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Newman BT, Patrie JT, Druzgal TJ. An intracellular isotropic diffusion signal is positively associated with pubertal development in white matter. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101301. [PMID: 37717292 PMCID: PMC10511341 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101301] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Puberty is a key event in adolescent development that involves significant, hormone-driven changes to many aspects of physiology including the brain. Understanding how the brain responds during this time period is important for evaluating neuronal developments that affect mental health throughout adolescence and the adult lifespan. This study examines diffusion MRI scans from the cross-sectional ABCD Study baseline cohort, a large multi-site study containing thousands of participants, to describe the relationship between pubertal development and brain microstructure. Using advanced, 3-tissue constrained spherical deconvolution methods, this study is able to describe multiple tissue compartments beyond only white matter (WM) axonal qualities. After controlling for age, sex, brain volume, subject handedness, scanning site, and sibling relationships, we observe a positive relationship between an isotropic, intracellular diffusion signal fraction and pubertal development across a majority of regions of interest (ROIs) in the WM skeleton. We also observe regional effects from an intracellular anisotropic signal fraction compartment and extracellular isotropic free water-like compartment in several ROIs. This cross-sectional work suggests that changes in pubertal status are associated with a complex response from brain tissue that cannot be completely described by traditional methods focusing only on WM axonal properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Newman
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, USA.
| | - James T Patrie
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, USA
| | - T Jason Druzgal
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, USA
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DiPiero M, Rodrigues PG, Gromala A, Dean DC. Applications of advanced diffusion MRI in early brain development: a comprehensive review. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:367-392. [PMID: 36585970 PMCID: PMC9974794 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02605-8] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Brain development follows a protracted developmental timeline with foundational processes of neurodevelopment occurring from the third trimester of gestation into the first decade of life. Defining structural maturational patterns of early brain development is a critical step in detecting divergent developmental trajectories associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders that arise later in life. While considerable advancements have already been made in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) for pediatric research over the past three decades, the field of neurodevelopment is still in its infancy with remarkable scientific and clinical potential. This comprehensive review evaluates the application, findings, and limitations of advanced dMRI methods beyond diffusion tensor imaging, including diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) to quantify the rapid and dynamic changes supporting the underlying microstructural architectural foundations of the brain in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa DiPiero
- Department of Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | | | - Alyssa Gromala
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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Piekarski DJ, Colich NL, Ho TC. The effects of puberty and sex on adolescent white matter development: A systematic review. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101214. [PMID: 36913887 PMCID: PMC10010971 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101214] [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: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence, the transition between childhood and adulthood, is characterized by rapid brain development in white matter (WM) that is attributed in part to rising levels in adrenal and gonadal hormones. The extent to which pubertal hormones and related neuroendocrine processes explain sex differences in WM during this period is unclear. In this systematic review, we sought to examine whether there are consistent associations between hormonal changes and morphological and microstructural properties of WM across species and whether these effects are sex-specific. We identified 90 (75 human, 15 non-human) studies that met inclusion criteria for our analyses. While studies in human adolescents show notable heterogeneity, results broadly demonstrate that increases in gonadal hormones across pubertal development are associated with macro- and microstructural changes in WM tracts that are consistent with the sex differences found in non-human animals, particularly in the corpus callosum. We discuss limitations of the current state of the science and recommend important future directions for investigators in the field to consider in order to advance our understanding of the neuroscience of puberty and to promote forward and backward translation across model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tiffany C Ho
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
