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Qiu X, Yang J, Hu X, Li J, Zhao M, Ren F, Weng X, Edden RAE, Gao F, Wang J. Association between hearing ability and cortical morphology in the elderly: multiparametric mapping, cognitive relevance, and neurobiological underpinnings. EBioMedicine 2024; 104:105160. [PMID: 38788630 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hearing impairment is a common condition in the elderly. However, a comprehensive understanding of its neural correlates is still lacking. METHODS We recruited 284 elderly adults who underwent structural MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, audiometry, and cognitive assessments. Individual hearing abilities indexed by pure tone average (PTA) were correlated with multiple structural MRI-derived cortical morphological indices. For regions showing significant correlations, mediation analyses were performed to examine their role in the relationship between hearing ability and cognitive function. Finally, the correlation maps between hearing ability and cortical morphology were linked with publicly available connectomic gradient, transcriptomic, and neurotransmitter maps. FINDINGS Poorer hearing was related to cortical thickness (CT) reductions in widespread regions and gyrification index (GI) reductions in the right Area 52 and Insular Granular Complex. The GI in the right Area 52 mediated the relationship between hearing ability and executive function. This mediating effect was further modulated by glutamate and N-acetylaspartate levels in the right auditory region. The PTA-CT correlation map followed microstructural connectomic hierarchy, were related to genes involved in certain biological processes (e.g., glutamate metabolic process), cell types (e.g., excitatory neurons and astrocytes), and developmental stages (i.e., childhood to young adulthood), and covaried with dopamine receptor 1, dopamine transporter, and fluorodopa. The PTA-GI correlation map was related to 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2a. INTERPRETATION Poorer hearing is associated with cortical thinning and folding reductions, which may be engaged in the relationship between hearing impairment and cognitive decline in the elderly and have different neurobiological substrates. FUNDING See the Acknowledgements section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Qiu
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xin Hu
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Junle Li
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Fuxin Ren
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuchu Weng
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
| | - Jinhui Wang
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China; Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, Guangzhou, China.
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2
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Wang X, Chen Q, Liu Y, Sun J, Li J, Zhao P, Cai L, Liu W, Yang Z, Wang Z, Lv H. Causal relationship between multiparameter brain MRI phenotypes and age: evidence from Mendelian randomization. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae077. [PMID: 38529357 PMCID: PMC10963122 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
To explore the causal relationship between age and brain health (cortical atrophy, white matter integrity, white matter hyperintensities and cerebral microbleeds in various brain regions) related multiparameter imaging features using two-sample Mendelian randomization. Age was determined as chronological age of the subject. Cortical volume, white matter micro-integrity, white matter hyperintensity volume and cerebral microbleeds of each brain region were included as phenotypes for brain health. Age and imaging of brain health related genetic data were analysed to determine the causal relationship using inverse-variance weighted model, validated by heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy variables. Age is causally related to increased volumes of white matter hyperintensities (β = 0.151). For white matter micro-integrity, fibres of the inferior cerebellar peduncle (axial diffusivity β = -0.128, orientation dispersion index β = 0.173), cerebral peduncle (axial diffusivity β = -0.136), superior fronto-occipital fasciculus (isotropic volume fraction β = 0.163) and fibres within the limbic system were causally deteriorated. We also detected decreased cortical thickness of multiple frontal and temporal regions (P < 0.05). Microbleeds were not related with aging (P > 0.05). Aging is a threat of brain health, leading to cortical atrophy mainly in the frontal lobes, as well as the white matter degeneration especially abnormal hyperintensity and deteriorated white matter integrity around the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinghao Wang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Yawen Liu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Pengfei Zhao
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Linkun Cai
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Wenjuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing 100089, China
- Peking University Aerospace School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100089, China
| | - Zhenghan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhenchang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Han Lv
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China
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3
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Stout JA, Mahzarnia A, Dai R, Anderson RJ, Cousins S, Zhuang J, Lad EM, Whitaker DB, Madden DJ, Potter GG, Whitson HE, Badea A. Accelerated Brain Atrophy, Microstructural Decline and Connectopathy in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Biomedicines 2024; 12:147. [PMID: 38255252 PMCID: PMC10813528 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has recently been linked to cognitive impairment. We hypothesized that AMD modifies the brain aging trajectory, and we conducted a longitudinal diffusion MRI study on 40 participants (20 with AMD and 20 controls) to reveal the location, extent, and dynamics of AMD-related brain changes. Voxel-based analyses at the first visit identified reduced volume in AMD participants in the cuneate gyrus, associated with vision, and the temporal and bilateral cingulate gyrus, linked to higher cognition and memory. The second visit occurred 2 years after the first and revealed that AMD participants had reduced cingulate and superior frontal gyrus volumes, as well as lower fractional anisotropy (FA) for the bilateral occipital lobe, including the visual and the superior frontal cortex. We detected faster rates of volume and FA reduction in AMD participants in the left temporal cortex. We identified inter-lingual and lingual-cerebellar connections as important differentiators in AMD participants. Bundle analyses revealed that the lingual gyrus had a lower streamline length in the AMD participants at the first visit, indicating a connection between retinal and brain health. FA differences in select inter-lingual and lingual cerebellar bundles at the second visit showed downstream effects of vision loss. Our analyses revealed widespread changes in AMD participants, beyond brain networks directly involved in vision processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques A. Stout
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (J.A.S.); (J.Z.); (D.J.M.)
