Decreased Connectivity and Increased Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent Complexity in the Default Mode Network in Individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Zack Y Shan, Kevin Finegan, Sandeep Bhuta, Timothy Ireland, Donald R Staines, Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, Leighton Barnden
Brain Connectivity January 3, 2018 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0549 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case-control functional MRI study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | 45 subjects with chronic fatigue syndrome and 27 healthy controls |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Keywords | Neural pathways Humans Fatigue syndrome, chronic Oxygen Magnetic resonance imaging Brain mapping Linear models Regression analysis Attention Cerebrovascular circulation Middle aged Female Young adult Stroop test Complexity Connectivity Chronic fatigue syndrome Dysfunction |
| Key findings | The authors report that DMN activity is more complex and less coordinated in CFS, with BOLD signal complexity higher in the posterior cingulate cortex and functional connectivity weaker between DMN hubs, each difference explaining 7-11% of variance in health scores. They suggest brain network analysis could potentially be used as a diagnostic biomarker for CFS. |
Abstract
The chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis is a debilitating disease with unknown pathophysiology and no diagnostic test. This study investigated the default mode network (DMN) to understand the pathophysiology of CFS and to identify potential biomarkers. Using functional MRI (fMRI) collected from 72 subjects (45 CFS and 27 controls) with a temporal resolution of 0.798 sec, we evaluated the DMN using static functional connectivity (FC), dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) and DFC complexity, blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) activation maps, and complexity of activity. General linear model univariate analysis was used for intergroup comparison to account for age and gender differences. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test whether fMRI measures could be used to explain variances of health scores. BOLD signals in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), the driving hub in the DMN, were more complex in CFS in both resting state and task (p < 0.05). The FCs between medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and both inferior parietal lobules (IPLs) were weaker (p < 0.05) during resting state, whereas during task mPFC-left IPL and mPFC-PCC were weaker (p < 0.05). The DFCs between the DMN hubs were more complex in CFS (p < 0.05) during task. Each of these differences accounted for 7-11% variability of health scores. This study showed that DMN activity is more complex and less coordinated in CFS, suggesting brain network analysis could be potentially used as a diagnostic biomarker for CFS.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Connectivity Between Salience and Default Mode Networks and Subcortical Nodes Distinguishes Between Two Classes of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Brain Connectivity April 1, 2023
- Subcortical and default mode network connectivity is impaired in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Frontiers in Neuroscience 2023