Alterations of white matter structural networks in patients with non-neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus identified by probabilistic tractography and connectivity-based analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory female-predominant autoimmune disease that can affect the central nervous system and exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms. In SLE patients without neuropsychiatric symptoms (non-NPSLE), recent diffusion tensor imaging studies showed white matter abnormalities in their brains. The present study investigated the entire brain white matter structural connectivity in non-NPSLE patients by using probabilistic tractography and connectivity-based analyses.

Methods

Whole-brain structural networks of 29 non-NPSLE patients and 29 healthy controls (HCs) were examined. The structural networks were constructed with interregional probabilistic connectivity. Graph theory analysis was performed to investigate the topological p

SUBMITTER: Xu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5200918 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature