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Han X, Guo S, Ji N, Li T, Liu J, Ye X, Wang Y, Yun Z, Xiong F, Rong J, Liu D, Ma H, Wang Y, Huang Y, Zhang P, Wu W, Ding L, Hawrylycz M, Lein E, Ascoli GA, Xie W, Liu L, Zhang L, Peng H. Whole human-brain mapping of single cortical neurons for profiling morphological diversity and stereotypy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3771. [PMID: 37824619 PMCID: PMC10569712 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying neuron morphology and distribution at the whole-brain scale is essential to understand the structure and diversity of cell types. It is exceedingly challenging to reuse recent technologies of single-cell labeling and whole-brain imaging to study human brains. We propose adaptive cell tomography (ACTomography), a low-cost, high-throughput, and high-efficacy tomography approach, based on adaptive targeting of individual cells. We established a platform to inject dyes into cortical neurons in surgical tissues of 18 patients with brain tumors or other conditions and one donated fresh postmortem brain. We collected three-dimensional images of 1746 cortical neurons, of which 852 neurons were reconstructed to quantify local dendritic morphology, and mapped to standard atlases. In our data, human neurons are more diverse across brain regions than by subject age or gender. The strong stereotypy within cohorts of brain regions allows generating a statistical tensor field of neuron morphology to characterize anatomical modularity of a human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Han
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shuxia Guo
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Ji
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiangqiao Ye
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhixi Yun
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Xiong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Rong
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Di Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Ma
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yujin Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Huang
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhao Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Liya Ding
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Ed Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Giorgio A. Ascoli
- Center for Neural Informatics, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Studies and Bioengineering Department, College of Engineering and Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Wei Xie
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
- The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Tumor, Beijing, China
| | - Hanchuan Peng
- Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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Hanson KL, Weir RK, Iosif AM, Van de Water J, Carter CS, McAllister AK, Bauman MD, Schumann CM. Altered dendritic morphology in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of nonhuman primates prenatally exposed to maternal immune activation. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:92-101. [PMID: 36610487 PMCID: PMC10023379 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Women who contract a viral or bacterial infection during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child with a neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorder. The effects of maternal infection are likely mediated by the maternal immune response, as preclinical animal models have confirmed that maternal immune activation (MIA) leads to long lasting changes in offspring brain and behavior development. The present study sought to determine the impact of MIA-exposure during the first or second trimester on neuronal morphology in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and hippocampus from brain tissue obtained from MIA-exposed and control male rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) during late adolescence. MIA-exposed offspring display increased neuronal dendritic branching in pyramidal cells in DLPFC infra- and supragranular layers relative to controls, with no significant differences observed between offspring exposed to maternal infection in the first and second trimester. In addition, the diameter of apical dendrites in DLPFC infragranular layer is significantly decreased in MIA-exposed offspring relative to controls, irrespective of trimester exposure. In contrast, alterations in hippocampal neuronal morphology of MIA-exposed offspring were not evident. These findings demonstrate that a maternal immune challenge during pregnancy has long-term consequences for primate offspring dendritic structure, selectively in a brain region vital for socioemotional and cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari L Hanson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, United States; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Ruth K Weir
- