Cortical-striatal network functional connectivity markers in poststroke fatigue: a single-centre fMRI case-control...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Fatigue is a common symptom following stroke, impacting patient recovery.
• Abnormalities in the cortical-striatal network (CSN) are implicated in neurological fatigue.
• Previous functional MRI (fMRI) studies on poststroke fatigue (PSF) have been small-scale.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a large-scale fMRI study to investigate the role of CSN functional connectivity (FC) in PSF.
• To examine the relationship between CSN FC and the severity of PSF.
• To explore structural connectivity and microstructural changes in the CSN of stroke survivors with PSF.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study with 738 participants.
• Assessment of PSF using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at 3 months post-stroke.
• Comprehensive MRI including structural, resting-state fMRI, and diffusion tensor imaging.

Main Results:

• Analysis of FC, structural connectivity, and diffusion metrics within the CSN.
• Voxel-wise two-sample t-tests with FDR correction to identify significant differences.
• Correlation of CSN metrics with PSF severity.

Conclusions:

• This study aims to provide novel insights into the neurobiological underpinnings of PSF.
• Findings are expected to inform potential therapeutic targets for managing fatigue after stroke.
• Results will be disseminated through publications and conferences.