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Rea HM, Clawson A, Hudac CM, Santhosh M, Bernier RA, Earl RK, Pelphrey KA, Webb SJ, Neuhaus E. Pubertal maturation and timing effects on resting state electroencephalography in autistic and comparison youth. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22415. [PMID: 37860899 PMCID: PMC10713348 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22415] [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: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Autistic and comparison individuals differ in resting-state electroencephalography (EEG), such that sex and age explain variability within and between groups. Pubertal maturation and timing may further explain variation, as previous work has suggested alterations in pubertal timing in autistic youth. In a sample from two studies of 181 autistic and 94 comparison youth (8 years to 17 years and 11 months), mixed-effects linear regressions were conducted to assess differences in EEG (midline power for theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands). Alpha power was analyzed as a mediator in the relation between pubertal maturation and timing with autistic traits in the autistic groups to understand the role of puberty in brain-based changes that contribute to functional outcomes. Individuals advanced in puberty exhibited decreased power in all bands. Those who experienced puberty relatively early showed decreased power in theta and beta bands, controlling for age, sex, and diagnosis. Autistic individuals further along in pubertal development exhibited lower social skills. Alpha mediated the relation between puberty and repetitive behaviors. Pubertal maturation and timing appear to play unique roles in the development of cognitive processes for autistic and comparison youth and should be considered in research on developmental variation in resting-state EEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Rea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ann Clawson
- Department of Neuropsychology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Caitlin M Hudac
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Megha Santhosh
- Center on Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Raphael A Bernier
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachel K Earl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Sara Jane Webb
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center on Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Emily Neuhaus
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center on Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
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2
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Li J, Zhang X, Yang H, Yang M, Sun H. Lack of correlation between hippocampal substructure atrophy and attention dysfunction in deficit schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:24. [PMID: 37080983 PMCID: PMC10119300 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00354-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampal abnormalities are an established finding in the neuroimaging study of schizophrenia. However, no studies have examined the possibility of regional hippocampal abnormalities specific to deficit schizophrenia (DS) and associations with the unique symptoms of this schizophrenia subtype. This study compared 33 DS and 39 non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS) patients and 38 healthy subjects for hippocampal subfield volumetry. Clinical symptoms were assessed by PANSS, cognition by the neurocognitive battery on the day of the MRI scan. The automatic hippocampal segmentation were preprocesses use FreeSurfer 7.2.0. Unfortunately, the associations between neurocognitive scores and hippocampal subfield volumes in the DS group were not significant after the Bonferroni correction. Our results did not support a causal relationship between hippocampal subregional atrophy and cognitive deficits in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Li
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, 11 Guangqian Road, Suzhou, 215137, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaobin Zhang
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, 11 Guangqian Road, Suzhou, 215137, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haidong Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Fourth People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated KangDa College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222003, PR China
| | - Man Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Fourth People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated KangDa College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222003, PR China
| | - Hongyan Sun
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, 11 Guangqian Road, Suzhou, 215137, Jiangsu, China.
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3
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Ju LS, Morey TE, Seubert CN, Martynyuk AE. Intergenerational Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040567. [PMID: 37106766 PMCID: PMC10135810 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Accelerated neurocognitive decline after general anesthesia/surgery, also known as perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND), is a widely recognized public health problem that may affect millions of patients each year. Advanced age, with its increasing prevalence of heightened stress, inflammation, and neurodegenerative alterations, is a consistent contributing factor to the development of PND. Although a strong homeostatic reserve in young adults makes them more resilient to PND, animal data suggest that young adults with pathophysiological conditions characterized by excessive stress and inflammation may be vulnerable to PND, and this altered phenotype may be passed to future offspring (intergenerational PND). The purpose of this narrative review of data in the literature and the authors' own experimental findings in rodents is to draw attention to the possibility of intergenerational PND, a new phenomenon which, if confirmed in humans, may unravel a big new population that may be affected by parental PND. In particular, we discuss the roles of stress, inflammation, and epigenetic alterations in the development of PND. We also discuss experimental findings that demonstrate the effects of surgery, traumatic brain injury, and the general anesthetic sevoflurane that interact to induce persistent dysregulation of the stress response system, inflammation markers, and behavior in young adult male rats and in their future offspring who have neither trauma nor anesthetic exposure (i.e., an animal model of intergenerational PND).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Sha Ju
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Timothy E Morey
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Christoph N Seubert
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Anatoly E Martynyuk
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100254, JHMHC, 1600 SW Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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4
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Chaku N, Barry K. Exploring profiles of hormone exposure: Associations with cognition in a population‐based cohort of early adolescents. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Chaku
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- Psychological and Brain Science Indiana University Bloomington IN USA
| | - Kelly Barry
- Department of Psychology University of Houston Houston Texas USA
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5
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Ivan S, Daniela O, Jaroslava BD. Sex differences matter: Males and females are equal but not the same. Physiol Behav 2023; 259:114038. [PMID: 36423797 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences between males and females can be detected early in life. They are present also later even to a much greater extent affecting our life in adulthood and a wide spectrum of physical, psychological, cognitive, and behavioral characteristics. Moreover, sex differences matter also in individual's health and disease. In this article, we reviewed at first the sex differences in brain organization and function with respect to the underlying biological mechanisms. Since the individual functional differences in the brain, in turn, shape the behavior, sex-specific psychological/behavioral differences that can be observed in infants but also adults are consequently addressed. Finally, we briefly mention sex-dependent variations in susceptibility to selected disorders as well as their pathophysiology, diagnosis, and response to therapy. The understanding of biologically determined variability between males and females can have important implications, especially in gender-specific health care. We have the impression that it is very important to emphasize that sex matters. Males and females are differently programmed by nature, and it must be respected. Even though we as males and females are not the same, we would like to emphasize that we are still equal and together form a worthy colorful continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szadvári Ivan
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ostatníková Daniela
- Institute of Physiology, Medical School, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Transwoman Elite Athletes: Their Extra Percentage Relative to Female Physiology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159103. [PMID: 35897465 PMCID: PMC9331831 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing debate as to whether transwoman athletes should be included in the elite female competition. Most elite sports are divided into male and female divisions because of the greater athletic performance displayed by males. Without the sex division, females would have little chance of winning because males are faster, stronger, and have greater endurance capacity. Male physiology underpins their better athletic performance including increased muscle mass and strength, stronger bones, different skeletal structure, better adapted cardiorespiratory systems, and early developmental effects on brain networks that wires males to be inherently more competitive and aggressive. Testosterone secreted before birth, postnatally, and then after puberty is the major factor that drives these physiological sex differences, and as adults, testosterone levels are ten to fifteen times higher in males than females. The non-overlapping ranges of testosterone between the sexes has led sports regulators, such as the International Olympic Committee, to use 10 nmol/L testosterone as a sole physiological parameter to divide the male and female sporting divisions. Using testosterone levels as a basis for separating female and male elite athletes is arguably flawed. Male physiology cannot be reformatted by estrogen therapy in transwoman athletes because testosterone has driven permanent effects through early life exposure. This descriptive critical review discusses the inherent male physiological advantages that lead to superior athletic performance and then addresses how estrogen therapy fails to create a female-like physiology in the male. Ultimately, the former male physiology of transwoman athletes provides them with a physiological advantage over the cis-female athlete.
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7
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Bakker J. The role of steroid hormones in the sexual differentiation of the human brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13050. [PMID: 34708466 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Widespread sex differences in human brain structure and function have been reported. Research on animal models has demonstrated that sex differences in brain and behavior are induced by steroid hormones during specific, hormone sensitive, developmental periods. It was shown that typical male neural and behavioral characteristics develop under the influence of testosterone, mostly acting during perinatal development. By contrast, typical female neural and behavioral characteristics may actually develop under the influence of estradiol during a specific prepubertal period. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge on the role of steroid hormones in the sexual differentiation of the human brain. Both clinical and neuroimaging data obtained in patients with altered androgen levels/actions (i.e., congenital adrenal hyperplasia or complete androgen insensitivity syndrome [CAIS]), point to an important role of (prenatal) androgens in inducing typical male neural and psychosexual characteristics in humans. In contrast to rodents, there appears to be no obvious role for estrogens in masculinizing the human brain. Furthermore, data from CAIS also suggest a contribution of sex chromosome genes to the development of the human brain. The final part of this review is dedicated to a brief discussion of gender incongruence, also known as gender dysphoria, which has been associated with an altered or less pronounced sexual differentiation of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bakker
- Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences, Liège University, Liege, Belgium
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Kuwahara N, Nicholson K, Isaacs L, MacLusky NJ. Androgen Effects on Neural Plasticity. ANDROGENS: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS 2021; 2:216-230. [PMID: 35024693 PMCID: PMC8744448 DOI: 10.1089/andro.2021.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Androgens are synthesized in the brain, gonads, and adrenal glands, in both sexes, exerting physiologically important effects on the structure and function of the central nervous system. These effects may contribute to the incidence and progression of neurological disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease, which occur at different rates in males and females. This review briefly summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to the neuroplastic effects of androgens, with particular emphasis on the hippocampus, which has been the focus of much of the research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nariko Kuwahara
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Kate Nicholson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lauren Isaacs
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Neil J. MacLusky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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9
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Hsu CMK, Ney LJ, Honan C, Felmingham KL. Gonadal steroid hormones and emotional memory consolidation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:529-542. [PMID: 34517034 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety and stress-related disorders are more prevalent in women and associated with negative emotional memory consolidation as well as impaired fear extinction recall. Recent research has identified a role of gonadal steroid hormones in influencing emotional memories and fear extinction, however most individual studies have small samples and employed various protocols. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on studies that examined sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, allopregnanolone, dehydroepiandrosterone) on four aspects of memory, namely, intentional recall (k = 13), recognition memory (k = 7), intrusive memories (k = 9), and extinction recall (k = 11). The meta-analysis on natural cycling women revealed that progesterone level was positively associated with negative recall and negative intrusive memories, and this effect on intentional recall was enhanced under stress induction. Estradiol level was positively associated with extinction recall. This study reveals an important role of progesterone and estradiol in influencing emotional memory consolidation. It highlights the need to control for these hormonal effects and examine progesterone and estradiol concurrently across all menstrual phases in future emotional memory paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ming K Hsu
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Luke J Ney
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Cynthia Honan
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
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10
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Carmichael OT, Pillai SR, Murray K, Shankapal P, Caldwell J, Vartanian O, Berryman CE, Karl JP, Harris M, Rood JC, Pasiakos SM, Lieberman HR. Effects of testosterone administration on fMRI responses to executive function, aggressive behavior, and emotion processing tasks during severe exercise- and diet-induced energy deficit. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118496. [PMID: 34425226 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical administration of testosterone is widely used due to a variety of claimed physical and cognitive benefits. Testosterone administration is associated with enhanced brain and cognitive function, as well as mood, in energy-balanced males, although such relationships are controversial. However, the effects of testosterone administration on the brains of energy-deficient males, whose testosterone concentrations are likely to be well below normal, have not been investigated. METHODS This study collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 50 non-obese young men before (PRE) and shortly after (POST) 28 days of severe exercise-and-diet-induced energy deficit during which testosterone (200 mg testosterone enanthate per week in sesame oil, TEST) or placebo (sesame seed oil only, PLA) were administered. Scans were also collected after a post-energy-deficit weight regain period (REC). Participants completed five fMRI tasks that assessed aspects of: 1) executive function (Attention Network Task or ANT; Multi-Source Interference Task or MSIT; AXE Continuous Processing Task or AXCPT); 2) aggressive behavior (Provoked Aggression Task or AGG); and 3) latent emotion processing (Emotional Face Processing or EMO). RESULTS Changes over time in task-related fMRI activation in a priori defined task-critical brain regions during performance of 2 out of 5 tasks were significantly different between TEST and PLA, with TEST showing greater levels of activation during ANT in the right anterior cingulate gyrus at POST and during MSIT in several brain regions at REC. Changes over time in objective task performance were not statistically significant; testosterone-treated volunteers had greater self-reported anger during AGG at POST. CONCLUSIONS Testosterone administration can alter some aspects of brain function during severe energy deficit and increase levels of anger.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kori Murray
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | | | - John Caldwell
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA; Laulima Government Solutions, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Oshin Vartanian
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Claire E Berryman
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Belcamp, MD, USA; Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - J P Karl
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | - Melissa Harris
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | | | - Stefan M Pasiakos
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
| | - Harris R Lieberman
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA
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11
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Developmental variation in testosterone:cortisol ratio alters cortical- and amygdala-based cognitive processes. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 13:310-321. [PMID: 34321135 DOI: 10.1017/s2040174421000362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) are the end products of neuroendocrine axes that interact with the process of shaping brain structure and function. Relative levels of T:C (TC ratio) may alter prefrontal-amygdala functional connectivity in adulthood. What remains unclear is whether TC-related effects are rooted to childhood and adolescence. We used a healthy cohort of 4-22-year-olds to test for associations between TC ratios, brain structure (amygdala volume, cortical thickness (CTh), and their coordinated growth), as well as cognitive and behavioral development. We found greater TC ratios to be associated with the growth of specific brain structures: 1) parietal CTh; 2) covariance of the amygdala with CTh in visual and somatosensory areas. These brain parameters were in turn associated with lower verbal/executive function and higher spatial working memory. In sum, individual TC profiles may confer a particular brain phenotype and set of cognitive strengths and vulnerabilities, prior to adulthood.
