Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia

BackgroundThe most common spread of blepharospasm (BSP) is to the oromandibular region, labeled as blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia (BOM). We aimed to identify shared and different functional changes in BSP and BOM, trying to unveil the pathogenesis of these disorders and the mechanism of dyston...

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Main Authors: Yanying Wang, Min Luo, Bo Hou, Yang Li, Yingmai Yang, Feng Feng, Lin Wang, Xinhua Wan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1583297/full
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author Yanying Wang
Min Luo
Bo Hou
Yang Li
Yingmai Yang
Feng Feng
Lin Wang
Xinhua Wan
author_facet Yanying Wang
Min Luo
Bo Hou
Yang Li
Yingmai Yang
Feng Feng
Lin Wang
Xinhua Wan
author_sort Yanying Wang
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThe most common spread of blepharospasm (BSP) is to the oromandibular region, labeled as blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia (BOM). We aimed to identify shared and different functional changes in BSP and BOM, trying to unveil the pathogenesis of these disorders and the mechanism of dystonic spread.Materials and methodsThis single center study recruited 16 BSP patients, 16 BOM patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). Clinical information and resting-state fMRI images were collected. Dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF) was calculated using the sliding window method. Intergroup differences in static ALFF (sALFF) and dALFF were examined. Using dALFF results, seed-based static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) were constructed to compare connectivity changes in BSP and BOM networks. Correlations between dynamic parameters and disease severity scores were analyzed using Spearman partial correlation.ResultsCompared with HC, BSP and BOM presented increased dALFF in the bilateral basal ganglia, bilateral supplementary motor area, right precentral gyrus, and bilateral cingulate gyrus. BOM further demonstrated decreased sALFF in the left cerebellum. Compared with HC, BOM patients had decreased sFC in the network involving the sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem. In addition, decreased dFC strength was found between the right pallidum and cerebellum. Comparing with BSP patients, BOM patients showed decreased sFC and dFC strength in a similar but limited pattern. Clinical scores of BSP severity were significantly correlated with dALFF in some of these important regions.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated common brain regions with impaired functional activity in BSP and BOM patients. Further, BOM is featured with widespread connectivity reduction in the sensorimotor cortico-basal ganglia-brainstem-cerebellar network deriving from these key regions. These findings could help investigate mechanisms of dystonia spread and potentially facilitate disease-modifying therapies.
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spelling doaj-art-ea084514bdb844f5b43ec4331460689a2025-08-20T03:15:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-07-011610.3389/fneur.2025.15832971583297Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystoniaYanying Wang0Min Luo1Bo Hou2Yang Li3Yingmai Yang4Feng Feng5Lin Wang6Xinhua Wan7Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Radiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, ChinaBackgroundThe most common spread of blepharospasm (BSP) is to the oromandibular region, labeled as blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia (BOM). We aimed to identify shared and different functional changes in BSP and BOM, trying to unveil the pathogenesis of these disorders and the mechanism of dystonic spread.Materials and methodsThis single center study recruited 16 BSP patients, 16 BOM patients and 20 healthy controls (HC). Clinical information and resting-state fMRI images were collected. Dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF) was calculated using the sliding window method. Intergroup differences in static ALFF (sALFF) and dALFF were examined. Using dALFF results, seed-based static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) were constructed to compare connectivity changes in BSP and BOM networks. Correlations between dynamic parameters and disease severity scores were analyzed using Spearman partial correlation.ResultsCompared with HC, BSP and BOM presented increased dALFF in the bilateral basal ganglia, bilateral supplementary motor area, right precentral gyrus, and bilateral cingulate gyrus. BOM further demonstrated decreased sALFF in the left cerebellum. Compared with HC, BOM patients had decreased sFC in the network involving the sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and brainstem. In addition, decreased dFC strength was found between the right pallidum and cerebellum. Comparing with BSP patients, BOM patients showed decreased sFC and dFC strength in a similar but limited pattern. Clinical scores of BSP severity were significantly correlated with dALFF in some of these important regions.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated common brain regions with impaired functional activity in BSP and BOM patients. Further, BOM is featured with widespread connectivity reduction in the sensorimotor cortico-basal ganglia-brainstem-cerebellar network deriving from these key regions. These findings could help investigate mechanisms of dystonia spread and potentially facilitate disease-modifying therapies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1583297/fullblepharospasmblepharospasm-oromandibular dystoniadynamic ALFFdynamic FCfMRI
spellingShingle Yanying Wang
Min Luo
Bo Hou
Yang Li
Yingmai Yang
Feng Feng
Lin Wang
Xinhua Wan
Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
Frontiers in Neurology
blepharospasm
blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
dynamic ALFF
dynamic FC
fMRI
title Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
title_full Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
title_fullStr Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
title_full_unstemmed Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
title_short Comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
title_sort comparative study of brain activity and functional connectivity in blepharospasm and blepharospasm oromandibular dystonia
topic blepharospasm
blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia
dynamic ALFF
dynamic FC
fMRI
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1583297/full
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