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Sahu A, Ahmad S, Imtiyaz K, Kizhakkeppurath Kumaran A, Islam M, Raza K, Easwaran M, Kurukkan Kunnath A, Rizvi MA, Verma S. In-silico and in-vitro study reveals ziprasidone as a potential aromatase inhibitor against breast carcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16545. [PMID: 37783782 PMCID: PMC10545834 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43789-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Aromatase enzyme plays a fundamental role in the development of estrogen receptors, and due to this functionality, the enzyme has gained significant attention as a therapeutic for reproductive disorders and cancer diseases. The currently employed aromatase inhibitors have severe side effects whereas our novel aromatase inhibitor is more selective and less toxic, therefore has greater potential to be developed as a drug. The research framework of this study is to identify a potent inhibitor for the aromatase target by profiling molecular descriptors of the ligand and to find a functional pocket in the target by docking and MD simulations. For assessing cellular and metabolic activities as indicators of cell viability and cytotoxicity, in-vitro studies were performed by using the colorimetric MTT assay. Aromatase activities were determined by a fluorometric method. Cell morphology was assessed by phase-contrast light microscopy. Flow cytometry and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay determined cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. This study reports that CHEMBL708 (Ziprasidone) is the most promising compound that showed excellent aromatase inhibitory activity. By using better drug design methods and experimental studies, our study identified a novel compound that could be effective as a high-potential drug candidate against aromatase enzyme. We conclude that the compound ziprasidone effectively blocks the cell cycle at the G1-S phase and induces cancer cell death. Further, in-vivo studies are vital for developing ziprasidone as an anticancer agent. Lastly, our research outcomes based on the results of the in-silico experiments may pave the way for identifying effective drug candidates for therapeutic use in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Sahu
- Tumour Biology Lab, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Shaban Ahmad
- Department of Computer Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Khalid Imtiyaz
- Department of Bioscience, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | | | - Mojahidul Islam
- Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, 110070, India
| | - Khalid Raza
- Department of Computer Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India.
| | - Murugesh Easwaran
- Nutritional Improvement of Crops, Plant Molecular Biology Division, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Asha Kurukkan Kunnath
- Mumbai Research Center, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Navi Mumbai, 400703, India
| | - Moshahid A Rizvi
- Department of Bioscience, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Saurabh Verma
- Tumour Biology Lab, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, 110029, India.
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Calì F, Di Blasi FD, Avola E, Vinci M, Musumeci A, Gloria A, Greco D, Raciti DR, Zagami A, Rizzo B, Città S, Federico C, Vetri L, Saccone S, Buono S. Specific Learning Disorders: Variation Analysis of 15 Candidate Genes in 9 Multiplex Families. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1503. [PMID: 37629793 PMCID: PMC10456226 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59081503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a complex neurobiological disorder characterized by a persistent difficult in reading (dyslexia), written expression (dysgraphia), and mathematics (dyscalculia). The hereditary and genetic component is one of the underlying causes of SLD, but the relationship between genes and the environment should be considered. Several genetic studies were performed in different populations to identify causative genes. Materials and Methods: Here, we show the analysis of 9 multiplex families with at least 2 individuals diagnosed with SLD per family, with a total of 37 persons, 21 of whom are young subjects with SLD, by means of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) to identify possible causative mutations in a panel of 15 candidate genes: CCPG1, CYP19A1, DCDC2, DGKI, DIP2A, DYM, GCFC2, KIAA0319, MC5R, MRPL19, NEDD4L, PCNT, PRMT2, ROBO1, and S100B. Results: We detected, in eight families out nine, SNP variants in the DGKI, DIP2A, KIAA0319, and PCNT genes, even if in silico analysis did not show any causative effect on this behavioral condition. In all cases, the mutation was transmitted by one of the two parents, thus excluding the case of de novo mutation. Moreover, the parent carrying the allelic variant transmitted to the children, in six out of seven families, reports language difficulties. Conclusions: Although the present results cannot be considered conclusive due to the limited sample size, the identification of genetic variants in the above genes can provide input for further research on the same, as well as on other genes/mutations, to better understand the genetic basis of this disorder, and from this perspective, to better understand also the neuropsychological and social aspects connected to this disorder, which affects an increasing number of young people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Calì
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | | | - Emanuela Avola
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Mirella Vinci
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Antonino Musumeci
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Angelo Gloria
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Donatella Greco
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Daniela Rita Raciti
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Alessandro Zagami
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Biagio Rizzo
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Santina Città
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Concetta Federico
- Department Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Luigi Vetri
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Salvatore Saccone
- Department Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy
| | - Serafino Buono
- Oasi Research Institute—IRCCS, Via Conte Ruggero 73, 94018 Troina, Italy; (F.C.); (F.D.D.B.); (S.B.)
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3
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Galaburda AM. Animal models of developmental dyslexia. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:981801. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.981801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As some critics have stated, the term “developmental dyslexia” refers to a strictly human disorder, relating to a strictly human capacity – reading – so it cannot be modeled in experimental animals, much less so in lowly rodents. However, two endophenotypes associated with developmental dyslexia are eminently suitable for animal modeling: Cerebral Lateralization, as illustrated by the association between dyslexia and non-righthandedness, and Cerebrocortical Dysfunction, as illustrated by the described abnormal structural anatomy and/or physiology and functional imaging of the dyslexic cerebral cortex. This paper will provide a brief review of these two endophenotypes in human beings with developmental dyslexia and will describe the animal work done in my laboratory and that of others to try to shed light on the etiology of and neural mechanisms underlying developmental dyslexia. Some thought will also be given to future directions of the research.
