Most recent paper

iScience. 2025 Oct 8;28(11):113733. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.113733. eCollection 2025 Nov 21.

ABSTRACT

Malevolent creativity (MC) involves generating original ideas to harm others, and it not only relies on cognitive flexibility but may also be related to the activities of emotional and motivational brain regions known as the subcortical regions. However, the relationship between the subcortical regions and MC performance remains unclear. We calculated dynamic graph-based analyses using resting-state fMRI. We found that MC originality was negatively correlated with functional connectivity (FC) between the right nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and cortical regions such as the right medial superior frontal gyrus (mSFG) and supplementary motor area (SMA). Similarly, benevolent creative (BC) originality was negatively correlated with FC between the right NAcc and SMA/superior frontal gyrus (SFG). MC malevolence was positively correlated with FC between the left caudate and postcentral gyrus and negatively correlated with FC between the right amygdala and SFG. These findings suggest that MC is associated with a complex interaction between the subcortical and cortical regions.

PMID:41210996 | PMC:PMC12590018 | DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2025.113733

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Nov 1;15(11):11262-11278. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-736. Epub 2025 Oct 24.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Substantial evidence has shown the widespread structural and functional alterations within the white matter (WM) in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3). However, investigation of the large-scale WM functional networks (WMFNs) remains incomplete in SCA3. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the functional organization, neural activity, and inter-network causal interactions within WMFNs relative to healthy controls (HCs).

METHODS: A total of 70 patients with SCA3 and 98 HCs underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and voxel-based morphometry. A total of 14 WMFNs were identified by K-means clustering algorithm, which were further classified as infratentorial, deep, middle, and superficial layers.

RESULTS: Dysfunctional WMFNs in SCA3 were mainly infratentorial, middle-layer, and deep-layer, with significantly decreased amplitudes in comparison with HCs [false discovery rate (FDR) corrected P<0.05]. In addition, the effective connectivity pattern within WMFNs in SCA3 was overall sparser than in HCs, whereas the directed connections from the dysfunctional WMFNs to the normal superficial-layer WMFNs and connections within the dysfunctional WMFNs were enhanced in SCA3 (FDR corrected P<0.05). Concurrently, the normal WMFNs showed reduced outflow strength of inter-network connections, whereas the dysfunctional WMFNs exhibited elevated outflow strength (FDR corrected P<0.05). Furthermore, the decline in neural activity and altered interactions observed can be partially attributed to the extent of WM volume (WMV) loss within the WMFNs, and are associated with the ataxia severity in SCA3 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: This study aimed to comprehensively explore the functional organization, neural activity, and inter-network causal interactions within WMFNs relative to HCs. The findings may improve understanding of the neuropathology of SCA3 and its progression throughout the nervous system from the perspective of WM function.

PMID:41209278 | PMC:PMC12591894 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-736

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2025 Nov 1;15(11):11279-11291. doi: 10.21037/qims-2025-19. Epub 2025 Oct 20.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The coupling between cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood oxygenation level-dependent signals at rest reflects the mechanism of neurovascular coupling (NVC), which holds great potential for the non-invasive assessment of developmental disorders in humans. However, this has not been illustrated in spastic cerebral palsy (SCP). This study aimed to evaluate alterations in NVC in children with SCP and to explore the clinical significance of these NVC changes.

METHODS: Twenty children with SCP (7.5±2.7) and 22 typically developing controls (TDC) (8.9±2.5) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) to calculate regional homogeneity (ReHo), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF), and CBF, respectively. Two types of NVC metrics (CBF/ReHo, CBF/fALFF) were compared between SCP and TDC, and the inner association between altered NVC metrics and communication function level in the SCP group was further analyzed.

RESULTS: Compared to TDC, among regional level, SCP showed significantly higher CBF/ReHo coupling in the left fusiform gyrus, right lingual gyrus, bilateral thalamus, left calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex, and left caudate nucleus [P<0.005, Gaussian random field (GRF) correction] and increased CBF/fALFF coupling in the left lingual gyrus, left middle temporal gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, bilateral caudate nucleus, left angular gyrus, and left median cingulate and paracingulate gyri (P<0.005, GRF correction). Furthermore, increased CBF/fALFF coupling was found in the left middle temporal gyrus (r=-0.560, P=0.010) and left angular gyrus (r=-0.541, P=0.014), and negatively correlated with the communication function level of SCP.

