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Siddiqui OM, Baskaran AB, Lin KA, Najam N, Shah T, Beestrum ML, Thuluvath A, Bonakdarpour B, Kim M, Dietch Z, Wolf M, Ladner DP. Cognitive Impairment in Liver Transplant Recipients With a History of Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review. Transplant Direct 2023; 9:e1479. [PMID: 37096151 PMCID: PMC10121435 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000001479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is common among patients with cirrhosis and may persist post-transplantation. This systematic review seeks to (1) describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in liver transplant (LT) recipients with a history of cirrhosis, (2) describe risk factors for this population, and (3) describe associations between post-transplant cognitive impairment and quality outcome measures. Methods Studies in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Database of Controlled Trials were included through May 2022. Inclusion criteria included (1) population - LT recipient, age ≥18 y, (2) exposure - history of cirrhosis before transplant, and (3) outcome - cognitive impairment after transplant (per validated cognitive testing). Exclusion criteria included (1) wrong study type, (2) abstract-only publication, (3) full-text unavailable, (4) wrong population, (5) wrong exposure, and (6) wrong outcome. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations system was used to assess evidence certainty. Data from individual tests were categorized into six cognitive domains: attention, executive function, working memory, long-term memory, visuospatial, and language. Results Twenty-four studies were included covering 847 patients. Follow-up ranged from 1 mo to 1.8 y after LT. Studies had a median of 30 (interquartile range 21.5-50.5) patients. The prevalence of cognitive impairment after LT ranged from 0% to 36%. Forty-three unique cognitive tests were used, the most common being the Psychometric Hepatic Encephalopathy Score. The most frequently assessed cognitive domains were attention (10 studies) and executive function (10 studies). Conclusions The prevalence of cognitive impairment after LT varied across studies depending on cognitive tests utilized and follow-up duration. Attention and executive function were most impacted. Generalizability is limited due to small sample size and heterogeneous methodology. Further studies are needed to examine differences in the prevalence of post-LT cognitive impairment by etiology, risk factors, and ideal cognitive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama M. Siddiqui
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Archit B. Baskaran
- Department of Neurology, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Katherine A. Lin
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Naela Najam
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Tahir Shah
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Molly L. Beestrum
- Galter Health Sciences Library, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Avesh Thuluvath
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Borna Bonakdarpour
- Division of Behavioral Neurology, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Minjee Kim
- Division of Neurocritical Care, Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Zachary Dietch
- Division of Transplant, Department of Surgery, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Michael Wolf
- Division of General Internal Medicine & Geriatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Daniela P. Ladner
- Northwestern University Transplant Outcomes Research Collaborative (NUTORC), Comprehensive Transplant Center (CTC), Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
- Division of Transplant, Department of Surgery, Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL
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Cheng Y, Li JL, Zhou JM, Zhang GY, Shen W, Zhang XD. Renormalization of Thalamic Sub-Regional Functional Connectivity Contributes to Improvement of Cognitive Function after Liver Transplantation in Cirrhotic Patients with Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy. Korean J Radiol 2021; 22:2052-2061. [PMID: 34564958 PMCID: PMC8628146 DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2020.1432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The role of preoperative overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) in the neurophysiological mechanism of cognitive improvement after liver transplantation (LT) remains elusive. This study aimed to explore changes in sub-regional thalamic functional connectivity (FC) after LT and their relationship with neuropsychological improvement using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data in cirrhotic patients with and without a history of OHE. Materials and Methods A total of 51 cirrhotic patients, divided into the OHE group (n = 21) and no-OHE group (n = 30), and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this prospective study. Each patient underwent rs-fMRI before and 1 month after LT. Using 16 bilateral thalamic subregions as seeds, we conducted a seed-to-voxel FC analysis to compare the thalamic FC alterations before and after LT between the OHE and no-OHE groups, as well as differences in FC between the two groups of cirrhotic patients and the control group. Correction for multiple comparisons was conducted using the false discovery rate (p < 0.05). Results We found abnormally increased FC between the thalamic sub-region and prefrontal cortex, as well as an abnormally decreased FC between the bilateral thalamus in both OHE and no-OHE cirrhotic patients before LT, which returned to normal levels after LT. Compared with the no-OHE group, the OHE group exhibited more extensive abnormalities prior to LT, and the increased FC between the right thalamic subregions and right inferior parietal lobe was markedly reduced to normal levels after LT. Conclusion The renormalization of FC in the cortico-thalamic loop might be a neuro-substrate for the recovery of cognitive function after LT in cirrhotic patients. In addition, hyperconnectivity between thalamic subregions and the inferior parietal lobe might be an important feature of OHE. Changes in FC in the thalamus might be used as potential biomarkers for recovery of cognitive function after LT in cirrhotic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing-Li Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jia-Min Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Gao-Yan Zhang
- Tianjin Key Lab of Cognitive Computing and Application, College of Intelligence and Computing, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin, China.
