Functional Brain Connectivity in Mild Cognitive Impairment With Sleep Disorders: A Study Based on Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Yuxi Luo; Mengyuan Qiao; Yuqing Liang; Chongli Chen; Lichuan Zeng; Lin Wang; Wenbin Wu

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2022.812664

Functional Brain Connectivity in Mild Cognitive Impairment With Sleep Disorders: A Study Based on Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 Mar 10:14:812664. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.812664. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yuxi Luo¹, Mengyuan Qiao¹, Yuqing Liang¹, Chongli Chen¹, Lichuan Zeng², Lin Wang³, Wenbin Wu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Radiology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
³ Health Management Center, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences and Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of sleep disorder (SD) on the changes of brain network dysfunction in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we compared network connectivity patterns among MCI, SD, and comorbid MCI and sleep disorders (MCI-SD) patients using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI).

Patients and methods: A total of 60 participants were included in this study, 20 each with MCI, SD, or MCI-SD. And all participants underwent structural and functional MRI scanning. The default-mode network (DMN) was extracted by independent component analysis (ICA), and regional functional connectivity strengths were calculated and compared among groups.

Results: Compared to MCI patients, The DMN of MCI-SD patients demonstrated weaker functional connectivity with left middle frontal gyrus, right superior marginal gyrus, but stronger connectivity with the left parahippocampus, left precuneus and left middle temporal gyrus. Compared to the SD group, MCI-SD patients demonstrated weaker functional connectivity with right transverse temporal gyrus (Heschl's gyrus), right precentral gyrus, and left insula, but stronger connectivity with posterior cerebellum, right middle occipital gyrus, and left precuneus.

Conclusion: Patients with MCI-SD show unique changes in brain network connectivity patterns compared to MCI or SD alone, likely reflecting a broader functional disconnection and the need to recruit more brain regions for functional compensation.

Keywords: default-mode network; functional compensation; functional connectivity; mild cognitive impairment; precuneus; sleep disorder.