CONCLUSIONS: Children with SCP present altered NVC, associated with communication function level. The study provides a new insight into the pathophysiology of SCP and provides potential imaging biomarkers of communication performances in children with SCP.

PMID:41209187 | PMC:PMC12591913 | DOI:10.21037/qims-2025-19

Netw Neurosci. 2025 Oct 30;9(4):1221-1244. doi: 10.1162/NETN.a.29. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Understanding white matter (WM) functional connectivity is crucial for unraveling brain function and dysfunction. In this study, we present a novel WM intrinsic connectivity network (ICN) template derived from over 100,000 fMRI scans, identifying 97 robust WM ICNs using spatially constrained independent component analysis (scICA). This WM template, combined with a previously identified gray matter (GM) ICN template from the same dataset, was applied to analyze a resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) dataset from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes 2 (BSNIP2; 590 subjects) and a task-based fMRI dataset from the MIND Clinical Imaging Consortium (MCIC; 75 subjects). Our analysis highlights distinct spatial maps for WM and GM ICNs, with WM ICNs showing higher frequency profiles. Visually modular structure within WM ICNs and interactions between WM and GM modules were identified. Task-based fMRI revealed event-related BOLD signals in WM ICNs, particularly within the corticospinal tract, lateralized to finger movement. Notable differences in static functional network connectivity (sFNC) matrices were observed between controls (HC) and schizophrenia (SZ) subjects in both WM and GM networks. This open-source WM NeuroMark template and automated pipeline offer a powerful tool for advancing WM connectivity research across diverse datasets.

PMID:41209086 | PMC:PMC12594490 | DOI:10.1162/NETN.a.29

Netw Neurosci. 2025 Oct 30;9(4):1176-1198. doi: 10.1162/NETN.a.27. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Anesthetisia is an important surgical and explorative tool in the study of consciousness. Much work has been done to connect the deeply anesthetized condition with decreased complexity. However, anesthesia-induced unconsciousness is also a dynamic condition in which functional activity and complexity may fluctuate, being perturbed by internal or external (e.g., noxious) stimuli. We use fMRI data from a cohort undergoing deep propofol anesthesia to investigate resting state dynamics using dynamic brain state models and spatiotemporal network analysis. We focus our analysis on group-level dynamics of brain state temporal complexity, functional activity, connectivity, and spatiotemporal modularization in deep anesthesia and wakefulness. We find that in contrast to dynamics in the wakeful condition, anesthesia dynamics are dominated by a handful of sink states that act as low-complexity attractors to which subjects repeatedly return. On a subject level, our analysis provides tentative evidence that these low-complexity attractor states appear to depend on subject-specific age and anesthesia susceptibility factors. Finally, our spatiotemporal analysis, including a novel spatiotemporal clustering of graphs representing hidden Markov models, suggests that dynamic functional organization in anesthesia can be characterized by mostly unchanging, isolated regional subnetworks that share some similarities with the brain's underlying structural connectivity, as determined from normative tractography data.

PMID:41209085 | PMC:PMC12594487 | DOI:10.1162/NETN.a.27

Netw Neurosci. 2025 Oct 30;9(4):1264-1278. doi: 10.1162/NETN.a.31. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Reading difficulty (RD; dyslexia) is a developmental condition with neurological origins and persistent academic consequences. Children with RD often show deficits in audiovisual integration (AVI) and executive functions. Visual rhythmic reading training (RRT) has been associated with improvements in these domains, but it remains unclear whether such effects generalize to the resting-state brain activity. English-speaking children aged 8-12 years, including typical readers (TRs) and children with RD, were randomly assigned to an 8-week visual RRT or control math training group. Reading assessments and resting-state functional MRI data were collected before and after the intervention. Functional connectivity (FC) analyses examined AVI and its interaction with frontoparietal-cingulo-opercular (FP-CO) cognitive control networks during rest. Following RRT, children with RD showed significant improvements in reading fluency. The RRT group also demonstrated greater changes in AVI, which were associated with increased FC between FP-CO networks and sensory regions during the resting state. RRT improves reading performance and promotes enhanced integration between sensory and executive networks in children with RD, even in the absence of task demands. These findings support the role of RRT in fostering domain-general neuroplasticity beyond reading-specific contexts.

