Brain network dysregulation, emotion, and complaints after mild traumatic brain injury

• Published in: Human brain mapping 2016-04, Vol.37 (4), p.1645-1654
• Main Authors: van der Horn, Harm J., Liemburg, Edith J., Scheenen, Myrthe E., de Koning, Myrthe E., Marsman, Jan-Bernard C., Spikman, Jacoba M., van der Naalt, Joukje
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Concussion - diagnostic imaging; Brain Concussion - physiopathology; Brain Concussion - psychology; brain networks; emotion regulation; Emotions - physiology; Female; fMRI; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Middle Aged; mild traumatic brain injury; Nerve Net - diagnostic imaging; Nerve Net - physiopathology; post-traumatic complaints; Prospective Studies; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1065-9471; 1097-0193
• DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23126

Objectives To assess the role of brain networks in emotion regulation and post‐traumatic complaints in the sub‐acute phase after non‐complicated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Experimental design Fifty‐four patients with mTBI (34 with and 20 without complaints) and 20 healthy controls (group‐matched for age, sex, education, and handedness) were included. Resting‐state fMRI was performed at four weeks post‐injury. Static and dynamic functional connectivity were studied within and between the default mode, executive (frontoparietal and bilateral frontal network), and salience network. The hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was used to measure anxiety (HADS‐A) and depression (HADS‐D). Principal Observations Regarding within‐network functional connectivity, none of the selected brain networks were different between groups. Regarding between‐network interactions, patients with complaints exhibited lower functional connectivity between the bilateral frontal and salience network compared to patients without complaints. In the total patient group, higher HADS‐D scores were related to lower functional connectivity between the bilateral frontal network and both the right frontoparietal and salience network, and to higher connectivity between the right frontoparietal and salience network. Furthermore, whereas higher HADS‐D scores were associated with lower connectivity within the parietal midline areas of the bilateral frontal network, higher HADS‐A scores were related to lower connectivity within medial prefrontal areas of the bilateral frontal network. Conclusions Functional interactions of the executive and salience networks were related to emotion regulation and complaints after mTBI, with a key role for the bilateral frontal network. These findings may have implications for future studies on the effect of psychological interventions. Hum Brain Mapp 37:1645‐1654, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.