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Geisler M, de la Cruz F, Makris N, Billah T, Zhang F, Rathi Y, O'Donnell LJ, Bouix S, Herbsleb M, Bär KJ, Kikinis Z, Weiss T. Brains of endurance athletes differ in the association areas but not in the primary areas. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14483. [PMID: 37950391 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14483] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Regular participation in sports results in a series of physiological adaptations. However, little is known about the brain adaptations to physical activity. Here we aimed to investigate whether young endurance athletes and non-athletes differ in the gray and white matter of the brain and whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with these differences. We assessed the CRF, volumes of the gray and white matter of the brain using structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), and brain white matter connections using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) in 20 young male endurance athletes and 21 healthy non-athletes. While total brain volume was similar in both groups, the white matter volume was larger and the gray matter volume was smaller in the athletes compared to non-athletes. The reduction of gray matter was located in the association areas of the brain that are specialized in processing of sensory stimuli. In the microstructure analysis, significant group differences were found only in the association tracts, for example, the inferior occipito-frontal fascicle (IOFF) showing higher fractional anisotropy and lower radial diffusivity, indicating stronger myelination in this tract. Additionally, gray and white matter brain volumes, as well as association tracts correlated with CRF. No changes were observed in other brain areas or tracts. In summary, the brain signature of the endurance athlete is characterized by changes in the integration of sensory and motor information in the association areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Geisler
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Nikos Makris
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tashrif Billah
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lauren J O'Donnell
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Département de génie logiciel et TI, École de Technologie Supérieure, Université du Québec, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marco Herbsleb
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
- Department of Sports Medicine and Health Promotion, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Karl-Jürgen Bär
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Zora Kikinis
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Somerville, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas Weiss
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
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2
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Heller C, Kimmig ACS, Kubicki MR, Derntl B, Kikinis Z. Imaging the human brain on oral contraceptives: A review of structural imaging methods and implications for future research goals. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101031. [PMID: 35998859 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Worldwide over 150 million women use oral contraceptives (OCs), which are the most prescribed form of contraception in both the United States and in European countries. Sex hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are important endogenous hormones known for shaping the brain across the life span. Synthetic hormones, which are present in OCs, interfere with the natural hormonal balance by reducing the endogenous hormone levels. Little is known how this affects the brain, especially during the most vulnerable times of brain maturation. Here, we review studies that investigate differences in brain gray and white matter in women using OCs in comparison to naturally cycling women. We focus on two neuroimaging methods used to quantify structural gray and white matter changes, namely structural MRI and diffusion MRI. Finally, we discuss the potential of these imaging techniques to advance knowledge about the effects of OCs on the brain and wellbeing in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Heller
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Germany; Department of Clinical Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany.
| | - Ann-Christin S Kimmig
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marek R Kubicki
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zora Kikinis
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Baxi M, Cetin-Karayumak S, Papadimitriou G, Makris N, van der Kouwe A, Jenkins B, Moore TL, Rosene DL, Kubicki M, Rathi Y. Investigating the contribution of cytoarchitecture to diffusion MRI measures in gray matter using histology. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2022; 1:947526. [PMID: 37555179 PMCID: PMC10406256 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2022.947526] [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: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Postmortem studies are currently considered a gold standard for investigating brain structure at the cellular level. To investigate cellular changes in the context of human development, aging, or disease treatment, non-invasive in-vivo imaging methods such as diffusion MRI (dMRI) are needed. However, dMRI measures are only indirect measures and require validation in gray matter (GM) in the context of their sensitivity to the underlying cytoarchitecture, which has been lacking. Therefore, in this study we conducted direct comparisons between in-vivo dMRI measures and histology acquired from the same four rhesus monkeys. Average and heterogeneity of fractional anisotropy and trace from diffusion tensor imaging and mean squared displacement (MSD) and return-to-origin-probability from biexponential model were calculated in nine cytoarchitectonically different GM regions using dMRI data. DMRI measures were compared with corresponding histology measures of regional average and heterogeneity in cell area density. Results show that both average and heterogeneity in trace and MSD measures are sensitive to the underlying cytoarchitecture (cell area density) and capture different aspects of cell composition and organization. Trace and MSD thus would prove valuable as non-invasive imaging biomarkers in future studies investigating GM cytoarchitectural changes related to development and aging as well as abnormal cellular pathologies in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhura Baxi
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Suheyla Cetin-Karayumak
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - George Papadimitriou
- Center for Morphometric Analysis, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Nikos Makris
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Andre van der Kouwe
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Bruce Jenkins
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Tara L. Moore
- Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Douglas L. Rosene
- Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Marek Kubicki
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Brain microstructural abnormalities in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: A systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 52:96-135. [PMID: 34358796 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a severe genetic syndrome characterized by cognitive deficits and neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly schizophrenia. Neuroimaging alterations have been extensively reported in 22q11DS, both in gray and white matter structures. However, a considerable variability among the results affects the generalizability of the findings to date. Herein, we reviewed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings in 22q11DS, their association with psychosis and cognition, and the implications of DTI studies on neurodevelopment in 22q11DS. We also investigated differences between 22q11DS and schizophrenic patients without 22q11DS. Using an online search of PubMed and Embase, we identified studies investigating DTI findings in 22q11DS. After selecting eligible studies in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guideline, we included thirty-one studies. Overall, 22q11DS patients show altered structural connectivity and disrupted microstructural organization of most cortical and subcortical structures and white matter tracts. Moreover, despite a significant heterogeneity in the results, reduced diffusivity measures and elevated fractional anisotropy were observed. However controversial, compared to typically developing children, 22q11DS patients reached the peak of fractional anisotropy (FA) and the trough of radial diffusivity (RD) at an older age, which shows neurodevelopmental delay. DTI measures were also associated with psychotic symptoms and cognitive deficits. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive review of microstructural alterations in 22q11DS. Future larger investigations on this syndrome could potentially lead to the detection of early diagnostic imaging markers for genetically induced schizophrenia, thus improving the treatment and, ultimately, the outcome.
