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Wei W, Ma S, Fu B, Song R, Guo H. Human-specific insights into candidate genes and boosted discoveries of novel loci illuminate roles of neuroglia in reading disorders. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 23:e12899. [PMID: 38752599 PMCID: PMC11097622 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Reading disorders (RD) are human-specific neuropsychological conditions associated with decoding printed words and/or reading comprehension. So far only a handful of candidate genes segregated in families and 42 loci from genome-wide association study (GWAS) have been identified that jointly provided little clues of pathophysiology. Leveraging human-specific genomic information, we critically assessed the RD candidates for the first time and found substantial human-specific features within. The GWAS candidates (i.e., population signals) were distinct from the familial counterparts and were more likely pleiotropic in neuropsychiatric traits and to harbor human-specific regulatory elements (HSREs). Candidate genes associated with human cortical morphology indeed showed human-specific expression in adult brain cortices, particularly in neuroglia likely regulated by HSREs. Expression levels of candidate genes across human brain developmental stages showed a clear pattern of uplifted expression in early brain development crucial to RD development. Following the new insights and loci pleiotropic in cognitive traits, we identified four novel genes from the GWAS sub-significant associations (i.e., FOXO3, MAPT, KMT2E and HTT) and the Semaphorin gene family with functional priors (i.e., SEMA3A, SEMA3E and SEMA5B). These novel genes were related to neuronal plasticity and disorders, mostly conserved the pattern of uplifted expression in early brain development and had evident expression in cortical neuroglial cells. Our findings jointly illuminated the association of RD with neuroglia regulation-an emerging hotspot in studying neurodevelopmental disorders, and highlighted the need of improving RD phenotyping to avoid jeopardizing future genetic studies of RD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen‐Hua Wei
- Centre for Biostatistics, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary CareThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
| | - Shaowei Ma
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Children's Cognition and Digital Education and School of Foreign LanguagesLangfang Normal UniversityLangfangChina
| | - Bo Fu
- School of Data ScienceFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Ranran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Hui Guo
- Centre for Biostatistics, Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary CareThe University of ManchesterManchesterUK
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2
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Bonte M, Brem S. Unraveling individual differences in learning potential: A dynamic framework for the case of reading development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101362. [PMID: 38447471 PMCID: PMC10925938 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Children show an enormous capacity to learn during development, but with large individual differences in the time course and trajectory of learning and the achieved skill level. Recent progress in developmental sciences has shown the contribution of a multitude of factors including genetic variation, brain plasticity, socio-cultural context and learning experiences to individual development. These factors interact in a complex manner, producing children's idiosyncratic and heterogeneous learning paths. Despite an increasing recognition of these intricate dynamics, current research on the development of culturally acquired skills such as reading still has a typical focus on snapshots of children's performance at discrete points in time. Here we argue that this 'static' approach is often insufficient and limits advancements in the prediction and mechanistic understanding of individual differences in learning capacity. We present a dynamic framework which highlights the importance of capturing short-term trajectories during learning across multiple stages and processes as a proxy for long-term development on the example of reading. This framework will help explain relevant variability in children's learning paths and outcomes and fosters new perspectives and approaches to study how children develop and learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milene Bonte
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| | - Silvia Brem
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Switzerland; URPP Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning (AdaBD), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Hara Y, Katsuyama T, Fukaya M, Sugawara T, Shiroshima T, Sadakata T, Osumi N, Sakagami H. ADP Ribosylation Factor 4 (Arf4) Regulates Radial Migration through N-Cadherin Trafficking during Cerebral Cortical Development. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0125-23.2023. [PMID: 37848288 PMCID: PMC10630928 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0125-23.2023] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
During the development of the cerebral cortex, N-cadherin plays a crucial role in facilitating radial migration by enabling cell-to-cell adhesion between migrating neurons and radial glial fibers or Cajar-Reztius cells. ADP ribosylation factor 4 (Arf4) and Arf5, which belong to the Class II Arf small GTPase subfamily, control membrane trafficking in the endocytic and secretory pathways. However, their specific contribution to cerebral cortex development remains unclear. In this study, we sought to investigate the functional involvement of Class II Arfs in radial migration during the layer formation of the cerebral cortex using mouse embryos and pups. Our findings indicate that knock-down of Arf4, but not Arf5, resulted in the stalling of transfected neurons with disorientation of the Golgi in the upper intermediate zone (IZ) and reduction in the migration speed in both the IZ and cortical plate (CP). Migrating neurons with Arf4 knock-down exhibited cytoplasmic accumulation of N-cadherin, along with disturbed organelle morphology and distribution. Furthermore, supplementation of exogenous N-cadherin partially rescued the migration defect caused by Arf4 knock-down. In conclusion, our results suggest that Arf4 plays a crucial role in regulating radial migration via N-cadherin trafficking during cerebral cortical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinobu Hara
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takehiko Katsuyama
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Masahiro Fukaya
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Takeyuki Sugawara
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Tomoko Shiroshima
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Sadakata
- Education and Research Support Center, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8511, Japan
| | - Noriko Osumi
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Sakagami
- Department of Anatomy, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-0374, Japan
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4
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Lachmann T, Bergström K. The multiple-level framework of developmental dyslexia: the long trace from a neurodevelopmental deficit to an impaired cultural technique. JOURNAL OF CULTURAL COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s41809-023-00118-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
AbstractDevelopmental dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an unexpected impairment in literacy acquisition leading to specific poor academic achievement and possible secondary symptoms. The multi-level framework of developmental dyslexia considers five levels of a causal pathway on which a given genotype is expressed and hierarchically transmitted from one level to the next under the increasing influence of individual learning-relevant traits and environmental factors moderated by cultural conditions. These levels are the neurobiological, the information processing and the skill level (prerequisites and acquisition of literacy skills), the academic achievement level and the level of secondary effects. Various risk factors are present at each level within the assumed causal pathway and can increase the likelihood of exhibiting developmental dyslexia. Transition from one level to the next is neither unidirectional nor inevitable. This fact has direct implications for prevention and intervention which can mitigate transitions from one level to the next. In this paper, various evidence-based theories and findings regarding deficits at different levels are placed in the proposed framework. In addition, the moderating effect of cultural impact at and between information processing and skill levels are further elaborated based on a review of findings regarding influences of different writing systems and orthographies. These differences impose culture-specific demands for literacy-specific cognitive procedures, influencing both literacy acquisition and the manifestation of developmental dyslexia.
