Most recent paper

Hum Brain Mapp. 2026 Jul;47(10):e70561. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70561.

ABSTRACT

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a powerful tool for probing neuronal activity in vivo, but fMRI data are inherently noisy. To mitigate this, a wide range of denoising strategies have been developed, including volume censoring, anatomical component-based noise correction (aCompCor), ICA-based methods (e.g., AROMA, FIX), and multi-echo approaches (e.g., ME-ICA, tedana). These techniques are often applied in different combinations and have been predominantly evaluated on single-echo resting-state fMRI data-typically without incorporating more recent methodological advances known to improve modeling, such as order-independent "1-step regression", modeling temporal autocorrelation (pre-whitening), and temporal shifting of physiological nuisance regressors. To fill this gap, we used a framework that incorporates these methods and benchmarked a range of denoising pipelines across task and resting-state, single- and multi-band, and single- and multi-echo fMRI datasets, using different combinations of standard denoising confounds. Pipeline performance was evaluated using temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) and percentage remaining degrees-of-freedom (DoF), effectiveness of motion correction, and effectiveness of signal preservation. While pipelines only using ICA were insufficient, those that incorporated physiological nuisance regressors performed well. Additional improvements were observed when temporally shifted physiological regressors were accounted for. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for selecting denoising pipelines and emphasize the need for continued benchmarking as new methods are developed or applied in novel contexts.

PMID:42383403 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70561

Front Neurol. 2026 Jun 3;17:1793397. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1793397. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a common sequela following COVID-19. Although cognitive dysfunction is one of the most debilitating symptoms in ME/CFS, effective therapies are limited. Acupuncture is an important complementary and alternative therapy for ME/CFS and has been shown to have positive effects on cognitive dysfunction in other diseases. However, the effect and mechanism of acupuncture in treating cognitive dysfunction in post-COVID-19 ME/CFS(PCME/CFS) remain unclear. In this study, we designed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in improving cognitive function in PCME/CFS and to investigate the neural mechanisms of acupuncture using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

METHODS: A total of 129 patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs) will be enrolled. The 129 patients with PCME/CFS will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to a verum acupuncture (VA), sham acupuncture (SA), or a waitlist control group. Participants in the VA and SA groups will receive three sessions of treatment per week for 8 weeks, while patients in the waitlist control group will be treated after the 8-week waiting period. The primary outcome is the change in the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score from baseline to week 8. The secondary outcome measures include changes from baseline to endpoint (week 8) in cognitive performance as assessed by the Digit Span Test (DST), Trail Making Test (TMT), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Rey-Osterrieth complex figure test (RCFT), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), phonemic fluency test, category fluency test, action fluency test, and 30-item Boston Naming Test (BNT-30). In addition, changes in hippocampal metabolites and resting-state functional connectivity(RSFC) will be examined using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS) and functional MRI (fMRI), respectively. Moreover, the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) will also be assessed at baseline and week 8.

DISCUSSION: The results of this study will provide preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy of acupuncture therapy in improving cognitive function in PCME/CFS and will explore whether acupuncture improves cognitive function in this disease by modulating metabolism and RSFC in the hippocampus.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT07357688.

PMID:42383026 | PMC:PMC13318089 | DOI:10.3389/fneur.2026.1793397

Front Neurol. 2026 Jun 16;17:1846663. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2026.1846663. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) is a transitional stage between normal individuals and dementia. The basal forebrain is a key subcortical hub involved in memory-related cortico-subcortical networks.

METHODS: A total of 66 aMCI patients, including 5 single-domain and 61 multidomain aMCI patients, and 59 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited from the community and underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments. After excluding one HC participant due to excessive head motion, 66 aMCI patients and 58 HCs were included in the final imaging analysis. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed, and seed-based functional connectivity analysis was conducted with the basal forebrain as the region of interest.

RESULTS: Compared with HCs, aMCI patients exhibited reduced basal forebrain functional connectivity overall, but showed increased connectivity between the right nucleus basalis of Meynert and specific cortical regions (p < 0.01, GRF corrected). Long-delayed recall was associated with connectivity between the basal forebrain and the left postcentral gyrus, while language and executive functions were associated with connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (opercular part) and the calcarine cortex, respectively (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: These findings may help identify basal forebrain-associated network alterations as potential targets for future circuit-based neuromodulation studies in aMCI.

