Abnormal intrinsic functional activity in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a resting-state fMRI study

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic data and clinical measures for the cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients and healthy controls

Subject	Cervical spondylosis myelopathy	Healthy controls	P-value
n	33	33	n/a
Age	54.78±8.41	53.52±8.13	0.752
Gender (male/female)	16/17	15/18	0.95
Handedness (right/left)	33/0	33/0	n/a
Laterality of spinal cord compression (right/left/bilateral)	17/12/4	n/a	n/a
Duration of symptoms (months)	37.0±25.1	n/a	n/a
JOA scores	10.53±2.57	17±0	<0.0001
Motor upper	2.03±0.68	4±0	<0.0001
Motor lower	2.56±1.23	4±0	<0.0001
Sensory deficit	3.13±0.93	6±0	<0.0001
Bladder dysfunction	2.80±0.20	3±0	<0.0001
NDI scores	0.345±0.102	0.009±0.001	<0.0001

Abbreviations: JOA, Japanese Orthopaedic Association; NDI, Neck Disability Index.

Figure 1 The scatter plot with duration of symptoms and JOA score of CSM patients. 

Abbreviation: JOA, Japanese Orthopaedic Association.

Table 2 zALFF and zReHo differences between the two groups (P<0.01, cluster-wise FDR corrected)

Brain regions	Brodmann’s Area	Peak MNI coordinates x, y z (mm)	Voxels	Peak T value
zALFF differences
lSFGmed (CSM > HC)	10	−6, 60, 15	22	4.93
zReHo differences
lSMG (CSM > HC)	40	−63, −36, 27	77	4.28

Abbreviations: CSM, cervical spondylotic myelopathy; HC, healthy controls; FDR, false discovery rate; zALFF, Fisher’s z transformation amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; zReHo, Fisher’s z transformation regional homogeneity; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; lSFGmed, left medial superior frontal gyrus; lSMG, left supramarginal gyrus.

Figure 2 zALFF and zReHo differences between the two groups (P<0.01, cluster-wise FDR corrected). Red-yellow spots, CSM>HC.

Abbreviations: zALFF, Fisher’s z transformation amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; zReHo, Fisher’s z transformation regional homogeneity; lSFGmed, left medial superior frontal gyrus; lSMG, left supramarginal gyrus.

Table 3 Functional connectivity differences between the two groups (P<0.01, cluster-wise FDR corrected)

Seed ROI	Brain regions	BA	Peak MNI coordinates x, y z (mm)	Voxels	Peak T value
lSFGmed	lPoCG (CSM > HC)	2/3	−63, −18, 30	76	5.47
	lROL (CSM > HC)	48	−48, −6, 12	41	4.45
	rSFGmed (CSM < HC)	8	6, 27, 48	8	−4.03
lSMG	lCAL (CSM > HC)	18	−9, −81, 15	113	3.45
	lPoCG (CSM > HC)	2/3	−54, −18, 24	92	4.56

Abbreviations: CSM, cervical spondylotic myelopathy; HC, healthy controls; FDR, false discovery rate; zALFF, Fisher’s z transformation amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; zReHo, Fisher’s z transformation regional homogeneity; MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute; lSFGmed, left medial superior frontal gyrus; lSMG, left supramarginal gyrus; lPoCG, left postcentral gyrus.

Figure 3  Functional connectivity differences between the two groups, lSFGmed selected as seed ROI (P<0.01, cluster-wise FDR corrected). Red-yellow spots, CSM>HC; blue spots, CSM<HC.

Abbreviations: lSFGmed, left medial superior frontal gyrus; rSFGmed, right medial superior frontal gyrus; lROL, left rolandic operculum; lPoCG, left postcentral gyrus.

Figure 4 Functional connectivity differences between the two groups, lSMG selected as seed ROI (P<0.01, cluster-wise FDR corrected). Red-yellow spots, CSM>HC.

Abbreviations: FDR, false discovery rate; lSMG, left supramarginal gyrus; lCAL, left calcarine; lPoCG, left postcentral gyrus; CSM, cervical spondylotic myelopathy; HC, healthy controls.

Table 4 Correlation between altered zALFF, zReHo, and functional connectivity with clinical measures in the CSM group

Intrinsic functional changes		JOA scores	NDI scores	Disease duration
zALFF	lSFGmed	−0.198 (0.376)	0.069 (0.752)	0.157 (0.502)
zReHo	lSMG	−0.216 (0.264)	0.143 (0.412)	0.038 (0.846)
Seed-based functional connectivity	lSFGmed–lPoCG	−0.163 (0.343)	0.254 (0.271)	0.276 (0.217)
	lSFGmed–lROL	−0.096 (0.564)	0.169 0.498)	0.047 (0.802)
	lSFGmed– rSFGmed	−0.289 (0.221)	0.037 (0.865)	0.148 0.399)
	lSMG- lCAL	−0.153 (0.387)	0.294 (0.211)	0.161 (0.495)
	lSMG– lPoCG	−0.173 (0.431)	0.131 (0.523)	0.213 (0.319)

Notes: Values in brackets indicate P-values, and values outside brackets indicate correlation coefficients.

Abbreviations: CSM, cervical spondylotic myelopathy; zALFF, Fisher’s z transformation amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; zReHo, Fisher’s z transformation regional homogeneity; JOA, Japanese Orthopaedic Association; NDI, Neck Disability Index; lSFGmed, left medial superior frontal gyrus; rSFGmed, right medial superior frontal gyrus; lSMG, left supramarginal gyrus; lCAL, left calcarine; lROL, left rolandic operculum; lPoCG, left postcentral gyrus.