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5
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Price KM, Wigg KG, Nigam A, Feng Y, Blokland K, Wilkinson M, Kerr EN, Guger SL, Lovett MW, Strug LJ, Tripathy SJ, Barr CL. Identification of brain cell types underlying genetic association with word reading and correlated traits. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1719-1730. [PMID: 36750735 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-01970-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies implicate multiple cortical regions in reading ability/disability. However, the neural cell types integral to the reading process are unknown. To contribute to this gap in knowledge, we integrated genetic results from genome-wide association studies for word reading (n = 5054) with gene expression datasets from adult/fetal human brain. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) suggested that variants associated with word reading were enriched in genes expressed in adult excitatory neurons, specifically layer 5 and 6 FEZF2 expressing neurons and intratelencephalic (IT) neurons, which express the marker genes LINC00507, THEMIS, or RORB. Inhibitory neurons (VIP, SST, and PVALB) were also found. This finding was interesting as neurometabolite studies previously implicated excitatory-inhibitory imbalances in the etiology of reading disabilities (RD). We also tested traits that shared genetic etiology with word reading (previously determined by polygenic risk scores): attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), educational attainment, and cognitive ability. For ADHD, we identified enrichment in L4 IT adult excitatory neurons. For educational attainment and cognitive ability, we confirmed previous studies identifying multiple subclasses of adult cortical excitatory and inhibitory neurons, as well as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. For educational attainment and cognitive ability, we also identified enrichment in multiple fetal cortical excitatory and inhibitory neurons, intermediate progenitor cells, and radial glial cells. In summary, this study supports a role of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in reading and excitatory neurons in ADHD and contributes new information on fetal cell types enriched in educational attainment and cognitive ability, thereby improving our understanding of the neurobiological basis of reading/correlated traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Price
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Karen G Wigg
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anukrati Nigam
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yu Feng
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kirsten Blokland
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Margaret Wilkinson
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Elizabeth N Kerr
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sharon L Guger
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maureen W Lovett
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa J Strug
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Departments of Statistical Sciences and Computer Science, Faculty of Arts and Science and Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shreejoy J Tripathy
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cathy L Barr
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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6
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Price KM, Wigg KG, Eising E, Feng Y, Blokland K, Wilkinson M, Kerr EN, Guger SL, Fisher SE, Lovett MW, Strug LJ, Barr CL. Hypothesis-driven genome-wide association studies provide novel insights into genetics of reading disabilities. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:495. [PMID: 36446759 PMCID: PMC9709072 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02250-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reading Disability (RD) is often characterized by difficulties in the phonology of the language. While the molecular mechanisms underlying it are largely undetermined, loci are being revealed by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In a previous GWAS for word reading (Price, 2020), we observed that top single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were located near to or in genes involved in neuronal migration/axon guidance (NM/AG) or loci implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A prominent theory of RD etiology posits that it involves disturbed neuronal migration, while potential links between RD-ASD have not been extensively investigated. To improve power to identify associated loci, we up-weighted variants involved in NM/AG or ASD, separately, and performed a new Hypothesis-Driven (HD)-GWAS. The approach was applied to a Toronto RD sample and a meta-analysis of the GenLang Consortium. For the Toronto sample (n = 624), no SNPs reached significance; however, by gene-set analysis, the joint contribution of ASD-related genes passed the threshold (p~1.45 × 10-2, threshold = 2.5 × 10-2). For the GenLang Cohort (n = 26,558), SNPs in DOCK7 and CDH4 showed significant association for the NM/AG hypothesis (sFDR q = 1.02 × 10-2). To make the GenLang dataset more similar to Toronto, we repeated the analysis restricting to samples selected for reading/language deficits (n = 4152). In this GenLang selected subset, we found significant association for a locus intergenic between BTG3-C21orf91 for both hypotheses (sFDR q < 9.00 × 10-4). This study contributes candidate loci to the genetics of word reading. Data also suggest that, although different variants may be involved, alleles implicated in ASD risk may be found in the same genes as those implicated in word reading. This finding is limited to the Toronto sample suggesting that ascertainment influences genetic associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Price
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen G Wigg
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Else Eising
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yu Feng
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kirsten Blokland
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Margaret Wilkinson
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth N Kerr
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sharon L Guger
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maureen W Lovett
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa J Strug
- Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Departments of Statistical Sciences and Computer Science, Faculty of Arts and Science and Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cathy L Barr
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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7
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Galaburda AM. Animal models of developmental dyslexia. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:981801. [DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.981801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
As some critics have stated, the term “developmental dyslexia” refers to a strictly human disorder, relating to a strictly human capacity – reading – so it cannot be modeled in experimental animals, much less so in lowly rodents. However, two endophenotypes associated with developmental dyslexia are eminently suitable for animal modeling: Cerebral Lateralization, as illustrated by the association between dyslexia and non-righthandedness, and Cerebrocortical Dysfunction, as illustrated by the described abnormal structural anatomy and/or physiology and functional imaging of the dyslexic cerebral cortex. This paper will provide a brief review of these two endophenotypes in human beings with developmental dyslexia and will describe the animal work done in my laboratory and that of others to try to shed light on the etiology of and neural mechanisms underlying developmental dyslexia. Some thought will also be given to future directions of the research.
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8
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Doust C, Fontanillas P, Eising E, Gordon SD, Wang Z, Alagöz G, Molz B, Pourcain BS, Francks C, Marioni RE, Zhao J, Paracchini S, Talcott JB, Monaco AP, Stein JF, Gruen JR, Olson RK, Willcutt EG, DeFries JC, Pennington BF, Smith SD, Wright MJ, Martin NG, Auton A, Bates TC, Fisher SE, Luciano M. Discovery of 42 genome-wide significant loci associated with dyslexia. Nat Genet 2022; 54:1621-1629. [PMID: 36266505 PMCID: PMC9649434 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01192-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Reading and writing are crucial life skills but roughly one in ten children are affected by dyslexia, which can persist into adulthood. Family studies of dyslexia suggest heritability up to 70%, yet few convincing genetic markers have been found. Here we performed a genome-wide association study of 51,800 adults self-reporting a dyslexia diagnosis and 1,087,070 controls and identified 42 independent genome-wide significant loci: 15 in genes linked to cognitive ability/educational attainment, and 27 new and potentially more specific to dyslexia. We validated 23 loci (13 new) in independent cohorts of Chinese and European ancestry. Genetic etiology of dyslexia was similar between sexes, and genetic covariance with many traits was found, including ambidexterity, but not neuroanatomical measures of language-related circuitry. Dyslexia polygenic scores explained up to 6% of variance in reading traits, and might in future contribute to earlier identification and remediation of dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Doust
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Else Eising
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Scott D Gordon
- Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zhengjun Wang
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University and Shaanxi Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
| | - Gökberk Alagöz
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Barbara Molz
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Beate St Pourcain
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Riccardo E Marioni
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University and Shaanxi Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Joel B Talcott
- Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - John F Stein
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Jeffrey R Gruen
- Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale Medical School, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Richard K Olson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Erik G Willcutt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - John C DeFries
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Shelley D Smith
- Department of Neurological Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Margaret J Wright
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicholas G Martin
- Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Timothy C Bates
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle Luciano
- Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
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Hernández D, Kärkkäinen S, Tulonen T, Helenius P, Salmelin R, Parviainen T. Attentional modulation of interhemispheric (a)symmetry in children with developmental language disorder. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17904. [PMID: 36284164 PMCID: PMC9596496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22820-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The nature of auditory processing problems in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) is still poorly understood. Much research has been devoted to determining the extent to which DLD is associated with general auditory versus language-specific dysfunction. However, less emphasis has been given to the role of different task conditions in these dysfunctions. We explored whether children with DLD demonstrate atypical interhemispheric asymmetry during the auditory processing of speech and non-speech sounds and whether this interhemispheric balance is modulated by attention. Magnetoencephalography was used to record auditory evoked fields in 18 children (9 to 10 years old), 9 with DLD and 9 with language typical development, during active or passive listening to speech and non-speech sounds. A linear mixed model analysis revealed a bilateral effect of attention in both groups. Participants with DLD demonstrated atypical interhemispheric asymmetry, specifically in the later (185-600 ms) time window but only during the passive listening condition. During the active task, the DLD group did not differ from the typically developed children in terms of hemispheric balance of activation. Our results support the idea of an altered interhemispheric balance in passive auditory response properties in DLD. We further suggest that an active task condition, or top-down attention, can help to regain leftward lateralization, particularly in a later stage of activation. Our study highlights the highly dynamic and interhemispheric nature of auditory processing, which may contribute to the variability in reports of auditory language processing deficits in DLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doris Hernández
- grid.9681.60000 0001 1013 7965Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Research, Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Kärki, Mattilanniemi 6, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Salme Kärkkäinen
- grid.9681.60000 0001 1013 7965Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Terhi Tulonen
- grid.9681.60000 0001 1013 7965Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Päivi Helenius
- grid.15485.3d0000 0000 9950 5666Division of Child Neurology, Helsinki University Hospital, HUS, P.O. Box 100, 00029 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riitta Salmelin
- grid.5373.20000000108389418Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12200, 00076 Espoo, Finland ,grid.5373.20000000108389418Aalto NeuroImaging, Aalto University, P.O. Box 15100, 00076 Espoo, Finland
| | - Tiina Parviainen
- grid.9681.60000 0001 1013 7965Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Research, Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Kärki, Mattilanniemi 6, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland ,grid.5373.20000000108389418Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12200, 00076 Espoo, Finland
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10
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EROĞLU Y, AĞLAMIŞ S. Gri Cevher Heterotopisi Bulunan Pediatrik Hastaların Manyetik Rezonans Görüntüleme Bulguları ve Eşlik Eden Malformasyonların Değerlendirilmesi. KAHRAMANMARAŞ SÜTÇÜ İMAM ÜNIVERSITESI TIP FAKÜLTESI DERGISI 2022. [DOI: 10.17517/ksutfd.1023811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the present study is to classify gray matter heterotopias according to magnetic resonance imaging findings and to define the accompanying malformations.
Methods: Images of all pediatric patients who were detected to have heterotopia in brain magnetic resonance imaging between January 2012 and June 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. The type, location of heterotopia, and accompanying cerebral anomalies were analyzed.
Results: A total of 42 patients, 22 male, and 20 female, with a mean age of 7.80 ± 4.53 years (2-16 years) with gray matter heterotopia were included in the study. Of the patients, 33 (78.6%) had subependymal, 7 (16.7%) had subcortical, and 2 (4.7%) had band heterotopia. Twenty-four patients had epilepsy.
Conclusion: The sub ependymal heterotopias were frequently located in the trigon region of the lateral ventricles. All subcortical heterotopias were in the frontal and unifocal locations. Band heterotopias were located bilaterally and subcortically in a symmetrical fashion in the cerebral hemisphere. The main accompanying anomalies were ventriculomegaly, Arnold-Chiari malformation, and corpus callosum agenesis. Considering the neurological developments of pediatric patients, it is important to identify the type of heterotopia and accompanying anomalies for patient management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeşim EROĞLU
- Firat University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Elazig
| | - Serpil AĞLAMIŞ
- Firat University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Elazig
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11
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Perrino PA, Chasse RY, Monaco AP, Molnár Z, Velayos‐Baeza A, Fitch RH. Rapid auditory processing and medial geniculate nucleus anomalies in Kiaa0319 knockout mice. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12808. [PMID: 35419947 PMCID: PMC9744489 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12808] [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: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in reading and writing. Although underlying biological and genetic mechanisms remain unclear, anomalies in phonological processing and auditory processing have been associated with dyslexia. Several candidate risk genes have also been identified, with KIAA0319 as a main candidate. Animal models targeting the rodent homolog (Kiaa0319) have been used to explore putative behavioral and anatomic anomalies, with mixed results. For example after downregulation of Kiaa0319 expression in rats via shRNA, significant adult rapid auditory processing impairments were reported, along with cortical anomalies reflecting atypical neuronal migration. Conversely, Kiaa0319 knockout (KO) mice were reported to have typical adult auditory processing, and no visible cortical anomalies. To address these inconsistencies, we tested Kiaa0319 KO mice on auditory processing tasks similar to those used previously in rat shRNA knockdown studies. Subsequent neuroanatomic analyses on these same mice targeted medial geniculate nucleus (MGN), a receptive communication-related brain structure. Results confirm that Kiaa0319 KO mice exhibit significant auditory processing impairments specific to rapid/brief stimuli, and also show significant volumetric reductions and a shift toward fewer large and smaller neurons in the MGN. The latter finding is consistent with post mortem MGN data from human dyslexic brains. Combined evidence supports a role for KIAA0319 in the development of auditory CNS pathways subserving rapid auditory processing functions critical to the development of speech processing, language, and ultimately reading. Results affirm KIAA0319 variation as a possible risk factor for dyslexia specifically via anomalies in central acoustic processing pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A. Perrino
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral NeuroscienceUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticutUSA
| | - Renee Y. Chasse
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral NeuroscienceUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Antonio Velayos‐Baeza
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK,Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - R. Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral NeuroscienceUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticutUSA
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12
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Courtright-Lim A. "CRISPR for Disabilities: How to Self-Regulate" or Something? JOURNAL OF BIOETHICAL INQUIRY 2022; 19:151-161. [PMID: 35362932 PMCID: PMC9007770 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-021-10162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The development of the CRISPR gene editing technique has been hyped as a technique that could fundamentally change scientific research and its clinical application. Unrecognized is the fact that it joins other technologies that have tried and failed under the same discourse of scientific hype. These technologies, like gene therapy and stem cell research, have moved quickly passed basic research into clinical application with dire consequences. Before hastily moving to clinical applications, it is necessary to consider basic research and determine how CRISPR/Cas systems should be applied. In the case of single gene diseases, that application is expected to have positive impacts, but as we shift to more complex diseases, the impact could be unintentionally negative. In the context of common disabilities, the level of genetic complexity may render this technology useless but potentially toxic, aggravating a social discourse that devalues those with disabilities. This paper intends to define the issues related to disability that are associated with using the CRIPSR/Cas system in basic research. It also aims to provide a decision tree to help determine whether the technology should be utilized or if alternative approaches beyond scientific research could lead to a better use of limited funding resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Courtright-Lim
- Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3AT, UK.
- Translational Genomic Research Institute, 445 N. 5th Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
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13
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KIAA0319 influences cilia length, cell migration and mechanical cell-substrate interaction. Sci Rep 2022; 12:722. [PMID: 35031635 PMCID: PMC8760330 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04539-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Following its association with dyslexia in multiple genetic studies, the KIAA0319 gene has been extensively investigated in different animal models but its function in neurodevelopment remains poorly understood. We developed the first human cellular knockout model for KIAA0319 in RPE1 retinal pigment epithelia cells via CRISPR-Cas9n to investigate its role in processes suggested but not confirmed in previous studies, including cilia formation and cell migration. We observed in the KIAA0319 knockout increased cilia length and accelerated cell migration. Using Elastic Resonator Interference Stress Microscopy (ERISM), we detected an increase in cellular force for the knockout cells that was restored by a rescue experiment. Combining ERISM and immunostaining we show that RPE1 cells exert highly dynamic, piconewton vertical pushing forces through actin-rich protrusions that are surrounded by vinculin-rich pulling sites. This protein arrangement and force pattern has previously been associated to podosomes in other cells. KIAA0319 depletion reduces the fraction of cells forming these actin-rich protrusions. Our results suggest an involvement of KIAA0319 in cilia biology and cell-substrate force regulation.
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14
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Erbeli F, Rice M, Paracchini S. Insights into Dyslexia Genetics Research from the Last Two Decades. Brain Sci 2021; 12:27. [PMID: 35053771 PMCID: PMC8773624 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia, a specific reading disability, is a common (up to 10% of children) and highly heritable (~70%) neurodevelopmental disorder. Behavioral and molecular genetic approaches are aimed towards dissecting its significant genetic component. In the proposed review, we will summarize advances in twin and molecular genetic research from the past 20 years. First, we will briefly outline the clinical and educational presentation and epidemiology of dyslexia. Next, we will summarize results from twin studies, followed by molecular genetic research (e.g., genome-wide association studies (GWASs)). In particular, we will highlight converging key insights from genetic research. (1) Dyslexia is a highly polygenic neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex genetic architecture. (2) Dyslexia categories share a large proportion of genetics with continuously distributed measures of reading skills, with shared genetic risks also seen across development. (3) Dyslexia genetic risks are shared with those implicated in many other neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., developmental language disorder and dyscalculia). Finally, we will discuss the implications and future directions. As the diversity of genetic studies continues to increase through international collaborate efforts, we will highlight the challenges in advances of genetics discoveries in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florina Erbeli
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Marianne Rice
- Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9AJ, UK;
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15
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Animal models of developmental dyslexia: Where we are and what we are missing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1180-1197. [PMID: 34699847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder and the most common learning disability among both school-aged children and across languages. Recently, sensory and cognitive mechanisms have been reported to be potential endophenotypes (EPs) for DD, and nine DD-candidate genes have been identified. Animal models have been used to investigate the etiopathological pathways that underlie the development of complex traits, as they enable the effects of genetic and/or environmental manipulations to be evaluated. Animal research designs have also been linked to cutting-edge clinical research questions by capitalizing on the use of EPs. For the present scoping review, we reviewed previous studies of murine models investigating the effects of DD-candidate genes. Moreover, we highlighted the use of animal models as an innovative way to unravel new insights behind the pathophysiology of reading (dis)ability and to assess cutting-edge preclinical models.
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16
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Borghesani V, Wang C, Watson C, Bouhali F, Caverzasi E, Battistella G, Bogley R, Yabut NA, Deleon J, Miller ZA, Hoeft F, Mandelli ML, Gorno-Tempini ML. Functional and morphological correlates of developmental dyslexia: A multimodal investigation of the ventral occipitotemporal cortex. J Neuroimaging 2021; 31:962-972. [PMID: 34115429 PMCID: PMC10832296 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOT) is a region crucial for reading acquisition through selective tuning to printed words. Developmental dyslexia is a disorder of reading with underlying neurobiological bases often associated with atypical neural responses to printed words. Previous studies have discovered anomalous structural development and function of the vOT in individuals with dyslexia. However, it remains unclear if or how structural abnormalities relate to functional alterations. METHODS In this study, we acquired structural, functional (words and faces processing), and diffusion MRI data from 26 children with dyslexia (average age = 10.4 ± 2.0 years) and 14 age-matched typically developing readers (average age = 10.4 ± 1.6 years). Morphological indices of local gyrification, neurite density (i.e., dendritic arborization structure), and orientation dispersion (i.e., dendritic arborization orientation) were analyzed within the vOT region that showed preferential activation in typically developing readers for words (as compared to face stimuli). RESULTS The two cohorts diverged significantly in both functional and structural measures. Compared to typically developing controls, children with dyslexia did not show selectivity for words in the left vOT (contrast: words > false fonts). This lack of tuning to printed words was associated with greater neurite dispersion heterogeneity in the dyslexia cohort, but similar neurite density. These group differences were not present in the homologous contralateral area, the right vOT. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide new insight into the neurobiology of the lack of vOT word tuning in dyslexia by linking behavior, alterations in functional activation, and neurite organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Borghesani
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cheng Wang
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christa Watson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Florence Bouhali
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eduardo Caverzasi
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Giovanni Battistella
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Rian Bogley
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nicole A Yabut
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jessica Deleon
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zachary A Miller
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, Connecticut, USA
- Brain Imaging Research Center, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, Connecticut, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mandelli
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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17
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Early Life Stress and Metabolic Plasticity of Brain Cells: Impact on Neurogenesis and Angiogenesis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091092. [PMID: 34572278 PMCID: PMC8470044 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) causes long-lasting changes in brain plasticity induced by the exposure to stress factors acting prenatally or in the early postnatal ontogenesis due to hyperactivation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system, development of neuroinflammation, aberrant neurogenesis and angiogenesis, and significant alterations in brain metabolism that lead to neurological deficits and higher susceptibility to development of brain disorders later in the life. As a key component of complex pathogenesis, ELS-mediated changes in brain metabolism associate with development of mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of appropriate mitochondria quality control and mitochondrial dynamics, deregulation of metabolic reprogramming. These mechanisms are particularly critical for maintaining the pool and development of brain cells within neurogenic and angiogenic niches. In this review, we focus on brain mitochondria and energy metabolism related to tightly coupled neurogenic and angiogenic events in healthy and ELS-affected brain, and new opportunities to develop efficient therapeutic strategies aimed to restore brain metabolism and reduce ELS-induced impairments of brain plasticity.