PMID:42383023 | PMC:PMC13314419 | DOI:10.3389/fneur.2026.1846663

Imaging Neurosci (Camb). 2026 Jun 29;4:IMAG.a.1285. doi: 10.1162/IMAG.a.1285. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

The functional network architecture of the aging brain undergoes significant systematic and idiosyncratic changes. Emergent individualized network mapping approaches may yield better or more sensitive explanatory insight about age-related neural and behavioral variability, although most applications have focused on young adults. In the current study, we tested the validity and impact of mapping individual-specific topography in two fMRI datasets comprising 112 young (18-35 years) and 176 older adults (60-92 years). Older adults had more idiosyncratic network topography than young adults. Individualized maps from resting-state fMRI improved network homogeneity and fidelity to social cognitive task fMRI activations and exhibited intra-individual stability and inter-individual discriminability over a 2-year interval. Last, traditional group-averaged (vs. individualized) network mapping had a moderate-to-large impact on individual-level estimates of network segregation, a widely-studied measure of functional brain aging. Therefore, individualized network mapping captures important heterogeneity in older adulthood and may yield more precise characterization of neurocognitive aging.

PMID:42382506 | PMC:PMC13317017 | DOI:10.1162/IMAG.a.1285

IBRO Neurosci Rep. 2026 Jun 8;21:170-178. doi: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2026.06.002. eCollection 2026 Dec.

ABSTRACT

Aberrant static functional network connectivity (sFNC) and dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) have been inconsistently reported in Parkinson's disease (PD), reflecting the limitations of single-site studies with restricted sample sizes. To address these limitations, we leveraged pooled resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from a multisite study to explore FNC differences in PD. Data from 160 patients with PD and 75 age matched and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were collected from four repositories (PPMI, OpenfMRI, FCP/INDI). Independent component analysis combined with sliding-window and k-means clustering approach was applied to examine the FNC among seven resting-state networks: sensorimotor network (SMN), auditory network (AN), visual network (VN), cognitive control network (CCN), default mode network (DMN), subcortical network (SC), and cerebellar network (CB). The FNC and dynamic indices (fraction time, mean dwell time, transition number) were calculated. Static and dynamic measures were compared between the two groups. For sFNC, the PD group exhibited predominantly decreased connectivity between the VN and CCN/AN/SMN, and between the AN and SMN; alongside increased connectivity between the AN and SC/CB. For dFNC, four distinct recurrent states were identified. Significant group differences emerged in states 1, 3, and 4, characterized by widespread abnormalities in both intra- and inter-network connectivity (e.g., DMN, CCN, SC, CB, and sensory networks). Temporally, PD patients demonstrated altered dynamics, including reduced mean dwell time and fractional time in state 4, while showing increased mean dwell time in state 1 and fractional time in states 1 and 3. These multisite rs-fMRI findings demonstrate that PD is characterized by complex patterns of connectivity disruption and inflexible temporal network reconfigurations. Notably, dFNC metrics revealed extensive connectivity reductions that were not apparent in static analysis, highlighting their superior sensitivity and potential utility as biomarkers for tracking disease progression and therapeutic response.

PMID:42381885 | PMC:PMC13316611 | DOI:10.1016/j.ibneur.2026.06.002

Neuroimage Rep. 2026 Jun 20;6(3):100374. doi: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2026.100374. eCollection 2026 Sep.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Alterations in neural language networks are common in patients with brain tumors, yet their nature varies substantially across individuals. By reducing data to group-level averages, conventional analyses fail to capture such heterogeneity, obscuring patient-specific information.

METHODS: The present study applied a resting-state connectivity fingerprinting approach to characterize language network alterations at the single-subject level, yielding individualized connectivity profiles ("fingerprints"). Fingerprints of 27 right-handed patients with a left-hemisphere brain tumor affecting language-relevant areas were assessed at three time points (preoperative, immediate postoperative and three-month follow-up). Connectivity patterns were compared to a normative reference derived from 30 healthy participants and linked to language performance.

