The aim of this study was to investigate the abnormities in functional connectivity (FC) within each modular network and between modular networks in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Twelve meaningful modular networks were identified via independent component analysis from 41 patients and 40 volunteers. Parametric tests were used to compare the intra- and intermodular FC between the groups. Partial correlation analysis was used to seek the relationships between abnormal FCs and the clinical data. Compared to the controls, SLE patients showed decreased intramodular FC in the anterior default mode network (aDMN), posterior default mode network (pDMN), ventral attention network (VAN), and sensorimotor network (SMN) and increased intramodular FC in the medial visual network (mVN) and left frontoparietal network. In addition, SLE patients showed decreased intermodular FC between the SMN and the lateral visual network (lVN), between the SMN and the VAN, and between the pDMN and the lVN and exhibited increased intermodular FC between the SMN and the salience network (SAN), between the pDMN and the SAN, and between the aDMN and the VAN. Moreover, we found several correlations among the abnormal FCs and the Mini-Mental State Examination in SLE patients. Mild cognitive impairment is compensated by the hyperconnectivity between the aDMN and the VAN, while severe cognitive impairment tends to be compensated by the hyperconnectivity between the SMN and the SAN. The FC value between the SMN and the SAN and between the aDMN and the VAN may serve as neuroimaging markers for monitoring cognitive progression in SLE patients.

本研究的目的是调查系统性红斑狼疮 (SLE) 患者每个模块化网络内和模块化网络之间的功能连接 (FC) 异常。通过来自 41 名患者和 40 名志愿者的独立成分分析，确定了 12 个有意义的模块化网络。参数检验用于比较组间的模块内和模块间 FC。偏相关分析用于寻找异常FCs与临床数据之间的关系。与对照组相比，SLE 患者前部默认模式网络 (aDMN)、后部默认模式网络 (pDMN)、腹侧注意网络 (VAN) 和感觉运动网络 (SMN) 中的模块内 FC 降低，而内侧视觉中的模块内 FC 增加网络（mVN）和左额顶网络。此外，SLE 患者在 SMN 和横向视觉网络 (lVN) 之间、SMN 和 VAN 之间以及 pDMN 和 lVN 之间的模块间 FC 降低，并且在 SMN 和显着网络 (SAN) 之间、在pDMN 和 SAN，以及 aDMN 和 VAN 之间。此外，我们发现异常 FCs 与 SLE 患者的简易精神状态检查之间存在一些相关性。轻度认知障碍由 aDMN 和 VAN 之间的超连接补偿，而严重的认知障碍往往由 SMN 和 SAN 之间的超连接补偿。SMN 与 SAN 之间以及 aDMN 与 VAN 之间的 FC 值可作为监测 SLE 患者认知进展的神经影像学标志物。