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12
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Vijayakumar N, Ball G, Seal ML, Mundy L, Whittle S, Silk T. The development of structural covariance networks during the transition from childhood to adolescence. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9451. [PMID: 33947919 PMCID: PMC8097025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88918-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural covariance conceptualizes how morphologic properties of brain regions are related to one another (across individuals). It can provide unique information to cortical structure (e.g., thickness) about the development of functionally meaningful networks. The current study investigated how structural covariance networks develop during the transition from childhood to adolescence, a period characterized by marked structural re-organization. Participants (N = 192; scans = 366) completed MRI assessments between 8.5 and 14.5 years of age. A sliding window approach was used to create “age-bins”, and structural covariance networks (based on cortical thickness) were created for each bin. Next, generalized additive models were used to characterize trajectories of age-related changes in network properties. Results revealed nonlinear trajectories with “peaks” in mean correlation and global density that are suggestive of a period of convergence in anatomical properties across the cortex during early adolescence, prior to regional specialization. “Hub” regions in sensorimotor cortices were present by late childhood, but the extent and strength of association cortices as “hubs” increased into mid-adolescence. Moreover, these regional changes were found to be related to rates of thinning across the cortex. In the context of neurocognitive networks, the frontoparietal, default mode, and attention systems exhibited age-related increases in within-network and between-network covariance. These regional and modular developmental patterns are consistent with continued refinement of socioemotional and other complex executive functions that are supported by higher-order cognitive networks during early adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Vijayakumar
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Gareth Ball
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3053, Australia
| | - Marc L Seal
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3053, Australia
| | - Lisa Mundy
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3053, Australia.,Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, 3052, Australia
| | - Sarah Whittle
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3053, Australia
| | - Tim Silk
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.,Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, 3052, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, 3053, Australia
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13
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Role of testosterone: cortisol ratio in age- and sex-specific cortico-hippocampal development and cognitive performance. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2021; 13:28-38. [PMID: 33787479 DOI: 10.1017/s204017442100012x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) are steroid hormones that have been argued to play opposing roles in shaping physical and behavioral development in humans. While there is evidence linking T and C to different memory processes during adulthood, it remains unclear how the relative levels of T and C (TC ratio) may influence brain and behavioral development, whether they are influenced by sex of the child, and whether or not they occur as a result of stable changes in brain structure (organizational changes), as opposed to transient changes in brain function (activational changes). As such, we tested for associations among TC ratio, cortico-hippocampal structure, and standardized tests of executive, verbal, and visuo-spatial function in a longitudinal sample of typically developing 4-22-year-old children and adolescents. We found greater TC ratios to be associated with greater coordinated growth (i.e. covariance) between the hippocampus and cortical thickness in several areas primarily devoted to visual function. In addition, there was an age-related association between TC ratio and parieto-hippocampal covariance, as well as a sex-specific association between TC ratio and prefrontal-hippocampal covariance. Differences in brain structure related to TC ratio were in turn associated with lower verbal/executive function, as well as greater attention in tests of visuo-spatial abilities. These results support the notion that TC ratio may shift the balance between top-down (cortex to hippocampus) and bottom-up (hippocampus to cortex) processes, impairing more complex, cortical-based tasks and optimizing visuospatial tasks relying primarily on the hippocampus.
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14
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Vogiatzi M, Tursi JP, Jaffe JS, Hobson S, Rogol AD. Testosterone Use in Adolescent Males: Current Practice and Unmet Needs. J Endocr Soc 2021; 5:bvaa161. [PMID: 33294762 PMCID: PMC7705876 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is routinely prescribed in adolescent males with constitutional delay of growth and puberty (CDGP) or hypogonadism. With many new testosterone (T) formulations entering the market targeted for adults, we review current evidence and TRT options for adolescents and identify areas of unmet needs. We searched PubMed for articles (in English) on testosterone therapy, androgens, adolescence, and puberty in humans. The results indicate that short-term use of T enanthate (TE) or oral T undecanoate is safe and effective in inducing puberty and increasing growth in males with CDGP. Reassuring evidence is emerging on the use of transdermal T to induce and maintain puberty. The long-term safety and efficacy of TRT for puberty completion and maintenance have not been established. Current TRT regimens are based on consensus and expert opinion, but evidence-based guidelines are lacking. Limited guidance exists on when and how T should be administered and optimal strategies for monitoring therapy once it is initiated. Only TE and T pellets are US Food and Drug Administration approved for use in adolescent males in the United States. Despite the introduction of a wide variety of new T formulations, they are designed for adults, and their metered doses are difficult to titrate in adolescents. In conclusion, TRT in adolescent males is hindered by lack of long-term safety and efficacy data and limited options approved for use in this population. Additional research is needed to identify the route, dose, duration, and optimal timing for TRT in adolescents requiring androgen therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vogiatzi
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | | | - Sue Hobson
- Antares Pharma, Inc, Ewing, New Jersey, USA
| | - Alan D Rogol
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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15
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Laube C, Fuhrmann D. Is early good or bad? Early puberty onset and its consequences for learning. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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16
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Barendse ME, Simmons JG, Smith RE, Seal ML, Whittle S. Adrenarcheal hormone-related development of white matter during late childhood. Neuroimage 2020; 223:117320. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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17
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Karalexi MA, Georgakis MK, Dimitriou NG, Vichos T, Katsimpris A, Petridou ET, Papadopoulos FC. Gender-affirming hormone treatment and cognitive function in transgender young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 119:104721. [PMID: 32512250 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have examined whether steroid hormone treatment in transgender individuals may affect cognitive function; yet, their limited power does not allow firm conclusions to be drawn. We leveraged data from to-date literature aiming to explore the effect of gender-affirming hormone administration on cognitive function in transgender individuals. METHODS A search strategy of MEDLINE was developed (through June 1, 2019) using the key terms transgender, hormone therapy and cognitive function. Eligible were (i) cohort studies examining the longitudinal effect of hormone therapy on cognition, and (ii) cross-sectional studies comparing the cognitive function between treated and non-treated individuals. Standardized mean differences (Hedges' g) were pooled using random-effects models. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. OUTCOMES Ten studies (seven cohort and three cross-sectional) were eligible representing 234 birth-assigned males (aM) and 150 birth-assigned females (aF). The synthesis of cohort studies (n = 5) for visuospatial ability following hormone treatment showed a statistically significant enhancement among aF (g = 0.55, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.29, 0.82) and an improvement with a trend towards statistical significance among aM (g = 0.28, 95%CI: -0.01, 0.58). By contrast, no adverse effects of hormone administration were shown. No heterogeneity was evident in most meta-analyses. INTERPRETATION Current evidence does not support an adverse impact of hormone therapy on cognitive function, whereas a statistically significant enhancing effect on visuospatial ability was shown in aF. New longitudinal studies with longer follow-up should explore the long-term effects of hormone therapy, especially the effects on younger individuals, where there is greater scarcity of data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Karalexi
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Marios K Georgakis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos G Dimitriou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Theodoros Vichos
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Katsimpris
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Th Petridou
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Unit of Clinical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fotios C Papadopoulos
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden.
