颈动脉易损斑块患者脑静息态fMRI及TNFSF4基因的影像遗传学研究

颈动脉粥样硬化斑块易损性，是猝发脑梗死最重要的原因之一。脑内存在调节动脉粥样硬化发生发展的重要结构，但迄今国内外尚无针对颈动脉易损斑块患者的神经元活动成像及影像遗传学研究。本研究拟在前期研究基础上，结合脑静息态功能磁共振成像（rs-fMRI）和肿瘤坏死因子超家族4基因(TNFSF4)多态性，以杏仁体背侧核和下丘脑内侧基底核为种子点，探讨无症状颈动脉粥样硬化易损斑块的脑rs-fMRI的影像学特征及TNFSF4基因多态性对患者脑功能改变的影响，探索影像基因表征对颈动脉粥样硬化易损斑块患者发生脑梗死的预警意义，为脑梗死的防治提供新的思路。

Abstract: Carotid atherosclerotic plaque is one of the most important risk factors for cerebral infarction (CI), but plaque-related brain neuronal activity and imaging genetics remain to be elucidated. To investigate the imaging features of plaque-related neuronal activity and the imaging effects of plaque-related genes, based on our previous studies, in this project we will combine brain resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), using dorsal amygdala nucleus and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus as seed points, with tumor necrosis factor superfamily 4 gene (TNFSF4) polymorphism to characterize the features of brain rs-fMRI in patients with asymptomatic carotid vulnerable plaques. We will also evaluate the predict value of imaging genetics for CI by follow-up our patients. The results would provide a novel promising method for CI prevention.