阿尔茨海默病及轻度认知功能障碍患者海马及海马旁回灰质体积与认知功能的相关性

目的评估阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimers disease,AD)及遗忘型轻度认知功能障碍(aMCI)患者海马及海马旁回的灰质体积改变及其与认知功能的相关性。方法选择35例AD患者(AD组)、27例aMCI患者(aMCI组)及27例正常老年对照(NC组)的三维结构磁共振图像划分双侧海马、海马旁回感兴趣区,按照Y轴从前到后的顺序将各感兴趣区平均分为4部分,得到双侧海马头、双侧海马体1、双侧海马体2、双侧海马尾、双侧海马旁回头、双侧海马旁回体1、双侧海马旁回体2、双侧海马旁回尾16段,比较3组海马及海马旁回各段灰质体积,并分析其与神经心理量表的相关性。结果 AD组双侧海马及海马旁回各段灰质体积较NC组明显减小。aMCI合并AD组双侧海马前部、海马旁回中后部与简易智能精神状态检查量表呈正相关;aMCI组、aMCI合并AD组双侧海马及海马旁回各段灰质体积与延迟回忆和新词辨认等呈正相关。结论海马及海马旁回灰质萎缩可以反映AD及aMCI患者情景记忆受损的程度,海马头部萎缩可以反映AD整体认知下降水平。     

老年缺血性脑卒中认知障碍患者海马连接功能的变化及其机制

目的采用静息态血氧水平依赖功能性磁共振成像(Bold-f MRI)观察老年缺血性脑卒中认知障碍患者海马功能连接模式变化并探讨其可能机制。方法老年缺血性脑卒中认知功能障碍患者16例为研究组,健康老年人9例为对照组。采用静息态Bold-f MRI技术,选择左侧和右侧海马为兴趣区与全脑进行相关分析,获取两组脑功能连接激活图,观察两侧海马和全脑的功能连接模式。结果与对照组相比,研究组患者左侧海马与右侧扣带回,额下回、上回,枕叶、颞上回,右侧海马的连接功能均明显减弱(P<0.05);左侧海马与左侧颞中回、额内侧回、顶叶、楔前叶,右侧后扣带回的连接功能均明显增强(P<0.05)。与对照组相比,研究组患者右侧海马与右侧扣带回,左侧额中回、上回、下回,颞上回、右侧海马旁回,顶下小叶的连接功能均明显减弱(P<0.05);右侧海马与右枕叶,颞上回,距状沟,楔前叶,小脑后叶,额叶回的连接功能均明显增强(P<0.05)。结论老年缺血性脑卒中认知障碍患者海马与相关脑区间的功能连接减弱可能是引发认知功能减弱的原因之一,功能连接增强提示在此过程中同时存在相应的代偿机制。     

基于结构磁共振成像评估皮质下缺血性脑血管病伴认知障碍患者灰质萎缩的影像学研究

目的 基于结构磁共振成像(sMRI)中的体素形态测量法(VBM)全自动分割脑组织,探索皮质下缺血性脑血管病(SIVD)伴认知障碍患者脑灰质体积变化与认知损害领域的相关性。方法 收集2020年9月至2022年9月牡丹江医学院附属红旗医院神经内科患者80例,根据神经心理学评估认知水平下降程度将受试者分为皮质下缺血性脑血管病痴呆组(SIVD-AD) 23例,轻度认知障碍组(SIVD-MCI)33例和无认知障碍组(SIVD-NCI)24例。应用3.0T MRI采集3D-T1TFE矢状位结构像,在MATLAB平台SPM12软件包中的VBM-CAT12工具箱将脑组织进行全自动分割,最终在DPABI软件中进行感兴趣区勾画,所有图像均应用Viewer软件包中的AAL模板进行萎缩部位校准。结果 与SIVD-NCI组相比,SIVD-MCI组主要在右侧额上回、额中回及颞中回中存在灰质萎缩改变;SIVD-AD组主要在双侧梭状回、双侧扣带回、双侧嗅皮层、左侧额上回、左侧额中回、左侧海马旁回、左侧直回、左侧岛叶、右侧尾状核等存在萎缩改变。结论 sMRI具有非侵入无辐射的特点,可作为一般人群中MCI及AD的有效筛查...     

