Yang Mingrui, Chen Guowei, Peng Peng, Tang Cheng, Luo Chaotian, Peng Fei, Kong Rong, Zhu Chunxia, Liang Jiatong
Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, China.
Brain Behav. 2025 Jun;15(6):e70614. doi: 10.1002/brb3.70614.
BACKGROUND: Beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) is a hereditary blood disorder characterized by chronic anemia and hypoxia, which may have profound effects on brain function. This study systematically evaluates alterations in both intra-brain network functional connectivity (FC) and inter-network functional connectivity (FNC) in β-TM patients using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and independent component analysis (ICA), aiming to uncover the potential mechanisms underlying their neurofunctional impairments. METHODS: This study included 72 β-TM patients and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). rs-fMRI was used to collect brain functional data, and ICA was applied to extract 14 resting-state functional networks (RSNs). Differences in FC within networks and FNC between the two groups were further compared to investigate the brain network abnormalities in β-TM patients. RESULTS: In β-TM patients, FC within brain networks was significantly reduced in the anterior default mode network (aDMN), posterior default mode network (pDMN), left frontoparietal network (lFPN), right frontoparietal network (rFPN), ventral attention network (VAN), and executive control network (ECN). In contrast, FC was significantly increased in the dorsal sensorimotor network (dSMN) and posterior visual network (pVN). FNC analysis revealed that β-TM patients exhibited enhanced connectivity between the lFPN and rFPN, as well as between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and VAN. However, connectivity was significantly weakened between the DAN and lFPN, ECN, auditory network (AN), and salience network (SN); as well as between the pVN and dSMN. These findings suggest impairments in cognitive control, attention allocation, and sensory integration, with specific disruptions in the SN that may contribute to the observed dysfunctions. CONCLUSION: Brain network abnormalities in β-TM patients manifest as an alternating pattern of enhanced and weakened connectivity, revealing the profound impact of chronic anemia and hypoxia on cognitive, emotional, and sensory functions.
背景：重型β地中海贫血（β-TM）是一种遗传性血液疾病，其特征为慢性贫血和缺氧，这可能对脑功能产生深远影响。本研究使用静息态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）和独立成分分析（ICA）系统评估β-TM患者脑内网络功能连接（FC）和网络间功能连接（FNC）的改变，旨在揭示其神经功能障碍的潜在机制。 方法：本研究纳入72例β-TM患者和50例年龄及性别匹配的健康对照（HC）。使用rs-fMRI收集脑功能数据，并应用ICA提取14个静息态功能网络（RSN）。进一步比较两组之间网络内FC和FNC的差异，以研究β-TM患者的脑网络异常。 结果：在β-TM患者中，前默认模式网络（aDMN）、后默认模式网络（pDMN）、左侧额顶叶网络（lFPN）、右侧额顶叶网络（rFPN）、腹侧注意网络（VAN）和执行控制网络（ECN）内的FC显著降低。相比之下，背侧感觉运动网络（dSMN）和后视觉网络（pVN）内的FC显著增加。FNC分析显示，β-TM患者在lFPN和rFPN之间以及背侧注意网络（DAN）和VAN之间表现出增强的连接。然而，DAN与lFPN、ECN、听觉网络（AN）和突显网络（SN）之间的连接显著减弱；pVN与dSMN之间的连接也显著减弱。这些发现提示认知控制、注意力分配和感觉整合受损，其中SN的特定破坏可能导致观察到的功能障碍。 结论：β-TM患者的脑网络异常表现为连接增强和减弱的交替模式，揭示了慢性贫血和缺氧对认知、情感和感觉功能的深远影响。
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