Abnormal Dynamic Reconfiguration of Multilayer Temporal Networks in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Network Science
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Multilayer network analysis has identified abnormal brain dynamics in bipolar disorder (BD).
• Previous studies overlooked inter-layer interactions and comprehensive dynamic reconfiguration analysis in BD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dynamic reconfiguration abnormalities in bipolar disorder using a novel multilayer temporal network approach.
• To quantify differences in information processing and network stability between BD patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 46 BD patients and 54 controls.
• Constructed subject-specific multilayer temporal networks incorporating inter-layer coupling via network similarity.
• Calculated promiscuity, recruitment, and integration coefficients to assess dynamic reconfigurations.

Main Results:

• BD patients exhibited significantly lower global inter-layer coupling, recruitment, and integration coefficients.
• Reduced temporal stability and intra/inter-subnetwork communication were observed in attention, limbic/paralimbic, and subcortical networks in BD.
• Increased whole-brain promiscuity in BD patients indicated more widespread functional interactions, particularly in somatosensory/motor and auditory networks.

Conclusions:

• This study highlights abnormal dynamic interactions in bipolar disorder through the lens of dynamic network reconfiguration.
• Findings suggest altered temporal stability and communication patterns contribute to the pathophysiology of BD.
• The novel approach provides insights into the complex neural mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder.