Analysis of whole-brain functional connectivity of cognitive impairment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy
10.13929/j.issn.1003-3289.2020.09.005
- VernacularTitle: 全脑功能连接分析鼻咽癌患者放射治疗后认知障碍
- Author:
Dongcun YUAN
1
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Anhui Women and Child Health Care Hospital
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cognition disorders;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Nasopharyngeal neoplasms;
Radiotherapy
- From:
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology
2020;36(9):1297-1302
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the changes of whole brain functional connections in cognitively impaired patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. Methods: Totally 76 patients with pathologically proved nasopharyngeal carcinoma were collected, including 20 in radiotherapy-cognitive impairment group (RT-CI group), 34 in radiotherapy-no-cognitive impairment group (RT-NO-CI group) and 22 in the no-radiotherapy group (NO-RT group). Patients' gender, age, years of education, radiotherapy time and total measurement of radiotherapy were recorded, and the Beijing Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale was used for cognitive function scoring. Resting brain function MRI were collected, and brain functional connections were analyzed to obtain abnormal brain areas in RT-CI group and RT-NO-CI group. The general data and MoCA scores of 3 groups were compared, and the relationships between Z value of abnormal brain functional connectivity areas and MoCA score were analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference of age (F=2.78, P=0.30), years of education (F=3.95, P=0.37)nor gender (χ2=3.11, P=0.33) among 3 groups. MoCA score of RT-CI group was lower than that of RT-NO-CI group and NO-RT group (both P<0.01), and MoCA score of RT-NO-CI group was lower than that of NO-RT group (P<0.01). Compared with RT-NO-CI group, there was positive correlation between Z value of 1 pair of brain region and MoCA scale score in RT-CI group (P<0.01). Compared with NO-RT group, Z values of 8 pairs of brain areas in RT-CI group were correlated with MoCA scale scores (all P<0.01). Compared with NO-RT group, Z values of 5 pairs of brain areas in RT-NO-CI group were correlated with MoCA scale scores (all P<0.01). In RT-CI group, brain areas with abnormal functional connections mainly located in parahippocampal gyrus, parietal occipital cortex, prefrontal cortex and default mode network area. In RT-No-CI group, brain areas with abnormal functional connections mainly located in hippocampal gyrus, prefrontal lobe and parietal cortex. Conclusion: Early cognitive impair in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy might manifest as abnormal brain functional connectivity in some specific brain regions.