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4
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Merii MH, Fardoun MM, El-Asmar K, Khalil MI, Eid A, Dhaini HR. Effect of BPA on CYP450s expression, and nicotine modulation, in fetal rat brain. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2022; 92:107095. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2022.107095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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5
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Polikowsky HG, Shaw DM, Petty LE, Chen HH, Pruett DG, Linklater JP, Viljoen KZ, Beilby JM, Highland HM, Levitt B, Avery CL, Mullan Harris K, Jones RM, Below JE, Kraft SJ. Population-based genetic effects for developmental stuttering. HGG ADVANCES 2021; 3:100073. [PMID: 35047858 PMCID: PMC8756529 DOI: 10.1016/j.xhgg.2021.100073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite a lifetime prevalence of at least 5%, developmental stuttering, characterized by prolongations, blocks, and repetitions of speech sounds, remains a largely idiopathic speech disorder. Family, twin, and segregation studies overwhelmingly support a strong genetic influence on stuttering risk; however, its complex mode of inheritance combined with thus-far underpowered genetic studies contribute to the challenge of identifying and reproducing genes implicated in developmental stuttering susceptibility. We conducted a trans-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) and meta-analysis of developmental stuttering in two primary datasets: The International Stuttering Project comprising 1,345 clinically ascertained cases from multiple global sites and 6,759 matched population controls from the biobank at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), and 785 self-reported stuttering cases and 7,572 controls ascertained from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Meta-analysis of these genome-wide association studies identified a genome-wide significant (GWS) signal for clinically reported developmental stuttering in the general population: a protective variant in the intronic or genic upstream region of SSUH2 (rs113284510, protective allele frequency = 7.49%, Z = -5.576, p = 2.46 × 10-8) that acts as an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) in esophagus-muscularis tissue by reducing its gene expression. In addition, we identified 15 loci reaching suggestive significance (p < 5 × 10-6). This foundational population-based genetic study of a common speech disorder reports the findings of a clinically ascertained study of developmental stuttering and highlights the need for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah G. Polikowsky
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Douglas M. Shaw
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren E. Petty
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Hung-Hsin Chen
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Dillon G. Pruett
- Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Janet M. Beilby
- Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Heather M. Highland
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brandt Levitt
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christy L. Avery
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kathleen Mullan Harris
- Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Robin M. Jones
- Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer E. Below
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Shelly Jo Kraft
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA,Corresponding author
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6
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Azcoitia I, Mendez P, Garcia-Segura LM. Aromatase in the Human Brain. ANDROGENS: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS 2021; 2:189-202. [PMID: 35024691 PMCID: PMC8744447 DOI: 10.1089/andro.2021.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The aromatase cytochrome P450 (P450arom) enzyme, or estrogen synthase, which is coded by the CYP19A1 gene, is widely expressed in a subpopulation of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, astrocytes, and other cell types in the human brain. Experimental studies in laboratory animals indicate a prominent role of brain aromatization of androgens to estrogens in regulating different brain functions. However, the consequences of aromatase expression in the human brain remain poorly understood. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about aromatase expression in the human brain, abundant in the thalamus, amygdala, hypothalamus, cortex, and hippocampus and discuss its role in the regulation of sensory integration, body homeostasis, social behavior, cognition, language, and integrative functions. Since brain aromatase is affected by neurodegenerative conditions and may participate in sex-specific manifestations of autism spectrum disorders, major depressive disorder, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Alzheimer's disease, we discuss future avenues for research and potential clinical and therapeutic implications of the expression of aromatase in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Azcoitia
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Mendez
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis M. Garcia-Segura
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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7
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Animal models of developmental dyslexia: Where we are and what we are missing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1180-1197. [PMID: 34699847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder and the most common learning disability among both school-aged children and across languages. Recently, sensory and cognitive mechanisms have been reported to be potential endophenotypes (EPs) for DD, and nine DD-candidate genes have been identified. Animal models have been used to investigate the etiopathological pathways that underlie the development of complex traits, as they enable the effects of genetic and/or environmental manipulations to be evaluated. Animal research designs have also been linked to cutting-edge clinical research questions by capitalizing on the use of EPs. For the present scoping review, we reviewed previous studies of murine models investigating the effects of DD-candidate genes. Moreover, we highlighted the use of animal models as an innovative way to unravel new insights behind the pathophysiology of reading (dis)ability and to assess cutting-edge preclinical models.
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8
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Benchek P, Igo RP, Voss-Hoynes H, Wren Y, Miller G, Truitt B, Zhang W, Osterman M, Freebairn L, Tag J, Taylor HG, Chan ER, Roussos P, Lewis B, Stein CM, Iyengar SK. Association between genes regulating neural pathways for quantitative traits of speech and language disorders. NPJ Genom Med 2021; 6:64. [PMID: 34315907 PMCID: PMC8316336 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-021-00225-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Speech sound disorders (SSD) manifest as difficulties in phonological memory and awareness, oral motor function, language, vocabulary, reading, and spelling. Families enriched for SSD are rare, and typically display a cluster of deficits. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 435 children from 148 families in the Cleveland Family Speech and Reading study (CFSRS), examining 16 variables representing 6 domains. Replication was conducted using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We identified 18 significant loci (combined p < 10-8) that we pursued bioinformatically. We prioritized 5 novel gene regions with likely functional repercussions on neural pathways, including those which colocalized with differentially methylated regions in our sample. Polygenic risk scores for receptive language, expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, phonological memory, spelling, and reading decoding associated with increasing clinical severity. In summary, neural-genetic influence on SSD is primarily multigenic and acts on genomic regulatory elements, similar to other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope Benchek
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Robert P Igo
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Heather Voss-Hoynes
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yvonne Wren
- Bristol Dental School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Bristol, and Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Gabrielle Miller
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Barbara Truitt
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, and Department of Genetics and Genomic Science and Institute for Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael Osterman
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Lisa Freebairn
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jessica Tag
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - H Gerry Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, and Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, University Hospital Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Nationwide Children's Hospital Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - E Ricky Chan
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Psychiatry, Friedman Brain Institute, and Department of Genetics and Genomic Science and Institute for Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (VISN 2 South), James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Barbara Lewis
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Catherine M Stein
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Sudha K Iyengar
- Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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9
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McKenna BG, Huang Y, Vervier K, Hofammann D, Cafferata M, Al-Momani S, Lowenthal F, Zhang A, Koh JY, Thenuwara S, Brueggeman L, Bahl E, Koomar T, Pottschmidt N, Kalmus T, Casten L, Thomas TR, Michaelson JJ. Genetic and morphological estimates of androgen exposure predict social deficits in multiple neurodevelopmental disorder cohorts. Mol Autism 2021; 12:43. [PMID: 34108004 PMCID: PMC8190870 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00450-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display a strong male bias. Androgen exposure is profoundly increased in typical male development, but it also varies within the sexes, and previous work has sought to connect morphological proxies of androgen exposure, including digit ratio and facial morphology, to neurodevelopmental outcomes. The results of these studies have been mixed, and the relationships between androgen exposure and behavior remain unclear. METHODS Here, we measured both digit ratio masculinity (DRM) and facial landmark masculinity (FLM) in the same neurodevelopmental cohort (N = 763) and compared these proxies of androgen exposure to clinical and parent-reported features as well as polygenic risk scores. RESULTS We found that FLM was significantly associated with NDD diagnosis (ASD, ADHD, ID; all [Formula: see text]), while DRM was not. When testing for association with parent-reported problems, we found that both FLM and DRM were positively associated with concerns about social behavior ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], respectively). Furthermore, we found evidence via polygenic risk scores (PRS) that DRM indexes masculinity via testosterone levels ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), while FLM indexes masculinity through a negative relationship with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). Finally, using the SPARK cohort (N = 9419) we replicated the observed relationship between polygenic estimates of testosterone, SHBG, and social functioning ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] for testosterone and SHBG, respectively). Remarkably, when considered over the extremes of each variable, these quantitative sex effects on social functioning were comparable to the effect of binary sex itself (binary male: [Formula: see text]; testosterone: [Formula: see text] from 0.1%-ile to 99.9%-ile; SHBG: [Formula: see text] from 0.1%-ile to 99.9%-ile). LIMITATIONS In the devGenes and SPARK cohorts, our analyses rely on indirect, rather than direct measurement of androgens and related molecules. CONCLUSIONS These findings and their replication in the large SPARK cohort lend support to the hypothesis that increasing net androgen exposure diminishes capacity for social functioning in both males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yongchao Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Kévin Vervier
- Host-Microbiota Interactions Laboratory, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | | | - Mary Cafferata
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Seima Al-Momani
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska, Omaha, USA
| | | | - Angela Zhang
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, USA
| | - Jin-Young Koh
- Molecular Otolaryngology and Renal Research Laboratories, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | | | - Leo Brueggeman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Ethan Bahl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Tanner Koomar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | | | - Taylor Kalmus
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Lucas Casten
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
| | - Taylor R Thomas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA
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10
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The Polygenic Nature and Complex Genetic Architecture of Specific Learning Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050631. [PMID: 34068951 PMCID: PMC8156942 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a multifactorial, neurodevelopmental disorder which may involve persistent difficulties in reading (dyslexia), written expression and/or mathematics. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with speed and accuracy of word reading, deficient decoding abilities, and poor spelling. Several studies from different, but complementary, scientific disciplines have investigated possible causal/risk factors for SLD. Biological, neurological, hereditary, cognitive, linguistic-phonological, developmental and environmental factors have been incriminated. Despite worldwide agreement that SLD is highly heritable, its exact biological basis remains elusive. We herein present: (a) an update of studies that have shaped our current knowledge on the disorder’s genetic architecture; (b) a discussion on whether this genetic architecture is ‘unique’ to SLD or, alternatively, whether there is an underlying common genetic background with other neurodevelopmental disorders; and, (c) a brief discussion on whether we are at a position of generating meaningful correlations between genetic findings and anatomical data from neuroimaging studies or specific molecular/cellular pathways. We conclude with open research questions that could drive future research directions.
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11
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Kalnak N, Sahlén B. Description and prediction of reading decoding skills in Swedish children with Developmental Language Disorder. LOGOP PHONIATR VOCO 2020; 47:84-91. [PMID: 33140677 DOI: 10.1080/14015439.2020.1839964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
AIM Research is lacking in terms of reading decoding skills among clinical samples of Swedish-speaking children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). METHOD The present cross-sectional study included a sample of 61 children (8-12 years) with DLD attending school language units, years 1 to 5. Our purpose was to study reading decoding skills and predictors for decoding, such as a phonological processing skill (nonword repetition), working memory, and a family history of literacy problems. RESULTS The results on a combined measure of the word and nonword decoding indicated that only 18% of the children had age-adequate decoding skills. The proportion of age-adequate decoders did not change noticeably with the school year. The participants' decoding skills showed larger deviations to test norm means with higher school years. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the best predictors of decoding skills were measures of working memory and nonword repetition, followed by school year. These factors significantly contributed to the variance in decoding among our sample of children with DLD. A family history of literacy problems made no contribution to the variance. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the necessity of assessing and following up on literacy development in children with DLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelli Kalnak
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Birgitta Sahlén
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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12
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Sellers KJ, Denley MCS, Saito A, Foster EM, Salgarella I, Delogu A, Kamiya A, Srivastava DP. Brain-synthesized oestrogens regulate cortical migration in a sexually divergent manner. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:2646-2663. [PMID: 32314480 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Oestrogens play an important role in brain development where they have been implicated in controlling various cellular processes. Several lines of evidence have been presented showing that oestrogens can be synthesized locally within the brain. Studies have demonstrated that aromatase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of androgens to oestrogens, is expressed during early development in both male and female cortices. Furthermore, 17β-oestradiol has been measured in foetal brain tissue from multiple species. 17β-oestradiol regulates neural progenitor proliferation as well as the development of early neuronal morphology. However, what role locally derived oestrogens play in regulating cortical migration and, moreover, whether these effects are the same in males and females are unknown. Here, we investigated the impact of knockdown expression of Cyp19a1, which encodes aromatase, between embryonic day (E) 14.5 and postnatal day 0 (P0) had on neural migration within the cortex. Aromatase was expressed in the developing cortex of both sexes, but at significantly higher levels in male than female mice. Under basal conditions, no obvious differences in cortical migration between male and female mice were observed. However, knockdown of Cyp19a1 resulted in an increase in cells within the cortical plate, and a concurrent decrease in the subventricular zone/ventricular zone in P0 male mice. Interestingly, the opposite effect was observed in females, who displayed a significant reduction in cells migrating to the cortical plate. Together, these findings indicate that brain-derived oestrogens regulate radial migration through distinct mechanisms in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine J Sellers
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew C S Denley
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Atsushi Saito
- The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Evangeline M Foster
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Irene Salgarella
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessio Delogu
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Atsushi Kamiya
- The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Deepak P Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
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13
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Neuroestrogen synthesis modifies neural representations of learned song without altering vocal imitation in developing songbirds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3602. [PMID: 32108169 PMCID: PMC7046723 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60329-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Birdsong learning, like human speech, depends on the early memorization of auditory models, yet how initial auditory experiences are formed and consolidated is unclear. In songbirds, a putative cortical locus is the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), and one mechanism to facilitate auditory consolidation is 17β-estradiol (E2), which is associated with human speech-language development, and is abundant in both NCM and human temporal cortex. Circulating and NCM E2 levels are dynamic during learning, suggesting E2’s involvement in encoding recent auditory experiences. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in juvenile male songbirds using a comprehensive assessment of neuroanatomy, behavior, and neurophysiology. First, we found that brain aromatase expression, and thus the capacity to synthesize neuroestrogens, remains high in the auditory cortex throughout development. Further, while systemic estrogen synthesis blockade suppressed juvenile song production, neither systemic nor unilateral E2 synthesis inhibition in NCM disrupted eventual song imitation. Surprisingly, early life neuroestrogen synthesis blockade in NCM enhanced the neural representations of both the birds’ own song and the tutor song in NCM and a downstream sensorimotor region, HVC, respectively. Taken together, these findings indicate that E2 plays a multifaceted role during development, and that, contrary to prediction, tutor song memorization is unimpaired by unilateral estrogen synthesis blockade in the auditory cortex.
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14
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Ancelin ML, Norton J, Canonico M, Scarabin PY, Ritchie K, Ryan J. Aromatase (CYP19A1) gene variants, sex steroid levels, and late-life depression. Depress Anxiety 2020; 37:146-155. [PMID: 31730745 DOI: 10.1002/da.22974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in psychiatric disorders are common and could involve sex steroids. Aromatase, the product of the CYP19A1 gene, is the key enzyme in the conversion of androgen to estrogen. Whether CYP19A1 variants could be associated with depression differently in men and women has not been examined. METHODS This population-based study included 405 men and 602 women aged ≥65 years. A clinical level of depression (DEP) was defined as having a score ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression scale or a diagnosis of current major depression based on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and according to DSM-IV criteria. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) spanning the CYP19A1 gene were genotyped and circulating levels of estradiol and testosterone were determined. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index, ischemic pathologies, cognitive impairment, and anxiety. RESULTS Five SNPs were associated with DEP in women specifically and this varied according to a history of major depression (p-values .01 to .0005). Three SNPs were associated with an increased risk of late-life DEP in women without a history of major depression, while two SNPs were associated with a decreased DEP risk in women with a history of major depression and were also associated with higher estradiol levels. CONCLUSIONS Variants of the CYP19A1 gene appear to be susceptibility factors for late-life depression in a sex-specific manner. The polymorphisms decreasing the risk of recurrent depression in postmenopausal women also influence estradiol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Laure Ancelin
- Inserm, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Joanna Norton
- Inserm, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Marianne Canonico
- Centre for Research Epidemiology and Population Health, UVSQ, Inserm, Paris-Saclay University, Paris-South University, Villejuif, France
| | - Pierre-Yves Scarabin
- Centre for Research Epidemiology and Population Health, UVSQ, Inserm, Paris-Saclay University, Paris-South University, Villejuif, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Inserm, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Joanne Ryan
- Inserm, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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15
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McGregor KK, Arbisi-Kelm T, Eden N, Oleson J. The word learning profile of adults with developmental language disorder. AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENTS 2020; 5:1-19. [PMID: 34104795 PMCID: PMC8184114 DOI: 10.1177/2396941519899311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous investigations of word learning problems among people with developmental language disorder suggest that encoding, not retention, is the primary deficit. We aimed to replicate this finding; test the prediction that word form, not the linking of form to referent, is particularly problematic; and determine whether women with developmental language disorder are better word learners than men with developmental language disorder. METHODS Twenty adults with developmental language disorder and 19 age-, sex-, and education-matched peers with typical language development attempted to learn 15 words by retrieval practice. Their retention was measured one day-, one week-, and one month after training. RESULTS The participants with developmental language disorder required more exposures to the word-referent pairs than the participants with typical language development to reach mastery. While training to mastery, they made more errors in word form production, alone or in combination with errors in linking forms to the correct referents, but the number of no attempts and pure link errors did not differ by group. Women demonstrated stronger retention of the words than men at all intervals. The developmental language disorder and typical language development groups did not differ at the one-day- and one-month retention intervals but the developmental language disorder group was weaker at the one-week interval. Review via retrieval practice at the one-day and one-week interval enhanced retention at the one-month interval; the review at one week was more beneficial than the review at one day. Women benefitted more from the review opportunities than men but the developmental language disorder and typical language development groups did not differ. CONCLUSIONS Adults with developmental language disorder present with weaknesses in the encoding of new words but retention is a relative strength. Encoding word forms is especially challenging but encoding word-to-referent links is not. We interpret this profile, and the evidence of a female advantage, as consistent with the Procedural Circuit Deficit Hypothesis. IMPLICATIONS When treating a client with developmental language disorder whose goal is to increase vocabulary knowledge, the interventionist should anticipate the need for multiple exposures to new words within activities that highlight the forms of the words and support their memory and production. Periodic review should serve to support long-term retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla K McGregor
- Karla K McGregor, Boys Town National
Research Hospital, 555 N. 30th St., Omaha, NE 68131, USA.
