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Voltin J, Nunn LM, Watson Z, Brasher ZE, Adisetiyo V, Hanlon CA, Nietert PJ, McRae-Clark AL, Jensen JH. Comparison of three magnetic resonance imaging measures of brain iron in healthy and cocaine use disorder participants. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2024; 37:e5072. [PMID: 38009303 PMCID: PMC10922943 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures for quantifying endogenous nonheme brain iron have been proposed. These correspond to distinct physical properties with varying sensitivities and specificities to iron. Moreover, they may depend not only on tissue iron concentration, but also on the intravoxel spatial pattern of iron deposition, which is complex in many brain regions. Here, the three MRI brain iron measures of R 2 * , magnetic field correlation (MFC), and magnetic susceptibility are compared in several deep gray matter regions for both healthy participants (HPs) and individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD). Their concordance is assessed from their correlations with each other and their relative dependencies on age. In addition, associations between the iron measures and microstructure in adjacent white matter regions are investigated by calculating their correlations with diffusion MRI measures from the internal capsule, and associations with cognition are determined by using results from a battery of standardized tests relevant to CUD. It is found that all three iron measures are strongly correlated with each other for the considered gray matter regions, but with correlation coefficients substantially less than one indicating important differences. The age dependencies of all three measures are qualitatively similar in most regions, except for the red nucleus, where the susceptibility has a significantly stronger correlation with age than R 2 * . Weak to moderate correlations are seen for the iron measures with several of the diffusion and cognitive measures, with the strongest correlations being obtained for R 2 * . The iron measures differ little between the HP and CUD groups, although susceptibility is significantly lower in the red nucleus for the CUD group. For the comparisons made, the iron measures behave similarly in most respects, but with notable quantitative differences. It is suggested that these differences may be, in part, attributable to a higher sensitivity to the spatial pattern of iron deposition for R 2 * and MFC than for susceptibility. This is supported most strongly by a sharp contrast between the values of the iron measures in the globus pallidus relative to those in the red nucleus. The observed correlations of the iron measures with diffusion and cognitive scores point to possible connections between gray matter iron, white matter microstructure, and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Voltin
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Lisa M. Nunn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Zoe Watson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Zoe E. Brasher
- Department of Behavioral Science and Neuroscience, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Vitria Adisetiyo
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Colleen A. Hanlon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Paul J. Nietert
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Aimee L. McRae-Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Jens H. Jensen
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
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Damestani NL, Jacoby J, Michel CB, Rashid B, Salat DH, Juttukonda MR. MRI Assessment of Cerebral White Matter Microvascular Hemodynamics Across the Adult Lifespan. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024. [PMID: 38179863 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Changes in cerebral hemodynamics with aging are important for understanding age-related variation in neuronal health. While many prior studies have focused on gray matter, less is known regarding white matter due in part to measurement challenges related to the lower vascular density in white matter. PURPOSE To investigate the impact of age and sex on white matter hemodynamics in a Human Connectome Project in Aging (HCP-A) cohort using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). STUDY TYPE Retrospective cross-sectional. POPULATION Six hundred seventy-eight typically aging individuals (381 female), aged 36-100 years. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Multi-delay pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL) and diffusion-weighted pulsed-gradient spin-echo echo planar imaging sequences at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT A skeleton of mean fractional anisotropy (FA) was produced using TBSS. This skeleton was used to project ASL-derived cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial transit time (ATT) measures onto white matter tracts. STATISTICAL TESTS General linear models were applied to white matter FA, CBF, and ATT maps, while covarying for age and sex. Threshold-free cluster enhancement multiple comparisons correction was performed for the effects of age and sex, thresholded at PFWE < 0.05. CBF, ATT, and FA were compared between sex for each tract using analysis of covariance, with multiple comparisons correction for the number of tracts at PFDR < 0.05. RESULTS Significantly lower white matter CBF and significantly prolonged white matter ATTs were associated with older age. These effects were widespread across tracts for ATT. Significant (PFDR < 0.05) sex differences in ATT were observed across all tracts, and significant sex differences in CBF were observed in all tracts except the bilateral uncinate fasciculus. Females demonstrated significantly higher CBF compared to males across the lifespan. Few tracts demonstrated significant sex differences in FA. DATA CONCLUSION This study identified significant sex- and age-associated differences in white matter hemodynamics across tracts. EVIDENCE LEVEL 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikou L Damestani
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John Jacoby
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christa B Michel
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Barnaly Rashid
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David H Salat
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meher R Juttukonda
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Brenner EK, Bangen KJ, Clark AL, Delano-Wood L, Evangelista ND, Edwards L, Sorg SF, Jak AJ, Bondi MW, Deoni SCL, Lamar M. Sex moderates the association between age and myelin water fraction in the cingulum and fornix among older adults without dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1267061. [PMID: 38161592 PMCID: PMC10757372 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1267061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Decreasing white matter integrity in limbic pathways including the fornix and cingulum have been reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD), although underlying mechanisms and potential sex differences remain understudied. We therefore sought to explore sex as a moderator of the effect of age on myelin water fraction (MWF), a measure of myelin content, in older adults without dementia (N = 52). Methods Participants underwent neuropsychological evaluation and 3 T MRI at two research sites. Multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) quantified MWF in 3 a priori regions including the fornix, hippocampal cingulum (CgH), and cingulate cingulum (CgC). The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition assessed learning and delayed recall. Multiple linear regressions assessed for (1) interactions between age and sex on regional MWF and (2) associations of regional MWF and memory. Results (1) There was a significant age by sex interaction on MWF of the fornix (p = 0.002) and CgC (p = 0.005), but not the CgH (p = 0.192); as age increased, MWF decreased in women but not men. (2) Fornix MWF was associated with both learning and recall (ps < 0.01), but MWF of the two cingulum regions were not (p > 0.05). Results were unchanged when adjusting for hippocampal volume. Conclusion The current work adds to the literature by illuminating sex differences in age-related myelin decline using a measure sensitive to myelin and may help facilitate detection of AD risk for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Einat K. Brenner
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Katherine J. Bangen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Alexandra L. Clark
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Lisa Delano-Wood
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nicole D. Evangelista
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, College of Public Health and Health Professions, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Lauren Edwards
- Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Scott F. Sorg
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amy J. Jak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Mark W. Bondi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Melissa Lamar
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Andreoli M, Mackie MA, Aaby D, Tate MC. White matter tracts contribute selectively to cognitive functioning in patients with glioma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1221753. [PMID: 37927476 PMCID: PMC10623310 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1221753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The functional organization of white matter (WM) tracts is not well characterized, especially in patients with intrinsic brain tumors where complex patterns of tissue injury, compression, and neuroplasticity may be present. This study uses diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the relationships between WM tract disruption and cognitive deficits in glioma patients. Methods Seventy-nine patients with glioma underwent preoperative DTI and neuropsychological testing. Thirteen WM tracts were reconstructed bilaterally. Fractional anisotropy and streamline number were obtained for each tract as indices of connectivity. Univariate regression models were used to model the association between WM tract connectivity and neuropsychological outcomes. Results Glioma patients exhibited variable injury to WM tracts and variable cognitive deficits on validated neuropsychological tests. We identified 16 age-adjusted associations between WM tract integrity and neuropsychological function. The left inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) predicted list learning and dominant-hand fine motor dexterity. The right IFOF predicted non-dominant-hand fine motor dexterity and visuospatial index scores. The left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) predicted immediate memory list learning and index scores. The right ILF predicted non-dominant-hand fine motor dexterity and backward digit span scores. The left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) I predicted processing speed. The left SLF III predicted list learning, immediate memory index scores, phonemic fluency, and verbal abstract reasoning. The left cingulum predicted processing speed. The right anterior AF predicted verbal abstract reasoning. Conclusion WM tract disruption predicts cognitive dysfunction in glioma patients. By improving knowledge of WM tract organization, this analysis may guide maximum surgical resection and functional preservation in glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Andreoli
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Melissa-Ann Mackie
- Department of Neuropsychology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - David Aaby
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Matthew C. Tate
- Department of Neurological Surgery and Neurology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, United States
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Acosta JN, Haider SP, Rivier C, Leasure AC, Sheth KN, Falcone GJ, Payabvash S. Blood pressure-related white matter microstructural disintegrity and associated cognitive function impairment in asymptomatic adults. Stroke Vasc Neurol 2023; 8:358-367. [PMID: 36878613 PMCID: PMC10647862 DOI: 10.1136/svn-2022-001929] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the white matter (WM) microstructural/cytostructural disintegrity patterns related to higher systolic blood pressure (SBP), and whether they mediate SBP effects on cognitive performance in middle-aged adults. METHODS Using the UK Biobank study of community-dwelling volunteers aged 40-69 years, we included participants without a history of stroke, dementia, demyelinating disease or traumatic brain injury. We investigated the association of SBP with MRI diffusion metrics: fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), intracellular volume fraction (a measure of neurite density), isotropic (free) water volume fraction (ISOVF) and orientation dispersion across WM tracts. Then, we determined whether WM diffusion metrics mediated the effects of SBP on cognitive function. RESULTS We analysed 31 363 participants-mean age of 63.8 years (SD: 7.7), and 16 523 (53%) females. Higher SBP was associated with lower FA and neurite density, but higher MD and ISOVF. Among different WM tracts, diffusion metrics of the internal capsule anterior limb, external capsule, superior and posterior corona radiata were most affected by higher SBP. Among seven cognitive metrics, SBP levels were only associated with 'fluid intelligence' (adjusted p<0.001). In mediation analysis, the averaged FA of external capsule, internal capsule anterior limb and superior cerebellar peduncle mediated 13%, 9% and 13% of SBP effects on fluid intelligence, while the averaged MD of external capsule, internal capsule anterior and posterior limbs, and superior corona radiata mediated 5%, 7%, 7% and 6% of SBP effects on fluid intelligence, respectively. DISCUSSION Among asymptomatic adults, higher SBP is associated with pervasive WM microstructure disintegrity, partially due to reduced neuronal count, which appears to mediate SBP adverse effects on fluid intelligence. Diffusion metrics of select WM tracts, which are most reflective of SBP-related parenchymal damage and cognitive impairment, may serve as imaging biomarkers to assess treatment response in antihypertensive trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián N Acosta
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Stefan P Haider
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munchen, Germany
| | - Cyprien Rivier
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Audrey C Leasure
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kevin N Sheth
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Guido J Falcone
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Seyedmehdi Payabvash
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Stendel MS, Chavez RS. Beyond the brain localization of complex traits: Distributed white matter markers of personality. J Pers 2023; 91:1140-1151. [PMID: 36273276 DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Extensive work in personality neuroscience has shown mixed results in the ability to localize reliable relationships between personality traits and neuroimaging measures. However, recent work in translational neuroimaging has recognized that multifaceted psychological dispositions are not represented in discrete, highly localized brain areas. As such, standard univariate neuroimaging analyses may not be well-suited for capturing broad personality traits supported by distributed networks. METHOD The present study uses an out-of-sample predictive modeling approach to identify multivariate signatures of Big Five personality traits within the structural integrity of white matter pathways using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. In Study 1 (N = 491), we trained a ridge regression model to predict each of the Big Five traits and tested these models in an independent hold-out subsample. RESULTS We found that models for both Neuroticism and Openness were significantly related to predictive accuracy in the hold-out sample. Study 2 (N = 108) applied Study 1's predictive models to an independent set of data collected on a different scanner and using a different Big Five scale. Here, we found that the model for Neuroticism remained a significant predictor of individual difference. CONCLUSION Our findings provide evidence that this white matter signature of Neuroticism generalizes across differences in measurement and samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah S Stendel
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Robert S Chavez
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
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7
