Brain alterations in low-frequency fluctuations across multiple bands in obsessive compulsive disorder

Author(s):Show less -

Gimenez, Monica ^{[1, 2]} ; Guinea-Izquierdo, Andres ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Villalta-Gil, Victoria ^{[4, 5]} ; Martinez-Zalacain, Ignacio ^[1] ; Segalas, Cinto ^{[1, 2]} ; Subira, Marta ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Real, Eva ^{[1, 2]} ; Pujol, Jesus ^{[2, 6]} ; Harrison, Ben J. ^[7] ; Maria Haro, Josep ^{[2, 4]} ; Sato, Joao R. ^[8] ; Hoexter, Marcelo Q. ^{[9, 10]} ; Cardoner, Narcis ^{[11, 12]} ; Alonso, Pino ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Manuel Menchon, Jose ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Soriano-Mas, Carles ^{[1, 2, 13]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Bellvitge Univ Hosp, Bellvitge Biomed Res Inst IDIBELL, Dept Psychiat, Feixa Llarga S-N, Barcelona 08907 - Spain

^[2] Ctr Invest Biomed Red Salud Mental CIBERSAM, Carlos Hlth Inst 3, Barcelona - Spain

^[3] Univ Barcelona, Sch Med, Dept Clin Sci, Barcelona 08907 - Spain

^[4] Univ Barcelona, Res Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, Fundacio Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona 08950 - Spain

^[5] Vanderbilt Univ, Dept Psychol, Affect Neurosci Lab, Nashville, TN 37240 - USA

^[6] Hosp del Mar, Dept Radiol, MRI Res Unit, Barcelona 08003 - Spain

^[7] Univ Melbourne, Dept Psychiat, Melbourne Neuropsychiat Ctr, Melbourne, Vic 3010 - Australia

^[8] Univ Fed ABC, Ctr Math Computat & Cognit, BR-5001 Santo Andre - Brazil

^[9] Univ Sao Paulo, Med Sch, Dept Psychiat, BR-05403903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[10] Univ Sao Paulo, Med Sch, Inst Psychiat, BR-05403903 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[11] Hosp Univ, Dept Mental Hlth, Depress & Anxiety Program, Parc Tauli Sabadell, Barcelona 08208 - Spain

^[12] Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Psychiat & Legal Med, E-08193 Barcelona - Spain

^[13] Univ Autonoma Barcelona, Dept Psychobiol & Methodol Hlth Sci, E-08193 Barcelona - Spain

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BRAIN IMAGING AND BEHAVIOR; v. 11, n. 6, p. 1690-1706, DEC 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

The extent of functional abnormalities in frontal-subcortical circuits in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is still unclear. Although neuroimaging studies, in general, and resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI), in particular, have provided relevant information regarding such alterations, rs-fMRI studies have been typically limited to the analysis of between-region functional connectivity alterations at low-frequency signal fluctuations (i.e., < 0.08 Hz). Conversely, the local attributes of Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal across different frequency bands have been seldom studied, although they may provide valuable information. Here, we evaluated local alterations in low-frequency fluctuations across different oscillation bands in OCD. Sixty-five OCD patients and 50 healthy controls underwent an rs-fMRI assessment. Alterations in the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) were evaluated, voxel-wise, across four different bands (from 0.01 Hz to 0.25 Hz). OCD patients showed decreased fALFF values in medial orbitofrontal regions and increased fALFF values in the dorsal-medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) at frequency bands < 0.08 Hz. This pattern was reversed at higher frequencies, where increased fALFF values also appeared in medial temporal lobe structures and medial thalamus. Clinical variables (i.e., symptom-specific severities) were associated with fALFF values across the different frequency bands. Our findings provide novel evidence about the nature and regional distribution of functional alterations in OCD, which should contribute to refine neurobiological models of the disorder. We suggest that the evaluation of the local attributes of BOLD signal across different frequency bands may be a sensitive approach to further characterize brain functional alterations in psychiatric disorders. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/10498-6 - Machine learning in neuroimaging: development of methods and clinical applications in psychiatric disorders
• Grantee: João Ricardo Sato
• Support type: Regular Research Grants