Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity in the salience network of adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome
Published in PLOS ONE, 2016
Neural network investigations have been largely absent in adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This study examined whether core intrinsic connectivity networks are altered in adolescent CFS patients using resting-state fMRI. Eighteen adolescent patients with CFS and 18 age-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state fMRI. Data were analysed with dual-regression independent components analysis to identify the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SN), and central executive network (CEN), and associations with CFS symptom severity were explored.
Adolescent CFS patients showed a significant decrease in SN functional connectivity to the right posterior insula compared to controls, and this reduction was correlated with fatigue symptoms. An association between pain intensity and SN connectivity to the left middle insula and caudate also differed between groups. These findings of insula dysfunction and their correlation with fatigue severity and pain intensity suggest that salience network aberrations may play a role in CFS pathophysiology in adolescents.
Contributions: Assisted in analysis, scripting, and manuscript revision.
Recommended citation: Wortinger, L. A., Endestad, T., Melinder, A. M. D., Øie, M. G., Nilsen, A. S., & Wyller, V. B. (2016). Aberrant resting-state functional connectivity in the salience network of adolescent chronic fatigue syndrome. PLOS ONE, 11(7), e0159351.
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