Acupuncture Modulates the Functional Connectivity of the Default Mode Network in Stroke Patients

Abundant evidence from previous fMRI studies on acupuncture has revealed significant modulatory effects at widespread brain regions. However, few reports on the modulation to the default mode network (DMN) of stroke patients have been investigated in the field of acupuncture. To study the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients, eight right hemispheric infarction and stable ischemic stroke patients and ten healthy subjects were recruited to undergo resting state fMRI scanning before and after acupuncture stimulation. Functional connectivity analysis was applied with the bilateral posterior cingulate cortices chosen as the seed regions. The main finding demonstrated that the interregional interactions between the ACC and PCC especially enhanced after acupuncture at GB34 in stroke patients, compared with healthy controls. The results indicated that the possible mechanisms of the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the DMN of stroke patients could be interpreted in terms of cognitive ability and motor function recovery

An Easy-to-Follow Handbook for EEG Data Analysis based on Python

This easy-to-follow handbook offers a straightforward guide to EEG data analysis using Python, aimed at all EEG researchers in cognitive neuroscience and related fields. It covers the journey from single-subject data preprocessing to advanced processing techniques across subjects, with a focus on practical application using Python libraries such as NumPy, MNE-Python, SciPy, NeuroRA, etc. Designed for easy comprehension, our handbook can serve as an essential tool for anyone looking to delve into the field of EEG data analysis with Python

An easy‐to‐follow handbook for electroencephalogram data analysis with Python

Abstract This easy‐to‐follow handbook offers a straightforward guide to electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis using Python, aimed at all EEG researchers in cognitive neuroscience and related fields. It spans from single‐subject data preprocessing to advanced multisubject analyses. This handbook contains four chapters: Preprocessing Single‐Subject Data, Basic Python Data Operations, Multiple‐Subject Analysis, and Advanced EEG Analysis. The Preprocessing Single‐Subject Data chapter provides a standardized procedure for single‐subject EEG data preprocessing, primarily using the MNE‐Python package. The Basic Python Data Operations chapter introduces essential Python operations for EEG data handling, including data reading, storage, and statistical analysis. The Multiple‐Subject Analysis chapter guides readers on performing event‐related potential and time‐frequency analyses and visualizing outcomes through examples from a face perception task dataset. The Advanced EEG Analysis chapter explores three advanced analysis methodologies, Classification‐based decoding, Representational Similarity Analysis, and Inverted Encoding Model, through practical examples from a visual working memory task dataset using NeuroRA and other powerful packages. We designed our handbook for easy comprehension to be an essential tool for anyone delving into EEG data analysis with Python (GitHub website: https://github.com/ZitongLu1996/Python‐EEG‐Handbook; For Chinese version: https://github.com/ZitongLu1996/Python‐EEG‐Handbook‐CN)

Tai Chi postural training for dyskinesia rehabilitation: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in convalescent ischaemic stroke patients

Introduction Acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is not only seriously damaging to the physical and mental health of patients, but also has become a major social public health problem. Effective dyskinesia rehabilitation treatment in convalescence is of great significance for AIS patients’ prognosis and quality of life. Tai Chi (TC) shows great potential in improving motor function. This trial aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified TC postural training (TPT), and to explore the related central-peripheral neurotransmitter mechanisms.Methods/design The proposed study will be a multicentre randomised controlled trial. The trial will randomise 120 eligible AIS patients in a 1:1 ratio to receive TPT or Bobath rehabilitation training. Each training session will last 40 min and will be implemented once a day and five times per week (from Monday to Friday) in a duration of 4 weeks. After finishing the 4-week treatment, another 3-month follow-up period will be seen. Root mean square generated from the surface electromyogram (sEMG) will be the primary outcome. Other sEMG time-domain parameters and frequency-domain parameters and clinical scales assessment will be the secondary outcomes. Peripheral blood samples will be collected at baseline and at the end of 4-week treatment, which will be used to explore the related therapeutic mechanisms. Intention-to-treat analysis and per-protocol analysis will both be implemented in this trial.Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by Ethics Committee of Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, being granted approval numbers DZMEC-KY-2020–22. The research results will be disseminated through (open access) peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences.Trial registration number ChiCTR2000032999

Acupuncture treatment modulates the resting-state functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine patients without aura

