Activation of the prefrontal cortex is associated with exertional dyspnea in COPD

慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）患者运动受限的主要症状是呼吸困难。目前尚不清楚哪个激活的脑区与COPD患者的这种症状有关。目的探讨COPD患者运动时呼吸困难相关的皮质区激活。方法COPD患者和年龄匹配的对照者进行10 min的中等强度恒功率循环运动，同时采用近红外光谱（NIRS）检测脑血流动力学和氧合。结果两组运动时前额叶的Oxy-Hb浓度均显著升高，而颞顶区的Oxy-Hb浓度无显著变化。两组患者的呼吸困难评分均与前额区氧合血红蛋白浓度的变化呈正相关。结论COPD患者和对照组呼吸困难与前额叶皮层的激活（氧合）有关。

Background Exertional dyspnea is the primary symptom that limits exercise for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is unknown which activated brain area is associated with this symptom in COPD patients.Objectives To investigate the activation of cortical areas in COPD patients associated with dyspnea during exercise. Methods COPD patients and age-matched controls performed mild intensity constant-work rate cycle exercises for 10 minutes while cerebral hemodynamics and oxygenation were measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results Oxy-Hb concentration was significantly increased in the prefrontal region during exercise in both groups, but not in temporoparietal regions. Dyspnea scores were positively correlated with changes in oxy-Hb concentrations of the prefrontal regions in both groups. Conclusions Exertional dyspnea was related to activation (oxygenation) of the prefrontal cortex in COPD patients and control subjects.