Abnormal resting-state brain activity and connectivity of brain-bladder control network in overactive bladder syndrome

Abstract

Background Neuroimaging studies have shown that the brain is involved in the mechanism of overactive bladder disease (OAB). Purpose To explorer spatial patterns of spontaneous neural activities and functional integration in patients with OAB. Material and Methods In total, 28 patients with OAB and 28 matched healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and completed questionnaires to assess clinical symptoms. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and ROI-based functional connectivity (FC) within the brain-bladder control network (BBCN) were calculated and compared between the two groups using a two-sample t-test. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between ALFF and the clinical score of patients with OAB. Results Compared with HCs, patients with OAB exhibited significantly decreased ALFF in the left superior medial middle gyrus (SFGmed) and superior dorsal frontal gyrus (SFGdor), and increased ALFF in the right hippocampus. Furthermore, ALFF values in the left SFGmed were negatively correlated with OABSS scores. FC in patients with OAB was significantly increased between the bilateral caudate nucleus (CAU) and bilateral SFGdor, the bilateral CAU and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), the bilateral thalamus and SMA; the left CAU and bilateral SFGmed, the left CAU and bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus, and the left CAU and left insula. Additionally, decreased FC was found between the bilateral amygdala and bilateral SFGmed and the left SMA and left insula. Conclusion These abnormal activities and connectivities of BBCN may indicate impaired cortical control of micturition in OAB, suggesting a possible neural mechanism of OAB.