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Delhaye E, Besson G, Bahri MA, Bastin C. Object fine-grained discrimination as a sensitive cognitive marker of transentorhinal integrity. Commun Biol 2025; 8:800. [PMID: 40415135 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08201-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2025] [Indexed: 05/27/2025] Open
Abstract
The transentorhinal cortex (tErC) is one of the first regions affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD), often showing changes before clinical symptoms appear. Understanding its role in cognition is key to detecting early cognitive impairments in AD. This study tested the hypothesis that the tErC supports fine-grained representations of unique individual objects, sensitively to the granularity of the demanded discrimination, influencing both perceptual and mnemonic functions. We examined the tErC's role in object versus scene discrimination, using objective (based on a pretrained convolutional neural network, CNN) and subjective (human-rated) measures of visual similarity. Our results show that the structural integrity of the tErC is specifically related to the sensitivity to visual similarity for objects, but not for scenes. Importantly, this relationship depends on how visual similarity is measured: it appears only when using CNN visual similarity measures in perceptual discrimination, and solely when using subjective similarity ratings in mnemonic discrimination. Furthermore, in mnemonic discrimination, object sensitivity to visual similarity was specifically associated with the integrity of tErC-BA36 connectivity, only when similarity was computed from subjective ratings. Altogether, these findings suggest that discrimination sensitivity to object visual similarity may represent a specific marker of tErC integrity after accounting for the type of similarity measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Delhaye
- GIGA Research, CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- PsyNCog Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- CICPSI, Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Gabriel Besson
- Proaction Laboratory, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- CINEICC, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mohamed Ali Bahri
- GIGA Research, CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Christine Bastin
- GIGA Research, CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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2
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Hunsberger HC, Lee S, Jin M, Lanio M, Whye A, Cha J, Scarlata M, Matthews LC, Jayaseelan K, Denny CA. Sex-Specific Effects of Anxiety on Cognition and Activity-Dependent Neural Networks: Insights From (Female) Mice and (Wo)men. Biol Psychiatry 2025; 97:900-914. [PMID: 39349155 PMCID: PMC11949853 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, are observed in 90% of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), two-thirds of whom are women. Neuropsychiatric symptoms usually manifest long before AD onset creating a therapeutic opportunity. Here, we examined the impact of anxiety on AD progression and the underlying brainwide neuronal mechanisms. METHODS To gain mechanistic insight into how anxiety affects AD progression, we performed a cross-sectional analysis on mood, cognition, and neural activity using the ArcCreERT2 x eYFP (enhanced yellow fluorescent protein) x amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 1 (APP/PS1) (AD) mice. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset was used to determine the impact of anxiety on AD progression in humans. RESULTS Female APP/PS1 mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior and cognitive decline at an earlier age than control mice and male mice. Brainwide analysis of c-Fos+ revealed changes in regional correlations and overall network connectivity in APP/PS1 mice. Sex-specific eYFP+/c-Fos+ changes were observed; female APP/PS1 mice exhibited less eYFP+/c-Fos+ cells in dorsal CA3, whereas male APP/PS1 mice exhibited less eYFP+/c-Fos+ cells in the dorsal dentate gyrus. In the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset, anxiety predicted transition to dementia. Female participants positive for anxiety and amyloid transitioned more quickly to dementia than male participants. CONCLUSIONS While future studies are needed to understand whether anxiety is a predictor, a neuropsychiatric biomarker, or a comorbid symptom that occurs during disease onset, these results suggest that there are sex differences in AD network dysfunction and that personalized medicine may benefit male and female patients with AD rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly C Hunsberger
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH)/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, New York
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York; Mental Health Data Science, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH)/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, New York
| | - Michelle Jin
- Neurobiology and Behavior Graduate Program, Columbia University, New York, New York; Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York
| | - Marcos Lanio
- Neurobiology and Behavior Graduate Program, Columbia University, New York, New York; Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York
| | - Alicia Whye
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York
| | - Jiook Cha
- Department of Biostatistics (in Psychiatry), Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York; Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH)/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, New York; Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York; Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Miranda Scarlata
- Department of Neuroscience, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York
| | - Louise C Matthews
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH)/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York
| | | | - Christine A Denny
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH)/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, New York.
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3
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Horovitz DJ, Askins LA, Regnier GM, McQuail JA. Age-related synaptic signatures of brain and cognitive reserve in the rat hippocampus and parahippocampal regions. Neurobiol Aging 2025; 148:80-97. [PMID: 39954409 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.01.010] [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: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2025] [Accepted: 01/31/2025] [Indexed: 02/17/2025]
Abstract
Age-related cognitive decline varies widely among individuals, with some showing resilience despite older age. This study examines synaptic markers of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus and cortex of older rats with differing cognitive abilities, aiming to uncover mechanisms that contribute to cognitive resilience. We observed significant age-related reductions in vesicular glutamate transporter VGluT1, particularly in the stratum oriens (SO), radiatum (SR), and lacunosum-moleculare (SLM) of the dorsal CA3 and SLM of the dorsal CA1. Furthermore, loss of VGluT1 in the dorsal CA3-SLM correlated with severity of memory impairment. Higher levels of the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) were associated with better spatial learning in older rats, across several synaptic zones of the dorsal hippocampus, including the outer molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (DG), and the SO, SR, SLM, and pyramidal cell layers of both CA3 and CA1. This suggests that enhanced inhibitory neurotransmission specific to the dorsal aspect of the hippocampus may protect against age-related cognitive decline. While the dorsal hippocampus showed consistent age- and memory-related changes, markers in the ventral hippocampus remained largely intact. In the perirhinal cortex, VGluT1 declined with no changes in VGAT, while both markers remained unchanged in other cortical regions, including the lateral entorhinal, retrosplenial, and posterior parietal cortices. These findings highlight region-specific patterns of synaptic aging as potential markers of brain and cognitive reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Horovitz
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Laura A Askins
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Grace M Regnier
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA.
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4
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Vanderlip CR, Taylor L, Kim S, Harris AL, Tuteja N, Meza N, Escalante YY, McMillan L, Yassa MA, Adams JN. Amyloid-Beta Deposition in Basal Frontotemporal Cortex Is Associated with Selective Disruption of Temporal Mnemonic Discrimination. J Neurosci 2025; 45:e1605242025. [PMID: 39843236 PMCID: PMC11884388 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1605-24.2025] [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: 08/23/2024] [Revised: 12/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2025] [Indexed: 01/24/2025] Open
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, a hallmark pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), precedes clinical impairment by two to three decades. However, it is unclear whether Aβ contributes to subtle memory deficits observed during the preclinical stage. The heterogeneous emergence of Aβ deposition may selectively impact certain memory domains, which rely on distinct underlying neural circuits. In this context, we tested whether specific domains of mnemonic discrimination, a neural computation essential for episodic memory, exhibit specific deficits related to early Aβ deposition. We tested 108 cognitively unimpaired human older adults (66% female) who underwent 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography (Aβ-PET) and a control group of 35 young adults, on a suite of mnemonic discrimination tasks taxing object, spatial, and temporal domains. We hypothesized that Aβ pathology would be selectively associated with temporal discrimination performance due to Aβ's propensity to accumulate in the basal frontotemporal cortex, which supports temporal processing. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found a dissociation in which generalized age-related deficits were found for object and spatial mnemonic discrimination, while Aβ-PET levels were selectively associated with deficits in temporal mnemonic discrimination. Furthermore, we found that higher Aβ-PET levels in the medial orbitofrontal and inferior temporal cortex, regions supporting temporal processing, were associated with greater temporal mnemonic discrimination deficits, pointing to the selective vulnerability of circuits related to temporal processing early in AD progression. These results suggest that Aβ accumulation within basal frontotemporal regions may disrupt temporal mnemonic discrimination in preclinical AD, and future work is needed to determine whether assessing temporal mnemonic discrimination can aid in predicting emerging AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey R Vanderlip
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Soyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Alyssa L Harris
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Nandita Tuteja
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Novelle Meza
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Yuritza Y Escalante
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
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Sanchez LM, Acosta G, Cushing SD, Johnson SA, Turner SM, Davies S, Savage DD, Burke SN, Clark BJ. The effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure on performance in object and spatial discrimination tasks by adult male rats. Behav Brain Res 2025; 478:115324. [PMID: 39521144 PMCID: PMC11606775 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115324] [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: 08/27/2024] [Revised: 11/01/2024] [Accepted: 11/03/2024] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during pregnancy produces Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, which in its most severe form is characterized by physical dysmorphology and neurobehavioral alterations. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (mPAE) is known to produce deficits in discrimination of spatial locations in adulthood. However, the impact of mPAE on higher-order sensory representations, such as discrimination of perceptually similar stimuli, is currently unknown. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that mPAE would disrupt performance on hippocampal-sensitive tasks that require discrimination between perceptually similar objects or discrimination between spatial locations in a radial arm maze. Here we report that male mPAE rats exhibited intact performance on three types of object discrimination tasks: one in which rats discriminated between distinct toy objects, a second in which discrimination was made between distinct and similar LEGO objects, and a mnemonic similarity task in which rats discriminated between randomly presented LEGO objects that varied in similarity with a learned object. Although adult male mPAE rats performed similarly to control rats on all three object discrimination tasks, they showed deficits when tested in a radial arm maze spatial discrimination task. Specifically, male mPAE rats expressed a significantly higher number of working memory errors (returns to previously visited arms) and were more likely to use non-spatial strategies during training. Together, the findings of the present study support the conclusion that mPAE produces specific deficits in the online processing of spatial information and executing spatial navigation strategies, but spares the ability to discriminate between perceptually similar stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilliana M Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Gabriela Acosta
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sarah D Cushing
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sarah A Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sean M Turner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sara N Burke
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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6
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Cho I, Leger KR, Valoumas I, Mair RW, Goh JOS, Gutchess A. How age and culture impact the neural correlates of memory retrieval. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2025; 25:45-62. [PMID: 39776064 PMCID: PMC12066026 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01245-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025]
Abstract
Culture can shape memory, but little research has investigated age effects. The present study examined the neural correlates of memory retrieval for old, new, and similar lures in younger and older Americans and Taiwanese. A total of 207 participants encoded pictures of objects and, during fMRI scanning, completed a surprise object recognition task testing discrimination of similar and new from old items. Results show that age and culture impact discrimination of old from new items. Taiwanese performed worse than Americans, with age effects more pronounced for Taiwanese. The cultural differences in the engagement of left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) in younger adults (i.e., greater activity for old [for Taiwanese] or new items [for Americans]) were eliminated with age. The results are interpreted as reflecting cultural differences in orientation to novelty versus familiarity for younger, but not older, adults, with the LIFG supporting interference resolution at retrieval. Support is not as strong for cultural differences in pattern separation processes. Although Americans had higher levels of memory discrimination than Taiwanese, neither cultural nor age differences were found in hippocampal activity, which is surprising given the region's role in pattern separation. The findings suggest ways in which cultural life experiences and concomitant information processing strategies can contribute to consistent effects of age across cultures or contribute to different trajectories with age in terms of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isu Cho
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Sungkyunkwan University, 25-2, Seonggyungwan-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 03063.
| | - Krystal R Leger
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | - Ross W Mair
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua Oon Soo Goh
- Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Center of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Robotics, National Taiwan University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Angela Gutchess
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
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Budak M, Fausto BA, Osiecka Z, Sheikh M, Perna R, Ashton N, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Fitzgerald-Bocarsly P, Gluck MA. Elevated plasma p-tau231 is associated with reduced generalization and medial temporal lobe dynamic network flexibility among healthy older African Americans. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:253. [PMID: 39578853 PMCID: PMC11583385 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01619-0] [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: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 11/11/2024] [Indexed: 11/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta (Aβ) in human plasma may provide an affordable and minimally invasive method to evaluate Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is susceptible to changes in structural integrity that are indicative of the disease progression. Among healthy adults, higher dynamic network flexibility within the MTL was shown to mediate better generalization of prior learning, a measure which has been demonstrated to predict cognitive decline and neural changes in preclinical AD longitudinally. Recent developments in cognitive, neural, and blood-based biomarkers of AD risk that may correspond with MTL changes. However, there is no comprehensive study on how these generalization biomarkers, long-term memory, MTL dynamic network flexibility, and plasma biomarkers are interrelated. This study investigated (1) the relationship between long-term memory, generalization performance, and MTL dynamic network flexibility and (2) how plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 influence generalization, long-term memory, and MTL dynamics in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans. METHODS 148 participants (Meanage: 70.88,SDage: 6.05) were drawn from the ongoing longitudinal study, Pathways to Healthy Aging in African Americans conducted at Rutgers University-Newark. Cognition was evaluated with the Rutgers Acquired Equivalence Task (generalization task) and Rey Auditory Learning Test (RAVLT) delayed recall. MTL dynamic network connectivity was measured from functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data. Plasma p-tau231, p-tau181, and Aβ42/Aβ40 were measured from blood samples. RESULTS There was a significant positive correlation between generalization performance and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = 3.372, β = 0.280, p < 0.001). There were significant negative correlations between generalization performance and plasma p-tau231 (t = -3.324, β = -0.265, p = 0.001) and p-tau181 (t = -2.408, β = -0.192, p = 0.017). A significant negative correlation was found between plasma p-tau231 and MTL Dynamic Network Flexibility (t = -2.825, β = -0.232, p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Increased levels of p-tau231 are associated with impaired generalization abilities and reduced dynamic network flexibility within the MTL. Plasma p-tau231 may serve as a potential biomarker for assessing cognitive decline and neural changes in cognitively unimpaired older African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miray Budak
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA.
| | - Bernadette A Fausto
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Zuzanna Osiecka
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Mustafa Sheikh
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Robert Perna
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Nicholas Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 6, Mölndal, Gothenburg, 431 41, Sweden
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 6, Mölndal, Gothenburg, 431 41, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 6, Mölndal, Gothenburg, 431 41, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Box 100, Mölndal, Gothenburg, 405 30, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, 6th Floor, Maple House, Tottenham Ct Rd, London, W1T 7NF, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Units 1501- 1502, 1512-1518, 15/F Building 17W, 17 Science Park W Ave, Science Park, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 600 Highland Ave J5/1 Mezzanine, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Medical Science Building 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Mark A Gluck
- Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, 197 University Avenue, Suite 209, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
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Corriveau-Lecavalier N, Adams JN, Fischer L, Molloy EN, Maass A. Cerebral hyperactivation across the Alzheimer's disease pathological cascade. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae376. [PMID: 39513091 PMCID: PMC11542485 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 09/18/2024] [Accepted: 10/23/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuronal dysfunction in specific brain regions or across distributed brain networks is a known feature of Alzheimer's disease. An often reported finding in the early stage of the disease is the presence of increased functional MRI (fMRI) blood oxygenation level-dependent signal under task conditions relative to cognitively normal controls, a phenomenon known as 'hyperactivation'. However, research in the past decades yielded complex, sometimes conflicting results. The magnitude and topology of fMRI hyperactivation patterns have been found to vary across the preclinical and clinical spectrum of Alzheimer's disease, including concomitant 'hypoactivation' in some cases. These incongruences are likely due to a range of factors, including the disease stage at which the cohort is examined, the brain areas or networks studied and the fMRI paradigm utilized to evoke these functional abnormalities. Additionally, a perennial question pertains to the nature of hyperactivation in the context of Alzheimer's disease. Some propose it reflects compensatory mechanisms to sustain cognitive performance, while others suggest it is linked to the pathological disruption of a highly regulated homeostatic cycle that contributes to, or even drives, disease progression. Providing a coherent narrative for these empirical and conceptual discrepancies is paramount to develop disease models, understand the synergy between hyperactivation and the Alzheimer's disease pathological cascade and tailor effective interventions. We first provide a comprehensive overview of functional brain changes spanning the course from normal ageing to the clinical spectrum of Alzheimer's disease. We then highlight evidence supporting a close relationship between fMRI hyperactivation and in vivo markers of Alzheimer's pathology. We primarily focus on task-based fMRI studies in humans, but also consider studies using different functional imaging techniques and animal models. We then discuss the potential mechanisms underlying hyperactivation in the context of Alzheimer's disease and provide a testable framework bridging hyperactivation, ageing, cognition and the Alzheimer's disease pathological cascade. We conclude with a discussion of future challenges and opportunities to advance our understanding of the fundamental disease mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, and the promising development of therapeutic interventions incorporating or aimed at hyperactivation and large-scale functional systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Corriveau-Lecavalier
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55902, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55902 USA
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine 92697, CA, USA
| | - Larissa Fischer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
| | - Eóin N Molloy
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
| | - Anne Maass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
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Hernández-Frausto M, Vivar C. Entorhinal cortex-hippocampal circuit connectivity in health and disease. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1448791. [PMID: 39372192 PMCID: PMC11449717 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1448791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The entorhinal cortex (EC) and hippocampal (HC) connectivity is the main source of episodic memory formation and consolidation. The entorhinal-hippocampal (EC-HC) connection is classified as canonically glutamatergic and, more recently, has been characterized as a non-canonical GABAergic connection. Recent evidence shows that both EC and HC receive inputs from dopaminergic, cholinergic, and noradrenergic projections that modulate the mnemonic processes linked to the encoding and consolidation of memories. In the present review, we address the latest findings on the EC-HC connectivity and the role of neuromodulations during the mnemonic mechanisms of encoding and consolidation of memories and highlight the value of the cross-species approach to unravel the underlying cellular mechanisms known. Furthermore, we discuss how EC-HC connectivity early neurodegeneration may contribute to the dysfunction of episodic memories observed in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Finally, we described how exercise may be a fundamental tool to prevent or decrease neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Hernández-Frausto
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Carmen Vivar
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis and Neuroplasticity, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
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Vanderlip CR, Taylor L, Kim S, Harris AL, Tuteja N, Meza N, Escalante YY, McMillan L, Yassa MA, Adams JN. Amyloid-β deposition in basal frontotemporal cortex is associated with selective disruption of temporal mnemonic discrimination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609449. [PMID: 39253484 PMCID: PMC11383047 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Cerebral amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation, a hallmark pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), precedes clinical impairment by two to three decades. However, it is unclear whether Aβ contributes to subtle memory deficits observed during the preclinical stage. The heterogenous emergence of Aβ deposition may selectively impact certain memory domains, which rely on distinct underlying neural circuits. In this context, we tested whether specific domains of mnemonic discrimination, a neural computation essential for episodic memory, exhibit specific deficits related to early Aβ deposition. We tested 108 cognitively unimpaired human older adults (66% female) who underwent 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography (Aβ-PET), and a control group of 35 young adults, on a suite of mnemonic discrimination tasks taxing object, spatial, and temporal domains. We hypothesized that Aβ pathology would be selectively associated with temporal discrimination performance due to Aβ's propensity to accumulate in the basal frontotemporal cortex, which supports temporal processing. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found a dissociation in which generalized age-related deficits were found for object and spatial mnemonic discrimination, while Aβ-PET levels were selectively associated with deficits in temporal mnemonic discrimination. Further, we found that higher Aβ-PET levels in medial orbitofrontal and inferior temporal cortex, regions supporting temporal processing, were associated with greater temporal mnemonic discrimination deficits, pointing to the selective vulnerability of circuits related to temporal processing early in AD progression. These results suggest that Aβ accumulation within basal frontotemporal regions may disrupt temporal mnemonic discrimination in preclinical AD, and may serve as a sensitive behavioral biomarker of emerging AD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey R. Vanderlip
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Soyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Alyssa L. Harris
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Nandita Tuteja
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Novelle Meza
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Yuritza Y. Escalante
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
| | - Jenna N. Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697 USA
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11
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Cho I, Leger KR, Valoumas I, Mair RW, Goh JOS, Gutchess A. Effects of Age on Cross-Cultural Differences in the Neural Correlates of Memory Retrieval. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.25.591227. [PMID: 38712235 PMCID: PMC11071622 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.25.591227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Culture can shape memory, but little research investigates age effects. The present study examines the neural correlates of memory retrieval for old, new, and similar lures in younger and older Americans and Taiwanese. Results show that age and culture impact discrimination of old from new items. Taiwanese performed worse than Americans, with age effects more pronounced for Taiwanese. Americans activated the hippocampus for new more than old items, but pattern of activity for the conditions did not differ for Taiwanese, nor did it interact with age. The engagement of left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) differed across cultures. Patterns of greater activity for old (for Americans) or new (for Taiwanese) items were eliminated with age, particularly for older Americans. The results are interpreted as reflecting cultural differences in orientation to novelty vs. familiarity for younger, but not older, adults, with the LIFG supporting interference resolution at retrieval. Support is not as strong for cultural differences in pattern separation processes. Although Americans had higher levels of memory discrimination than Taiwanese and engaged the LIFG for correct rejections more than false alarms, the patterns of behavior and neural activity did not interact with culture and age. Neither culture nor age impacted hippocampal activity, which is surprising given the region's role in pattern separation. The findings suggest ways in which cultural life experiences and concomitant information processing strategies can contribute to consistent effects of age across cultures or contribute to different trajectories with age in terms of memory.
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12
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Tustison NJ, Yassa MA, Rizvi B, Cook PA, Holbrook AJ, Sathishkumar MT, Tustison MG, Gee JC, Stone JR, Avants BB. ANTsX neuroimaging-derived structural phenotypes of UK Biobank. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8848. [PMID: 38632390 PMCID: PMC11024129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59440-6] [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: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
UK Biobank is a large-scale epidemiological resource for investigating prospective correlations between various lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors with health and disease progression. In addition to individual subject information obtained through surveys and physical examinations, a comprehensive neuroimaging battery consisting of multiple modalities provides imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) that can serve as biomarkers in neuroscience research. In this study, we augment the existing set of UK Biobank neuroimaging structural IDPs, obtained from well-established software libraries such as FSL and FreeSurfer, with related measurements acquired through the Advanced Normalization Tools Ecosystem. This includes previously established cortical and subcortical measurements defined, in part, based on the Desikan-Killiany-Tourville atlas. Also included are morphological measurements from two recent developments: medial temporal lobe parcellation of hippocampal and extra-hippocampal regions in addition to cerebellum parcellation and thickness based on the Schmahmann anatomical labeling. Through predictive modeling, we assess the clinical utility of these IDP measurements, individually and in combination, using commonly studied phenotypic correlates including age, fluid intelligence, numeric memory, and several other sociodemographic variables. The predictive accuracy of these IDP-based models, in terms of root-mean-squared-error or area-under-the-curve for continuous and categorical variables, respectively, provides comparative insights between software libraries as well as potential clinical interpretability. Results demonstrate varied performance between package-based IDP sets and their combination, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in their selection and utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Tustison
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Batool Rizvi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Philip A Cook
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew J Holbrook
- Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | - James C Gee
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James R Stone
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Brian B Avants
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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13
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Lauzon C, Chiasso D, Rabin JS, Ciaramelli E, Rosenbaum RS. Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Does Not Play a Selective Role in Pattern Separation. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:435-446. [PMID: 38060255 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Humans have the capacity to form new memories of events that are, at times, highly similar to events experienced in the past, as well as the capacity to integrate and associate new information within existing knowledge structures. The former process relies on mnemonic discrimination and is believed to depend on hippocampal pattern separation, whereas the latter is believed to depend on generalization signals and conceptual categorization supported by the neocortex. Here, we examine whether and how the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) supports discrimination and generalization on a widely used task that was primarily designed to tax hippocampal processes. Ten individuals with lesions to the vMPFC and 46 neurotypical control participants were administered an adapted version of the mnemonic similarity task [Stark, S. M., Yassa, M. A., Lacy, J. W., & Stark, C. E. L. A task to assess behavioral pattern separation (BPS) in humans: Data from healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment. Neuropsychologia, 51, 2442-2449, 2013], which assesses the ability to distinguish previously learned images of everyday objects (targets) from unstudied, highly similar images (lures) and dissimilar images (foils). Relative to controls, vMPFC-lesioned individuals showed intact discrimination of lures from targets but a propensity to mistake studied targets and similar lures for dissimilar foils. This pattern was accompanied by inflated confidence despite low accuracy when responding to similar lures. These findings demonstrate a more general role of the vMPFC in memory retrieval, rather than a specific role in supporting pattern separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Lauzon
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Daniel Chiasso
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Jennifer S Rabin
- University of Toronto, Canada
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elisa Ciaramelli
- Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Italy
- Department of Psychology 'Renzo Canestrari', University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - R Shayna Rosenbaum
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
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14
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Giorgio J, Adams JN, Maass A, Jagust WJ, Breakspear M. Amyloid induced hyperexcitability in default mode network drives medial temporal hyperactivity and early tau accumulation. Neuron 2024; 112:676-686.e4. [PMID: 38096815 PMCID: PMC10922797 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
In early Alzheimer's disease (AD) β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits throughout association cortex and tau appears in the entorhinal cortex (EC). Why these initially appear in disparate locations is not understood. Using task-based fMRI and multimodal PET imaging, we assess the impact of local AD pathology on network-to-network interactions. We show that AD pathologies flip interactions between the default mode network (DMN) and the medial temporal lobe (MTL) from inhibitory to excitatory. The DMN is hyperexcited with increasing levels of Aβ, which drives hyperexcitability within the MTL and this directed hyperexcitation of the MTL by the DMN predicts the rate of tau accumulation within the EC. Our results support a model whereby Aβ induces disruptions to local excitatory-inhibitory balance in the DMN, driving hyperexcitability in the MTL, leading to tau accumulation. We propose that Aβ-induced disruptions to excitatory-inhibitory balance is a candidate causal route between Aβ and remote EC-tau accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Giorgio
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science, and the Environment, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia.
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Anne Maass
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany
| | - William J Jagust
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Michael Breakspear
- School of Psychological Sciences, College of Engineering, Science, and the Environment, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia
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15
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Berisha DE, Rizvi B, Chappel-Farley MG, Tustison N, Taylor L, Dave A, Sattari NS, Chen IY, Lui KK, Janecek JC, Keator D, Neikrug AB, Benca RM, Yassa MA, Mander BA. Cerebrovascular pathology mediates associations between hypoxemia during rapid eye movement sleep and medial temporal lobe structure and function in older adults. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.28.577469. [PMID: 38328085 PMCID: PMC10849660 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.28.577469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in older adults and is associated with medial temporal lobe (MTL) degeneration and memory decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the underlying mechanisms linking OSA to MTL degeneration and impaired memory remains unclear. By combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessments of cerebrovascular pathology and MTL structure with clinical polysomnography and assessment of overnight emotional memory retention in older adults at risk for AD, cerebrovascular pathology in fronto-parietal brain regions was shown to statistically mediate the relationship between OSA-related hypoxemia, particularly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and entorhinal cortical thickness. Reduced entorhinal cortical thickness was, in turn, associated with impaired overnight retention in mnemonic discrimination ability across emotional valences for high similarity lures. These findings identify cerebrovascular pathology as a contributing mechanism linking hypoxemia to MTL degeneration and impaired sleep-dependent memory in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destiny E. Berisha
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Batool Rizvi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Miranda G. Chappel-Farley
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Nicholas Tustison
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Abhishek Dave
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Negin S. Sattari
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ivy Y. Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Kitty K. Lui
- San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - John C. Janecek
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - David Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ariel B. Neikrug
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Ruth M. Benca
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 53706, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
| | - Bryce A. Mander
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine CA, 92697, USA
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16
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Malykhin N, Pietrasik W, Hoang KN, Huang Y. Contributions of hippocampal subfields and subregions to episodic memory performance in healthy cognitive aging. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 133:51-66. [PMID: 37913626 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.10.006] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
In the present study we investigated whether hippocampal subfield (cornu ammonis 1-3, dentate gyrus, and subiculum) and anteroposterior hippocampal subregion (head,body, and tail) volumes can predict episodic memory function using high-field high resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We recruited 126 healthy participants (18-85 years). MRI datasets were collected on a 4.7 T system. Participants were administered the Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-IV) to evaluate episodic memory function. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship between studied variables. We found that the volume of the dentate gyrus subfield and posterior hippocampus (body) showed a significant direct effect on visuospatial memory performance; additionally, an indirect effect of age on visuospatial memory mediated through these hippocampal subfield/subregion was significant. Logical and verbal memory were not significantly associated with hippocampal subfield or subregion volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolai Malykhin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Wojciech Pietrasik
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kim Ngan Hoang
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yushan Huang
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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17
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DiProspero N, Sathishkumar M, Janecek J, Smith A, McMillan L, Petersen M, Tustison N, Keator DB, Doran E, Hom CL, Nguyen D, Andrews H, Krinsky‐McHale S, Brickman AM, Rosas HD, Lai F, Head E, Mapstone M, Silverman W, Lott IT, O'Bryant S, Yassa MA. Neurofilament light chain concentration mediates the association between regional medial temporal lobe structure and memory in adults with Down syndrome. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 16:e12542. [PMID: 38348178 PMCID: PMC10859879 DOI: 10.1002/dad2.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Virtually all people with Down syndrome (DS) develop neuropathology associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Atrophy of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex (EC), as well as elevated plasma concentrations of neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein, are markers of neurodegeneration associated with late-onset AD. We hypothesized that hippocampus and EC gray matter loss and increased plasma NfL concentrations are associated with memory in adults with DS. METHODS T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected from 101 participants with DS. Hippocampus and EC volume, as well as EC subregional cortical thickness, were derived. In a subset of participants, plasma NfL concentrations and modified Cued Recall Test scores were obtained. Partial correlation and mediation were used to test relationships between medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy, plasma NfL, and episodic memory. RESULTS Hippocampus volume, left anterolateral EC (alEC) thickness, and plasma NfL were correlated with each other and were associated with memory. Plasma NfL mediated the relationship between left alEC thickness and memory as well as hippocampus volume and memory. DISCUSSION The relationship between MTL gray matter and memory is mediated by plasma NfL levels, suggesting a link between neurodegenerative processes underlying axonal injury and frank gray matter loss in key structures supporting episodic memory in people with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie DiProspero
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mithra Sathishkumar
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - John Janecek
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Anna Smith
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Melissa Petersen
- Institute for Translational ResearchUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Nicholas Tustison
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of VirginiaCharlottesvilleVirginiaUSA
| | - David B. Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Eric Doran
- Department of PediatricsSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Christy L. Hom
- Department of PediatricsSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Dana Nguyen
- Department of PediatricsSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Howard Andrews
- Department of PsychiatryCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Sharon Krinsky‐McHale
- Department of NeurologyCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Adam M. Brickman
- Department of NeurologyCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging BrainCollege of Physicians and SurgeonsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - H. Diana Rosas
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Florence Lai
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Elizabeth Head
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PathologySchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mark Mapstone
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurologySchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Wayne Silverman
- Department of PediatricsSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ira T. Lott
- Department of PediatricsSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sid O'Bryant
- Institute for Translational ResearchUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and BehaviorSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
- Department of NeurologySchool of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaIrvineCaliforniaUSA
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18
