Fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation alterations in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a resting-state fMRI study

We sought to use the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) method to investigate the changes in spontaneous brain activity in CSM patients and their relationships with clinical features. We recruited 20 patients with CSM, and 20 healthy controls (HCs) matched for age, sex, and education status. The fALFF method was used to evaluate the altered spontaneous brain activities. The Pearson correlation analysis of fALFF and the clinical features were carried out. Compared with HC, CSM group showed increased fALFF values in the left middle frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and right angular gyrus. Decreased fALFF values were found in the right lingual gyrus, cuneus (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis shows that the fALFF values of all CSM were positively correlated with JOA score in the right angular gyrus (r = 0.518, P < 0.05). CSM patients have abnormal fALFF distribution in multiple brain regions and might be an appealing alternative approach for further exploration of the pathological and neuropsychological states in CSM.