| Objective To investigate the altered resting functional connectivities (rsFC) of the cerebellar subregions in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the correlation between the changes of rsFC and cognitive function. Methods From Sept 2012 to Dec 2015, 22 patients with MCI were selected as the observation group, and 28 healthy elderly matched with age, sex and education years as health group (HC). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to collect data. The differences in functional connectivities between the cerebellar CrusⅡ and lobule IX in the cognitive-related subregions of the cerebellum and other brain regions were compared between the two groups. Partial correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between functional connectivity changes and clinical scale scores in MCI group. Results Compared with the controls, it was observed that rsFC decreased between cerebellar subregions and part of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe and insula in MCI patients. Meanwhile, there was increased connectivities in frontal, occipital lobe and limbic lobe but no strengthened rsFC was detected between any other regions and the right cerebellar Crus Ⅱ. In MCI group, AVLT-R scores showed a positive correlation with the cerebellar subregional rsFC value including the left Crus Ⅱ and the left middle frontal gyrus, the left Crus Ⅱ and the left medial superior frontal gyrus, the right lobule IX and the left superior frontal gyrus (r=0.501, r=0.495, r=0.524, P<0.05). MMSE scores showed a correlation with the functional connectivity between the right lobule IX and the right anterior cuneiform lobe (r=0.462, P<0.05). Conclusions The abnormal rsFC of the cerebellar Crus Ⅱ and lobule IX in MCI patients may be associated with cognitive performance. |
