title: Decreased thalamocortical functional connectivity after 36 hours of total sleep deprivation: evidence from resting state FMRI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The thalamus and cerebral cortex are connected via topographically organized, reciprocal connections, which hold a key function in segregating internally and externally directed awareness information. Previous task-related studies have revealed altered activities of the thalamus after total sleep deprivation (TSD). However, it is still unclear how TSD impacts on the communication between the thalamus and cerebral cortex. In this study, we examined changes of thalamocortical functional connectivity after 36 hours of total sleep deprivation by using resting state function MRI (fMRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen healthy volunteers were recruited and performed fMRI scans before and after 36 hours of TSD. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was employed and differences of thalamocortical functional connectivity were tested between the rested wakefulness (RW) and TSD conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the right thalamus showed decreased functional connectivity with the right parahippocampal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus and right superior frontal gyrus in the resting brain after TSD when compared with that after normal sleep. As to the left thalamus, decreased connectivity was found with the right medial frontal gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyri and left superior frontal gyrus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest disruptive changes of the thalamocortical functional connectivity after TSD, which may lead to the decline of the arousal level and information integration, and subsequently, influence the human cognitive functions.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, PR China ; Cognitive and Mental Health Research Center, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Yongcong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Lubin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Enmao
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Dewen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012146:Rest; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult