scholarly journals Brain-Gut Axis Modulation of Acupuncture in Functional Dyspepsia: A Preliminary Resting-State fcMRI Study

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiliang Fang ◽  
Danhong Wang ◽  
Qing Zhao ◽  
Yang Hong ◽  
Yulian Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Dyspepsia ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Acupuncture Treatment ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Brain Functional Connectivity ◽  
Acupuncture Effects

Objective. To explore acupuncture effects on brain functional connectivity in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).Methods. Eight patients in an acupuncture treatment group and ten healthy adults in the control group participated in the study. Acupuncture effectiveness was evaluated based on changes of the gastrointestinal symptoms, gastric motility measurements, and gastrin levels and comparisons with the control group when appropriate. To investigate functional connectivity changes related to FD and potential modulation after acupuncture, a set of regions of interest (ROIs) were selected according to previous fMRI reports of acupuncture.Results. Patients showed significant improvements of FD signs and symptoms after acupuncture treatments. For all of the ROIs, we identified subportions of the networks showing reduced connectivity in patients with FD. Connectivity between the ROIs and corresponding disease targets showed significant improvement after acupuncture treatment (P<0.05) in all ROIs except for right medial temporal lobe-hippocampus and right inferior parietal lobule.Conclusion. Functional connectivity of the brain is changed in patients with FD but approximates that in healthy control after acupuncture treatment. The relief of gastrointestinal signs and symptoms by acupuncture is likely due to the normalization of brain-gut axis associated with FD.

scholarly journals The Influence of Stomach Back-Shu and Front-Mu Points on Insular Functional Connectivity in Functional Dyspepsia Rat Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Yuan Chen ◽  
Ying Zhao ◽  
Robert Yu-Sheng Tan ◽  
Pu-yue Zhang ◽  
Tao Long ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Dyspepsia ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Acupuncture Group ◽  
Hypothalamic Nucleus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Limbic Cortex ◽  
Model Group ◽  
Rat Models ◽  
Functional Connections

Functional Dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastrointestinal disease, which can reduce the quality of life in patients. Prior research has indicated that insula is closely related to FD and that acupuncture can regulate the functional connectivity (FC) of FD. Therefore, we hypothesized that acupuncture on FD was effected through the insular pathway. To test our hypothesis, we performed electroacupuncture (EA) on FD rat models and then examined the FC between insula and other brain regions through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Seven-day-old male infant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group, FD model group, and FD acupuncture group, with twelve rats per group (n = 36). Upon establishing successful models, the FD acupuncture group was subjected to EA intervention using Stomach back-shu (BL-21) and front-mu (RN-12) points for ten consecutive days for durations of 20 minutes each day. After intervention, each group was subject to rs-fMRI. The digital image data obtained were analyzed using FC analysis methods. Subsequently, gastric ligation was performed to measure gastric emptying rates. Before EA intervention, the FD model group exhibited decreased functional connections between the insula and a number of brain regions. After EA intervention, FD acupuncture group exhibited increasing FC between insula and regions when compared to the FD model group, such as the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), hippocampal CA3 (CA3), polymorphic layer of dentate gyrus (PoDG), caudate putamen (CPu), and oral pontine reticular nuclei (PnO) P < 0.05 ; decreasing FC was also exhibited between insula and regions such as the bilateral primary and secondary motor cortexes (M1/2), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVA), and limbic cortex (LC). These findings indicate that the effective treatment of FD using EA may be through regulating the abnormal FC between insula and several brain regions, in particular CA3, PoDG, and PVA.

scholarly journals EEG Alpha and Beta Band Functional Connectivity and Network Structure Mark Hub Overload in Mild Cognitive Impairment During Memory Maintenance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zsuzsanna Fodor ◽  
András Horváth ◽  
Zoltán Hidasi ◽  
Alida A. Gouw ◽  
Cornelis J. Stam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Network Topology ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Visuospatial Memory ◽  
Beta Band

