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Tsai WX, Tsai SJ, Lin CP, Huang NE, Yang AC. Exploring timescale-specific functional brain networks and their associations with aging and cognitive performance in a healthy cohort without dementia. Neuroimage 2024; 289:120540. [PMID: 38355076 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Functional brain networks (FBNs) coordinate brain functions and are studied in fMRI using blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal correlations. Previous research links FBN changes to aging and cognitive decline, but various physiological factors influnce BOLD signals. Few studies have investigated the intrinsic components of the BOLD signal in different timescales using signal decomposition. This study aimed to explore differences between intrinsic FBNs and traditional BOLD-FBN, examining their associations with age and cognitive performance in a healthy cohort without dementia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 396 healthy participants without dementia (men = 157; women = 239; age range = 20-85 years) were enrolled in this study. The BOLD signal was decomposed into several intrinsic signals with different timescales using ensemble empirical mode decomposition, and FBNs were constructed based on both the BOLD and intrinsic signals. Subsequently, network features-global efficiency and local efficiency values-were estimated to determine their relationship with age and cognitive performance. RESULTS The findings revealed that the global efficiency of traditional BOLD-FBN correlated significantly with age, with specific intrinsic FBNs contributing to these correlations. Moreover, local efficiency analysis demonstrated that intrinsic FBNs were more meaningful than traditional BOLD-FBN in identifying brain regions related to age and cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS These results underscore the importance of exploring timescales of BOLD signals when constructing FBN and highlight the relevance of specific intrinsic FBNs to aging and cognitive performance. Consequently, this decomposition-based FBN-building approach may offer valuable insights for future fMRI studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Xiang Tsai
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Po Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Norden E Huang
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Albert C Yang
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 11217, Taiwan; Digital Medicine and Smart Healthcare Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
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Li M, Schilling KG, Gao F, Xu L, Choi S, Gao Y, Zu Z, Anderson AW, Ding Z, Landman BA, Gore JC. Quantification of mediation effects of white matter functional characteristics on cognitive decline in aging. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae114. [PMID: 38517178 PMCID: PMC10958767 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae114] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive decline with aging involves multifactorial processes, including changes in brain structure and function. This study focuses on the role of white matter functional characteristics, as reflected in blood oxygenation level-dependent signals, in age-related cognitive deterioration. Building on previous research confirming the reproducibility and age-dependence of blood oxygenation level-dependent signals acquired via functional magnetic resonance imaging, we here employ mediation analysis to test if aging affects cognition through white matter blood oxygenation level-dependent signal changes, impacting various cognitive domains and specific white matter regions. We used independent component analysis of resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent signals to segment white matter into coherent hubs, offering a data-driven view of white matter's functional architecture. Through correlation analysis, we constructed a graph network and derived metrics to quantitatively assess regional functional properties based on resting-state blood oxygenation level-dependent fluctuations. Our analysis identified significant mediators in the age-cognition relationship, indicating that aging differentially influences cognitive functions by altering the functional characteristics of distinct white matter regions. These findings enhance our understanding of the neurobiological basis of cognitive aging, highlighting the critical role of white matter in maintaining cognitive integrity and proposing new approaches to assess interventions targeting cognitive decline in older populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muwei Li
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Kurt G Schilling
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Lyuan Xu
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, United States
| | - Soyoung Choi
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Yurui Gao
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
| | - Zhongliang Zu
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Adam W Anderson
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
| | - Zhaohua Ding
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
| | - Bennett A Landman
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
| | - John C Gore
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, United States
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Riva F, Pronizius E, Lenger M, Kronbichler M, Silani G, Lamm C. Age-related differences in interference control in the context of a finger-lifting task: an fMRI study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad034. [PMID: 37279968 PMCID: PMC10329405 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad034] [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: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans tend to automatically imitate others and their actions while also being able to control such imitative tendencies. Interference control, necessary to suppress own imitative tendencies, develops rapidly in childhood and adolescence, plateaus in adulthood and slowly declines with advancing age. It remains to be shown though which neural processes underpin these differences across the lifespan. In a cross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging study with three age groups (adolescents (ADs) 14-17 years, young adults (YAs) 21-31, older adults (OAs) 56-76, N = 91 healthy female participants), we investigated the behavioral and neural correlates of interference control in the context of automatic imitation using the finger-lifting task. ADs showed the most efficient interference control, while no significant differences emerged between YAs and OAs, despite OAs showing longer reaction times. On the neural level, all age groups showed engagement of the right temporoparietal junction, right supramarginal gyrus and bilateral insula, aligning well with studies previously using this task. However, our analyses did not reveal any age-related differences in brain activation, neither in these nor in other areas. This suggests that ADs might have a more efficient use of the engaged brain networks and, on the other hand, OAs' capacity for interference control and the associated brain functions might be largely preserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Riva
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Ekaterina Pronizius
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Melanie Lenger
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Martin Kronbichler
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg 5020, Austria
- Neuroscience Institute, Christian Doppler Clinic, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg 5020, Austria
| | - Giorgia Silani
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna 1010, Austria
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Guo Y, Wu H, Dong D, Zhou F, Li Z, Zhao L, Long Z. Stress and the brain: Emotional support mediates the association between myelination in the right supramarginal gyrus and perceived chronic stress. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 22:100511. [PMID: 36632310 PMCID: PMC9826980 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Perceived stress, which refers to people's evaluation of a stressful event and their ability to cope with it, has emerged as a stable predictor for physical and mental health outcomes. Increasing evidence has suggested the buffering effect of social support on perceived stress. Although previous studies have investigated the brain structural features (e.g., gray matter volume) associated with perceived stress, less is known about the association between perceived chronic stress and intra-cortical myelin (ICM), which is an important microstructure of brain and is essential for healthy brain functions, and the role of social support in this association. Using a sample of 1076 healthy young adults drawn from the Human Connectome Project, we quantified the ICMby the contrast of T1w and T2w images and examined its association with perceived chronic stress during the last month and social support. Behavioral results showed that perceived chronic stress was negatively associated with both emotional support and instrumental support. Vertex-wise multiple regression analyses revealed that higher level of perceived chronic stress was significantly associated with lower ICM content of a cluster in the right supramarginal gyrus (rSMG). Interestingly, the emotional support, but not the instrumental support, significantly mediated the association of perceived chronic stress with ICM in the rSMG. Overall, the present study provides novel evidence for the cortical myelination of perceived chronic stress in humans and highlights the essential role of the rSMG in perceived chronic stress and emotional support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqun Guo
- School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China,School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Corresponding author. School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, No. 2, Chongwen Road, Nanan District, China.
| | - Huimin Wu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Debo Dong
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhangyong Li
- School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
| | - Le Zhao
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Zhiliang Long
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, China,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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