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Terada S, Isumi A, Doi S, Fujiwara T. Association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index with resilience and prosociality of the offspring aged 6-7 years old: a population-based cohort study in Japan. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 33:861-869. [PMID: 37087710 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02209-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The association between maternal pre-pregnancy obesity and child behavior problems has been widely researched, leaving a gap in understanding the positive aspects of children's mental health. The present study aimed to investigate the association between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and resilience and prosociality among 6-7 year-old children in Japan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study, a population-based study in 2017 and 2019 including all first-grade students in public schools in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan (n = 7328, response rate = 84.7%). Resilience and prosociality were measured by the Children's Resilient Coping Scale and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, respectively. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and height were reported based on the Mother and Child Health Handbook, and BMI was categorized as underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), and obesity (BMI ≥ 30). Linear regression models were employed to control for covariates. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was found to be negatively associated with child resilience (coefficient: - 3.29; 95% CI - 6.42--0.15), while maternal underweight was negatively associated with child prosociality (coefficient: - 0.12; 95% CI - 0.24--0.005) compared to mothers of pre-pregnancy normal BMI. Perinatal factors, such as gestational weight gain, gestational age, and birth weight, did not mediate the association. Our findings suggest that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity is linked to decreased resilience and maternal underweight is linked to decreased prosociality in children aged 6-7 years. Maintaining an appropriate BMI range before pregnancy may be crucial for enhancing resilience and prosociality of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhei Terada
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan
| | - Aya Isumi
- Department of Health Policy, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satomi Doi
- Department of Health Policy, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeo Fujiwara
- Department of Global Health Promotion, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8519, Japan.
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Zhou J, Tong J, Ru X, Teng Y, Geng M, Yan S, Tao F, Huang K. Placental inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression and preschool children's cognitive performance: a birth cohort study in China. BMC Med 2023; 21:449. [PMID: 37981714 PMCID: PMC10658981 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03173-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunologic milieu at the maternal-fetal interface has profound effects on propelling the development of the fetal brain. However, accessible epidemiological studies concerning the association between placental inflammatory cytokines and the intellectual development of offspring in humans are limited. Therefore, we explored the possible link between mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in placenta and preschoolers' cognitive performance. METHODS Study subjects were obtained from the Ma'anshan birth cohort (MABC). Placental samples were collected after delivery, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was utilized to measure the mRNA expression levels of IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-4. Children's intellectual development was assessed at preschool age by using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV). Multiple linear regression and restricted cubic spline models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 1665 pairs of mother and child were included in the analysis. After adjusting for confounders and after correction for multiple comparisons, we observed that mRNA expression of IL-8 (β = - 0.53; 95% CI, - 0.92 to - 0.15), IL-6 (β = - 0.58; 95% CI, - 0.97 to - 0.19), TNF-α (β = - 0.37; 95% CI, - 0.71 to - 0.02), and IFN-γ (β = - 0.31; 95% CI, - 0.61 to - 0.03) in the placenta was negatively associated with preschoolers' full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ). Both higher IL-8 and IL-6 were associated with lower children's low fluid reasoning index (FRI), and higher IFN-γ was associated with lower children's working memory index (WMI). After further adjusting for confounders and children's age at cognitive testing, the integrated index of six pro-inflammatory cytokines (index 2) was found to be significantly and negatively correlated with both the FSIQ and each sub-dimension (verbal comprehension index (VCI), visual spatial index (VSI), FRI, WMI, processing speed index (PSI)). Sex-stratified analyses showed that the association of IL-8, IFN-γ, and index 2 with children's cognitive development was mainly concentrated in boys. CONCLUSIONS Evidence of an association between low cognitive performance and high expression of placental inflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ) was found, highlighting the potential importance of intrauterine placental immune status in dissecting offspring cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixing Zhou
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Juan Tong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Xue Ru
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yuzhu Teng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Menglong Geng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Shuangqin Yan
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Maternal and Child Health Care Center of Ma'anshan, No 24 Jiashan Road, Ma'anshan 243011, Anhui, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (AHMU), MOE, Hefei, 230032, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Study On Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Scientific Research Center in Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province, China.
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Lee JY, Lee HJ, Jang YH, Kim H, Im K, Yang S, Hoh JK, Ahn JH. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity affects the uncinate fasciculus white matter tract in preterm infants. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1225960. [PMID: 38034827 PMCID: PMC10684693 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1225960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A growing body of evidence suggests an association between a higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for their offspring. Despite recent attention to the effects of maternal obesity on fetal and neonatal brain development, changes in the brain microstructure of preterm infants born to mothers with pre-pregnancy obesity are still not well understood. This study aimed to detect the changes in the brain microstructure of obese mothers in pre-pregnancy and their offspring born as preterm infants using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods A total of 32 preterm infants (born to 16 mothers with normal BMI and 16 mothers with a high BMI) at <32 weeks of gestation without brain injury underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging at term-equivalent age (TEA). The BMI of all pregnant women was measured within approximately 12 weeks before pregnancy or the first 2 weeks of gestation. We analyzed the brain volume using a morphologically adaptive neonatal tissue segmentation toolbox and calculated the major white matter (WM) tracts using probabilistic maps of the Johns Hopkins University neonatal atlas. We investigated the differences in brain volume and WM microstructure between preterm infants of mothers with normal and high BMI. The DTI parameters were compared among groups using analysis of covariance adjusted for postmenstrual age at scan and multiple comparisons. Results Preterm infants born to mothers with a high BMI showed significantly increased cortical gray matter volume (p = 0.001) and decreased WM volume (p = 0.003) after controlling for postmenstrual age and multiple comparisons. We found a significantly lower axial diffusivity in the uncinate fasciculus (UNC) in mothers with high BMI than that in mothers with normal BMI (1.690 ± 0.066 vs. 1.762 ± 0.101, respectively; p = 0.005). Conclusion Our study is the first to demonstrate that maternal obesity impacts perinatal brain development patterns in preterm infants at TEA, even in the absence of apparent brain injury. These findings provide evidence for the detrimental effects of maternal obesity on brain developmental trajectories in offspring and suggest potential neurodevelopmental outcomes based on an altered UNC WM microstructure, which is known to be critical for language and social-emotional functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Young Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Neonatology and Development Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Hun Jang
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Seung Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Kyu Hoh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja-Hye Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Neonatology and Development Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Journault M, Murthy P, Bansal N, Tang S, Al Awad E, Creighton D, Newman J, Lodha A. The association of maternal overweight on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in premature infants (< 29 weeks) at 18-24 months corrected age. J Perinatol 2023; 43:1413-1419. [PMID: 37479886 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-023-01733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) at 18-24 months corrected age (CA) in infants born < 29 weeks gestation. STUDY DESIGN Infants born between 2005 and 2015 at < 29 weeks gestation were included. BMI was categorized into BMI1 [18.5-24.9 kg/m2], BMI2 [25-29.9 kg/m2], BMI3 [ ≥ 30 kg/m2]. Primary outcome was death or NDI (Bayley-III scores < 85, cerebral palsy, hearing or visual impairment). Univariate and multivariate analysis were used. RESULTS There were 315 infants in BMI1, 235 in BMI2, and 147 in BMI3 groups. Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of death or NDI in BMI2 vs. BMI1 and BMI3 vs BMI1 groups were 1.33 (95% CI 0.86-2.06) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.47-1.22). Adjusted odds ratio of Bayley-III language composite < 85 was 2.06 (95% CI 1.28-3.32). CONCLUSION Pre-pregnancy BMI was not associated with death or NDI in extremely preterm infants. Infants born to overweight mothers had higher odds of low language scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Journault
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Prashanth Murthy
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Neha Bansal
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Selphee Tang
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Essa Al Awad
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dianne Creighton
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jill Newman
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Abhay Lodha
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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5