Background: While decreased alpha and beta-band functional connectivity (FC) and changes in network topology have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease, it is not yet entirely known whether these differences can mark cognitive decline in the early stages of the disease. Our study aimed to analyze electroencephalography (EEG) FC and network differences in the alpha and beta frequency band during visuospatial memory maintenance between Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients and healthy elderly with subjective memory complaints.Methods: Functional connectivity and network structure of 17 MCI patients and 20 control participants were studied with 128-channel EEG during a visuospatial memory task with varying memory load. FC between EEG channels was measured by amplitude envelope correlation with leakage correction (AEC-c), while network analysis was performed by applying the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) approach, which reconstructs the critical backbone of the original network.Results: Memory load (increasing number of to-be-learned items) enhanced the mean AEC-c in the control group in both frequency bands. In contrast to that, after an initial increase, the MCI group showed significantly (p &lt; 0.05) diminished FC in the alpha band in the highest memory load condition, while in the beta band this modulation was absent. Moreover, mean alpha and beta AEC-c correlated significantly with the size of medial temporal lobe structures in the entire sample. The network analysis revealed increased maximum degree, betweenness centrality, and degree divergence, and decreased diameter and eccentricity in the MCI group compared to the control group in both frequency bands independently of the memory load. This suggests a rerouted network in the MCI group with a more centralized topology and a more unequal traffic load distribution.Conclusion: Alpha- and beta-band FC measured by AEC-c correlates with cognitive load-related modulation, with subtle medial temporal lobe atrophy, and with the disruption of hippocampal fiber integrity in the earliest stages of cognitive decline. The more integrated network topology of the MCI group is in line with the “hub overload and failure” framework and might be part of a compensatory mechanism or a consequence of neural disinhibition.

scholarly journals Comparison of Effects and Brain-Gut Regulatory Mechanisms of Acupuncture and Flunarizine for Migraine: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Ya-Nan Wang ◽  
Ming-Sheng Sun ◽  
Xi-Xiu Ni ◽  
Tian Tian ◽  
Lu Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Acupuncture Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Central Nervous System Disease ◽  
Regulatory Mechanisms ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
System Disease

Background. As a central nervous system disease, migraine often coexists with gastrointestinal disorders, which suggests a disruption of brain-gut regulation. Clinical studies have confirmed that acupuncture and flunarizine not only alleviate migraine attacks but also substantially inhibit accompanying gastrointestinal symptoms. However, it is still not clear how acupuncture and flunarizine regulate the interactions of brain, gut, and microbiome. Therefore, this study will combine neuroimaging technology and gut microbiota detection technology to explore and compare the effects and brain-gut modulating mechanisms of acupuncture and flunarizine for migraine. Methods. This randomized clinical trial will recruit 66 patients with migraine without aura. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to an acupuncture group or a control group. The acupuncture treatment strategy is based on experience from our previous study and consensus meetings with clinical experts. Patients will receive 12 sessions of manual acupuncture treatment (once every other day to a total of three times per week, followed by a 2-day break). Flunarizine will be administered at a dose of 5 mg daily in the control group. Participants in both groups will receive treatment for a period of 4 weeks. The primary outcome is the change in frequency of migraine attacks, and the secondary outcomes include the changes in migraine days (days on which migraine attacks occurred), average migraine severity, gastrointestinal symptoms, psychiatric symptoms, and quality of life. Fresh stool samples will be collected, and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing analysis will be used for gut microbiota. Magnetic resonance imaging will be applied to detect between-group changes in brain function. The abovementioned indicators will be collected at baseline, after a 4-week intervention, and at the 12-week follow-up. Discussions. From the perspective of brain-gut regulatory mechanisms, we will combine brain neuroimaging and gut microbiological data to partially reveal the similarities and differences of acupuncture and flunarizine on the treatment of migraine. The trial is registered with ChiCTR2000034417.

scholarly journals Protozoan infections are under-recognized in Swedish patients with gastrointestinal symptoms

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2153-2160
Author(s):  
Jessica Ögren ◽  
Olaf Dienus ◽  
Jessica Beser ◽  
Anna J. Henningsson ◽  
Andreas Matussek
Keyword(s):  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Infectious Agent ◽  
Diagnostic Algorithm ◽  
Parasite Infection ◽  
Gastrointestinal Parasites ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Bacterial Group ◽  
Group 12 ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Protozoan Infections