| | | | - Nichole Eden
- Boys
Town National Research Hospital,
Omaha, NE, USA
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16
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Lipowska M, Łada AB, Pawlicka P, Jurek P. The use of the Warnke Method in dyslexia therapy for children. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2019.101060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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17
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Vahaba DM, Remage-Healey L. Neuroestrogens rapidly shape auditory circuits to support communication learning and perception: Evidence from songbirds. Horm Behav 2018; 104:77-87. [PMID: 29555375 PMCID: PMC7025793 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Steroid hormones, such as estrogens, were once thought to be exclusively synthesized in the ovaries and enact transcriptional changes over the course of hours to days. However, estrogens are also locally synthesized within neural circuits, wherein they rapidly (within minutes) modulate a range of behaviors, including spatial cognition and communication. Here, we review the role of brain-derived estrogens (neuroestrogens) as modulators within sensory circuits in songbirds. We first present songbirds as an attractive model to explore how neuroestrogens in auditory cortex modulate vocal communication processing and learning. Further, we examine how estrogens may enhance vocal learning and auditory memory consolidation in sensory cortex via mechanisms similar to those found in the hippocampus of rodents and birds. Finally, we propose future directions for investigation, including: 1) the extent of developmental and hemispheric shifts in aromatase and membrane estrogen receptor expression in auditory circuits; 2) how neuroestrogens may impact inhibitory interneurons to regulate audition and critical period plasticity; and, 3) dendritic spine plasticity as a candidate mechanism mediating estrogen-dependent effects on vocal learning. Together, this perspective of estrogens as neuromodulators in the vertebrate brain has opened new avenues in understanding sensory plasticity, including how hormones can act on communication circuits to influence behaviors in other vocal learning species, such as in language acquisition and speech processing in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Vahaba
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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18
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The Influence of Dyslexia Candidate Genes on Reading Skill in Old Age. Behav Genet 2018; 48:351-360. [PMID: 29959602 PMCID: PMC6097729 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-018-9913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A number of candidate genes for reading and language impairment have been replicated, primarily in samples of children with developmental disability or delay, although these genes are also supported in adolescent population samples. The present study used a systematic approach to test 14 of these candidate genes for association with reading assessed in late adulthood (two cohorts with mean ages of 70 and 79 years). Gene-sets (14 candidates, axon-guidance and neuron migration pathways) and individual SNPs within each gene of interest were tested for association using imputed data referenced to the 1000 genomes European panel. Using the results from the genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis of the two cohorts (N = 1217), a competitive gene-set analysis showed that the candidate gene-set was associated with the reading index (p = .016) at a family wise error rate corrected significance level. Neither axon guidance nor neuron migration pathways were significant. Whereas individual SNP associations within CYP19A1, DYX1C1, CNTNAP2 and DIP2A genes (p < .05) did not reach corrected significance their allelic effects were in the same direction as past available reports. These results suggest that reading skill in normal adults shares the same genetic substrate as reading in adolescents, and clinically disordered reading, and highlights the utility of adult samples to increase sample sizes in the genetic study of developmental disorders.
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19
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Akinola OB, Gabriel MO. Neuroanatomical and molecular correlates of cognitive and behavioural outcomes in hypogonadal males. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:491-505. [PMID: 29230619 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0163-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Robust epidemiological, clinical and laboratory evidence supports emerging roles for the sex steroids in such domains as neurodevelopment, behaviour, learning and cognition. Regions of the mammalian brain that are involved in cognitive development and memory do not only express the classical nuclear androgen receptor, but also the non-genomic membrane receptor, which is a G protein-coupled receptor that mediates some rapid effects of the androgens on neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity. Under physiological conditions, hippocampal neurons do express the enzyme aromatase, and therefore actively aromatize testosterone to oestradiol. Although glial expression of the aromatase enzyme is minimal, increased expression following injury suggests a role for sex steroids in neuroprotection. It is therefore plausible to deduce that low levels of circulating androgens in males would perturb neuronal functions in relation to cognition and memory, as well as neural repair following injury. The present review is an overview of some roles of the sex steroids on cognitive function in males, and the neuroanatomical and molecular underpinnings of some behavioural and cognitive deficits characteristic of such genetic disorders noted for low androgen levels, including Klinefelter syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Kallman syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome. Recent literature in relation to some behavioural and cognitive changes secondary to surgical and pharmacological castration are also appraised.