主观认知下降及轻度认知障碍患者默认网络的静息态fMRI研究

目的 分析主观认知下降(SCD)和轻度认知障碍(MCI)默认网络(DMN)的异常改变,揭示其演变规律,以期为阿尔茨海默病(AD)的早期诊断提供影像学依据。方法 纳入SCD患者35例,MCI患者88例,健康对照(HC)者32名。收集受试者的相关临床数据、神经心理学量表评估数据以及3D-T1WI及静息态血氧水平依赖功能磁共振成像(BOLD-fMRI)数据。以后扣带回(PCC)作为种子点,分析SCD、MCI的DMN功能连接变化。结果 与HC组相比,SCD组双侧前扣带回(ACC)的功能连接降低,右侧额下回的功能连接增强;MCI组双侧海马及海马旁回、右侧额上回/左侧ACC、部分右侧颞中回/角回的功能连接降低,右侧中央前回、双侧岛叶/双侧额下回、右侧中扣带回/右腹侧ACC、右侧补充运动区、左侧小脑的功能连接增强。结论 随着疾病的进展,MCI在SCD的DMN功能连接变化的基础上出现了更为广泛的功能连接异常,提示了SCD是介于MCI和正常老年人之间的中间阶段。     

伴消极完美主义首发抑郁症患者低频振幅脑功能改变及其与临床症状的相关性

目的 探讨采用低频振幅(ALFF)法分析伴消极完美主义首发抑郁症患者特征性脑功能改变及其与临床症状的相关性。方法 纳入2020—2022年招募的44例首发抑郁症患者,其中男11例,女33例,年龄(24.64±5.31)岁,根据中文Frost多维度完美主义量表(CFMPS)中消极完美主义总分将患者分为抑郁伴消极完美主义(DANP)组24例和抑郁不伴消极完美主义(DWNP)组20例。分析比较两组ALFF值的差异,将差异有统计学意义的脑区提取ALFF值与CFMPS量表中消极完美主义总分、17项汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD-17)总分进行Pearson相关性分析。结果 与DWNP组相比,DANP组右侧额中回、右侧顶下缘角回、右侧脑岛、左侧颞下回、左侧颞中回ALFF值显著升高,左侧中央旁小叶、左侧额中回、左侧缘上回、左侧三角部额下回、左侧岛盖部额下回ALFF值显著降低。右侧额中回ALFF值与消极完美主义总分和HAMD-17总分呈负相关(r=-0.531,P=0.008;r=-0.477,P=0.018)。结论 DANP患者较DWNP患者的脑功能存在异常,这些异常主要表现在与情绪、认知等有关的额叶、...     

针刺足临泣治疗腰腿痛的脑功能性磁共振成像研究

目的选择腰椎间盘突出患者作为研究对象,通过针刺右侧足临泣穴,利用功能性磁共振成像(fMRI)观察针刺后激活的不同脑功能区,分析针刺镇痛脑功能区变化的特点,为针刺镇痛提供理论依据。方法选取年龄55⁷0岁男性腰椎间盘突出患者12例,针刺患者右侧足临泣穴,在fMRI下采用静息阶段与针刺阶段交替采集图像,获得数据通过random effect的方法进行组分析,以P<0.05的像素构成SPM统计参数图,该图即为实验任务脑激活区,按照Talairach坐标行解剖定位,获得实验任务激活的脑区。结果 12例受试者主要激活左侧额上回(BA 8)、左侧中央前回(BA 6)、左侧岛盖部(BA 44)、右侧颞中回(BA 21)、右侧颞上回(BA 22)、右侧压后扣带皮层(BA 29)和小脑隐部;负激活脑功能区为右侧颞下回(BA 20)、右侧视觉联合皮层(BA 19)、右侧顶上小叶(BA 7)、左侧颞下回(BA 20)。结论右侧足临泣穴的脑激活区左侧额上回、右侧压后扣带皮层、左侧岛盖部均在痛觉传导通路上,小脑蚓部比较明确地参与镇痛的作用。左侧中央前回及右侧颞上、中回的激活区多位于皮层,可能因为痛觉在中枢以一种高度分散的方式广泛分布,这些区域在机体受到伤害性刺激时产生疼痛反应,激活频率较高,形成"疼痛矩阵"。说明针刺治疗腰腿痛确实有效的主要原因是通过镇痛中枢进行镇痛调节。     

