Altered default mode and affective network connectivity in stroke patients with and without dysphagia

Neuroimaging studies in stroke patients provide substantial evidence for the involvement of widespread cortical and subcortical regions in the control of swallowing. Although the affective network and the default mode network are functionally related to "autonomic" and "volitional" swallowing, little is known about their functional changes in dysphagic stroke patients.

Unbiased seeds functional connectivity analysis was used to study the connectivity patterns of these resting-state networks. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in stroke patients with (n = 12) and without dysphagia (n = 12).

Compared with healthy controls, stroke patients with and without dysphagia had decreased functional connectivity in the default mode network and the affective network. Moreover, stroke patients with dysphagia also had decreased functional connectivity in both the default mode network and the affective network relative to patients without dysphagia.

The difference in the extent of impairment in the default mode network and affective network of stroke patients with and without dysphagia may lead to improved understanding of the neuropathophysiological mechanism and rehabilitation of dysphagia.