structural modifications of the brain in acclimatization to high-altitude适应高海拔的大脑结构修改.pdfVIP

Structural Modifications of the Brain in Acclimatization to High-Altitude 1,2 3 1 4 1 5 Jiaxing Zhang *, Xiaodan Yan , Jinfu Shi , Qiyong Gong , Xuchu Weng , Yijun Liu 1 Laboratory for Higher Brain Function, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 2 Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Medical College of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, 3 Langone Medical Center, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America, 4 Huaxi Magnetic Resonance Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chendu, China, 5 Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America Abstract Adaptive changes in respiratory and cardiovascular responses at high altitude (HA) have been well clarified. However, the central mechanisms underlying HA acclimatization remain unclear. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with fractional anisotropy (FA) calculation, we investigated 28 Han immigrant residents (17–22 yr) born and raised at HA of 2616–4200 m in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau for at least 17 years and who currently attended college at sea- level (SL). Their family migrated from SL to HA 2–3 generations ago and has resided at HA ever since. Control subjects were matched SL residents. HA residents (vs. SL) showed decreased grey matter volume in the bilateral anterior insula, right anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral prefrontal cortex, left precentral cortex, and right lingual cortex. HA residents (vs. SL) had significantly higher FA mainly in the bilateral anterior limb of internal capsule, bilateral superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum, bilateral superior corona radiata,