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Cheng Y, Shen W, Xu J, Amey RC, Huang LX, Zhang XD, Li JL, Akhavan C, Duffy BA, Simon JP, Jiang W, Liu M, Kim H. Neuromarkers from Whole-Brain Functional Connectivity Reveal the Cognitive Recovery Scheme for Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy after Liver Transplantation. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0114-21.2021. [PMID: 34376523 PMCID: PMC8376297 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0114-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurocognitive impairment is present in cirrhosis and may be more severe in cirrhosis with overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE). Liver transplantation (LT) can restore liver function, but how it reverses the impaired brain function is still unclear. MRI of resting-state functional connectivity can help reveal the underlying mechanisms that lead to these cognitive deficits and cognitive recovery. In this study, 64 patients with cirrhosis (28 with OHE; 36 without OHE) and 32 healthy control subjects were recruited for resting-state fMRI. The patients were scanned before and after LT. We evaluated presurgical and postsurgical neurocognitive performance in cirrhosis patients using psychomotor tests. Network-based statistics found significant disrupted connectivity in both groups of cirrhotic patients, with OHE and without OHE, compared with control subjects. However, the presurgical connectivity disruption in patients with OHE affected a greater number of connections than those without OHE. The decrease in functional connectivity for both OHE and non-OHE patient groups was reversed after LT to the level of control subjects. An additional hyperconnected network (i.e., higher connected than control subjects) was observed in OHE patients after LT. Regarding the neural-behavior relationship, the functional network that predicted cognitive performance in healthy individuals showed no correlation in presurgical cirrhotic patients. The impaired neural-behavior relationship was re-established after LT for non-OHE patients, but not for OHE patients. OHE patients displayed abnormal hyperconnectivity and a persistently impaired neural-behavior relationship after LT. Our results suggest that patients with OHE may undergo a different trajectory of postsurgical neurofunctional recovery compared with those without, which needs further clarification in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Junhai Xu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, School of Artificial Intelligence, College of Intelligence and Computing, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Rachel C Amey
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, Fort Belvoir, Virginia 22060-5610
| | - Li-Xiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Li Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Cameron Akhavan
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Ben A Duffy
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Julia Pia Simon
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Wenjuan Jiang
- College of Pharmacy, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766-1854
| | - Mengting Liu
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Hosung Kim
- USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
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Cao Y, Wu B, Chen T, Diao W, Jia Z. Altered intrinsic brain activity in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1337-1353. [PMID: 33583085 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric deficits are common in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), especially in those with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Previous studies reveal abnormalities in brain activity underlying the neuropsychiatric deficits in LC patients; however, the results are inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies using anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping software on LC patients to characterize the most consistent regional activity alterations, and to evaluate the potential effect of liver transplantation (LT) on brain function. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between brain alterations and clinical variables. Compared with healthy controls, the typical patterns of increased regional activity in the fronto-striato-cerebellar network and decreased activity in the visuo-sensorimotor network and cingulate gyrus were identified in LC patients, which remained significant in the subgroup meta-analyses of minimal HE (MHE) and overt HE (OHE) patients. Functional deficits in the default mode network (DMN) were found in OHE patients compared with MHE patients. Ammonia level positively correlated with brain activity in the right middle temporal gyrus, and the completion time of number connection test A negatively correlated with brain activity in the left anterior cingulate gyrus. In addition, patients showed increased activity in the visuo-sensorimotor network and precuneus after LT. Our study suggests that alterations in the fronto-striato-cerebellar and visuo-sensorimotor networks may be the potential pathophysiological mechanisms underlying HE, and deficits in the DMN may indicate the progression of HE. LT may improve brain function in the visuo-sensorimotor network. This study has registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42020212758).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China.,Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Baolin Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Taolin Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Wei Diao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China.,Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyun Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China.,Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, P.R. China