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18
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Merikangas AK, Almasy L. Using the tools of genetic epidemiology to understand sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12660. [PMID: 32348611 PMCID: PMC7507200 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Many neuropsychiatric disorders exhibit differences in prevalence, age of onset, symptoms or course of illness between males and females. For the most part, the origins of these differences are not well understood. In this article, we provide an overview of sex differences in psychiatric disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, alcohol and substance abuse, schizophrenia, eating disorders and risk of suicide. We discuss both genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that have been hypothesized to underlie these differences, including ascertainment bias, environmental stressors, X‐ or Y‐linked risk loci, and differential liability thresholds in males and females. We then review the use of twin, family and genome‐wide association approaches to study potential genetic mechanisms of sex differences and the extent to which these designs have been employed in studies of psychiatric disorders. We describe the utility of genetic epidemiologic study designs, including classical twin and family studies, large‐scale studies of population registries, derived recurrence risks, and molecular genetic analyses of genome‐wide variation that may enhance our understanding sex differences in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K Merikangas
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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19
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Mason KA, Schoelwer MJ, Rogol AD. Androgens During Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence: Physiology and Use in Clinical Practice. Endocr Rev 2020; 41:5770947. [PMID: 32115641 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We provide an in-depth review of the role of androgens in male maturation and development, from the fetal stage through adolescence into emerging adulthood, and discuss the treatment of disorders of androgen production throughout these time periods. Testosterone, the primary androgen produced by males, has both anabolic and androgenic effects. Androgen exposure induces virilization and anabolic body composition changes during fetal development, influences growth and virilization during infancy, and stimulates development of secondary sexual characteristics, growth acceleration, bone mass accrual, and alterations of body composition during puberty. Disorders of androgen production may be subdivided into hypo- or hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism may be either congenital or acquired (resulting from cranial radiation, trauma, or less common causes). Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism occurs in males with Klinefelter syndrome and may occur in response to pelvic radiation, certain chemotherapeutic agents, and less common causes. These disorders all require testosterone replacement therapy during pubertal maturation and many require lifelong replacement. Androgen (or gonadotropin) therapy is clearly beneficial in those with persistent hypogonadism and self-limited delayed puberty and is now widely used in transgender male adolescents. With more widespread use and newer formulations approved for adults, data from long-term randomized placebo-controlled trials are needed to enable pediatricians to identify the optimal age of initiation, route of administration, and dosing frequency to address the unique needs of their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Mason
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | | | - Alan D Rogol
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
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20
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Khattab A, Marshall I, Radovick S. Controversies surrounding female athletes with differences in sexual development. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:2738-2740. [DOI: 10.1172/jci138479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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21
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Delgado PF, Maya-Rosero E, Franco M, Montoya-Oviedo N, Guatibonza R, Mockus I. Testosterona y homicidio: aspectos neuroendocrinos de la agresión. REVISTA DE LA FACULTAD DE MEDICINA 2020. [DOI: 10.15446/revfacmed.v68n2.73237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introducción. Las tasas de homicidio, suicidio y agresión son mayores en el sexo masculino; la testosterona podría desempeñar un papel importante en el desarrollo de estos comportamientos. Objetivo. Realizar una revisión de los aspectos endocrinos y neurobiológicos de la testosterona y su relación con comportamientos agresivos, homicidas y suicidas.Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una revisión narrativa con diferentes estrategias de búsqueda en PubMed, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect y SciELO. Se incluyeron artículos de investigación, revisiones y reportes de caso publicados en español y en inglés entre 2002 y 2018.Resultados. De los 66 estudios incluidos en la revisión, más del 50% asociaron el comportamiento agresivo u homicida con niveles elevados de testosterona, hormona que podría modular la actividad de las vías cerebrales serotoninérgicas y dopaminérgicas involucradas en el comportamiento agresivo por medio de receptores androgénicos y estrogénicos. Se encontraron relaciones entre uso de esteroides anabólicos y homicidio, y entre testosterona circulante en mujeres y rasgos de personalidad antisocial. Asimismo, se observaron cambios de concentraciones séricas de testosterona en sujetos con tendencias suicidas.
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22
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Wernicke J, Zabel JT, Zhang Y, Becker B, Montag C. Association between tendencies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the 2D:4D digit ratio: a cross-cultural replication in Germany and China. Early Hum Dev 2020; 143:104943. [PMID: 32126477 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2019.104943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal testosterone is considered to be a possible factor contributing to the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology, but findings regarding the connection between individual variations in prenatal testosterone exposure as (indirectly) indexed by the second-to-fourth digit (2D:4D) ratio and ADHD remain inconsistent. To clarify the inconsistent findings and to facilitate generalization on the association between subclinical variations in ADHD tendencies and lower 2D:4D ratios the current study applied a cross-cultural replication approach employing independent healthy adult cohorts from Germany and China. Samples from Germany and China were matched for gender and age (in each sample nmales = 96, nfemales = 96; ageGermany: M = 21.47, SD = 2.55; ageChina: M = 21.36, SD = 2.28). All participants filled in the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Symptom Checklist (ASRS) and provided hand scans to measure 2D:4D ratios. The German sample had significantly higher 2D:4D ratios than the Chinese sample but in both samples males had significantly lower 2D:4D ratios than females. The hypothesised negative association between 2D:4D ratios and ADHD tendencies was observed on a descriptive level in German and Chinese males and with one exception in Chinese females. But only in German males correlations gained significance (range: r = -0.198 to r = -0.177). The observed effect sizes are in line with former research that was conducted in samples from different cultures. In future research on the connection between testosterone and ADHD not only prenatal but also postnatal testosterone as well as possible moderators like childhood maltreatment should be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Wernicke
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Julia Tamara Zabel
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Christian Montag
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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23
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Laube C, Lorenz R, van den Bos W. Pubertal testosterone correlates with adolescent impatience and dorsal striatal activity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 42:100749. [PMID: 31942858 PMCID: PMC7242510 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent self-report and behavioral studies have demonstrated that pubertal testosterone is related to an increase in risky and impulsive behavior. Yet, the mechanisms underlying such a relationship are poorly understood. Findings from both human and rodent studies point towards distinct striatal pathways including the ventral and dorsal striatum as key target regions for pubertal hormones. In this study we investigated task-related impatience of boys between 10 and 15 years of age (N = 75), using an intertemporal choice task combined with measures of functional magnetic resonance imaging and hormonal assessment. Increased levels of testosterone were associated with a greater response bias towards choosing the smaller sooner option. Furthermore, our results show that testosterone specifically modulates the dorsal, not ventral, striatal pathway. These results provide novel insights into our understanding of adolescent impulsive and risky behaviors and how pubertal hormones are related to neural processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Laube
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Robert Lorenz
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wouter van den Bos
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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24
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Laube C, van den Bos W, Fandakova Y. The relationship between pubertal hormones and brain plasticity: Implications for cognitive training in adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 42:100753. [PMID: 32072931 PMCID: PMC7005587 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence may mark a sensitive period for the development of higher-order cognition through enhanced plasticity of cortical circuits. At the same time, animal research indicates that pubertal hormones may represent one key mechanism for closing sensitive periods in the associative neocortex, thereby resulting in decreased plasticity of cortical circuits in adolescence. In the present review, we set out to solve some of the existing ambiguity and examine how hormonal changes associated with pubertal onset may modulate plasticity in higher-order cognition during adolescence. We build on existing age-comparative cognitive training studies to explore how the potential for change in neural resources and behavioral repertoire differs across age groups. We review animal and human brain imaging studies, which demonstrate a link between brain development, neurochemical mechanisms of plasticity, and pubertal hormones. Overall, the existent literature indicates that pubertal hormones play a pivotal role in regulating the mechanisms of experience-dependent plasticity during adolescence. However, the extent to which hormonal changes associated with pubertal onset increase or decrease brain plasticity may depend on the specific cognitive domain, the sex, and associated brain networks. We discuss implications for future research and suggest that systematical longitudinal assessments of pubertal change together with cognitive training interventions may be a fruitful way toward a better understanding of adolescent plasticity. As the age of pubertal onset is decreasing across developed societies, this may also have important educational and clinical implications, especially with respect to the effects that earlier puberty has on learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinna Laube
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Yana Fandakova
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
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25
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Hillerer KM, Slattery DA, Pletzer B. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in stress-related disorders: Effects of neuroactive steroids on the hippocampus. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100796. [PMID: 31580837 PMCID: PMC7115954 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their vulnerability to a variety of stress-related illnesses, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. This is likely due to a comparative dearth of neurobiological studies that assess male and female rodents at the same time, while human neuroimaging studies often don't model sex as a variable of interest. These sex differences are often attributed to the actions of sex hormones, i.e. estrogens, progestogens and androgens. In this review, we summarize the results on sex hormone actions in the hippocampus and seek to bridge the gap between animal models and findings in humans. However, while effects of sex hormones on the hippocampus are largely consistent in animals and humans, methodological differences challenge the comparability of animal and human studies on stress effects. We summarise our current understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie sex-related differences in behavior and discuss implications for stress-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Salzburger Landeskrankenhaus (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Clinical Research Center Salzburg (CRCS), Salzburg, Austria.
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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26
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Albaugh MD, Hudziak JJ, Orr C, Spechler PA, Chaarani B, Mackey S, Lepage C, Fonov V, Rioux P, Evans AC, Banaschewski T, Bokde ALW, Bromberg U, Büchel C, Quinlan EB, Desrivières S, Flor H, Grigis A, Gowland P, Heinz A, Ittermann B, Martinot JL, Martinot MLP, Nees F, Orfanos DP, Paus T, Poustka L, Millenet S, Fröhner JH, Smolka MN, Walter H, Whelan R, Schumann G, Potter AS, Garavan H. Amygdalar reactivity is associated with prefrontal cortical thickness in a large population-based sample of adolescents. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216152. [PMID: 31048888 PMCID: PMC6497259 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In structural neuroimaging studies, reduced cerebral cortical thickness in orbital and ventromedial prefrontal regions is frequently interpreted as reflecting an impaired ability to downregulate neuronal activity in the amygdalae. Unfortunately, little research has been conducted in order to test this conjecture. We examine the extent to which amygdalar reactivity is associated with cortical thickness in a population-based sample of adolescents. Data were obtained from the IMAGEN study, which includes 2,223 adolescents. While undergoing functional neuroimaging, participants passively viewed video clips of a face that started from a neutral expression and progressively turned angry, or, instead, turned to a second neutral expression. Left and right amygdala ROIs were used to extract mean BOLD signal change for the angry minus neutral face contrast for all subjects. T1-weighted images were processed through the CIVET pipeline (version 2.1.0). In variable-centered analyses, local cortical thickness was regressed against amygdalar reactivity using first and second-order linear models. In a follow-up person-centered analysis, we defined a “high reactive” group of participants based on mean amygdalar BOLD signal change for the angry minus neutral face contrast. Between-group differences in cortical thickness were examined (“high reactive” versus all other participants). A significant association was revealed between the continuous measure of amygdalar reactivity and bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortical thickness in a second-order linear model (p < 0.05, corrected). The “high reactive” group, in comparison to all other participants, possessed reduced cortical thickness in bilateral orbital and ventromedial prefrontal cortices, bilateral anterior temporal cortices, left caudal middle temporal gyrus, and the left inferior and middle frontal gyri (p < 0.05, corrected). Results are consistent with non-human primate studies, and provide empirical support for an association between reduced prefrontal cortical thickness and amygdalar reactivity. Future research will likely benefit from investigating the degree to which psychopathology qualifies relations between prefrontal cortical structure and amygdalar reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Albaugh
- Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - James. J. Hudziak
- Vermont Center for Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Catherine Orr
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Philip A. Spechler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Bader Chaarani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Scott Mackey
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Claude Lepage
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Vladimir Fonov
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Rioux
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alan C. Evans
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tobias Banaschewski
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arun L. W. Bokde
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Uli Bromberg
- University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Erin Burke Quinlan
- Medical Research Council—Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Sylvane Desrivières
- Medical Research Council—Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Herta Flor
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antoine Grigis
- NeuroSpin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Penny Gowland
- Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Charité –Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Ittermann
- Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig and Berlin, Germany [or depending on journal requirements can be: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 “Neuroimaging & Psychiatry”, University Paris Sud, University Paris Descartes—Sorbonne Paris Cité; and Maison de Solenn, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Laure Paillère Martinot
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, INSERM Unit 1000 “Neuroimaging & Psychiatry”; University Paris Sud; University Paris Descartes; Sorbonne Universités; and AP-HP, Department of Child and AdolescentPsychiatryPitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Frauke Nees
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Tomáš Paus
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luise Poustka
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Centre Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabina Millenet
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Juliane H. Fröhner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael N. Smolka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroimaging Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Henrik Walter
- Charité –Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Whelan
- School of Psychology and Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Medical Research Council—Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra S. Potter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
| | - Hugh Garavan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States of America
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27
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Nguyen TV, Jones SL, Gower T, Lew J, Albaugh MD, Botteron KN, Hudziak JJ, Fonov VS, Collins DL, Campbell BC, Booij L, Herba CM, Monnier P, Ducharme S, Waber D, McCracken JT. Age-specific associations between oestradiol, cortico-amygdalar structural covariance, and verbal and spatial skills. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12698. [PMID: 30776161 PMCID: PMC6482064 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Oestradiol is known to play an important role in the developing human brain, although little is known about the entire network of potential regions that might be affected and how these effects may vary from childhood to early adulthood, which in turn can explain sexually differentiated behaviours. In the present study, we examined the relationships between oestradiol, cortico-amygdalar structural covariance, and cognitive or behavioural measures typically showing sex differences (verbal/spatial skills, anxious-depressed symptomatology) in 152 children and adolescents (aged 6-22 years). Cortico-amygdalar structural covariance shifted from positive to negative across the age range. Oestradiol was found to diminish the impact of age on cortico-amygdalar covariance for the pre-supplementary motor area/frontal eye field and retrosplenial cortex (across the age range), as well as for the posterior cingulate cortex (in older children). Moreover, the influence of oestradiol on age-related cortico-amygdalar networks was associated with higher word identification and spatial working memory (across the age range), as well as higher reading comprehension (in older children), although it did not impact anxious-depressed symptoms. There were no significant sex effects on any of the above relationships. These findings confirm the importance of developmental timing on oestradiol-related effects and hint at the non-sexually dimorphic role of oestradiol-related cortico-amygdalar structural networks in aspects of cognition distinct from emotional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A1A1
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Sherri Lee Jones
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Tricia Gower
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Jimin Lew
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Matthew D Albaugh
- Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA, 05405
| | - Kelly N Botteron
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA, 63110
- Brain Development Cooperative Group
| | - James J Hudziak
- Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA, 05405
- Brain Development Cooperative Group
| | - Vladimir S Fonov
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC Canada H3A 2B4
| | - D. Louis Collins
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC Canada H3A 2B4
| | - Benjamin C Campbell
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA, 53211
| | - Linda Booij
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A1A1
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6
- CHU Sainte Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3T1C5
| | - Catherine M. Herba
- CHU Sainte Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3T1C5
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC,
Canada
| | - Patricia Monnier
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1
| | - Simon Ducharme
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A1A1
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC Canada H3A 2B4
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1A1
| | - Deborah Waber
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, 02115
| | - James T McCracken
- Brain Development Cooperative Group
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of California in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA,
USA, 90024
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28
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Effects of age, sex, and puberty on neural efficiency of cognitive and motor control in adolescents. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 14:1089-1107. [PMID: 30903550 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Critical changes in adolescence involve brain cognitive maturation of inhibitory control processes that are essential for a myriad of adult functions. Cognitive control advances into adulthood as there is more flexible integration of component processes, including inhibitory control of conflicting information, overwriting inappropriate response tendencies, and amplifying relevant responses for accurate execution. Using a modified Stroop task with fMRI, we investigated the effects of age, sex, and puberty on brain functional correlates of cognitive and motor control in 87 boys and 91 girls across the adolescent age range. Results revealed dissociable brain systems for cognitive and motor control processes, whereby adolescents flexibly adapted neural responses to control demands. Specifically, when response repetitions facilitated planning-based action selection, frontoparietal-insular regions associated with cognitive control operations were less activated, whereas cortical-pallidal-cerebellar motor regions associated with motor skill acquisition, were more activated. Attenuated middle cingulate cortex activation occurred with older adolescent age for both motor control and cognitive control with automaticity from repetition learning. Sexual dimorphism for control operations occurred in extrastriate cortices involved in visuo-attentional selection: While boys enhanced extrastriate selection processes for motor control, girls activated these regions more for cognitive control. These sex differences were attenuated with more advanced pubertal stage. Together, our findings show that brain cognitive and motor control processes are segregated, demand-specific, more efficient in older adolescents, and differ between sexes relative to pubertal development. Our findings advance our understanding of how distributed brain activity and the neurodevelopment of automaticity enhances cognitive and motor control ability in adolescence.
