Sacchetti Maria Luisa
Sapienza University, Italy
Title: Thalamic connectivity in patients with sleep-disordered breathing after stroke
Biography
Biography: Sacchetti Maria Luisa
Abstract
Background: Th alamus-cortical connections are essential for normal sleep. Stroke can alter this circuit aff ecting also breathing during sleep. Aim: To compare the functional connectivity of VPL-TN in stroke patients aff ected by SDB(S-SDB) as respect to stroke cases not aff ected (S) and to healthy controls (HC). Methods: Stroke patients were submitted to clinical, neuroradiological and full nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) monitoring. Conventional and functional MR exams during resting state (rs-fMRI) were performed in a single session (3 Tesla Siemens- Verio) in 12 stroke patients and in 11HCs. Statistical analysis of rs-fMRI connectivity was performed using the FMRIB soft ware package. A seed analysis approach was performed using VPL-TN as region of interest. Signifi cant diff erence in rsfMRI connectivity among the groups (S-SDB, S, HC) was set at p<0.05. Results: Six stroke patients out of 12 had a SDB. No diff erences were found between S and S-SDB groups as to risk profi le and PSG data. rs-fMRI connectivity analysis indicated that precuneus (PreCu) and brainstem (BS) were signifi cantly more connected with VPL-TN in S-SDB as respect to HC. When comparing S-SDB to S patients, a further signifi cantly higher connectivity with anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) was revealed. Conclusions: A higher connectivity between VPL-TN and regions involved also in modulating chemosensitivity (AC and BS) or alertness (PreCu) was observed during wake in S-SDB as respect to S patients. Th ese preliminary data support the hypothesis that stroke may cause an SDB as the consequence of an altered sleep-wake circuit.