Functional connectivity in ischemia stroke motor aphasia patients during resting state

Objective To investigate the changes of Broca's area functional connectivity in ischemia stroke patients with motor aphasia during resting state using functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI). Methods The functional connectivity of Broca's area was analyzed by observing the correlation between low frequency signal fluctuations in Broca's area and those in all brain regions. Results In the normal controls group, there was multiple brain area positively correlated with Broca's area during resting state.The patients group compared with controls group, the functional connectivity between Broca's area and adjacent brain regions around its is most significant, and its controlateral brain area correlated with Broca's area reduced, but some cerebellum, occipital lobe, middle temporal gyrus and corpus callosum spenium correlated with Broca's area strengthened. Conclusion There is a wide range of motor function of language network during resting state.The right anterior cingulate gyrus, knee of corpus callosum and hemisphere play an important part in motor language function network.The enhancement functional connectivity between the adjacent brain regions surrounding Broca's area, the right cerebellum, occipital lobe, middle temporal gyrus and spenium of corpus callosum and Broca's area may be one compensatory mechanism remodeling for the language recover of ischemia stroke patients with motor aphasia. Key words: Motor aphasia; Ischemia stroke; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Resting-state; Functional connectivity