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18
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Granocchio E, De Salvatore M, Bonanomi E, Sarti D. Sex-related differences in reading achievement. J Neurosci Res 2021; 101:668-678. [PMID: 34240762 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 40 years, ever-growing interest in sex-related differences in the human brain has led to a vast amount of literature on the subject, a small part of which relates to studies of differences in the ability to read. The data concerning typically developing children mainly come from school-based screening projects (Programme for International Student Assessment, INVALSI) and partially from the standardization of reading tests. These have revealed the existence of a gap in favor of females that primarily appears during adolescence and in situations of sociocultural disadvantage, usually explained on the basis of environmental factors such as socioeconomic status and gender-based education. Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is significantly more prevalent among males, a difference that neuroimaging and genetic studies have attributed to the presence of hormone-related protective factors in females, although it has been hypothesized that a different neurocognitive substrate may also be involved. However, the literature on the subject is still limited, and further studies of the interactions between genetic risk, environmental factors, and brain phenotypes are needed to clarify why females are better at performing reading tasks and less susceptible to dyslexia, regardless of their language or the educational system in the country in which they live. The aim of this mini-review was to describe the studies that have investigated sex-related differences in reading ability in both typically and atypically developing subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Granocchio
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Marinella De Salvatore
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Bonanomi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Sarti
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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19
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Developmental Dyslexia: Environment Matters. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060782. [PMID: 34199166 PMCID: PMC8231524 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a multifactorial, specific learning disorder. Susceptibility genes have been identified, but there is growing evidence that environmental factors, and especially stress, may act as triggering factors that determine an individual's risk of developing DD. In DD, as in most complex phenotypes, the presence of a genetic mutation fails to explain the broad phenotypic spectrum observed. Early life stress has been repeatedly associated with the risk of multifactorial disorders, due to its effects on chromatin regulation, gene expression, HPA axis function and its long-term effects on the systemic stress response. Based on recent evidence, we discuss the potential role of stress on DD occurrence, its putative epigenetic effects on the HPA axis of affected individuals, as well as the necessity of early and appropriate intervention, based on the individual stress-associated (endo)phenotype.
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20
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The Polygenic Nature and Complex Genetic Architecture of Specific Learning Disorder. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050631. [PMID: 34068951 PMCID: PMC8156942 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a multifactorial, neurodevelopmental disorder which may involve persistent difficulties in reading (dyslexia), written expression and/or mathematics. Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with speed and accuracy of word reading, deficient decoding abilities, and poor spelling. Several studies from different, but complementary, scientific disciplines have investigated possible causal/risk factors for SLD. Biological, neurological, hereditary, cognitive, linguistic-phonological, developmental and environmental factors have been incriminated. Despite worldwide agreement that SLD is highly heritable, its exact biological basis remains elusive. We herein present: (a) an update of studies that have shaped our current knowledge on the disorder’s genetic architecture; (b) a discussion on whether this genetic architecture is ‘unique’ to SLD or, alternatively, whether there is an underlying common genetic background with other neurodevelopmental disorders; and, (c) a brief discussion on whether we are at a position of generating meaningful correlations between genetic findings and anatomical data from neuroimaging studies or specific molecular/cellular pathways. We conclude with open research questions that could drive future research directions.
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21
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Thomas T, Perdue MV, Khalaf S, Landi N, Hoeft F, Pugh K, Grigorenko EL. Neuroimaging genetic associations between SEMA6D, brain structure, and reading skills. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2021; 43:276-289. [PMID: 33960276 PMCID: PMC8225580 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2021.1912300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Specific reading disability (SRD) is defined by genetic and neural risk factors that are not fully understood. The current study used imaging genetics methodology to investigate relationships between SEMA6D, brain structure, and reading. SEMA6D, located on SRD risk locus DYX1, is involved in axon guidance, synapse formation, and dendrite development. SEMA6D's associations with brain structure in reading-related regions of interest (ROIs) were investigated in a sample of children with a range of reading performance, from sites in Connecticut, CT (n = 67, 6-13 years, mean age = 9.07) and San Francisco, SF (n = 28, 5-8 years, mean age = 6.5). Multiple regression analyses revealed significant associations between SEMA6D's rs16959669 and cortical thickness in the fusiform gyrus and rs4270119 and gyrification in the supramarginal gyrus in the CT sample, but this was not replicated in the SF sample. Significant clusters were not associated with reading. For white matter volume, combined analyses across both samples revealed associations between reading and the left transverse temporal gyrus, left pars triangularis, left cerebellum, and right cerebellum. White matter volume in the left transverse temporal gyrus was nominally related to rs1817178, rs12050859, and rs1898110 in SEMA6D, and rs1817178 was significantly related to reading. Haplotype analyses revealed significant associations between the whole gene and brain phenotypes. Results suggest SEMA6D likely has an impact on multiple reading-related neural structures, but only white matter volume in the transverse temporal gyrus was significantly related to reading in the current sample. As the sample was young, the transverse temporal gyrus, involved in auditory perception, may be more strongly involved in reading because phonological processing is still being learned. The relationship between SEMA6D and reading may change as different brain regions are involved during reading development. Future research should examine mediating effects, use additional brain measures, and use an older sample to better understand effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Thomas
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meaghan V. Perdue
- University of Connecticut Dept. of Psychological Sciences, Storrs, CT, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, University of Connecticut, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shiva Khalaf
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nicole Landi
- University of Connecticut Dept. of Psychological Sciences, Storrs, CT, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, University of Connecticut, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- University of Connecticut Dept. of Psychological Sciences, Storrs, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth Pugh
- University of Connecticut Dept. of Psychological Sciences, Storrs, CT, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, University of Connecticut, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elena L. Grigorenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
- Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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22
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The Prevalence of Thyroid Autoimmunity in Children with Developmental Dyslexia. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:7656843. [PMID: 33628813 PMCID: PMC7884110 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7656843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Methods We enrolled pediatric subjects with developmental dyslexia and, as a control group, healthy age- and sex-matched subjects without developmental dyslexia. Thyroid function was evaluated in subjects with developmental dyslexia measuring serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4). Thyroid autoimmunity was evaluated in all subjects measuring antithyroid peroxidase (TPO-Ab) and antithyroglobulin (TG-Ab) antibodies. In subjects with developmental dyslexia, thyroid ultrasonography (US) was also performed. Results We enrolled 51 subjects with developmental dyslexia (M : F = 39 : 12, mean age 12.4 ± 9 years) and 34 controls (M : F = 24 : 10, mean age 10.8 ± 4 years). TPO-Ab positivity was significantly higher in subjects with developmental dyslexia compared to controls (60.8% vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001), while no significant difference was found in TG-Ab positivity (16% vs. 5.8%). Thyroid US performed in 49 subjects with developmental dyslexia revealed a thyroiditis pattern in 60%. Conclusions We found an extremely high prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in children with developmental dyslexia. Further studies are needed to confirm our observations, but our findings may change the approach to this disorder and eventually lead to a systematic determination of thyroid autoimmunity in children with developmental dyslexia.
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Kershner JR. An Evolutionary Perspective of Dyslexia, Stress, and Brain Network Homeostasis. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:575546. [PMID: 33551772 PMCID: PMC7859477 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.575546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution fuels interindividual variability in neuroplasticity, reflected in brain anatomy and functional connectivity of the expanding neocortical regions subserving reading ability. Such variability is orchestrated by an evolutionarily conserved, competitive balance between epigenetic, stress-induced, and cognitive-growth gene expression programs. An evolutionary developmental model of dyslexia, suggests that prenatal and childhood subclinical stress becomes a risk factor for dyslexia when physiological adaptations to stress promoting adaptive fitness, may attenuate neuroplasticity in the brain regions recruited for reading. Stress has the potential to blunt the cognitive-growth functions of the predominantly right hemisphere Ventral and Dorsal attention networks, which are primed with high entropic levels of synaptic plasticity, and are critical for acquiring beginning reading skills. The attentional networks, in collaboration with the stress-responsive Default Mode network, modulate the entrainment and processing of the low frequency auditory oscillations (1-8 Hz) and visuospatial orienting linked etiologically to dyslexia. Thus, dyslexia may result from positive, but costly adaptations to stress system dysregulation: protective measures that reset the stress/growth balance of processing to favor the Default Mode network, compromising development of the attentional networks. Such a normal-variability conceptualization of dyslexia is at odds with the frequent assumption that dyslexia results from a neurological abnormality. To put the normal-variability model in the broader perspective of the state of the field, a traditional evolutionary account of dyslexia is presented to stimulate discussion of the scientific merits of the two approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Kershner
- Department of Applied Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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24
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Liu W, Yue Q, Tian Y, Gong Q, Zhou D, Wu X. Neural functional connectivity in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia-mediated epilepsy. Epilepsy Res 2021; 170:106548. [PMID: 33454660 DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is characterized by disabled neural migration and is usually associated with epilepsy. Despite awareness of PNH-related epilepsy, little is known about the brain-level underlying functional neural bases. Thus, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the neurobiology of 42 subjects with PNH-related epilepsy and 42 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Measurements of functional connectivity (FC) and whole-brain graph theory analysis of data in the resting state were performed to assess neurological organization and topology. PNH patients exhibited significantly higher FC in the parietal lobe, cingulum and thalamus, as well as significantly lower FC in frontoparietal, hippocampal, and precentral regions. Graph theory analysis identified no significant differences between patients and controls, while patients showed lower network global efficiency in the limbic and cerebellum network and occipital cortex. Seed-based FC analysis confirmed disruption of activities and interregional connectivity in remote epileptic networks of patients, which may point to underlying pathological mechanisms. The cerebellum and limbic system of patients showed altered topology, suggesting that these regions or hubs may contribute to whole-brain circuits in PNH and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyu Liu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 GuoXue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qiang Yue
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 GuoXue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Yun Tian
- Sleep and NeuroImaging Center, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education), Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 GuoXue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Dong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 GuoXue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Xintong Wu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 GuoXue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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25
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Karipidis II, Hong DS. Specific learning disorders in sex chromosome aneuploidies: Neural circuits of literacy and mathematics. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:518-530. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Iliana I. Karipidis
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSchool of Medicine, Stanford University Stanford California USA
| | - David S. Hong
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesSchool of Medicine, Stanford University Stanford California USA
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26
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Bieder A, Yoshihara M, Katayama S, Krjutškov K, Falk A, Kere J, Tapia-Páez I. Dyslexia Candidate Gene and Ciliary Gene Expression Dynamics During Human Neuronal Differentiation. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:2944-2958. [PMID: 32445086 PMCID: PMC7320047 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-01905-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Developmental dyslexia (DD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with complex genetic mechanisms. A number of candidate genes have been identified, some of which are linked to neuronal development and migration and to ciliary functions. However, expression and regulation of these genes in human brain development and neuronal differentiation remain uncharted. Here, we used human long-term self-renewing neuroepithelial stem (lt-NES, here termed NES) cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells to study neuronal differentiation in vitro. We characterized gene expression changes during differentiation by using RNA sequencing and validated dynamics for selected genes by qRT-PCR. Interestingly, we found that genes related to cilia were significantly enriched among upregulated genes during differentiation, including genes linked to ciliopathies with neurodevelopmental phenotypes. We confirmed the presence of primary cilia throughout neuronal differentiation. Focusing on dyslexia candidate genes, 33 out of 50 DD candidate genes were detected in NES cells by RNA sequencing, and seven candidate genes were upregulated during differentiation to neurons, including DYX1C1 (DNAAF4), a highly replicated DD candidate gene. Our results suggest a role of ciliary genes in differentiating neuronal cells and show that NES cells provide a relevant human neuronal model to study ciliary and DD candidate genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Bieder
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 9, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Masahito Yoshihara
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 9, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Shintaro Katayama
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 9, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Kaarel Krjutškov
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 9, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden.,Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia.,Research Program of Molecular Neurology, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Falk
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juha Kere
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Hälsovägen 9, 141 57, Huddinge, Sweden. .,Research Program of Molecular Neurology, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. .,Folkhälsan Institute of Genetics, Helsinki, Finland. .,School of Basic and Medical Biosciences, King's College London, London, UK.
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27
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The Association of Dyslexia and Developmental Speech and Language Disorder Candidate Genes with Reading and Language Abilities in Adults. Twin Res Hum Genet 2020; 23:23-32. [PMID: 32248883 DOI: 10.1017/thg.2020.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Reading and language abilities are critical for educational achievement and success in adulthood. Variation in these traits is highly heritable, but the underlying genetic architecture is largely undiscovered. Genetic studies of reading and language skills traditionally focus on children with developmental disorders; however, much larger unselected adult samples are available, increasing power to identify associations with specific genetic variants of small effect size. We introduce an Australian adult population cohort (41.7-73.2 years of age, N = 1505) in which we obtained data using validated measures of several aspects of reading and language abilities. We performed genetic association analysis for a reading and spelling composite score, nonword reading (assessing phonological processing: a core component in learning to read), phonetic spelling, self-reported reading impairment and nonword repetition (a marker of language ability). Given the limited power in a sample of this size (~80% power to find a minimum effect size of 0.005), we focused on analyzing candidate genes that have been associated with dyslexia and developmental speech and language disorders in prior studies. In gene-based tests, FOXP2, a gene implicated in speech/language disorders, was associated with nonword repetition (p < .001), phonetic spelling (p = .002) and the reading and spelling composite score (p < .001). Gene-set analyses of candidate dyslexia and speech/language disorder genes were not significant. These findings contribute to the assessment of genetic associations in reading and language disorders, crucial for understanding their etiology and informing intervention strategies, and validate the approach of using unselected adult samples for gene discovery in language and reading.
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28
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Abstract
Developmental dyslexia, a severe deficit in literacy learning, is a neurodevelopmental learning disorder. Yet, it is not clear whether existing neurobiological accounts of dyslexia capture potential predispositions of the deficit or consequences of reduced reading experience. Here, we longitudinally followed 32 children from preliterate to school age using functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Based on standardised and age-normed reading and spelling tests administered at school age, children were classified as 16 dyslexic participants and 16 controls. This longitudinal design allowed us to disentangle possible neurobiological predispositions for developing dyslexia from effects of individual differences in literacy experience. In our sample, the disorder can be predicted already before literacy learning from auditory cortex gyrification and aberrant downstream connectivity within the speech processing system. These results provide evidence for the notion that dyslexia may originate from an atypical maturation of the speech network that precedes literacy instruction.
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29
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Abstract
Neurobiology helps us understand the processes that drive neurological processes including dyslexia. This article outlines the neurobiology underpinning typical reading skills and those seen in dyslexia, which is characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities. There are exciting new developments in the neurobiological changes resulting from educational interventions for dyslexia, though more research is needed in this regard. This article also outlines the clinical features of dyslexia across the developmental span, and provides guidance to clinicians about referral to community resources and advocacy for families to seek educational interventions. Screening and diagnostic tools are described, as are interventions for remediation and accommodations for dyslexia across the educational span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany Munzer
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Khadijah Hussain
- Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| | - Neelkamal Soares
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
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30
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Atypical lateralization in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders: What is the role of stress? Cortex 2020; 125:215-232. [PMID: 32035318 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hemispheric asymmetries are a major organizational principle of the human brain. In different neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, depression, dyslexia and posttraumatic stress disorder, functional and/or structural hemispheric asymmetries are altered compared to healthy controls. The question, why these disorders all share the common characteristic of altered hemispheric asymmetries despite vastly different etiologies and symptoms remains one of the unsolved mysteries of laterality research. This review is aimed at reviewing potential reasons for why atypical lateralization is so common in many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. To this end, we review the evidence for overlaps in the genetic and non-genetic factors involved in the ontogenesis of different disorders and hemispheric asymmetries. While there is evidence for genetic overlap between different disorders, only few asymmetry-related loci have also been linked to disorders and importantly, those effects are mostly specific to single disorders. However, there is evidence for shared non-genetic influences between disorders and hemispheric asymmetries. Most neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders show alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis and maternal as well as early life stress have been implicated in their etiology. Stress has also been suggested to affect hemispheric asymmetries. We propose a model in which early life stress as well as chronic stress not only increases the risk for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders but also changes structural and functional hemispheric asymmetries leading to the aberrant lateralization patterns seen in these disorders. Thus, pathology-related changes in hemispheric asymmetries are not a factor causing disorders, but rather a different phenotype that is affected by partly overlapping ontogenetic factors, primarily stress.
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31
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Huang M, Liang C, Li S, Zhang J, Guo D, Zhao B, Liu Y, Peng Y, Xu J, Liu W, Guo G, Shi L. Two Autism/Dyslexia Linked Variations of DOCK4 Disrupt the Gene Function on Rac1/Rap1 Activation, Neurite Outgrowth, and Synapse Development. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 13:577. [PMID: 32009906 PMCID: PMC6974517 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and dyslexia are both neurodevelopmental disorders with high prevalence in children. Both disorders have strong genetic basis, and share similar social communication deficits co-occurring with impairments of reading or language. However, whether these two disorders share common genetic risks remain elusive. DOCK4 (dedicator for cytokinesis 4), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the small GTPase Rac1, is one of few genes that are associated with both ASD and dyslexia. Dock4 is important for neuronal development and social behaviors. Two DOCK4 variations, Exon27-52 deletion (protein product: Dock4-945VS) and a missense mutation at rs2074130 (protein product: Dock4-R853H), are associated with dyslexia and/or ASD with reading difficulties. The present study explores the molecular and cellular functions of these two DOCK4 variants on neuronal development, by comparing them with the wild-type Dock4 protein. Notably, it is revealed that both mutants of Dock4 showed decreased ability to activate not only Rac1, but also another small GTPase Rap1. Consistently, both mutants were dysfunctional for regulation of cell morphology and cytoskeleton. Using Neuro-2a cells and hippocampus neurons as models, we found that both mutants had compromised function in promoting neurite outgrowth and dendritic spine formation. Electrophysiological recordings further showed that R853H partially lost the ability to promote excitatory synaptic transmission, whereas 945VS totally lost the ability. Together, we identified R853 as a previously uncharacterized site for the regulation of the integrity of Dock4 function, and provides insights in understanding the common molecular pathophysiology of ASD and dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaoqi Huang
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunmei Liang
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shengnan Li
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Daji Guo
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyang Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Neuronal Structural Biology, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yinghui Peng
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyu Xu
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of the Ministry of Health of China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Neuronal Structural Biology, Biomedical Research Institute, Shenzhen Peking University - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Shi
- JNU-HKUST Joint Laboratory for Neuroscience and Innovative Drug Research, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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32
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Miller ZA, Spina S, Pakvasa M, Rosenberg L, Watson C, Mandelli ML, Paredes MF, Joie RL, Rabinovici GD, Rosen HJ, Grinberg LT, Huang EJ, Miller BL, Seeley WW, Gorno-Tempini ML. Cortical developmental abnormalities in logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia with dyslexia. Brain Commun 2019; 1:fcz027. [PMID: 32699834 PMCID: PMC7364264 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
An increased prevalence of dyslexia has been observed in individuals diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, most notably the logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia. The underlying pathology most commonly associated with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia is Alzheimer's disease. In this clinical case report series, we describe the neuropathological findings of three patients with logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia and developmental dyslexia, each demonstrating a pattern of cerebrocortical microdysgenesis, reminiscent of findings first reported in dyslexic individuals, alongside expected Alzheimer's disease pathology. Neurodevelopmental and most severe Alzheimer's disease pathological changes overlapped within perisylvian brain regions, areas associated with phonological deficits in both logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia and dyslexia. These three cases with pathological findings support the hypothesis that early-life neurodevelopmental changes might influence later-life susceptibility to neurodegenerative disease and could contribute to non-amnestic, early age-of-onset presentations of Alzheimer's disease. Larger studies investigating neurobiological vulnerability across the lifespan are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A Miller
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Salvatore Spina
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mikhail Pakvasa
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lynne Rosenberg
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Christa Watson
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mandelli
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Mercedes F Paredes
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Howard J Rosen
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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33
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Liu L, Gu H, Hou F, Xie X, Li X, Zhu B, Zhang J, Wei WH, Song R. Dyslexia associated functional variants in Europeans are not associated with dyslexia in Chinese. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:488-495. [PMID: 31264768 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of developmental dyslexia (DD) often used European samples and identified only a handful associations with moderate or weak effects. This study aims to identify DD functional variants by integrating the GWAS associations with tissue-specific functional data and test the variants in a Chinese DD study cohort named READ. We colocalized associations from nine DD related GWAS with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) derived from brain tissues and identified two eSNPs rs349045 and rs201605. Both eSNPs had supportive evidence of chromatin interactions observed in human hippocampus tissues and their respective target genes ZNF45 and DNAH9 both had lower expression in brain tissues in schizophrenia patients than controls. In contrast, an eSNP rs4234898 previously identified based on eQTL from the lymphoblastic cell lines of dyslexic children had no chromatin interaction with its target gene SLC2A3 in hippocampus tissues and SLC2A3 expressed higher in the schizophrenia patients than controls. We genotyped the three eSNPs in the READ cohort of 372 cases and 354 controls and discovered only weak associations in rs201605 and rs4234898 with three DD symptoms (p < .05). The lack of associations could be due to low power in READ but could also implicate different etiology of DD in Chinese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingfei Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huaiting Gu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Hou
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinyan Xie
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing Zhu
- Hangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Wen-Hua Wei
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Ranran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Laboratory of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Gostic M, Martinelli A, Tucker C, Yang Z, Gasparoli F, Ewart JY, Dholakia K, Sillar KT, Tello JA, Paracchini S. The dyslexia susceptibility KIAA0319 gene shows a specific expression pattern during zebrafish development supporting a role beyond neuronal migration. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:2634-2643. [PMID: 30950042 PMCID: PMC6767054 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Dyslexia is a common neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a significant genetic component. The KIAA0319 gene is one of the most robust dyslexia susceptibility factors but its function remains poorly understood. Initial RNA-interference studies in rats suggested a role in neuronal migration whereas subsequent work with double knock-out mouse models for both Kiaa0319 and its paralogue Kiaa0319-like reported effects in the auditory system but not in neuronal migration. To further understand the role of KIAA0319 during neurodevelopment, we carried out an expression study of its zebrafish orthologue at different embryonic stages. We used different approaches including RNAscope in situ hybridization combined with light-sheet microscopy. The results show particularly high expression during the first few hours of development. Later, expression becomes localized in well-defined structures. In addition to high expression in the brain, we report for the first time expression in the eyes and the notochord. Surprisingly, kiaa0319-like, which generally shows a similar expression pattern to kiaa0319, was not expressed in the notochord suggesting a distinct role for kiaa0319 in this structure. This observation was supported by the identification of notochord enhancers enriched upstream of the KIAA0319 transcription start site, in both zebrafish and humans. This study supports a developmental role for KIAA0319 in the brain as well as in other developing structures, particularly in the notochord which, is key for establishing body patterning in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Gostic
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Angela Martinelli
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Carl Tucker
- College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Zhengyi Yang
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Jade-Yi Ewart
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Kishan Dholakia
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Keith T Sillar
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Javier A Tello
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.,Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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35
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Pruski M, Lang B. Primary Cilia-An Underexplored Topic in Major Mental Illness. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:104. [PMID: 30886591 PMCID: PMC6409319 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Though much progress has been made in recent years towards understanding the function and physiology of primary cilia, they remain a somewhat elusive organelle. Some studies have explored the role of primary cilia in the developing nervous system, and their dysfunction has been linked with several neurosensory deficits. Yet, very little has been written on their potential role in psychiatric disorders. This article provides an overview of some of the functions of primary cilia in signalling pathways, and demonstrates that they are a worthy candidate in psychiatric research. The links between primary cilia and major mental illness have been demonstrated to exist at several levels, spanning genetics, signalling pathways, and pharmacology as well as cell division and migration. The primary focus of this review is on the sensory role of the primary cilium and the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of psychiatric disease. As such, the primary cilium is demonstrated to be a key link between the cellular environment and cell behaviour, and hence of key importance in the considerations of the nature and nurture debate in psychiatric research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pruski
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Critical Care Laboratory, Critical Care Directorate, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Healthcare Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
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Krafnick AJ, Evans TM. Neurobiological Sex Differences in Developmental Dyslexia. Front Psychol 2019; 9:2669. [PMID: 30687153 PMCID: PMC6336691 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding sex differences at the neurobiological level has become increasingly crucial in both basic and applied research. In the study of developmental dyslexia, early neuroimaging investigations were dominated by male-only or male-dominated samples, due at least in part to males being diagnosed more frequently. While recent studies more consistently balance the inclusion of both sexes, there has been little movement toward directly characterizing potential sex differences of the disorder. However, a string of recent work suggests that the brain basis of dyslexia may indeed be different in males and females. This potential sex difference has implications for existing models of dyslexia, and would inform approaches to the remediation of reading difficulties. This article reviews recent evidence for sex differences in dyslexia, discusses the impact these studies have on the understanding of the brain basis of dyslexia, and provides a framework for how these differential neuroanatomical profiles may develop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Krafnick
- Psychology Department, Dominican University, River Forest, IL, United States
| | - Tanya M Evans
- Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, Curry School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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Guidi LG, Velayos‐Baeza A, Martinez‐Garay I, Monaco AP, Paracchini S, Bishop DVM, Molnár Z. The neuronal migration hypothesis of dyslexia: A critical evaluation 30 years on. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:3212-3233. [PMID: 30218584 PMCID: PMC6282621 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The capacity for language is one of the key features underlying the complexity of human cognition and its evolution. However, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms that mediate normal or impaired linguistic ability. For developmental dyslexia, early postmortem studies conducted in the 1980s linked the disorder to subtle defects in the migration of neurons in the developing neocortex. These early studies were reinforced by human genetic analyses that identified dyslexia susceptibility genes and subsequent evidence of their involvement in neuronal migration. In this review, we examine recent experimental evidence that does not support the link between dyslexia and neuronal migration. We critically evaluate gene function studies conducted in rodent models and draw attention to the lack of robust evidence from histopathological and imaging studies in humans. Our review suggests that the neuronal migration hypothesis of dyslexia should be reconsidered, and the neurobiological basis of dyslexia should be approached with a fresh start.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz G. Guidi
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Antonio Velayos‐Baeza
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Wellcome Centre for Human GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Isabel Martinez‐Garay
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Division of NeuroscienceSchool of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | | | | | | | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and GeneticsUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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