RESULTS: Fingerprints remained temporally stable in healthy individuals. In patients, fingerprints revealed distinct, patient-specific deviations from the typical network structure with highly heterogeneous changes over time. Three main findings emerged: (1) patients with language deficits showed greater deviations from the typical fingerprint than those without deficits; (2) significant associations between larger deviations and poorer language performance were confined to the immediate postoperative phase, likely reflecting surgery- or treatment-related influences or differences in the (mal)adaptivity of reorganization over time; (3) in high-grade glioma, exploratory analyses provided preliminary evidence for an adaptive contribution of the contralesional hemisphere immediately after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings support connectivity fingerprinting as a promising approach for characterizing patient-specific network patterns and monitoring functional reorganization processes relevant to language function at the single-subject level. With continued methodological refinement, this approach holds potential for contributing to more individualized clinical decision-making within the context of personalized medicine.

PMID:42381864 | PMC:PMC13314782 | DOI:10.1016/j.ynirp.2026.100374

Hum Brain Mapp. 2026 Jul;47(10):e70596. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70596.

ABSTRACT

Psilocybin has been shown to induce fast and sustained symptoms improvements across various psychiatric conditions, yet its long-term mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Initial evidence suggests that longitudinal functional and structural brain changes implicate fronto-striatal-thalamic (FST) circuitry, a broad system involved in goal-directed behavior and motivational states. Here, we performed secondary analyses and applied computational modeling to resting-state fMRI data from a within-subject longitudinal psilocybin trial in psychedelic-naïve healthy volunteers. We first showed that dynamic FST activity increased 4 weeks after a full dose of psilocybin. We then proceeded to mechanistically account for these changes by providing tentative model-based support that reductions in the structure-function coupling contribute to increased dynamic FST activity postpsilocybin. Finally, we used computational approaches to show that psilocybin induces longitudinal increases in bottom-up and reduced top-down modulation of FST circuits. We then used publicly available receptor maps to show that cortical reductions in top-down modulation are linked to regional 5-HT2A receptor availability, while increased information outflow via subcortical and limbic regions relates to local D2 receptor availability. Together, these findings suggest that increased FST flexibility weeks after a high dose of psilocybin is linked to serotonergic-mediated decreases in top-down information flow and dopaminergic-mediated increases in bottom-up information flow. This long-term functional re-organization of FST circuits may represent a common mechanism contributing to the potential clinical efficacy of psilocybin across various neuropsychiatric disorders including substance abuse, major depression, and anorexia nervosa.

PMID:42381187 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70596

BMC Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1186/s12888-026-08337-x. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:42380794 | DOI:10.1186/s12888-026-08337-x

J Psychiatr Res. 2026 Jun 26;201:400-408. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.06.048. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment (CI), but how large-scale network disruption relates to this vulnerability remains unclear. We examined whether PTSD and cognitive status interact to shape brain network organization.

METHODS: Resting-state fMRI from 178 age-matched male participants (ADNI-DOD and ADNI cohorts) was analyzed within a 2 × 2 factorial design defined by PTSD status and cognitive status. Cognitive status was classified using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), with CI defined by a MoCA score of 18-26 and cognitively normal (CN) status by a MoCA score >26, yielding four groups; PTSD status was established using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), requiring a score ≥40 for the PTSD group and ≤30 for non-PTSD (NPTSD) controls. These criteria yielded four groups: PTSD-CI (n = 46), PTSD-CN (n = 14), NPTSD-CI (n = 55), and NPTSD-CN (n = 63). Functional connectivity matrices (32 regions, Harvard-Oxford atlas) underwent graph-theoretical analysis. General linear models tested main effects and the PTSD × cognitive status interaction for global efficiency, eigenvector centrality, clustering coefficient, local efficiency, degree, and betweenness centrality, adjusting for age, education, APOE ε4 status, and depressive symptoms (FDR-corrected).

RESULTS: A significant PTSD × cognitive status interaction was observed across all four dorsal attention network (DAN) nodes-bilateral frontal eye fields and intraparietal sulci-for global efficiency, eigenvector centrality, cost, and degree. These effects were driven exclusively by PTSD-CI versus PTSD-CN differences and were absent in non-PTSD groups, reflecting a reversal of the normally right-lateralized DAN organization. Further interaction effects emerged in the right supramarginal gyrus (salience network) and medial visual network. A PTSD main effect reduced language-network hub function (left inferior frontal gyrus, left posterior superior temporal gyrus), and a cognitive-status main effect involved the left supramarginal gyrus.

CONCLUSIONS: PTSD and cognitive impairment interact, rather than summate, to produce a distinct network signature characterized by DAN lateralization reversal, identifying PTSD-CI as a neurobiologically distinct phenotype and highlighting the DAN, salience, and language networks as targets.

