Home › Research › Brain scans and imaging
Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Highlights Altered Connections and Functional Networks in Patients With Hypertension
Carnevale L, Maffei A, Landolfi A, Grillea G, Carnevale D, Lembo G.. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979), 2020-09-21
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Hypertension is one of the main risk factors for vascular dementia and Alzheimer disease. To predict the onset of these diseases, it is necessary to develop tools to detect the early effects of vascular risk factors on the brain. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging can investigate how the brain modulates its resting activity and analyze how hypertension impacts cerebral function. Here, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore brain functional-hemodynamic coupling across different regions and their connectivity in patients with hypertension, as compared to subjects with normotension. In addition, we leveraged multimodal imaging to identify the signature of hypertension injury on the brain. Our study included 37 subjects (18 normotensives and 19 hypertensives), characterized by microstructural integrity by diffusion tensor imaging and cognitive profile, who were subjected to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis. We mapped brain functional connectivity networks and evaluated the connectivity differences among regions, identifying the altered connections in patients with hypertension compared with subjects with normotension in the (1) dorsal attention network and sensorimotor network; (2) dorsal attention network and visual network; (3) dorsal attention network and frontoparietal network. Then we tested how diffusion tensor imaging fractional anisotropy of superior longitudinal fasciculus correlates with the connections between dorsal attention network and default mode network and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores with a widespread network of functional connections. Finally, based on our correlation analysis, we applied a feature selection to highlight those most relevant to describing brain injury in patients with hypertension. Our multimodal imaging data showed that hypertensive brains present a network of functional connectivity alterations that correlate with cognitive dysfunction and microstructural integrity. Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02310217.
Key findings
- Here, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore brain functional-hemodynamic coupling across different regions and their connectivity in patients with hypertension, as compared to subjects with normotension.
- We mapped brain functional connectivity networks and evaluated the connectivity differences among regions, identifying the altered connections in patients with hypertension compared with subjects with normotension in the (1) dorsal attention network and sensorimotor network; (2) dorsal attention network and visual network; (3) dorsal attention network and frontoparietal network.
- Our multimodal imaging data showed that hypertensive brains present a network of functional connectivity alterations that correlate with cognitive dysfunction and microstructural integrity.
Why it matters
In this small study of 37 people, resting-state fMRI showed altered brain network connections in people with hypertension compared with those with normal blood pressure. It is about early brain effects of a vascular risk factor, not about treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Brain scans & tests →
Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants37
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Hypertension: journal h-index 369 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 37 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 77 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.6 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 38 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Giuseppe Lembo: h-index 59 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sapienza University of Rome: institution h-index 1,145 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 32951470) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Carnevale, L., Maffei, A., Landolfi, A., Grillea, G., Carnevale, D., & Lembo, G. (2020). Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Highlights Altered Connections and Functional Networks in Patients With Hypertension. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979). https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.15296
Vancouver
Carnevale L, Maffei A, Landolfi A, Grillea G, Carnevale D, Lembo G. Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Highlights Altered Connections and Functional Networks in Patients With Hypertension. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979). 2020. doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.15296. PMID: 32951470.
BibTeX
@article{carnevale2020-32951470,
author = {Carnevale, L. and Maffei, A. and Landolfi, A. and Grillea, G. and Carnevale, D. and Lembo, G.},
title = {{Brain Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Highlights Altered Connections and Functional Networks in Patients With Hypertension}},
journal = {Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.15296},
pmid = {32951470},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.15296}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Later studies that cite this one
1 study in the alzhub library lists this one in its references.