Objective To investigate the modulatory effect of acupuncture treatment on the resting-state functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine without aura (MWoA) patients. Methods Twelve MWoA patients were treated with standard acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. All MWoA patients received resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning before and after acupuncture treatment. Another 12 normal subjects matched in age and gender were recruited to serve as healthy controls. The changes of restingstate functional connectivity in MWoA patients before and after the acupuncture treatment and those with the healthy controls were compared. Results Before acupuncture treatment, the MWoA patients had significantly decreased functional connectivity in certain brain regions within the frontal and temporal lobe when compared with the healthy controls. After acupuncture treatment, brain regions showing decreased functional connectivity revealed significant reduction in MWoA patients compared with before acupuncture treatment. Conclusions Acupuncture treatment could increase the functional connectivity of brain regions in the intrinsic decreased brain networks in MWoA patients. The results provided further insights into the interpretation of neural mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for migraine

How the Connectivity of Methoxy Substituents Influences the Photovoltaic Properties of Dissymmetric Core Materials: A Theoretical Study on FDT

There are a few reports that the optoelectronic properties of the methoxyaniline-based hole-transporting materials are intimately correlated with the positions of −OMe substituents. To dig into this phenomenon deeply, we theoretically design five new hole-transporting materials (HTMs) based on 2′,7′-bis­(bis­(4-methoxyphenyl)­amino)­spiro­[cyclopenta­[2,1-<i>b</i>:3,4-<i>b</i>′]­dithiophene-4,9′-fluorene] (FDT) through altering the positions of −OMe substituents. Then, the electronic structures, optical properties, and hole-transporting properties are investigated at the molecular level via density functional theory and Marcus theory coupled to Einstein relation. The calculated results reveal that the derivatives with <i>o</i>-OMe or <i>m</i>-OMe substituent exhibit lower HOMO levels, favoring higher open-circuit voltages. Most importantly, benefitting from greater order and compact intermolecular stacking, the derivatives with <i>o</i>-OMe substituents (F1, F3) as HTMs exhibit relatively decent hole mobilities (F1: 6.29 × 10^–2 cm² V^–1 s^–1; F3: 2.49 × 10^–3 cm² V^–1 s^–1), which are two or three orders of magnitude higher than that of FDT. Quantum chemistry calculation and crystal packing arrangement simulation indicate that −OMe substituents at different positions show disparate orientations and thus affect the molecular stacking. Our work reiterates the importance of molecular configuration for the materials properties and provides those who are engaged in upgrading the performances of hole-transporting materials a new train of thought and tactics with ease and economy

Acupuncture Alters Brain’s Dynamic Functional Network Connectivity in Stroke Patients with Motor Dysfunction: A Randomised Controlled Neuroimaging Trial

Objectives. Neuroimaging studies have confirmed that acupuncture can promote static functional reorganization in poststroke patients with motor dysfunction. But its effect on dynamic brain networks remains unclear. This study is aimed at investigating how acupuncture affected the brain’s dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) after ischemic stroke. Methods. We conducted a single-center, randomised controlled neuroimaging study in ischemic stroke patients. A total of 53 patients were randomly divided into the true acupoint treatment group (TATG) and the sham acupoint treatment group (SATG) at a ratio of 2 : 1. Clinical assessments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed on subjects before and after treatment. We used dFNC analysis to estimate distinct dynamic connectivity states. Then, the temporal properties and strength of functional connectivity (FC) matrix were compared within and between the two groups. The correlation analysis between dynamic characteristics and clinical scales was also calculated. Results. All functional network connectivity (FNC) matrices were clustered into 3 connectivity states. After treatment, the TATG group showed a reduced mean dwell time and found attenuated FC between the sensorimotor network (SMN) and the frontoparietal network (FPN) in state 3, which was a sparsely connected state. The FC between the dorsal attention network (DAN) and the default mode network (DMN) was higher after treatment in the TATG group in state 1, which was a relative segregated state. The SATG group preferred to increase the mean dwell time and FC within FPN in state 2, which displayed a local tightly connected state. In addition, we found that the FC value increased between DAN and right frontoparietal network (RFPN) in state 1 in the TATG group after treatment compared to the SATG group. Correlation analyses before treatment showed that the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) lower score was negatively correlated with the mean dwell time in state 3. FMA score showed positive correlation with FC in RFPN-SMN in state 3. FMA-lower score was positively correlated with FC in DAN-DMN and DAN-RFPN in state 1. Conclusions. Acupuncture has the potential to modulate abnormal temporal properties and promote the balance of separation and integration of brain function. True acupoint stimulation may have a more positive effect on regulating the brain’s dynamic function. Clinical Trial Registration. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR1800016263)

