Intra brainstem connectivity is impaired in chronic fatigue syndrome

Leighton R Barnden; Zack Y Shan; Donald R Staines; Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik; Kevin Finegan; Timothy Ireland; Sandeep Bhuta

doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102045

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Intra brainstem connectivity is impaired in chronic fatigue syndrome

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Intra brainstem connectivity is impaired in chronic fatigue syndrome

Leighton R Barnden, Zack Y Shan, Donald R Staines, Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, Kevin Finegan, Timothy Ireland and Sandeep Bhuta

NeuroImage: Clinical, Vol.24, 102045

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102045

Appears in Thompson Institute Research Collection

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Abstract

chronic fatigue syndrome

Me/cfs

brainstem

connectivity

Ras

cuneiform nucleus

rostral medulla

coherent

Chronic fatigue syndrome

Neuroimaging

Thompson Institute Special Collection

In myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), abnormal MRI correlations with symptom severity and autonomic measures have suggested impaired nerve signal conduction within the brainstem. Here we analyse fMRI correlations to directly test connectivity within and from the brainstem. Resting and task functional MRI (fMRI) were acquired for 45 ME/CFS (Fukuda criteria) and 27 healthy controls (HC). We selected limited brainstem reticular activation system (RAS) regions-of-interest (ROIs) based on previous structural MRI findings in a different ME/CFS cohort (bilateral rostral medulla and midbrain cuneiform nucleus), the dorsal Raphe nucleus, and two subcortical ROIs (hippocampus subiculum and thalamus intralaminar nucleus) reported to have rich brainstem connections. When HC and ME/CFS were analysed separately, significant correlations were detected for both groups during both rest and task, with stronger correlations during task than rest. In ME/CFS, connections were absent between medulla and midbrain nuclei, although hippocampal connections with these nuclei were enhanced. When corresponding correlations from HC and ME/CFS were compared, ME/CFS connectivity deficits were detected within the brainstem between the medulla and cuneiform nucleus and between the brainstem and hippocampus and intralaminar thalamus, but only during task. In CFS/ME, weaker connectivity between some RAS nuclei was associated with increased symptom severity. RAS neuron oscillatory signals facilitate coherence in thalamo-cortical oscillations. Brainstem RAS connectivity deficits can explain autonomic changes and diminish cortical oscillatory coherence which can impair attention, memory, cognitive function, sleep quality and muscle tone, all symptoms of ME/CFS.

Details

Title: Intra brainstem connectivity is impaired in chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Leighton R Barnden (Author) - Griffith University
Zack Y Shan (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Donald R Staines (Author) - Griffith University
Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik (Author) - Griffith University
Kevin Finegan (Author) - Gold Coast University Hospital
Timothy Ireland (Author) - Gold Coast University Hospital
Sandeep Bhuta (Author) - Gold Coast University Hospital
Publication details: NeuroImage: Clinical, Vol.24, 102045
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.102045
ISSN: 2213-1582
Organisation Unit: Thompson Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450907402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Neuroimaging

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