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Affiliation(s)
- O B Akinola
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
| | - M O Gabriel
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
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20
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Rosenfeld CS, Shay DA, Vieira-Potter VJ. Cognitive Effects of Aromatase and Possible Role in Memory Disorders. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:610. [PMID: 30386297 PMCID: PMC6199361 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverse cognitive functions in many vertebrate species are influenced by local conversion of androgens to 17β-estradiol (E2) by aromatase. This enzyme is highly expressed in various brain regions across species, with some inter-species variation in terms of regional brain expression. Since women with breast cancer and men and women with other disorders are often treated with aromatase inhibitors (AI), these populations might be especially vulnerable to cognitive deficits due to low neuroE2 synthesis, i.e., synthesis of E2 directly within the brain. Animal models have been useful in deciphering aromatase effects on cognitive functions. Consequences of AI administration at various life cycle stages have been assessed on auditory, song processing, and spatial memory in birds and various aspects of cognition in rodent models. Additionally, cognitive deficits have been described in aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice that systemically lack this gene throughout their lifespan. This review will consider evidence to date that AI treatment in male and female rodent models, birds, and humans results in cognitive impairments. How brain aromatase regulates cognitive function throughout the lifespan, and gaps in current knowledge will be considered, along with future directions to better define how aromatase might guide learning and memory from early development through the geriatric period. Better understanding the importance of E2 synthesis on neurobehavioral responses at various ages will likely aid in the discovery of therapeutic strategies to prevent potential cognitive deficits, including Alzheimer's Disease, in individuals treated with AI or those possessing CYP19 gene polymorphisms, as well as cognitive effects of normal aging that may be related to changes in brain aromatase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl S. Rosenfeld
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Cheryl S. Rosenfeld
| | - Dusti A. Shay
- Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Victoria J. Vieira-Potter
- Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Victoria J. Vieira-Potter
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21
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Adams AK, Smith SD, Truong DT, Willcutt EG, Olson RK, DeFries JC, Pennington BF, Gruen JR. Enrichment of putatively damaging rare variants in the DYX2 locus and the reading-related genes CCDC136 and FLNC. Hum Genet 2017; 136:1395-1405. [PMID: 28866788 PMCID: PMC5702371 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-017-1838-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Eleven loci with prior evidence for association with reading and language phenotypes were sequenced in 96 unrelated subjects with significant impairment in reading performance drawn from the Colorado Learning Disability Research Center collection. Out of 148 total individual missense variants identified, the chromosome 7 genes CCDC136 and FLNC contained 19. In addition, a region corresponding to the well-known DYX2 locus for RD contained 74 missense variants. Both allele sets were filtered for a minor allele frequency ≤0.01 and high Polyphen-2 scores. To determine if observations of these alleles are occurring more frequently in our cases than expected by chance in aggregate, counts from our sample were compared to the number of observations in the European subset of the 1000 Genomes Project using Fisher's exact test. Significant P values were achieved for both CCDC136/FLNC (P = 0.0098) and the DYX2 locus (P = 0.012). Taken together, this evidence further supports the influence of these regions on reading performance. These results also support the influence of rare variants in reading disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Adams
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shelley D Smith
- Munroe Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Erik G Willcutt
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Richard K Olson
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - John C DeFries
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey R Gruen
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics and the Investigative Medicine Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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22
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Becker N, Vasconcelos M, Oliveira V, Santos FCD, Bizarro L, Almeida RMMD, Salles JFD, Carvalho MRS. Genetic and environmental risk factors for developmental dyslexia in children: systematic review of the last decade. Dev Neuropsychol 2017; 42:423-445. [PMID: 29068706 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2017.1374960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in the characterization of developmental dyslexia (DD), several questions regarding the interplay between DD-susceptibility genes and environmental risk factors remain open. This systematic review aimed at answering the following questions: What has been the impact of new resources on the knowledge about DD? Which questions remain open? What is the investigative agenda for the short term? Forty-six studies were analyzed. Despite the growing literature on DD candidate genes, most studies have not been replicated. We found large effects on causative genes and smaller environmental contributions, involving maternal smoking during pregnancy, SES and the DYX1C1-1259C/G marker. Implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Becker
- a Cognitive Neuropsychology Research Center (Neurocog), Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Mailton Vasconcelos
- b Experimental Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Lab, Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Vanessa Oliveira
- b Experimental Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Lab, Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Fernanda Caroline Dos Santos
- c Departamento de Biologia Geral , Post-Graduation Program in Genetics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) , Pampulha, Belo Horizonte , Minas Gerais , Brazil
| | - Lisiane Bizarro
- b Experimental Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Lab, Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Rosa M M De Almeida
- b Experimental Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Lab, Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Jerusa Fumagalli De Salles
- a Cognitive Neuropsychology Research Center (Neurocog), Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology , Post-Graduation Program in Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) , Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil
| | - Maria Raquel Santos Carvalho
- c Departamento de Biologia Geral , Post-Graduation Program in Genetics, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) , Pampulha, Belo Horizonte , Minas Gerais , Brazil
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23
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Identification of NCAN as a candidate gene for developmental dyslexia. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9294. [PMID: 28839234 PMCID: PMC5570950 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10175-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A whole-genome linkage analysis in a Finnish pedigree of eight cases with developmental dyslexia (DD) revealed several regions shared by the affected individuals. Analysis of coding variants from two affected individuals identified rs146011974G > A (Ala1039Thr), a rare variant within the NCAN gene co-segregating with DD in the pedigree. This variant prompted us to consider this gene as a putative candidate for DD. The RNA expression pattern of the NCAN gene in human tissues was highly correlated (R > 0.8) with that of the previously suggested DD susceptibility genes KIAA0319, CTNND2, CNTNAP2 and GRIN2B. We investigated the association of common variation in NCAN to brain structures in two data sets: young adults (Brainchild study, Sweden) and infants (FinnBrain study, Finland). In young adults, we found associations between a common genetic variant in NCAN, rs1064395, and white matter volume in the left and right temporoparietal as well as the left inferior frontal brain regions. In infants, this same variant was found to be associated with cingulate and prefrontal grey matter volumes. Our results suggest NCAN as a new candidate gene for DD and indicate that NCAN variants affect brain structure.
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24
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Cooke PS, Nanjappa MK, Ko C, Prins GS, Hess RA. Estrogens in Male Physiology. Physiol Rev 2017; 97:995-1043. [PMID: 28539434 PMCID: PMC6151497 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00018.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 259] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Estrogens have historically been associated with female reproduction, but work over the last two decades established that estrogens and their main nuclear receptors (ESR1 and ESR2) and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) also regulate male reproductive and nonreproductive organs. 17β-Estradiol (E2) is measureable in blood of men and males of other species, but in rete testis fluids, E2 reaches concentrations normally found only in females and in some species nanomolar concentrations of estrone sulfate are found in semen. Aromatase, which converts androgens to estrogens, is expressed in Leydig cells, seminiferous epithelium, and other male organs. Early studies showed E2 binding in numerous male tissues, and ESR1 and ESR2 each show unique distributions and actions in males. Exogenous estrogen treatment produced male reproductive pathologies in laboratory animals and men, especially during development, and studies with transgenic mice with compromised estrogen signaling demonstrated an E2 role in normal male physiology. Efferent ductules and epididymal functions are dependent on estrogen signaling through ESR1, whose loss impaired ion transport and water reabsorption, resulting in abnormal sperm. Loss of ESR1 or aromatase also produces effects on nonreproductive targets such as brain, adipose, skeletal muscle, bone, cardiovascular, and immune tissues. Expression of GPER is extensive in male tracts, suggesting a possible role for E2 signaling through this receptor in male reproduction. Recent evidence also indicates that membrane ESR1 has critical roles in male reproduction. Thus estrogens are important physiological regulators in males, and future studies may reveal additional roles for estrogen signaling in various target tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul S Cooke
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Manjunatha K Nanjappa
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - CheMyong Ko
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Gail S Prins
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Rex A Hess
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois; Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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Genes, Gender, Environment, and Novel Functions of Estrogen Receptor Beta in the Susceptibility to Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7030024. [PMID: 28241485 PMCID: PMC5366823 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7030024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neurological disorders affect men and women differently regarding prevalence, progression, and severity. It is clear that many of these disorders may originate from defective signaling during fetal or perinatal brain development, which may affect males and females differently. Such sex-specific differences may originate from chromosomal or sex-hormone specific effects. This short review will focus on the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) signaling during perinatal brain development and put it in the context of sex-specific differences in neurodevelopmental disorders. We will discuss ERβ’s recent discovery in directing DNA de-methylation to specific sites, of which one such site may bear consequences for the susceptibility to the neurological reading disorder dyslexia. We will also discuss how dysregulations in sex-hormone signaling, like those evoked by endocrine disruptive chemicals, may affect this and other neurodevelopmental disorders in a sex-specific manner through ERβ.
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Multi-factorial modulation of hemispheric specialization and plasticity for language in healthy and pathological conditions: A review. Cortex 2017; 86:314-339. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2016.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Paracchini S, Diaz R, Stein J. Advances in Dyslexia Genetics—New Insights Into the Role of Brain Asymmetries. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2016; 96:53-97. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Norepinephrine Modulates Coding of Complex Vocalizations in the Songbird Auditory Cortex Independent of Local Neuroestrogen Synthesis. J Neurosci 2015; 35:9356-68. [PMID: 26109659 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4445-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The catecholamine norepinephrine plays a significant role in auditory processing. Most studies to date have examined the effects of norepinephrine on the neuronal response to relatively simple stimuli, such as tones and calls. It is less clear how norepinephrine shapes the detection of complex syntactical sounds, as well as the coding properties of sensory neurons. Songbirds provide an opportunity to understand how auditory neurons encode complex, learned vocalizations, and the potential role of norepinephrine in modulating the neuronal computations for acoustic communication. Here, we infused norepinephrine into the zebra finch auditory cortex and performed extracellular recordings to study the modulation of song representations in single neurons. Consistent with its proposed role in enhancing signal detection, norepinephrine decreased spontaneous activity and firing during stimuli, yet it significantly enhanced the auditory signal-to-noise ratio. These effects were all mimicked by clonidine, an α-2 receptor agonist. Moreover, a pattern classifier analysis indicated that norepinephrine enhanced the ability of single neurons to accurately encode complex auditory stimuli. Because neuroestrogens are also known to enhance auditory processing in the songbird brain, we tested the hypothesis that norepinephrine actions depend on local estrogen synthesis. Neither norepinephrine nor adrenergic receptor antagonist infusion into the auditory cortex had detectable effects on local estradiol levels. Moreover, pretreatment with fadrozole, a specific aromatase inhibitor, did not block norepinephrine's neuromodulatory effects. Together, these findings indicate that norepinephrine enhances signal detection and information encoding for complex auditory stimuli by suppressing spontaneous "noise" activity and that these actions are independent of local neuroestrogen synthesis.
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Zhao PL, Zhang QF, Yan LY, Huang S, Chen Y, Qiao J. Functional investigation on aromatase in endometrial hyperplasia in polycystic ovary syndrome cases. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2015; 15:8975-9. [PMID: 25374239 DOI: 10.7314/apjcp.2014.15.20.8975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the possible significance of aromatase P450 in endometrial hyperplasia with a background of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of aromatase P450 in endometrium of PCOS patients. Semiquantitative analysis of aromatase P450 expression of mRNA and protein level wasalso carried out by real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. After endometrial cells were stimulated by testosterone and letrozole in vitro, the estradiol (E2) level was determined, and the expression of cell aromatase P450 mRNA was assessed. RESULTS The aromatase P450 mRNA level was increased in endometria of PCOS patients. When endometrial cells were cultured with 10-6 M testosterone, the E2 level in the culture medium increased. An inhibitory effect on E2 generation and expression of aromatase P450 mRNA was observed when the endometrial cells were treated with 10(-5) M letrozole. CONCLUSIONS There is an increased expression of aromatase P450 in PCOS patient endometrium. Androgen stimulation could enhance the synthesis of aromatase P450 mRNA and the production of E2 in endometrial cells in vitro while letrozole could do the reverse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan-Lin Zhao
- Reproductive Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China E-mail :
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Krentzel AA, Remage-Healey L. Sex differences and rapid estrogen signaling: A look at songbird audition. Front Neuroendocrinol 2015; 38:37-49. [PMID: 25637753 PMCID: PMC4484764 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2015.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Revised: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The actions of estrogens have been associated with brain differentiation and sexual dimorphism in a wide range of vertebrates. Here we consider the actions of brain-derived 'neuroestrogens' in the forebrain and the accompanying differences and similarities observed between males and females in a variety of species. We summarize recent evidence showing that baseline and fluctuating levels of neuroestrogens within the auditory forebrain of male and female zebra finches are largely similar, and that neuroestrogens enhance auditory representations in both sexes. With a comparative perspective we review evidence that non-genomic mechanisms of neuroestrogen actions are sexually differentiated, and we propose a working model for nonclassical estrogen signaling via the MAPK intracellular signaling cascade in the songbird auditory forebrain that is informed by the way sex differences may be compensated. This view may lead to a more comprehensive understanding of how sex influences estradiol-dependent modulation of sensorimotor representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda A Krentzel
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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31
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Hemmat M, Yang X, Chan P, McGough RA, Ross L, Mahon LW, Anguiano AL, Boris WT, Elnaggar MM, Wang JCJ, Strom CM, Boyar FZ. Characterization of a complex chromosomal rearrangement using chromosome, FISH, and microarray assays in a girl with multiple congenital abnormalities and developmental delay. Mol Cytogenet 2014; 7:50. [PMID: 25478007 PMCID: PMC4255717 DOI: 10.1186/1755-8166-7-50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCRs) are balanced or unbalanced structural rearrangements involving three or more cytogenetic breakpoints on two or more chromosomal pairs. The phenotypic anomalies in such cases are attributed to gene disruption, superimposed cryptic imbalances in the genome, and/or position effects. We report a 14-year-old girl who presented with multiple congenital anomalies and developmental delay. Chromosome and FISH analysis indicated a highly complex chromosomal rearrangement involving three chromosomes (3, 7 and 12), seven breakpoints as a result of one inversion, two insertions, and two translocations forming three derivative chromosomes. Additionally, chromosomal microarray study (CMA) revealed two submicroscopic deletions at 3p12.3 (467 kb) and 12q13.12 (442 kb). We postulate that microdeletion within the ROBO1 gene at 3p12.3 may have played a role in the patient’s developmental delay, since it has potential activity-dependent role in neurons. Additionally, factors other than genomic deletions such as loss of function or position effects may also contribute to the abnormal phenotype in our patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morteza Hemmat
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Patricia Chan
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Robert A McGough
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Leslie Ross
- Quest Diagnostics, 695 South Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80209, USA
| | - Loretta W Mahon
- Quest Diagnostics, 8401 Fallbrook Avenue , West, Hills, California 91304, USA
| | - Arturo L Anguiano
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Wang T Boris
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Mohamed M Elnaggar
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Jia-Chi J Wang
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Charles M Strom
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
| | - Fatih Z Boyar
- Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute, 33608 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, California 92675, USA
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Benítez-Burraco A, Boeckx C. FOXP2, retinoic acid, and language: a promising direction. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:387. [PMID: 25431551 PMCID: PMC4230053 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA) Barcelona, Spain ; Department of Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona, Spain
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Bohland JW, Myers EM, Kim E. An informatics approach to integrating genetic and neurological data in speech and language neuroscience. Neuroinformatics 2014; 12:39-62. [PMID: 23949335 DOI: 10.1007/s12021-013-9201-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A number of heritable disorders impair the normal development of speech and language processes and occur in large numbers within the general population. While candidate genes and loci have been identified, the gap between genotype and phenotype is vast, limiting current understanding of the biology of normal and disordered processes. This gap exists not only in our scientific knowledge, but also in our research communities, where genetics researchers and speech, language, and cognitive scientists tend to operate independently. Here we describe a web-based, domain-specific, curated database that represents information about genotype-phenotype relations specific to speech and language disorders, as well as neuroimaging results demonstrating focal brain differences in relevant patients versus controls. Bringing these two distinct data types into a common database ( http://neurospeech.org/sldb ) is a first step toward bringing molecular level information into cognitive and computational theories of speech and language function. One bridge between these data types is provided by densely sampled profiles of gene expression in the brain, such as those provided by the Allen Brain Atlases. Here we present results from exploratory analyses of human brain gene expression profiles for genes implicated in speech and language disorders, which are annotated in our database. We then discuss how such datasets can be useful in the development of computational models that bridge levels of analysis, necessary to provide a mechanistic understanding of heritable language disorders. We further describe our general approach to information integration, discuss important caveats and considerations, and offer a specific but speculative example based on genes implicated in stuttering and basal ganglia function in speech motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Bohland
- Departments of Health Sciences and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Ave, Room 403, Boston, MA, 02215, USA,
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Kere J. The molecular genetics and neurobiology of developmental dyslexia as model of a complex phenotype. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2014; 452:236-43. [PMID: 25078623 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2014.07.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Among complex disorders, those concerning neuropsychiatric phenotypes involve particular challenges compared to disorders with more easily distinguished clinical signs and measures. One such common and unusually challenging phenotype to disentangle genetically is developmental dyslexia (DD), or reading disability, defined as the inability to learn to read and write for an otherwise normally intelligent child with normal senses and educational opportunity. There is presently ample evidence for the strongly biological etiology for DD, and a dozen susceptibility genes have been suggested. Many of these genes point to common but previously unsuspected biological mechanisms, such as neuronal migration and cilia functions. I discuss here the state-of-the-art in genomic and neurobiological aspects of DD research, starting with short general background to its history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Kere
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Centre for Innovative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Molecular Neurology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, Finland.