脑梗死后运动性失语的局部脑功能活动强度研究

目的利用静息态功能磁共振成像(fMRI)分析脑梗死后运动性失语患者脑功能区域活动强度的变化。方法选择急性缺血性脑卒中后运动性失语患者14例作为病例组,同期健康体检者16例作为对照组,2组采用汉语失语成套测验进行言语行为学测试,计算失语指数(AQ)评分,之后行静息态fMRI检查,记录低频波动振幅(ALFF),以全脑标准化的ALFF(mALFF)用于分析,采用REST软件进行统计分析。结果与对照组比较,病例组左侧小脑半球、右侧颞上回、右侧颞中回、右侧丘脑、右侧海马旁回、右侧中央前回、左侧额中回mALFF值明显增高(P<0.05);左侧中央前回、左侧内侧颞上回、右侧颞极mALFF值明显降低(P<0.05)。病例组所有患者左侧内侧额上回的mALFF值在-0.75~0.83,AQ评分在17~64分,且mALFF值与AQ评分呈正相关(r=0.590,P=0.026)。结论静息状态下,脑梗死后运动性失语患者某些脑区异常激活,为此类患者的诊治提供了思路。     

遗忘型轻度认知障碍患者静息态脑功能网络局部一致性

目的利用功能磁共振成像(f MRI)技术探讨遗忘型轻度认知障碍(a MCI)患者静息态脑活动神经网络结构和功能特点。方法分别对根据临床诊断的10例a MCI患者及10例健康志愿者进行静息态功能磁共振扫描,利用脑功能网络局部一致性(Re Ho)分析方法,比较a MCI患者与健康志愿者静息态下大脑活动差异。结果 a MCI患者Re Ho分析显示后扣带回区域、额叶内侧、前额叶内侧皮层和顶叶部分区域的Re Ho均显著增高。a MCI患者左侧颞叶(颞中回、颞下回)、左侧海马旁回、枕叶、舌回、楔前叶等区域的Re Ho降低,而右侧额叶(额下回)、左颞上回、中央前回(额叶)、右侧丘脑、左侧梭状回等区域的Re Ho增高。结论静息状态下,a MCI患者可能存在着局部脑区功能异常,这种异常与认知功能减退可能存在一定联系。     

轻度认知障碍患者多模态磁共振特征

目的 探讨轻度认知损害者(MCI)和阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者多模态磁共振成像特征与认知功能的关系.方法 共纳入9例遗忘型MCI,15例轻度AD及11例正常对照,以简明精神状况检查(MMSE)和认知功能筛查测验(CASI)评估总体认知功能,对高分辨率结构像进行基于体素形态学分析(VBM),测量扩散张量成像(DTI)图像、各脑区白质各向异性比值(FA)和平均表观弥散系数(ADC),分析脑结构萎缩及白质DTI指标与认知评分的相关性.结果 MMSE和CASI评分与颞、额、顶、扣带回、海马旁回等结构灰质体积改变呈正相关(P<0.001),MMSE和CASI总分与颞、顶叶以及海马旁回的FA值呈正相关,与ADC值呈负相关(P<0.05).结论 MCI和AD患者认知功能与颞、顶、海马旁回等脑区萎缩及白质微观结构损伤密切相关,多模态影像技术可作为认知损害脑机制研究的重要技术手段.     

轻度认知功能障碍的右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖功能连接变化

目的探索右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖在轻度认知功能障碍(mild cognitive impairment,MCI)阶段的功能连接改变。方法选取首都医科大学宣武医院临床诊断MCI患者21例为MCI组,另选取认知正常的健康老年人(healthy elderly,HE)20例为HE组,静息态功能磁共振检查采用梯度回波-平面回波序列,通过基于体素的相关分析获得右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖的全脑功能连接,通过双样本t检验获得组间的功能连接差异。结果 MCI组简易智能状态检查量表评分低于HE组[(25.8±0.6)分vs (29.2±0.3)分,P0.01]。HE组右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖功能连接包括双侧顶下小叶、右侧扣带回中后部、右侧额中回、右侧丘脑背内侧核、右侧辅助运动区、左侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖、左侧颞上回、左侧额下回、左侧中央前回和左侧嗅皮质(包括左上眶回和直回)。与HE组比较,MCI组左侧嗅皮质、左侧顶上小叶与右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖功能连接显著降低,而右侧内侧前额叶与右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖功能连接显著增高;且MCI组左侧嗅皮质与左侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖的功能连接呈现破坏性趋势[体素阈值:t≥2.056,P0.05(未校正),k=10个体素]。结论右侧岛叶前部-额叶岛盖功能连接能够成为识别MCI有意义的生物学标志物。     

首次发作晚发抑郁与轻度认知损害脑萎缩模式的比较研究

目的用优化的基于体素的形态学研究方法(VBM)比较首次发作晚发抑郁(LOD)与轻度认知功能损害(MCI)患者的脑萎缩模式,探索LOD患者脑结构与认知功能的关系。方法选择LOD、MCI及正常老人39例,分为LOD组9例,MCI组14例和NC组16例,用简易精神状态检查量表和认知功能筛检工具评估3组总体认知功能,跨文化神经心理成套测验评估不同领域认知功能。用VBM对颅脑高分辨率3D T_1WI进行分析。结果与NC组比较,LOD组双侧额叶、边缘系统和顶叶多个脑区明显萎缩(P<0.01)。与MCI组比较,LOD组双侧额叶和边缘系统多个脑区明显萎缩(P<0.01)。LOD组物品记忆功能评分与额叶和边缘系统多个脑区灰质体积呈正相关(r=0.49～0.76,P<0.01),言语流畅性评分与右侧颞上回呈正相关(r=0.72,P<0.01)。结论首次发作LOD患者认知相关的脑区灰质萎缩较MCI更广泛和明显;患者额叶与边缘系统灰质萎缩与认知下降相关。     

Spect-neuropsychology correlations in very mild Alzheimer's disease and amnesic mild cognitive impairment

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to explore the clinical and brain functional abnormalities in patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and patients with amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI).Methodswe used resting spect-neuropsychology correlations method.ResultsWe found that parieto-temporal associative cortex, mainly involving the inferior parietal lobule, posterior cingulate and middle temporal gyrus, is compromised early in AD. These results suggest that the dysfunction in these areas contributes to cognitive decline in the storage of verbal information, drawing abilities and non-verbal abstract reasoning in AD. The aMCI group showed hypoperfusion primarily involving the frontal areas bilaterally, and this correlated with the impairment in free delayed recall on a verbal memory task.ConclusionOur results underlie the clinical differences between AD and aMCI patients that might reflect the involvement of different degenerative mechanisms in these groups.     

Cerebral cortical hyperactivation in response to mental stress in patients with coronary artery disease

The central nervous system (CNS) effects of mental stress in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) are unexplored. The present study used positron emission tomography (PET) to measure brain correlates of mental stress induced by an arithmetic serial subtraction task in CAD and healthy subjects. Mental stress resulted in hyperactivation in CAD patients compared with healthy subjects in several brain areas including the left parietal cortex [angular gyrus/parallel sulcus (area 39)], left anterior cingulate (area 32), right visual association cortex (area 18), left fusiform gyrus, and cerebellum. These same regions were activated within the CAD patient group during mental stress versus control conditions. In the group of healthy subjects, activation was significant only in the left inferior frontal gyrus during mental stress compared with counting control. Decreases in blood flow also were produced by mental stress in CAD versus healthy subjects in right thalamus (lateral dorsal, lateral posterior), right superior frontal gyrus (areas 32, 24, and 10), and right middle temporal gyrus (area 21) (in the region of the auditory association cortex). Of particular interest, a subgroup of CAD patients that developed painless myocardial ischemia during mental stress had hyperactivation in the left hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule (area 40), left middle (area 10) and superior frontal gyrus (area 8), temporal pole, and visual association cortex (area 18), and a concomitant decrease in activation observed in the anterior cingulate bilaterally, right middle and superior frontal gyri, and right visual association cortex (area 18) compared with CAD patients without myocardial ischemia. These findings demonstrate an exaggerated cerebral cortical response and exaggerated asymmetry to mental stress in individuals with CAD.     

