Resting-State Functional MRI Study Demonstrates That the Density of Functional Connectivity Density Mapping Changes...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Functional MRI

Background:

• Brain function in acute eye pain (EP) is not well understood.
• Alterations in short-range functional connectivity density (shortFCD) and long-range functional connectivity density (longFCD) in EP patients are largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare functional connectivity density (FCD) between patients with EP and healthy controls (HCs).
• To investigate alterations in shortFCD and longFCD in the brains of individuals experiencing acute eye pain.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 40 EP patients and 40 HCs.
• ShortFCD and longFCD values were analyzed using one-sample t-tests.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate differences between groups.

Main Results:

• EP patients showed reduced shortFCD in the cerebellum and right inferior parietal lobule.
• Reduced longFCD was observed in the posterior lobe of the cerebellum in EP patients.
• Increased shortFCD was noted in the superior frontal gyri, while increased longFCD was found in the left inferior temporal gyrus and superior frontal gyri.

Conclusions:

• Eye pain is associated with variations in binarized shortFCD and longFCD in brain regions involved in motor control, sensory processing, and reward.
• These connectivity changes may represent brain functional compensation mechanisms for eye pain and visual impairment.
• Findings highlight the impact of acute eye pain on brain functional organization.