PMID:41209082 | PMC:PMC12594489 | DOI:10.1162/NETN.a.31

Neuroimage. 2025 Nov 7:121571. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121571. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

While research on imaging correlates of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) outcomes accumulates, a comprehensive synthesis across different disease populations remains absent. This systematic review aims to identify, technique-specific imaging biomarkers linked to treatment outcomes across distinct clinical conditions, including essential tremor (53 studies), Parkinson's disease (8 studies), and psychiatric disorders (2 studies). Key findings demonstrate that in ET, larger ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) lesions intersecting the dentatorubrothalamic tract (DRTT) correlate with greater tremor reduction but increased adverse event risks. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) revealed post-treatment white matter remodeling and functional restoration within sensorimotor, cerebellar, and visual networks. For PD, symptom improvement depended on ablation specificity within subthalamic nucleus (STN) or Vim subregions, with pre-treatment connectivity to motor cortices serving as predictive markers. Limited psychiatric studies implicated anatomical targeting and lesion-related functional connectivity in treatment response. The review concludes that lesion characteristics and brain connectivity are pivotal for optimizing MRgFUS strategies and outcomes across diseases.

PMID:41207452 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121571

Neurobiol Dis. 2025 Nov 7:107181. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2025.107181. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The olfactory cortex is among the earliest brain regions affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), with olfactory deficits frequently preceding cognitive decline. This study aimed to characterize the functional and structural degeneration trajectory of the olfactory cortex from normal cognition (NC) to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and eventually to AD using multimodal neuroimaging techniques.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 105 participants (28 with NC, 35 with MCI, and 42 with AD) were subjected to olfactory [University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)] and cognitive [e.g., Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)] assessments. This was followed by olfactory task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI; olfactory activation), resting-state fMRI [amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo)], and structural MRI [gray matter volume (GMV) and white matter volume (WMV)] in 12 olfactory-related regions of interest. Group comparisons using one-way analysis of variance/Kruskal-Wallis and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify stage-specific imaging biomarkers and evaluate diagnostic performance.

RESULTS: From the NC to MCI and then to AD groups, a consistent pattern of declining olfactory activation values, GMV, and WMV, coupled with increased ALFF and ReHo in olfactory subregions, was observed. Moreover, corresponding decreases in olfactory and cognitive scores were noted. Our multivariate logistic regression models yielded the following classification performance: NC versus MCI [right primary olfactory cortex (POC) olfactory activation, right insula olfactory activation, left POC GMV, left insula ReHo, right amygdala ALFF, and MMSE scores] achieved 90.5 % accuracy; MCI versus AD (left hippocampal GMV, left insula ReHo, and MMSE scores) reached 94.8 % accuracy; and NC versus AD (left hippocampal GMV and UPSIT scores) achieved 92.9 % accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings delineate a spatiotemporal progression of olfactory cortex degeneration, with early POC alterations in MCI evolving into widespread atrophy and functional dysregulation in AD. Multimodal MRI metrics and logistic modeling yield highly accurate stage classification, underscoring their potential as sensitive biomarkers for early AD detection and monitoring.

PMID:41207394 | DOI:10.1016/j.nbd.2025.107181

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Nov 4;277:112952. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112952. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) imposes severe neurological and societal challenges, yet the sex-specific alterations in brain network topology remain poorly understood.

METHODS: Resting-state fMRI data were acquired from 78 patients with MUD (49 male, 29 female) and 65 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs). Functional connectivity matrices were constructed using RESTplus V1.30, and graph metrics (global efficiency, nodal centrality) were computed using GRETNA V2.0.0. Group comparisons (MUD vs. HCs; male vs. female) and correlation analyses with Barratt Impulsiveness Scale scores were conducted, applying false discovery rate correction.