Brain Metabolism of Less-Educated Patients With Alzheimer Dementia Studied by Positron Emission Tomography

Alzheimer dementia (AD) is the commonest form of dementia. Although illiteracy is associated with high prevalence of dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT), their relationship is still unclear. Nevertheless, mild DAT in illiterate participants seems to be due to brain atrophy.In this study, we compared the impact of brain metabolism efficiency in healthy participants and less-educated patients with mild DAT using 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG-PET) positron emission tomography. Out of 43 eligible less-educated participants with dementia, only 23 (14 women and 9 men) met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-III-R or DSM-IV criteria for DAT and AD and were included. Participants with intracranial insults were excluded by brain magnetic resonance imaging and participants with metabolic or systemic conditions were excluded by blood sampling. In addition, 16 cognitively normal elderly (age >70 years), including 7 women and 9 men, were enrolled in the sham group. The PET imaging data were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM8) to determine reliability and specificity.Glucose metabolic rate was low in the DAT group, especially in the middle temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate gyrus, angular gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, rectal gyrus, and lingual gyrus.Our results showed that DAT patients with less education not only have prominent clinical signs and symptoms related to dementia but also decreased gray matter metabolism.     

Brain anomalies in children exposed prenatally to a common organophosphate pesticide

Prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF), an organophosphate insecticide, is associated with neurobehavioral deficits in humans and animal models. We investigated associations between CPF exposure and brain morphology using magnetic resonance imaging in 40 children, 5.9-11.2 y, selected from a nonclinical, representative community-based cohort. Twenty high-exposure children (upper tertile of CPF concentrations in umbilical cord blood) were compared with 20 low-exposure children on cortical surface features; all participants had minimal prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. High CPF exposure was associated with enlargement of superior temporal, posterior middle temporal, and inferior postcentral gyri bilaterally, and enlarged superior frontal gyrus, gyrus rectus, cuneus, and precuneus along the mesial wall of the right hemisphere. Group differences were derived from exposure effects on underlying white matter. A significant exposure × IQ interaction was derived from CPF disruption of normal IQ associations with surface measures in low-exposure children. In preliminary analyses, high-exposure children did not show expected sex differences in the right inferior parietal lobule and superior marginal gyrus, and displayed reversal of sex differences in the right mesial superior frontal gyrus, consistent with disruption by CPF of normal behavioral sexual dimorphisms reported in animal models. High-exposure children also showed frontal and parietal cortical thinning, and an inverse dose-response relationship between CPF and cortical thickness. This study reports significant associations of prenatal exposure to a widely used environmental neurotoxicant, at standard use levels, with structural changes in the developing human brain.     

Prospective Memory Deficits in Multiple Sclerosis: Voxel-based Morphometry and Double Inversion Recovery Analysis

Objective Prospective memory (PM) is an important social cognitive function in everyday life. PM is one of the most affected cognitive domains in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Gray matter (GM) atrophy and plaques have been attracting attention for various cognitive impairments in MS patients. This study aimed to clarify the atrophic GM regions associated with PM deficits and investigate the relationship between the atrophic GM regions and GM plaques. Methods Twenty-one MS patients and 10 healthy controls (HCs) underwent neuropsychological tests and MRI. PM was assessed using subtests of the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test. A lesion symptom analysis was performed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). We then evaluated GM plaques in the corresponding areas using double inversion recovery (DIR). Results MS patients showed lower PM scores than HCs (p=0.0064). The GM volume of MS patients tended to be lower than those of HCs. VBM analyses revealed correlations of the PM score with the orbital part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left hippocampus, and the right parahippocampus. There was no GM plaque in the orbital part of the left inferior frontal gyrus and the right parahippocampus. Only one patient (4.8%) had GM plaque in the left hippocampus. Conclusion The left inferior frontal gyrus, the left hippocampus, and the right parahippocampus were associated with PM in MS, whereas these atrophic GM regions were not associated with GM plaque. Regardless of the location of plaques on DIR, both PM deficit and GM atrophy should be detected using neuropsychological tests and VBM in MS patients.     