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Bouffard NR, Fidalgo C, Brunec IK, Lee ACH, Barense MD. Older adults can use memory for distinctive objects, but not distinctive scenes, to rescue associative memory deficits. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2024; 31:362-386. [PMID: 36703496 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2023.2170966] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Associative memory deficits in aging are frequently characterized by false recognition of novel stimulus associations, particularly when stimuli are similar. Introducing distinctive stimuli, therefore, can help guide item differentiation in memory and can further our understanding of how age-related brain changes impact behavior. How older adults use different types of distinctive information to distinguish overlapping events in memory and to avoid false associative recognition is still unknown. To test this, we manipulated the distinctiveness of items from two stimulus categories, scenes and objects, across three conditions: (1) distinct scenes paired with similar objects, (2) similar scenes paired with distinct objects, and (3) similar scenes paired with similar objects. Young and older adults studied scene-object pairs and then made both remember/know judgments toward single items as well as associative memory judgments to old and novel scene-object pairs ("Were these paired together?"). Older adults showed intact single item recognition of scenes and objects, regardless of whether those objects and scenes were similar or distinct. In contrast, relative to younger adults, older adults showed elevated false recognition for scene-object pairs, even when the scenes were distinct. These age-related associative memory deficits, however, disappeared if the pair contained an object that was visually distinct. In line with neural evidence that hippocampal functioning and scene processing decline with age, these results suggest that older adults can rely on memory for distinct objects, but not for distinct scenes, to distinguish between memories with overlapping features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole R Bouffard
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Celia Fidalgo
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Iva K Brunec
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andy C H Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Morgan D Barense
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Kim S, Adams JN, Chappel-Farley MG, Keator D, Janecek J, Taylor L, Mikhail A, Hollearn M, McMillan L, Rapp P, Yassa MA. Examining the diagnostic value of the mnemonic discrimination task for classification of cognitive status and amyloid-beta burden. Neuropsychologia 2023; 191:108727. [PMID: 37939874 PMCID: PMC10764118 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, characterized by early memory impairments and gradual worsening of daily functions. AD-related pathology, such as amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, begins to accumulate many years before the onset of clinical symptoms. Predicting risk for AD via related pathology is critical as the preclinical stage could serve as a therapeutic time window, allowing for early management of the disease and reducing health and economic costs. Current methods for detecting AD pathology, however, are often expensive and invasive, limiting wide and easy access to a clinical setting. A non-invasive, cost-efficient platform, such as computerized cognitive tests, could be potentially useful to identify at-risk individuals as early as possible. In this study, we examined the diagnostic value of an episodic memory task, the mnemonic discrimination task (MDT), for predicting risk of cognitive impairment or Aβ burden. We constructed a random forest classification algorithm, utilizing MDT performance metrics and various neuropsychological test scores as input features, and assessed model performance using area under the curve (AUC). Models based on MDT performance metrics achieved classification results with an AUC of 0.83 for cognitive status and an AUC of 0.64 for Aβ status. Our findings suggest that mnemonic discrimination function may be a useful predictor of progression to prodromal AD or increased risk of Aβ load, which could be a cost-efficient, noninvasive cognitive testing solution for potentially wide-scale assessment of AD pathological and cognitive risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soyun Kim
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Jenna N Adams
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Miranda G Chappel-Farley
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - David Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - John Janecek
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Taylor
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Abanoub Mikhail
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Martina Hollearn
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Paul Rapp
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Military & Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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20
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Rani N, Alm KH, Corona-Long CA, Speck CL, Soldan A, Pettigrew C, Zhu Y, Albert M, Bakker A. Tau PET burden in Brodmann areas 35 and 36 is associated with individual differences in cognition in non-demented older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1272946. [PMID: 38161595 PMCID: PMC10757623 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1272946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The accumulation of neurofibrillary tau tangles, a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), occurs in medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions early in the disease process, with some of the earliest deposits localized to subregions of the entorhinal cortex. Although functional specialization of entorhinal cortex subregions has been reported, few studies have considered functional associations with localized tau accumulation. Methods In this study, stepwise linear regressions were used to examine the contributions of regional tau burden in specific MTL subregions, as measured by 18F-MK6240 PET, to individual variability in cognition. Dependent measures of interest included the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and composite scores of delayed episodic memory and language. Other model variables included age, sex, education, APOE4 status, and global amyloid burden, indexed by 11C-PiB. Results Tau burden in right Brodmann area 35 (BA35), left and right Brodmann area 36 (BA36), and age each uniquely contributed to the proportion of explained variance in CDR-SB scores, while right BA36 and age were also significant predictors of MMSE scores, and right BA36 was significantly associated with delayed episodic memory performance. Tau burden in both left and right BA36, along with education, uniquely contributed to the proportion of explained variance in language composite scores. Importantly, the addition of more inclusive ROIs, encompassing less granular segmentation of the entorhinal cortex, did not significantly contribute to explained variance in cognition across any of the models. Discussion These findings suggest that the ability to quantify tau burden in more refined MTL subregions may better account for individual differences in cognition, which may improve the identification of non-demented older adults who are on a trajectory of decline due to AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Rani
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kylie H. Alm
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Caitlin A. Corona-Long
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Caroline L. Speck
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Anja Soldan
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Corinne Pettigrew
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Yuxin Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marilyn Albert
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Arnold Bakker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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21
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Purcell J, Wiley R, Won J, Callow D, Weiss L, Alfini A, Wei Y, Carson Smith J. Increased neural differentiation after a single session of aerobic exercise in older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 132:67-84. [PMID: 37742442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.08.008] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Aging is associated with decreased cognitive function. One theory posits that this decline is in part due to multiple neural systems becoming dedifferentiated in older adults. Exercise is known to improve cognition in older adults, even after only a single session. We hypothesized that one mechanism of improvement is a redifferentiation of neural systems. We used a within-participant, cross-over design involving 2 sessions: either 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or 30 minutes of seated rest (n = 32; ages 55-81 years). Both functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Stroop performance were acquired soon after exercise and rest. We quantified neural differentiation via general heterogeneity regression. There were 3 prominent findings following the exercise. First, participants were better at reducing Stroop interference. Second, while there was greater neural differentiation within the hippocampal formation and cerebellum, there was lower neural differentiation within frontal cortices. Third, this greater neural differentiation in the cerebellum and temporal lobe was more pronounced in the older ages. These data suggest that exercise can induce greater neural differentiation in healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Purcell
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Robert Wiley
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Junyeon Won
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Callow
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Lauren Weiss
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Alfonso Alfini
- National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yi Wei
- Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J Carson Smith
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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22
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Gluck MA, Gills JL, Fausto BA, Malin SK, Duberstein PR, Erickson KI, Hu L. Examining the efficacy of a cardio-dance intervention on brain health and the moderating role of ABCA7 in older African Americans: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1266423. [PMID: 38076534 PMCID: PMC10710152 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1266423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction African Americans are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to White Americans. Exercise is a lifestyle behavior associated with neuroprotection and decreased AD risk, although most African Americans, especially older adults, perform less than the recommended 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise. This article describes the protocol for a Phase III randomized controlled trial that will examine the effects of cardio-dance aerobic exercise on novel AD cognitive and neural markers of hippocampal-dependent function (Aims #1 and #2) and whether exercise-induced neuroprotective benefits may be modulated by an AD genetic risk factor, ABCA7 rs3764650 (Aim #3). We will also explore the effects of exercise on blood-based biomarkers for AD. Methods and analysis This 6-month trial will include 280 African Americans (≥ 60 years), who will be randomly assigned to 3 days/week of either: (1) a moderate-to-vigorous cardio-dance fitness condition or (2) a low-intensity strength, flexibility, and balance condition for 60 min/session. Participants will complete health and behavioral surveys, neuropsychological testing, saliva and venipuncture, aerobic fitness, anthropometrics and resting-state structural and functional neuroimaging at study entry and 6 months. Discussion Results from this investigation will inform future exercise trials and the development of prescribed interventions that aim to reduce the risk of AD in African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Gluck
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Joshua L. Gills
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Bernadette A. Fausto
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Steven K. Malin
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Paul R. Duberstein
- Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | | | - Liangyuan Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, United States
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23
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Chwiesko C, Janecek J, Doering S, Hollearn M, McMillan L, Vandekerckhove J, Lee MD, Ratcliff R, Yassa MA. Parsing memory and nonmemory contributions to age-related declines in mnemonic discrimination performance: a hierarchical Bayesian diffusion decision modeling approach. Learn Mem 2023; 30:296-309. [PMID: 37923355 PMCID: PMC10631138 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053838.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The mnemonic discrimination task (MDT) is a widely used cognitive assessment tool. Performance in this task is believed to indicate an age-related deficit in episodic memory stemming from a decreased ability to pattern-separate among similar experiences. However, cognitive processes other than memory ability might impact task performance. In this study, we investigated whether nonmnemonic decision-making processes contribute to the age-related deficit in the MDT. We applied a hierarchical Bayesian version of the Ratcliff diffusion model to the MDT performance of 26 younger and 31 cognitively normal older adults. It allowed us to decompose decision behavior in the MDT into different underlying cognitive processes, represented by specific model parameters. Model parameters were compared between groups, and differences were evaluated using the Bayes factor. Our results suggest that the age-related decline in MDT performance indicates a predominantly mnemonic deficit rather than differences in nonmnemonic decision-making processes. In addition, this mnemonic deficit might also involve a slowing in processes related to encoding and retrieval strategies, which are relevant for successful memory as well. These findings help to better understand what cognitive processes contribute to the age-related decline in MDT performance and may help to improve the diagnostic value of this popular task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Chwiesko
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - John Janecek
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Stephanie Doering
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Martina Hollearn
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Joachim Vandekerckhove
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Michael D Lee
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
| | - Roger Ratcliff
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
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24
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Colmant L, Bierbrauer A, Bellaali Y, Kunz L, Van Dongen J, Sleegers K, Axmacher N, Lefèvre P, Hanseeuw B. Dissociating effects of aging and genetic risk of sporadic Alzheimer's disease on path integration. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 131:170-181. [PMID: 37672944 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Path integration is a spatial navigation ability that requires the integration of information derived from self-motion cues and stable landmarks, when available, to return to a previous location. Path integration declines with age and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we sought to separate the effects of age and AD risk on path integration, with and without a landmark. Overall, 279 people participated, aged between 18 and 80 years old. Advanced age impaired the appropriate use of a landmark. Older participants furthermore remembered the location of the goal relative to their starting location and reproduced this initial view without considering that they had moved in the environment. This lack of adaptative behavior was not associated with AD risk. In contrast, participants at genetic risk of AD (apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers) exhibited a pure path integration deficit, corresponding to difficulty in performing path integration in the absence of a landmark. Our results show that advanced-age impacts landmark-supported path integration, and that this age effect is dissociable from the effects of AD risk impacting pure path integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Colmant