RESULTS: Compared to HCs, patients with MUD exhibited disrupted nodal metrics across multiple brain regions, including bilateral anterior-inferior triangular regions, right gyrus rectus, left cuneus, bilateral supplementary motor areas, bilateral parietal regions, and occipital lobes, without significant alterations in global network metrics. Furthermore, significant sex-related main effects were observed in widespread brain areas, involving key nodal metrics such as degree centrality, local efficiency, clustering coefficient, and nodal efficiency. Female patients with MUD demonstrated higher global network measures and showed more extensive nodal metric differences compared to males. These findings highlight distinct sex-dependent network alterations in MUD and emphasize the need for sex-stratified therapeutic approaches targeting specific network vulnerabilities.

CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of sexually dimorphic network pathology in MUD, revealing that females exhibit widespread front-parietal-occipital disruptions, whereas males demonstrate relative network preservation. These findings underscore the importance of sex-stratified therapeutic strategies targeting network-specific vulnerabilities in MUD.

PMID:41207270 | DOI:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112952

Asian J Psychiatr. 2025 Nov 6;114:104764. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104764. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Alterations in resting-state brain activity in bipolar disorder (BD) and their pharmacological response remain unclear. This study investigated dynamic local brain activity, assessed the discriminative ability of dALFF and dReHo, and explored related transcriptomic correlates.

METHODS: Resting-state fMRI and clinical data were obtained from 77 BD patients (with 38 completing the 3-month follow-up) and 83 healthy controls (HC). Dynamic local metrics (dALFF and dReho) were computed to quantify brain activity variability. Support vector machine (SVM) models were used for group classification and treatment-response prediction. Neuroimaging-transcriptomic associations were evaluated using gene expression data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas.

RESULTS: Baseline, BD patients showed decreased dReho in the right calcarine gyrus and decreased dALFF in the left superior and middle frontal gyri, alongside increased dALFF in the right hippocampus, corrected by Gaussian Random Field theory, with voxel-level significance set at p < 0.001 and cluster-level significance at p < 0.05. However, no significant alterations were observed following pharmacological treatment. The SVM models demonstrated moderate discriminative performance (AUC_dALFF = 0.83; AUC_dReho = 0.71). Cross-sample transcriptomic analyses identified 171 and 240 genes, after Bonferroni correction, that were potentially correlated with dReHo and dALFF variability, respectively, and were enriched in broad synaptic and immune-related pathways.

CONCLUSION: In summary, altered dALFF and dReHo patterns may represent neuroimaging markers of BD, reflecting disrupted dynamic brain activity. Neuroimaging-transcriptomic associations offer molecular insights into BD pathophysiology. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously due to the modest sample size, follow-up attrition, and lack of external validation.

PMID:41207165 | DOI:10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104764

Neuroimage. 2025 Nov 6:121567. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121567. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: GABAergic dysfunction contributes to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This study examines excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalance, specifically GABA deficits in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and their link to anhedonia and cognitive impairment in MDD. It also investigates alterations in the coupling between local E/I activity and functional connectivity (FC) within the triple network.

METHODS: We included 41 medication-naïve MDD patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs). Participants underwent Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) and cognitive assessments. GABA+/Cr, Glx, and GABA+/Glx ratios were measured in the left DLPFC using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were analyzed via independent component analysis (ICA), identifying five major brain networks.

RESULTS: Female MDD patients exhibited reduced GABA+/Cr in the left DLPFC (p = 0.021). GABA+/Cr negatively correlated with SHAPS scores (r = -0.33, p = 0.04) and Trail Making Test Part B (TMT-B) completion times (r = -0.36, p = 0.03) in MDD patients. HCs showed positive correlations between GABA+/Cr and FC within the LECN (r = 0.41, p = 0.02) and between the LECN-dDMN (r = 0.39, p = 0.03) and LECN-pSN (r = 0.46, p = 0.01); these correlations were absent in the MDD group.

