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Brain & Heart Application of the neural networks surgery

Table 3. Prediction of the disease course
First author Disease Symptoms Indicator Predictive Tools
Nauta [65] MS Cognitive decline Functional brain network integration level MEG
Zhang [66] AD Mild cognitive impairment Characteristic of brain network A highly-available nodes approach
Chen [7] PD Mild cognitive impairment Characteristic of brain network MRI
Jiao [67] AVM Postoperative neurological deficits Lesion-to-eloquent fiber distance DSA, CT, fMRI, and DTI
Kazumata [68] MMD Cognitive function impairment Gray matter density DTI
Lei [69] MMD Progressive cognitive decline ALFF of BOLD fMRI BOLD fMRI
Lei [70] MMD Vascular cognitive impairment CNE fMRI
He [71] CAS and CAO Cognitive function impairment Global attributes rs-fMRI
AD, Alzheimer’s disease; ALFF, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations; AVM, arteriovenous malformations; BOLD fMRI, blood oxygen
level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging; CAO, carotid artery occlusion; CAS, carotid artery stenosis; CNE, connectivity number
entropy; CT, computed tomography; DSA, digital subtraction angiography; MEG, magnetoencephalography; MMD, moyamoya disease; MRI, magnetic
resonance imaging; MS, multiple sclerosis; PD, Parkinson’s disease; rs-fMRI, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

terms of MMD, Kazumata et al. have observed a decrease cerebrovascular disease for disease progression prediction.
in gray matter density and fractional anisotropy but an Clearly, this application is vital for predicting patients’
increase in radial diffusivity using DTI in 23 adult patients cognitive function and recovery after surgery (Table 3). By
with MMD; moreover, the impaired regions have been utilizing these indicators and approaches in further studies,
found to be associated with basic cognitive functions, it is possible to prevent a dismal prognosis and improve
including processing speed, attention, working memory, the cognitive recovery of patients with cerebrovascular
[68]
and so on . In another study, Lei et al. investigated the diseases.
relationship between MMD patients with vascular cognitive
impairment (VCI) and the amplitude of low-frequency 5. Conclusions
fluctuations (ALFF) of blood oxygen level-dependent In this paper, we mainly review the application of the
fMRI at rest; significant differences in ALFF were observed concept of neural networks surgery in cerebrovascular
between VCI/non-VCI and normal control groups in disease treatment. With the advancements in medical
multiple brain regions, with some changes associated with technologies, neurosurgery has transitioned from the
progressive cognitive decline . The dynamic measurement traditional protection of neural function to a more
[69]
of connectivity number entropy (CNE), which characterizes systematic and sophisticated comprehensive protection of
both spatial and temporal dimensions of network brain neural function and cognitive function. This review
interactions, was also used in an MMD study; significant first renews the mechanism of several types of common
differences in CNE were observed between VCI/non- cerebrovascular diseases following the application of
VCI and normal control groups . Their studies indicate the neural networks surgery concept. Subsequently, new
[70]
that both ALFF and CNE can be regarded as indicators, strategies in neurosurgery are proposed for the treatment
which may play important roles in predicting the cognitive of cerebrovascular diseases, including the protection
function and prognosis of patients with MMD. On the of hubs, network connectivity, and cognitive function.
other hand, in a study of patients with asymptomatic carotid Finally, we relate that some indicators or features of brain
artery stenosis and occlusion (CAO), distinct differences networks may play certain roles in predicting the prognosis
in the global attributes (including assortativity, hierarchy, and cognitive recovery of patients with cerebrovascular
network efficiency, and small-worldness) of brain networks disease. From this perspective, we may develop a novel
were observed among all three groups. Compared with treatment system for cerebrovascular diseases. This
HC, the carotid artery stenosis and CAO groups showed system entails identifying diseases, predicting possible
decreased nodal efficiency of hubs in multiple brain regions; cognitive function disruption and degree of recovery,
furthermore, a compensatory functional connection in the designing surgical strategies, choosing reasonable surgical
contralateral cerebral hemisphere of patients with carotid methods, and executing according to priority. Combining
artery stenosis and CAO was observed, suggesting that the the concept of neural networks surgery and advanced
[71]
network has a degree of plasticity . medical techniques, we hope that this system can improve
All the above studies are evidence showing the the prognosis and cognitive function of patients with
application of the concept of brain networks in cerebrovascular diseases following treatment.

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2023) 8 https://doi.org/10.36922/bh.v1i1.223