Disrupted dynamic local brain functional connectivity patterns in generalized anxiety disorder.
Qian Cui1, Yuyan Chen2, Qin Tang2
1School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|December 9, 2019
Summary
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients show altered dynamic brain connectivity. Decreased functional connectivity in key brain regions suggests insufficient brain adaptation in GAD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Previous research indicates static brain activity and connectivity abnormalities in generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
- The dynamic patterns of brain connectivity in GAD remain underexplored.
- Understanding these dynamic changes is crucial for elucidating GAD's neurobiological underpinnings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate dynamic local brain functional connectivity in GAD patients.
- To utilize dynamic regional phase synchrony (DRePS), a novel method, for assessing intrinsic dynamic local functional connectivity.
- To identify specific brain regions exhibiting altered dynamic connectivity in GAD.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 74 patients with GAD and 74 healthy controls (HCs).
- Acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
- Applied dynamic regional phase synchrony (DRePS) to analyze functional connectivity patterns.
Main Results:
- GAD patients exhibited significantly decreased DRePS values in bilateral caudate, left hippocampus, left anterior insula, left inferior frontal gyrus, and right fusiform gyrus extending to the inferior temporal gyrus compared to HCs.
- A negative correlation was observed between left hippocampus DRePS values and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale scores.
- Abnormal DRePS patterns effectively distinguished GAD patients from HCs in an independent validation sample.
Conclusions:
- Findings reveal distinct alterations in dynamic local brain connectivity in GAD patients.
- These dynamic connectivity deficits suggest potential issues with brain adaptation in GAD.
- The DRePS method shows promise for identifying neuroimaging biomarkers for GAD diagnosis and treatment strategies.
Keywords:
Dynamic regional phase synchronyGeneralized anxiety disorderResting-state functional magnetic resonance imagingMore Related Videos
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