CONCLUSIONS: Female patients with MDD exhibit a specific reduction in GABA levels in the left DLPFC. Furthermore, these lower GABA levels are associated with increased anhedonia and poorer executive function. Critically, the neurochemical coupling between GABA and large-scale brain networks is also disrupted in MDD.

PMID:41205935 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121567

Behav Brain Res. 2025 Nov 6:115922. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115922. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that shows promise in treating disorders such as depression and insomnia. Previous studies have mainly focused on disease-specific populations, making it difficult to distinguish taVNS-induced neural changes from disease-related confounding factors. To investigate its immediate effects, we recruited 24 healthy males and randomly assigned them to a taVNS group (n=12) or a sham group (n=12). The taVNS group received 30minutes of stimulation, while the sham group received a brief initial stimulation (<15seconds) followed by device placement without power. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans were acquired pre- and post-taVNS. The paired sample t-test in the taVNS group showed reduced regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the left precentral gyrus (Precentral_L) (conventional frequency band) and left postcentral gyrus (Postcentral_L) (slow 4 frequency band). Functional connectivity (FC) analysis based on peak ReHo coordinates showed that the FC between Precentral_L and the right fusiform gyrus (Fusiform_R) (conventional band and slow band 4) and the right calcarine cortex (Calcarine_R) (slow band 5) was weakened, and the FC between the left Postcentral_L and the Postcentral_L (conventional band), the Fusiform_R and the left cuneus (Cuneus_L) (slow band 4), and the Postcentral_L (slow band 5) was weakened. No significant differences were observed between the groups. These findings suggest that taVNS modulates neural activity in different frequency bands in healthy individuals, providing insights into its regulatory mechanisms and facilitating future applications in cognitive enhancement and targeted brain stimulation.

PMID:41205626 | DOI:10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115922

Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2025 Nov 4;355:112082. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112082. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Altered functional connectivity in several functional networks has been found in people with psychosis, especially in the default mode (DMN), salience (SAL) and central executive (CEN) networks. Functional connectivity in people with psychosis is influenced by traumatic life experiences. Trauma histories typical of people with psychosis are associated with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), but no studies have explored whether post-traumatic sequelae contribute to functional dysconnectivity in people with psychosis.

METHODS: Using resting-state fMRI, we compared two groups meeting diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (N = 106); one group additionally met ICD-11 criteria for comorbid cPTSD, whereas the other did not. We assessed between-group differences in functional connectivity between 15 pre-defined regions of the DMN, SAL and CEN. Post-hoc correlations were used to test whether intra- and/or inter-network connectivity related to cPTSD symptom severity in the comorbid cPTSD group.

RESULTS: The comorbid cPTSD group demonstrated significantly lower functional connectivity within the DMN, SAL and CEN, as well as increased negative connectivity between the SAL and CEN. The control group showed significantly decreased connectivity of the DMN with the SAL and CEN. PTSD symptoms correlated positively with intra-SAL connectivity and DMN-SAL dysconnectivity, whereas DSOs correlated positively with intra-SAL dysconnectivity and reduced DMN-CEN connectivity.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings broadly align with the tripartite network model explaining psychopathology in terms of DMN, SAL and CEN dysconnectivity. Intra-network dysconnectivity in subgroups of people with psychosis may relate to post-traumatic sequelae, whereas inter-network dysconnectivity may be more central in trauma-unrelated psychoses.

PMID:41205287 | DOI:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2025.112082

Neuroimage. 2025 Nov 6:121573. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121573. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Prismatic adaptation (PA) is a visuomotor procedure using prismatic lenses to induce a temporary shift of visuomotor coordinates. It relies on a brain network which includes the anterior and posterior cerebellum and parietal regions, such as the intraparietal sulcus and the posterior parietal cortex. Lesions in these parietal areas are often associated with the presence of Optic Ataxia (OA), a disorder of visually guided reaching movements. Studies report contrasting results concerning the effects of PA in OA patients, whereby some fail in adapting to prisms and others show preserved adaptation. Here, we describe behavioural and neurofunctional changes in a left hemisphere stroke patient with OA who completed ten sessions of leftward PA as part of her cognitive rehabilitation. After the treatment, reaching improved with the contralesional hand in the ipsilesional hemifield. Moreover, resting-state fMRI measures of network dispersion applied to low-dimensional functional gradients revealed marked hemispheric asymmetry, with greater reorganization in the left hemisphere involving an increase in network segregation in left attentional and somatosensory networks, alongside higher intra-hemispheric network dispersion. Conversely, inter-hemispheric dispersion decreased, particularly between attentive and somatosensory-motor networks. Dynamic edge-centric analysis showed reduced entropy in the visual network and increased entropy in the dorsal attention and control networks. These entropy shifts, reflective of nodal diversity in functional co-fluctuations, correlated with direct structural disconnections. Conversely, static gradient-based reorganization was significantly associated with indirect structural disconnection profiles. To our knowledge, this is the first study exploring changes at the behavioural and neurofunctional level in an OA patient following repetitive sessions of PA, highlighting complementary contributions of static and dynamic functional neuroimaging features in capturing possible mechanisms of functional reorganization.

PMID:41205934 | DOI:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121573

World Neurosurg. 2025 Nov 6:124599. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2025.124599. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aimed to identify consistent alterations in local spontaneous brain activity in patients with CSM by synthesizing findings from rs-fMRI studies and to explore potential neural mechanisms underlying this condition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted for studies published up to March 2025 that utilized ReHo, ALFF, or fALFF to investigate resting-state brain activity alterations in CSM. Coordinates of brain regions exhibiting differential local spontaneous brain activity in CSM patients compared to healthy controls were extracted from the included studies. A meta-analysis was subsequently performed using SDM software. This study protocol was registered prospectively with PROSPERO(ID: CRD42025640418) RESULTS: Eight studies, encompassing 252 CSM patients (122 males, 130 females) and 230 healthy controls (109 males, 121 females), met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed that, compared to healthy controls, CSM patients exhibited significantly increased local spontaneous brain activity in the Frontal_Sup_Medial_R and Cingulum_Mid_R. Conversely, decreased activity was observed in the Lingual_R, Paracentral_Lobule_L, Rolandic_Oper_R, and Postcentral_L. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis indicated a positive correlation between JOA scores and activity in the right medial superior frontal gyrus, and negative correlations with activity in the right postcentral gyrus and right central operculum.

CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis confirms consistent patterns of altered local spontaneous brain function in specific regions among patients with CSM, which potentially correlate with their clinical symptoms. These findings provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of CSM, thereby informing future clinical research and the development of novel therapeutic strategies.

PMID:41205862 | DOI:10.1016/j.wneu.2025.124599

Hum Brain Mapp. 2025 Nov;46(16):e70400. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70400.

ABSTRACT

Emotion regulation relies on the flexible coordination of neural networks involved in strategy selection and implementation. While previous studies have focused on task-related brain activity, the role of intrinsic, resting-state connectivity in shaping regulatory tendency in strategy selection and capacity in strategy implementation remains less well understood. Using spectral Dynamic Causal Modeling (spDCM) of resting-state fMRI data, we examined how effective connectivity within four emotion-related brain networks predicts individual differences in the capacity to implement and the tendency to select reappraisal versus distraction for high-intensity emotional stimuli. Forty healthy adults completed two emotion regulation tasks and a 10-min resting-state fMRI scan. We found that distinct and partially overlapping network dynamics predicted both strategy-specific regulation capacity and reappraisal tendency. Notably, the fronto-parietal and parieto-limbic networks were central to both capacity and tendency. In addition, fronto-lateral and limbic networks significantly contributed to the prediction of strategy-specific measures: Reappraisal capacity was associated with broader and more inhibitory connectivity, whereas distraction capacity was related to more localized and mixed excitatory/inhibitory connectivity patterns. Crucially, the connections most predictive of distraction and reappraisal capacity were distinct rather than shared, underscoring the importance of strategy-specific neural adaptations. These findings suggest that intrinsic brain network configurations influence the individual capacity to implement specific strategies and the tendency to select one strategy over the other.

PMID:41204880 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70400

Hum Brain Mapp. 2025 Nov;46(16):e70406. doi: 10.1002/hbm.70406.

ABSTRACT

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by brain accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aß, simplified as A for the AD biological model) and tau (T) proteins, with Aß emerging first. However, a significant proportion of individuals exhibit discordant biomarkers' profiles, such as elevated phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau181) with normal Aß42 from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), posing diagnostic and mechanistic challenges. This study investigated whether functional and structural brain connectivity can distinguish individuals with discordant CSF profiles (A-T+) from those with concordant patterns (A+T+), hypothesizing that distinct connectivity patterns may reflect early divergent pathophysiological processes. Data from cognitively unimpaired or mildly impaired individuals in the ADNI3 repository were analyzed, selecting those with resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) and/or diffusion MRI (dMRI) within 18 months of CSF testing for Aß and p-tau181. Participants were grouped into A-T+ or A+T+ groups. Structural and functional connectivity gradients were generated for each participant and summarized using a Euclidean distance measure from reference gradient templates derived from cognitively unimpaired individuals without pathology (A-T-). We applied linear mixed models and analysis of variance to assess connectivity-based gradient differences between A-T+ and A+T+ groups, adjusting for relevant variables. Classification analyzes using logistic regression and support vector machine, along with feature importance via the Boruta algorithm, evaluated the discriminative power of gradient connectivity profiles. Multimodal integration was performed using partial least square canonical analysis (PLSC), and relationships between gradients and cognition were assessed via UMAP-based dimensionality reduction and bootstrapped linear regressions. Results were compared with a classical network analysis examining within- and between-network connectivity differences. Among 424 participants, n = 67 were classified as A-T+, n = 106 as A+T+, and n = 56 as cognitively healthy A-T-. The remaining 195 participants (n = 86 A+T+ and n = 109 cognitively impaired A-T-) were not included. A-T+ individuals (age = 75 ± 8.2) exhibited less cognitive impairment but greater functional connectivity gradients' distance to the reference templates (false discovery rate-corrected p < 0.05) in the temporo-occipital axis compared to A+T+ (age = 76.1 ± 7.7). Structural connectivity differences were not significant. FC-based models classified A-T+ and A+T+ with good accuracy (AUC = 0.77), loading on the same temporo-occipital regions, unlike SC (AUC = 0.52). The posterior brain involvement in A-T+ was confirmed by PLSC analyzes. A+T+ individuals showed a significant relation between cognitive scores and functional connectivity, primarily mapping the default mode network (DMN). A shift was observed in relation to executive functions and functional connectivity in A-T+. Discordant CSF profiles (A-T+) exhibit distinct functional connectivity patterns, particularly in posterior brain regions, compared to concordant CSF patterns (A+T+), which are characterized by a significant cognitive-DMN connectivity association. These results suggest that CSF p-tau181 accumulation in the absence of Aß42 may be associated with specific functional trajectories, suggesting specific pathophysiological patterns.

PMID:41204877 | DOI:10.1002/hbm.70406

Br J Anaesth. 2025 Nov 6:S0007-0912(25)00666-X. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2025.09.016. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pain is a universal experience, yet sex differences in acute pain perception remain unclear. Here, we examined sex-specific brain responses to acute pain evoked by tail clamping in rats.

METHODS: A suitable isoflurane concentration for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was identified to ensure sedation without suppressing nociceptive responsiveness. rs-fMRI was performed to assess sex differences in brain activity and functional connectivity during acute pain, with control groups receiving touch stimulation or isoflurane-only exposure to identify pain-specific activation. The fMRI findings were validated using immunofluorescence staining of sex-specifically activated brain regions and spinal cord and corresponding dorsal root ganglia.

RESULTS: Acute pain significantly altered brain functional networks in both sexes. Female rats exhibited increased brain activity in the left cerebellar vermis, whereas males showed higher activity in the left secondary motor cortex (M2), extending into the left hindlimb (S1HL) and barrel field (S1BF) regions of the primary somatosensory cortex, a pattern distinct from non-nociceptive conditions. Functional connectivity revealed weak connections between the cerebellar vermis and somatosensory-motor cortex (M2, S1HL, and S1BF) in both sexes. Within the somatosensory-motor cortex, females showed strongest connectivity between S1HL and M2 (R=0.66), whereas males showed it between S1HL and S1BF (R=0.87). Immunostaining confirmed increased c-Fos and Egr-1 expression in sex-specific activated brain regions and in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion.

CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the activity and functional connectivity of the cerebellar vermis and somatosensory-motor cortex appear to contribute to sex differences in pain perception in rodents.

PMID:41203470 | DOI:10.1016/j.bja.2025.09.016

Neuromodulation. 2025 Nov 6:S1094-7159(25)01042-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neurom.2025.09.316. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The effectiveness of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) may be enhanced through individualized targeting in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Recent clinical trials have used TMS targeting based on the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) or right anterior insula (rAI) functional connectivity. However, the repeatability of such individual targeting may present significant challenges for feasibility. We aimed to compare the repeatability of the novel depression core network model-based (CNM) target maps with the sgACC functional connectivity-based and the rAI effective connectivity-based target maps. We further tested whether using a movie stimulus increases the feasibility of individualized functional connectivity-based targeting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a final sample of 31 patients with treatment-resistant MDD, the repeatability of the target maps was computed as the within-subject spatial correlation among imaging sessions in the DLPFC. Repeatability was compared across the connectivity models. Furthermore, repeatability, head movement, and subjective alertness and comfortableness during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) were compared between movie and resting-state acquisition.

RESULTS: The CNM functional connectivity-based DLPFC target maps were more repeatable than the sgACC- or rAI-based target maps when using a movie stimulus. In particular, the cingulo-opercular seeds from the CNM produced target maps with high repeatability in both resting-state and movie stimulus conditions. Compared with the resting-state, the movie stimulus reduced head movement during fMRI but did not enhance repeatability at a statistically significant level.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support future investigations of multiseed functional connectivity targeting methods, including those focused on the cingulo-opercular regions. These findings also encourage further research on the use of engaging naturalistic stimuli to enhance the feasibility of individualized TMS targeting.

PMID:41201398 | DOI:10.1016/j.neurom.2025.09.316

J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2025 Nov 7. doi: 10.1111/jpm.70057. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Progress in neuroimaging research has provided insight into the neurobiological mechanism underlying depression, specifically motivational anhedonia, which compromises patients' ability to initiate goal-directed action. Breit et al. formerly, using the same cohort versus controls; correlations with reduced motivation were observed within superiority SLF and precuneus and authors emphasized that such results should pave the way to biomarkers in drug grounded development.

OBJECTIVE: This paper seeks to cross-fertilise neurobiological understandings of motivational anhedonia with novel therapeutic approaches, specifically showcasing how the confluence of rapid tele-psychotherapy with single-session music therapy (RTP-SSMT) represents a neurobiologically informed and scalable intervention for depressive disorders.

CONTENT: Building on literature from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state fMRI, this review discusses the involvement of reduced local correlation in the precuneus-a key hub within DMN related to self-referential processing and rumination-coordinated with white matter alterations in the SLF connecting parietal and frontal cortices. It is suggested that RTP-SSMT may act to trigger dopaminergic reward pathways, re-normalize motivational circuits and augment behavioral activation tenets with a brief and technologically-driven approach. This paper also considers policy implications for incorporating creative-arts-based tele-therapies within stepped-care mental health services.

IMPLICATIONS: The proposed model highlights how musically driven treatments have the potential to increase access, cultural appropriateness, and motivational engagement with mental health interventions. It urges clinicians and policymakers to consider evidence-informed, neurobiologically targeted interventions to enhance treatment adherence and provide psychotherapy more broadly in clinical and community settings.

CONCLUSION: Integrating brain imaging results with new therapeutic concepts offers an opportunity for precision mental health care. Implementation of RTP-SSMT in mental health practice could revolutionize psychiatric treatment infrastructure for depression by integrating neuroscience, clinical innovation and policy to treat motivational anhedonia more effectively.

PMID:41200905 | DOI:10.1111/jpm.70057