Abstract In acute gastroenteritis (GE), identification of the infectious agent is important for patient management and surveillance. The prevalence of GE caused by protozoa may be underestimated in Swedish patients. The purpose was to compare the prevalence of E. histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp., G. intestinalis, and C. cayetanensis in samples from patients where the clinician had requested testing for gastrointestinal parasites only (n = 758) to where testing for bacterial GE only (n = 803) or where both parasite and bacterial testing (n = 1259) was requested and a healthy control group (n = 197). This prospective cohort study was conducted in Region Jönköping County, Sweden (October 2018–March 2019). Fecal samples were analyzed with microscopy and real-time PCR. Cryptosporidium spp. was detected in 16 patients in the bacterial GE group and in 13 in the both bacterial and parasite group; no cases were detected in the group were only parasite infection was suspected. C. cayetanensis was detected in two patients in the bacterial GE group. One case of E. histolytica was detected in the bacterial group and one in the both bacterial and parasite group. G. intestinalis was detected in 14 patients in the parasite only group, 12 in the both parasite and bacterial group, three in the bacterial GE group, and one in the control group. Diarrhea caused by protozoa, especially Cryptosporidium was under–recognized by clinicians and is likely more common than hitherto estimated in Sweden. A more symptom-based diagnostic algorithm may increase detection and knowledge about protozoan infections.

scholarly journals Effect of Acupuncture on Functional Connectivity of Anterior Cingulate Cortex for Bell’s Palsy Patients with Different Clinical Duration

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongli Wu ◽  
Hongxing Kan ◽  
Chuanfu Li ◽  
Kyungmo Park ◽  
Yifang Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Physiological Mechanism ◽  
Bell’S Palsy ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Bell's Palsy ◽  
Brain Response ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Status ◽  
Healthy Control

Acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of Bell’s palsy (BP) in many countries, but its underlying physiological mechanism remained controversial. In order to explore the potential mechanism, changes of functional connectivity (FC) of anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC) were investigated. We collected 20 healthy (control group) participants and 28 BP patients with different clinical duration accepted resting state functional MRI (rfMRI) scans before and after acupuncture, respectively. The FC of ACC before and after acupuncture was compared with pairedt-test and the detailed results are presented in the paper. Our results showed that effects of the acupuncture on FC were closely related to clinical duration in patients with BP, which suggested that brain response to acupuncture was closely connected with the status of brain functional connectivity and implied that acupuncture plays a homeostatic role in the BP treatment.

scholarly journals Whole-Brain Functional Connectivity Identification of Functional Dyspepsia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. e65870 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaofen Nan ◽  
Jixin Liu ◽  
Guoying Li ◽  
Shiwei Xiong ◽  
Xuemei Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Dyspepsia ◽  
Whole Brain ◽  
Brain Functional Connectivity

scholarly journals Efficacy and Safety of the Cudrania tricuspidata Extract on Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 5323
Author(s):  
Jinyoung Shin ◽  
Tae-Hoon Oh ◽  
Joo-Yun Kim ◽  
Jae-Jung Shim ◽  
Jung-Lyoul Lee
Keyword(s):  
Functional Dyspepsia ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Gastrointestinal Symptoms ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Caffeine Intake ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Cudrania Tricuspidata ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Folk Remedy

Cudrania tricuspidata is a folk remedy used to treat inflammation in patients with tumors or liver damage. This study investigated the efficacy of Cudrania tricuspidata extract (CTE) for relieving the symptoms of functional dyspepsia. In an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 100 adults with any condition featured in the Rome IV criteria and a Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale (GIS) score ≥4 were randomly allocated to take either a placebo (maltodextrin) or a 50 mg CTE tablet, which equally included celluloses, magnesium stearate, and silicon dioxide, twice daily, 20 January 2020, and 3 August 2020. Among the 83 participants finally analyzed, the CTE group was associated with a significant reduction in the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (day 0: 8.0 ± 5.2, day 28: 4.7 ± 3.9, and day 56: 2.3 ± 2.4, p < 0.001, respectively) in comparison with the control group (day 0: 8.1 ± 4.7, day 28: 7.8 ± 5.7, and day 56: 7.5 ± 6.6, p > 0.05) after adjusting for smoking, drinking, eating habits, stress levels, and caffeine intake. The CTE group resulted in significant improvements of GIS, Nepean Dyspepsia Index (Korean version), and functional dyspepsia-related quality of life over time. There were no different adverse events (p = 0.523). These findings suggest that CTE is safe and efficacious for alleviating gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia.

