Q <0.05), and eigenvector centrality (Q <0.05) in the right precentral gyrus (a motor hub) in patients with BGIS. Conversely, lower centrality was observed in cognitive and emotional hubs, including the left ventral prefrontal cortex (Q <0.05 for DC, betweenness centrality, and eigenvector centrality) and the right dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus (Q <0.05 for DC). Global efficiency and assortativity were preserved (P>0.05). No direct associations between these network alterations and clinical scales persistent in the multiple comparisons.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a BGIS-induced reconfiguration of brain network topology, characterized by a tendency toward randomization, compensatory hyperconnectivity in motor regions, and impaired integration in cognitive networks. The findings indicated the right precentral gyrus to be a pivotal hub for poststroke recovery and offers novel insights into network-level mechanisms and potential targets for neuromodulatory interventions.

PMID:41367755 | PMC:PMC12682516 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-317

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Dec 1;15(12):12361-12371. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-1062. Epub 2025 Nov 21.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pituitary adenomas (PA) frequently compress the optic chiasm, leading to visual field defects (VFDs) and potentially affecting the function of brain networks. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate alterations in brain networks in PA patients with chiasmal compression using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

METHODS: In this study, 35 PA patients with chiasmal compression and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and underwent rs-fMRI scanning. Network-Based Statistic (NBS) and large-scale network analyses were performed. Additionally, correlations were analyzed between altered functional connectivity (FC) and suprasellar extension distance, duration of VFDs, as well as mean deviation (MD), reflecting the degree of VFDs.

RESULTS: Combining NBS and large-scale network analyses, we found that PA patients with chiasmal compression mainly showed significantly decreased intra- and inter-network connectivity, including the visual network (VN), dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network (FPN), somatosensory-motor network (SMN), and subcortical network (SCN). Moreover, the decreased mean FC values within VN and between VN-VAN were negatively correlated with suprasellar extension distance, and the decreased mean FC within VN was positively correlated with MD.

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the widespread dysfunction of brain networks in PA patients with chiasmal compression. These findings offer new insights into the brain dysfunction in PA patients with chiasmal compression and could also aid in the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy for the disease.

PMID:41367739 | PMC:PMC12682495 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-1062

Sci Data. 2025 Dec 9. doi: 10.1038/s41597-025-06398-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This dataset supports research on neuroplasticity and motor adaptation in motor learning and rehabilitation. It includes multimodal longitudinal data from 46 healthy adults performing motor imagery and physical training of a backward glide shot put task. Participants received one of three interventions: function-specific repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) guided by task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), rTMS targeting hand motor hotspots, or motor training alone. The dataset contains resting-state and task-based fMRI, individualized stimulation coordinates, and daily kinematic parameters collected before and after intervention. These data enable analysis of brain network plasticity, motor performance changes, and the effects of targeted neuromodulation, providing a reproducible resource for advancing studies on precise brain stimulation and motor rehabilitation.

PMID:41365922 | DOI:10.1038/s41597-025-06398-3

Neuroimage. 2025 Dec 7:121636. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121636. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Disruptions in synaptic plasticity and alterations in effective connectivity (EC) involving the hippocampus and amygdala are hallmarks of early Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the interplay between these neurophysiological changes and their relationships with cognitive functions in subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains poorly understood.

METHODS: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were used to assess long-term potentiation (LTP)-like plasticity and EC involving the amygdala and hippocampus in 34 individuals with SCD, 27 with MCI, and 35 healthy controls (HC). Between-group differences in cognitive performance, EC alterations, and LTP-like plasticity were examined and their relationships were assessed via correlation and mediation analyses.

RESULTS: Both SCD and MCI groups exhibited disrupted EC between the amygdala/hippocampus and the inferior occipital gyrus, inferior parietal lobule (IPL), medial frontal lobe (MFL), and precuneus. Also, both LTP-5min and LTP-10min were significantly reduced in MCI group compared to SCD and HC groups. Importantly, EC from the left hippocampus to the IPL and from the IPL, MFL, and precuneus to the hippocampus was correlated with memory and executive functions. Moreover, precuneus-to-hippocampus EC was positively correlated with LTP-10min and mediated the relationship between LTP-like plasticity and cognitive performance.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel evidence that precuneus-to-hippocampus EC mediates the link between synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in SCD and MCI, suggesting the precuneus-hippocampus pathway as a promising target for early diagnosis and intervention.

PMID:41365452 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121636

Schizophr Res. 2025 Dec 8;287:113-121. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2025.12.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study examined topological features and network resilience in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), other specified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorder (OSSO), and healthy controls (HC) with resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and graph theoretical analysis. Associations between topological metrics, resilience, and symptom severity were also explored.

METHODS: rs-fMRI data from SSDs (n = 77), OSSO (n = 86), and HC (n = 83) were analyzed for global efficiency (Eg), characteristic path length (Lp), nodal local efficiency (NLe), nodal clustering coefficient (NCp), and resilience derived from k-shell decomposition and targeted-attack simulations. Symptom severity was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).

