title: Aberrant Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Salience Network of Adolescent Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
abstract: Neural network investigations are currently absent in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In this study, we examine whether the core intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are altered in adolescent CFS patients. Eighteen adolescent patients with CFS and 18 aged matched healthy adolescent control subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI). Data was analyzed using dual-regression independent components analysis, which is a data-driven approach for the identification of independent brain networks. Intrinsic connectivity was evaluated in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN). Associations between network characteristics and symptoms of CFS were also explored. Adolescent CFS patients displayed a significant decrease in SN functional connectivity to the right posterior insula compared to healthy comparison participants, which was related to fatigue symptoms. Additionally, there was an association between pain intensity and SN functional connectivity to the left middle insula and caudate that differed between adolescent patients and healthy comparison participants. Our findings of insula dysfunction and its association with fatigue severity and pain intensity in adolescent CFS demonstrate an aberration of the salience network which might play a role in CFS pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway.|Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Laura Anne
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2721-3172
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Wortinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Endestad
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Developmental Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Annika Maria D
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Melinder
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Research Department, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway.
authors.forename: Merete Glenne
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Øie
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevenius
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Akershus University Hospital, Nordbyhagen, Norway.
authors.forename: Vegard
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bruun Wyller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires