Asthma's impact on brain function: an investigation of changes in functional connectivity and network topology

Asthma is a reversible condition characterized by airflow limitation and chronic airway inflammation. Previous neuroimaging studies have confirmed brain structural and functional abnormalities associated with asthma, primarily occurring in regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal gyrus, occipital lobe, postcentral gyrus, and corpus callosum. These changes may be attributable to asthma-related systemic inflammation. This study investigates modifications in the topological organization of functional brain networks in individuals with asthma using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and graph theory techniques. Thirty-one asthma patients and thirty-one healthy controls participated, with resting-state fMRI data collected through MRI scanning. Data preprocessing was conducted using DPABI and SPM12 software, and functional brain networks were constructed and analyzed using the GRETNA toolbox. We computed global and nodal indices to evaluate network characteristics, identifying significant connectivity changes through network-based statistics (NBS). Results revealed notable differences in global network efficiency and small-world properties between individuals with asthma and controls, as well as significant distinctions in specific brain regions related to visual processing and cognitive functions. NBS analysis indicated that asthma patients exhibited substantial alterations in connectivity across various essential brain networks, suggesting effects on cognitive and emotional processing. Overall, the findings emphasize the significant impact of asthma on brain functional connectivity, influencing both global and nodal network properties, with potential implications for patients' cognitive and emotional well-being. Further research is required to understand the clinical implications of these alterations and to develop targeted interventions.