PMID:42379073 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2026.06.048

Exp Gerontol. 2026 Jun 30:113220. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2026.113220. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus and chronic pain, as two perceptual disorders frequently accompanied by negative emotions, significantly impair patients' daily functioning and overall well-being. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms that account for their frequently observed clinical similarities have yet to be fully elucidated.

METHODS: The study enrolled a total of 56 participants, including 18 tinnitus patients and 19 chronic pain patients, alongside 19 healthy controls. We computed the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) from resting-state fMRI data to quantify localized brain activity intensity and neural synchronization.

RESULTS: Statistical analysis suggested a significant elevation in fALFF within the calcarine cortex of tinnitus patients compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05, FDR-corrected). In contrast, chronic pain patients exhibited notable increases in both fALFF and ReHo in the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Direct comparisons between patient groups suggested that tinnitus patients had higher fALFF in the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), supplementary motor area and fusiform gyrus, but lower fALFF in the right IFG, precuneus, and caudate nucleus. Regarding ReHo, patients with tinnitus exhibited significantly elevated ReHo values in the supplementary motor area, while demonstrating reduced ReHo in both the precuneus and caudate nucleus (all p < 0.05, FDR-corrected).

CONCLUSION: The observed differences between tinnitus and chronic pain in brain regions including the prefrontal cortex, ITG, and fusiform gyrus provide neuroimaging correlates associated with the two conditions. These findings may inform future neuromodulation targets and support clinical differential diagnosis.

PMID:42379384 | DOI:10.1016/j.exger.2026.113220

Int Rev Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 30:1-10. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2026.2687523. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The frontal pole is a transdiagnostic target for affective disorders, perhaps through its connectivity with affective regions like the amygdala. Recent work shows that single-pulse or single-session transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the frontal pole (FP) modulates amygdala activity and frontoamygdala connectivity. In a secondary analysis of a double-blind, Sham-controlled clinical trial, 17 participants with alcohol use disorder (10 Real, 7 Sham; 24% Female; age 46 ± 13 years) received 10 sessions of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) to the left frontal pole (FP1). Resting-state fMRI was acquired pre-treatment, post-treatment (within one week of treatment completion), and 1 month after treatment. Voxelwise mixed-effects modeling revealed that Real cTBS, compared to Sham, selectively decreased connectivity between the frontal pole and the medial amygdala. Using an ANCOVA approach to account for regression to the mean, this reduction was confirmed to be durable over the 1-month follow-up and was most pronounced in participants exhibiting the highest baseline connectivity. These results extend knowledge on amygdala modulation and set the stage for future work to access the amygdala through the frontal pole for affective disorders marked by amygdala dysregulation.

PMID:42379239 | DOI:10.1080/09540261.2026.2687523

Neurosurgery. 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000004146. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction, yet the central neural mechanisms underlying motor impairment and recovery remain unclear.

METHODS: This study used the first 7 T functional MRI (fMRI) study in patients with CSM to investigate sensorimotor network alterations. Sixteen patients with CSM and age-matched healthy controls underwent task-based fMRI during hand grasping and resting-state fMRI. Ten patients completed 3-month postoperative follow-up imaging. Clinical severity was assessed using Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores.

RESULTS: Task-based fMRI during hand movements revealed compensatory bilateral recruitment in patients with CSM compared with controls, with significantly increased activation in the ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1; peak: 45, -21, 56; T = 7.93, P < .001) and contralateral cerebellum (peak: -21, -52, -28; T = 7.23, P < .001). Cerebellar hyperactivation correlated negatively with JOA total scores (peak: -26, -56, -24; T = 10.74, P < .001) and dexterity subscales (T = 9.05, P < .001), indicating severity-dependent compensation. Resting-state analysis revealed widespread increases in sensorimotor network connectivity. The strongest alterations were observed in bilateral M1 connectivity (T = 14.65, P < .001), bilateral primary sensory cortex connectivity (T = 14.53, P < .001), and M1-supplementary motor area (SMA) connections (right M1 to left SMA: T = 13.21, P < .001; bilateral SMA: T = 13.89, P < .001). Intracerebellar networks showed marked hyperconnectivity (bilateral cerebellar lobule VI: T = 15.35, P < .001; bilateral cerebellar lobule IV-V: T = 14.25, P < .001). Resting-state connectivity strength was negatively correlated with both JOA total scores and dexterity subscales.

CONCLUSION: This 7T fMRI study reveals that CSM induces compensatory reorganization involving the contralateral cerebellum and ipsilateral motor cortex, with severity-dependent hyperconnectivity. These findings clarify mechanisms of motor compensation and suggest cerebellar-focused rehabilitation as a potential therapeutic strategy.

PMID:42377928 | DOI:10.1227/neu.0000000000004146

J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2026 Jun 30. doi: 10.1007/s00702-026-03217-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a major source of disability in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), whose impact on gait and balance across medication states still remains unclear. We aimed to compare gait and balance performance between comparable dyskinetic (Dysk-matched) and non-dyskinetic (No-Dysk) PD patients in OFF and ON state, and to explore neural correlates using structural and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). PD patients were consecutively enrolled among candidates for device-aided therapies. Gait and balance were assessed using validated wearable inertial sensors during a 2-minute walk test, a 3-meters Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), and a sway test, providing spatiotemporal gait parameters, variability, asymmetry, and postural sway metrics. Groups were compared using propensity score matching (PSM) for age, sex, disease duration, motor severity and axial disability. A subgroup underwent exploratory investigation with structural and rs-fMRI collected in ON state. After PSM (22 pairs), Dysk-matched group showed slower gait speed (p = 0.007), shorter stride length (p = 0.006), longer double support (p = 0.047), and prolonged TUG (p = 0.049) in the OFF state. Dysk-matched patients showed increased sway from OFF to ON (p = 0.030). Neuroimaging (10 Dysk-matched, 9 No-Dysk) revealed increased functional connectivity in sensorimotor regions and reduced SMA connectivity within a cerebellar network in Dysk-matched patients, without structural difference. Overall, the association of LID with impaired gait and postural control even in the OFF state is consistent with the hypothesis of broader motor network dysfunction beyond overt involuntary movements.

PMID:42377454 | DOI:10.1007/s00702-026-03217-w

J Alzheimers Dis. 2026 Jun 30:13872877261462932. doi: 10.1177/13872877261462932. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundDepressive symptoms frequently co-occur with cognitive impairment in older adults. Although depression and cognition interact in brain activity, the underlying functional connectivity mechanisms in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains unclear.ObjectiveTo investigate how depressive symptoms modulate the relationship between cognition and amygdala/hippocampus functional connectivity in MCI.MethodsThis study included 138 participants (45 healthy controls and 93 MCI patients) who underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological assessment using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-B) for cognitive function and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) for depressive symptoms. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was performed using bilateral amygdala and hippocampus as seed regions to quantify the HAMD × MoCA-B non-monotonic interactions on whole-brain connectivity. Simple slopes analyses were conducted to characterize directionality changes across depression severity levels.ResultsWhole-brain analyses revealed significant HAMD × MoCA-B interaction effects (cluster p value < 0.05, voxel p value < 0.01, GRF corrected) demonstrating symptom-dependent reorganization of cognition-FC relationships. Amygdala connectivity decreased to anterior/middle cingulate and precuneus but increased to triangular part of inferior frontal gyrus (IFGtri), medial superior frontal gyrus, and cerebellar lobule IX. Hippocampal connectivity decreased to cuneus, insula, thalamus, and caudate but increased to opercular part of inferior frontal gyrus (IFGop), orbitofrontal cortex, and cerebellar lobule VIII.ConclusionDepressive symptoms alter amygdala and hippocampal FC relationships with cognition in MCI. Depression-dependent hippocampal/amygdala connectivity changes with the frontoparietal network (FPN-A)-particularly IFGop/IFGtri and cerebellum-suggest their role as critical hubs for emotional-cognitive integration, highlighting them as potential neuromodulation targets for cognitive and depressive symptoms in MCI.

PMID:42377424 | DOI:10.1177/13872877261462932

Hum Brain Mapp. 2026 Jul;47(10):e70597. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70597.