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5
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Liver transplantation (LT) remains the only way to cure patients with severe liver diseases. Important questions about neurological sequelae and quality of life after LT have emerged. In this review, we discuss the neurocognitive changes associated with LT and we conclude with recommendations in this regard for patients, caregivers, and physicians. RECENT FINDINGS Compared with other solid organ recipients, LT patients tend to have a higher incidence (up to 30%) of neurological complications post-LT. Even in absence of previous episodes of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), some patients display new onset of neurological symptoms post-LT, raising the concern about the role of other factors that may have a direct impact on cognitive function. SUMMARY Different mechanisms have been postulated to explain these postoperative neurological symptoms. They include sequelae of HE, persistent impairment of cognitive function due to cirrhosis, or postoperative decompensation of an unknown or undiagnosed neurodegenerative disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaya A. M. Albhaisi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0341 USA
| | - Jasmohan S. Bajaj
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University and McGuire VA Medical Center, 1201 Broad Rock Boulevard, Richmond, VA USA
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6
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Psychosocial dimensions of hand transplantation: lessons learned from solid organ transplantation. Curr Opin Organ Transplant 2019; 24:705-713. [PMID: 31689261 DOI: 10.1097/mot.0000000000000712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The present review examines psychosocial factors emerging as predictive of clinical outcomes among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, with possible extensions to vascular composite allograft (VCA) and hand transplantation, in particular. The Chauvet Workgroup report and International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation consensus guidelines are used to delineate areas of commonality between SOT and VCA, as well as unique features contributing to post-VCA psychosocial risk. RECENT FINDINGS Increasing evidence suggests that depression, cognitive function, and other posttransplant psychosocial factors consistently associate with clinical risk in SOT. However, the mechanisms precipitating these psychosocial risk factors are likely diverse in their cause, with large individual differences across SOT and VCA. Transdiagnostic dimensions may serve as mechanistic factors, increasing the risk of adverse clinical outcomes and suggesting potential treatment strategies for risk mitigation. Psychosocial dimensions including psychological flexibility, self-efficacy, and posttraumatic growth are discussed as potential contributory factors. SUMMARY Psychosocial factors hold importance in predicting posttransplant clinical outcomes. Emerging transdiagnostic factors may provide insight into mechanisms and potential treatments.
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7
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Weiss N, Thabut D. Neurological Complications Occurring After Liver Transplantation: Role of Risk Factors, Hepatic Encephalopathy, and Acute (on Chronic) Brain Injury. Liver Transpl 2019; 25:469-487. [PMID: 30697911 DOI: 10.1002/lt.25420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Orthotopic liver transplantation (LT) remains the only way to definitively cure patients with the most severe liver diseases. Because the survival rate is now fairly high, important questions about neurological sequelae or quality of life after LT have emerged. Indeed, LT represents a peculiar situation because up to 30% of patients present with neurological symptoms after LT compared with only 4% after cardiac transplant and 0.5% after renal transplant. These postoperative neurological symptoms have long been interpreted as sequelae of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). However, postoperative decompensation of an unknown cerebral condition due to the pathophysiology of cirrhosis or undiagnosed neurodegenerative disorders or aging constitute other possibilities that are underrecognized. Some patients who undergo LT for acute liver failure and patients with cirrhosis without episodes of HE and without any previous cerebral alteration also display post-LT neurological symptoms. This latter situation speaks in favor of a direct adverse effect of either general anesthesia, the surgical procedure, or factors related to the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) environment. The role of inflammation, which has been described in the ICU setting, could also be a crucial determinant. In this review, we will discuss the neurological complications associated with LT, the neurocognitive complications after LT, and how to assess the LT-related neurological or neurocognitive complications. Furthermore, we will review the various hypotheses surrounding post-LT neurocognitive impairment and will conclude with recommendations for future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Weiss
