Brain functional networks in children with spastic cerebral palsy and their correlation with motor function as analyzed based on fNIRS
10.3760/cma.j.cn421666-20250623-00521
- VernacularTitle:基于功能性近红外光谱成像技术探索痉挛性脑瘫患儿脑功能网络及与运动功能间的相关性
- Author:
Yangyang CAO
1
;
Xiaokang TANG
1
;
Qianyu GUO
1
;
Jun WANG
1
;
Dengna ZHU
1
;
Gongxun CHEN
1
;
Yuhang ZHANG
1
;
Junying YUAN
1
;
Juan SONG
1
;
Yiran XU
1
Author Information
1. 郑州大学第三附属医院，河南省儿科疾病临床医学研究中心，郑州 450052
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Spastic cerebral palsy;
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy;
Brain functional networks;
Motor functioning
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2025;47(11):998-1004
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the characteristics of the brain functional networks in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) while at rest and to correlate them with motor functioning.Methods:Thirty-six children with SCP were enrolled as the SCP group, while thirty-four age-matched healthy children were recruited as the control group (the HC group). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to detect changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin in the children′s cerebral cortex while at rest. The left prefrontal cortex (LPFC), right prefrontal cortex (RPFC), left motor cortex (LMC), and right motor cortex (RMC) were selected as regions of interest. Phase locking values (PLVs) were used to evaluate the strength of functional connectivity (FC) among these brain regions, and graph theory methods were applied to analyze the topological properties of the brain networks. Motor functioning was assessed using the gross motor function measure (GMFM).Results:The analyses of FC strength revealed that the SCP group had significantly weaker FC among all of the regions of interest while at rest compared to the HC group. Their PLVs for LPFC-RPFC, LPFC-RMC, RPFC-RMC and LMC-RMC connectivity were all significantly smaller. Graph theory analysis showed that the SCP group had significantly lower global efficiency (GE) and smaller clustering coefficients (CCs) and network density (D), while their characteristic path lengths were significantly longer. According to the correlation analysis, the PLVs for LMC-RMC connections in the SCP group were positively correlated with their scores on dimensions D and E of the GMFM ( r=0.496 and r=0.579 respectively). GE ( r=0.587 and r=0.642) and CC ( r=0.318 and r=0.759) showed similar significant positive correlations with GMFM dimensions D and E. Conclusions:At rest, the functional networks in the brains of children with SCP exhibit abnormalities closely associated with their motor dysfunction.
