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Deficiency of brain structural sub-network underlying post-ischaemic stroke apathy
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Neurology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
European Journal of Neurology
|October 17, 2014
Summary
Post-stroke apathy stems from disruptions in a specific brain sub-network, not single regions. This apathy-related sub-network
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Post-ischaemic stroke apathy is a common yet poorly understood condition.
- Its neuroanatomical underpinnings, particularly concerning structural connectivity, require elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural basis of apathy following ischaemic stroke.
- To determine the relationship between white matter network integrity and apathy severity.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-eight participants with ischaemic stroke were assessed for apathy using the Apathy Evaluation Scale.
- Diffusion tensor imaging tractography was employed to map white matter networks and node degrees.
- Statistical analyses correlated node degrees and network efficiencies with apathy scores.
Main Results:
- Apathy severity correlated significantly with the degrees of 24 nodes across multiple brain regions, forming an apathy-related sub-network.
- Reduced global and local efficiencies within this sub-network were strongly associated with higher apathy levels.
- Decreased global efficiency emerged as an independent risk factor for post-stroke apathy.
Conclusions:
- Post-stroke apathy is not linked to single brain region dysfunction but rather to the disconnection within a specific neural sub-network.
- This study highlights the critical role of structural connectivity disruptions in the neuroanatomical basis of post-stroke apathy.
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