Connectome alterations, neuroplasticity, and clinical outcomes in adult low-grade glioma
Pratiksha Baliga, Vaishali Walke, Luis Rafael Moscote-Salazar, Md Moshiur Rahaman, Amit AgrawalAbstract
Background:
Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are diffuse brain cancers with a predilection for attacking brain networks rather than anatomical sites. In recent years, thanks to connectomic advancements, there has been a paradigm shift in the pathophysiology of LGGs from the lesion-based approach to the network-based one, stressing the importance of neuroplasticity. To systematically evaluate connectome alterations in adult LGG patients and examine their relationship with neuroplasticity and clinical outcomes, including cognitive function, neurological status, and quality of life.
Materials and Methods:
This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases was performed till April 2026. All studies for inclusion were adult patients with LGG who studied brain connectivity, neuroplasticity, and clinical outcomes.
Results:
Ten studies were finally considered for analysis. The imaging modalities used in these studies included multimodal connectomics techniques, specifically resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), diffusion MRI, and magnetoencephalography. It was found that LGGs were related to considerable changes in functional and structural connections in large-scale brain networks like the default mode network and the fronto-parietal network. Neuroplastic changes were frequently observed in these studies, involving dynamic reorganization of the language and cognitive networks by recruiting the contralateral and the perilesional parts of the brain.
Conclusion:
The LGGs should be perceived as disorders at the level of the network, causing changes in the connectome. Neuroplasticity is vital in helping patients recover from LGG by reorganizing the networks. The use of connectomics has great potential in prognosis and the use of personalized neurosurgery.