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Cai J, Kim JL, Wang Y, Baumeister TR, Zhu M, Liu A, Lee S, McKeown MJ. Sex, myelin, and clinical characteristics of Parkinson's disease. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1235524. [PMID: 37781247 PMCID: PMC10535348 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1235524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine if there are sex differences in myelin in Parkinson's disease, and whether these explain some of the previously-described sex differences in clinical presentation. Methods Thirty-three subjects (23 males, 10 females) with Parkinson's disease underwent myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging, an MRI scanning technique of in vivo myelin content. MWF of 20 white matter regions of interest (ROIs) were assessed. Motor symptoms were assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Principal component analysis, logistic and multiple linear regressions, and t-tests were used to determine which white matter ROIs differed between sexes, the clinical features associated with these myelin changes, and if overall MWF and MWF laterality differed between males and females. Results Consistent with prior reports, tremor and bradykinesia were more likely seen in females, whereas rigidity and axial symptoms were more likely seen in males in our cohort. MWF of the thalamic radiation, cingulum, cingulum hippocampus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and uncinate were significant in predicting sex. Overall MWF and asymmetry of MWF was greater in males. MWF differences between sexes were associated with tremor symptomatology and asymmetry of motor performance. Conclusion Sex differences in myelin are associated with tremor and asymmetry of motor presentation. While preliminary, our results suggest that further investigation of the role of biological sex in myelin pathology and clinical presentation in Parkinson's disease is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Cai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jowon L. Kim
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yuheng Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tobias R. Baumeister
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maria Zhu
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Aiping Liu
- Department of Electronic Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Soojin Lee
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Martin J. McKeown
- Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Alsameen MH, Gong Z, Qian W, Kiely M, Triebswetter C, Bergeron CM, Cortina LE, Faulkner ME, Laporte JP, Bouhrara M. C-NODDI: a constrained NODDI model for axonal density and orientation determinations in cerebral white matter. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1205426. [PMID: 37602266 PMCID: PMC10435293 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1205426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) provides measures of neurite density and dispersion through computation of the neurite density index (NDI) and the orientation dispersion index (ODI). However, NODDI overestimates the cerebrospinal fluid water fraction in white matter (WM) and provides physiologically unrealistic high NDI values. Furthermore, derived NDI values are echo-time (TE)-dependent. In this work, we propose a modification of NODDI, named constrained NODDI (C-NODDI), for NDI and ODI mapping in WM. Methods Using NODDI and C-NODDI, we investigated age-related alterations in WM in a cohort of 58 cognitively unimpaired adults. Further, NDI values derived using NODDI or C-NODDI were correlated with the neurofilament light chain (NfL) concentration levels, a plasma biomarker of axonal degeneration. Finally, we investigated the TE dependence of NODDI or C-NODDI derived NDI and ODI. Results ODI derived values using both approaches were virtually identical, exhibiting constant trends with age. Further, our results indicated a quadratic relationship between NDI and age suggesting that axonal maturation continues until middle age followed by a decrease. This quadratic association was notably significant in several WM regions using C-NODDI, while limited to a few regions using NODDI. Further, C-NODDI-NDI values exhibited a stronger correlation with NfL concentration levels as compared to NODDI-NDI, with lower NDI values corresponding to higher levels of NfL. Finally, we confirmed the previous finding that NDI estimation using NODDI was dependent on TE, while NDI derived values using C-NODDI exhibited lower sensitivity to TE in WM. Conclusion C-NODDI provides a complementary method to NODDI for determination of NDI in white matter.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Reilly OT, Brosnan SF, Benítez ME, Phillips KA, Hecht EE. Sex differences in white matter tracts of capuchin monkey brains. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1096-1107. [PMID: 37127839 PMCID: PMC10247455 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25480] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nonhuman primates exhibit sexual dimorphism in behavior, suggesting that there could be underlying differences in brain organization and function. Understanding this neuroanatomical variation is critical for enhancing our understanding of the evolution of sex differences in the human brain. Tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] apella) represent a phylogenetically diverse taxa of neotropical primates that converge on several behavioral characteristics with humans relevant to social organization, making them an important point of comparison for studying the evolution of sex differences in primates. While anatomical sex differences in gray matter have previously been found in capuchin monkeys, the current study investigates sex differences in white matter tracts. We carried out tract-based spatial statistical analysis on fractional anisotropy images of tufted capuchin monkeys (15 female, 5 male). We found that females showed significantly higher fractional anisotropy than males in regions of frontal-parietal white matter in the right cerebral hemisphere. Paralleling earlier findings in gray matter, male and female fractional anisotropy values in these regions were nonoverlapping. This complements prior work pointing toward capuchin sex differences in limbic circuitry and higher-order visual regions. We propose that these sex differences are related to the distinct socioecological niches occupied by male and female capuchins. Capuchin neuroanatomical sex differences appear to be more pronounced than in humans, which we suggest may relate to human adaptations for prolonged neurodevelopmental trajectories and increased plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia T Reilly
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah F Brosnan
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Marcela E Benítez
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kimberley A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
- Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Erin E Hecht
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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van Heesewijk J, Steenwijk MD, Kreukels BPC, Veltman DJ, Bakker J, Burke SM. Alterations in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus - a specific neural correlate of gender incongruence? Psychol Med 2023; 53:3461-3470. [PMID: 35301969 PMCID: PMC10277722 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721005547] [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: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing numbers of adolescents seek help for gender-identity questions. Consequently, requests for medical treatments, such as puberty suppression, are growing. However, studies investigating the neurobiological substrate of gender incongruence (when birth-assigned sex and gender identity do not align) are scarce, and knowledge about the effects of puberty suppression on the developing brain of transgender youth is limited. METHODS Here we cross-sectionally investigated sex and gender differences in regional fractional anisotropy (FA) as measured by diffusion MR imaging, and the impact of puberty on alterations in the white-matter organization of 35 treatment-naive prepubertal children and 41 adolescents with gender incongruence, receiving puberty suppression. The transgender groups were compared with 79 age-matched, treatment-naive cisgender (when sex and gender align) peers. RESULTS We found that transgender adolescents had lower FA in the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), forceps major and corpus callosum than cisgender peers. In addition, average FA values of the right IFOF correlated negatively with adolescents' cumulative dosage of puberty suppressants received. Of note, prepubertal children also showed significant FA group differences in, again, the right IFOF and left cortico-spinal tract, but with the reverse pattern (transgender > cisgender) than was seen in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Importantly, our results of lower FA (indexing less longitudinal organization, fiber coherence, and myelination) in the IFOF of gender-incongruent adolescents replicate prior findings in transgender adults, suggesting a salient neural correlate of gender incongruence. Findings highlight the complexity with which (pubertal) sex hormones impact white-matter development and add important insight into the neurobiological substrate associated with gender incongruence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason van Heesewijk
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Martijn D. Steenwijk
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Baudewijntje P. C. Kreukels
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Dick J. Veltman
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Julie Bakker
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
| | - Sarah M. Burke
- Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1131, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
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Khan AF, Haynes G, Mohammadi E, Muhammad F, Hameed S, Smith ZA. Utility of MRI in Quantifying Tissue Injury in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12093337. [PMID: 37176777 PMCID: PMC10179707 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12093337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a progressive disease that worsens over time if untreated. However, the rate of progression can vary among individuals and may be influenced by various factors, such as the age of the patients, underlying conditions, and the severity and location of the spinal cord compression. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can help slow the progression of CSM and improve symptoms. There has been an increased use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in diagnosing and managing CSM. MRI methods provide detailed images and quantitative structural and functional data of the cervical spinal cord and brain, allowing for an accurate evaluation of the extent and location of tissue injury. This review aims to provide an understanding of the use of MRI methods in interrogating functional and structural changes in the central nervous system in CSM. Further, we identified several challenges hindering the clinical utility of these neuroimaging methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Fahim Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Grace Haynes
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Esmaeil Mohammadi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Fauziyya Muhammad
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Sanaa Hameed
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Zachary A Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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12
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Li XY, Bao YF, Xie JJ, Gao B, Qian SX, Dong Y, Wu ZY. Application Value of Serum Neurofilament Light Protein for Disease Staging in Huntington's Disease. Mov Disord 2023. [PMID: 37148558 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurofilament light protein (NfL) has been proven to be a sensitive biomarker for Huntington's disease (HD). However, these studies did not include HD patients at advanced stages or with larger CAG repeats (>50), leading to a knowledge gap of the characteristics of NfL. METHODS Serum NfL (sNfL) levels were quantified using an ultrasensitive immunoassay. Participants were assessed by clinical scales and 7.0 T magnetic resonance imaging. Longitudinal samples and clinical data were obtained. RESULTS Baseline samples were available from 110 controls, 90 premanifest HD (pre-HD) and 137 HD individuals. We found levels of sNfL significantly increased in HD compared to pre-HD and controls (both P < 0.0001). The increase rates of sNfL were differed by CAG repeat lengths. However, there was no difference in sNfL levels in manifest HD from early to late stages. In addition, sNfL levels were associated with cognitive measures in pre-HD and manifest HD group, respectively. The increased levels of sNfL were also closely related to microstructural changes in white matter. In the longitudinal analysis, baseline sNfL did not correlate with subsequent clinical function decline. Random forest analysis revealed that sNfL had good power for predicting disease onset. CONCLUSIONS Although sNfL levels are independent of disease stages in manifest HD, it is still an optimal indicator for predicting disease onset and has potential use as a surrogate biomarker of treatment effect in clinical trials. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Li
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Feng Bao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan-Juan Xie
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Gao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Xia Qian
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, and Department of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China
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13
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Bouhrara M, Avram AV, Kiely M, Trivedi A, Benjamini D. Adult lifespan maturation and degeneration patterns in gray and white matter: A mean apparent propagator (MAP) MRI study. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 124:104-116. [PMID: 36641369 PMCID: PMC9985137 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between brain microstructure and aging has been the subject of intense study, with diffusion MRI perhaps the most effective modality for elucidating these associations. Here, we used the mean apparent propagator (MAP)-MRI framework, which is suitable to characterize complex microstructure, to investigate age-related cerebral differences in a cohort of cognitively unimpaired participants and compared the results to those derived using diffusion tensor imaging. We studied MAP-MRI metrics, among them the non-Gaussianity (NG) and propagator anisotropy (PA), and established an opposing pattern in white matter of higher NG alongside lower PA among older adults, likely indicative of axonal degradation. In gray matter, however, these two indices were consistent with one another, and exhibited regional pattern heterogeneity compared to other microstructural parameters, which could indicate fewer neuronal projections across cortical layers along with an increased glial concentration. In addition, we report regional variations in the magnitude of age-related microstructural differences consistent with the posterior-anterior shift in aging paradigm. These results encourage further investigations in cognitive impairments and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustapha Bouhrara
- Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Alexandru V. Avram
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences,Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA,Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Kiely
- Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Aparna Trivedi
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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14
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Kernbach JM, Hartwigsen G, Lim JS, Bae HJ, Yu KH, Schlaug G, Bonkhoff A, Rost NS, Bzdok D. Bayesian stroke modeling details sex biases in the white matter substrates of aphasia. Commun Biol 2023; 6:354. [PMID: 37002267 PMCID: PMC10066402 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04733-1] [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: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ischemic cerebrovascular events often lead to aphasia. Previous work provided hints that such strokes may affect women and men in distinct ways. Women tend to suffer strokes with more disabling language impairment, even if the lesion size is comparable to men. In 1401 patients, we isolate data-led representations of anatomical lesion patterns and hand-tailor a Bayesian analytical solution to carefully model the degree of sex divergence in predicting language outcomes ~3 months after stroke. We locate lesion-outcome effects in the left-dominant language network that highlight the ventral pathway as a core lesion focus across different tests of language performance. We provide detailed evidence for sex-specific brain-behavior associations in the domain-general networks associated with cortico-subcortical pathways, with unique contributions of the fornix in women and cingular fiber bundles in men. Our collective findings suggest diverging white matter substrates in how stroke causes language deficits in women and men. Clinically acknowledging such sex disparities has the potential to improve personalized treatment for stroke patients worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius M Kernbach