ABSTRACT

Passive working memory (WM) is rarely detectable because it is thought to rely less on persistent neural firing, leaving a minimal trace in ongoing brain activity. This elusive nature poses a major challenge for exploring its neural basis. While the activity-silent working memory (ASWM) framework proposes that such latent representations are maintained through transient reconfiguration in intrinsic functional connectivity, tracking these rapid dynamics via functional MRI remains methodologically difficult. Alternatively, investigating the brain's intrinsic functional architecture provides insights into the baseline "neural scaffolding" that predisposes individuals to successful passive WM. To explore this, we combined pre-task resting-state fMRI, structural MRI, and behavioral data from a sequential change-detection paradigm in 151 healthy adults. Functional connectivity-behavior associations revealed that individual differences in passive WM performance were significantly reflected by intrinsic connections among large-scale networks encompassing dorsal attention, control, and sensorimotor. Granger causality analyses further revealed a group-level temporal dependency pattern linking these functional systems. Furthermore, exploratory structural analyses suggested spatial convergence between uncorrected cortical-thickness associations and certain functionally identified sensorimotor nodes. Overall, this study adopts an exploratory approach to demonstrate that baseline intrinsic functional architecture-complemented by preliminary structural findings-is significantly associated with individual differences in passive WM.

PMID:42376739 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70597

Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2026 Apr-Jun;26(2):100700. doi: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2026.100700. Epub 2026 Jun 17.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: During childhood and adolescence, functional connectivity undergoes distinct age-related maturational trajectories within and between networks. However, normative connectivity patterns across development remain insufficiently characterized.

METHODS: This study integrates voxel-wise degree centrality, degree centrality-derived seed-based connectivity, and network-level analyses to examine large-scale functional organization in a large multisite sample of 322 typically developing children (7-10.99 years) and adolescents (11-15 years) from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange I and II repositories.

RESULTS: Across all analytical levels, adolescents exhibited strengthened functional connectivity of subcortical hubs -the thalamus and the basal ganglia- with the Ventral Attention Network and Frontoparietal Network, emerging as the key hubs of network integration in adolescence. Children, by contrast, showed stronger functional connectivity within posterior sensory-perceptual nodes, particularly involving angular and occipital regions.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings delineate a developmental reorganization from sensory-anchored functional architectures in childhood toward increasingly integrated subcortical, attentional and frontoparietal systems in adolescence, supporting emerging capacities for cognitive-control and goal-directed behavior. This multilevel characterization offers a normative reference framework for interpreting variability in neurodevelopment and, ultimately, for identifying potential early deviations.

PMID:42376368 | PMC:PMC13311167 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijchp.2026.100700

Front Neurosci. 2026 Jun 15;20:1734858. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2026.1734858. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cortical and subcortical alterations in brain intrinsic function have been widely reported in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, sex differences in brain intrinsic function in PD are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine sex differences in spontaneous brain intrinsic function in PD and their associations with neuropsychological measurements.

METHODS: Using Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) resting-state fMRI, we compared amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) between male and female PD patients in substantia nigra (SN), globus pallidus (GP) and whole-brain. Subgroup analysis was performed, matching demographics with equal sample sizes. ALFF correlations with behavior were assessed by sex.

RESULTS: Female PD patients demonstrated higher ALFF in the right SN compared to males in the primary analysis. This sex difference achieved statistical significance in the demographics-matched subgroup analysis. Bilateral premotor ALFF was significantly elevated in female patients relative to males, independent of brain structure. Furthermore, right premotor ALFF showed a preliminary positive trend associated with visuospatial function exclusively in female PD patients.

CONCLUSION: Female PD patients exhibit distinct functional signatures, primarily involving elevated premotor fluctuations and a preliminary premotor-visuospatial association. Preliminary SN alterations were also noted. These findings highlight the necessity of sex-stratified neuroimaging and provide preliminary support for premotor ALFF as a potential sex-divergent functional signature associated with cognitive profiling in female patients with PD.

PMID:42375632 | PMC:PMC13310980 | DOI:10.3389/fnins.2026.1734858

Hum Brain Mapp. 2026 Jul;47(10):e70582. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70582.

