FIGURE 3.

Abnormal connectivity between ACC and HIPP in PDM females revealed by PPI analysis. (A,B) The PDM cohort has increased ACC connectivity in the ISE-INCL and ESE-INCL contrasts. In the ISE-INCL contrast (A), PDM females show increased ACC.L/ACC connectivity with brainstem. In the ESE-INCL contrast (B), PDM women demonstrate increased connectivity between ACC.L/ACC.R/ACC and other brain regions, including frontal cortex, thalamus, and HIPP. (C–E) The PDM group exhibits a significant difference in ACC-HIPP connectivity compared to controls. For the ISE-INCL contrast (C), PDM subjects show increased ACC.L-HIPP.L and ACC.R-HIPP.L connectivity. ACC.L-HIPP.R and ACC.R-HIPP.R connectivity is identical. In the ESE-ISE contrast (D), the PDM group show decreased connectivity for the ACC.L-HIPP.L and ACC.R-HIPP.L circuits. ACC.L-HIPP.R and ACC.R-HIPP.R connectivity is also identical. In the ESE-INCL comparison (E), PDM subjects demonstrate increased connectivity for all ACC-HIPP combinations. Combining the bilateral regions also shows that PDM women have an overall increased ACC-HIPP connectivity in the ISE-INCL contrast (C1) and the ESE-INCL contrast (E1); and no significant difference in the ESE-ISE contrast (D1). Given that the PPI value is negative, the increased ACC-HIPP connectivity in the PDM indicated less connectivity reduction in the ISE-INCL and ESE-INCL contrast. L/R, left/right hemisphere; n = 30 and 31 for PDM and control females, respectively. The color bar represents the t-value. Error bars = ± 1 SEM. Two-sample t-test and Gaussian Random Field (GRF) correction with voxel-wise threshold of p < 0.01 and cluster threshold of p < 0.05 were used to determine the significantly abnormal brain regions functionally connected with ACC.L/ACC.R/ACC. A non-parametric permutation test was used for the specific ACC-HIPP connectivity with p < 0.05. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01.