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Akgül GY, Ayaz AB, Yildirim B, Fis NP. Autistic Traits and Executive Functions in Children and Adolescents With Gender Dysphoria. JOURNAL OF SEX & MARITAL THERAPY 2019; 44:619-626. [PMID: 29419374 DOI: 10.1080/0092623x.2018.1437489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to examine the autistic traits and executive functions that may require clinical attention in children and adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD). The study sample consisted of 25 patients with GD and 50 controls (aged five to 17 years). The instruments were the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The GD (mean age: 11.56 ± 4.15 years) and control (mean age: 11.42 ± 3.91 years) groups were similar with respect to age and sex; around 50% of the GD group (n = 13) and control groups were male (n = 26). The BRIEF metacognitive index (t = 7.023, p < 0.001), behavioral regulation index (t = 6.340, p < 0.001), and global executive composite (t = 7.268, p < 0.001) scores were significantly higher in the GD group when compared with the controls. Similarly, mean SRS scores were significantly higher in the GD group (t = 4.978, p < 0.001). The GD group had statistically significant higher BRIEF global scores even after controlling for SRS-key autism scores (p < 0.001). Young people with GD had relatively more disturbed behavior related to executive functions and social impairment associated with autistic traits when compared with their control counterparts. Although preliminary, our results may indicate a possible neurodevelopmental background for individuals with GD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gözde Yazkan Akgül
- a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Marmara University Tip Fakultesi , Istanbul , Turkey
| | - Ayşe Burcu Ayaz
- a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Marmara University Tip Fakultesi , Istanbul , Turkey
| | - Burcu Yildirim
- a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Marmara University Tip Fakultesi , Istanbul , Turkey
| | - Nese Perdahli Fis
- a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Marmara University Tip Fakultesi , Istanbul , Turkey
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30
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Yang D, Zhang W, Zhu Y, Liu P, Tao B, Fu Y, Chen Y, Zhou L, Liu L, Gao X, Liu X, Rubin LH, Sweeney JA, Yan Z. Initiation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Young Girls Undergoing Central Precocious Puberty Exerts Remodeling Effects on the Prefrontal Cortex. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:332. [PMID: 31133903 PMCID: PMC6524415 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Central precocious puberty (CPP) has been shown to exert significant effects on psychosocial development. These early puberty-related hormones and psychosocial functional changes are considered to be associated with specific brain development. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the sculpting of human brain architecture and modulation of psychosocial transformation by puberty-related hormonal maturation remain elusive, especially during the early phase of CPP. The current investigation aims to specify the brain regions in which early hormone-related maturation effects occur during CPP and their relationships with psychological functions. 65 young girls (aged 4.3-8.0 years) underwent structural imaging on a 3T MR system, completed psychological tests and performed the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test to identify hormonal manifestations of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) activation. Based on the GnRH test, 28 young girls were identified with CPP, whereas the other 37 girls were identified with non-central precocious puberty (NCPP). Cortical parameters were calculated and compared between the two groups after adjusting for age, weight, and height. Brain regions showing group differences were extracted and correlated with serum hormone levels and psychological parameters. The CPP girls showed thinner cortices primarily in the right rostral middle frontal cortex. This morphological difference was positively correlated with stimulated estradiol (E2) levels. Further, higher E2 levels were significantly associated with higher hyperactivity scores. Premature HPG axis activation in CPP girls at an early stage appears to exert remodeling effects on brain anatomy, primarily in the prefrontal cortex, which may affect psychological development following the emergence of robust changes in sex hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, the Center for Medical Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaxin Zhu
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Peining Liu
- Department of Child Health Care, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Bo Tao
- Department of Radiology, the Center for Medical Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuchuan Fu
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Radiology, the Center for Medical Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Gao
- Department of Radiology, the Center for Medical Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Radiology, People's Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China
| | - Xiaozheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Leah H Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Radiology, the Center for Medical Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Zhihan Yan
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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32
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Male offspring born to mildly ZIKV-infected mice are at risk of developing neurocognitive disorders in adulthood. Nat Microbiol 2018; 3:1161-1174. [PMID: 30202017 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0236-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) syndrome may cause fetal microcephaly in ~1% of affected newborns. Here, we investigate whether the majority of clinically inapparent newborns might suffer from long-term health impairments not readily visible at birth. Infection of immunocompetent pregnant mice with high-dose ZIKV caused severe offspring phenotypes, such as fetal death, as expected. By contrast, low-dose (LD) maternal ZIKV infection resulted in reduced fetal birth weight but no other obvious phenotypes. Male offspring born to LD ZIKV-infected mothers had increased testosterone (TST) levels and were less likely to survive in utero infection compared to their female littermates. Males also presented an increased number of immature neurons in apical and basal hippocampal dendrites, while female offspring had immature neurons in basal dendrites only. Moreover, male offspring with high but not very high (storm) TST levels were more likely to suffer from learning and memory impairments compared to females. Future studies are required to understand the impact of TST on neuropathological and neurocognitive impairments in later life. In summary, increased sex-specific vigilance is required in countries with high ZIKV prevalence, where impaired neurodevelopment may be camouflaged by a healthy appearance at birth.
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33
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Vijayakumar N, Op de Macks Z, Shirtcliff EA, Pfeifer JH. Puberty and the human brain: Insights into adolescent development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 92:417-436. [PMID: 29972766 PMCID: PMC6234123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alongside the exponential flourish of research on age-related trajectories of human brain development during childhood and adolescence in the past two decades, there has been an increase in the body of work examining the association between pubertal development and brain maturation. This review systematically examines empirical research on puberty-related structural and functional brain development in humans, with the aim of identifying convergent patterns of associations. We emphasize longitudinal studies, and discuss pervasive but oft-overlooked methodological issues that may be contributing to inconsistent findings and hindering progress (e.g., conflating distinct pubertal indices and different measurement instruments). We also briefly evaluate support for prominent models of adolescent neurodevelopment that hypothesize puberty-related changes in brain regions involved in affective and motivational processes. For the field to progress, replication studies are needed to help resolve current inconsistencies and gain a clearer understanding of pubertal associations with brain development in humans, knowledge that is crucial to make sense of the changes in psychosocial functioning, risk behavior, and mental health during adolescence.
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34
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Girls' pubertal development is associated with white matter microstructure in late adolescence. Neuroimage 2018; 181:659-669. [PMID: 30056197 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.07.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Patterns of pubertal maturation have been linked to vulnerability for emotion dysregulation disorders in girls, as well as white matter (WM) development, suggestive of a potential mechanism between pubertal maturation and emotional health. Because pubertal processes begin at varying ages (i.e., status, timing) and proceed at varying rates (i.e., tempo), identifying individual differences in the pubertal course associated with subsequent WM microstructure development may reveal clues about neurobiological mechanisms of girls' emotional well-being. In a prospective cohort study of 107 girls, we examined associations between pubertal status at age 9, pubertal timing and tempo from ages 9-15, and WM microstructure at age 19. Tract-based spatial statistics revealed that girls with more advanced pubertal status at age 9, specific to gonadal-related physical changes, had higher fractional anisotropy, and lower mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity in tracts relevant to cognitive control and emotion regulation (e.g., the superior longitudinal fasciculus, external capsule, and uncinate fasciculus). Additionally, girls with earlier pubertal timing showed lower MD in the left anterior cingulum bundle. Tempo was unrelated to WM measures. These findings implicate specific aspects of pubertal maturation in subsequent neural signatures, suggesting possible neuroendocrine mechanisms relevant to emotional development. Future work incorporating longitudinal neuroimaging in parallel with pubertal measures may contribute to the understanding of individual variation in pubertal course and WM development.