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Sylvester CM, Kaplan S, Myers MJ, Gordon EM, Schwarzlose RF, Alexopoulos D, Nielsen AN, Kenley JK, Meyer D, Yu Q, Graham AM, Fair DA, Warner BB, Barch DM, Rogers CE, Luby JL, Petersen SE, Smyser CD. Network-specific selectivity of functional connections in the neonatal brain. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2200-2214. [PMID: 35595540 PMCID: PMC9977389 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The adult human brain is organized into functional brain networks, groups of functionally connected segregated brain regions. A key feature of adult functional networks is long-range selectivity, the property that spatially distant regions from the same network have higher functional connectivity than spatially distant regions from different networks. Although it is critical to establish the status of functional networks and long-range selectivity during the neonatal period as a foundation for typical and atypical brain development, prior work in this area has been mixed. Although some studies report distributed adult-like networks, other studies suggest that neonatal networks are immature and consist primarily of spatially isolated regions. Using a large sample of neonates (n = 262), we demonstrate that neonates have long-range selective functional connections for the default mode, fronto-parietal, and dorsal attention networks. An adult-like pattern of functional brain networks is evident in neonates when network-detection algorithms are tuned to these long-range connections, when using surface-based registration (versus volume-based registration), and as per-subject data quantity increases. These results help clarify factors that have led to prior mixed results, establish that key adult-like functional network features are evident in neonates, and provide a foundation for studies of typical and atypical brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad M Sylvester
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sydney Kaplan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael J Myers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Evan M Gordon
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rebecca F Schwarzlose
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Dimitrios Alexopoulos
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ashley N Nielsen
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jeanette K Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Dominique Meyer
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Qiongru Yu
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, 6363 Alvarado Court, Suite 103, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Alice M Graham
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Damien A Fair
- Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, Department of Pediatrics, and Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, 2025 E. River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Barbara B Warner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Deanna M Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joan L Luby
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Steven E Petersen
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Cruz-Carrillo G, Trujillo-Villarreal LA, Ángeles-Valdez D, Concha L, Garza-Villarreal EA, Camacho-Morales A. Prenatal Cafeteria Diet Primes Anxiety-like Behavior Associated to Defects in Volume and Diffusion in the Fimbria-fornix of Mice Offspring. Neuroscience 2023; 511:70-85. [PMID: 36592924 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to high-energy diets primes brain alterations that increase the risk of developing behavioral and cognitive failures. Alterations in the structure and connectivity of brain involved in learning and memory performance are found in adult obese murine models and in humans. However, the role of prenatal exposure to high-energy diets in the modulation of the brain's structure and function during cognitive decline remains unknown. We used female C57BL6 mice (n = 10) exposed to a high-energy diets (Cafeteria diet (CAF)) or Chow diet for 9 weeks (before, during and after pregnancy) to characterize their effect on brain structural organization and learning and memory performance in the offspring at two-month-old (n = 17). Memory and learning performance were evaluated using the Y-maze test including forced and spontaneous alternation, novel object recognition (NORT), open field and Barnes maze tests. We found no alterations in the short- or long-time spatial memory performance in male offspring prenatally exposed to CAF diet when compared to the control, but they increased time spent in the edges resembling anxiety-like behavior. By using deformation-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging analysis we found that male offspring exposed to CAF diet showed increased volume in primary somatosensory cortex and a reduced volume of fimbria-fornix, which correlate with alterations in its white matter integrity. Biological modeling revealed that prenatal exposure to CAF diet predicts low volume in the fimbria-fornix, which was associated with anxiety in the offspring. The findings suggest that prenatal exposure to high-energy diets prime brain structural alterations related to anxiety in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Cruz-Carrillo
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Monterrey, NL, Mexico; Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Center for Research and Development in Health Sciences, Neurometabolism Unit, San Nicolás de los Garza, NL, Mexico
| | - Luis Angel Trujillo-Villarreal
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Monterrey, NL, Mexico; Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Center for Research and Development in Health Sciences, Neurometabolism Unit, San Nicolás de los Garza, NL, Mexico
| | - Diego Ángeles-Valdez
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Neurobiología, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, 76230 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Luis Concha
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Neurobiología, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, 76230 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Eduardo A Garza-Villarreal
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Neurobiología, Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, 76230 Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Alberto Camacho-Morales
- Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, College of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Monterrey, NL, Mexico; Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Center for Research and Development in Health Sciences, Neurometabolism Unit, San Nicolás de los Garza, NL, Mexico.