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium; Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium; Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
| | - Anne Bierbrauer
- Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Department of Neuropsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | | | - Lukas Kunz
- Department of Epileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jasper Van Dongen
- VIB-Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kristel Sleegers
- VIB-Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Nikolai Axmacher
- Department of Neuropsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
| | - Philippe Lefèvre
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium; Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Bernard Hanseeuw
- Institute of Neuroscience, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium; Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium; Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
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25
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Tustison NJ, Yassa MA, Rizvi B, Cook PA, Holbrook AJ, Sathishkumar MT, Tustison MG, Gee JC, Stone JR, Avants BB. ANTsX neuroimaging-derived structural phenotypes of UK Biobank. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3459157. [PMID: 37961236 PMCID: PMC10635385 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3459157/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
UK Biobank is a large-scale epidemiological resource for investigating prospective correlations between various lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors with health and disease progression. In addition to individual subject information obtained through surveys and physical examinations, a comprehensive neuroimaging battery consisting of multiple modalities provides imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) that can serve as biomarkers in neuroscience research. In this study, we augment the existing set of UK Biobank neuroimaging structural IDPs, obtained from well-established software libraries such as FSL and FreeSurfer, with related measurements acquired through the Advanced Normalization Tools Ecosystem. This includes previously established cortical and subcortical measurements defined, in part, based on the Desikan-Killiany-Tourville atlas. Also included are morphological measurements from two recent developments: medial temporal lobe parcellation of hippocampal and extra-hippocampal regions in addition to cerebellum parcellation and thickness based on the Schmahmann anatomical labeling. Through predictive modeling, we assess the clinical utility of these IDP measurements, individually and in combination, using commonly studied phenotypic correlates including age, fluid intelligence, numeric memory, and several other sociodemographic variables. The predictive accuracy of these IDP-based models, in terms of root-mean-squared-error or area-under-the-curve for continuous and categorical variables, respectively, provides comparative insights between software libraries as well as potential clinical interpretability. Results demonstrate varied performance between package-based IDP sets and their combination, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in their selection and utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J. Tustison
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Michael A. Yassa
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Batool Rizvi
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Philip A. Cook
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | | | - James C. Gee
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - James R. Stone
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Brian B. Avants
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
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26
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Blokland A, Jackson M, Puustinen K, Soeterboek J, Heckman PRA. Acute sleep loss impairs object but not spatial pattern separation in humans. Neurosci Lett 2023; 818:137535. [PMID: 39491126 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137535] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2024]
Abstract
Pattern separation allows us to form discrete representations of information in memory. Pattern separation can be measured in several domains including spatial and object-based discrimination. The brain area largely involved in this process is the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, which has been shown to be particularly sensitive to the effects of sleep loss. However, methodology in rodent and human studies varies greatly making translational conclusions difficult. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to measure the effects of sleep deprivation on human hippocampal function, using well-validated spatial and object-based pattern separation tests. The effects of acute sleep loss were examined, as this method is frequently used in rodent research but not human studies. Results show that sleep loss impaired performance on the object-based version of the test, but not spatial pattern separation. The findings support the notion that these discrimination projections represent separate but complimentary hippocampal processes, and further elucidates how they may be discretely affected by acute sleep loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan Blokland
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Meyra Jackson
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kia Puustinen
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium; Department of Movement Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jens Soeterboek
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Alzheimer Centrum Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Pim R A Heckman
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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27
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Chen H, Cai J, Wang A, Su W, Ji C, Zhao L. Treadmill exercise prevents the hyperexcitability of pyramidal neurons in medial entorhinal cortex in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Exp Gerontol 2023; 182:112309. [PMID: 37832802 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112309] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal hyperactivity is a key abnormality in early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). Medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) plays a vital role in memory function and is affected early in AD. Growing evidence indicates benefits of regular exercise on memory and cognitive function in humans with AD, although, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Therefore, this study was designed to test the effects of 16 weeks treadmill exercise on spatial learning memory and the underlying cellular mechanisms in 6-month-old 3xTg-AD mice. Whole-cell patch clamp was used to examine neuronal intrinsic excitability, spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) of mEC layer II/III pyramidal neurons in the following groups: wild type (WT + sham), 3xTg-AD (AD+sham), WT receiving exercise (WT + Ex), and AD receiving exercise (AD+Ex). We found that at a behavioral level, treadmill exercise decreased working memory errors in radial arm maze (RAM) test in 6-month-old AD mice. At a cellular level, we found that treadmill exercise prevented the abnormal increase in mEC pyramidal neuron input resistance and action potential firing in 6-month-old 3xTg-AD mice compared with WT + sham and AD+Ex mice; further, sEPSC amplitude and frequency were normal in AD+Ex but overactive in AD+sham; additionally, GABAergic inhibition was normal in AD+Ex mice but reduced in AD+sham. In conclusion, our results indicate that treadmill exercise improves spatial learning memory and prevents network hyperexcitability in mEC by reducing pyramidal neuronal intrinsic excitability and normalizing excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in 3xTg-AD mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Jiajia Cai
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Aozhe Wang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Wantang Su
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Chunyan Ji
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness and Exercise, Ministry of Education, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China.
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28
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Jensen A, Karpov G, Collin CA, Davidson PSR. Executive Function Predicts Older Adults' Lure Discrimination Difficulties on the Mnemonic Similarity Task. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2023; 78:1642-1650. [PMID: 37330622 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbad091] [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: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Older adults often have difficulty remembering the details of recently encountered objects. We previously found this with the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). Surprisingly, the older adults' MST Lure Discrimination Index (LDI) was significantly correlated with visual acuity but not with memory or executive function. Here we ran a replication with new, larger samples of young (N = 45) and older adults (N = 70). We then combined the original and replication older adult samples (N = 108) to critically examine the relative contributions of visual acuity, memory, and executive function composite scores to LDI performance using dominance analysis. This provided, to our knowledge, the first direct statistical comparison of all 3 of these factors and their interactions on LDI. METHODS Participants completed the MST and a battery assessing visual acuity, memory, and executive function. We examined age group differences on MST performance in the new (i.e., replication) young and older adult samples and performed multiple regression and dominance analysis on the combined older adult sample. RESULTS Consistent with previous findings, the older adults showed significantly poorer LDI but preserved item recognition. LDI was significantly correlated with both memory and executive function but not with visual acuity. In the combined older adult sample, all 3 composites predicted LDI, but dominance analysis indicated that executive function was the most important predictor. DISCUSSION Older adults' MST LDI difficulty may be predicted by their executive function and visual acuity. These factors should be considered when interpreting older adults' MST performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelaide Jensen
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Galit Karpov
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Charles A Collin
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Sahakyan L, Wahlheim CN, Kwapil TR. Mnemonic discrimination deficits in multidimensional schizotypy. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1139-1153. [PMID: 37345675 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Current developmental psychopathology models indicate that schizophrenia can be understood as the most extreme expression of a multidimensional continuum of symptoms and impairment referred to as schizotypy. In nondisordered adults, schizotypy predicts risk for developing schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology. Schizophrenia is associated with disruptions in detecting subtle differences between objects, which is linked to hippocampal dysfunction. These disruptions have been shown in the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST) when patients are less likely to reject lures that are similar but not identical to studied objects, and instead mistake them for studied items. This pattern of errors may be a behavioral manifestation of impaired pattern separation, a key episodic memory ability associated with hippocampal integrity and overreliance on pattern completion. We examined whether multidimensional schizotypy is associated with such deficits in nondisordered young adults. Participants (n = 230) were assessed for positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy and completed the MST and a perceptual discrimination task. MST performance showed that a combination of elevated negative and disorganized schizotypy was associated with decreased rejections of similar lures because they were mistakenly identified as studied items. These deficits were not observed in traditional recognition measures within the same task, nor in perceptual discrimination, suggesting that mnemonic discrimination deficits assessed by MST were selective and did not reflect generalized deficits. These findings extend the results obtained in schizophrenia patients and support a multidimensional model of schizophrenia-spectrum psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Sahakyan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Christopher N Wahlheim
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas R Kwapil
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Wang HS, Köhler S, Batterink LJ. Separate but not independent: Behavioral pattern separation and statistical learning are differentially affected by aging. Cognition 2023; 239:105564. [PMID: 37467624 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Our brains are capable of discriminating similar inputs (pattern separation) and rapidly generalizing across inputs (statistical learning). Are these two processes dissociable in behavior? Here, we asked whether cognitive aging affects them in a differential or parallel manner. Older and younger adults were tested on their ability to discriminate between similar trisyllabic words and to extract trisyllabic words embedded in a continuous speech stream. Older adults demonstrated intact statistical learning on an implicit, reaction time-based measure and an explicit, familiarity-based measure of learning. However, they performed poorly in discriminating similar items presented in isolation, both for episodically-encoded items and for statistically-learned regularities. These results indicate that pattern separation and statistical learning are dissociable and differentially affected by aging. The acquisition of implicit representations of statistical regularities operates robustly into old age, whereas pattern separation influences the expression of statistical learning with high representational fidelity and is subject to age-related decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Shizhe Wang
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stefan Köhler
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Laura J Batterink
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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31
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Wu Y, Dong JH, Dai YF, Zhu MZ, Wang MY, Zhang Y, Pan YD, Yuan XR, Guo ZX, Wang CX, Li YQ, Zhu XH. Hepatic soluble epoxide hydrolase activity regulates cerebral Aβ metabolism and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease in mice. Neuron 2023; 111:2847-2862.e10. [PMID: 37402372 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. However, how the role of peripheral organ changes in response to environmental stimuli during aging in AD pathogenesis remains unknown. Hepatic soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) activity increases with age. Hepatic sEH manipulation bidirectionally attenuates brain amyloid-β (Aβ) burden, tauopathy, and cognitive deficits in AD mouse models. Moreover, hepatic sEH manipulation bidirectionally regulates the plasma level of 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (-EET), which rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and modulates brain Aβ metabolism through multiple pathways. A balance between the brain levels of 14,15-EET and Aβ is essential for preventing Aβ deposition. In AD models, 14,15-EET infusion mimicked the neuroprotective effects of hepatic sEH ablation at biological and behavioral levels. These results highlight the liver's key role in AD pathology, and targeting the liver-brain axis in response to environmental stimuli may constitute a promising therapeutic approach for AD prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Jing-Hua Dong
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Yong-Feng Dai
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China; School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Min-Zhen Zhu
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China; School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Meng-Yao Wang
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Yi-Da Pan
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China; School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xin-Rui Yuan
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Zhi-Xin Guo
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Chen-Xi Wang
- Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China; School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yuan-Qing Li
- School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Research Center for Brain-Computer Interface, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China
| | - Xin-Hong Zhu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Research Center for Brain Health, Pazhou Lab, Guangzhou 510330, China; School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Osiecka Z, Fausto BA, Gills JL, Sinha N, Malin SK, Gluck MA. Obesity reduces hippocampal structure and function in older African Americans with the APOE-ε4 Alzheimer's disease risk allele. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1239727. [PMID: 37731955 PMCID: PMC10507275 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1239727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Excess body weight and Alzheimer's disease (AD) disproportionately affect older African Americans. While mid-life obesity increases risk for AD, few data exist on the relationship between late-life obesity and AD, or how obesity-based and genetic risk for AD interact. Although the APOE-ε4 allele confers a strong genetic risk for AD, it is unclear if late-life obesity poses a greater risk for APOE-ε4 carriers compared to non-carriers. Here we assessed: (1) the influence of body mass index (BMI) (normal; overweight; class 1 obese; ≥ class 2 obese) on cognitive and structural MRI measures of AD risk; and (2) the interaction between BMI and APOE-ε4 in older African Americans. Methods Seventy cognitively normal older African American participants (Mage = 69.50 years; MBMI = 31.01 kg/m2; 39% APOE-ε4 allele carriers; 86% female) completed anthropometric measurements, physical assessments, saliva collection for APOE-ε4 genotyping, cognitive testing, health and lifestyle questionnaires, and structural neuroimaging [volume/surface area (SA) for medial temporal lobe subregions and hippocampal subfields]. Covariates included age, sex, education, literacy, depressive symptomology, and estimated aerobic fitness. Results Using ANCOVAs, we observed that individuals who were overweight demonstrated better hippocampal cognitive function (generalization of learning: a sensitive marker of preclinical AD) than individuals with normal BMI, p = 0.016, ηp2 = 0.18. However, individuals in the obese categories who were APOE-ε4 non-carriers had larger hippocampal subfield cornu Ammonis region 1 (CA1) volumes, while those who were APOE-ε4 carriers had smaller CA1 volumes, p = 0.003, ηp2 = 0.23. Discussion Thus, being overweight by BMI standards may preserve hippocampal function, but obesity reduces hippocampal structure and function in older African Americans with the APOE-ε4 Alzheimer's disease risk allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna Osiecka
- Aging and Brain Health Alliance, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Bernadette A. Fausto
- Aging and Brain Health Alliance, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Joshua L. Gills
- Aging and Brain Health Alliance, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Neha Sinha
- Aging and Brain Health Alliance, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Steven K. Malin
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Mark A. Gluck
- Aging and Brain Health Alliance, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University–Newark, Newark, NJ, United States
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Craik FI. Memory, aging and the brain: Old findings and current issues. AGING BRAIN 2023; 4:100096. [PMID: 37701730 PMCID: PMC10494262 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2023.100096] [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: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article I reprise some selected findings and issues from my previous behavioural work on age-related differences in memory, and relate them to current work on the neural correlates of encoding, retrieval and representation. In particular, I describe the case study of a woman who had persistent experiences of erroneous recollection. I also describe the results of a study showing a double dissociation of implicit and explicit memory in younger and older adults. Finally, I assess recent work on loss of specificity in older adults' encoding and retrieval processes of episodic events. In all cases I attempt to relate these older findings to current ideas and empirical results in the area of memory, aging, and the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fergus I.M. Craik
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Academy, 3560 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON M6A 2E1, Canada
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McDermott KD, Frechou MA, Jordan JT, Martin SS, Gonçalves JT. Delayed formation of neural representations of space in aged mice. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13924. [PMID: 37491802 PMCID: PMC10497831 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13924] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive deficits, with spatial memory being very susceptible to decline. The hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) is important for processing spatial information in the brain and is particularly vulnerable to aging, yet its sparse activity has led to difficulties in assessing changes in this area. Using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging, we compared DG neuronal activity and representations of space in young and aged mice walking on an unfamiliar treadmill. We found that calcium activity was significantly higher and less tuned to location in aged mice, resulting in decreased spatial information encoded in the DG. However, with repeated exposure to the same treadmill, both spatial tuning and information levels in aged mice became similar to young mice, while activity remained elevated. Our results show that spatial representations of novel environments are impaired in the aged hippocampus and gradually improve with increased familiarity. Moreover, while the aged DG is hyperexcitable, this does not disrupt neural representations of familiar environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey D. McDermott
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and Gottesmann Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - M. Agustina Frechou
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and Gottesmann Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Jake T. Jordan
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and Gottesmann Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Sunaina S. Martin
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and Gottesmann Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - J. Tiago Gonçalves
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and Gottesmann Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineAlbert Einstein College of MedicineBronxNew YorkUSA
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35
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Ma D, Sun C, Manne R, Guo T, Bosc C, Barry J, Magliery T, Andrieux A, Li H, Gu C. A cytoskeleton-membrane interaction conserved in fast-spiking neurons controls movement, emotion, and memory. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3994-4010. [PMID: 37833406 PMCID: PMC10905646 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02286-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
The pathogenesis of schizophrenia is believed to involve combined dysfunctions of many proteins including microtubule-associated protein 6 (MAP6) and Kv3.1 voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channel, but their relationship and functions in behavioral regulation are often not known. Here we report that MAP6 stabilizes Kv3.1 channels in parvalbumin-positive (PV+ ) fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons, regulating behavior. MAP6-/- and Kv3.1-/- mice display similar hyperactivity and avoidance reduction. Their proteins colocalize in PV+ interneurons and MAP6 deletion markedly reduces Kv3.1 protein level. We further show that two microtubule-binding modules of MAP6 bind the Kv3.1 tetramerization domain with high affinity, maintaining the channel level in both neuronal soma and axons. MAP6 knockdown by AAV-shRNA in the amygdala or the hippocampus reduces avoidance or causes hyperactivity and recognition memory deficit, respectively, through elevating projection neuron activity. Finally, knocking down Kv3.1 or disrupting the MAP6-Kv3.1 binding in these brain regions causes avoidance reduction and hyperactivity, consistent with the effects of MAP6 knockdown. Thus, disrupting this conserved cytoskeleton-membrane interaction in fast-spiking neurons causes different degrees of functional vulnerability in various neural circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Ma
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Chao Sun
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- MCDB graduate program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rahul Manne
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Tianqi Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Christophe Bosc
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CEA, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Joshua Barry
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- IDDRC, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Magliery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Annie Andrieux
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CEA, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Houzhi Li
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Chen Gu
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- MCDB graduate program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Hunsberger HC, Lee S, Jin M, Lanio M, Whye A, Cha J, Scarlata M, Jayaseelan K, Denny CA. Sex-Specific Effects of Anxiety on Cognition and Activity-Dependent Neural Networks: Insights from (Female) Mice and (Wo)Men. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.07.548180. [PMID: 37503264 PMCID: PMC10369916 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.07.548180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), such as depression and anxiety, are observed in 90% of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, two-thirds of whom are women. NPS usually manifest long before AD onset creating a therapeutic opportunity. Here, we examined the impact of anxiety on AD progression and the underlying brain-wide neuronal mechanisms. METHODS To gain mechanistic insight into how anxiety impacts AD progression, we performed a cross-sectional analysis on mood, cognition, and neural activity utilizing the ArcCreERT2 x enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP) x APP/PS1 (AD) mice. The ADNI dataset was used to determine the impact of anxiety on AD progression in human subjects. RESULTS Female AD mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior and cognitive decline at an earlier age than control (Ctrl) mice and male mice. Brain-wide analysis of c-Fos+ revealed changes in regional correlations and overall network connectivity in AD mice. Sex-specific memory trace changes were observed; female AD mice exhibited impaired memory traces in dorsal CA3 (dCA3), while male AD mice exhibited impaired memory traces in the dorsal dentate gyrus (dDG). In the ADNI dataset, anxiety predicted transition to dementia. Female subjects positive for anxiety and amyloid transitioned more quickly to dementia than male subjects. CONCLUSIONS While future studies are needed to understand whether anxiety is a predictor, a neuropsychiatric biomarker, or a comorbid symptom that occurs during disease onset, these results suggest that AD network dysfunction is sexually dimorphic, and that personalized medicine may benefit male and female AD patients rather than a one size fits all approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly C. Hunsberger
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) / New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Therapeutics, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science/The Chicago Medical School; North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC); New York, NY, USA
- Mental Health Data Science, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) / New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, NY, USA
| | - Michelle Jin
- Neurobiology and Behavior (NB&B) Graduate Program, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, NY, USA
| | - Marcos Lanio
- Neurobiology and Behavior (NB&B) Graduate Program, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC), New York, NY, USA
| | - Alicia Whye
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC); New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiook Cha
- Department of Biostatistics (in Psychiatry), Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYSPI/RFMH; New York, NY, USA
- Data Science Institute, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University; Seoul, South Korea
| | - Miranda Scarlata
- Department of Neuroscience, Vassar College; Poughkeepsie, NY USA
- Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford; Oxford, England
| | - Keerthana Jayaseelan
- Barnard College, Columbia University; New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center; Valhalla, NY, USA
| | - Christine. A. Denny
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) / New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC); New York, NY, USA
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İmamoğlu A, Wahlheim CN, Belger A, S Giovanello K. Impaired mnemonic discrimination in children and adolescents at risk for schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:39. [PMID: 37344455 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00366-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
People with schizophrenia and their high-risk, first-degree relatives report widespread episodic memory impairments that are purportedly due, at least in part, to failures of mnemonic discrimination. Here, we examined the status of mnemonic discrimination in 36 children and adolescents (aged 11-17 years) with and without familial risk for schizophrenia by employing an object-based recognition task called the Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST). The MST assesses the ability to discriminate between studied images and unstudied images that are either perceptually similar to studied images or completely novel. We compared 16 high-risk, unaffected first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and/or schizoaffective disorder to 20 low-risk, control participants. High-risk participants showed worse mnemonic discrimination than low-risk participants, with no difference in recognition memory or perceptual discrimination. Our findings demonstrate that mnemonic discrimination deficits previously observed in people with schizophrenia are also present in their young, high-risk, first-degree relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslıhan İmamoğlu
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, US.
