Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Introduction
High altitude (HA) exposure leads to cognitive impairment while the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Brain functional network is crucial for advanced functions, and its alteration is implicated in cognitive decline in multiple diseases. The aim of current study was to investigate the topological changes in HA-exposed brain functional network.Methods
Based on Shaanxi-Tibet immigrant cohort, neuropsychological tests and resting-state functional MRI were applied to evaluate the participants' cognitive function and functional connection (FC) changes, respectively. GRETNA toolbox was used to construct the brain functional network. The gray matter was parcellated into 116 anatomically defined regions according to Automated Anatomical Labeling atlas. Subsequently, the mean time series for each of the 116 regions were extracted and computed for Pearson's correlation coefficients. The relation matrix was further processed and seen as brain functional network. Correlation between functional network changes and neuropsychological results was also examined.Results
The cognitive performance was impaired by HA exposure as indicated by neuropsychological test. HA exposure led to alterations of degree centrality and nodal efficiency in multiple brain regions. Moreover, two subnetworks were extracted in which the FCs significantly decreased after exposure. In addition, the alterations in FCs within above two subnetworks were significantly correlated with changes of memory and reaction time.Conclusions
Our results suggest that HA exposure modulates the topological property of functional network and FCs of some important regions, which may impair the attention, perception, memory, motion ignition, and modulation processes, finally decreasing cognitive performance in neuropsychological tests.
SUBMITTER: Xin Z
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7559604 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Xin Zhenlong Z Chen Xiaoming X Zhang Qian Q Wang Jiye J Xi Yibin Y Liu Jian J Li Baojuan B Dong Xiaoru X Lin Yiwen Y Zhang Wenbin W Chen Jingyuan J Luo Wenjing W
Brain and behavior 20200909 10
<h4>Introduction</h4>High altitude (HA) exposure leads to cognitive impairment while the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Brain functional network is crucial for advanced functions, and its alteration is implicated in cognitive decline in multiple diseases. The aim of current study was to investigate the topological changes in HA-exposed brain functional network.<h4>Methods</h4>Based on Shaanxi-Tibet immigrant cohort, neuropsychological tests and resting-state functional MRI were applied t ...[more]