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Thijssen S, Collins PF, Luciana M. Does pubertal stage mediate the association between family environment and structure and function of the amygdala-mPFC circuit? A replication study of the longitudinal ABCD cohort. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 56:101120. [PMID: 35716638 PMCID: PMC9213703 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychosocial acceleration theory suggests that early stress accelerates pubertal development. Using half of the baseline Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort, Thijssen et al. (2020) provide support that accelerated puberty following stressful family environments may promote neurodevelopment. Here, we replicate and extend those analyses using 1) data from the second half of the ABCD sample (n = 3300 +, ages 9-10), and 2) longitudinal imaging data from the original sample (n = 1800 +, ages 11-12). A family environment latent variable was created and related to anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) thickness, area, white matter fractional anisotropy, amygdala volume, and cingulo-opercular network (CON)-amygdala resting-state functional connectivity. Results from the independent sample replicate the mediating effects of family environment through pubertal stage on amygdala-CON functional connectivity. Sex-stratified analyses show indirect effects via pubertal stage in girls; boys show evidence for direct associations. Analyses using wave 2 imaging data or wave 2-wave 1 difference scores from the originally-analyzed sample replicate the resting-state indirect effects. The current paper replicates the mediating role for puberty in the association between family environment and neurodevelopment. As both direct and indirect associations were found, puberty may be one of multiple mechanisms driving accelerated neurodevelopment following environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Thijssen
- Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands,Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands,Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA,Correspondence to: Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Postbus 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Paul F. Collins
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Monica Luciana
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Chen LZ, Holmes AJ, Zuo XN, Dong Q. Neuroimaging brain growth charts: A road to mental health. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2021; 1:272-286. [PMID: 35028568 PMCID: PMC8739332 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Mental disorders are common health concerns and contribute to a heavy global burden on our modern society. It is challenging to identify and treat them timely. Neuroimaging evidence suggests the incidence of various psychiatric and behavioral disorders is closely related to the atypical development of brain structure and function. The identification and understanding of atypical brain development provide chances for clinicians to detect mental disorders earlier, perhaps even prior to onset, and treat them more precisely. An invaluable and necessary method in identifying and monitoring atypical brain development are growth charts of typically developing individuals in the population. The brain growth charts can offer a series of standard references on typical neurodevelopment, representing an important resource for the scientific and medical communities. In the present paper, we review the relationship between mental disorders and atypical brain development from a perspective of normative brain development by surveying the recent progress in the development of brain growth charts, including four aspects on growth chart utility: 1) cohorts, 2) measures, 3) mechanisms, and 4) clinical translations. In doing so, we seek to clarify the challenges and opportunities in charting brain growth, and to promote the application of brain growth charts in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Zhen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Avram J Holmes
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Xi-Nian Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- National Basic Science Data Center, Beijing 100190, China
- Developmental Population Neuroscience Research Center, International Data Group/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Research Center for Lifespan Development of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Fixel-based Analysis of Diffusion MRI: Methods, Applications, Challenges and Opportunities. Neuroimage 2021; 241:118417. [PMID: 34298083 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI has provided the neuroimaging community with a powerful tool to acquire in-vivo data sensitive to microstructural features of white matter, up to 3 orders of magnitude smaller than typical voxel sizes. The key to extracting such valuable information lies in complex modelling techniques, which form the link between the rich diffusion MRI data and various metrics related to the microstructural organization. Over time, increasingly advanced techniques have been developed, up to the point where some diffusion MRI models can now provide access to properties specific to individual fibre populations in each voxel in the presence of multiple "crossing" fibre pathways. While highly valuable, such fibre-specific information poses unique challenges for typical image processing pipelines and statistical analysis. In this work, we review the "Fixel-Based Analysis" (FBA) framework, which implements bespoke solutions to this end. It has recently seen a stark increase in adoption for studies of both typical (healthy) populations as well as a wide range of clinical populations. We describe the main concepts related to Fixel-Based Analyses, as well as the methods and specific steps involved in a state-of-the-art FBA pipeline, with a focus on providing researchers with practical advice on how to interpret results. We also include an overview of the scope of all current FBA studies, categorized across a broad range of neuro-scientific domains, listing key design choices and summarizing their main results and conclusions. Finally, we critically discuss several aspects and challenges involved with the FBA framework, and outline some directions and future opportunities.
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