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Kraft SJ, DeThorne LS. The Brave New World of Epigenetics: Embracing Complexity in the Study of Speech and Language Disorders. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s40474-014-0024-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Li R, Cui J, Shen Y. Brain sex matters: estrogen in cognition and Alzheimer's disease. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2014; 389:13-21. [PMID: 24418360 PMCID: PMC4040318 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2013.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens are the primary female sex hormones and play important roles in both reproductive and non-reproductive systems. Estrogens can be synthesized in non-reproductive tissues such as liver, heart, muscle, bone and the brain. During the past decade, increasing evidence suggests that brain estrogen can not only be synthesized by neurons, but also by astrocytes. Brain estrogen also works locally at the site of synthesis in paracrine and/or intracrine fashion to maintain important tissue-specific functions. Here, we will focus on the biology of brain estrogen and its impact on cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease. This comprehensive review provides new insights into brain estrogens by presenting a better understanding of the tissue-specific estrogen effects and their roles in healthy ageing and cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Li
- Center for Hormone Advanced Science and Education (CHASE), Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL 34243, United States.
| | - Jie Cui
- Center for Hormone Advanced Science and Education (CHASE), Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL 34243, United States
| | - Yong Shen
- Center for Advanced Therapeutic Strategies for Brain Disorders (CATSBD), Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL 34243, United States
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Bian C, Zhu H, Zhao Y, Cai W, Zhang J. Intriguing roles of hippocampus-synthesized 17β-estradiol in the modulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. J Mol Neurosci 2014; 54:271-81. [PMID: 24729128 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-014-0285-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Accumulated studies have shown that 17β-estradiol (E2) can be de novo synthesized in the hippocampus, and its role in the regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity, which is the basis of learning and memory, has long been exploring. Steroidogenic enzymes (e.g., aromatase) that are essential to the hippocampus-synthesized synthesis of E2 have been detected in the hippocampus. Inhibition of E2 synthesis by aromatase inhibitors significantly reduces the density of hippocampal spine synapses, levels of some synaptic proteins such as spinopholin and synaptophysin. Moreover, the electrophysiological properties of hippocampal neurons are also changed in response to this inhibition. The influences of gonadal and hippocampal E2 on synaptic plasticity may exist some differences, since some reports showed that gonadal (or circulating) estrogens have no obvious effects in the modulation of hippocampal synaptic proteins as evidenced in some ovariectomized animals and postmenopausal women who suffered from Alzheimer's disease (AD). These evidences leads to a hypothesis that hippocampal E2 may play a more important role in modulation of synaptic plasticity than gonadal E2. The signaling pathways, whereby hippocampal E2 modulates synaptic plasticity, insist of classical chronic genomic pathway and rapid nongenomic pathway, which mediated by nonnuclear estrogen receptor (GPER) and/or nuclear or nonnuclear estrogen receptors, which require coactivators for their transcription activity. Among which steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) is the predominant coactivator p160 family members in the brain. Several clues have shown that SRC-1 is expressed in hippocampus and is highly correlated with some key synaptic proteins developmentally or after orchidectomy but not ovariectomy, indicating SRC-1 may be regulated by hippocampus-synthesized E2 and profoundly involved in the mediation of hippocampal E2 regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Further studies about the exact roles of hippocampus-synthesized E2 and therefore SRC-1 are urgently needed in order to facilitate our understanding of hippocampal E2, which will be very important to the development of novel strategies of estrogen replacement therapy against neurodegenerative deficits such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Bian
- Department of Neurobiology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Third Military Medical University, Gaotanyan 30, Chongqing, 400038, China
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38
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Reading and language disorders: the importance of both quantity and quality. Genes (Basel) 2014; 5:285-309. [PMID: 24705331 PMCID: PMC4094934 DOI: 10.3390/genes5020285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Reading and language disorders are common childhood conditions that often co-occur with each other and with other neurodevelopmental impairments. There is strong evidence that disorders, such as dyslexia and Specific Language Impairment (SLI), have a genetic basis, but we expect the contributing genetic factors to be complex in nature. To date, only a few genes have been implicated in these traits. Their functional characterization has provided novel insight into the biology of neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the lack of biological markers and clear diagnostic criteria have prevented the collection of the large sample sizes required for well-powered genome-wide screens. One of the main challenges of the field will be to combine careful clinical assessment with high throughput genetic technologies within multidisciplinary collaborations.
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Eicher JD, Gruen JR. Imaging-genetics in dyslexia: connecting risk genetic variants to brain neuroimaging and ultimately to reading impairments. Mol Genet Metab 2013; 110:201-12. [PMID: 23916419 PMCID: PMC3800223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2013.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Dyslexia is a common pediatric disorder that affects 5-17% of schoolchildren in the United States. It is marked by unexpected difficulties in fluent reading despite adequate intelligence, opportunity, and instruction. Classically, neuropsychologists have studied dyslexia using a variety of neurocognitive batteries to gain insight into the specific deficits and impairments in affected children. Since dyslexia is a complex genetic trait with high heritability, analyses conditioned on performance on these neurocognitive batteries have been used to try to identify associated genes. This has led to some successes in identifying contributing genes, although much of the heritability remains unexplained. Additionally, the lack of relevant human brain tissue for analysis and the challenges of modeling a uniquely human trait in animals are barriers to advancing our knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology. In vivo imaging technologies, however, present new opportunities to examine dyslexia and reading skills in a clearly relevant context in human subjects. Recent investigations have started to integrate these imaging data with genetic data in attempts to gain a more complete and complex understanding of reading processes. In addition to bridging the gap from genetic risk variant to a discernible neuroimaging phenotype and ultimately to the clinical impairments in reading performance, the use of neuroimaging phenotypes will reveal novel risk genes and variants. In this article, we briefly discuss the genetic and imaging investigations and take an in-depth look at the recent imaging-genetics investigations of dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D. Eicher
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Jeffrey R. Gruen
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
- Departments of Pediatrics and Investigative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
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Miyajima M, Kusuhara H, Takahashi K, Takashima T, Hosoya T, Watanabe Y, Sugiyama Y. Investigation of the effect of active efflux at the blood–brain barrier on the distribution of nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors in the central nervous system. J Pharm Sci 2013; 102:3309-19. [DOI: 10.1002/jps.23600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2013] [Revised: 04/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Genetic insights into the functional elements of language. Hum Genet 2013; 132:959-86. [PMID: 23749164 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1317-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Language disorders cover a wide range of conditions with heterologous and overlapping phenotypes and complex etiologies harboring both genetic and environmental influences. Genetic approaches including the identification of genes linked to speech and language phenotypes and the characterization of normal and aberrant functions of these genes have, in recent years, unraveled complex details of molecular and cognitive mechanisms and provided valuable insight into the biological foundations of language. Consistent with this approach, we have reviewed the functional aspects of allelic variants of genes which are currently known to be either causally associated with disorders of speech and language or impact upon the spectrum of normal language ability. We have also reviewed candidate genes associated with heritable speech and language disorders. In addition, we have evaluated language phenotypes and associated genetic components in developmental syndromes that, together with a spectrum of altered language abilities, manifest various phenotypes and offer details of multifactorial determinants of language function. Data from this review have revealed a predominance of regulatory networks involved in the control of differentiation and functioning of neurons, neuronal tracks and connections among brain structures associated with both cognitive and language faculties. Our findings, furthermore, have highlighted several multifactorial determinants in overlapping speech and language phenotypes. Collectively this analysis has revealed an interconnected developmental network and a close association of the language faculty with cognitive functions, a finding that has the potential to provide insight into linguistic hypotheses defining in particular, the contribution of genetic elements to and the modular nature of the language faculty.