- Neurosurgical Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Aachen (NAILA), RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Gesa Hartwigsen
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Lise Meitner Research Group Cognition and Plasticity, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jae-Sung Lim
- Department of Neurology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Joon Bae
- Department of Neurology, Cerebrovascular Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Ho Yu
- Department of Neurology, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Gottfried Schlaug
- Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anna Bonkhoff
- J. Philip Kistler Stroke Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Natalia S Rost
- J. Philip Kistler Stroke Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Danilo Bzdok
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Faculty of Medicine, School of Computer Science, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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15
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Kim Y, Joshi AA, Choi S, Joshi SH, Bhushan C, Varadarajan D, Haldar JP, Leahy RM, Shattuck DW. BrainSuite BIDS App: Containerized Workflows for MRI Analysis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532686. [PMID: 36993283 PMCID: PMC10055125 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
There has been a concerted effort by the neuroimaging community to establish standards for computational methods for data analysis that promote reproducibility and portability. In particular, the Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) specifies a standard for storing imaging data, and the related BIDS App methodology provides a standard for implementing containerized processing environments that include all necessary dependencies to process BIDS datasets using image processing workflows. We present the BrainSuite BIDS App, which encapsulates the core MRI processing functionality of BrainSuite within the BIDS App framework. Specifically, the BrainSuite BIDS App implements a participant-level workflow comprising three pipelines and a corresponding set of group-level analysis workflows for processing the participant-level outputs. The BrainSuite Anatomical Pipeline (BAP) extracts cortical surface models from a T1-weighted (T1w) MRI. It then performs surface-constrained volumetric registration to align the T1w MRI to a labeled anatomical atlas, which is used to delineate anatomical regions of interest in the MRI brain volume and on the cortical surface models. The BrainSuite Diffusion Pipeline (BDP) processes diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data, with steps that include coregistering the DWI data to the T1w scan, correcting for geometric image distortion, and fitting diffusion models to the DWI data. The BrainSuite Functional Pipeline (BFP) performs fMRI processing using a combination of FSL, AFNI, and BrainSuite tools. BFP coregisters the fMRI data to the T1w image, then transforms the data to the anatomical atlas space and to the Human Connectome Project's grayordinate space. Each of these outputs can then be processed during group-level analysis. The outputs of BAP and BDP are analyzed using the BrainSuite Statistics in R (bssr) toolbox, which provides functionality for hypothesis testing and statistical modeling. The outputs of BFP can be analyzed using atlas-based or atlas-free statistical methods during group-level processing. These analyses include the application of BrainSync, which synchronizes the time-series data temporally and enables comparison of resting-state or task-based fMRI data across scans. We also present the BrainSuite Dashboard quality control system, which provides a browser-based interface for reviewing the outputs of individual modules of the participant-level pipelines across a study in real-time as they are generated. BrainSuite Dashboard facilitates rapid review of intermediate results, enabling users to identify processing errors and make adjustments to processing parameters if necessary. The comprehensive functionality included in the BrainSuite BIDS App provides a mechanism for rapidly deploying the BrainSuite workflows into new environments to perform large-scale studies. We demonstrate the capabilities of the BrainSuite BIDS App using structural, diffusion, and functional MRI data from the Amsterdam Open MRI Collection's Population Imaging of Psychology dataset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeun Kim
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anand A. Joshi
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Soyoung Choi
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shantanu H. Joshi
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chitresh Bhushan
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- GE Research, Schenectady, NY, USA
| | - Divya Varadarajan
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Justin P. Haldar
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Richard M. Leahy
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, Department of Electrical Engineering – Systems, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David W. Shattuck
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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16
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Walker KA, Duggan MR, Gong Z, Dark HE, Laporte JP, Faulkner ME, An Y, Lewis A, Moghekar AR, Resnick SM, Bouhrara M. MRI and fluid biomarkers reveal determinants of myelin and axonal loss with aging. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:397-407. [PMID: 36762407 PMCID: PMC10014005 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE White matter damage is a feature of Alzheimer's disease, yet little is known about how facets of the Alzheimer's disease process relate to key features of white matter structure. We examined the association of Alzheimer's disease (Aß42/40 ratio; pTau181), neuronal injury (NfL), and reactive astrogliosis (GFAP) biomarkers with MRI measures of myelin content and axonal density. METHODS Among cognitively normal participants in the BLSA and GESTALT studies who received MRI measures of myelin content (defined by myelin water fraction [MWF]) and axonal density (defined by neurite density index [NDI]), we quantified plasma levels of Aβ42 , Aβ40 , pTau181, NfL, and GFAP. Linear regression models adjusted for demographic variables were used to relate these plasma biomarker levels to the MRI measures. RESULTS In total, 119 participants received MWF imaging (age: 56 [SD 21]), of which 43 received NDI imaging (age: 50 [SD 18]). We found no relationship between plasma biomarkers and total brain myelin content. However, secondary analysis found higher GFAP was associated with lower MWF in the temporal lobes (ß = -0.13; P = 0.049). Further, higher levels of NfL (ß = -0.22; P = 0.009) and GFAP (ß = -0.29; P = 0.002) were associated with lower total brain axonal density. Secondary analyses found lower Aβ42/40 ratio and higher pTau181 were also associated with lower axonal density, but only in select brain regions. These results remained similar after additionally adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. INTERPRETATION Plasma biomarkers of neuronal injury and astrogliosis are associated with reduced axonal density and region-specific myelin content. Axonal loss and demyelination may co-occur with neurodegeneration and astrogliosis ahead of clinically meaningful cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keenan A Walker
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Michael R Duggan
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Zhaoyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Heather E Dark
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - John P Laporte
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Mary E Faulkner
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Yang An
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Alexandria Lewis
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Abhay R Moghekar
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Susan M Resnick
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
| | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224
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17
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Pietrasik W, Cribben I, Olsen F, Malykhin N. Diffusion tensor imaging of superficial prefrontal white matter in healthy aging. Brain Res 2023; 1799:148152. [PMID: 36343726 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.148152] [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: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a heterogenous structure that is highly susceptible to the effects of aging. Few studies have investigated age effects on the superficial white matter (WM) contained within the PFC using in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to examine the effects of age, sex, and intracranial volume (ICV) on superficial WM within specific PFC subregions, and to model the relationships with age using higher order polynomial regression modelling. PFC WM of 140 healthy individuals, aged 18-85, was segmented into medial and lateral orbitofrontal, medial prefrontal, and dorsolateral prefrontal subregions. Differences due to age in microstructural parameters such as fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivities, and macrostructural measures of tract volumes, fiber counts, average fiber lengths, and average number of fibers per voxel were examined. We found that most prefrontal subregions demonstrated age effects, with decreases in FA, tract volume, and fiber counts, and increases in all diffusivity measures. Age relationships were mostly non-linear, with higher order regressions chosen in most cases. Declines in PFC FA began at the onset of adulthood while the greatest changes in diffusivity and volume did not occur until middle age. The effects of age were most prominent in medial tracts while the lateral orbitofrontal tracts were less affected. Significant effects of sex and ICV were also observed in certain parameters. The patterns mostly followed myelination order, with late-myelinating prefrontal subregions experiencing earlier and more pronounced age effects, further supporting the frontal theory of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech Pietrasik
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ivor Cribben
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Accounting & Business Analytics, Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Fraser Olsen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Nikolai Malykhin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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18
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Petkoski S, Ritter P, Jirsa VK. White-matter degradation and dynamical compensation support age-related functional alterations in human brain. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:6241-6256. [PMID: 36611231 PMCID: PMC10183745 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural connectivity of the brain at different ages is analyzed using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The largest decrease of streamlines is found in frontal regions and for long inter-hemispheric links. The average length of the tracts also decreases, but the clustering is unaffected. From functional MRI we identify age-related changes of dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) and spatial covariation features of functional connectivity (FC) links captured by metaconnectivity. They indicate more stable dFC, but wider range and variance of MC, whereas static features of FC did not show any significant differences with age. We implement individual connectivity in whole-brain models and test several hypotheses for the mechanisms of operation among underlying neural system. We demonstrate that age-related functional fingerprints are only supported if the model accounts for: (i) compensation of the individual brains for the overall loss of structural connectivity and (ii) decrease of propagation velocity due to the loss of myelination. We also show that with these 2 conditions, it is sufficient to decompose the time-delays as bimodal distribution that only distinguishes between intra- and inter-hemispheric delays, and that the same working point also captures the static FC the best, and produces the largest variability at slow time-scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spase Petkoski
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
| | - Petra Ritter
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology, Brain Simulation Section, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Bernstein Focus State Dependencies of Learning, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
| | - Viktor K Jirsa
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
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19
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Chokkalla AK, Jeong S, Mehta SL, Davis CK, Morris-Blanco KC, Bathula S, Qureshi SS, Vemuganti R. Cerebroprotective Role of N6-Methyladenosine Demethylase FTO (Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Protein) After Experimental Stroke. Stroke 2023; 54:245-254. [PMID: 36321453 PMCID: PMC10250008 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.122.040401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated protein) demethylates N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which is a critical epitranscriptomic regulator of neuronal function. We previously reported that ischemic stroke induces m6A hypermethylation with a simultaneous decrease in FTO expression in neurons. Currently, we evaluated the functional significance of restoring FTO with an adeno-associated virus 9, and thus reducing m6A methylation in poststroke brain damage. METHODS Adult male and female C57BL/6J mice were injected with FTO adeno-associated virus 9 (intracerebral) at 21 days prior to inducing transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Poststroke brain damage (infarction, atrophy, and white matter integrity) and neurobehavioral deficits (motor function, cognition, depression, and anxiety-like behaviors) were evaluated between days 1 and 28 of reperfusion. RESULTS FTO overexpression significantly decreased the poststroke m6A hypermethylation. More importantly, exogenous FTO substantially decreased poststroke gray and white matter damage and improved motor function recovery, cognition, and depression-like behavior in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that FTO-dependent m6A demethylation minimizes long-term sequelae of stroke independent of sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil K Chokkalla
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Soomin Jeong
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Suresh L Mehta
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Charles K Davis
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | | | - Simran S Qureshi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Raghu Vemuganti
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veteran Administration Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
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20
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Coon EA, Castillo AM, Lesnick TG, Raghavan S, Mielke MM, Reid RI, Windham BG, Petersen RC, Jack CR, Graff-Radford J, Vemuri P. Blood pressure changes impact corticospinal integrity and downstream gait and balance control. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 120:60-67. [PMID: 36122540 PMCID: PMC9613619 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.08.011] [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: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Blood pressure (BP) plays an important role in white matter integrity. We sought to determine the role of intra-individual BP changes on white matter and evaluate the impact on gait speed and imbalance by sex. We identified 990 eligible participants in the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and analyzed fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter regions. Using structural equation models (SEM), we assessed the effect of BP slope on corticospinal tract (CST) FA and downstream effects on gait speed and imbalance after age and sex effects. Of 990 participants, 438 (44%) were female with mean age of 76 years. In linear models predicting CST FA, a greater change in BP slope (0.0004; p = 0.026) and female sex (0.017; p < 0.001) were significant predictors of lower CST FA. SEMs showed that older age, female sex, and higher BP slope predicted lower CST FA, and lower CST FA predicted worse downstream motor control. Therefore, intra-individual BP slope and variability impact corticospinal tract microstructural properties of white matter with females having increased susceptibility to damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna M Castillo