scholarly journals A critical role for human ventromedial frontal lobe in value comparison based on multi-attribute configuration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Pelletier ◽  
Lesley K. Fellows
Keyword(s):  
Frontal Lobe ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Object Processing ◽  
General Role ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Value Integration ◽  
Multiple Value

ABSTRACTReal-life decisions are often between options with multiple value-relevant attributes. Neuroeconomic models propose that the value associated with each attribute is integrated in a global value for each option. However, evidence from patients with ventromedial frontal (VMF) damage argues against a very general role for this region in value integration, suggesting instead that it contributes critically to specific value inference or comparison processes. Here, we tested value-based decision-making between artificial multi-attribute objects in 12 men and women with focal damage to VMF, compared to a healthy control group (N=24) and a control group with frontal lobe damage sparing VMF (N=12). In a ‘configural’ condition, overall object value was predicted by the conjunction of two attributes, while in an ‘elemental’ condition, object value could be assessed by combining the independent values of individual attributes. Patients with VMF damage were impaired in making choices when value was uniquely predicted by the configuration of attributes, but intact when choosing based on elemental attribute-values. This is evidence that VMF is critical for inferring the value of whole objects in multi-attribute choice. These findings have implications for models of value-based choice, and add to emerging views of how this region may interact with medial temporal lobe systems involved in configural object processing and relational memory.

22 Whole-brain functional connectivity based on the graph theory analysiisn Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES)

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (8) ◽  
pp. e17.1-e17
Author(s):  
M Arbabi ◽  
S Amiri ◽  
F Badragheh ◽  
MM Mirbagheri ◽  
AA Asadi-Pooya
Keyword(s):  
Graph Theory ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Brain Networks ◽  
Epileptic Seizures ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Brain Functional Connectivity

ObjectiveDespite being the subject of many studies over the past two decades, mechanisms underlying psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are still poorly understood. We tried to address this issue by utilizing brain functional connectivity analysis to identify brain regions with abnormal activities in patients with PNES. In a case-control study, we performed graph based network analysis, a robust technique that determines the organization of brain connectivity and characterizes topological properties of the brain networks.MethodsTwelve individuals with PNES and twenty-one healthy control subjects were examined. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) was acquired. All subjects were asked to keep their eyes open during the scanning process. The rsfMRI analysis consisted of pre-processing, extracting the functional connectivity matrix (FCM) based on the AAL atlas, threshold for binary FCM, constructing a graph network from FCM and extracting graph features, and finally statistical analysis. For all cortical and subcortical regions of the AAL atlas, we calculated measures of ‘degree,’ which is one of the features of the graph theory. Results: Our results revealed that, as compared to the healthy control subjects, patients with PNES had a significantly lower degree in some brain regions including their left and right insula (INS), right Putamen (PUT), left and right Supramarginal gyrus (SMG), right Middle occipital gyrus (MOG), and left and right Rolandic operculum (ROL). In contrast, degree was significantly greater in two regions [i.e., right Caudate (CAU) and left Inferior frontal gyrus orbital part (ORBinf)] in patients with PNES compared to that in controls.ConclusionOur findings suggest that functional connectivity of several major brain regions are different in patients with PNES compared with that in healthy individuals. While there is hypoactivity in regions important in perception, motor control, self- awareness, and cognitive functioning (e.g., insula) and also movement regulation (e.g., putamen), there is hyperactivity in areas involved in feedback processing (i.e., using information from past experiences to influence future actions and decisions) (e.g., caudate) in patients with PNES. The observation that individuals with PNES suffer from a wide range of abnormal activities in functional connectivity of their brain networks is consistent with the fact that PNES occur in a heterogeneous patient population; no single mechanism or contributing factor could explain PNES in all patients.

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