Degree centrality of brain network in immigrants at ultra-high altitudes: A resting state functional MRI study
Objective: To explore the effects of ultra-high altitude environment on the network degree centrality in migrant populations. Materials and Methods: Healthy individuals were recruited in ultra-high altitude (Lhasa) and high altitude (Lanzhou). Physiological indicators (arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate and breath-holding time after inhalation) and imaging dates (resting functional magnetic resonance imaging and 3D T1WI) were collected. The degree centrality (DC) of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were performed. Two-sample t-test was used to compare physiologic and DC values between groups. Controlling for factors that differed in demographic significance between groups. The partial correlation was analyzed between DC values of differential brain regions and physiological factors. Results: Compared with high altitude group, the migrants in ultra-high altitude group had a decrease in their breath holding time and oxygen saturation, and an increase in heart rate (P<0.001). The DC value of visually related brain regions, such as bilateral Calcarine gyrus, middle occipital gyrus and cuneus, and the right central posterior gyrus increased (FDR correction, P<0.05) in ultra-high altitude group, which were negatively correlated with arterial oxygen saturation (r=-0.360, P=0.006; r=-0.481, P<0.001). The DC value of bilateral insula and putamen, right middle cingulate and supplementary motor area and left cerebellum decreased (FDR correction, P<0.05) in ultra-high altitude group. The DC value of right insula and putamen, left insula and putamen and left cerebellum were positively correlated with arterial oxygen saturation (r=0.518, P<0.001; r=0.416, P=0.001; r=0.414, P=0.001). Conclusions: The high-altitude environment may alters post inspiratory breath-holding time and heart rate, enhances functional compensatory in visual areas, and weakens the centrality of the nucleus accumbens, insula, and cerebellum in the functional brain network. These features may serve as potential imaging biomarkers of the degree centrality on functional brain networks in immigrant populations in ultra-high altitude environments.
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