Department of Algiatry of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China.
Department of Neurology, The Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050050, Hebei, China.
BMC Res Notes. 2024 Nov 6;17(1):330. doi: 10.1186/s13104-024-06991-6.
The neurovascular theory is thought to be one of the main pathological mechanisms of migraine. Locus coeruleus (LC) is a major node in the neurovascular pathway. Exploring the functional network characteristics of LC in migraine without aura (MwoA) patients can help us gain insight into the underlying neural mechanisms in MwoA patients.
In this study, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) and a functional connectivity (FC) approach to explore the functional characteristics of LC in MwoA patients. 17 healthy controls (HCs) and 28 MwoA patients were included in the study. FC was calculated based on rsfMRI data collected by a 3T MRI scanner. General linear model were used to compare whether there were differences in LC brain networks between the two groups. We also utilized logistic regression to explore the role of LC functional networks in the clinical diagnosis of MwoA.
After general linear analysis, MwoA patients displayed increased FC from right LC to the left lingual and calcarine sulcus, as well as to the right frontal medial gyrus/orbit part, when compared with HCs. The results of the logistic regression showed that the LC FC signals were 81% accurate in distinguishing MwoA from the HCs.
Our results demonstrated that patients with MwoA exhibited significant LC FC differences in the brain areas associated with visual and cognitive function. Understanding the changes in the LC brain network in MwoA patients can provide us with new ideas to understand the pathological mechanisms of MwoA.
神经血管学说被认为是偏头痛的主要病理机制之一。蓝斑（LC）是神经血管通路的主要节点。探索无先兆偏头痛（MwoA）患者 LC 的功能网络特征，有助于深入了解 MwoA 患者的潜在神经机制。
本研究采用静息态功能磁共振成像（rsfMRI）和功能连接（FC）方法，探讨 MwoA 患者 LC 的功能特征。共纳入 17 名健康对照者（HCs）和 28 名 MwoA 患者。基于 3T MRI 扫描仪采集的 rsfMRI 数据计算 FC。采用广义线性模型比较两组间 LC 脑网络是否存在差异。我们还利用逻辑回归探讨 LC 功能网络在 MwoA 临床诊断中的作用。
经广义线性分析，与 HCs 相比，MwoA 患者右侧 LC 与左侧舌回和楔前回以及右侧额内侧回/眶部的 FC 增加。逻辑回归的结果表明，LC FC 信号在区分 MwoA 和 HCs 方面的准确率为 81%。
我们的研究结果表明，MwoA 患者在与视觉和认知功能相关的脑区存在显著的 LC FC 差异。了解 MwoA 患者 LC 脑网络的变化可以为我们理解 MwoA 的病理机制提供新的思路。