| | - Ali Mahzarnia
- Radiology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.M.); (R.D.); (R.J.A.)
| | - Rui Dai
- Radiology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.M.); (R.D.); (R.J.A.)
| | - Robert J. Anderson
- Radiology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.M.); (R.D.); (R.J.A.)
| | - Scott Cousins
- Ophthalmology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (S.C.); (E.M.L.); (D.B.W.); (H.E.W.)
| | - Jie Zhuang
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (J.A.S.); (J.Z.); (D.J.M.)
| | - Eleonora M. Lad
- Ophthalmology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (S.C.); (E.M.L.); (D.B.W.); (H.E.W.)
| | - Diane B. Whitaker
- Ophthalmology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (S.C.); (E.M.L.); (D.B.W.); (H.E.W.)
| | - David J. Madden
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (J.A.S.); (J.Z.); (D.J.M.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Guy G. Potter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA;
| | - Heather E. Whitson
- Ophthalmology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (S.C.); (E.M.L.); (D.B.W.); (H.E.W.)
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Alexandra Badea
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (J.A.S.); (J.Z.); (D.J.M.)
- Radiology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; (A.M.); (R.D.); (R.J.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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4
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Defenderfer MK, Demirayak P, Fleming LL, DeCarlo DK, Stewart P, Visscher KM. Cortical plasticity in central vision loss: Cortical thickness and neurite structure. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:4120-4135. [PMID: 37195035 PMCID: PMC10258531 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26334] [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: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Late-stage macular degeneration (MD) often causes retinal lesions depriving an individual of central vision, forcing them to learn to use peripheral vision for daily tasks. To compensate, many patients develop a preferred retinal locus (PRL), an area of peripheral vision used more often than equivalent regions of spared vision. Thus, associated portions of cortex experience increased use, while portions of cortex associated with the lesion are deprived of sensory input. Prior research has not well examined the degree to which structural plasticity depends on the amount of use across the visual field. Cortical thickness, neurite density, and orientation dispersion were measured at portions of cortex associated with the PRL, the retinal lesion, and a control region in participants with MD as well as age-matched, gender-matched, and education-matched controls. MD participants had significantly thinner cortex in both the cortical representation of the PRL (cPRL) and the control region, compared with controls, but no significant differences in thickness, neurite density, or orientation dispersion were found between the cPRL and the control region as functions of disease or onset. This decrease in thickness is driven by a subset of early-onset participants whose patterns of thickness, neurite density, and neurite orientation dispersion are distinct from matched control participants. These results suggest that people who develop MD earlier in adulthood may undergo more structural plasticity than those who develop it late in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K. Defenderfer
- Civitan International Research CenterUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Pinar Demirayak
- Civitan International Research CenterUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Leland L. Fleming
- Civitan International Research CenterUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Dawn K. DeCarlo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Paul Stewart
- Civitan International Research CenterUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Kristina M. Visscher
- Civitan International Research CenterUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of Neurobiology, Heersink School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
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Brown HDH, Gale RP, Gouws AD, Vernon RJW, Airody A, Hanson RLW, Baseler HA, Morland AB. Assessing the structure of the posterior visual pathway in bilateral macular degeneration. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5008. [PMID: 36973337 PMCID: PMC10042846 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31819-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Macular degeneration (MD) embodies a collection of disorders causing a progressive loss of central vision. Cross-sectional MRI studies have revealed structural changes in the grey and white matter in the posterior visual pathway in MD but there remains a need to understand how such changes progress over time. To that end we assessed the posterior pathway, characterising the visual cortex and optic radiations over a ~ 2-year period in MD patients and controls. We performed cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the former. Reduced cortical thickness and white matter integrity were observed in patients compared to controls, replicating previous findings. While faster, neither the rate of thinning in visual cortex nor the reduction in white matter integrity during the ~ 2-year period reached significance. We also measured cortical myelin density; cross-sectional data showed this was higher in patients than controls, likely as a result of greater thinning of non-myelinated tissue in patients. However, we also found evidence of a greater rate of loss of myelin density in the occipital pole in the patient group indicating that the posterior visual pathway is at risk in established MD. Taken together, our results revealed a broad decline in grey and white matter in the posterior visual pathway in bilateral MD; cortical thickness and fractional anisotropy show hints of an accelerated rate of loss also, with larger effects emerging in the occipital pole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly D H Brown
- Centre for Cognition and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, UK.
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK.
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK.
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK.
| | - Richard P Gale
- Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, York, UK
| | - André D Gouws
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
| | - Richard J W Vernon
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK
| | - Archana Airody
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, York, UK
| | - Rachel L W Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK
- Academic Unit of Ophthalmology, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, York, UK
| | - Heidi A Baseler
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK
- Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
| | - Antony B Morland
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
- York Neuroimaging Centre, University of York, York, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK
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6
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Yang Y, Wang D, Hou W, Li H. Cognitive Decline Associated with Aging. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1419:25-46. [PMID: 37418204 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-99-1627-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive decline is one of the most distinct signs of aging, and age-related cognitive decline is a heterogeneous issue varying in different cognitive domains and has significant differences among older adults. Identifying characteristics of cognitive aging is the basis of cognitive disease for early-detection and healthy aging promotion. In the current chapter, age-related decline of main cognitive domains, including sensory perception, memory, attention, executive function, language, reasoning, and space navigation ability are introduced respectively. From these aspects of cognition, we focus on the age-related effects, age-related cognitive diseases, and possible mechanisms of cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjie Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - He Li
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Chamard C, Maller JJ, Menjot N, Debourdeau E, Nael V, Ritchie K, Carriere I, Daien V. Association Between Vision and Brain Cortical Thickness in a Community-Dwelling Elderly Cohort. Eye Brain 2022; 14:71-82. [PMID: 35859801 PMCID: PMC9292457 DOI: 10.2147/eb.s358384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Visual impairment is a major cause of disability and impairment of cognitive function in older people. Brain structural changes associated with visual function impairment are not well understood. The objective of this study was to assess the association between visual function and cortical thickness in older adults. Methods Participants were selected from the French population-based ESPRIT cohort of 2259 community-dwelling adults ≥65 years old enrolled between 1999 and 2001. We considered visual function and brain MRI images at the 12-year follow-up in participants who were right-handed and free of dementia and/or stroke, randomly selected from the whole cohort. High-resolution structural T1-weighted brain scans acquired with a 3-Tesla scanner. Regional reconstruction and segmentation involved using the FreeSurfer image-analysis suite. Results A total of 215 participants were included (mean [SD] age 81.8 [3.7] years; 53.0% women): 30 (14.0%) had central vision loss and 185 (86.0%) normal central vision. Vision loss was associated with thinner cortical thickness in the right insula (within the lateral sulcus of the brain) as compared with the control group (mean thickness 2.38 [0.04] vs 2.50 [0.03] mm, 4.8% thinning, pcorrected= 0.04) after adjustment for age, sex, lifetime depression and cardiovascular disease. Conclusion The present study describes a significant thinning of the right insular cortex in older adults with vision loss. The insula subserves a wide variety of functions in humans ranging from sensory and affective processing to high-level cognitive processing. Reduced insula thickness associated with vision loss may increase cognitive burden in the ageing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Chamard
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, F-34000, France.,Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier INM, University Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, F-34091, France
| | - Jerome J Maller
- General Electric Healthcare, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nicolas Menjot
- Department of Neuroradiology, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, F-34000, France
| | - Eloi Debourdeau
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, F-34000, France
| | - Virginie Nael
- Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, UMR 1219, University Bordeaux, INSERM, Bordeaux, F-33000, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier INM, University Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, F-34091, France.,Department of Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Isabelle Carriere
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier INM, University Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, F-34091, France
| | - Vincent Daien
- Department of Ophthalmology, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, F-34000, France.,Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier INM, University Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, F-34091, France.,The Save Sight Institute, Sydney Medical School, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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8
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Firbank MJ, daSilva Morgan K, Collerton D, Elder GJ, Parikh J, Olsen K, Schumacher J, Ffytche D, Taylor JP. Investigation of structural brain changes in Charles Bonnet Syndrome. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 35:103041. [PMID: 35576854 PMCID: PMC9118504 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Reduced grey matter in the occipital cortex in eye disease groups. Widespread altered diffusivity in eye disease groups. No cortical or white matter changes associated with presence of visual hallucinations. Negative association between hippocampal volume and Hallucination severity.
Background and objectives In Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS), visual hallucinations (VH) are experienced by people with sight loss due to eye disease or lesional damage to early visual pathways. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate structural brain changes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in CBS. Methods Sixteen CBS patients, 17 with eye disease but no VH, and 19 normally sighted people took part. Participants were imaged on a 3T scanner, with 1 mm resolution T1 weighted structural imaging, and diffusion tensor imaging with 64 diffusion directions. Results The three groups were well matched for age, sex and cognitive scores (MMSE). The two eye disease groups were matched on visual acuity. Compared to the sighted controls, we found reduced grey matter in the occipital cortex in both eye disease groups. We also found reductions of fractional anisotropy and increased diffusivity in widespread areas, including occipital tracts, the corpus callosum, and the anterior thalamic radiation. We did not find any significant differences between the eye disease participants with VH versus without VH, but did observe a negative association between hippocampal volume and VH severity in the CBS group. Discussion Our findings suggest that although there are cortical and subcortical effects associated with sight loss, structural changes do not explain the occurrence of VHs. CBS may relate instead to connectivity or excitability changes in brain networks linked to vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Firbank
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| | - Katrina daSilva Morgan
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Collerton
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Greg J Elder
- Northumbria Sleep Research, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jehill Parikh
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Kirsty Olsen
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Julia Schumacher
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Dominic Ffytche
- Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
| | - John-Paul Taylor
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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9
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Plank T, Benkowitsch EMA, Beer AL, Brandl S, Malania M, Frank SM, Jägle H, Greenlee MW. Cortical Thickness Related to Compensatory Viewing Strategies in Patients With Macular Degeneration. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:718737. [PMID: 34658765 PMCID: PMC8517450 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.718737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or hereditary juvenile macular dystrophies (JMD) lead to a loss of central vision. Many patients compensate for this loss with a pseudo fovea in the intact peripheral retina, the so-called "preferred retinal locus" (PRL). How extensive eccentric viewing associated with central vision loss (CVL) affects brain structures responsible for visual perception and visually guided eye movements remains unknown. CVL results in a reduction of cortical gray matter in the "lesion projection zone" (LPZ) in early visual cortex, but the thickness of primary visual cortex appears to be largely preserved for eccentric-field representations. Here we explore how eccentric viewing strategies are related to cortical thickness (CT) measures in early visual cortex and in brain areas involved in the control of eye movements (frontal eye fields, FEF, supplementary eye fields, SEF, and premotor eye fields, PEF). We determined the projection zones (regions of interest, ROIs) of the PRL and of an equally peripheral area in the opposite hemifield (OppPRL) in early visual cortex (V1 and V2) in 32 patients with MD and 32 age-matched controls (19-84 years) by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequently, we calculated the CT in these ROIs and compared it between PRL and OppPRL as well as between groups. Additionally, we examined the CT of FEF, SEF, and PEF and correlated it with behavioral measures like reading speed and eccentric fixation stability at the PRL. We found a significant difference between PRL and OppPRL projection zones in V1 with increased CT at the PRL, that was more pronounced in the patients, but also visible in the controls. Although the mean CT of the eye fields did not differ significantly between patients and controls, we found a trend to a positive correlation between CT in the right FEF and SEF and fixation stability in the whole patient group and between CT in the right PEF and reading speed in the JMD subgroup. The results indicate a possible association between the compensatory strategies used by patients with CVL and structural brain properties in early visual cortex and cortical eye fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Plank
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Anton L. Beer
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Brandl
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Maka Malania
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian M. Frank
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic & Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Herbert Jägle
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Mark W. Greenlee
- Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Baroncelli L, Lunghi C. Neuroplasticity of the visual cortex: in sickness and in health. Exp Neurol 2020; 335:113515. [PMID: 33132181 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Brain plasticity refers to the ability of synaptic connections to adapt their function and structure in response to experience, including environmental changes, sensory deprivation and injuries. Plasticity is a distinctive, but not exclusive, property of the developing nervous system. This review introduces the concept of neuroplasticity and describes classic paradigms to illustrate cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying synapse modifiability. Then, we summarize a growing number of studies showing that the adult cerebral cortex retains a significant degree of plasticity highlighting how the identification of strategies to enhance the plastic potential of the adult brain could pave the way for the development of novel therapeutic approaches aimed at treating amblyopia and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Finally, we analyze how the visual system adjusts to neurodegenerative conditions leading to blindness and we discuss the crucial role of spared plasticity in the visual system for sight recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Baroncelli
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, I-56128 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Claudia Lunghi
- Laboratoire des systèmes perceptifs, Département d'études cognitives, École normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
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