Study on the effect of thalamotomy based on brain network analysis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10895
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Tani Naoki 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (20598370)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 貴島 晴彦 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (10332743) ; 小林 真紀 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 特任研究員 (10570575) ; 押野 悟 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 准教授 (40403050) ; 田中 將貴 大阪大学, 医学系研究科, 招へい教員 (80746678) ; 柳澤 琢史 大阪大学, 高等共創研究院, 教授 (90533802)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: essential tremor / functional connectivity / thalamus / premotor cortex

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To explore change in the whole-brain network after thalamotomy, we analyzed the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging of patients with essential tremor who had undergone focused ultrasound thalamotomy. The tremor score was assessed and a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired before and 3 months after left ventral intermediate nucleus thalamotomy using focused ultrasound in seven patients with essential tremor. A seed-based connectivity analysis revealed a significant increase in functional connectivity between the left thalamus and the caudal part of the dorsal premotor cortex after focused ultrasound thalamotomy. This study revealed that the functional connectivity between the thalamus and the premotor cortex increased after thalamotomy. Although the number of cases is small, this result suggests that motor-sensory integration is involved in action tremor reduction after thalamotomy.

Free Research Field

機能的脳神経外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では振戦治療の過程において視床－運動前野間の機能的結合が増強されることを明らかにした。この変化は振戦改善への感覚運動機能統合の関与を示唆していると考えられる。本態性振戦は患者数が多いものの、病態、治療方法ともに不明な領域が多い疾患であり、振戦、振戦改善の機序を明らかにすることは社会的な意義が大きい。本結果は振戦、振戦改善の機序解明の一助となるものと考えられる。