Hou B, Liu W, Pan K, Wang Y, Luo Y, Han Y, Liu J, Wu Q, Wang Y
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
2Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, Sichuan, China.
Georgian Med News. 2025 Feb(359):96-107.
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), as an emerging non-invasive brain imaging technique, provides new perspectives to study the functional brain connectivity in Post stroke dysphagia (PSD) patients.
Using the fNIRS technique to observe and compare the differences in brain network functional connectivity and activation between healthy subjects and PSD patients during the performance of a swallowing task and provide new insights into the mechanisms and treatment of PSD.
A total of 26 healthy volunteers (Healthy control, HC) and 53 PSD patients were enrolled in this study, then PSD patients were then divided into two groups: PSD hemorrhagic (PSD(H)) group and PSD ischemic (PSD(I)). The fNIRS technique was used to collect the swallowing task state data. Brain regions closely related to swallowing function were selected as regions of interest (ROI). The strength of brain network functional connectivity and the degree of brain area activation in the swallowing task were analysed in each group, and correlation analyses and ROC curve analyses were performed with clinical assessment indicators.
The PSD group showed a significant reduction (p<0.05) in brain network functional connectivity strength in swallowing-related brain regions compared to the HC group, and there was no significant difference between the PSD(H) and PSD(I) group. On specific channels, the PSD group showed a significant reduction (p<0.05) in brain network functional connectivity strength compared to the HC group. Furthermore, the strength of swallowing-related cortical brain functional connectivity was correlated with swallowing function severity in PSD patients. The critical value of the functional connectivity is expected to be an indicator for assessing whether PSD patients are dependent on tube feeding.
The present study reveals diminished functional connectivity and abnormal activation patterns of brain networks in PSD patients during a swallowing task, providing new evidence for the mechanisms of PSD and potential neuromodulatory targets.
功能近红外光谱技术（fNIRS）作为一种新兴的非侵入性脑成像技术，为研究中风后吞咽困难（PSD）患者的脑功能连接提供了新的视角。
使用fNIRS技术观察并比较健康受试者和PSD患者在吞咽任务执行过程中脑网络功能连接和激活的差异，为PSD的机制和治疗提供新的见解。
本研究共纳入26名健康志愿者（健康对照组，HC）和53名PSD患者，PSD患者再分为两组：PSD出血性（PSD(H)）组和PSD缺血性（PSD(I)）组。采用fNIRS技术收集吞咽任务状态数据。选择与吞咽功能密切相关的脑区作为感兴趣区（ROI）。分析每组在吞咽任务中脑网络功能连接强度和脑区激活程度，并与临床评估指标进行相关性分析和ROC曲线分析。
与HC组相比，PSD组吞咽相关脑区的脑网络功能连接强度显著降低（p<0.05），PSD(H)组和PSD(I)组之间无显著差异。在特定通道上，与HC组相比，PSD组的脑网络功能连接强度显著降低（p<0.05）。此外，PSD患者吞咽相关皮质脑功能连接强度与吞咽功能严重程度相关。功能连接的临界值有望成为评估PSD患者是否依赖鼻饲的指标。
本研究揭示了PSD患者在吞咽任务期间脑网络功能连接减弱和激活模式异常，为PSD的机制和潜在神经调节靶点提供了新的证据。