ABSTRACT

Many symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) overlap with the psychological sequelae of tinnitus, including sleep difficulty, concentration problems, hypervigilance, and irritability. Although these two disorders are clearly distinct, they are highly comorbid, may have shared etiology, and are among the top service-connected disabilities within the VA healthcare system. This study aimed to determine neuropathophysiological similarities and differences among veterans with both PTSD and tinnitus, tinnitus only, and healthy controls. Resting-state networks were identified by previous studies and extracted to examine functional connectivity patterns. Networks included the default mode network (DMN), auditory vigilance (AUDVIG), salience (SN), dorsal attention (DAN), and emotion (EMO) networks. Functional connectivity among specific brain regions was decreased among the tinnitus only group compared to the healthy control group and was further decreased when PTSD was present with tinnitus. Findings suggest that the additive and negative effects observed symptomatically may be explained by decreased functional connectivity, especially with respect to the DMN and AUDVIG networks.

PMID:42374873 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70582

Alzheimers Res Ther. 2026 Jun 27. doi: 10.1186/s13195-026-02125-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The medial temporal lobe is organized into two memory-critical networks: the anterior-temporal and posterior-medial systems. While these systems show selective vulnerability to aging and Alzheimer's disease, the underlying structural and molecular determinants of this susceptibility remain unclear. We aimed to characterize the specific white matter pathways supporting these networks, investigate how amyloid-β and neuroinflammation interact to impact their integrity, and determine if structural changes relate to functional connectivity alterations.

METHODS: In 88 cognitively unimpaired (CU) older adults (≥ 65 years) from the Age-Well cohort (NCT02977819), we combined longitudinal diffusion MRI tractography, resting-state fMRI, amyloid-β PET (Florbetapir), and plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). We reconstructed fiber pathways of the perirhinal (anterior-temporal system hub) and parahippocampal (posterior-medial system hub) cortices and quantified their microstructural integrity, network connectivity, and relationships to pathology.

RESULTS: The anterior-temporal and posterior-medial systems relied on partly distinct structural pathways. Both involved the inferior longitudinal and cingulum bundles, but the anterior-temporal system was specifically associated to their inferior portions, as well as thalamic radiations, and callosal fibers, whereas the posterior-medial system relied more on their superior portions and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. We identified a non-linear, inverted U-shaped association between pathway integrity and amyloid-β burden, suggesting dynamic structural changes across early pathological stages. Crucially, plasma GFAP moderated this relationship for the posterior-medial pathway: the negative impact of amyloid-β on structural integrity was exacerbated in individuals with higher astroglial reactivity, highlighting a synergistic pathological effect. Finally, in high amyloid-β individuals, increased anterior-temporal functional connectivity correlated with lower anterior-temporal pathway integrity, suggesting that network higher FC may represent a maladaptive response to early amyloid-β deposition leading to white matter integrity loss.

CONCLUSIONS: Together, our findings reveal distinct mechanisms of vulnerability within medial temporal networks: while the posterior-medial system is primarily sensitive to the synergistic effects of amyloid-β and astroglial reactivity, the anterior-temporal system shows lower structural integrity linked to higher FC in the presence of amyloid. By providing a mechanistic framework for these early disruptions, this study advances the understanding of preclinical Alzheimer's disease and identifies specific structural-functional signatures that could serve as sensitive biomarkers for targeted interventions.

PMID:42374489 | DOI:10.1186/s13195-026-02125-1

Sci Rep. 2026 Jun 29. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-59962-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The hippocampus and amygdala form a tightly integrated circuit supporting memory-emotion integration and stress regulation, critically implicated in psychosis development. However, the maturation of the hippocampus-amygdala (HIP-AMY) complex as a functional unit remains poorly understood. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS), with increased risk of schizophrenia, provides a valuable model to study its neurodevelopmental trajectories. A prospective longitudinal cohort of 133 individuals with 22q11DS and 150 healthy controls (HC) underwent neuroimaging and psychiatric assessments approximately every three years. Resting-state fMRI data were analysed using a data-driven clustering approach to identify transient states of dynamic functional connectivity linked to the activation of specific ensembles of HIP-AMY nuclei. State occurrences over age were compared between 22q11DS and HC and between 22q11DS individuals with and without positive psychotic symptoms (PPS+ and PPS-). Seven HIP-AMY states were identified, three showing significant and one trend-level age-by-diagnosis interaction. Importantly, the occurrence of a CA3-centromedial amygdala driven state showing co-activation of limbic and thalamo-striatal salience hubs decreased over age in HC, but remained elevated in 22q11DS. This divergence was reflected within 22q11DS, with PPS- showing a decrease and PPS+ a modest increase. The persistence of this pattern over development may provide a dynamic signature of emergence of psychosis.

PMID:42374122 | DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-59962-1