Aberrant default mode network in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: a fMRI study

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Gynecology
• Brain Function

Background:

• Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) is a common gynecological disorder causing pelvic pain.
• PDM is increasingly linked to functional and structural brain changes, particularly within the default mode network (DMN).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate intrinsic brain activity and functional connectivity (FC) changes in the DMN of women with PDM.
• To explore the relationship between neuroimaging findings and clinical symptoms in PDM.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and FC.
• Pearson correlation analysis examined links between brain activity and clinical data.
• Forty-eight PDM patients and thirty-eight healthy controls were included.

Main Results:

• PDM patients exhibited increased ALFF in the precuneus, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), alongside decreased ALFF in the thalamus.
• Reduced FC was observed between the precuneus and left dmPFC/right ACC, with increased FC between the precuneus and left thalamus.
• Higher ALFF in the left dmPFC correlated positively with PDM disease duration.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms DMN abnormalities in PDM patients.
• These findings enhance understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings and pathophysiology of primary dysmenorrhea.