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Mortillo M, Mulle JG. A cross-comparison of cognitive ability across 8 genomic disorders. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 68:106-116. [PMID: 34082144 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Genomic disorders result from rearrangement of the human genome. Most genomic disorders are caused by copy number variants (CNV), deletions or duplications of several hundred kilobases. Many CNV loci are associated with autism, schizophrenia, and most commonly, intellectual disability (ID). However, there is little comparison of cognitive ability measures across these CNV disorders. This study aims to understand whether existing data can be leveraged for a cross-comparison of cognitive ability among multiple CNV. We found there is a lack of harmonization among assessment instruments and little standardization for reporting summary data across studies. Despite these limitations, we identified a differential impact of CNV loci on cognitive ability. Our data suggest that future cross-comparisons of CNV disorders will reveal meaningful differences across the phenotypic spectrum, especially if standardized phenotypic assessment is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mortillo
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jennifer G Mulle
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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Dillingham CM, Milczarek MM, Perry JC, Frost BE, Parker GD, Assaf Y, Sengpiel F, O'Mara SM, Vann SD. Mammillothalamic Disconnection Alters Hippocampocortical Oscillatory Activity and Microstructure: Implications for Diencephalic Amnesia. J Neurosci 2019; 39:6696-6713. [PMID: 31235646 PMCID: PMC6703878 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0827-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Diencephalic amnesia can be as debilitating as the more commonly known temporal lobe amnesia, yet the precise contribution of diencephalic structures to memory processes remains elusive. Across four cohorts of male rats, we used discrete lesions of the mammillothalamic tract to model aspects of diencephalic amnesia and assessed the impact of these lesions on multiple measures of activity and plasticity within the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex. Lesions of the mammillothalamic tract had widespread indirect effects on hippocampocortical oscillatory activity within both theta and gamma bands. Both within-region oscillatory activity and cross-regional synchrony were altered. The network changes were state-dependent, displaying different profiles during locomotion and paradoxical sleep. Consistent with the associations between oscillatory activity and plasticity, complementary analyses using several convergent approaches revealed microstructural changes, which appeared to reflect a suppression of learning-induced plasticity in lesioned animals. Together, these combined findings suggest a mechanism by which damage to the medial diencephalon can impact upon learning and memory processes, highlighting an important role for the mammillary bodies in the coordination of hippocampocortical activity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Information flow within the Papez circuit is critical to memory. Damage to ascending mammillothalamic projections has consistently been linked to amnesia in humans and spatial memory deficits in animal models. Here we report on the changes in hippocampocortical oscillatory dynamics that result from chronic lesions of the mammillothalamic tract and demonstrate, for the first time, that the mammillary bodies, independently of the supramammillary region, contribute to frequency modulation of hippocampocortical theta oscillations. Consistent with the associations between oscillatory activity and plasticity, the lesions also result in a suppression of learning-induced plasticity. Together, these data support new functional models whereby mammillary bodies are important for coordinating hippocampocortical activity rather than simply being a relay of hippocampal information as previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Dillingham
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michal M Milczarek
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - James C Perry
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Bethany E Frost
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Greg D Parker
- EMRIC, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Yaniv Assaf
- George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel 6997801, and
| | - Frank Sengpiel
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - Shane M O'Mara
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom,
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Santos TEG, Baggio JAO, Rondinoni C, Machado L, Weber KT, Stefano LH, Santos AC, Pontes-Neto OM, Leite JP, Edwards DJ. Fractional Anisotropy of Thalamic Nuclei Is Associated With Verticality Misperception After Extra-Thalamic Stroke. Front Neurol 2019; 10:697. [PMID: 31379702 PMCID: PMC6650785 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Verticality misperception after stroke is a frequent neurological deficit that leads to postural imbalance and a higher risk of falls. The posterior thalamic nuclei are described to be involved with verticality perception, but it is unknown if extra-thalamic lesions can have the same effect via diaschisis and degeneration of thalamic nuclei. We investigated the relationship between thalamic fractional anisotropy (FA, a proxy of structural integrity), and verticality perception, in patients after stroke with diverse encephalic extra-thalamic lesions. We included 11 first time post-stroke patients with extra-thalamic primary lesions, and compared their region-based FA to a group of 25 age-matched healthy controls. For the patient sample, correlation and regression analyses evaluated the relationship between thalamic nuclei FA and error of postural vertical (PV) and haptic vertical (HV) in the roll (PVroll/HVroll) and pitch planes (PVpitch/HVpitch). Relative to controls, patients showed decreased FA of anterior, ventral anterior, ventral posterior lateral, dorsal, and pulvinar thalamic nuclei, despite the primary lesions being extra-thalamic. We found a significant correlation between HVroll, and FA in the anterior and dorsal nuclei, and PVroll with FA in the anterior nucleus. FA in the anterior, ventral anterior, ventral posterior lateral, dorsal and pulvinar nuclei predicted PV, and FA in the ventral anterior, ventral posterior lateral and dorsal nuclei predicted HV. While prior studies indicate that primary lesions of the thalamus can result in verticality misperception, here we present evidence supporting that secondary degeneration of thalamic nuclei via diaschisis can also be associated with verticality misperception after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiza E. G. Santos
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jussara A. O. Baggio
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlo Rondinoni
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Laura Machado
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karina T. Weber
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz H. Stefano
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio C. Santos
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Octavio M. Pontes-Neto
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Joao P. Leite
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Dylan J. Edwards
- Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Elkins Park, PA, United States
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
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