Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41947201›Full record

ArticleJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2026

Structural-functional connectivity coupling in motor-brain networks following acute ischemic stroke.

Jianian Hua, Dongdong Chen, Yusong Sun, Zelin Liu, Xingkai Fang, Haiwei Sun, Liqing Chen, Quanquan Zhang, Yi Cao, Lichi Zhang and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Jianian Hua *Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu , China.
Dongdong Chen *School of Computer Science and Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China.
Yusong Sun *School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
Zelin LiuSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
Xingkai FangSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
Haiwei SunDepartment of Emergency Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu, China.
Liqing ChenSchool of Pharmacy, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu, China.
Quanquan ZhangDepartment of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu , China.
Yi CaoSuzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China. ycao2014@sinano.ac.cn.
Lichi ZhangSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. lichizhang@sjtu.edu.cn.
Qingmei ChenSuzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China. cqmlap123@163.com.

Funding

Bo Xi Clinical Research Project of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University BXLC2025020Horizontal Project of Soochow University H240792
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStructural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) are pivotal for motor recovery after stroke, yet their interplay (SC-FC coupling) within the motor network during the acute phase of ischemic stroke remains poorly understood.

objectiveThis study aimed to investigate SC-FC coupling in the motor network of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and elucidate its relationship with motor function.

methodsWe prospectively enrolled 55 patients within one week of AIS onset and 55 baseline-matched healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We compared the motor network SC and FC metrics between the two groups. The associations between SC-FC coupling levels and motor function were further analyzed.

resultsThe study included 55 patients (mean age ± standard deviation (SD): 57.75 ± 13.00 years; 36 males) and 55 HC (mean age ± SD: 57.09 ± 10.74 years; 33 males). Compared with HC, patients with AIS demonstrated significantly reduced SC and FC strength within the motor network (false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected P < 0.05). The significantly increased SC were significantly negatively correlated with motor function scores (FDR‐corrected P < 0.05). The negative coupling mechanism between FC and SC connections, that is, stronger SC connections are significantly negatively correlated with weaker FC connections (r =-0.28, P = 0.04). Notably, the level of SC-FC coupling was significantly negatively correlated with motor function scores (r = -0.30; FDR‐corrected P = 0.03).

conclusionOur findings revealed synergistic alterations in the SC between the ipsilesional superior parietal gyrus (SPG) and contralesional postcentral gyrus (PoCG), as well as in the FC of the interhemispheric Precentral gyrus (PreCG), in patients with AIS, indicating a pathological coupling effect. Furthermore, stronger SC-FC coupling is significantly associated with poorer motor function. Therefore, targeting this specific SC-FC coupling pattern, particularly by modulating SC between ipsilesional SPG and contralesional PoCG, may represent a promising neuromodulation strategy to promote motor recovery in AIS patients.

Indexed as

BrainBrain IschemiaIschemic StrokeMotor CortexNerve NetAgedDiffusion Tensor ImagingFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeural PathwaysProspective StudiesAcute ischemic strokeMotor networksNeuromodulationSC-FC coupling

Identifiers

PMID41947201
PMCPMC13262395

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.