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Timothy G Lesnick
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Michelle M Mielke
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Robert I Reid
- Department of Information Technology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - B Gwen Windham
- Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
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21
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Zhou J, Zhang P, Zhang B, Kong Y. White Matter Damage in Alzheimer's Disease: Contribution of Oligodendrocytes. Curr Alzheimer Res 2022; 19:CAR-EPUB-127137. [PMID: 36281858 PMCID: PMC9982194 DOI: 10.2174/1567205020666221021115321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease, seriously influencing the quality of life and is a global health problem. Many factors affect the onset and development of AD, but specific mechanisms underlying the disease are unclear. Most studies investigating AD have focused on neurons and the gray matter in the central nervous system (CNS) but have not led to effective treatments. Recently, an increasing number of studies have focused on the white matter (WM). Magnetic resonance imaging and pathology studies have shown different degrees of WM abnormality during the progression of AD. Myelin sheaths, the main component of WM in the CNS, wrap and insulate axons to ensure conduction of the rapid action potential and axonal integrity. WM damage is characterized by progressive degeneration of axons, oligodendrocytes (OLs), and myelin in one or more areas of the CNS. The contributions of OLs to AD progression have, until recently, been largely overlooked. OLs are integral to myelin production, and the proliferation and differentiation of OLs, an early characteristic of AD, provide a promising target for preclinical diagnosis and treatment. However, despite some progress, the key mechanisms underlying the contributions of OLs to AD remain unclear. Given the heavy burden of medical treatment, a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying AD is vital. This review comprehensively summarize the results on WM abnormalities in AD and explores the relationship between OL progenitor cells and the pathogenesis of AD. Finally, the underlying molecular mechanisms and potential future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Zhou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing-400042, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing-400010, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical and Pharmaceutical College, Chongqing-401331, China
| | - Yuhan Kong
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing-400042, China
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22
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Eikenes L, Visser E, Vangberg T, Håberg AK. Both brain size and biological sex contribute to variation in white matter microstructure in middle-aged healthy adults. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:691-709. [PMID: 36189786 PMCID: PMC9842919 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether head size and/or biological sex influence proxies of white matter (WM) microstructure such as fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) remains controversial. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices are also associated with age, but there are large discrepancies in the spatial distribution and timeline of age-related differences reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations between intracranial volume (ICV), sex, and age and DTI indices from WM in a population-based study of healthy individuals (n = 812) aged 50-66 in the Nord-Trøndelag health survey. Semiautomated tractography and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analyses were performed on the entire sample and in an ICV-matched sample of men and women. The tractography results showed a similar positive association between ICV and FA in all major WM tracts in men and women. Associations between ICV and MD, radial diffusivity and axial diffusivity were also found, but to a lesser extent than FA. The TBSS results showed that both men and women had areas of higher and lower FA when controlling for age, but after controlling for age and ICV only women had areas with higher FA. The ICV matched analysis also demonstrated that only women had areas of higher FA. Age was negatively associated with FA across the entire WM skeleton in the TBSS analysis, independent of both sex and ICV. Combined, these findings demonstrated that both ICV and sex contributed to variation in DTI indices and emphasized the importance of considering ICV as a covariate in DTI analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Live Eikenes
- Department of Circulation and Medical ImagingNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway
| | - Eelke Visser
- Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK,Donders InstituteRadboud University Nijmegen Medical CentreNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Torgil Vangberg
- Department of Clinical MedicineUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway,PET CenterUniversity Hospital North NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Asta K. Håberg
- Department of NeuroscienceNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyTrondheimNorway,Department of Diagnostic Imaging, MR‐CenterSt. Olav's University HospitalTrondheimNorway
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23
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Dahl J, Tenovuo O, Posti JP, Hirvonen J, Katila AJ, Frantzén J, Maanpää HR, Takala R, Löyttyniemi E, Tallus J, Newcombe V, Menon DK, Hutchinson PJ, Mohammadian M. Cerebral Microbleeds and Structural White Matter Integrity in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury-A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. Front Neurol 2022; 13:888815. [PMID: 35711272 PMCID: PMC9194845 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.888815] [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: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a common neuropathological manifestation of traumatic brain injury (TBI), presenting as traumatic alterations in the cerebral white matter (WM) microstructure and often leading to long-term neurocognitive impairment. These WM alterations can be assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are a common finding on head imaging in TBI and are often considered a visible sign of DAI, although they represent diffuse vascular injury. It is poorly known how they associate with long-term white matter integrity. This study included 20 patients with TBI and CMBs, 34 patients with TBI without CMBs, and 11 controls with orthopedic injuries. DTI was used to assess microstructural WM alterations. CMBs were detected using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and graded according to their location in the WM and total lesion load was counted. Patients underwent SWI within 2 months after injury. DTI and clinical outcome assessment were performed at an average of eight months after injury. Outcome was assessed using the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSe). The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and length of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) were used to assess clinical severity of the injury. We found that CMB grading and total lesion load were negatively associated with fractional anisotropy (FA) and positively associated with mean diffusivity (MD). Patients with TBI and CMBs had decreased FA and increased MD compared with patients with TBI without CMBs. CMBs were also associated with worse clinical outcome. When adjusting for the clinical severity of the injury, none of the mentioned associations were found. Thus, the difference in FA and MD is explained by patients with TBI and CMBs having more severe injuries. Our results suggest that CMBs are not associated with greater WM alterations when adjusting for the clinical severity of TBI. Thus, CMBs and WM alterations may not be strongly associated pathologies in TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juho Dahl
- Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Olli Tenovuo
- Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi P Posti
- Neurocenter, Department of Neurosurgery, Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jussi Hirvonen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ari J Katila
- Perioperative Services, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Management, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Janek Frantzén
- Neurocenter, Department of Neurosurgery, Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Henna-Riikka Maanpää
- Neurocenter, Department of Neurosurgery, Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Takala
- Perioperative Services, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Management, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Jussi Tallus
- Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Virginia Newcombe
- Division of Anaesthesia, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - David K Menon
- Division of Anaesthesia, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J Hutchinson
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mehrbod Mohammadian
- Turku Brain Injury Center, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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24
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Rydelius A, Lampinen B, Rundcrantz A, Bengzon J, Engelholm S, van Westen D, Kinhult S, Knutsson L, Lätt J, Nilsson M, Sundgren PC. Diffusion tensor imaging in glioblastoma patients treated with volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy: a longitudinal study. Acta Oncol 2022; 61:680-687. [PMID: 35275512 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2022.2045036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemo- and radiotherapy (RT) is standard treatment for patients with high-grade glioma, but may cause side-effects on the patient's cognitive function. AIM Use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate the longitudinal changes in normal-appearing brain tissue in glioblastoma patients undergoing modern arc-based RT with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) or helical tomotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 27 patients newly diagnosed with glioblastoma and planned for VMAT or tomotherapy. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging at the start of RT and at week 3, 6, 15, and 26. Fourteen subjects were additionally imaged at week 52. The DTI data were co-registered to the dose distribution maps. Longitudinal changes in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were assessed in the corpus callosum, the centrum semiovale, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. RESULTS Significant longitudinal changes in FA, MD, and RD were mainly found in the corpus callosum. In the other examined brain structures, only sparse and transient changes were seen. No consistent correlations were found between biodose, age, or gender and changes in DTI parameters. CONCLUSION Longitudinal changes in MD, FA, and RD were observed but only in a limited number of brain structures and the changes were smaller than expected from literature. The results suggest that modern, arc-based RT may have less negative effect on normal-appearing parts of the brain tissue up to 12 months after radiotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rydelius
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Björn Lampinen
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Rundcrantz
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Bengzon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University and Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Silke Engelholm
- Deptarments of Hematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Danielle van Westen
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department for Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Kinhult
- Department of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Skane University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Linda Knutsson
- Department of Medical Radiation Physics, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jimmy Lätt
- Lund University BioImaging Centre (LBIC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pia C. Sundgren
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department for Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
- Lund University BioImaging Centre (LBIC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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25
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Bonberg N, Wulms N, Dehghan-Nayyeri M, Berger K, Minnerup H. Sex-Specific Causes and Consequences of White Matter Damage in a Middle-Aged Cohort. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:810296. [PMID: 35645786 PMCID: PMC9131069 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.810296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate potential sex-specific effects of multiple cardiovascular risk factors on white matter pathology in normal aging men and women, as well as potential sex-differences in the association of white matter pathology and cognitive functions. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data of 581 participants (median age: 53 years, 54% women) of the population-based cohort of the BiDirect Study who completed clinical examinations, five neuropsychological tests, and an 3T MRI examination. White matter pathology was determined by the extent of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on FLAIR images as well as the magnitude of global fractional anisotropy (FA) based on diffusion tensor imaging. Main effects, interaction as well as sex-stratified generalized linear regression models were used to evaluate the moderating effect of sex on the association of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and obesity with WMH and FA, respectively. Associations of imaging markers with cognitive test results were determined with linear regression models. Results Hypertension showed stronger associations with more extensive WMH and less FA in women compared to men. Current smoking was associated with more severe WMH in women only. Adjusted for age and education, WMH were not significantly associated with cognitive tests, but higher FA was associated with better performance in motor function in both sexes and with executive functions in men, even after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusion We observed a stronger association of hypertension and smoking with white matter damage in women, suggesting a higher susceptibility for vascular pathology in women. However, there was no association of WMH with cognition, and FA was associated with executive function tests only in men, suggesting a higher cognitive reserve in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Bonberg
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Niklas Wulms
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Mahboobeh Dehghan-Nayyeri
- Clinic of Radiology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR Clinic, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Klaus Berger
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Heike Minnerup
- Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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26
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Sex differences in the connectome of the human brain according to an MR-tractography study. КЛИНИЧЕСКАЯ ПРАКТИКА 2022. [DOI: 10.17816/clinpract105017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The gender differences in the brain anatomy play an important role in planning and analysis in a lot of studies of the brain. Despite most animal studies being performed on the animals of only one sex, clinical studies generally enroll both males and females. Keeping this fact in mind, learning the gender differences in the white matter structure is important for those studies which deal with the white matter changes. These differences should be considered on the stages of planning and evaluation of the results.
Aims: Evaluation of the gender differences in the white matter pathways in healthy subjects.
Methods: 21 women and 20 men were enrolled in the study. All the subjects underwent MR-tractography, then the anatomic connectome was composed and the differences were evaluated using the tracts quantitative anisotropy (QA) evaluation.
Results: The gender differences were found in the white matter pathways with the prevalence of quantitative anisotropy in women, observed in a larger number of tracts than in those of men. QA was prevalent in a lot of fascicli that form major pathways in both groups: corpus callosum, dominant arcuate fasciclus, inferior fronto-occipital, inferior and superior right longitudinal pathways.
Conclusions: The white matter pathways in males and females are different not only within the major tracts but also for small fascicli that form tracts.