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7
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Rajasilta O, Häkkinen S, Björnsdotter M, Scheinin NM, Lehtola SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Maternal psychological distress associates with alterations in resting-state low-frequency fluctuations and distal functional connectivity of the neonate medial prefrontal cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:242-257. [PMID: 36458867 PMCID: PMC10108202 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress exposure (PSE) has been observed to exert a programming effect on the developing infant brain, possibly with long-lasting consequences on temperament, cognitive functions and the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. Several prior studies have revealed that PSE associates with alterations in neonate functional connectivity in the prefrontal regions and amygdala. In this study, we explored whether maternal psychological symptoms measured during the 24th gestational week had associations with neonate resting-state network metrics. Twenty-one neonates (nine female) underwent resting-state fMRI scanning (mean gestation-corrected age at scan 26.95 days) to assess fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). The ReHo/fALFF maps were used in multiple regression analysis to investigate whether maternal self-reported anxiety and/or depressive symptoms associate with neonate functional brain features. Maternal psychological distress (composite score of depressive and anxiety symptoms) was positively associated with fALFF in the neonate medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Anxiety and depressive symptoms, assessed separately, exhibited similar but weaker associations. Post hoc seed-based connectivity analyses further showed that distal connectivity of mPFC covaried with PSE. No associations were found between neonate ReHo and PSE. These results offer preliminary evidence that PSE may affect functional features of the developing brain during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Häkkinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- The Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), Oxford, UK
- Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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8
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De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Harnessing the Power of Advanced Fetal Neuroimaging to Understand In Utero Footprints for Later Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:867-879. [PMID: 36804195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine events may profoundly impact fetal risk for future adult diseases. The mechanisms underlying this increased vulnerability are complex and remain poorly understood. Contemporary advances in fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided clinicians and scientists with unprecedented access to in vivo human fetal brain development to begin to identify emerging endophenotypes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss salient findings of normal fetal neurodevelopment from studies using advanced, multimodal MRI that have provided unparalleled characterization of in utero prenatal brain morphology, metabolism, microstructure, and functional connectivity. We appraise the clinical utility of these normative data in identifying high-risk fetuses before birth. We highlight available studies that have investigated the predictive validity of advanced prenatal brain MRI findings and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. We then discuss how ex utero quantitative MRI findings can inform in utero investigations toward the pursuit of early biomarkers of risk. Lastly, we explore future opportunities to advance our understanding of the prenatal origins of neuropsychiatric disorders using precision fetal imaging.
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9
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De Asis-Cruz J, Andescavage N, Limperopoulos C. Adverse Prenatal Exposures and Fetal Brain Development: Insights From Advanced Fetal Magnetic Resonance Imaging. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2022; 7:480-490. [PMID: 34848383 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence from clinical and preclinical studies suggests that fetal vulnerability to adverse prenatal exposures increases the risk for neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. Recent advances in fetal magnetic resonance imaging have allowed us to characterize typical fetal brain growth trajectories in vivo and to interrogate structural and functional alterations associated with intrauterine exposures, such as maternal stress, environmental toxins, drugs, and obesity. Here, we review proposed mechanisms for how prenatal influences disrupt neurodevelopment, including the role played by maternal and fetal inflammatory responses. We summarize insights from magnetic resonance imaging research in fetuses, highlight recent discoveries in normative fetal development using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging techniques (i.e., three-dimensional volumetry, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, placental diffusion imaging, and functional imaging), and discuss how baseline trajectories are shaped by prenatal exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josepheen De Asis-Cruz
- Developing Brain Institute, Department of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Nickie Andescavage
- Developing Brain Institute, Department of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC; Department of Neonatology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Catherine Limperopoulos
- Developing Brain Institute, Department of Radiology, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC.