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35
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Nguyen TV. Developmental effects of androgens in the human brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30. [PMID: 28489322 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine theories of brain development posit that androgens play a crucial role in sex-specific cortical growth, although little is known about the differential effects of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on cortico-limbic development and cognition during adolescence. In this context, the National Institutes of Health Study of Normal Brain Development, a longitudinal study of typically developing children and adolescents aged 4-24 years (n=433), offers a unique opportunity to examine the developmental effects of androgens on cortico-limbic maturation and cognition. Using data from this sample, our group found that higher testosterone levels were associated with left-sided decreases in cortical thickness (CTh) in post-pubertal boys, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, compared to right-sided increases in CTh in somatosensory areas in pre-pubertal girls. Prefrontal-amygdala and prefrontal-hippocampal structural covariance (considered to reflect structural connectivity) also varied according to testosterone levels, with the testosterone-related brain phenotype predicting higher aggression levels and lower executive function, particularly in boys. By contrast, DHEA was associated with a pre-pubertal increase in CTh of several regions involved in cognitive control in both boys and girls. Covariance within several cortico-amygdalar structural networks also varied as a function of DHEA levels, with the DHEA-related brain phenotype predicting improvements in visual attention in both boys and girls. DHEA-related cortico-hippocampal structural covariance, on the other hand, predicted higher scores on a test of working memory. Interestingly, there were significant interactions between testosterone and DHEA, such that DHEA tended to mitigate the anti-proliferative effects of testosterone on brain structure. In sum, testosterone-related effects on the developing brain may lead to detrimental effects on cortical functions (ie, higher aggression and lower executive function), whereas DHEA-related effects may optimise cortical functions (ie, better attention and working memory), perhaps by decreasing the influence of amygdalar and hippocampal afferents on cortical functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- T-V Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
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36
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Yao S, Song J, Gao J, Lin P, Yang M, Zahid KR, Yan Y, Cao C, Ma P, Zhang H, Li Z, Huang C, Ding H, Xu G. Cognitive Function and Serum Hormone Levels Are Associated with Gray Matter Volume Decline in Female Patients with Prolactinomas. Front Neurol 2018; 8:742. [PMID: 29434564 PMCID: PMC5797301 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objective Cognitive impairments have been reported in patients with hyperprolactinemia; however, there is a lack of knowledge of brain structure alterations relevant to hyperprolactinemia in prolactinomas. Thus, we aimed to identify changes in brain structure in prolactinomas and to determine whether these changes are related to cognitive performance and clinical characteristics. Methods Participants were 32 female patients with prolactinomas and 26 healthy controls (HC) matched for age, sex, education, and handedness. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging brain scans, neuropsychological assessments, and clinical evaluations. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to identify changes in gray matter volume (GMV). Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to determine the relationship between GMV, cognition, and clinical characteristics. Results Compared to HC, patients with prolactinomas demonstrated a decrease in GMV in the left hippocampus, left orbitofrontal cortex, right middle frontal cortex (MFC), and right inferior frontal cortex (IFC). In addition, patients performed worse than controls on tests for verbal memory and executive function, and this was significantly related to the GMV of the left hippocampus and right MFC, respectively. Moreover, in the patients, we found a negative relationship between serum prolactin levels and the GMV of the left hippocampus and right IFC, whereas a positive relationship was found between the GMV of the left hippocampus and serum levels of estradiol and luteinizing hormone. Conclusion In patients with prolactinomas, specific brain structure abnormalities have been identified and are associated with cognitive impairments and dysfunctional hormones. This study enhances our understanding of brain structure changes that may occur with prolactinomas and provides novel and fundamental evidence for previous behavioral findings relevant to hyperprolactinemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Junfeng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central of University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central of University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Kashif Rafiq Zahid
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Science, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenglong Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhouyue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Huichao Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Guozheng Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
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37
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Chung YS, Hyatt CJ, Stevens MC. Adolescent maturation of the relationship between cortical gyrification and cognitive ability. Neuroimage 2017; 158:319-331. [PMID: 28676299 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There are changes to the degree of cortical folding from gestation through adolescence into young adulthood. Recent evidence suggests that degree of cortical folding is linked to individual differences in general cognitive ability in healthy adults. However, it is not yet known whether age-related cortical folding changes are related to maturation of specific cognitive abilities in adolescence. To address this, we examined the relationship between frontoparietal cortical folding as measured by a Freesurfer-derived local gyrification index (lGI) and performance on subtests from the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and scores from Conner's Continuous Performance Test-II in 241 healthy adolescents (ages 12-25 years). We hypothesized that age-related lGI changes in the frontoparietal cortex would contribute to cognitive development. A secondary goal was to explore if any gyrification-cognition relationships were either test-specific or sex-specific. Consistent with previous studies, our results showed a reduction of frontoparietal local gyrification with age. Also, as predicted, all cognitive test scores (i.e., Vocabulary, Matrix Reasoning, the CPT-II Commission, Omission, Variabiltiy, d') showed age × cognitive ability interaction effects in frontoparietal and temporoparietal brain regions. Mediation analyses confirmed a causal role of age-related cortical folding changes only for CPT-II Commission errors. Taken together, the results support the functional significance of cortical folding, as well as provide the first evidence that cortical folding maturational changes play a role in cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun Chung
- Clinical Neuroscience and Development Laboratory, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, 200 Retreat Avenue, Whitehall Building, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Christopher J Hyatt
- Clinical Neuroscience and Development Laboratory, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, 200 Retreat Avenue, Whitehall Building, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - Michael C Stevens
- Clinical Neuroscience and Development Laboratory, Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, 200 Retreat Avenue, Whitehall Building, Institute of Living, Hartford, CT 06106, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George St., Suite 901, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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