Phenotyping of myocardial involvement by cardiac magnetic resonance in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Objectives: Cardiac dysfunction is commonly noted in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of cardiac dysfunction using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM) and necrotising myositis (NM).

Methods: Fifty-one patients with IIMs and 20 matched healthy controls (HCs) were assessed using CMR examination.

Multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance characteristics and dynamic changes in myocardial and skeletal muscles in idiopathic inflammatory cardiomyopathy.

Background: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) manifest as systematic muscle involvement. Multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) could be a useful technique to detect systemic involvement and disease progression in IIM patients. This study aimed to describe the tissue characteristics and dynamic changes in myocardial and skeletal muscles after treatment in IIM patients.

Nifekalant: A New Option for Pre-Excited Atrial Fibrillation With a High-Risk Accessory Pathway.

Atrial fibrillation along with accessory pathway-induced ventricular pre-excitation may be life-threatening due to the high risk of developing severe hypotension, ventricular fibrillation, and sudden death. We demonstrate nifekalant as an effective agent in the pharmacological cardioversion of atrial fibrillation with high-risk accessory pathways. ().

Early detection of myocardial involvement by T mapping of cardiac MRI in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.

Background: Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are common types of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM), wherein patients are prone to adverse cardiovascular events.

Purpose: To explore the value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting cardiac involvement in PM/DM patients using a T mapping technique.

Study Type: Prospective observational study.

Increased Cerebellar Functional Connectivity With the Default-Mode Network in Unaffected Siblings of Schizophrenia Patients at Rest.

The default-mode network (DMN) is vital in the neurobiology of schizophrenia, and the cerebellum participates in the high-order cognitive network such as the DMN. However, the specific contribution of the cerebellum to the DMN abnormalities remains unclear in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients. Forty-six unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients and 46 healthy controls were recruited for a resting-state scan.

Decreased default-mode network homogeneity in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients at rest.

The dysconnectivity hypothesis proposes that abnormal resting state connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN) plays a key role in schizophrenia. Little is known, however, about alterations of the network homogeneity (NH) of the DMN in unaffected siblings of patients with schizophrenia. Unaffected siblings have unique advantages as subjects of neuroimaging studies independent of the clinical and treatment issues that complicate studies of the patients themselves.

Abnormal causal connectivity by structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia at rest.

Anatomical deficits and resting-state functional connectivity (FC) alterations in prefrontal-thalamic-cerebellar circuit have been implicated in the neurobiology of schizophrenia. However, the effect of structural deficits in schizophrenia on causal connectivity of this circuit remains unclear. This study was conducted to examine the causal connectivity biased by structural deficits in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia patients.

Abnormal default-mode network homogeneity in first-episode, drug-naive major depressive disorder.

Background: Default mode network (DMN) is one of the most commonly recognized resting-state networks in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the homogeneity of this network in MDD is poorly understood. As such, this study was conducted to determine whether or not an abnormal network homogeneity (NH) of DMN is observed in patients with first-episode and drug-naive MDD.

Decreased regional activity of default-mode network in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients at rest.

Dysconnectivity hypothesis posits that abnormal resting-state connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN) acts as a key role in schizophrenia. However, little is known about the regional alterations of the DMN in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients. Unaffected siblings have a unique advantage in neuroimaging studies independent of clinical and treatment issues that complicate studies on patients themselves.

Decreased resting-state interhemispheric functional connectivity in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients.

Background: Neuroimaging studies in unaffected siblings of schizophrenia patients can provide clues to the pathophysiology for the development of schizophrenia. However, little is known about the alterations of the interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in siblings, although the dysconnectivity hypothesis is prevailing in schizophrenia for years. In the present study, we used a newly validated voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) method to identify whether aberrant interhemispheric FC was present in unaffected siblings at increased risk of developing schizophrenia at rest.

Abnormal default-mode network homogeneity in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenia at rest.

Background: Dysconnectivity hypothesis posits that schizophrenia relates to abnormal resting-state connectivity within the default-mode network (DMN) and this aberrant connectivity is considered as contribution of difficulties in self-referential and introspective processing. However, little is known about the alterations of the network homogeneity (NH) of the DMN in schizophrenia. In the present study, we used an automatic NH method to investigate the NH of the DMN in schizophrenia patients at rest.

Dissociation of regional activity in the default mode network in first-episode, drug-naive major depressive disorder at rest.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with altered neural activity in the default mode network (DMN). In the present study, we used a fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) approach to directly investigate the features of spontaneous brain activity of the DMN in patients with the first-episode, drug-naive MDD at rest.

Methods: Twenty-four first-episode, drug-naive patients with MDD and 24 age-, gender-, and education-matched healthy subjects participated in the study.

Is there a cerebellar compensatory effort in first-episode, treatment-naive major depressive disorder at rest?

Background: This study was undertaken to explore whether there is a cerebellar compensatory response in patients with first-episode, treatment-naive major depressive disorder (MDD). The cerebellar compensatory response is defined as a cerebellar hyperactivity which would be inversely correlated with both the activation of the functionally connected cerebral regions and the depression severity.

Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of 24 patients with MDD and 24 healthy subjects were analyzed with the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) methods.

Decreased interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity in first-episode, drug-naive major depressive disorder.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is shown to have structural and functional abnormalities in specific brain areas and connections by recent neuroimaging studies. However, little is known about the alterations of the interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in patients with MDD. In the present study, we used a newly developed voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) method to investigate the interhemispheric FC of the whole brain in patients with MDD at rest.