Age-Related Difference in Functional Brain Connectivity of Mastication.
Age-Related Difference in Functional Brain Connectivity of Mastication.
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DOI：
10.3389/fnagi.2017.00082
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发表时间：
2017
影响因子：
4.8
通讯作者：
Lo WL
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Lin CS;Wu CY;Wu SY;Lin HH;Cheng DH;Lo WL
与年龄相关的运动功能下降与内在大脑特征的变化有关。在这里，我们研究了与咀嚼性能相关的功能连接（FC），这是评估一般咀嚼功能的临床指标。招募了 26 名老年人 (OA) 和 26 名年轻 (YA) 健康成年人，并使用咀嚼性能指数 (MPI) 和静息态功能磁共振成像 (rs-fMRI) 进行评估。我们分析了与咀嚼相关的rs-fMRI FC网络，该网络是根据文献基于12个双侧咀嚼相关脑区构建的。对于 OA 和 YA 组，我们确定了与咀嚼相关的中枢，即程度中心性 (DC) 与 MPI 正相关的节点。对于每对节点，我们确定了 FC 与 MPI 正相关的节点间链路。网络分析显示，在YA组中，感觉运动皮层、丘脑（THA）和小脑之间的FC与MPI呈正相关。一致地，小脑节点被定义为与咀嚼相关的中枢。相比之下，在 OA 组中，我们发现感觉运动区域和小脑内的连接较稀疏，而分布区域之间的连接较密集，包括上顶叶 (SPL)、前岛叶 (aINS) 和背侧前扣带皮层 (dACC) 之间的 FC。与YA组相比，OA组的网络还包含更多的咀嚼相关中枢，这些中枢在空间上分布在感觉运动区之外，包括右侧SPL、右侧aINS和双侧dACC。总的来说，研究结果支持这样的假设：在 OA 中，较高的咀嚼能力与广泛的咀嚼相关中枢模式相关。与 MPI 相关的多个大脑区域的广泛参与可能反映了对感觉运动整合、注意力控制和 OA 监测以保持良好咀嚼的需求的增加。
The age-related decline in motor function is associated with changes in intrinsic brain signatures. Here, we investigated the functional connectivity (FC) associated with masticatory performance, a clinical index evaluating general masticatory function. Twenty-six older adults (OA) and 26 younger (YA) healthy adults were recruited and assessed using the masticatory performance index (MPI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We analyzed the rs-fMRI FC network related to mastication, which was constructed based on 12 bilateral mastication-related brain regions according to the literature. For the OA and the YA group, we identified the mastication-related hubs, i.e., the nodes for which the degree centrality (DC) was positively correlated with the MPI. For each pair of nodes, we identified the inter-nodal link for which the FC was positively correlated with the MPI. The network analysis revealed that, in the YA group, the FC between the sensorimotor cortex, the thalamus (THA) and the cerebellum was positively correlated with the MPI. Consistently, the cerebellum nodes were defined as the mastication-related hubs. In contrast, in the OA group, we found a sparser connection within the sensorimotor regions and cerebellum and a denser connection across distributed regions, including the FC between the superior parietal lobe (SPL), the anterior insula (aINS) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Compared to the YA group, the network of the OA group also comprised more mastication-related hubs, which were spatially distributed outside the sensorimotor regions, including the right SPL, the right aINS, and the bilateral dACC. In general, the findings supported the hypothesis that in OA, higher masticatory performance is associated with a widespread pattern of mastication-related hubs. Such a widespread engagement of multiple brain regions associated with the MPI may reflect an increased demand in sensorimotor integration, attentional control and monitoring for OA to maintain good mastication.