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Li X, Abiko K, Sheriff S, Maudsley AA, Urushibata Y, Ahn S, Tha KK. The Distribution of Major Brain Metabolites in Normal Adults: Short Echo Time Whole-Brain MR Spectroscopic Imaging Findings. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12060543. [PMID: 35736476 PMCID: PMC9228869 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12060543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This prospective study aimed to evaluate the variation in magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI)-observed brain metabolite concentrations according to anatomical location, sex, and age, and the relationships among regional metabolite distributions, using short echo time (TE) whole-brain MRSI (WB-MRSI). Thirty-eight healthy participants underwent short TE WB-MRSI. The major metabolite ratios, i.e., N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr), choline (Cho)/Cr, glutamate + glutamine (Glx)/Cr, and myoinositol (mI)/Cr, were calculated voxel-by-voxel. Their variations according to anatomical regions, sex, and age, and their relationship to each other were evaluated by using repeated-measures analysis of variance, t-tests, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation analyses. All four metabolite ratios exhibited widespread regional variation across the cerebral hemispheres (corrected p < 0.05). Laterality between the two sides and sex-related variation were also shown (p < 0.05). In several regions, NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr decreased and mI/Cr increased with age (corrected p < 0.05). There was a moderate positive correlation between NAA/Cr and mI/Cr in the insular lobe and thalamus and between Glx/Cr and mI/Cr in the parietal lobe (r ≥ 0.348, corrected p ≤ 0.025). These observations demand age- and sex- specific regional reference values in interpreting these metabolites, and they may facilitate the understanding of glial-neuronal interactions in maintaining homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinnan Li
- Laboratory for Biomarker Imaging Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan;
| | - Kagari Abiko
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan;
- Department of Rehabilitation, Sapporo Azabu Neurosurgical Hospital, Sapporo 065-0022, Japan
| | - Sulaiman Sheriff
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33146, USA; (S.S.); (A.A.M.)
| | - Andrew A. Maudsley
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33146, USA; (S.S.); (A.A.M.)
| | | | - Sinyeob Ahn
- Siemens Healthineers, San Francisco, CA 94553, USA;
| | - Khin Khin Tha
- Laboratory for Biomarker Imaging Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan;
- Global Center for Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-11-706-8183
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Bell TK, Godfrey KJ, Ware AL, Yeates KO, Harris AD. Harmonization of multi-site MRS data with ComBat. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119330. [PMID: 35618196 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique used to measure brain chemistry in vivo and has been used to study the healthy brain as well as neuropathology in numerous neurological disorders. The number of multi-site studies using MRS are increasing; however, non-biological variability introduced during data collection across multiple sites, such as differences in scanner vendors and site-specific acquisition implementations for MRS, can obscure detection of biological effects of interest. ComBat is a data harmonization technique that can remove non-biological sources of variance in multisite studies. It has been validated for use with structural and functional MRI metrics but not for MRS metabolites. This study investigated the validity of using ComBat to harmonize MRS metabolites for vendor and site differences. Analyses were performed using data acquired across 20 sites and included edited MRS for GABA+ (N=218) and macromolecule-suppressed GABA data (N=209), as well as standard PRESS data to quantify NAA, creatine, choline, and glutamate (N=190). ComBat harmonization successfully mitigated vendor and site differences for all metabolites of interest. Moreover, significant associations were detected between sex and choline levels and between age and glutamate and GABA+ levels that were not detectable prior to harmonization, confirming the importance of removing site and vendor effects in multi-site data. In conclusion, ComBat harmonization can be successfully applied to MRS data in multi-site MRS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany K Bell
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive, Calgary, AB T3B 6A9, Canada.
