title: Altered functional connectivity within and between brain modules in absence epilepsy: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
abstract: Functional connectivity has been correlated with a patient's level of consciousness and has been found to be altered in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Absence epilepsy patients, who experience a loss of consciousness, are assumed to suffer from alterations in thalamocortical networks; however, previous studies have not explored the changes at a functional module level. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the alteration in functional connectivity that occurs in absence epilepsy patients. By parcellating the brain into 90 brain regions/nodes, we uncovered an altered functional connectivity within and between functional modules. Some brain regions had a greater number of altered connections and therefore behaved as key nodes in the changed network pattern; these regions included the superior frontal gyrus, the amygdala, and the putamen. In particular, the superior frontal gyrus demonstrated both an increased value of connections with other nodes of the frontal default mode network and a decreased value of connections with the limbic system. This divergence is positively correlated with epilepsy duration. These findings provide a new perspective and shed light on how functional connectivity and the balance of within/between module connections may contribute to both the state of consciousness and the development of absence epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Cui-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shou-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manxiu
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chencan
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huafu
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Yong-Jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zuxiang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D063132:Connectome; D004827:Epilepsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D011859:Radiography