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Research advances in multimodal magnetic resonance imaging for brain structural and functional alterations in chronic mountain sickness
HOU Yuyin  WEN Shengbao  ZHOU Boqi  YANG Airu  CAI Shaoyin  ZOU Menglong 

Cite this article as: HOU Y Y, WEN S B, ZHOU B Q, et al. Research advances in multimodal magnetic resonance imaging for brain structural and functional alterations in chronic mountain sickness[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2025, 16(7): 140-146. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2025.07.023.


[Abstract] With the continuous advancement of high-altitude medicine research, chronic mountain sickness (CMS), as a special pathological condition caused by prolonged hypoxia exposure, has become a critical public health issue in high-altitude medicine that urgently requires resolution. Currently, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CMS-induced morphological changes and functional abnormalities in brain tissue remain incompletely understood, and systematic conclusions regarding its imaging characteristics are still lacking. In this context, the use of non-invasive imaging techniques for early diagnosis and intervention of CMS holds significant clinical value.In recent years, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its derivative techniques, has demonstrated remarkable advantages in both the mechanistic research and clinical diagnosis of CMS. This article systematically reviews the research progress on CMS-related structural and functional brain alterations based on multimodal MRI technologies, with a focus on the application value of structural MRI and functional MRI in elucidating the neuropathological mechanisms of CMS. The aim is to provide objective imaging evidence for the early diagnosis and precision treatment of CMS.
[Keywords] chronic mountain sickness；magnetic resonance imaging；high altitude；brain；cognitive function

HOU Yuyin   WEN Shengbao*   ZHOU Boqi   YANG Airu   CAI Shaoyin   ZOU Menglong  

Medical Imaging Centre, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, Xining 810000, China

Corresponding author: WEN S B, E-mail: qdfyyxzxwsb@126.com

Conflicts of interest   None.

Received  2025-04-01
Accepted  2025-07-07
DOI: 10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2025.07.023
Cite this article as: HOU Y Y, WEN S B, ZHOU B Q, et al. Research advances in multimodal magnetic resonance imaging for brain structural and functional alterations in chronic mountain sickness[J]. Chin J Magn Reson Imaging, 2025, 16(7): 140-146. DOI:10.12015/issn.1674-8034.2025.07.023.

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