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Systems Analysis of the Neuroinflammatory and Hemodynamic Response to Traumatic Brain Injury
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Effective connectivity in the default mode network after paediatric traumatic brain injury
Kelly A Vaughn1, Dana DeMaster1, Jeong Hwan Kook2
1Children's Learning Institute, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|November 29, 2021
Summary
Children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) show altered brain connectivity in the default mode network (DMN). Specific orbitofrontal-parietal DMN connectivity patterns in pediatric TBI predict symptom severity and anxiety, offering a potential neuroimaging marker.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Neurology
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children poses risks for cognitive and neuropsychological deficits.
- TBI heterogeneity complicates identifying at-risk children.
- Understanding brain network alterations post-TBI is crucial for predicting outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize differences in default mode network (DMN) effective connectivity between healthy children and those with TBI.
- To investigate the association between TBI severity and DMN connectivity patterns.
- To evaluate if DMN effective connectivity predicts persistent post-concussion symptoms and anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Bayesian multi-subject vector autoregressive modeling (BVAR-connect) with white matter integrity priors.
- Applied resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging in children (8-15 years) 7 weeks post-TBI.
- Assessed post-concussion and anxiety symptoms 7 months after injury.
Main Results:
- Healthy children exhibited unique DMN connectivity originating from inferior temporal lobes.
- Children with TBI showed distinct orbitofrontal-parietal DMN effective connectivity.
- These orbitofrontal-parietal patterns varied with TBI severity and predicted persistent behavioral outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Effective connectivity within the DMN is altered in pediatric TBI.
- Orbitofrontal-parietal DMN connectivity patterns serve as sensitive neuroimaging markers for TBI severity.
- DMN effective connectivity can predict chronic post-concussion symptoms and anxiety in children.
