基于多模态磁共振影像的早期特发性面神经麻痹感觉运动环路神经机制研究

特发性面神经麻痹是以突发性单侧面神经受损引起的面部感觉运动功能障碍性疾病，常导致周围性面瘫，早期客观量化评估面神经损伤严重程度是其难点。课题组前期通过分析早期面神经麻痹患者静息态脑功能图像的局部和网络特性，发现感觉运动环路关键脑区功能活动强度与临床严重程度相关，但具体机制不明。本项目创新性采用液态金属栓塞剂，选择性栓塞大鼠颈外动脉分支建立缺血性面神经麻痹大鼠模型；对模型和面神经麻痹患者进行高分辨磁共振结构、扩散、功能和动脉自旋标记成像；采用先进的多维度个体化数据分析方法，识别感觉运动神经环路的关键脑区，研究不同程度面神经麻痹感觉运动环路相关脑区的功能、结构和血流改变，探索面神经损伤相关感觉运动环路神经机制，获取不同程度面神经麻痹敏感的神经影像标志物，构建早期面神经损伤程度的预测模型。项目的开展有助于探索面神经麻痹感觉运动环路的神经机制，为客观量化评估早期面神经损伤程度提供神经影像学依据。

Idiopathic facial palsy, also named Bell’s Palsy, refers to a disorder of facial sensorimotor dysfunction caused by unilateral facial nerve damage, leading to peripheral facial paralysis. It is difficult to estimate the severity of early facial nerve injury objectively and quantitatively. By analyzing the local and whole network characteristics of resting-state fMRI in patients with early facial palsy, our research team found that the functional activity intensity of key brain areas in the sensorimotor circuit was associated with the disease severity. However, the mechanism is still unclear. In the current study, a rat model of ischemic facial palsy was established by selective embolization of external carotid artery branches with liquid metal embolization agent in rats. Magnetic resonance imaging of structural, diffusion, functional, and arterial spin labeling were performed on rat models and patients with facial palsy. Advanced data analysis methods were used to identify the key brain areas of the sensorimotor circuit, to study the changes of function, structure and blood flow in brain regions related to sensorimotor circuit, to explore the mechanism of the sensorimotor circuit associated with facial nerve injury, to obtain neuroimaging markers which are sensitive to different degrees of facial palsy, and to established the prediction model of early facial nerve injury. In brief, this project contributes to explore the mechanism of sensorimotor circuit in facial palsy, and to provide neuroimaging evidence to evaluate degrees of early facial nerve injury objectively and quantitatively.