Altered functional connectivity within and between resting-state networks in ulcerative colitis.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gastroenterology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Ulcerative colitis (UC) is frequently associated with depression and anxiety.
• The neurological basis for these affective symptoms in UC patients is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in functional connectivity (FC) within and between resting-state networks (RSNs) in individuals with UC.
• To explore potential neurological mechanisms linking UC to affective disorders.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 22 UC patients and 23 healthy controls were analyzed using independent component analysis to identify 12 RSNs.
• Correlation analyses examined relationships between clinical data, neuropsychological tests, and neuroimaging findings.

Main Results:

• UC patients exhibited increased intranetwork FC in auditory network regions (e.g., temporal pole, orbitofrontal cortex).
• Increased intranetwork FC in the Rolandic opercular cortex was noted in UC remission but not active phases.
• UC patients showed altered internetwork connectivity, including between the dorsal attention and frontoparietal networks, and within the default mode network.

Conclusions:

• Ulcerative colitis is associated with significant alterations in both intranetwork and internetwork functional connectivity.
• These brain network changes may contribute to affective symptoms in UC, though direct correlations with psychological measures were not found in this cohort.