Functional characteristics of cerebral infarction lesion and its penumbra

Motivation: Functional changes in ischemic penumbra after cerebral infarction may indicate different degrees of hypoperfusion and different prognosis. Goal(s): To explore the functional characteristics of infarction and its penumbra region using rs-fMRI. Approach: The functional differences between infarct, penumbra and contralateral normal tissue were evaluated by Paired sample t test and Wilcoxon paired sign-rank test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between the degree of hypoperfusion of the penumbra and the functional impairment. Results: Substantial differences in functional characteristics were observed between infarction and normal tissue. The degree of ischemic penumbra was considerably correlated with its functional characteristics. Impact: The elucidation of penumbral functional characteristics may influence its reversibility potential. Such knowledge can be pivotal in guiding clinical decision-making related to thrombolytic and neuroprotective treatments, optimizing patient outcomes.