Article

Structural connectivity analysis based on graph theory and diffusion
tensor imaging tractography is a novel method that quantifies the topological
characteristics in the brain network. This study aimed to examine structural
connectivity changes following the Attention Intervention and Management (AIM)
program designed to improve attention and executive function (EF) in children
with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: Seventeen children with complicated
mild to severe TBI (13.66 +/- 2.68 years; >12 months postinjury) completed
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurobehavioral measures at time 1, 10 of
whom completed AIM and assessment at time 2. Eleven matched healthy comparison
(HC) children (13.37 +/- 2.08 years) completed MRI and neurobehavioral assessment
at both time points, but did not complete AIM. Network characteristics were
analyzed to quantify the structural connectivity before and after the
intervention. RESULTS: Mixed model analyses showed that small-worldness was
significantly higher in the TBI group than the HC group at time 1, and both
small-worldness and normalized clustering coefficient decreased significantly at
time 2 in the TBI group whereas the HC group remained relatively unchanged.
Reductions in mean local efficiency were significantly correlated with
improvements in verbal inhibition and both parent- and child-reported EF.
Increased normalized characteristic path length was significantly correlated with
improved sustained attention. CONCLUSION: The results provide preliminary
evidence suggesting that graph theoretical analysis may be a sensitive tool in
pediatric TBI for detecting ( a) abnormalities of structural connectivity in
brain network and ( b) structural neuroplasticity associated with neurobehavioral
improvement following a short-term intervention for attention and EF.

Langue : ANGLAIS