| | | | - Aysenil Belger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, US
| | - Kelly S Giovanello
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, US
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, US
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Yun S, Soler I, Tran FH, Haas HA, Shi R, Bancroft GL, Suarez M, de Santis CR, Reynolds RP, Eisch AJ. Behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility are enhanced in a mouse model of increased lateral entorhinal cortex-dentate gyrus circuit activity. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1151877. [PMID: 37324519 PMCID: PMC10267474 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1151877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility are essential cognitive abilities that are disrupted in many brain disorders. A better understanding of the neural circuitry involved in these abilities will open paths to treatment. In humans and mice, discrimination and adaptation rely on the integrity of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) which receives glutamatergic input from the entorhinal cortex (EC), including the lateral EC (LEC). An inducible increase of EC-DG circuit activity improves simple hippocampal-dependent associative learning and increases DG neurogenesis. Here, we asked if the activity of LEC fan cells that directly project to the DG (LEC → DG neurons) regulates the relatively more complex hippocampal-dependent abilities of behavioral pattern separation or cognitive flexibility. C57BL/6J male mice received bilateral LEC infusions of a virus expressing shRNA TRIP8b, an auxiliary protein of an HCN channel or a control virus (SCR shRNA). Prior work shows that 4 weeks post-surgery, TRIP8b mice have more DG neurogenesis and greater activity of LEC → DG neurons compared to SCR shRNA mice. Here, 4 weeks post-surgery, the mice underwent testing for behavioral pattern separation and reversal learning (touchscreen-based location discrimination reversal [LDR]) and innate fear of open spaces (elevated plus maze [EPM]) followed by quantification of new DG neurons (doublecortin-immunoreactive cells [DCX+] cells). There was no effect of treatment (SCR shRNA vs. TRIP8b) on performance during general touchscreen training, LDR training, or the 1st days of LDR testing. However, in the last days of LDR testing, the TRIP8b shRNA mice had improved pattern separation (reached the first reversal more quickly and had more accurate discrimination) compared to the SCR shRNA mice, specifically when the load on pattern separation was high (lit squares close together or "small separation"). The TRIP8b shRNA mice were also more cognitively flexible (achieved more reversals) compared to the SCR shRNA mice in the last days of LDR testing. Supporting a specific influence on cognitive behavior, the SCR shRNA and TRIP8b shRNA mice did not differ in total distance traveled or in time spent in the closed arms of the EPM. Supporting an inducible increase in LEC-DG activity, DG neurogenesis was increased. These data indicate that the TRIP8b shRNA mice had better pattern separation and reversal learning and more neurogenesis compared to the SCR shRNA mice. This study advances fundamental and translational neuroscience knowledge relevant to two cognitive functions critical for adaptation and survival-behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility-and suggests that the activity of LEC → DG neurons merits exploration as a therapeutic target to normalize dysfunctional DG behavioral output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghee Yun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ivan Soler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Fionya H. Tran
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Harley A. Haas
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Raymon Shi
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Maiko Suarez
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Christopher R. de Santis
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ryan P. Reynolds
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Amelia J. Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Lyu J, Nagarajan R, Kambali M, Wang M, Rudolph U. Selective inhibition of somatostatin-positive dentate hilar interneurons induces age-related cellular changes and cognitive dysfunction. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad134. [PMID: 37168673 PMCID: PMC10165806 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The cellular basis of age-related impairments of hippocampal function is not fully understood. In order to evaluate the role of somatostatin-positive (Sst+) interneurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) hilus in this process, we chemogenetically inhibited Sst+ interneurons in the DG hilus. Chronic chemogenetic inhibition (CCI) of these neurons resulted in increased c-Fos staining in the DG hilus, a decrease in the percentage of GAD67- and of Sst-expressing interneurons in the DG, and increased microglial activation in DG, CA3, and CA1. Total dendritic length and spine density were reduced in DG and CA1, suggesting reduced dendritic complexity. Behaviorally, the recognition index in an object recognition task and the percentage of spontaneous alternations in the Y-maze were decreased, while in both initial and reversal learning in the Morris water maze, the latencies to find the hidden platform were increased, suggesting cognitive dysfunction. Our findings establish a causal role for a reduced function of Sst+ interneurons in the DG hilus for cognitive decline and suggest that this reduced function may contribute to age-related impairments of learning and memory. Furthermore, our CCI mice may represent a cellularly defined model of hippocampal aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinrui Lyu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
- Neuroscience Program, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
| | - Rajasekar Nagarajan
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
| | - Maltesh Kambali
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
| | - Muxiao Wang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
- Neuroscience Program, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802-6178, USA
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40
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Korkki SM, Richter FR, Gellersen HM, Simons JS. Reduced memory precision in older age is associated with functional and structural differences in the angular gyrus. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 129:109-120. [PMID: 37300913 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Decreased fidelity of mnemonic representations plays a critical role in age-related episodic memory deficits, yet the brain mechanisms underlying such reductions remain unclear. Using functional and structural neuroimaging, we examined how changes in two key nodes of the posterior-medial network, the hippocampus and the angular gyrus (AG), might underpin loss of memory precision in older age. Healthy young and older adults completed a memory task that involved reconstructing object features on a continuous scale. Investigation of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity during retrieval revealed an age-related reduction in activity reflecting successful recovery of object features in the hippocampus, whereas trial-wise modulation of BOLD signal by graded memory precision was diminished in the AG. Gray matter volume of the AG further predicted individual differences in memory precision in older age, beyond likelihood of successful retrieval. These findings provide converging evidence for a role of functional and structural integrity of the AG in constraining the fidelity of episodic remembering in older age, yielding new insights into parietal contributions to age-related episodic memory decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saana M Korkki
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University, Solna, Sweden.
| | - Franziska R Richter
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Zhang K, Chen L, Li Y, Paez AG, Miao X, Cao D, Gu C, Pekar JJ, van Zijl PCM, Hua J, Bakker A. Differential Laminar Activation Dissociates Encoding and Retrieval in the Human Medial and Lateral Entorhinal Cortex. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2874-2884. [PMID: 36948584 PMCID: PMC10124959 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1488-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The hierarchically organized structures of the medial temporal lobe are critically important for episodic memory function. Accumulating evidence suggests dissociable information processing pathways are maintained throughout these structures including in the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex. Cortical layers provide an additional dimension of dissociation as the primary input to the hippocampus derives from layer 2 neurons in the entorhinal cortex, whereas the deeper layers primarily receive output from the hippocampus. Here, novel high-resolution T2-prepared functional MRI methods were successfully used to mitigate susceptibility artifacts typically affecting MRI signals in this region providing uniform sensitivity across the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex. During the performance of a memory task, healthy human subjects (age 25-33 years, mean age 28.2 ± 3.3 years, 4 female) showed differential functional activation in the superficial and deep layers of the entorhinal cortex associated with task-related encoding and retrieval conditions, respectively. The methods provided here offer an approach to probe layer-specific activation in normal cognition and conditions contributing to memory impairment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study provides new evidence for differential neuronal activation in the superficial versus deep layers of the entorhinal cortex associated with encoding and retrieval memory processes, respectively, in cognitively normal adults. The study further shows that this dissociation can be observed in both the medial and the lateral entorhinal cortex. The study was achieved by using a novel functional MRI method allowing us to measure robust functional MRI signals in both the medial and lateral entorhinal cortex that was not possible in previous studies. The methodology established here in healthy human subjects lays a solid foundation for subsequent studies investigating layer-specific and region-specific changes in the entorhinal cortex associated with memory impairment in various conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihua Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Liuyi Chen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
| | - Yinghao Li
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Biomedical Engineering
| | - Adrian G Paez
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Xinyuan Miao
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Di Cao
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Biomedical Engineering
| | - Chunming Gu
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Biomedical Engineering
| | - James J Pekar
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Peter C M van Zijl
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Jun Hua
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Neurosection, Division of MRI Research, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Arnold Bakker
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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42
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Amer T, Davachi L. Extra-hippocampal contributions to pattern separation. eLife 2023; 12:e82250. [PMID: 36972123 PMCID: PMC10042541 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82250] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pattern separation, or the process by which highly similar stimuli or experiences in memory are represented by non-overlapping neural ensembles, has typically been ascribed to processes supported by the hippocampus. Converging evidence from a wide range of studies, however, suggests that pattern separation is a multistage process supported by a network of brain regions. Based on this evidence, considered together with related findings from the interference resolution literature, we propose the 'cortico-hippocampal pattern separation' (CHiPS) framework, which asserts that brain regions involved in cognitive control play a significant role in pattern separation. Particularly, these regions may contribute to pattern separation by (1) resolving interference in sensory regions that project to the hippocampus, thus regulating its cortical input, or (2) directly modulating hippocampal processes in accordance with task demands. Considering recent interest in how hippocampal operations are modulated by goal states likely represented and regulated by extra-hippocampal regions, we argue that pattern separation is similarly supported by neocortical-hippocampal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarek Amer
- Department of Psychology, University of VictoriaVictoriaCanada
| | - Lila Davachi
- Department of Psychology, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- Nathan Kline Research InstituteOrangeburgUnited States
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Xie W, Cappiello M, Yassa MA, Ester E, Zaghloul KA, Zhang W. The entorhinal-DG/CA3 pathway in the medial temporal lobe retains visual working memory of a simple surface feature. eLife 2023; 12:83365. [PMID: 36861959 PMCID: PMC10019891 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83365] [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: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Classic models consider working memory (WM) and long-term memory as distinct mental faculties that are supported by different neural mechanisms. Yet, there are significant parallels in the computation that both types of memory require. For instance, the representation of precise item-specific memory requires the separation of overlapping neural representations of similar information. This computation has been referred to as pattern separation, which can be mediated by the entorhinal-DG/CA3 pathway of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in service of long-term episodic memory. However, although recent evidence has suggested that the MTL is involved in WM, the extent to which the entorhinal-DG/CA3 pathway supports precise item-specific WM has remained elusive. Here, we combine an established orientation WM task with high-resolution fMRI to test the hypothesis that the entorhinal-DG/CA3 pathway retains visual WM of a simple surface feature. Participants were retrospectively cued to retain one of the two studied orientation gratings during a brief delay period and then tried to reproduce the cued orientation as precisely as possible. By modeling the delay-period activity to reconstruct the retained WM content, we found that the anterior-lateral entorhinal cortex (aLEC) and the hippocampal DG/CA3 subfield both contain item-specific WM information that is associated with subsequent recall fidelity. Together, these results highlight the contribution of MTL circuitry to item-specific WM representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhen Xie
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
- Department of Psychology, University of MarylandCollege ParkUnited States
| | - Marcus Cappiello
- Department of Psychology, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
| | - Edward Ester
- Department of Psychology, University of NevadaRenoUnited States
| | - Kareem A Zaghloul
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeBethesdaUnited States
| | - Weiwei Zhang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, RiversideRiversideUnited States
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Comino Garcia-Munoz A, Alemán-Gómez Y, Toledano R, Poch C, García-Morales I, Aledo-Serrano Á, Gil-Nagel A, Campo P. Morphometric and microstructural characteristics of hippocampal subfields in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and their correlates with mnemonic discrimination. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1096873. [PMID: 36864916 PMCID: PMC9972498 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1096873] [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: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pattern separation (PS) is a fundamental aspect of memory creation that defines the ability to transform similar memory representations into distinct ones, so they do not overlap when storing and retrieving them. Experimental evidence in animal models and the study of other human pathologies have demonstrated the role of the hippocampus in PS, in particular of the dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3. Patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HE) commonly report mnemonic deficits that have been associated with failures in PS. However, the link between these impairments and the integrity of the hippocampal subfields in these patients has not yet been determined. The aim of this work is to explore the association between the ability to perform mnemonic functions and the integrity of hippocampal CA1, CA3, and DG in patients with unilateral MTLE-HE. Method To reach this goal we evaluated the memory of patients with an improved object mnemonic similarity test. We then analyzed the hippocampal complex structural and microstructural integrity using diffusion weighted imaging. Results Our results indicate that patients with unilateral MTLE-HE present alterations in both volume and microstructural properties at the level of the hippocampal subfields DG, CA1, CA3, and the subiculum, that sometimes depend on the lateralization of their epileptic focus. However, none of the specific changes was found to be directly related to the performance of the patients in a pattern separation task, which might indicate a contribution of various alterations to the mnemonic deficits or the key contribution of other structures to the function. Discussion we established for the first time the alterations in both the volume and the microstructure at the level of the hippocampal subfields in a group of unilateral MTLE patients. We observed that these changes are greater in the DG and CA1 at the macrostructural level, and in CA3 and CA1 in the microstructural level. None of these changes had a direct relation to the performance of the patients in a pattern separation task, which suggests a contribution of various alterations to the loss of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Comino Garcia-Munoz
- Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale-Unité Mixte de Recherche 7339, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Yasser Alemán-Gómez
- Connectomics Lab, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rafael Toledano
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain,Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudia Poch
- Facultad de Lenguas y Educación, Universidad de Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene García-Morales
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain,Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, University Hospital of San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Aledo-Serrano
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Gil-Nagel
- Epilepsy Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Ruber Internacional, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Campo
- Department of Basic Psychology, Autonoma University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain,*Correspondence: Pablo Campo ✉
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Ash AM, Regele-Blasco E, Seib DR, Chahley E, Skelton PD, Luikart BW, Snyder JS. Adult-born neurons inhibit developmentally-born neurons during spatial learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 198:107710. [PMID: 36572174 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107710] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) subregion of the hippocampus results in a heterogenous population of neurons. Immature adult-born neurons (ABNs) have physiological and anatomical properties that may give them a unique role in learning. For example, compared to older granule neurons, they have greater somatic excitability, which could facilitate their recruitment into memory traces. However, recruitment is also likely to depend on interactions with other DG neurons through processes such as lateral inhibition. Immature ABNs target inhibitory interneurons and, compared to older neurons, they receive less GABAergic inhibition. Thus, they may induce lateral inhibition of mature DG neurons while being less susceptible to inhibition themselves. To test this we used a chemogenetic approach to silence immature ABNs as rats learned a spatial water maze task, and measured activity (Fos expression) in ABNs and developmentally-born neurons (DBNs). A retrovirus expressing the inhibitory DREADD receptor, hM4Di, was injected into the dorsal DG of male rats at 6w to infect neurons born in adulthood. Animals were also injected with BrdU to label DBNs or ABNs. DBNs were significantly more active than immature 4-week-old ABNs. Silencing 4-week-old ABNs did not alter learning but it increased activity in DBNs. However, silencing ABNs did not affect activation in other ABNs within the DG. Silencing ABNs also did not alter Fos expression in parvalbumin- and somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Collectively, these results suggest that ABNs may directly inhibit DBN activity during hippocampal-dependent learning, which may be relevant for maintaining sparse hippocampal representations of experienced events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M Ash
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elena Regele-Blasco
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Désirée R Seib
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erin Chahley
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Patrick D Skelton
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Bryan W Luikart
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Jason S Snyder
- Department of Psychology, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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46
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Delarazan AI, Ranganath C, Reagh ZM. Aging impacts memory for perceptual, but not narrative, event details. Learn Mem 2023; 30:48-54. [PMID: 36863768 PMCID: PMC9987157 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053740.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Memory is well known to decline over the course of healthy aging. However, memory is not a monolith and draws from different kinds of representations. Historically, much of our understanding of age-related memory decline stems from recognition of isolated studied items. In contrast, real-life events are often remembered as narratives, and this kind of information is generally missed in typical recognition memory studies. Here, we designed a task to tax mnemonic discrimination of event details, directly contrasting perceptual and narrative memory. Older and younger adults watched an episode of a television show and later completed an old/new recognition test featuring targets, novel foils, and similar lures in narrative and perceptual domains. While we observed no age-related differences on basic recognition of repeated targets and novel foils, older adults showed a deficit in correctly rejecting perceptual, but not narrative, lures. These findings provide insight into the vulnerability of different memory domains in aging and may be useful in characterizing individuals at risk for pathological cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique I Delarazan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
| | - Charan Ranganath
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
| | - Zachariah M Reagh
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95618, USA
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Gellersen HM, Trelle AN, Farrar BG, Coughlan G, Korkki SM, Henson RN, Simons JS. Medial temporal lobe structure, mnemonic and perceptual discrimination in healthy older adults and those at risk for mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 122:88-106. [PMID: 36516558 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.11.004] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive tests sensitive to the integrity of the medial temporal lobe (MTL), such as mnemonic discrimination of perceptually similar stimuli, may be useful early markers of risk for cognitive decline in older populations. Perceptual discrimination of stimuli with overlapping features also relies on MTL but remains relatively unexplored in this context. We assessed mnemonic discrimination in two test formats (Forced Choice, Yes/No) and perceptual discrimination of objects and scenes in 111 community-dwelling older adults at different risk status for cognitive impairment based on neuropsychological screening. We also investigated associations between performance and MTL sub-region volume and thickness. The at-risk group exhibited reduced entorhinal thickness and impaired perceptual and mnemonic discrimination. Perceptual discrimination impairment partially explained group differences in mnemonic discrimination and correlated with entorhinal thickness. Executive dysfunction accounted for Yes/No deficits in at-risk adults, demonstrating the importance of test format for the interpretation of memory decline. These results suggest that perceptual discrimination tasks may be useful tools for detecting incipient cognitive impairment related to reduced MTL integrity in nonclinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena M Gellersen
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Gillian Coughlan
- Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Saana M Korkki
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Richard N Henson
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jon S Simons
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Yun S, Soler I, Tran F, Haas HA, Shi R, Bancroft GL, Suarez M, de Santis CR, Reynolds RP, Eisch AJ. Behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility are enhanced in a mouse model of increased lateral entorhinal cortex-dentate gyrus circuit activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.26.525756. [PMID: 36747871 PMCID: PMC9900985 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.26.525756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility are essential cognitive abilities which are disrupted in many brain disorders. Better understanding of the neural circuitry involved in these abilities will open paths to treatment. In humans and mice, discrimination and adaptation rely on integrity of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) which both receive glutamatergic input from the entorhinal cortex (EC), including the lateral EC (LEC). Inducible increase of EC-DG circuit activity improves simple hippocampal-dependent associative learning and increases DG neurogenesis. Here we asked if the activity of LEC fan cells that directly project to the DG (LEC➔DG neurons) regulates behavioral pattern separation or cognitive flexibility. C57BL6/J male mice received bilateral LEC infusions of a virus expressing shRNA TRIP8b, an auxiliary protein of an HCN channel or a control virus (SCR shRNA); this approach increases the activity of LEC➔DG neurons. Four weeks later, mice underwent testing for behavioral pattern separation and reversal learning (touchscreen-based Location Discrimination Reversal [LDR] task) and innate fear of open spaces (elevated plus maze [EPM]) followed by counting of new DG neurons (doublecortin-immunoreactive cells [DCX+] cells). TRIP8b and SCR shRNA mice performed similarly in general touchscreen training and LDR training. However, in late LDR testing, TRIP8b shRNA mice reached the first reversal more quickly and had more accurate discrimination vs. SCR shRNA mice, specifically when pattern separation was challenging (lit squares close together or "small separation"). Also, TRIP8b shRNA mice achieved more reversals in late LDR testing vs. SCR shRNA mice. Supporting a specific influence on cognitive behavior, SCR shRNA and TRIP8b shRNA mice did not differ in total distance traveled or in time spent in the closed arms of the EPM. Supporting an inducible increase in LEC-DG activity, DG neurogenesis was increased. These data indicate TRIP8b shRNA mice had better pattern separation and reversal learning and more neurogenesis vs. SCR shRNA mice. This work advances fundamental and translational neuroscience knowledge relevant to two cognitive functions critical for adaptation and survival - behavioral pattern separation and cognitive flexibility - and suggests the activity of LEC➔DG neurons merits exploration as a therapeutic target to normalize dysfunctional DG behavioral output.
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Stark CEL, Noche JA, Ebersberger JR, Mayer L, Stark SM. Optimizing the mnemonic similarity task for efficient, widespread use. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1080366. [PMID: 36778130 PMCID: PMC9909607 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1080366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The Mnemonic Similarity Task (MST) has become a popular test of memory and, in particular, of hippocampal function. It has been heavily used in research settings and is currently included as an alternate outcome measure on a number of clinical trials. However, as it typically requires ~15 min to administer and benefits substantially from an experienced test administrator to ensure the instructions are well-understood, its use in trials and in other settings is somewhat restricted. Several different variants of the MST are in common use that alter the task format (study-test vs. continuous) and the response prompt given to participants (old/similar/new vs. old/new). Methods: In eight online experiments, we sought to address three main goals: (1) To determine whether a robust version of the task could be created that could be conducted in half the traditional time; (2) To determine whether the test format or response prompt choice significantly impacted the MST's results; and (3) To determine how robust the MST is to repeat testing. In Experiments 1-7, participants received both the traditional and alternate forms of the MST to determine how well the alternate version captured the traditional task's performance. In Experiment 8, participants were given the MST four times over approximately 4 weeks. Results: In Experiments 1-7, we found that test format had no effect on the reliability of the MST, but that shifting to the two-choice response format significantly reduced its ability to reflect the traditional MST's score. We also found that the full running time could be cut it half or less without appreciable reduction in reliability. We confirmed the efficacy of this reduced task in older adults as well. Here, and in Experiment 8, we found that while there often are no effects of repeat-testing, small effects are possible, but appear limited to the initial testing session. Discussion: The optimized version of the task developed here (oMST) is freely available for web-based experiment delivery and provides an accurate estimate of the same memory ability as the classic MST in less than half the time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig E. L. Stark
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jessica A. Noche
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jarrett R. Ebersberger
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Lizabeth Mayer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Shauna M. Stark
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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Granger SJ, Colon-Perez L, Larson MS, Bennett IJ, Phelan M, Keator DB, Janecek JT, Sathishkumar MT, Smith AP, McMillan L, Greenia D, Corrada MM, Kawas CH, Yassa MA. Reduced structural connectivity of the medial temporal lobe including the perforant path is associated with aging and verbal memory impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 121:119-128. [PMID: 36434930 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.10.012] [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: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The perforant path, the white matter bundle connecting the entorhinal cortex (ERC) with the hippocampal formation deteriorates with age-related cognitive decline. Previous investigations using diffusion-weighted MRI to quantify perforant path integrity in-vivo have been limited due to image resolution or have quantified the perforant path using methods susceptible to partial volume effects such as the tensor model and without consideration of its 3-dimensional morphology. In this investigation, we use quantitative-anisotropy informed tractography derived from ultra-high resolution diffusion imaging (ZOOMit) to investigate structural connectivity of the perforant path and other medial temporal lobe (MTL) pathways in older adults (63 to 98 years old, n = 51). We show that graph density within the MTL declines with age and is associated with lower delayed recall performance. We also show that older age and poorer delayed recall are associated with reduced streamlines connecting the ERC and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (the putative perforant path). This work suggest that intra-MTL connectivity may new candidate biomarkers for age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Granger
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Luis Colon-Perez
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Myra Saraí Larson
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Ilana J Bennett
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA
| | - Michael Phelan
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - David B Keator
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - John T Janecek
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Mithra T Sathishkumar
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Anna P Smith
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Liv McMillan
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Dana Greenia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Maria M Corrada
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Claudia H Kawas
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA.
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