Functional Connectivity And Temporal Variability Of Sensorimotor Cortex In Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Objective:(1)To investigate the static and dynamic functional connections between the primary sensory cortex(S1)and the primary motor cortex(M1)and the whole brain in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy(CSM).(2)To explore the correlation between the static functional connectivity(sFC)and dynamic functional connectivity(dFC)values of the whole brain and clinical functional scores in patients with CSM,and to discuss the possible mechanism.Methods:Resting state functional MRI(rs-fMRI)and clinical function scores were performed in 40 patients with CSM and 20 healthy controls(HC)with matched age and sex.We selected the bilateral precentral gyrus(pre-CG)and postcentral gyrus(po-CG)as the seed point,using dynamic brain connection group(Dynamic BC v2.1)processing data analysis tools based on Matlab2014 b platform.Sliding time window analysis method are used to calculate the dFC and the sFC value in both groups.Finally,the dFC and sFC values of the abnormal brain regions were extracted,and then the correlation between them and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scoring(JOA)and Neck Disability Index scores(NDI)were analyzed.Results:(1)The results of dynamic functional connection showed that,compared with the healthy control group,the DFC variability between the left precentral gyrus and bilateral cuneus and bilateral occipital lobes was increased in the CSM group,and the DFC variability between the right precentral gyrus and the right frontal lobe was increased in the CSM group(P < 0.05,GRF corrected).(2)The results of static functional connection showed that compared with the healthy control group,the SFC of left precentral gyrus and left frontal lobe,middle temporal gyrus and middle occipital gyrus decreased in the CSM group,while the SFC of right M1,right angular gyrus and superior marginal gyrus increased(P < 0.05,GRF corrected).(3)Correlation analysis showed that bilateral precuneus DFC value was positively correlated with clinical JOA score(r=0.542,P < 0.01).Conclusion :(1)CSM patients have brain functional remodeling and increased fluctuation of brain functional activity.(2)The dFC value of Bilateral precuneus may be a potential imaging marker for the early diagnosis and treatment of CSM.(3)Dynamic and static functional connectivity can be used together to evaluate the changes of brain function in patients with CSM.