Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND:Aberrant functional connectivity in brain networks associated with motor impairment after stroke is well described, but little is known about the association with somatosensory impairments. AIM:The objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to investigate the relationship b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2018-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6185852?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818320652932743168 |
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| author | Nele De Bruyn Sarah Meyer Simon S Kessner Bea Essers Bastian Cheng Götz Thomalla Andre Peeters Stefan Sunaert Thierry Duprez Vincent Thijs Hilde Feys Kaat Alaerts Geert Verheyden |
| author_facet | Nele De Bruyn Sarah Meyer Simon S Kessner Bea Essers Bastian Cheng Götz Thomalla Andre Peeters Stefan Sunaert Thierry Duprez Vincent Thijs Hilde Feys Kaat Alaerts Geert Verheyden |
| author_sort | Nele De Bruyn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BACKGROUND:Aberrant functional connectivity in brain networks associated with motor impairment after stroke is well described, but little is known about the association with somatosensory impairments. AIM:The objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to investigate the relationship between brain functional connectivity and severity of somatosensory impairments in the upper limb in the acute phase post stroke. METHODS:Nineteen first-ever stroke patients underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and a standardized clinical somatosensory profile assessment (exteroception and higher cortical somatosensation) in the first week post stroke. Integrity of inter- and intrahemispheric (ipsilesional and contralesional) functional connectivity of the somatosensory network was assessed between patients with severe (Em-NSA< 13/32) and mild to moderate (Em-NSA> 13/32) somatosensory impairments. RESULTS:Patients with severe somatosensory impairments displayed significantly lower functional connectivity indices in terms of interhemispheric (p = 0.001) and ipsilesional intrahemispheric (p = 0.035) connectivity compared to mildly to moderately impaired patients. Significant associations were found between the perceptual threshold of touch assessment and interhemispheric (r = -0.63) and ipsilesional (r = -0.51) network indices. Additional significant associations were found between the index of interhemispheric connectivity and light touch (r = 0.55) and stereognosis (r = 0.64) evaluation. CONCLUSION:Patients with more severe somatosensory impairments have lower inter- and ipsilesional intrahemispheric connectivity of the somatosensory network. Lower connectivity indices are related to more impaired exteroception and higher cortical somatosensation. This study highlights the importance of network integrity in terms of inter- and ipsilesional intrahemispheric connectivity for somatosensory function. Further research is needed investigating the effect of therapy on the re-establishment of these networks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:28:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c49218ff91bb4d8aa61d15f7c6645589 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:28:25Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-c49218ff91bb4d8aa61d15f7c66455892022-12-21T23:50:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032018-01-011310e020569310.1371/journal.pone.0205693Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study.Nele De BruynSarah MeyerSimon S KessnerBea EssersBastian ChengGötz ThomallaAndre PeetersStefan SunaertThierry DuprezVincent ThijsHilde FeysKaat AlaertsGeert VerheydenBACKGROUND:Aberrant functional connectivity in brain networks associated with motor impairment after stroke is well described, but little is known about the association with somatosensory impairments. AIM:The objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to investigate the relationship between brain functional connectivity and severity of somatosensory impairments in the upper limb in the acute phase post stroke. METHODS:Nineteen first-ever stroke patients underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and a standardized clinical somatosensory profile assessment (exteroception and higher cortical somatosensation) in the first week post stroke. Integrity of inter- and intrahemispheric (ipsilesional and contralesional) functional connectivity of the somatosensory network was assessed between patients with severe (Em-NSA< 13/32) and mild to moderate (Em-NSA> 13/32) somatosensory impairments. RESULTS:Patients with severe somatosensory impairments displayed significantly lower functional connectivity indices in terms of interhemispheric (p = 0.001) and ipsilesional intrahemispheric (p = 0.035) connectivity compared to mildly to moderately impaired patients. Significant associations were found between the perceptual threshold of touch assessment and interhemispheric (r = -0.63) and ipsilesional (r = -0.51) network indices. Additional significant associations were found between the index of interhemispheric connectivity and light touch (r = 0.55) and stereognosis (r = 0.64) evaluation. CONCLUSION:Patients with more severe somatosensory impairments have lower inter- and ipsilesional intrahemispheric connectivity of the somatosensory network. Lower connectivity indices are related to more impaired exteroception and higher cortical somatosensation. This study highlights the importance of network integrity in terms of inter- and ipsilesional intrahemispheric connectivity for somatosensory function. Further research is needed investigating the effect of therapy on the re-establishment of these networks.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6185852?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Nele De Bruyn Sarah Meyer Simon S Kessner Bea Essers Bastian Cheng Götz Thomalla Andre Peeters Stefan Sunaert Thierry Duprez Vincent Thijs Hilde Feys Kaat Alaerts Geert Verheyden Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. PLoS ONE |
| title | Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_full | Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_fullStr | Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_short | Functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke: A cross-sectional study. |
| title_sort | functional network connectivity is altered in patients with upper limb somatosensory impairments in the acute phase post stroke a cross sectional study |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC6185852?pdf=render |
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