Data from: Abnormal thalamo-cortical network dynamics in migraine

Objective: To investigate the dynamic functional connectivity of
thalamo-cortical networks in interictal migraine patients and whether
clinical features are associated with abnormal connectivity. Methods: We
investigated dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) of the
migraine brain in 89 interictal migraine patients and 70 healthy controls.
We focused on the temporal properties of thalamocortical connectivity
using sliding window cross-correlation, clustering state analysis, and
graph-theory methods. Relationships between clinical symptoms and abnormal
dFNC were evaluated using a multivariate linear regression model. Results:
Five dFNC brain states were identified to characterize and compare dynamic
functional connectivity patterns. We demonstrated that migraineurs spent
more time in a strongly interconnected between-network state, but they
spent less time in a sparsely-connected state. Interestingly, we found
that abnormal posterior thalamus (pulvinar nucleus) dFNC with the visual
cortex and the precuneus were significantly correlated with headache
frequency of migraine. Further topological measures revealed migraineurs
had significantly lower efficiency of information transfer in both global
and local dFNC. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated a transient
pathological state with atypical thalamo-cortical connectivity in
migraineurs and extended current findings regarding abnormal
thalamo-cortical networks and dysrhythmia in migraine.

研究目的：探究发作间期偏头痛患者丘脑皮层网络的动态功能连接特性，以及临床特征是否与异常连接存在关联。方法：本研究纳入89名发作间期偏头痛患者与70名健康对照者，对偏头痛患者大脑的动态功能网络连接（dynamic functional network connectivity, dFNC）展开分析。我们采用滑动窗口互相关、聚类状态分析以及图论方法，聚焦于丘脑皮层连接的时间属性。通过多元线性回归模型，评估临床症状与异常动态功能网络连接之间的相关性。结果：本研究共识别出5种动态功能连接脑状态，用于表征并对比动态功能连接模式。结果显示，偏头痛患者在脑网络强互联状态下的停留时长更长，而在稀疏连接状态下的停留时长更短。值得注意的是，后丘脑（pulvinar nucleus, 丘脑枕核）与视觉皮层、楔前叶的异常动态功能连接，与偏头痛的头痛频率显著相关。进一步的拓扑学分析表明，偏头痛患者在全局与局部动态功能网络连接中的信息传递效率均显著降低。结论：本研究结果证实了偏头痛患者存在伴随非典型丘脑皮层连接的短暂病理状态，拓展了当前关于偏头痛中异常丘脑皮层网络与节律紊乱的研究发现。