Aberrant dynamic Functional-Structural connectivity coupling of Large-scale brain networks in poststroke motor...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Brain Network Dynamics
• Stroke Rehabilitation

Background:

• Stroke can cause significant brain reorganization, affecting both functional and structural networks.
• Previous research suggests a link between functional and structural network changes post-stroke.
• Dynamic changes in functional-structural relationships and their link to motor deficits remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dynamic functional and structural connectivity (FC-SC) coupling in subcortical stroke.
• To explore the relationship between dynamic FC-SC coupling and motor function severity.
• To analyze network dynamics from a network perspective in stroke patients.

Main Methods:

• Utilized resting-state fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 39 stroke patients and 22 healthy controls.
• Constructed structural networks using DTI tractography and calculated topological metrics.
• Applied independent component analysis, sliding window, and k-means clustering to assess dynamic functional connectivity and states.

Main Results:

• Stroke patients exhibited lower global efficiency in structural networks compared to controls.
• Reduced local efficiency and FC-SC coupling were observed in stroke patients, particularly in specific dynamic states.
• Severely affected patients showed significantly lower local efficiency and FC-SC coupling, strongly linked to motor dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Stroke patients, especially those with severe injuries, display abnormal dynamic FC-SC coupling.
• These findings enhance understanding of the anatomical-functional interactions underlying motor deficits.
• The results offer valuable insights for developing personalized stroke rehabilitation strategies.