AUTHOR=Yan Jueyue , Wang Yu , Miao Hanpei , Kwapong William Robert , Lu Yi , Ma Qingkai , Chen Wei , Tu Yunhai , Liu Xiaozheng 

TITLE=Alterations in the Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity in Aquaporin-4 Antibody-Positive Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2019

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.01362

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2019.01362

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=Purpose: to investigate the mechanisms underlying the gray matter volume (GMV) and functional connectivity (FC) changes in aquaporin-4 antibody positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients.

Methods: this cross-sectional study consisted of 21 patients with aquaporin-4 antibody positive NMOSD and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging and testing each individual’s visual acuity was done. 

Results: NMOSD patients showed significantly reduced GMV in the left calcarine, left thalamus and right lingual gyrus of the NMOSD patients when compared to HC (P<0.05). NMOSD patients showed significantly decreased FC values (P<0.05) in both the left and right calcarine, right lingual gyrus and left thalamus respectively when compared to HC. We also observed a positive correlation between the FC values of the left thalamus, bilateral calcarine gyrus and the visual acuity respectively (P<0.05). Furthermore, a negative association was seen between the duration of the disease, frequency of optic neuritis and the FC values in the lingual gyrus, bilateral calcarine gyrus and right lingual gyrus respectively (P<0.05).

Conclusions: reduced visual acuity and frequency of optic neuritis is associated with alterations in the GMV and FC in NMOSD. Our current study provides imaging evidence on the impairment involved in NMOSD sheds light on pathophysiological responses of optic neuritis attack on the brain especially on the visual network.