阿尔茨海默病患者额叶、扣带回皮层萎缩模式观察及意义

目的：观察阿尔茨海默病（ AD）患者额叶、扣带回皮层的萎缩模式,并探讨其意义。方法根据简易智能状态检查（ MMSE）评分及临床痴呆评定量表（ CDR）评分将28例AD患者分为轻度AD组、中度AD组各14例,同期体检健康者20例作为正常对照组。采用MMSE、CDR、蒙特利尔认知评估量表（ MOCA ）、日常生活活动量表（ADL）、汉密尔顿抑郁量表（HAMD）、神经精神量表（NPI）,评估各组的认知功能。各组均行头颅MRI检查,Free-Surfer v5．1．0软件分析图像及数据。结果正常对照组、轻度AD组及中度AD组的MMSE、MOCA均依次降低, CDR、ADL、NPI均依次升高;组间两两比较,P均＜0．05。额叶皮层各亚区中,轻度AD组、中度AD组双侧内侧眶回、外侧眶回及眶部皮层厚度均小于正常对照组,中度AD组左侧额中回后部皮层厚度小于轻度AD组, P均＜0．05。扣带回皮层各亚区中,轻度AD组、中度AD组双侧扣带回峡部、后扣带回及前扣带回膝部皮层厚度小于正常对照组,P均＜0．05;轻度AD组及中度AD组比较,P均＞0．05。左侧额中回后部及左侧外侧眶回皮层厚度减少是AD进展的危险因素（OR分别为44．621、2．021）,P均＜0．05。结论轻度AD患者额叶、扣带回皮层即出现萎缩,萎缩模式为非均匀性,左侧额中回后部及左侧外侧眶回皮层萎缩可用于评估AD患者的疾病进展。     

Recruitment of Additional Brain Regions to Accomplish Simple Motor Tasks in Chronic Alcohol‐Dependent Patients

Background: Chronic alcohol‐dependent patients (ALC) exhibit neurocognitive impairments attributed to alcohol‐induced fronto‐cerebellar damage. Deficits are typically found in complex task performance, whereas simple tasks may not be significantly compromised, perhaps because of little understood compensatory changes. Methods: We compared finger tapping with either hand at externally paced (EP) or maximal self‐paced (SP) rates and concomitant brain activation in ten pairs of right‐hand dominant, age‐, and gender‐matched, severe, uncomplicated ALC and normal controls (NC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results: Mean tapping rates were not significantly different in ALC and NC for either task, but SP tapping variances were greater in ALC for both hands. SP tapping was more rapid with dominant hand (DH) than non‐dominant hand (NDH) for both groups. EP and SP tapping with the non‐dominant hand demonstrated significantly more activation in ALC than NC in the pre and postcentral gyri, inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and the middle temporal gyrus. Areas activated only by ALC (not at all by NC) during NDH tapping included the inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and postcentral gyrus. There were no significant group activation differences with DH tapping. No brain regions activated more in NC than ALC. SP tapping in contrast to EP activated fronto‐cerebellar networks in NC, including postcentral gyrus, anterior cingulate, and the anterior lobe and vermis of the cerebellum, but only parietal precuneus in ALC. Conclusions: These findings with NDH finger tapping support previous reports of neurocognitive inefficiencies in ALC. Inferior frontal activation with EP in ALC, but not in NC, suggests engagement of regions needed for planning, organization, and impulse regulation; greater contralateral parietal lobe activation with SP in ALC may reflect right hemispheric impairments in visuospatial performance. Contrasting brain activation during SP and EP suggests that ALC may not have enlisted a fronto‐cerebellar network as did NC but rather employed a higher order planning mode by recruiting parietal lobe functions to attain normal mean finger tapping rates. Elucidation of the compensatory neural mechanisms that allow near normal performance by ALC on simple tasks can inform functional rehabilitation of patients in recovery.