Regional Homogeneity Changes in Cerebral and Cerebellar Regions Associated With Default-mode Network Following Prolonged Intermittent Theta-burst Stimulation
Year: 2025
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Background The medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), which is a component of the default-mode network, has been shown to play a role in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It has also been discovered that the cerebellum, especially the posterior lobule, exhibited strong connectivity with multiple functional networks, such as default mode and executive control networks. Patients with MDD have also been observed to have aberrant cerebellar-cerebral connectivity. In contrast to conventional seed-based functional connectivity research, studies examining regional connectivity in patients with TRD, such as regional homogeneity (ReHo), receive comparatively less attention. The potential impact of MPFC stimulation by rTMS on regional functional connectivity in the cerebral and cerebellar regions still remains unknown. Methods This sham-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial involved thirty patients who had developed treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and were not responding to antidepressants and standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)/prolonged intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS). The participants were randomly assigned to one of three monotherapy groups (standard iTBS-600 pulses, prolonged iTBS-1800 pulses, or sham coil). The brain stimulation targeting the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) was performed twice daily for three weeks. All participants received pre- and post-treatment resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Results Following treatment, ANOVA showed there were different reho signals in the bilateral cerebellum, precuneus and inferior parietal lobe among three groups. Further analysis revealed that the prolonged iTBS group exhibited a substantially higher reho in the bilateral posterior cerebellar lobules when compared to the sham or standard iTBS group. In contrast, the sham group displayed a higher reho in the precuneus and inferior parietal lobes than the prolonged iTBS group. There was no difference of reho between the sham and standard iTBS groups. Conclusion Prolonged iTBS regulated regional function homogeneity in the cerebral and cerebellar regions associated with DMN, highlighting the aberrant DMN alterations in the pathology of MDD.
Authors: *Chih-Ming Cheng, Cheng-Ta Li, Ya-Mei Bai
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,693
OpenAlex ID: W4407397477