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Updated: Mar 8, 2026
Cerebral Blood Flow-Based Resting State Functional Connectivity of the Human Brain using Optical Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2020
Resting state fMRI regional homogeneity correlates with cognition measures in subcortical vascular cognitive
Stefano Diciotti1, Stefano Orsolini1, Emilia Salvadori2
1Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi", University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.
Background:
The hyperintensity of cerebral white matter (WM) in T2-weighted MR images of elderly subjects due to small vessel disease (SVD) is associated with variable clinical features including mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also termed subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI). The latter is typically characterized by psychomotor slowing, attention deficits, and executive dysfunctions. We hypothesized that functional brain changes might be associated with these distinctive cognitive deficits in patients with SVCI.
Methods:
Resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) signal was assessed in conjunction with performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment battery (MoCA) and Stroop test in 67 subjects with MCI and moderate to severe extension of cerebral WM T2 hyperintensities qualifying for SVCI. We performed a whole-brain analysis of regional homogeneity (ReHo) of rsfMRI in conjunction with cognitive test scores.
Results:
We observed a significant (p<0.05) negative association between ReHo and MoCA scores, with higher ReHo in the left posterior cerebellum (crus I) of patients with greater global cognitive impairment, and a significant positive association between ReHo and Stroop scores, with higher ReHo in the middle cingulate cortex bilaterally of patients with worse executive functions.
Conclusion:
ReHo of rsfMRI is significantly correlated with measurements of the cognitive deficits which are distinctive of SVCI. The increased activity could have a maladaptive or compensatory significance towards specific aspects of cognition.
Insights
Brain activity patterns, measured by regional homogeneity (ReHo) of resting-state fMRI, correlate with cognitive deficits in subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI). Increased ReHo in specific brain regions may reflect compensatory or maladaptive changes in patients with SVCI.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Subcortical vascular cognitive impairment (SVCI) is linked to white matter hyperintensities in elderly individuals.
- SVCI often presents with psychomotor slowing, attention deficits, and executive dysfunction.
- Functional brain changes may underlie these cognitive deficits in SVCI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI) regional homogeneity (ReHo) and cognitive performance in SVCI patients.
- To explore the relationship between ReHo and specific cognitive deficits, including global cognition and executive function.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) and whole-brain ReHo analysis were performed on 67 SVCI patients.
- Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Stroop test.
- Statistical analysis correlated ReHo with MoCA and Stroop test scores.
Main Results:
- A negative association was found between ReHo and MoCA scores, with higher ReHo in the left posterior cerebellum (crus I) correlating with greater global cognitive impairment.
- A positive association was observed between ReHo and Stroop scores, with higher ReHo in the middle cingulate cortex correlating with worse executive function.
- These findings indicate significant correlations between ReHo and distinct cognitive deficits in SVCI.
Conclusions:
- Regional homogeneity (ReHo) of rsfMRI is significantly correlated with cognitive deficits characteristic of SVCI.
- Increased ReHo in specific brain regions may represent either a maladaptive response or a compensatory mechanism for cognitive impairments in SVCI.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neural underpinnings of cognitive dysfunction in vascular cognitive impairment.
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