Understanding global brain network alterations in glioma patients.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION\nGlioma patients show increased global brain network clustering relating to poorer cognition and epilepsy. However, it is unclear whether this increase is spatially widespread, localized in the (peri)tumor region only, or decreases with distance from the tumor.\n\n\nMATERIALS AND METHODS\nWeighted global and local brain network clustering was determined in 71 glioma patients and 53 controls using magnetoencephalography. Tumor clustering was determined by averaging local clustering of regions overlapping with the tumor, and vice versa for non-tumor regions. Euclidean distance was determined from the tumor centroid to the centroids of other regions.\n\n\nRESULTS\nPatients showed higher global clustering compared to controls. Clustering of tumor and non-tumor regions did not differ and local clustering was not associated with distance from the tumor. Post-hoc analyses revealed that in the patient group, tumors were located more often in regions with higher clustering in controls, but it seemed that tumors of patients with high global clustering were located more often in regions with lower clustering in controls.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nGlioma patients show non-local network disturbances. Tumors of patients with high global clustering may have a preferred localization, namely regions with lower clustering in controls, suggesting that tumor localization relates to the extent of network disruption.