Resting state brain network functional connectivity is not associated with inflammatory markers and blood cell counts in older adults

Item Type:	Article
Title:	Resting state brain network functional connectivity is not associated with inflammatory markers and blood cell counts in older adults
Creators Name:	Lichtner, G. and Zacharias, N. and Spies, C.D. and Feinkohl, I. and Winterer, G. and Pischon, T. and von Dincklage, F.
Abstract:	OBJECTIVE: Systemic inflammation and monocyte counts have previously been associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) in cross-sectional neuroimaging studies. We therefore investigated this association in a longitudinal study of older patients. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from older patients who underwent functional magnet resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and 3 months after elective surgery. Additionally, serum levels of C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6 as markers of inflammation and leukocyte, lymphocyte and monocyte counts were determined. Correlations between these markers and pre- or postoperative rsFC between regions previously associated with inflammatory markers were investigated using general linear regression models. RESULTS: We found no significant correlations between inflammatory markers or blood cell counts and mean connectivity within four resting state networks (RSNs), neither preoperatively nor postoperatively. Significant inter-region rsFC was found within these RSNs between a few regions either pre- or postoperatively, but no inter-region connections were consistently observed in both pre- and postoperative fMRI scans. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory markers and monocyte counts were not associated with rsFC in our study, contrasting previous results. SIGNIFICANCE: Multiple measurements in the same individuals, as performed here, provide a way to reduce the high risk of false positive results in fMRI studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT02265263).
Keywords:	Resting State fMRI, Functional Connectivity, Inflammation, Blood Cell Counts, Older Adults
Source:	Clinical Neurophysiology
ISSN:	1388-2457
Publisher:	Elsevier
Volume:	132
Number:	7
Page Range:	1677-1686
Date:	July 2021
Official Publication:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2021.03.042
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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