| | - Kate J Godfrey
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive, Calgary, AB T3B 6A9, Canada
| | - Ashley L Ware
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive, Calgary, AB T3B 6A9, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, AB Canada; Department of Neurology, University of Utah, UT, United States
| | - Keith Owen Yeates
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive, Calgary, AB T3B 6A9, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Ashley D Harris
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive, Calgary, AB T3B 6A9, Canada
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Martino PL, Cervigni MA, Pulopulos MM, Audisio EO, Bonet JL, De Bortoli MA, Politis DG. Reproductive aging and executive functions in healthy women. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2020; 29:181-196. [PMID: 33307979 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2020.1859083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of reproductive aging on executive functions. We assessed executive functions in three groups of healthy women in the premenopausal (n = 45, mean age = 30.89, SD = 10.5), perimenopausal (n = 31, mean age = 50.06, SD = 3.6) and postmenopausal (n = 24, mean age = 63.39, SD = 6.5) phase. No differences between groups were observed in working memory, verbal fluency, inhibitory control, planning, and cognitive flexibility. However, when the analyses were repeated with participants with occupations with lower intellectual demands, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women performed worse than premenopausal women in semantic verbal fluency. This study provides important evidence to understand the effects of reproductive aging on cognitive performance in healthy women. Our findings indicate that cognitive reserve-related factors may be important to understand the differences in executive functions associated with reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo L Martino
- Rosario Neuroscience Research Center, National University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina
| | - Mauricio A Cervigni
- Rosario Neuroscience Research Center, National University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina
| | - Matias M Pulopulos
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Psychobiology, National Distance Education University (UNED), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Eduardo O Audisio
- Faculty of Psychology, National University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - José L Bonet
- Faculty of Human and Behavioral Sciences, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Daniel G Politis
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Argentina.,Faculty of Psychology, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Chen T, Yu W, Xie X, Ge H, Fu Y, Yang D, Zhou L, Liu X, Yan Z. Influence of Gonadotropin Hormone Releasing Hormone Agonists on Interhemispheric Functional Connectivity in Girls With Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty. Front Neurol 2020; 11:17. [PMID: 32082242 PMCID: PMC7006458 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The pubertal growth suppressive effects of gonadotropin hormone releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa) are well-known, although it remains unclear if long-term GnRHa treatment influences the brain function of treated children. The present study investigated the differences in the homotopic resting-state functional connectivity patterns in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) with and without GnRHa treatment using voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC). Methods: Eighteen girls with ICPP who underwent 12 months of GnRHa treatment, 40 treatment-naïve girls with ICPP, and 19 age-matched girls with premature thelarche underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging using a 3T MRI. VMHC method was performed to explore the differences in the resting-state interhemispheric functional connectivity. The levels of serum pubertal hormones, including luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular-stimulating hormone, and estradiol, were assessed. Correlation analyses among the results of clinical laboratory examinations, neuropsychological scales, and VMHC values of different brain regions were performed with the data of the GnRHa treated group. Results: Significant decreases in VMHC of the lingual, calcarine, superior temporal, and middle frontal gyri were identified in the untreated group, compared with the control group. Medicated patients showed decreased VMHC in the superior temporal gyrus, when compared with the controls. Compared to the unmedicated group, the medicated group showed a significant increase in VMHC in the calcarine and middle occipital gyrus. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between basal LH levels and VMHC of the middle occipital gyrus in medicated patients. Conclusions: These findings indicate that long-term treatment with GnRHa was associated with increased interhemispheric functional connectivity within several areas responsible for memory and visual process in patients with ICPP. Higher interhemispheric functional connectivity in the middle occipital gyrus was related to higher basal LH production in the girls who underwent treatment. The present study adds to the growing body of research associated with the effects of GnRHa on brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wenquan Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Xie
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huaizhi Ge
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuchuan Fu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Di Yang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Department of Radiology, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Department of Radiology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaozheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhihan Yan
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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Hjelmervik H, Hausmann M, Craven AR, Hirnstein M, Hugdahl K, Specht K. Sex- and sex hormone-related variations in energy-metabolic frontal brain asymmetries: A magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Neuroimage 2018; 172:817-825. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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Kim GW, Park K, Jeong GW. Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women. J Sex Med 2018; 15:662-670. [PMID: 29628218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Investigation of the effect of sex hormones on the brain volume in women provides a unique opportunity to examine menopause-related morphometric alterations. AIM To evaluate brain morphological alterations in post-menopausal women using voxel-based morphometry and its correlations with sex hormone levels. METHODS 20 Pre-menopausal women and 20 post-menopausal women underwent structural MRI. OUTCOMES T1-weighted magnetic resonance data were acquired and serum sex hormones including total estrogen, estriol, estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone, free testosterone, SHBG, and luteinizing hormone were measured. RESULTS Post-menopausal women showed decreased gray matter (GM) in the supplementary motor area (SMA), inferior frontal gyrus, olfactory cortex, and superior temporal gyrus as contrasted with pre-menopausal women using analysis of covariance (P < .05). The GM volume (GMV) values of the SMA, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with the levels of E2 in the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, in which the volume of the SMA was negatively correlated with the duration of time after menopause in post-menopausal women. CLINICAL TRANSLATION This finding is potentially applicable to assess the brain dysfunction with morphological changes in post-menopausal women. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to evaluate a direct relationship between the level of E2 and GMV change. We directly compared pre-menopausal and menopausal women un-matched in age. This study highlights the menopause-related morphological alterations in post-menopausal women, suggesting that the reduced GMV were closely associated with the symptoms of menopause caused by the decreased levels of E2. Kim G-W, Park K, Jeong G-W. Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:662-670.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwang-Won Kim
- Advanced Institute of Aging Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwangsung Park
- Advanced Institute of Aging Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwang-Woo Jeong
- Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Comasco E, Frokjaer VG, Sundström-Poromaa I. Functional and molecular neuroimaging of menopause and hormone replacement therapy. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:388. [PMID: 25538545 PMCID: PMC4259109 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The level of gonadal hormones to which the female brain is exposed considerably changes across the menopausal transition, which in turn, is likely to be of great relevance for neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. However, the neurobiological consequences of these hormone fluctuations and of hormone replacement therapy in the menopause have only begun to be understood. The present review summarizes the findings of thirty-five studies of human brain function, including functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron and single-photon computed emission tomography studies, in peri- and postmenopausal women treated with estrogen, or estrogen-progestagen replacement therapy. Seven studies using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist intervention as a model of hormonal withdrawal are also included. Cognitive paradigms are employed by the majority of studies evaluating the effect of unopposed estrogen or estrogen-progestagen treatment on peri- and postmenopausal women's brain. In randomized-controlled trials, estrogen treatment enhances activation of fronto-cingulate regions during cognitive functioning, though in many cases no difference in cognitive performance was present. Progestagens seems to counteract the effects of estrogens. Findings on cognitive functioning during acute ovarian hormone withdrawal suggest a decrease in activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus, thus essentially corroborating the findings in postmenopausal women. Studies of the cholinergic and serotonergic systems indicate these systems as biological mediators of hormonal influences on the brain. More, hormonal replacement appears to increase cerebral blood flow in several cortical regions. On the other hand, studies on emotion processing in postmenopausal women are lacking. These results call for well-powered randomized-controlled multi-modal prospective neuroimaging studies as well as investigation on the related molecular mechanisms of effects of menopausal hormonal variations on the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden ; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Department of Neurology, Center for Integrated Molecular Brain Imaging and Neurobiology Research Unit 6931, Copenhagen University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark
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Weber MT, Maki PM, McDermott MP. Cognition and mood in perimenopause: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2014; 142:90-8. [PMID: 23770320 PMCID: PMC3830624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 04/07/2013] [Accepted: 06/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE It is suggested that declines in estrogen around menopause are associated with declines in cognitive functioning as well as increased risk of depressive symptoms and depressive disorders. Existing studies of objective cognitive function and mood have differed in the criteria used to stage the menopausal transition and in the outcome measures used. The purpose of this review was to synthesize the existing studies of the relationship between menopausal stage and neuropsychological performance and depression. DESIGN A search of the literature of observational studies was performed using PubMed. Four cross-sectional studies on menopausal transition stage and cognitive function and four longitudinal studies on menopausal transition stage and risk of depression, as measured by symptom inventories and structured clinical interviews, were selected. For the cognitive outcomes, fixed effects models were used to estimate overall standardized effect sizes. For the depression outcomes, the results of group comparisons were summarized using the log odds ratio and its estimated standard error. RESULTS Postmenopausal women performed significantly worse than pre- and perimenopausal women on delayed verbal memory tasks, and significantly worse than perimenopausal women on phonemic verbal fluency tasks. Peri- and postmenopausal women were at significantly increased risk of depression, as measured by standard symptom inventories and structured clinical interviews, than premenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS The menopausal transition is a time of increased vulnerability to cognitive declines and increased risk of depressive symptoms and depressive disorders. However, these results cannot necessarily be generalized beyond the studies included in this review. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Menopause'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam T Weber
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Box 673, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
| | - Pauline M Maki
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60612, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60612, United States.
| | - Michael P McDermott
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Box 673, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, United States; Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Box 630, Rochester, NY 14642, United States.