RESULTS: Both patient groups showed reduced Eg and increased Lp compared with HC, indicating disrupted global integration. At the nodal level, the fusiform gyrus exhibited decreased NLe and NCp in both groups. In OSSO, these nodal metrics correlated with PANSS general and total scores. SSDs displayed pronounced reductions in k-core and maximum-core resilience, whereas OSSO largely retained network stability. k-Shell resilience was most impaired in SSDs, with OSSO showing intermediate deficits. Notably, k-shell resilience in the right superior occipital gyrus significantly differed between OSSO and SSDs.

CONCLUSION: This study presents the first investigation of OSSO-specific neuroimaging signatures using network resilience analysis. OSSO showed partial preservation of k-core resilience and intermediate k-shell resilience between SSDs and HC, suggesting distinct neurobiological organization within the psychosis spectrum. k-Shell resilience in the superior occipital gyrus may serve as a potential neuroimaging marker distinguishing OSSO from SSDs.

PMID:41365234 | DOI:10.1016/j.schres.2025.12.002

Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2025 Nov 20;356:112093. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112093. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are marked by working memory impairments associated with abnormal functional brain connectivity. Although transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows promise in modulating dysconnectivity patterns and improving cognitive symptoms, current protocols often lack target personalization, overlooking significant variability in functional network topography between individuals. Twenty-two individuals with SSD and cognitive deficits underwent 20Hz repetitive TMS to the left lateral prefrontal cortex. Personalized TMS targeted regions with the strongest central executive-default mode network (CEN-DMN) antagonism, while standardized TMS focused on the EEG F3 site. Resting-state fMRI scans were conducted pre- and post-TMS sessions to evaluate changes in CEN-DMN connectivity, and working memory performance was assessed after the post-TMS fMRI scan. Both TMS protocols failed to significantly alter CEN-DMN connectivity or improve cognitive function, which may be due to the low reliability of the biomarker used for personalized targeting. However, stronger DMN intra-network connectivity at the stimulation site was positively correlated with a reduction in CEN-DMN connectivity and improved working memory performance. These findings highlight the need for more extensive fMRI data for better target determination, and suggest that targeting left prefrontal areas with higher DMN connectivity could more effectively modulate functional connectivity and improve working memory performance through TMS.

PMID:41364985 | DOI:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112093

Addict Behav. 2025 Nov 27;174:108575. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108575. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been associated with withdrawal-like symptoms and altered intrinsic neural activity (INA). While previous studies suggest that PSU affects brain function, little is known about how INA is modulated by smartphone restriction. This longitudinal fMRI study investigated group- and time-dependent changes in resting-state INA following short-term smartphone deprivation. 36 participants (aged 18-29; 22 female) were categorized into PSU (n = 19) and non-PSU (n = 17) groups using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Resting-state fMRI scans were obtained before and after a 72-hour period of smartphone restriction. Psychometric measures included the Mannheim Craving Scale (MaCS) and the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI). A significant group-by-time interaction revealed INA changes in the left inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, right middle frontal and precentral gyri, and left calcarine cortex. INA increased over time in the non-PSU group but decreased in the PSU group in prefrontal and cingulate areas. In contrast, sensorimotor and occipital regions showed increased INA over time in PSU individuals. Associations between neural activity and MaCS scores indicated that greater craving was linked to reduced INA in the posterior cingulate cortex. Within the PSU group, higher smartphone-use severity, as measured by the SPAI, was associated with altered INA in occipital, parietal, and cerebellar regions. These findings suggest PSU is linked to distinct and state-dependent neurofunctional alterations that may reflect withdrawal-related processes and maladaptive reward and cognitive control mechanisms.

PMID:41364954 | DOI:10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108575

Cereb Cortex. 2025 Nov 27;35(12):bhaf330. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf330.

ABSTRACT

Adequately responding towards a threat is a crucial mechanism for survival. Adapting this response when a threat-associated stimulus or situation has become safe requires extinction learning and formation of an extinction memory. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) affords to longitudinally monitor network activity, yet, in the rodent, still suffers from significant variability of results and practical restrictions, mainly related to the different approaches of subject immobilization. Physical restraint of awake animals permits only short scanning times, while anesthesia can induce uncontrolled brain states with limited stimulus responsiveness and processing. Here, we implement a paradigm where light medetomidine sedation permits long scanning times in a stable brain state with functional characteristics comparable to the human resting state. We observe responsiveness of the brain to visual stimulation and large-scale resting-state network activity with small-world connectivity features. After visual fear conditioning outside the MRI scanner, rats exposed to the unreinforced visual conditioned stimulus in this stable persistent activity state inside the scanner (extinction) exhibit a significantly lower conditioned fear response when re-exposed to the conditioned stimulus days after scanning (test). We present a brain state-informed paradigm easily adaptable for future studies involving invasive neural manipulations to causally investigate extinction and its memory consolidation.

PMID:41364669 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhaf330