Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2025-09
Difference Analysis of Brain Functional Activity Between Patients with Residual Dizziness Caused by Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
To explore brain function differences between patients with residual dizziness (RD) caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Method:
Using the Data Processing and Analysis for Brain Imaging software to analyze differences in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and functional connectivity (FC) among RD, PPPD, and healthy controls groups. Then constructed a brain network and compared FC within the network. Further evaluated the correlation between abnormal brain regions and clinical characteristics.
Result:
(1) Analysis of clinical characteristics: dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) scores differed between RD and PPPD groups. (2) Comparison of ALFF: RD group exhibited increased ALFF values in the right postcentral gyrus, right superior occipital gyrus, and right angular gyrus compared with the PPPD group. (3) Comparison of FC: the PPPD group exhibited weakened FC between the right cerebellum 8 region and right cerebellum crus1 region compared with the RD group. (4) Brain network analysis: Compared with the RD group, the PPPD group exhibited significantly reduced FC between the left supramarginal gyrus and the right angular gyrus. (5) Correlation analysis: The DHI scale scores of PPPD group were positively correlated with ALFF values of the right angular gyrus and negatively correlated with FC values between the right cerebellum 8 region and right cerebellum crus1 region.
Conclusions:
Significant differences in brain functional activity were observed between RD and PPPD patients, which reveals that there are differences between RD and PPPD patients regarding neural mechanisms in the process of pathogenesis.
Impact Statement
In this study, resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used for the first time to confirm the differences in brain functional activities between patients with residual dizziness (RD) caused by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD). These findings can clarify the different neural mechanisms of RD and PPPD during the pathogenesis process and provide some ideas for developing new treatment methods to prevent the chronification of dizziness in RD patients in the future. It also provides a reference basis at the functional imaging level for formulating targeted and precise intervention measures in the future.
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