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27
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Lewis JD, O’Reilly C, Bock E, Theilmann RJ, Townsend J. Aging-Related Differences in Structural and Functional Interhemispheric Connectivity. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:1379-1389. [PMID: 34496021 PMCID: PMC9190305 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab275] [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: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is substantial evidence of age-related declines in anatomical connectivity during adulthood, with associated alterations in functional connectivity. But the relation of those functional alterations to the structural reductions is unclear. The complexities of both the structural and the functional connectomes make it difficult to determine such relationships. We pursue this question with methods, based on animal research, that specifically target the interhemispheric connections between the visual cortices. We collect t1- and diffusion-weighted imaging data from which we assess the integrity of the white matter interconnecting the bilateral visual cortices. Functional connectivity between the visual cortices is measured with electroencephalography during the presentation of drifting sinusoidal gratings that agree or conflict across hemifields. Our results show age-related reductions in the integrity of the white matter interconnecting the visual cortices, and age-related increases in the difference in functional interhemispheric lagged coherence between agreeing versus disagreeing visual stimuli. We show that integrity of the white matter in the splenium of the corpus callosum predicts the differences in lagged coherence for the agreeing versus disagreeing stimuli; and that this relationship is mediated by age. These results give new insight into the causal relationship between age and functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- John D Lewis
- McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Christian O’Reilly
- Azrieli Centre for Autism Research, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Bock
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | | | - Jeanne Townsend
- Department of Neurosciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Research on Aging and Development Laboratory, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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28
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Lam K, Nguyen PT, Anh LV, Lien T. Blended Motor-Sensory Nerve Bundles on Diffused Tensor Imaging: Evidence of Brain Plasticity in a Patient with 36-year Sequelae from Encephalitis. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2022.8643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brain plasticity refers to the extraordinary ability of the brain to modify its structure and function following changes within the body or in the external environment. However, it is not easy to find it on non-invasive imaging modality.
CASE REPORT: In this article, we report the case of a 36-year-old male patient with sequelae of encephalitis. The patient had general epilepsy with multiple hospital admissions. MRI 3.0 Tesla showed his cerebral hemispheres were asymmetrical both morphologically and tractographically; there was a scar at the right temporo-occipital region, and an atrophy of the right temporal lobe, hippocampus and pontine. DTI reconstruction showed asymmetrical cortico-spinal and thalamo-cortical tracts with posterior thalamo-cortical tract was partly damaged by the scar. Blended motor-sensory nerve bundles were observed only on the left side of the patient’s brain but not on the right or healthy subjects. DTI quantification showed the lower line number, lower FA and higher ADC in the patient compared to healthy subjects and within the patient with decreased functionality on the side of the scar.
CONCLUSION: Non-invasive DTI with 3D image reconstruction on the patient showed evidence of brain plasticity appeared on cortico-spinal and thalamo-cortical tracts and can inform diagnosis and treatment strategies.
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29
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Kiely M, Triebswetter C, Cortina LE, Gong Z, Alsameen MH, Spencer RG, Bouhrara M. Insights into human cerebral white matter maturation and degeneration across the adult lifespan. Neuroimage 2022; 247:118727. [PMID: 34813969 PMCID: PMC8792239 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
White matter (WM) microstructural properties change across the adult lifespan and with neuronal diseases. Understanding microstructural changes due to aging is paramount to distinguish them from neuropathological changes. Conducted on a large cohort of 147 cognitively unimpaired subjects, spanning a wide age range of 21 to 94 years, our study evaluated sex- and age-related differences in WM microstructure. Specifically, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indices, sensitive measures of myelin and axonal density in WM, and myelin water fraction (MWF), a measure of the fraction of the signal of water trapped within the myelin sheets, to probe these differences. Furthermore, we examined regional correlations between MWF and DTI indices to evaluate whether the DTI metrics provide information complementary to MWF. While sexual dimorphism was, overall, nonsignificant, we observed region-dependent differences in MWF, that is, myelin content, and axonal density with age and found that both exhibit nonlinear, but distinct, associations with age. Furthermore, DTI indices were moderately correlated with MWF, indicating their good sensitivity to myelin content as well as to other constituents of WM tissue such as axonal density. The microstructural differences captured by our MRI metrics, along with their weak to moderate associations with MWF, strongly indicate the potential value of combining these outcome measures in a multiparametric approach. Furthermore, our results support the last-in-first-out and the gain-predicts-loss hypotheses of WM maturation and degeneration. Indeed, our results indicate that the posterior WM regions are spared from neurodegeneration as compared to anterior regions, while WM myelination follows a temporally symmetric time course across the adult life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Kiely
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Curtis Triebswetter
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Luis E Cortina
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Zhaoyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Maryam H Alsameen
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Richard G Spencer
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA
| | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224 MD, USA.
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30
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Bakker J. The role of steroid hormones in the sexual differentiation of the human brain. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13050. [PMID: 34708466 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Widespread sex differences in human brain structure and function have been reported. Research on animal models has demonstrated that sex differences in brain and behavior are induced by steroid hormones during specific, hormone sensitive, developmental periods. It was shown that typical male neural and behavioral characteristics develop under the influence of testosterone, mostly acting during perinatal development. By contrast, typical female neural and behavioral characteristics may actually develop under the influence of estradiol during a specific prepubertal period. This review provides an overview of our current knowledge on the role of steroid hormones in the sexual differentiation of the human brain. Both clinical and neuroimaging data obtained in patients with altered androgen levels/actions (i.e., congenital adrenal hyperplasia or complete androgen insensitivity syndrome [CAIS]), point to an important role of (prenatal) androgens in inducing typical male neural and psychosexual characteristics in humans. In contrast to rodents, there appears to be no obvious role for estrogens in masculinizing the human brain. Furthermore, data from CAIS also suggest a contribution of sex chromosome genes to the development of the human brain. The final part of this review is dedicated to a brief discussion of gender incongruence, also known as gender dysphoria, which has been associated with an altered or less pronounced sexual differentiation of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Bakker
- Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences, Liège University, Liege, Belgium
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31
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Riedel D, Fellerhoff T, Mierau A, Strüder H, Wolf D, Fischer F, Fellgiebel A, Tüscher O, Kollmann B, Knaepen K. The impact of aging on interhemispheric transfer time and respective sex differences. AGING BRAIN 2022; 2:100040. [PMID: 36908886 PMCID: PMC9997169 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2022.100040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related cognitive decline has been attributed to degeneration of the corpus callosum (CC), which allows for interhemispheric integration and information processing [22,69]. Along with decreased structural integrity, altered functional properties of the CC may cause impaired cognitive performance in older adults, yet this aspect of age-related decline remains insufficiently researched [59]. In this context, potential sex-related differences have been proposed [31,58]. A promising parameter, which has been suggested to estimate functional properties of the CC is the interhemispheric transfer time (IHTT), which is ideally obtained from event-related potentials (ERP) evoked by lateralized stimuli [45]. To examine the possible functional consequences of aging with regards to the CC, the present study investigated the IHTT of 107 older (67.69 ± 5.18y) as well as of 23 younger participants (25.09 ± 2.59y). IHTT was obtained using an established letter matching task and targeting early N170 ERP components at posterior electrode sites. The results revealed significantly elongated IHTT in older compared to younger participants, but no significant sex differences. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between IHTT and age, predominantly driven by the female participants. The present findings add support to the notion, that IHTT is subject to age-related elongation reflecting impaired interhemispheric transmission. Age-related decline in women appears to occur at a different age range compared to men.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Riedel
- Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany
| | - Tim Fellerhoff
- Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Mierau
- Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany.,Department of Exercise and Sport Science, LUNEX International University of Health, Exercise and Sports, 50, avenue du Parc des Sports L-4671 Differdange, Luxembourg
| | - Heiko Strüder
- Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany
| | - Dominik Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Florian Fischer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Fellgiebel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany.,Center for Mental Health in Old Age, Landeskrankenhaus (AöR), Hartmühlenweg 2-4, 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstraße 7, 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Bianca Kollmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, 55131 Mainz, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Wallstraße 7, 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kristel Knaepen
- Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, Germany
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Hanlon CA, McCalley DM. Sex/Gender as a Factor That Influences Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Treatment Outcome: Three Potential Biological Explanations. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:869070. [PMID: 35573331 PMCID: PMC9098922 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique which is now being used in psychiatry clinics across the world as a therapeutic tool for a variety of neural-circuit based disorders (e.g., major depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, headache, pain). The higher volume of use and publication of multiple large-scale clinical trials has provided researchers with a unique opportunity to retrospectively evaluate factors influencing TMS treatment responses in large samples of patients. While many studies have focused on TMS protocol parameters as moderators of treatment efficacy, sex/gender is another critical, often overlooked factor influencing TMS treatment outcome. Women, especially during periods of high estradiol, appear to be particularly sensitive to the therapeutic effects of rTMS. This manuscript makes a case for three potential biological explanations for these findings. Drawing on literature from cranio-facial anatomy, neuroimaging, and neuroendocrine fields, we posit that observed increases in response rates of women in clinical rTMS trials may be related to: (1) Closer proximity of the brain to the scalp at the prefrontal cortex, leading to larger TMS induced electric fields especially at the medial prefrontal cortex, (2) Greater gray matter density and gyrification in the prefrontal cortex, and (3) High levels of estradiol which facilitate cortical excitability. These biological explanations are empirical ideas which have been evaluated in laboratory studies and lend themselves to prospective evaluation in multisite clinical rTMS trials. The existing literature on this topic and these three potential biological explanations all indicate that the TMS field should routinely evaluate sex/gender (and associated biological metrics like scalp-to-cortex distance, gray matter density, estradiol/progesterone levels) as a factor that may influence treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen A Hanlon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Daniel M McCalley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Monnig MA, Gullett JM, Porges EC, Woods AJ, Monti PM, Tashima K, Jahanshad N, Thompson P, Nir T, Cohen RA. Associations of alcohol use, HIV infection, and age with brain white matter microstructure. J Neurovirol 2021; 27:936-950. [PMID: 34750783 PMCID: PMC8901452 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-021-01021-8] [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: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Heavy drinking and HIV infection are independently associated with damage to the brain's white matter. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether current alcohol consumption, HIV infection, and associated characteristics were associated with indices of white matter microstructural integrity in people living with HIV (PLWH) and seronegative individuals. PLWH and controls were categorized as non-drinkers, moderate drinkers, or heavy drinkers. White matter fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) were assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Voxelwise analyses using tract-based spatial statistics were followed by confirmatory region-of-interest (ROI) analyses. Data from 108 participants (62 PLWH, 46 controls) were suitable for analysis. Average age (± standard deviation) was 45.2 ± 11.1 years, and the sample was 42% female. The majority of PLWH were on antiretroviral therapy (94%) and were virally suppressed (69%). PLWH and controls did not differ on substance use. Heavier alcohol intake was significantly associated with lower FA and higher RD in widespread areas. Heavy drinking was significantly associated with higher AD in a small region. The main effect of HIV was not significant, but a significant HIV-age interaction was observed. Follow-up ROI analyses confirmed the main effect of drinking group and HIV-age interaction. In conclusion, results are consistent with a dose-dependent association of alcohol use with lower white matter microstructural coherence. Concordance between FA and RD findings suggests dysmyelination as a mechanism. Findings underscore the need to address unhealthy alcohol use in HIV-positive and seronegative individuals, the consequences of which may be exacerbated by aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph M Gullett
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Eric C Porges
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Peter M Monti
- Brown University, Box G-S121-5, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | | | - Neda Jahanshad
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Paul Thompson
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Talia Nir
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Ronald A Cohen
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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Zubiaurre-Elorza L, Cerdán S, Uribe C, Pérez-Laso C, Marcos A, Rodríguez del Cerro MC, Fernandez R, Pásaro E, Guillamon A. The Effects of Testosterone on the Brain of Transgender Men. ANDROGENS: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTICS 2021; 2:252-260. [PMID: 35024694 PMCID: PMC8744429 DOI: 10.1089/andro.2021.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Transgender men (TM) experience an incongruence between the female sex assigned when they were born and their self-perceived male identity. Some TM seek for a gender affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) to induce a somatic transition from female to male through continuous administration of testosterone. GAHT seems to be relatively safe. However, testosterone produces structural changes in the brain as detected by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging. Mainly, it induces an increase in cortical volume and thickness and subcortical structural volume probably due to the anabolic effects. Animal models, specifically developed to test the anabolic hypothesis, suggest that testosterone and estradiol, its aromatized metabolite, participate in the control of astrocyte water trafficking, thereby controlling brain volume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leire Zubiaurre-Elorza
- Department of Methods and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Sebastian Cerdán
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Alberto Sols, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carme Uribe
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Pérez-Laso
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Marcos
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Rosa Fernandez
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultade de Ciencias da Educación, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Eduardo Pásaro
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultade de Ciencias da Educación, Universidade da Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Antonio Guillamon
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Madrid, Spain
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Han X, Geng Z, Zhu Q, Song Z, Lv H. Diffusion kurtosis imaging: An efficient tool for evaluating age-related changes in rat brains. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e02136. [PMID: 34559478 PMCID: PMC8613443 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate and determine age-related changes in rat brains by studying the diffusion kurtosis imaging results among different age groups of rats. METHODS Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats underwent conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI). Two diffusion values of mean kurtosis (MK) and kurtosis (K⊥ ) were measured and analyzed based on laterality, brain regions and age groups. The MK and K⊥ data were plotted against different age groups. RESULTS No laterality was found for the MK or K⊥ values in the cerebral cortex (CT), external capsule (EC), or caudate putamen (CPu) regions. In contrast, significant changes in these values were observed among different age groups. Changes of the MK and K⊥ values were significant in both hemispheres in the EC, the CT, and the CPu brain regions. The changes in the MK and K⊥ values showed a parabolic relationship with ages in all the brain regions. CONCLUSION No laterality in the MK and K⊥ values was observed for the EC, CT, or CPu regions of the rat brain. Significant changes in MK and K⊥ values were both observed among different age groups, thus suggesting diffusion kurtosis imaging as an efficient tool for studying brain aging in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue‐Fang Han
- Department of Radiologythe Second Hospital of Hebei Medical UniversityShijiazhuangHebei ProvinceP.R. China
| | - Zuo‐Jun Geng
- Department of Radiologythe Second Hospital of Hebei Medical UniversityShijiazhuangHebei ProvinceP.R. China
| | - Qing‐Feng Zhu
- Department of Radiologythe Second Hospital of Hebei Medical UniversityShijiazhuangHebei ProvinceP.R. China
| | - Zhen‐Hu Song
- Department of Radiologythe Second Hospital of Hebei Medical UniversityShijiazhuangHebei ProvinceP.R. China
| | - Huan‐Di Lv
- Department of Radiologythe Second Hospital of Hebei Medical UniversityShijiazhuangHebei ProvinceP.R. China
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Hakulinen U, Brander A, Ilvesmäki T, Helminen M, Öhman J, Luoto TM, Eskola H. Reliability of the freehand region-of-interest method in quantitative cerebral diffusion tensor imaging. BMC Med Imaging 2021; 21:144. [PMID: 34607554 PMCID: PMC8491381 DOI: 10.1186/s12880-021-00663-8] [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: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique used for evaluating changes in the white matter in brain parenchyma. The reliability of quantitative DTI analysis is influenced by several factors, such as the imaging protocol, pre-processing and post-processing methods, and selected diffusion parameters. The region-of-interest (ROI) method is most widely used of the post-processing methods because it is found in commercial software. The focus of our research was to study the reliability of the freehand ROI method using various intra- and inter-observer analyses. Methods This study included 40 neurologically healthy participants who underwent diffusion MRI of the brain with a 3 T scanner. The measurements were performed at nine different anatomical locations using a freehand ROI method. The data extracted from the ROIs included the regional mean values, intra- and inter-observer variability and reliability. The used DTI parameters were fractional anisotropy (FA), the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and axial (AD) and radial (RD) diffusivity. Results The average intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of the intra-observer was found to be 0.9 (excellent). The single ICC results were excellent (> 0.8) or adequate (> 0.69) in eight out of the nine regions in terms of FA and ADC. The most reliable results were found in the frontobasal regions. Significant differences between age groups were also found in the frontobasal regions. Specifically, the FA and AD values were significantly higher and the RD values lower in the youngest age group (18–30 years) compared to the other age groups. Conclusions The quantitative freehand ROI method can be considered highly reliable for the average ICC and mostly adequate for the single ICC. The freehand method is suitable for research work with a well-experienced observer. Measurements should be performed at least twice in the same region to ensure that the results are sufficiently reliable. In our study, reliability was slightly undermined by artifacts in some regions such as the cerebral peduncle and centrum semiovale. From a clinical point of view, the results are most reliable in adults under the age of 30, when age-related changes in brain white matter have not yet occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ullamari Hakulinen
- Department of Medical Physics, Medical Imaging Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland. .,Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland. .,Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Antti Brander
- Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tero Ilvesmäki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mika Helminen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Tays Research Services, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Juha Öhman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital and Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Teemu M Luoto
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Neurosurgery, Tampere University Hospital and Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Hannu Eskola
- Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Center of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Tsuchida A, Laurent A, Crivello F, Petit L, Pepe A, Beguedou N, Debette S, Tzourio C, Mazoyer B. Age-Related Variations in Regional White Matter Volumetry and Microstructure During the Post-adolescence Period: A Cross-Sectional Study of a Cohort of 1,713 University Students. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:692152. [PMID: 34413727 PMCID: PMC8369154 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.692152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Human brain white matter undergoes a protracted maturation that continues well into adulthood. Recent advances in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) methods allow detailed characterizations of the microstructural architecture of white matter, and they are increasingly utilized to study white matter changes during development and aging. However, relatively little is known about the late maturational changes in the microstructural architecture of white matter during post-adolescence. Here we report on regional changes in white matter volume and microstructure in young adults undergoing university-level education. As part of the MRi-Share multi-modal brain MRI database, multi-shell, high angular resolution DWI data were acquired in a unique sample of 1,713 university students aged 18-26. We assessed the age and sex dependence of diffusion metrics derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) in the white matter regions as defined in the John Hopkins University (JHU) white matter labels atlas. We demonstrate that while regional white matter volume is relatively stable over the age range of our sample, the white matter microstructural properties show clear age-related variations. Globally, it is characterized by a robust increase in neurite density index (NDI), and to a lesser extent, orientation dispersion index (ODI). These changes are accompanied by a decrease in diffusivity. In contrast, there is minimal age-related variation in fractional anisotropy. There are regional variations in these microstructural changes: some tracts, most notably cingulum bundles, show a strong age-related increase in NDI coupled with decreases in radial and mean diffusivity, while others, mainly cortico-spinal projection tracts, primarily show an ODI increase and axial diffusivity decrease. These age-related variations are not different between males and females, but males show higher NDI and ODI and lower diffusivity than females across many tracts. These findings emphasize the complexity of changes in white matter structure occurring in this critical period of late maturation in early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Tsuchida
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Alexandre Laurent
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Fabrice Crivello
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Laurent Petit
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Antonietta Pepe
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Naka Beguedou
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Stephanie Debette
- Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Bordeaux, France
| | - Christophe Tzourio
- Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Bordeaux, France
| | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.,Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293, CEA, Bordeaux, France.,Université de Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, U1219, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Bordeaux, France
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Tung YH, Lin HY, Chen CL, Shang CY, Yang LY, Hsu YC, Tseng WYI, Gau SSF. Whole Brain White Matter Tract Deviation and Idiosyncrasy From Normative Development in Autism and ADHD and Unaffected Siblings Link With Dimensions of Psychopathology and Cognition. Am J Psychiatry 2021; 178:730-743. [PMID: 33726525 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20070999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) preclude definitive identification of neurobiomarkers and biological risks. High clinical overlap suggests multifaceted circuit-level alterations across diagnoses, which remains elusive. This study investigated whether individuals with ADHD or ASD and their unaffected siblings constitute a spectrum of neurodevelopmental conditions in terms of white matter etiology. METHODS Sex-specific white matter tract normative development was modeled from diffusion MRI of 626 typically developing control subjects (ages 5-40 years; 376 of them male). Individualized metrics estimating white matter tract deviation from the age norm were derived for 279 probands with ADHD, 175 probands with ASD, and their unaffected siblings (ADHD, N=121; ASD, N=72). RESULTS ASD and ADHD shared diffuse white matter tract deviations in the commissure and association tracts (rho=0.54; p<0.001), while prefrontal corpus callosum deviated more remarkably in ASD (effect size=-0.36; p<0.001). Highly correlated deviance patterns between probands and unaffected siblings were found in both ASD (rho=0.69; p<0.001) and ADHD (rho=0.51; p<0.001), but only unaffected sisters of ASD probands showed a potential endophenotype in long-range association fibers and projection fibers connecting prefrontal regions. ADHD and ASD shared significant white matter tract idiosyncrasy (rho=0.55; p<0.001), particularly in tracts connecting prefrontal regions, not identified in either sibling group. Canonical correlation analysis identified multiple dimensions of psychopathology/cognition across categorical entities; autistic, visual memory, intelligence/planning/inhibition, nonverbal-intelligence/attention, working memory/attention, and set-shifting/response-variability were associated with distinct sets of white matter tract deviations. CONCLUSIONS When conceptualizing neurodevelopmental disorders as white matter tract deviations from normative patterns, ASD and ADHD are more alike than different. The modest white matter tract alterations in siblings suggest potential endophenotypes in these at-risk populations. This study further delineates brain-driven dimensions of psychopathology/cognition, which may help clarify within-diagnosis heterogeneity and high between-diagnosis co-occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hung Tung
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Hsiang-Yuan Lin
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Chang-Le Chen
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Chi-Yung Shang
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Li-Ying Yang
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Yung-Chin Hsu
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Wen-Yih Isaac Tseng
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
| | - Susan Shur-Fen Gau
- School of Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, and Department of Medical Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei (Tung); Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei (Tung, Lin, Shang, Gau); Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre and Adult Neurodevelopmental and Geriatric Psychiatry Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto (Lin); Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto (Lin); Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Chen, Yang, Hsu, Tseng); Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei (Tseng, Gau); Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei (Tseng)
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Demnitz N, Madsen KS, Johnsen LK, Kjaer M, Boraxbekk CJ, Siebner HR. Right-left asymmetry in corticospinal tract microstructure and dexterity are uncoupled in late adulthood. Neuroimage 2021; 240:118405. [PMID: 34280529 PMCID: PMC8456694 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing leads to a decline in white matter microstructure and dexterous function of the hand. In adolescents, it has previously been shown that the degree of right-left asymmetry in the corticospinal tract (CST) is linearly related with right-left asymmetry in dexterity. Here, we tested whether this association is also expressed in older adults. Participants completed a simple circle drawing task with their right and left hand as a measure of dexterity and underwent whole-brain diffusion weighted imaging at 3 Tesla (n = 199; aged 60-72 years). Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity of right and left CST were extracted from a manually defined region-of-interest. Linear regression analyses were computed to replicate the analyses in adolescents. Frequentist analyses were complemented with a Bayesian analytical framework. Outcome measures were compared with those previously reported in adolescents (aged 11-16 years). Asymmetries in white matter microstructure of the CST were evident and comparable to the degree of lateralisation observed in adolescence. Similarly, asymmetries in dexterity were evident, but to a lesser degree than in adolescents. Unlike in adolescents, we found no evidence of a linear relationship between asymmetries in CST microstructure and dexterity. Complementary Bayesian regression analysis provided moderate evidence in favour of the null hypothesis, pointing towards a lack of association between the structural and functional measures of right-left asymmetry. Our findings are compatible with the notion that, by late adulthood, a diverging impact of age on white matter structure and dexterous hand function dilutes the structure-function relationship between CST microstructure and manual proficiency that has been reported in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Demnitz
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark.
| | - Kathrine Skak Madsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Radiography, Department of Technology, University College Copenhagen, Sigurdsgade 26, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Line K Johnsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Mental Health Services, Capital Region Psychiatry, Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Michael Kjaer
- Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen (ISMC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark; Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Carl-Johan Boraxbekk
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Institute of Sports Medicine Copenhagen (ISMC), Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark; Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Hartwig R Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager and Hvidovre, Kettegård Allé 30, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Institute for Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark; Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 København NV, Denmark
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40
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Hsu CCH, Huang CC, Tsai SJ, Chen LK, Li HC, Lo CYZ, Lin CP. Differential Age Trajectories of White Matter Changes Between Sexes Correlate with Cognitive Performances. Brain Connect 2021; 11:759-771. [PMID: 33858197 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2020.0961] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Aging is accompanied by a gradual deterioration in multiple cognitive abilities and brain structures. Both cognitive function and white matter (WM) structure are found to be associated with neurodegeneration diseases and correlated with sex during aging. However, it is still unclear whether the brain structural change could be attributable to sex, and how sex would affect cognitive performances during aging. Materials and Methods: Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed on 1127 healthy participants (age range: 21-89) at a single site. The age trajectories of the WM tract microstructure were delineated to estimate the turning age and changing rate between sexes. The canonical correlation analysis and moderated mediation analysis were used to examine the relationship between sex-linked WM tracts and cognitive performances. Results: The axon intactness and demyelination of sex-linked tracts during aging were multifaceted. Sex-linked tracts in females peak around 5 years later than those in males but change significantly faster after the turning age. Projection and association tracts (e.g., corticospinal tracts and parahippocampal cingulum) contributed to a significant decrease in visuospatial functions (VS) and executive functions (E). We discovered that there is a stronger indirect effect of sex-linked tracts on cognitive functions in females than in males. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the vulnerable projection and association tracts in females may induce negative impacts on integrating multiple functions, which results in a faster decrease in VS and E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Chin Heather Hsu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Center of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chu-Chung Huang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Kung Chen
- Center of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Chun Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yi Zac Lo
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ching-Po Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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41
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Ouyang Y, Cui D, Yuan Z, Liu Z, Jiao Q, Yin T, Qiu J. Analysis of Age-Related White Matter Microstructures Based on Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:664911. [PMID: 34262444 PMCID: PMC8273390 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.664911] [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: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Population aging has become a serious social problem. Accordingly, many researches are focusing on changes in brains of the elderly. In this study, we used multiple parameters to analyze age-related changes in white matter fibers. A sample cohort of 58 individuals was divided into young and middle-age groups and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to analyze the differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusion (MD), axial diffusion (AD), and radial diffusion (RD) between the two groups. Deterministic fiber tracking was used to investigate the correlation between fiber number and fiber length with age. The TBSS analysis revealed significant differences in FA, MD, AD, and RD in multiple white matter fibers between the two groups. In the middle-age group FA and AD were lower than in young people, whereas the MD and RD values were higher. Deterministic fiber tracking showed that the fiber length of some fibers correlated positively with age. These fibers were observed in the splenium of corpus callosum (SCC), the posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC), the right posterior corona radiata (PCR_R), the anterior corona radiata (ACR), the left posterior thalamic radiation (include optic radiation; PTR_L), and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF_L), among others. The results showed that the SCC, PLIC, PCR_R, ACR, PTR_L, and SLF_L significantly differed between young and middle-age people. Therefore, we believe that these fibers could be used as image markers of age-related white matter changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yahui Ouyang
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Tai'an, China.,College of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Tai'an, China
| | - Dong Cui
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Zilong Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Hubei Cancer Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhipeng Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Qing Jiao
- College of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Tai'an, China
| | - Tao Yin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China
| | - Jianfeng Qiu
- Medical Engineering and Technology Research Center, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Tai'an, China.,College of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Tai'an, China
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42
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Wheelock MD, Goodman AM, Harnett NG, Wood KH, Mrug S, Granger DA, Knight DC. Sex-related Differences in Stress Reactivity and Cingulum White Matter. Neuroscience 2021; 459:118-128. [PMID: 33588003 PMCID: PMC7965343 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex and limbic system are important components of the neural circuit that underlies stress and anxiety. These brain regions are connected by white matter tracts that support neural communication including the cingulum, uncinate fasciculus, and the fornix/stria-terminalis. Determining the relationship between stress reactivity and these white matter tracts may provide new insight into factors that underlie stress susceptibility and resilience. Therefore, the present study investigated sex differences in the relationship between stress reactivity and generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) of the white matter tracts that link the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. Diffusion weighted images were collected and deterministic tractography was completed in 104 young adults (55 men, 49 women; mean age = 18.87 SEM = 0.08). Participants also completed self-report questionnaires (e.g., Trait Anxiety) and donated saliva (later assayed for cortisol) before, during, and after the Trier Social Stress Test. Results revealed that stress reactivity (area under the curve increase in cortisol) and GFA of the cingulum bundle varied by sex. Specifically, men demonstrated greater cortisol reactivity and greater GFA within the cingulum than women. Further, an interaction between sex, stress reactivity, and cingulum GFA was observed in which men demonstrated a positive relationship while women demonstrated a negative relationship between GFA and cortisol reactivity. Finally, trait anxiety was positively associated with the GFA of the fornix/stria terminalis - the white matter pathways that connect the hippocampus/amygdala to the hypothalamus. These findings advance our understanding of factors that underlie individual differences in stress reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M D Wheelock
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - A M Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - N G Harnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - K H Wood
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - S Mrug
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - D A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 525 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - D C Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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43
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Kavroulakis E, Simos NJ, Maris TG, Zaganas I, Panagiotakis S, Papadaki E. Evidence of Age-Related Hemodynamic and Functional Connectivity Impairment: A Resting State fMRI Study. Front Neurol 2021; 12:633500. [PMID: 33833727 PMCID: PMC8021915 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.633500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To assess age-related changes in intrinsic functional brain connectivity and hemodynamics during adulthood in the context of the retrogenesis hypothesis, which states that the rate of age-related changes is higher in late-myelinating (prefrontal, lateral-posterior temporal) cerebrocortical areas as compared to early myelinating (parietal, occipital) regions. In addition, to examine the dependence of age-related changes upon concurrent subclinical depression symptoms which are common even in healthy aging. Methods: Sixty-four healthy adults (28 men) aged 23-79 years (mean 45.0, SD = 18.8 years) were examined. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) time series were used to compute voxel-wise intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC) maps reflecting the strength of functional connectivity between each voxel and the rest of the brain. We further used Time Shift Analysis (TSA) to estimate voxel-wise hemodynamic lead or lag for each of 22 ROIs from the automated anatomical atlas (AAL). Results: Adjusted for depression symptoms, gender and education level, reduced ICC with age was found primarily in frontal, temporal regions, and putamen, whereas the opposite trend was noted in inferior occipital cortices (p < 0.002). With the same covariates, increased hemodynamic lead with advancing age was found in superior frontal cortex and thalamus, with the opposite trend in inferior occipital cortex (p < 0.002). There was also evidence of reduced coupling between voxel-wise intrinsic connectivity and hemodynamics in the inferior parietal cortex. Conclusion: Age-related intrinsic connectivity reductions and hemodynamic changes were demonstrated in several regions-most of them part of DMN and salience networks-while impaired neurovascular coupling was, also, found in parietal regions. Age-related reductions in intrinsic connectivity were greater in anterior as compared to posterior cortices, in line with implications derived from the retrogenesis hypothesis. These effects were affected by self-reported depression symptoms, which also increased with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftherios Kavroulakis
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nicholas J Simos
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece.,Computational Bio-Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Thomas G Maris
- Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Crete, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ioannis Zaganas
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Simeon Panagiotakis
- Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Efrosini Papadaki
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece.,Computational Bio-Medicine Laboratory, Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
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44
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Matijevic S, Ryan L. Tract Specificity of Age Effects on Diffusion Tensor Imaging Measures of White Matter Health. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:628865. [PMID: 33790778 PMCID: PMC8006297 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.628865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Well-established literature indicates that older adults have poorer cerebral white matter integrity, as measured through diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Age differences in DTI have been observed widely across white matter, although some tracts appear more sensitive to the effects of aging than others. Factors like APOE ε4 status and sex may contribute to individual differences in white matter integrity that also selectively impact certain tracts, and could influence DTI changes in aging. The present study explored the degree to which age, APOE ε4, and sex exerted global vs. tract specific effects on DTI metrics in cognitively healthy late middle-aged to older adults. Data from 49 older adults (ages 54–92) at two time-points separated by approximately 2.7 years were collected. DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), were extracted from nine white matter tracts and global white matter. Results showed that across timepoints, FA and MD increased globally, with no tract-specific changes observed. Baseline age had a global influence on both measures, with increasing age associated with lower FA and higher MD. After controlling for global white matter FA, age additionally predicted FA for the genu, callosum body, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and both anterior and posterior cingulum. Females exhibited lower global FA on average compared to males. In contrast, MD was selectively elevated in the anterior cingulum and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), for females compared to males. APOE ε4 status was not predictive of either measure. In summary, these results indicate that age and sex are associated with both global and tract-specific alterations to DTI metrics among a healthy older adult cohort. Older women have poorer white matter integrity compared to older men, perhaps related to menopause-induced metabolic changes. While age-related alterations to white matter integrity are global, there is substantial variation in the degree to which tracts are impacted, possibly as a consequence of tract anatomical variability. The present study highlights the importance of accounting for global sources of variation in DTI metrics when attempting to investigate individual differences (due to age, sex, or other factors) in specific white matter tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Matijevic
- Cognition and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lee Ryan
- Cognition and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Zhang Z, Wang X, Kong L, Zhu H. High-Dimensional Spatial Quantile Function-on-Scalar Regression. J Am Stat Assoc 2021; 117:1563-1578. [PMID: 37008532 PMCID: PMC10065478 DOI: 10.1080/01621459.2020.1870984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This article develops a novel spatial quantile function-on-scalar regression model, which studies the conditional spatial distribution of a high-dimensional functional response given scalar predictors. With the strength of both quantile regression and copula modeling, we are able to explicitly characterize the conditional distribution of the functional or image response on the whole spatial domain. Our method provides a comprehensive understanding of the effect of scalar covariates on functional responses across different quantile levels and also gives a practical way to generate new images for given covariate values. Theoretically, we establish the minimax rates of convergence for estimating coefficient functions under both fixed and random designs. We further develop an efficient primal-dual algorithm to handle high-dimensional image data. Simulations and real data analysis are conducted to examine the finite-sample performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengwu Zhang
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Linglong Kong
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Hongtu Zhu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
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46
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Schröder Y, Hohmann DM, Meller T, Evermann U, Pfarr JK, Jansen A, Kamp-Becker I, Grezellschak S, Nenadić I. Associations of subclinical autistic-like traits with brain structural variation using diffusion tensor imaging and voxel-based morphometry. Eur Psychiatry 2021; 64:e27. [PMID: 33653433 PMCID: PMC8080214 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous case–control studies of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have identified altered brain structure such as altered frontal and temporal cortex volumes, or decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) within the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus in patients. It remains unclear whether subclinical autistic-like traits might also be related to variation in these brain structures. Methods In this study, we analyzed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of 250 psychiatrically healthy subjects phenotyped for subclinical autistic-like traits using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). For data analysis, we used voxel-based morphometry of T1-MRIs (Computational Anatomy Toolbox) and tract-based spatial statistics for diffusion tensor imaging data. Results AQ attention switching subscale correlated negatively with FA values in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus as well as the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. Higher AQ attention switching subscale scores were associated with increased mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity values in the uncinate fasciculus, while axial diffusivity values within this tract show a negative correlation. AQ attention to detail subscale correlated positively with gray matter volume in the right pre- and postcentral gyrus. Conclusions We demonstrate that individuals with higher levels of autism-spectrum-like features show decreased white matter integrity in tracts associated with higher-level visual processing and increased cortical volume in areas linked to movement sequencing and working memory. Our results resemble regional brain structure alterations found in individuals with ASD. This offers opportunities to further understand the etiology and pathogenesis of the disorder and shows a subclinical continuum perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Schröder
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Michelle Hohmann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
| | - Tina Meller
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrika Evermann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
| | - Julia-Katharina Pfarr
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Jansen
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany.,Core-Facility BrainImaging, School of Medicine, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Inge Kamp-Becker
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Grezellschak
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
| | - Igor Nenadić
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg/Marburg University Hospital-UKGM, Marburg, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032Marburg, Germany
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Setiadi TM, Martens S, Opmeer EM, Marsman JBC, Tumati S, Reesink FE, De Deyn PP, Aleman A, Ćurčić-Blake B. Widespread white matter aberration is associated with the severity of apathy in amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: Tract-based spatial statistics analysis. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 29:102567. [PMID: 33545500 PMCID: PMC7856325 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In aMCI, apathy severity was associated with lower FA in widespread WM pathways. WM aberrations are related to apathy severity after controlling for depression. Disruptions related to apathy severity are not limited to frontal-subcortical area.
Apathy is recognized as a prevalent behavioral symptom of amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). In aMCI, apathy is associated with an increased risk and increases the risk of progression to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Previous DTI study in aMCI showed that apathy has been associated with white matter alterations in the cingulum, middle and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, fornix, and uncinate fasciculus. However, the underlying white matter correlates associated with apathy in aMCI are still unclear. We investigated this relationship using whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Twenty-nine aMCI patients and 20 matched cognitively healthy controls were included. Apathy severity was assessed using the Apathy Evaluation Scale Clinician version. We applied the tract-based spatial statistics analyses to DTI parameters: fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity to investigate changes in white matter pathways associated with the severity of apathy. No significant difference was found in any of the DTI parameters between aMCI and the control group. In aMCI, higher severity of apathy was associated with lower FA in various white matter pathways including the left anterior part of inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus/uncinate fasciculus, genu and body of the corpus callosum, superior and anterior corona radiata, anterior thalamic radiation of both hemispheres and in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus/anterior segment of arcuate fasciculus (p < .05, TFCE-corrected) after controlling for age, gender and GDS non-apathy. A trend association was observed in the right posterior corona radiata and corticospinal tract/internal capsule, and bilateral forceps minor (p < .065, TFCE-corrected). In conclusion, in aMCI, severity of apathy is associated with aberrant white matter integrity in widely distributed pathways, within and between hemispheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania M Setiadi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sander Martens
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Esther M Opmeer
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Health and Welfare, Windesheim University of Applied Science, Zwolle, The Netherlands
| | - Jan-Bernard C Marsman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Shankar Tumati
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Sunnybrook Research Institute and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Fransje E Reesink
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter P De Deyn
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center Groningen, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - André Aleman
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Branislava Ćurčić-Blake
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Tarumi T, Tomoto T, Repshas J, Wang C, Hynan LS, Cullum CM, Zhu DC, Zhang R. Midlife aerobic exercise and brain structural integrity: Associations with age and cardiorespiratory fitness. Neuroimage 2021; 225:117512. [PMID: 33130274 PMCID: PMC8743271 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lower midlife physical activity is associated with higher risk of neurodegenerative disease in late life. However, it remains unknown whether physical exercise and fitness are associated with brain structural integrity during midlife. The purpose of this study was to compare brain structures between middle-aged aerobically trained adults (MA), middle-aged sedentary (MS), and young sedentary (YS) adults. Thirty MA (54±4 years), 30 MS (54±4 years), and 30 YS (32±6 years) participants (50% women) underwent measurements of brain volume, cortical thickness, and white matter (WM) fiber integrity using MRI. MA participants had aerobic training for 24.8±9.6 years and the highest cardiorespiratory fitness level (i.e., peak oxygen uptake: VO2peak) among all groups. Global WM integrity, as assessed with fractional anisotropy (FA) from diffusion tensor imaging, was lower in the MS compared with the YS group. However, global FA in the MA group was significantly higher than that in the MS group (P<0.05) and at a similar level to the YS group. Furthermore, tract-based spatial statistical analysis demonstrated that FA in the anterior, superior, and limbic WM tracts (e.g., the genu of the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus) was higher in the MA compared with MS groups, and positively associated with VO2peak, independently from age and sex. From cortical thickness analysis, MS and MA participants showed thinner prefrontal and parieto-temporal areas than the YS group. On the other hand, the MA group exhibited thicker precentral, postcentral, pericalcarine, and lateral occipital cortices than the MS and YS groups. But, the insula and right superior frontal gyrus showed thinner cortical thickness in the MA compared with the MS groups. Collectively, these findings suggest that midlife aerobic exercise is associated with higher WM integrity and greater primary motor and somatosensory cortical thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Tarumi
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Tsubasa Tomoto
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231, USA
| | - Justin Repshas
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231, USA
| | - Ciwen Wang
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231, USA
| | - Linda S Hynan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - C Munro Cullum
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - David C Zhu
- Department of Radiology and Cognitive Imaging Research Center, Michigan State University, 220 Trowbridge Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Rong Zhang
- Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, 7232 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75231, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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49
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Zhang X, Li CX, Yan Y, Nair G, Rilling JK, Herndon JG, Preuss TM, Hu X, Li L. In-vivo diffusion MRI protocol optimization for the chimpanzee brain and examination of aging effects on the primate optic nerve at 3T. Magn Reson Imaging 2020; 77:194-203. [PMID: 33359631 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2020.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diffusion MRI (dMRI) data acquisition protocols are well-established on modern high-field clinical scanners for human studies. However, these protocols are not suitable for the chimpanzee (or other large-brained mammals) because of its substantial difference in head geometry and brain volume compared with humans. Therefore, an optimal dMRI data acquisition protocol dedicated to chimpanzee neuroimaging is needed. METHODS A multi-shot (4 segments) double spin-echo echo-planar imaging (MS-EPI) sequence and a single-shot double spin-echo EPI (SS-EPI) sequence were optimized separately for in vivo dMRI data acquisition of chimpanzees using a clinical 3T scanner. Correction for severe susceptibility-induced image distortion and signal drop-off of the chimpanzee brain was performed and evaluated using FSL software. DTI indices in different brain regions and probabilistic tractography were compared. A separate DTI data set from n=34 chimpanzees (13 to 56 years old) was collected using the optimal protocol. Age-related changes in diffusivity indices of optic nerve fibers were evaluated. RESULTS The SS-EPI sequence acquired dMRI data of the chimpanzee brain with approximately doubled the SNR as the MS-EPI sequence given the same scan time. The quality of white matter fiber tracking from the SS-EPI data was much higher than that from MS-EPI data. However, quantitative analysis of DTI indices showed no difference in most ROIs between the SS-EPI and MS-EPI sequences. The progressive evolution of diffusivity indices of optic nerves indicated mild changes in fiber bundles of chimpanzees aged 40 years and above. CONCLUSION The single-shot EPI-based acquisition protocol provided better image quality of dMRI for chimpanzee brains and is recommended for in vivo dMRI study or clinical diagnosis of chimpanzees (or other large animals) using a clinical scanner. Also, the tendency of FA decrease or diffusivity increase in the optic nerve of aged chimpanzees was seen but did not show significant age-related changes, suggesting aging may have less impact on optic nerve fiber integrity of chimpanzees, in contrast to previous results for both macaque monkeys and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhang
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
| | - Chun-Xia Li
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Yumei Yan
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Govind Nair
- qMRI Core Facility, NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America
| | - James K Rilling
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - James G Herndon
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Todd M Preuss
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Dept of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, CA, United States of America
| | - Longchuan Li
- Marcus Autism Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
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50
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Li C, Schreiber J, Bittner N, Li S, Huang R, Moebus S, Bauer A, Caspers S, Elmenhorst D. White Matter Microstructure Underlies the Effects of Sleep Quality and Life Stress on Depression Symptomatology in Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:578037. [PMID: 33281597 PMCID: PMC7691589 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.578037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep complaints are the most prevalent syndromes in older adults, particularly in women. Moreover, they are frequently accompanied with a high level of depression and stress. Although several diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies reported associations between sleep quality and brain white matter (WM) microstructure, it is still unclear whether gender impacts the effect of sleep quality on structural alterations, and whether these alterations mediate the effects of sleep quality on emotional regulation. We included 389 older participants (176 females, age = 65.5 ± 5.5 years) from the 1000BRAINS project. Neuropsychological examinations covered the assessments of sleep quality, depressive symptomatology, current stress level, visual working memory, and selective attention ability. Based on the DTI dataset, the diffusion parameter maps, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), were calculated and normalized to a population-specific FA template. According to the global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), 119 poor sleepers (PSQI: 10∼17) and 120 good sleepers (PSQI: 3∼6) were identified. We conducted a two by two (good sleepers/poor sleepers) × (males/females) analysis of variance by using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and JHU-ICBM WM atlas-based comparisons. Moreover, we performed a voxel-wise correlation analysis of brain WM microstructure with the neuropsychological tests. Finally, we applied a mediation analysis to explore if the brain WM microstructure mediates the relationship between sleep quality and emotional regulation. No significant differences in brain WM microstructure were detected on the main effect of sleep quality. However, the MD, AD, and RD of pontine crossing tract and bilateral inferior cerebellar peduncle were significant lower in the males than females. Voxel-wise correlation analysis revealed that FA and RD values in the corpus callosum were positively related with depressive symptomatology and negatively related with current stress levels. Additionally, we found a significantly positive association between higher FA values in visual-related WM tracts and better outcomes in a visual pattern recognition test. Furthermore, a mediation analysis suggested that diffusion metrics within the corpus callosum partially mediated the associations between poor sleep quality/high stress and depressive symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhong Li
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Neurophysiology, Institute of Zoology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan Schreiber
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Nora Bittner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Shumei Li
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Susanne Moebus
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Bauer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Neurological, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN, Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance, Jülich, Germany
| | - David Elmenhorst
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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