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Rae CD. A Guide to the Metabolic Pathways and Function of Metabolites Observed in Human Brain 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectra. Neurochem Res 2013; 39:1-36. [PMID: 24258018 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-013-1199-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 324] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2013] [Revised: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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10
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Zhou IY, Chan RW, Ho LC, Wu EX. Longitudinal metabolic changes in the hippocampus and thalamus of the maternal brain revealed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Neurosci Lett 2013; 553:170-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Revised: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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11
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Craig MC, Brammer M, Maki PM, Fletcher PC, Daly EM, Rymer J, Giampietro V, Picchioni M, Stahl D, Murphy DGM. The interactive effect of acute ovarian suppression and the cholinergic system on visuospatial working memory in young women. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2010; 35:987-1000. [PMID: 20102786 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2009] [Revised: 12/19/2009] [Accepted: 12/20/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Women have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) compared to men. It has been postulated that this risk may be modulated by a reduction in the neuroprotective effects of estrogen on the brain in the early postmenopausal period. This view is supported by, for example, findings that ovariectomy in younger women (i.e. prior to menopause) significantly increases the risk for the development of memory problems and AD in later life. However, the biological basis underlying these cognitive changes is still poorly understood. Our aim in the current study was to understand the interactive effects of acute, pharmacological-induced menopause (after Gonadotropin Hormone Releasing Hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment) and scopolamine (a cholinergic antagonist used to model the memory decline associated with aging and AD) on brain functioning. To this end we used fMRI to study encoding during a Delayed Match to Sample (DMTS) (visual working memory) task. We report a relative attenuation in BOLD response brought about by scopolamine in regions that included bilateral prefrontal cortex and the left parahippocampal gyrus. Further, this was greater in women post-GnRHa than in women whose ovaries were functional. Our results also indicate that following pharmacological-induced menopause, cholinergic depletion produces a more significant behavioural deficit in overall memory performance, as manifest by increased response time. These findings suggest that acute loss of ovarian hormones exacerbate the effects of cholinergic depletion on a memory-related, behavioural measure, which is dependent on fronto-temporal brain regions. Overall, our findings point to a neural network by which acute loss of ovarian function may interact to negatively impact encoding.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Craig
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Robertson D, Craig M, van Amelsvoort T, Daly E, Moore C, Simmons A, Whitehead M, Morris R, Murphy D. Effects of estrogen therapy on age-related differences in gray matter concentration. Climacteric 2009; 12:301-9. [DOI: 10.1080/13697130902730742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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14
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Craig MC, Fletcher PC, Daly EM, Rymer J, Brammer M, Giampietro V, Stahl D, Maki PM, Murphy DGM. The interactive effect of the cholinergic system and acute ovarian suppression on the brain: an fMRI study. Horm Behav 2009; 55:41-9. [PMID: 18809406 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2008] [Revised: 08/04/2008] [Accepted: 08/07/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that loss of ovarian function following ovariectomy is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the biological basis of this risk remains poorly understood. We carried out an fMRI study into the interaction between loss of ovarian function (after Gonadotropin Hormone Releasing Hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment) and scopolamine (a cholinergic antagonist used to model the memory decline associated with aging and AD). Behaviorally, cholinergic depletion produced a deficit in verbal recognition performance in both GnRHa-treated women and wait list controls, but only GnRHa-treated women made more false positive errors with cholinergic depletion. Similarly, cholinergic depletion produced a decrease in activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG; Brodmann area 45)--a brain region implicated in retrieving word meaning--in both groups, and activation in this area was further reduced following GnRHa treatment. These findings suggest biological mechanisms through which ovarian hormone suppression may interact with the cholinergic system and the LIFG. Furthermore, this interaction may provide a useful model to help explain reports of increased risk for cognitive decline and AD in women following ovariectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Craig
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Section of Brain Maturation, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, Denmark Hill, London, UK.
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Reversibility of the effects of acute ovarian hormone suppression on verbal memory and prefrontal function in pre-menopausal women. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2008; 33:1426-31. [PMID: 18835663 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2008] [Revised: 08/04/2008] [Accepted: 08/04/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Whilst acute loss of ovarian function is associated with memory deficits, the biological basis of this is poorly understood. We have previously reported that acute loss of function during Gonadotropin Hormone Releasing Hormone agonists (GnRHa) treatment is associated with impaired verbal memory and a disruption of corresponding left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) during the encoding stage. In the current study, we provide a critical extension to this work by determining whether this memory deficit is reversible following normalization of ovarian function. To do this we carried out a further imaging study using the same verbal memory recognition task after cessation of GnRHa-induced ovarian suppression. METHOD We used event-related fMRI to study verbal episodic memory performance and brain activation at the LIFG in 13 healthy pre-menopausal women pre-, during, and post-acute ovarian hormone suppression using GnRHa. RESULTS Following resolution of acute GnRHa-induced ovarian suppression, verbal recognition scores returned to their initial levels and this restoration was associated with a restored level of left frontal activation during successful encoding of words. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the memory deficits associated with acute ovarian suppression are reversed following resolution of normal ovarian function and are associated with reversible attenuation of LIFG activation during encoding. These findings lend further support to the hypothesis that memory difficulties reported by some women following acute ovarian hormone withdrawal are reversible and may have a clear neurobiological basis.
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