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10
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Pollatou A, Filippi CA, Aydin E, Vaughn K, Thompson D, Korom M, Dufford AJ, Howell B, Zöllei L, Martino AD, Graham A, Scheinost D, Spann MN. An ode to fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging: Chronicling early clinical to research applications with MRI, and an introduction to an academic society connecting the field. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 54:101083. [PMID: 35184026 PMCID: PMC8861425 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging is commonly thought of as a development of modern times (last two decades). Yet, this field mobilized shortly after the discovery and implementation of MRI technology. Here, we provide a review of the parallel advancements in the fields of fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging, noting the shifts from clinical to research use, and the ongoing challenges in this fast-growing field. We chronicle the pioneering science of fetal, infant, and toddler neuroimaging, highlighting the early studies that set the stage for modern advances in imaging during this developmental period, and the large-scale multi-site efforts which ultimately led to the explosion of interest in the field today. Lastly, we consider the growing pains of the community and the need for an academic society that bridges expertise in developmental neuroscience, clinical science, as well as computational and biomedical engineering, to ensure special consideration of the vulnerable mother-offspring dyad (especially during pregnancy), data quality, and image processing tools that are created, rather than adapted, for the young brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Pollatou
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Courtney A Filippi
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ezra Aydin
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kelly Vaughn
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Deanne Thompson
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Alexander J Dufford
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brittany Howell
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA, USA; Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | | | - Alice Graham
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | | | - Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marisa N Spann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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11
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Rasmussen JM, Thompson PM, Entringer S, Buss C, Wadhwa PD. Fetal programming of human energy homeostasis brain networks: Issues and considerations. Obes Rev 2022; 23:e13392. [PMID: 34845821 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a transdisciplinary framework and testable hypotheses regarding the process of fetal programming of energy homeostasis brain circuitry. Our model proposes that key aspects of energy homeostasis brain circuitry already are functional by the time of birth (with substantial interindividual variation); that this phenotypic variation at birth is an important determinant of subsequent susceptibility for energy imbalance and childhood obesity risk; and that this brain circuitry exhibits developmental plasticity, in that it is influenced by conditions during intrauterine life, particularly maternal-placental-fetal endocrine, immune/inflammatory, and metabolic processes and their upstream determinants. We review evidence that supports the scientific premise for each element of this formulation, identify future research directions, particularly recent advances that may facilitate a better quantification of the ontogeny of energy homeostasis brain networks, highlight animal and in vitro-based approaches that may better address the determinants of interindividual variation in energy homeostasis brain networks, and discuss the implications of this formulation for the development of strategies targeted towards the primary prevention of childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod M Rasmussen
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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12
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Dufford AJ, Spann M, Scheinost D. How prenatal exposures shape the infant brain: Insights from infant neuroimaging studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:47-58. [PMID: 34536461 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Brain development during the prenatal period is rapid and unparalleled by any other time during development. Biological systems undergoing rapid development are at higher risk for disorganizing influences. Therefore, certain prenatal exposures impact brain development, increasing risk for negative neurodevelopmental outcome. While prenatal exposures have been associated with cognitive and behavioral outcomes later in life, the underlying macroscopic brain pathways remain unclear. Here, we review magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies investigating the association between prenatal exposures and infant brain development focusing on prenatal exposures via maternal physical health factors, maternal mental health factors, and maternal drug and medication use. Further, we discuss the need for studies to consider multiple prenatal exposures in parallel and suggest future directions for this body of research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marisa Spann
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Dustin Scheinost
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, USA; Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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13
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Tarui T, Rasool A, O'Tierney-Ginn P. How the placenta-brain lipid axis impacts the nutritional origin of child neurodevelopmental disorders: Focus on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113910. [PMID: 34742689 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dietary fish is a rich source of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, and as such, is believed to have played an important role in the evolution of the human brain and its advanced cognitive function. The long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the n-3 docosahexanoic acid (DHA), are critical for proper neurological development and function. Both low plasma DHA and obesity in pregnancy are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in childhood, and n-3 supplementation has been shown to improve symptoms, as reviewed herein. The mechanisms underlying the connection between maternal obesity, n-3 fatty acid levels and offspring's neurological outcomes are poorly understood, but we review the evidence for a mediating role of the placenta in this relationship. Despite promising data that n-3 fatty acid supplementation mitigates the effect of maternal obesity on placental lipid metabolism, few clinical trials or animal studies have considered the neurological outcomes of offspring of mothers with obesity supplemented with n-3 FA in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomo Tarui
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Aisha Rasool
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America.
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14
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Thomason ME, Palopoli AC, Jariwala NN, Werchan DM, Chen A, Adhikari S, Espinoza-Heredia C, Brito NH, Trentacosta CJ. Miswiring the brain: Human prenatal Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol use associated with altered fetal hippocampal brain network connectivity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 51:101000. [PMID: 34388638 PMCID: PMC8363827 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.101000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence supports a link between maternal prenatal cannabis use and altered neural and physiological development of the child. However, whether cannabis use relates to altered human brain development prior to birth, and specifically, whether maternal prenatal cannabis use relates to connectivity of fetal functional brain systems, remains an open question. The major objective of this study was to identify whether maternal prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) is associated with variation in human brain hippocampal functional connectivity prior to birth. Prenatal drug toxicology and fetal fMRI data were available in a sample of 115 fetuses [43 % female; mean age 32.2 weeks (SD = 4.3)]. Voxelwise hippocampal connectivity analysis in a subset of age and sex-matched fetuses revealed that PCE was associated with alterations in fetal dorsolateral, medial and superior frontal, insula, anterior temporal, and posterior cingulate connectivity. Classification of group differences by age 5 outcomes suggest that compared to the non-PCE group, the PCE group is more likely to have increased connectivity to regions associated with less favorable outcomes and to have decreased connectivity to regions associated with more favorable outcomes. This is preliminary evidence that altered fetal neural connectome may contribute to neurobehavioral vulnerability observed in children exposed to cannabis in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ava C Palopoli
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Nicki N Jariwala
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Denise M Werchan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alan Chen
- Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samrachana Adhikari
- Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claudia Espinoza-Heredia
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie H Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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15
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Rajasilta O, Häkkinen S, Björnsdotter M, Scheinin NM, Lehtola SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI associates with neonate local and distal functional connectivity of the left superior frontal gyrus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19182. [PMID: 34584134 PMCID: PMC8478954 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98574-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity/overweight during pregnancy has reached epidemic proportions and has been linked with adverse outcomes for the offspring, including cognitive impairment and increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. Prior neuroimaging investigations have reported widespread aberrant functional connectivity and white matter tract abnormalities in neonates born to obese mothers. Here we explored whether maternal pre-pregnancy adiposity is associated with alterations in local neuronal synchrony and distal connectivity in the neonate brain. 21 healthy mother-neonate dyads from uncomplicated pregnancies were included in this study (age at scanning 26.14 ± 6.28 days, 12 male). The neonates were scanned with a 6-min resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) during natural sleep. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps were computed from obtained rs-fMRI data. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the association of pre-pregnancy maternal body-mass-index (BMI) and ReHo. Seed-based connectivity analysis with multiple regression was subsequently performed with seed-ROI derived from ReHo analysis. Maternal adiposity measured by pre-pregnancy BMI was positively associated with neonate ReHo values within the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) (FWE-corrected p < 0.005). Additionally, we found both positive and negative associations (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected) for maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and seed-based connectivity between left SFG and prefrontal, amygdalae, basal ganglia and insular regions. Our results imply that maternal pre-pregnancy BMI associates with local and distal functional connectivity within the neonate left superior frontal gyrus. These findings add to the evidence that increased maternal pre-pregnancy BMI has a programming influence on the developing neonate brain functional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.
| | - Suvi Häkkinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- Department of Psychiatry for Affective Disorders, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), Oxford, UK.,Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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16
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Alteration of regional heterogeneity and functional connectivity for obese undergraduates: evidence from resting-state fMRI. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:627-636. [PMID: 34487278 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00542-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Obesity was found to be related with the changes of brain functions in human beings. There were several brain areas that were verified to be correlated with the obesity, including the parietal cortex, frontal cortex and so on. However, the cortical regions found from different studies were discrepant due to the different ages, gender distribution and satiation degree of participants. We found that the regional homogeneity of right angular gyrus were smaller in obese undergraduates than that in normal-weight undergraduates. Moreover, functional connectivity of the left middle temporal cortex and the right angular gyrus were found to be smaller in obese group than that in normal-weight group by setting the right angular gyrus as seed region. In addition, multiple regression analysis suggested that the right superior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus were significantly correlated with their body mass index for normal-weight undergraduates, but no significant correlation was found for obese group. In summary, these findings indicated the functional changes of the cortex in obese undergraduates, which might be significant for providing imaging-based biomarkers for intervention and therapy of obesity.
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17
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Coley EJL, Hsiao EY. Malnutrition and the microbiome as modifiers of early neurodevelopment. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:753-764. [PMID: 34303552 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Malnutrition refers to a dearth, excess, or altered differential ratios of calories, macronutrients, or micronutrients. Malnutrition, particularly during early life, is a pressing global health and socioeconomic burden that is increasingly associated with neurodevelopmental impairments. Understanding how perinatal malnutrition influences brain development is crucial to uncovering fundamental mechanisms for establishing behavioral neurocircuits, with the potential to inform public policy and clinical interventions for neurodevelopmental conditions. Recent studies reveal that the gut microbiome can mediate dietary effects on host physiology and that the microbiome modulates the development and function of the nervous system. This review discusses evidence that perinatal malnutrition alters brain development and examines the maternal and neonatal microbiome as a potential contributing factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena J L Coley
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Elaine Y Hsiao
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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18
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Thomason ME, Hect JL, Waller R, Curtin P. Interactive relations between maternal prenatal stress, fetal brain connectivity, and gestational age at delivery. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1839-1847. [PMID: 34188185 PMCID: PMC8357800 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01066-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Studies reporting significant associations between maternal prenatal stress and child outcomes are frequently confounded by correlates of prenatal stress that influence the postnatal rearing environment. The major objective of this study is to identify whether maternal prenatal stress is associated with variation in human brain functional connectivity prior to birth. We utilized fetal fMRI in 118 fetuses [48 female; mean age 32.9 weeks (SD = 3.87)] to evaluate this association and further addressed whether fetal neural differences were related to maternal health behaviors, social support, or birth outcomes. Community detection was used to empirically define networks and enrichment was used to isolate differential within- or between-network connectivity effects. Significance for χ2 enrichment was determined by randomly permuting the subject pairing of fetal brain connectivity and maternal stress values 10,000 times. Mixtures modelling was used to test whether fetal neural differences were related to maternal health behaviors, social support, or birth outcomes. Increased maternal prenatal negative affect/stress was associated with alterations in fetal frontoparietal, striatal, and temporoparietal connectivity (β = 0.82, p < 0.001). Follow-up analysis demonstrated that these associations were stronger in women with better health behaviors, more positive interpersonal support, and lower overall stress (β = 0.16, p = 0.02). Additionally, magnitude of stress-related differences in neural connectivity was marginally correlated with younger gestational age at delivery (β = -0.18, p = 0.05). This is the first evidence that negative affect/stress during pregnancy is reflected in functional network differences in the human brain in utero, and also provides information about how positive interpersonal and health behaviors could mitigate prenatal brain programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Population Health, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jasmine L Hect
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh & Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca Waller
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paul Curtin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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19
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Bao Z, Zhang Q, Pan M, Xi X, Wang Y, Zhang F, Wang F, Zou Y, Qu F. Alterations of brain metrics in fetuses of women with polycystic ovary syndrome : a retrospective study based on fetal magnetic resonance imaging. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2021; 21:557. [PMID: 34391385 PMCID: PMC8364105 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-04015-w] [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: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has potential detrimental effects on the neurodevelopment of offspring. This study aimed to evaluate the brain metrics in fetuses of women with PCOS based on fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods This retrospective study included 60 pregnant women with PCOS (PCOS group) and 120 pregnant non-PCOS women (control group). Fetal MRI was performed followed an ultrasound and for numerous clinical indications including known or suspected fetal pathology, history of fetal abnormality in previous pregnancy or in a family member. Fetal brain biometry and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value were analysed. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, fetuses in the PCOS group showed the following characteristics compared to fetuses in the control group: (1) smaller cerebral fronto-occipital diameter (FOD), vermian height (VH) and anteroposterior diameter of the pons (APDP) (evident before 32 weeks; P = 0.042, P = 0.002 and P = 0.016, respectively); (2) larger left and right biparietal index (evident before 32 weeks; P = 0.048 and P = 0.025, respectively); (3) smaller left lateral ventricle (LV) (evident after 32 weeks; P = 0.005); (4) larger anteroposterior diameter of the vermis (APDV) and hippocampal infolding angle (HIA) (evident after 32 weeks; P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively); (5) higher ADC value in frontal white matter (FWM) and in basal ganglia (BG) (evident before and after 32 weeks; all P < 0.05). Conclusions There exist a different pattern of brain metrics in PCOS offspring in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongkun Bao
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Manman Pan
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xi Xi
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuanlin Wang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Zhang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fangfang Wang
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Zou
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Fan Qu
- Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 1 Xueshi Road, Zhejiang, 310006, Hangzhou, China.
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Mechanisms Underlying the Cognitive and Behavioural Effects of Maternal Obesity. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13010240. [PMID: 33467657 PMCID: PMC7829712 DOI: 10.3390/nu13010240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The widespread consumption of 'western'-style diets along with sedentary lifestyles has led to a global epidemic of obesity. Epidemiological, clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that maternal obesity, overnutrition and unhealthy dietary patterns programs have lasting adverse effects on the physical and mental health of offspring. We review currently available preclinical and clinical evidence and summarise possible underlying neurobiological mechanisms by which maternal overnutrition may perturb offspring cognitive function, affective state and psychosocial behaviour, with a focus on (1) neuroinflammation; (2) disrupted neuronal circuities and connectivity; and (3) dysregulated brain hormones. We briefly summarise research implicating the gut microbiota in maternal obesity-induced changes to offspring behaviour. In animal models, maternal obesogenic diet consumption disrupts CNS homeostasis in offspring, which is critical for healthy neurodevelopment, by altering hypothalamic and hippocampal development and recruitment of glial cells, which subsequently dysregulates dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. The adverse effects of maternal obesogenic diets are also conferred through changes to hormones including leptin, insulin and oxytocin which interact with these brain regions and neuronal circuits. Furthermore, accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may directly and indirectly contribute to these maternal diet effects in both human and animal studies. As the specific pathways shaping abnormal behaviour in offspring in the context of maternal obesogenic diet exposure remain unknown, further investigations are needed to address this knowledge gap. Use of animal models permits investigation of changes in neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter activity and hormones across global brain network and sex differences, which could be directly and indirectly modulated by the gut microbiome.
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