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Altered brain function in patients with vestibular migraine: a study on resting state functional connectivity

Neuroradiology volume 65, pages 579–590 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract 

Purpose

To characterize the altered brain function in patients with vestibular migraine (VM) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Methods

In this prospective study, fMRI images as well as clinical characteristics and behavioral scales were collected from 40 VM patients and 40 healthy controls (HC). All patients received neurological, neuro-otological, and conventional MRI examinations to exclude peripheral vestibular lesions, focal lesions, and other neurological diseases. Seed-based (bilateral parietal operculum cortex 2, OP2) functional connectivity (FC) and independent component analysis (ICA)-based functional network connectivity (FNC) were performed to investigate the brain functional changes in patients with VM. Additionally, the correlations between the altered FC/FNC and behavioral results were analyzed.

Results

Compared with HC, patients with VM showed increased FC between the left OP2 and right precuneus and exhibited decreased FC between the left OP2 and left anterior cingulate cortex. We also observed increased FC between the right OP2 and regions of the right middle frontal gyrus and bilateral precuneus, as well as decreased FC between the bilateral OP2. Furthermore, patients with VM showed decreased FNC between visual network (VN) and networks of auditory and default mode, and exhibited increased FNC between VN and executive control network. A correlation analysis found that FC between the left OP2 and right precuneus was positively correlated with scores of dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) in patients with VM.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrated altered brain function in patients with VM.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all the patients with VM and healthy volunteers for their participation in the present study.

Funding

The study was supported by grants from the Xuzhou Municipal Health Commission (No.XWKYHT20200010) and the Xuzhou Science and Technology Bureau (No.KC20077; No.KC18161).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No.32, Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221006, Jiangsu Province, China

    Zhengwei Chen, Liangqun Rong, Lijie Xiao, Yueji Liu, Cunxin Lin, Jianing Wang, Haiyan Liu & Xiu-e Wei

  2. Medical Imaging Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, No.32, Meijian Road, Xuzhou, 221006, Jiangsu Province, China

    Quan Wang

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  1. Zhengwei Chen
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Correspondence to Haiyan Liu or Xiu-e Wei.

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Chen, Z., Rong, L., Xiao, L. et al. Altered brain function in patients with vestibular migraine: a study on resting state functional connectivity. Neuroradiology 65, 579–590 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-022-03086-6

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