Previous studies have demonstrated that altered states of consciousness are related to changes in resting state activity in the default-mode network (DMN). Anatomically, the DMN can be divided into anterior and posterior regions. The anterior DMN includes the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex and other medial prefrontal cortical regions, whereas the posterior DMN includes regions such as the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the temporal parietal junction (TPJ). Although differential roles have been attributed to the anterior and posterior DMN regions, their exact contributions to consciousness levels remain unclear. To investigate the specific role of the posterior DMN in consciousness levels, we investigated 20 healthy controls (7 females, mean age = 33.6 years old) and 20 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients (5 females, mean age = 43 years old) whose brain lesions were mainly restricted to the bilateral frontal cortex but retained a well-preserved posterior DMN (e.g., the PCC and the TPJ) and who exhibited varying levels of consciousness. We investigated the intra- and cross-functional connectivity strengths (FCSs) between the right/left PCC and the right/left TPJ and their correlation with consciousness levels. Significant reductions in both the intra-and cross-hemispheric FCSs were observed in patients compared with controls. A significant correlation with consciousness levels was observed only for the cross-hemispheric PCC-TPJ FCS but not for the intra-hemispheric PCC-TPJ FCS. Taken together, our results show that the cross-hemispheric posterior DMN is related to consciousness levels in a specific group of patients without posterior structural lesions. We therefore propose that the PCC may be central in maintaining consciousness through its cross-hemispheric FC with the TPJ.
[1]Fudan Univ, Huashan Hosp, Dept Neurosurg, 12 Wulumuqi Mid Rd, Shanghai 200040, Peoples R China;
[2]Hangzhou Normal Univ, CCBD, 19 3 Shuyuan,58 Haishu Rd, Hangzhou 310000, Zhejiang, Peoples R China;
[3]Univ Ottawa, Inst Mental Hlth Res, 1145 Carling Ave,Room 6435, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada;
[4]South China Normal Univ, Sch Life Sci, Key Lab Ecol & Environm Sci Higher Educ Guangdong, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, Peoples R China;
[5]South China Normal Univ, Guangdong Key Lab Mental Hlth & Cognit Sci, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, Peoples R China;
[6]South China Normal Univ, Ctr Studies Psychol Applicat, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, Peoples R China;
[7]South China Normal Univ, Sch Psychol, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, Peoples R China
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