Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction

Abstract Functional neurological disorders’ (FND) neuropathophysiology has been described as multi-network disturbances including aberrancies in the agency network highlighting the role of the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ). Refining the relevance of the rTPJ, we applied a co-activation patt...

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Main Authors: Samantha Weber, Janine Bühler, Thomas A. W. Bolton, Selma Aybek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-05-01
Series:Translational Psychiatry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03385-5
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author Samantha Weber
Janine Bühler
Thomas A. W. Bolton
Selma Aybek
author_facet Samantha Weber
Janine Bühler
Thomas A. W. Bolton
Selma Aybek
author_sort Samantha Weber
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Functional neurological disorders’ (FND) neuropathophysiology has been described as multi-network disturbances including aberrancies in the agency network highlighting the role of the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ). Refining the relevance of the rTPJ, we applied a co-activation pattern (CAP) based approach using the rTPJ as a seed in 58 patients with motor FND compared to 58 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Firstly, CAPs were derived from HC to identify functional alterations in the rTPJ network in FND patients. Secondly, motor subgroup characteristics in patients were examined using CAPs derived from the patient group. Compared to HC, patients were found to enter less frequently a state characterized by salience network and default mode network (DMN) co-activation along with executive control and somatomotor networks co-deactivation. Additionally, patients entered more often a state depicted by somatomotor-salience co-activation and DMN co-deactivation. Comparing motor subgroups, patients with functional weakness (FW) remained longer in a state characterised by salience and dorsal/ventral attention network co-activation and DMN co-deactivation compared to patients with no functional weakness (no-FW). FND patients overall exhibited a reduced coupling of the DMN and an increased coupling of the somatomotor network with the rTPJ compared to controls. Patient subgroups differed regarding coupling between the rTPJ and the attention network and DMN. rTPJ dynamic network alterations might reflect hampered flexibility in brain state switching and altered self-referential processes linked to impaired motor planning and execution, which seem to also differ between symptom types, indicating a potential phenotypic biomarker.
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spelling doaj-art-8d2ab1125c104c389fcade0f00d714af2025-08-20T02:25:12ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882025-05-011511910.1038/s41398-025-03385-5Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junctionSamantha Weber0Janine Bühler1Thomas A. W. Bolton2Selma Aybek3Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of BernDepartment of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of BernConnectomics Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV)Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of BernAbstract Functional neurological disorders’ (FND) neuropathophysiology has been described as multi-network disturbances including aberrancies in the agency network highlighting the role of the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ). Refining the relevance of the rTPJ, we applied a co-activation pattern (CAP) based approach using the rTPJ as a seed in 58 patients with motor FND compared to 58 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Firstly, CAPs were derived from HC to identify functional alterations in the rTPJ network in FND patients. Secondly, motor subgroup characteristics in patients were examined using CAPs derived from the patient group. Compared to HC, patients were found to enter less frequently a state characterized by salience network and default mode network (DMN) co-activation along with executive control and somatomotor networks co-deactivation. Additionally, patients entered more often a state depicted by somatomotor-salience co-activation and DMN co-deactivation. Comparing motor subgroups, patients with functional weakness (FW) remained longer in a state characterised by salience and dorsal/ventral attention network co-activation and DMN co-deactivation compared to patients with no functional weakness (no-FW). FND patients overall exhibited a reduced coupling of the DMN and an increased coupling of the somatomotor network with the rTPJ compared to controls. Patient subgroups differed regarding coupling between the rTPJ and the attention network and DMN. rTPJ dynamic network alterations might reflect hampered flexibility in brain state switching and altered self-referential processes linked to impaired motor planning and execution, which seem to also differ between symptom types, indicating a potential phenotypic biomarker.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03385-5
spellingShingle Samantha Weber
Janine Bühler
Thomas A. W. Bolton
Selma Aybek
Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
Translational Psychiatry
title Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
title_full Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
title_fullStr Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
title_full_unstemmed Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
title_short Altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders: the role of the right temporo-parietal junction
title_sort altered brain network dynamics in motor functional neurological disorders the role of the right temporo parietal junction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03385-5
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