Abstract #1213

High-Field MR Imaging Reveals an Acute Impact on Brain Function in Survivors of the Wenchuan Earthquake in China

Su Lui¹, Xiaoqi Huang², Long Chen¹, Hehan Tang¹, Tijiang Zhang¹, Xiuli Li¹, Dongming Li¹, Ling Zou¹, Raymend C Chan³, Andrea Mechelli⁴, John A. Sweeney⁵, Qiyong Gong¹

¹Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; ²Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology,, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; ³Institute of Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; ⁴Wellcome Department of Imaging Neuroscience; ⁵University of Illinois at Chicago

Amplitude of low-frequency (0.010.8 Hz) fluctuations (ALFF) in conjunction with the analysis of the resting state functional brain connectivity was applied to both regional cerebral function and functional integration in physically healthy trauma survivors shortly after Wenchuan earthquake. Forty-four healthy survivors and 32 age, sex, height, weight, handedness and years of education matched controls were recruited, and were scanned using an EPI sequence on a 3T MR imaging system. For first time, we characterized that survivors show hyperactivity and decreased functional connectivity in prefrontal-limbic and striatal brain systems shortly after the massively traumatic sequelae of the earthquake.