Topological Organization of Metabolic Brain Networks in Pre-Chemotherapy Cancer with Depression: A Resting-State PET Study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the metabolic brain network and its relationship with depression symptoms using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography data in 78 pre-chemotherapy cancer patients with depression and 80 matched healthy subjects. Functional and structural imbalance or disruption of brain networks frequently occur following chemotherapy in cancer patients. However, few studies have focused on the topological organization of the metabolic brain network in cancer with depression, especially those without chemotherapy. The nodal and global parameters of the metabolic brain network were computed for cancer patients and healthy subjects. Significant decreases in metabolism were found in the frontal and temporal gyri in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. Negative correlations between depression and metabolism were found predominantly in the inferior frontal and cuneus regions, whereas positive correlations were observed in several regions, primarily including the insula, hippocampus, amygdala, and middle temporal gyri. Furthermore, a higher clustering efficiency, longer path length, and fewer hubs were found in cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. The topological organization of the whole-brain metabolic networks may be disrupted in cancer. Finally, the present findings may provide a new avenue for exploring the neurobiological mechanism, which plays a key role in lessening the depression effects in pre-chemotherapy cancer patients.

Connectome analysis of brain functional network alterations in breast cancer survivors with and without chemotherapy

“…Moreover, the anterior caudate is particularly associated with unstructured memory deficits in people with depression; this findings indicated that the caudate is critical in learning and forming memory [34]. Moreover, the bilateral caudate reduces glucose metabolism in prechemotherapy patients with depression, as noted under fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography which is similar to our multiple regression result as well [35].…”

Depression comorbidity in epileptic rats is related to brain glucose hypometabolism and hypersynchronicity in the metabolic network architecture

“…A study using a mouse model of depression showed more localized and decreased global connectivity by using EEG . In the study by Fang and colleagues, they observed positive correlations in different regions, mainly implicating the insula, hippocampus, amygdala, and temporal gyrus . Another study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed a higher functional connectivity between the cingulate cortex and thalamus in individuals with depression .…”

“…Correlations of the other brain regions analyzed are described in Table S9 and illustrated in Figure S3 hippocampus, amygdala, and temporal gyrus. 36 Another study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed a higher functional connectivity between the cingulate cortex and thalamus in individuals with depression. 37 Our findings indicate that depression in chronic epilepsy is not associated with glucose hypometabolism restricted to these brain regions.…”

Neonatal brain resting-state functional connectivity imaging modalities

“…Resting-state PET has been widely used for diagnosis of many cerebral diseases in adults [ [133] , [134] , [135] ]. Only a few pediatric and even fewer neonatal PET studies have been presented to date [ [136] , [137] , [138] ].…”