Cross Validation of Functional Connectivity in EEG and Bold Signals in Normal Population and Patients with Cortical MCA Territory Ischemic Stroke

The current research model for studying stroke is based on the improvement of patients’ behavior and performance. For avoiding limitations and allowing for individualization, a new trend is to assess brain functional connectivity using multiple brain assessment tools. However, the current understanding in patient with stroke still needs more reports regarding the change of neural networks following stroke. Importantly, the pros and cons of good and injured hemispheres potentially impacting ipsilateral and/or contralateral motor cortical areas and their functional connectivity in patients with stroke still remain unclear. Our previous published research has shown electroencephalography (EEG) functional connectivity and its resting-state networks by applying the independent component analysis (ICA) and a series of pipeline EEG analysis in the eyes-open and eyes-closed states of normal young adults. The results are in line with the conclusion of the current resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) and its functional connectivity technology. Meanwhile for the value of clinical application, EEG functional connectivity analysis provides a feasible method and effective research model to realize the differences between healthy subjects and patients with injured brains in the view of brain functional connectivity. Furthermore, Diffusion MRI, tractography and structural connectivity are new methods to estimate the direction of the neural fibers by measuring water diffusion within neural fibers. This non-invasive approach is also a valuable way to characterize the trend of the linked neural pathways in the brain, and a useful method to validate the anatomical structure associated with brain functional connectivity. Therefore, the first year of this project will apply EEG, RS-fMRI and diffusion MRI to normal subjects. To cross-validate the functional connectivity in EEG and fMRI, the correlation analysis will be applied to the changed electrical and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD） signals, in order to provide an effective framework on the patients with cortical middle cerebral arterial (MCA) territory ischemic stroke for the second year. The results of this projection will contribute to the field of studying the impact of the good and injured cortical motor areas onto brain functional connectivity, and the possibility of accurate prediction of the prognosis after stroke. This project will prove that the clinical improvement of stroke patients on progress significantly related to the improved functional connectivity similar to the connectivity itself in the normal brain, rather than the increased local blood flow of the injured cortex. This research will be the first study to combine and analyze EEG, RS-fMRI and diffusion MRI correlation to explore brain functional connectivity. This is also the first study providing a sound framework to study patients' brain functional connectivity after stroke. This project will also contribute to the field of stroke rehabilitation research and the clinical application of brain functional connectivity.

Project ID:PC10301-0559
External Project ID:NSC102-2314-B182-014-MY2