Study of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease

Chen Qiao^#, Xiaosheng Li^#, Changlong Hou^* 

Department of Imaging, Shanghai Oriental Hospital, Shanghai, PR China

Objective: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). 

Methods: The subjects of this study consisted of 24 patients who had PD and were treated in our hospital between January 2018 and June 2019. Twenty-four healthy patients from the outpatient clinic who matched the gender and age of the Parkinson's patients during the same period were selected as the normal control group. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology based on blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) imaging was used to perform resting-state magnetic resonance scanning of patients, and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) maps and local consistency maps of the two groups of subjects were compared and analysed. Additionally, the correlations between the ReHo values, ALFF values, UPDRSIII scores, and Hoehn-Yahr classification of the regions of the brain in the group were analysed. 

Results: In comparison with the normal control group, the area of the brain with reduced ALFF in the PD group was the left thalamus, and the areas of the brain with increased ALFF were mainly the right hippocampal gyrus, marginal lobe, and right middle temporal pole. Magnetic resonance imaging results showed a relationship between the ALFF value in the posterior cerebellar lobe and cerebellar tonsil area for the PD group and the UPDRSⅢ score was positively correlated. Additionally, a negative correlation was observed between the ALFF value of the left upper frontal gyrus and the Hoehn-Yahr classification in the PD group. In comparison with the normal control group, the brain regions with reduced ReHo values in the PD group mainly included the left superior temporal gyrus, the left part of the island cover, and the leaf lobe. Among these, the brain regions with increased ReHo values were mainly located in the left side of the patients. The last time, left frontal gyrus, right frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus and BA9. A negative correlation was observed between the right frontal gyrus, right islet lobe ReHo value and UPDRSⅢ score in the PD group. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed in the PD group between the ReHo value of the medial frontal gyrus, the anterior cingulate gyrus, the marginal lobe, the medial frontal orbit, BA32, the middle of the frontal gyrus, the BA10 brain area, and the Hoehn-Yahr classification. 

Conclusion: The brain function of Parkinson's patients was abnormal. The reason that ALFF and ReHo values changed was mainly due to non-motor movement and abnormal brain connection loops. The enhancement of brain function is likely to be a compensatory response.