Aberrant Insula-Centered Functional Connectivity in Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction Patients: A Resting-State fMRI
Yue Wang1, Minghao Dong1,2, Min Guan2,3
1Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian UniversityXi'an, China.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
|June 1, 2017
Summary
Resting brain activity reveals altered functional connectivity in psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED). Aberrant insula connectivity in pED patients may impact sexual control and internal bodily state representation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Urology
Background:
- Previous research on psychogenic erectile dysfunction (pED) primarily focused on task-based brain activity.
- Resting-state brain activity offers insights into the central mechanisms of pED, independent of sensory input.
- Our prior work identified altered baseline activity in the right anterior insula (aINS) in pED patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in functional connectivity (FC) of the right anterior insula (aINS) in individuals with pED compared to healthy controls.
- To explore the role of resting-state brain activity in the neural mechanisms underlying pED.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
- Participants included 27 male patients diagnosed with pED and 27 age-matched healthy male controls.
- Analysis focused on functional connectivity patterns centered on the right aINS.
Main Results:
- Disrupted functional homogeneity within the right aINS was observed in the pED group.
- Aberrant functional connectivity was found between the right aINS and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC).
- Altered connections were also identified between the right aINS and the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) in pED patients.
Conclusions:
- The findings demonstrate aberrant insula-centered functional connectivity in psychogenic erectile dysfunction.
- These disruptions may be linked to abnormal internal bodily state representation and impaired inhibitory control in sexual contexts.
- This study provides novel insights into the central neural mechanisms of pED.
