Altered Resting-State Signals in Patients with Acute Stroke In or Under the Thalamus

Previous studies have suggested that cortical functional reorganization is associated with motor recovery after stroke and that normal afferent sensory information is very important in that process. In this study, we selected patients who had a stroke in or under the thalamus, with potentially impaired afferent sensory information and analyzed the differences between these patients and healthy controls at three levels: brain regions, the functional connectivity between brain areas, and the whole-brain functional network. Compared with healthy controls, regional homogeneities in the left middle temporal gyrus decreased and functional connectivity between the left middle temporal gyrus and the stroke area increased in the patients. However, there was no significant change in the whole-brain functional network. By focusing on stroke located in or under the thalamus, our study contributes to wider inquiries into understanding and treating stroke.