Dynamic changes in regional neural activity and its relationship with clinical behavior of patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To analyze the dynamic changes of regional neural activity in patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging and its relationship with clinical behavior.Methods Thirty MHE patients who were diagnosed and treated in Joint Logistics Support Force 904 Hospital between March 2020 and March 2022 were selected as the disease group, 30 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examinations in 904 hospital in Wuxi during the same period of time were selected as the control group. Both groups underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, digital connectivity test A (NCT-A), digital sign test (DST), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) evaluations. The time variability of dynamic local consistency (dReHo) was calculated using a sliding time window, and the temporal dynamic characteristics of local consistency (ReHo) in the brain region of MHE patients were evaluated. Pearson correlation test was used to analyze the variability of dReHo and NCT-A The correlation between DST and MoCA scores.Results The time required for NCT-A in the disease group was (72.5±7.6) seconds, which was longer than that in the control group (35.9±5.4) seconds. The DST and MoCA scores were (25.2±3.6) points and (21.0±2.2) points, respectively, which were lower than those of (48.6±6.5) points and (26.1±3.8) points in the control group (all P<0.05). Through one-way ANOVA, it was found that there were significant differences in dReHo between the disease group and the control group in the left middle frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, globus pallidus, hippocampus, right middle frontal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus (P<0.05). In order to further explore the correlation between dReHo and MoCA score, correlation analysis showed that MoCA score was negatively correlated with the dReHo value of the right middle frontal gyrus and infratemporal gyrus, respectively (r=-0.5, 0.7, P<0.05).Conclusion The coordination and consistency of brain activity in MHE patients are abnormal, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (dReHo) analysis has potential value in monitoring the condition of MHE, providing neuroimaging evidence for elucidating the underlying neuropathological mechanisms of MHE patients.

Key words: Mild hepatic encephalopathy, Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, Regional neural activity, Clinical behavior

XIE Xiao-zhen, YANG Xiao-liang, LIU Wen-feng. Dynamic changes in regional neural activity and its relationship with clinical behavior of patients with mild hepatic encephalopathy using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2025, 30(3): 326-329.

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