Brain network alterations in autoimmune diseases: Current status and future prospects

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Network Science

Background:

• Autoimmune diseases often manifest with neurological and cognitive impairments.
• Neuroimaging and connectomics offer tools to study brain network alterations in these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review structural and functional brain network studies in various autoimmune diseases.
• To synthesize findings on network alterations and their association with cognitive dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of connectomic studies in multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid eye disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Analysis of structural and functional neuroimaging data using graph theory.

Main Results:

• Commonly observed network alterations include reduced global/local efficiency and altered modularity.
• Regional hub vulnerability and variations based on disease subtype and methodology were noted.
• Network changes correlate with cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Connectomic alterations are frequently associated with disease burden and progression in autoimmune disorders.
• Current evidence is heterogeneous, relying on cross-sectional studies with limited sample sizes.
• Longitudinal, standardized multimodal studies are essential for clarifying the clinical significance of these network changes.