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Adler WT, Platt MP, Mehlhorn AJ, Haight JL, Currier TA, Etchegaray MA, Galaburda AM, Rosen GD. Position of neocortical neurons transfected at different gestational ages with shRNA targeted against candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65179. [PMID: 23724130 PMCID: PMC3665803 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia is a language learning disorder that affects approximately 4–10% of the population. A number of candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes have been identified, including DCDC2 and KIAA0319 on Chromosome (Chr) 6p22.2 and DYX1C1 on Chr 15q21. Embryonic knockdown of the function of homologs of these genes in rat neocortical projection cell progenitors by in utero electroporation of plasmids encoding small hairpin RNA (shRNA) revealed that all three genes disrupted neuronal migration to the neocortex. Specifically, this disruption would result in heterotopia formation (Dyx1c1 and Kiaa0319) and/or overmigration past their expected laminar location (Dyx1c1 and Dcdc2). In these experiments, neurons normally destined for the upper neocortical laminæ were transfected on embryonic day (E) 15.5, and we designed experiments to test whether these migration phenotypes were the result of targeting a specific type of projection neuron. We transfected litters with Dcdc2 shRNA, Dyx1c1 shRNA, Kiaa0319 shRNA, or fluorescent protein (as a control) at each of three gestational ages (E14.5, E15.5, or E16.5). Pups were allowed to come to term, and their brains were examined at 3 weeks of age for the position of transfected cells. We found that age of transfection did not affect the percentage of unmigrated neurons—transfection with Kiaa0319 shRNA resulted in heterotopia formation at all three ages. Overmigration of neurons transfected with Dcdc2 shRNA, while present following transfections at the later ages, did not occur following E14.5 transfections. These results are considered in light of the known functions of each of these candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William T. Adler
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Maryann P. Platt
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Alison J. Mehlhorn
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joshua L. Haight
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Timothy A. Currier
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mikel A. Etchegaray
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Albert M. Galaburda
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Glenn D. Rosen
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Szalkowski CE, Booker AB, Truong DT, Threlkeld SW, Rosen GD, Fitch RH. Knockdown of the candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene homolog dyx1c1 in rodents: effects on auditory processing, visual attention, and cortical and thalamic anatomy. Dev Neurosci 2013; 35:50-68. [PMID: 23594585 DOI: 10.1159/000348431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated the behavioral and neuroanatomical effects of embryonic knockdown of the candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene (CDSG) homolog Dyx1c1 through RNA interference (RNAi) in rats. Specifically, we examined long-term effects on visual attention abilities in male rats, in addition to assessing rapid and complex auditory processing abilities in male and, for the first time, female rats. Our results replicated prior evidence of complex acoustic processing deficits in Dyx1c1 male rats and revealed new evidence of comparable deficits in Dyx1c1 female rats. Moreover, we found new evidence that knocking down Dyx1c1 produced orthogonal impairments in visual attention in the male subgroup. Stereological analyses of male brains from prior RNAi studies revealed that, despite consistent visible evidence of disruptions of neuronal migration (i.e., heterotopia), knockdown of Dyx1c1 did not significantly alter the cortical volume, hippocampal volume, or midsagittal area of the corpus callosum (measured in a separate cohort of like-treated Dyx1c1 male rats). Dyx1c1 transfection did, however, lead to significant changes in medial geniculate nucleus (MGN) anatomy, with a significant shift to smaller MGN neurons in Dyx1c1-transfected animals. Combined results provide important information about the impact of Dyx1c1 on behavioral functions that parallel domains known to be affected in language-impaired populations as well as information about widespread changes to the brain following early disruption of this CDSG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Szalkowski
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn. 06269, USA.
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Szalkowski CE, Fiondella CF, Truong DT, Rosen GD, LoTurco JJ, Fitch RH. The effects of Kiaa0319 knockdown on cortical and subcortical anatomy in male rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2013; 31:116-22. [PMID: 23220223 PMCID: PMC3689304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 11/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia is a disorder characterized by a specific deficit in reading despite adequate overall intelligence and educational resources. The neurological substrate underlying these significant behavioral impairments is not known. Studies of post mortem brain tissue from male and female dyslexic individuals revealed focal disruptions of neuronal migration concentrated in the left hemisphere, along with aberrant symmetry of the right and left the planum temporale, and changes in cell size distribution within the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (Galaburda et al., 1985; Humphreys et al., 1990). More recent neuroimaging studies have identified several changes in the brains of dyslexic individuals, including regional changes in gray matter, changes in white matter, and changes in patterns of functional activation. In a further effort to elucidate the etiology of dyslexia, epidemiological and genetic studies have identified several candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes. Some recent work has investigated associations between some of these genetic variants and structural changes in the brain. Variants of one candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene, KIAA0319, have been linked to morphological changes in the cerebellum and functional activational changes in the superior temporal sulcus (Jamadar et al., 2011; Pinel et al., 2012). Animal models have been used to create a knockdown of Kiaa0319 (the rodent homolog of the human gene) via in utero RNA interference in order to study the gene's effects on brain development and behavior. Studies using this animal model have demonstrated that knocking down the gene leads to focal disruptions of neuronal migration in the form of ectopias and heterotopias, similar to those observed in the brains of human dyslexics. However, further changes to the structure of the brain have not been studied following this genetic disruption. The current study sought to determine the effects of embryonic Kiaa0319 knockdown on volume of the cortex and hippocampus, as well as midsagittal area of the corpus callosum in male rats. Results demonstrate that Kiaa0319 knockdown did not change the volume of the cortex or hippocampus, but did result in a significant reduction in the midsagittal area of the corpus callosum. Taken in the context of previous reports of behavioral deficits following Kiaa0319 knockdown (Szalkowski et al., 2012), and reports that reductions of corpus callosum size are related to processing deficits in humans (Paul, 2011), these results suggest that Kiaa0319 has a specific involvement in neural systems important for temporal processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Szalkowski
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, 06269, United States.
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Graham SA, Fisher SE. Decoding the genetics of speech and language. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013; 23:43-51. [PMID: 23228431 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2012.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Revisiting human hemispheric specialization with neuroimaging. Trends Cogn Sci 2013; 17:69-80. [PMID: 23317751 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2012.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 12/11/2012] [Accepted: 12/15/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Raskind WH, Peter B, Richards T, Eckert MM, Berninger VW. The genetics of reading disabilities: from phenotypes to candidate genes. Front Psychol 2013; 3:601. [PMID: 23308072 PMCID: PMC3538356 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This article provides an overview of (a) issues in definition and diagnosis of specific reading disabilities at the behavioral level that may occur in different constellations of developmental and phenotypic profiles (patterns); (b) rapidly expanding research on genetic heterogeneity and gene candidates for dyslexia and other reading disabilities; (c) emerging research on gene-brain relationships; and (d) current understanding of epigenetic mechanisms whereby environmental events may alter behavioral expression of genetic variations. A glossary of genetic terms (denoted by bold font) is provided for readers not familiar with the technical terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy H Raskind
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
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