Coupling of brain activity and structural network in multiple sclerosis: A graph frequency analysis study

Abstract

The brain activities and the underlying wiring diagrams are vulnerable in multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, it remains unknown whether the complex coupling between these functional and structural brain properties would be affected. To address this issue, we adopted graph frequency analysis to quantify the high‐order structural‐functional interactions based on a combination of brain diffusion and functional MRI data. The structural‐functional decoupling index was proposed to measure how much brain regional functional activity with different graph frequency was organized atop the underlying wiring diagram in MS. The identified patterns in MS included (1) disruption of inherent structural‐functional coupling in the somatomotor network (β = 0.05, p = 0.03), and (2) excessive decrease of decoupling in the subcortical (β = −0.10, p = 0.02), visual (β = −0.04, p = 0.01), and dorsal attention networks (β = −0.12, p = 0.03). Besides, this structural‐functional coupling signature in the somatomotor network was associated with cognitive worsening of MS patients (β = −24.31, p = 0.006). Overall, our study unveiled a unique signature of brain structural‐functional reorganization in MS.

Effects of computerized cognitive training on structure‒function coupling and topology of multiple brain networks in people with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial

“…In particular, the disruption of the DMN network’s connections can result in the decoupling phenomenon associated with cognitive decline [ 49 , 50 ]. Reductions in SC and FC in the SOM network in MCI patients were associated with decreased cognitive control function [ 4 , 51 ] and deterioration of working memory, attention, and arithmetic skills [ 52 ]. Other studies revealed that cognitively impaired individuals showed abnormalities in the VIS network [ 53 – 55 ].…”

Decomposing cortical activity through neuronal tracing connectome-eigenmodes in marmosets

“…Additionally, the structural-decoupling index is proposed to quantify the regional coupling strength between structure and function 12 , revealing a meaningful sensorimotor-to-association gradient 23 , 24 across the neocortex in humans. The structure-function coupling based on GSP has promising directions in task decoding 25 , individual fingerprinting 25 , and brain dysfunction 26 – 28 . However, given the inherent limitations of dMRI tractography in examining anatomical connections 29 , 30 , the degree to which structural connectivity constrains functional activity remains largely uncharted.…”

Decoding Cortical Activity through Neuronal Tracing Connectome-Harmonics in Marmosets

“…Additionally, the structural-decoupling index was proposed to quantify the regional coupling strength between structure and function 15 , revealing a meaningful 'sensory-fugal' gradient 24,25 across the neocortex in humans. The structure-function coupling based on GSP has promising directions in task decoding, individual fingerprinting 19 , and brain dysfunction [26][27][28] . However, given the inherent limitations of dMRI tractography in examining anatomical connections 29,30 , the degree to which structural connectivity constrains functional activity remains largely uncharted.…”