Acupuncture Enhances Communication between Cortices with Damaged White Matters in Poststroke Motor Impairment

Stroke is a leading cause of motor disability. Acupuncture is an effective therapeutic strategy for poststroke motor impairment. However, its mechanism is still elusive. Twenty-two stroke patients having a right-hemispheric subcortical infarct and 22 matched healthy controls were recruited to undergo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. The resting-state fMRI was implemented before and after needling at GB34 (Yanglingquan). The stroke patients presented a substantially reduced fractional anisotropy value in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), corticospinal tract, and corpus callosum. The structural integrity of the frontoparietal part of the SLF (SLF-FP) correlated with the motor scores of lower limbs in stroke patients. This corticocortical association bundle originated from the premotor cortex (PM) and the adjacent supplementary motor area (SMA), known as secondary motor areas, and terminated in the supramarginal gyrus (SMG). After acupuncture intervention, the corresponding functional connectivity between the PM/SMA and SMG was enhanced in stroke patients compared with healthy controls. These findings suggested that the integrity of the SLF is a potential neuroimaging biomarker for motor disability of lower limbs following a stroke. Acupuncture could increase the communication between the cortices connected by the impaired white matter tracts, implying the neural mechanism underlying the acupuncture intervention

Functional and structural brain reorganization in patients with ischemic stroke: a multimodality MRI fusion study

Understanding how structural and functional reorganization occurs is crucial for stroke diagnosis and prognosis. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies focused on the analyses of a single modality and demonstrated abnormalities in both lesion regions and their associated distal regions. However, the relationships of multimodality alterations and their associations with poststroke motor deficits are still unclear. In this study, 71 hemiplegia patients and 41 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited and underwent MRI examination at baseline and at 2-week follow-up sessions. A multimodal fusion approach (multimodal canonical correlation analysis + joint independent component analysis), with amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and gray matter volume (GMV) as features, was used to extract the co-altered patterns of brain structure and function. Then compared the changes in patients&#39; brain structure and function between baseline and follow-up sessions. Compared with HCs, the brain structure and function of stroke patients decreased synchronously in the local lesions and their associated distal regions. Damage to structure and function in the local lesion regions was associated with motor function. After 2 weeks, ALFF in the local lesion regions was increased, while GMV did not improve. Taken together, the brain structure and function in the local lesions and their associated distal regions were damaged synchronously after ischemic stroke, while during motor recovery, the 2 modalities were changed separately.</p

Acupuncture Modulates Disrupted Whole-Brain Network after Ischemic Stroke: Evidence Based on Graph Theory Analysis

Background. Stroke can lead to disruption of the whole-brain network in patients. Acupuncture can modulate the functional network on a large-scale level in healthy individuals. However, whether and how acupuncture can make a potential impact on the disrupted whole-brain network after ischemic stroke remains elusive. Methods. 26 stroke patients with a right hemispheric subcortical infarct were recruited. We gathered the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from patients with stroke and healthy controls in the resting state and after acupuncture intervention, to investigate the instant alterations of the large-scale functional networks. The graph theory analysis was applied using the GRETNA and SPM12 software to construct the whole-brain network and yield the small-world parameters and network efficiency. Results. Compared with the healthy subjects, the stroke patients had a decreased normalized small-worldness (σ), global efficiency (Eg), and the mean local efficiency (Eloc) of the whole-brain network in the resting state. There was a correlation between the duration after stroke onset and Eloc. Acupuncture improved the patients’ clustering coefficient (Cp) and Eloc but did not make a significant impact on the σ and Eg. The postacupuncture variables of the whole-brain network had no association with the time of onset. Conclusion. The poststroke whole-brain network tended to a random network with reduced network efficiency. Acupuncture was able to modulate the disrupted patterns of the whole-brain network following the subcortical ischemic stroke. Our findings shed light on the potential mechanisms of the functional reorganization on poststroke brain networks involving acupuncture intervention from a large-scale perspective