Altered brain entropy and functional connectivity patterns in peritoneal dialysis patients

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Nephrology
• Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

• End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) often experience cognitive impairment (CI).
• Brain entropy (BEN) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) are sensitive biomarkers of brain function.
• Understanding BEN and RSFC alterations in PD patients is crucial for identifying CI mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate abnormal BEN and RSFC in PD patients.
• To explore the association between these brain alterations and cognitive impairment.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to assess BEN and RSFC in 53 PD patients and 49 healthy controls (HCs).
• Neuropsychological tests (e.g., MoCA) and clinical indicators were collected.
• Correlation analyses examined relationships between BEN/RSFC and clinical/cognitive measures.

Main Results:

• PD patients demonstrated significantly poorer cognitive performance compared to HCs.
• PD patients exhibited altered BEN in specific brain regions (e.g., decreased in right middle occipital gyrus, increased in left middle temporal gyrus).
• Reduced RSFC was observed between several brain regions in PD patients, correlating with cognitive and emotional scores and clinical indicators like HbA1c.

Conclusions:

• PD patients exhibit distinct patterns of abnormal brain entropy and functional connectivity.
• These neuroimaging alterations are associated with cognitive and emotional impairments in PD patients.
• Findings suggest a link between ESKD, PD treatment, metabolic disturbances, and brain function changes.