- Brain Liver Pitié-Salpêtrière (BLIPS) Study Group, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupement Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, Département de Neurologie, Unité de Réanimation Neurologique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.,Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Thabut
- Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine (CRSA), Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Paris, France.,Brain Liver Pitié-Salpêtrière (BLIPS) Study Group, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Groupement Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix, Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Unité de Soins Intensifs d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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8
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Zhang G, Cheng Y, Shen W, Liu B, Huang L, Xie S. The short-term effect of liver transplantation on the low-frequency fluctuation of brain activity in cirrhotic patients with and without overt hepatic encephalopathy. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 11:1849-1861. [PMID: 27917450 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9659-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Previous neuropsychological studies have demonstrated that liver transplantation (LT) is an effective method for improving the cognitive function of cirrhotic patients. However, the neural basis underlying the effects of LT is still unclear. Neuroimaging studies investigating changes in brain structures or functional networks mainly focus on patients without overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE). In this study, we recruited patients with and without overt HE and studied alterations in resting-state brain activity by quantizing the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) before and 1 month after LT to study the short-term effect of LT in each group. Neuropsychological analyses indicated significant improvement of cognitive function in both groups. ALFF analysis showed that the brain activity in regions regulating motor function, vision, attention, and working memory were restored in both groups, reflecting the neuroplasticity of the brain. However, some persistent impairments and new-onset impairments in other regions related to these cognitive functions were observed in each group. Between-group comparison showed that although cognitive performance improved in both groups, the specific neural basis of LT in each group was different. The significant correlations of altered brain activity in regions showing LT and group effect with altered performance in neuropsychological and biochemical tests suggest a possible neuroimaging marker for the monitoring of short-term recovery of HE and the difference in individual recovery of cognitive performance. The findings in the present study help us further understand the neural effect of LT in patients with and without overt HE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyan Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Fukang Road No. 24, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Fukang Road No. 24, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Baolin Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China.,State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Technology and Systems, National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People's Republic of China
| | - Lixiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Fukang Road No. 24, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangshuang Xie
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Fukang Road No. 24, Nankai District, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China
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9
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Zhang XD, Zhang LJ. Multimodal MR imaging in hepatic encephalopathy: state of the art. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:661-671. [PMID: 29374342 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-018-0191-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neurological or neuropsychological complication due to liver failure or portosystemic shunting. The clinical manifestation is highly variable, which can exhibit mild cognitive or motor impairment initially, or gradually progress to a coma, even death, without treatment. Neuroimaging plays a critical role in uncovering the neural mechanism of HE. In particular, multimodality MR imaging is able to assess both structural and functional derangements of the brain with HE in focal or neural network perspectives. In recent years, there has been rapid development in novel MR technologies and applications to investigate the pathophysiological mechanism of HE. Therefore, it is necessary to update the latest MR findings regarding HE by use of multimodality MRI to refine and deepen our understanding of the neural traits in HE. Herein, this review highlights the latest MR imaging findings in HE to refresh our understanding of MRI application in HE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Dong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Clinical School of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300192, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Jiang Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, No. 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
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Zhang G, Cheng Y, Shen W, Liu B, Huang L, Xie S. Brain Regional Homogeneity Changes in Cirrhotic Patients with or without Hepatic Encephalopathy Revealed by Multi-Frequency Bands Analysis Based on Resting-State Functional MRI. Korean J Radiol 2018; 19:452-462. [PMID: 29713223 PMCID: PMC5904472 DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2018.19.3.452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate brain regional homogeneity (ReHo) changes of multiple sub-frequency bands in cirrhotic patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy using resting-state functional MRI. Materials and Methods This study recruited 46 cirrhotic patients without clinical hepatic encephalopathy (noHE), 38 cirrhotic patients with clinical hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and 37 healthy volunteers. ReHo differences were analyzed in slow-5 (0.010−0.027 Hz), slow-4 (0.027−0.073 Hz), and slow-3 (0.073−0.198 Hz) bands. Routine analysis of (0.010−0.080 Hz) band was used as a benchmark. Associations of abnormal ReHo values in each frequency band with neuropsychological scores and blood ammonia level were analyzed. Pattern classification analyses were conducted to determine whether ReHo differences in each band could differentiate the three groups of subjects (patients with or without hepatic encephalopathy and healthy controls). Results Compared to routine analysis, more differences between HE and noHE were observed in slow-5 and slow-4 bands (p < 0.005, cluster > 12, overall corrected p < 0.05). Sub-frequency band analysis also showed that ReHo abnormalities were frequency-dependent (overall corrected p < 0.05). In addition, ReHo abnormalities in each sub-band were correlated with blood ammonia level and neuropsychological scores, especially in the left inferior parietal lobe (overall corrected p < 0.05 for all frequency bands). Pattern classification analysis demonstrated that ReHo differences in lower slow-5 and slow-4 bands (both p < 0.05) and higher slow-3 band could differentiate the three groups (p < 0.05). Compared to routine analysis, ReHo features in slow-4 band obtained better classification accuracy (89%). Conclusion Cirrhotic patients showed frequency-dependent changes in ReHo. Sub-frequency band analysis is important for understanding HE and clinical monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyan Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yue Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Baolin Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China.,State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Technology and Systems, National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lixiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Shuangshuang Xie
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China
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11
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Abnormalities of voxel-based whole-brain functional connectivity patterns predict the progression of hepatic encephalopathy. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 11:784-796. [PMID: 27138528 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-016-9553-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an important tool for understanding the functional reorganization of the brain in cirrhotic patients. Previous studies revealed that functional integration failure were observed in the whole brain. However, the whole-brain functional connectivity analysis methods used in these studies have the limitation that the result relied on a priori definition of network nodes. Moreover, the utility of resting state functional connectivity in the diagnosis and prediction of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is not well examined. In this study, we recruited 87 subjects consisting of patients without HE, with HE, and healthy controls. We employed a voxel-based, unbiased functional connectivity analysis and the functional connectivity density (FCD) metric to precisely study abnormalities in the intrinsic functional connectivity patterns of cirrhotic patients. FCD analyses showed that hub regions in the brain were less topologically important in cirrhotic patients, whereas non-hub regions became topologically important in the disease state. This trend was more apparent with the progression of cirrhosis severity. Most FCD abnormalities were associated with deficits in psychomotor function, executive control, or visual-spatial abilities (p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected). FCD alterations in the left inferior parietal lobe and the right hippocampal gyrus/parahippocampal gyrus were significantly correlated with cognitive ability and blood ammonia level (p < 0.05, AlphaSim corrected). A pattern classification analysis indicated that whole-brain FCD differences distinguished cirrhotic patients from healthy controls and predicted disease severity with high accuracies. These findings suggest that voxel-based FCD analysis may be clinically important for the diagnosis and prediction of HE.
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12
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Cheng Y, Zhang G, Shen W, Huang LX, Zhang L, Xie SS, Zhang XD, Liu B. Impact of previous episodes of hepatic encephalopathy on short-term brain function recovery after liver transplantation: a functional connectivity strength study. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:237-249. [PMID: 29170933 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0155-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Neuropsychological studies have documented an incomplete reversal of pre-existing cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients after liver transplantation (LT) and have found this is more severe in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of prior HE episodes on post-transplantation brain function recovery. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data was collected from 30 healthy controls and 33 cirrhotic patients (HE, n = 15 and noHE, n = 18) before and one month after LT. Long- and short-range functional connectivity strength (FCS) analysis indicated that before transplantation both noHE and HE groups showed diffuse FCS abnormalities relative to healthy controls. For the noHE group, the abnormal FCS found before LT largely returned to normal levels after LT, except for in the cerebellum, precuneus, and orbital middle frontal gyrus. However, the abnormal FCS prior to LT was largely preserved in the HE group, including high-level cognition-related (frontal and parietal lobes) and vision-related areas (occipital lobe, cuneus, and precuneus). In addition, comparisons between HE and noHE groups revealed that weaker FCS in default mode network (DMN) in HE group persisted from pre- to post- LT. Correlation analysis showed that changes in FCS in the left postcentral and right middle frontal gyrus correlated with alterations in neuropsychological performance and ammonia levels. In conclusion, the findings in this study demonstrate potential adverse effects of pre-LT episode of HE on post-LT brain function recovery, and reveal that DMN may be the most affected brain region by HE episodes, which can't be reversed by LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Gaoyan Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road No. 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wen Shen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Li-Xiang Huang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Transplantation Surgery, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Shuang-Shuang Xie
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China
| | - Baolin Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cognitive Computing and Application, Tianjin University, Yaguan Road No. 135, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Technology and Systems, National Laboratory for Information Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People's Republic of China
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13
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Chen HJ, Zheng G, Wichmann JL, Schoepf UJ, Lu GM, Zhang LJ. The brain following transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: the perspective from neuroimaging. Metab Brain Dis 2015; 30:1331-41. [PMID: 26404041 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-015-9735-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication after implantation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Neuroimaging offers a variety of techniques for non-invasive evaluation of alterations in metabolism, as well as structural and functional changes of the brain in patients after TIPS implantation. In this article, we review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of post-TIPS HE. The potential of neuroimaging including positron emission tomography and multimodality magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the pathophysiology of post-TIPS HE is presented. We also give a perspective on the role of neuroimaging in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Juan Chen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, No. 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Gang Zheng
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, No. 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
- College of Civil Aviation, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210016, China
| | - Julian L Wichmann
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, MSC 226, 25 Courtenay Dr, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - U Joseph Schoepf
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, MSC 226, 25 Courtenay Dr, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA
| | - Guang Ming Lu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, No. 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Long Jiang Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, No. 305 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing, 210002, Jiangsu Province, China.
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14
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Chen HJ, Qi R, Kong X, Wen J, Liang X, Zhang Z, Li X, Lu GM, Zhang LJ. The impact of hemodialysis on cognitive dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease: a resting-state functional MRI study. Metab Brain Dis 2015; 30:1247-56. [PMID: 26146033 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-015-9702-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the effect of hemodialysis (HD) on cognitive dysfunction in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) using resting-state functional MR imaging (rs-fMRI) with regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity algorithms. The rs-fMRI data were acquired in 58 ESRD patients (HD patients, n = 32, 22 male and 10 female, mean age 36.5 ± 9.6 years; non-HD ESRD patients, n = 26, 16 male and 10 female, mean years of 35.6 ± 8.2) and 32 healthy controls (22 male and 10 female, mean years of 32.7 ± 8.8). A battery of neuropsychological and blood laboratory tests were prescribed. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC) was used to measure ReHo for each subject. The ReHo maps were compared by using ANOVA tests among HD, non-HD, and healthy control groups. Regions showing ReHo differences between HD and non-HD patients were defined as seeds for further functional connectivity analysis. A multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationships between ReHo index and neuropsychological tests, serum creatinine and urea levels, disease and dialysis duration. Compared with healthy controls, both HD patients and non-HD patients showed decreased ReHo in the multiple areas of bilateral frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. Compared with the non-HD, HD patients showed decreased ReHo mainly in default mode network (DMN) including bilateral precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, inferior parietal lobe, right postcentral gyrus, bilateral superior temporal gyri, right supramarginal gyrus and right angular gyrus. Some reduced ReHo brain regions correlated with some neuropsychological tests, serum creatinine and urea levels, and dialysis duration. Brain regions with ReHo reduction showed increased region-to-region functional network in HD patients compared with non-HD patients. Widespreadly decreased ReHo values were found in both HD and non-HD patients. Lower ReHo values mainly in the DMN correlated with cognition impairments were observed in HD patients compared with non-HD patients, while increased functional connectivity was found between these brain regions. HD might have an adverse effect on the cognitive function in ESRD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Juan Chen
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210002, China
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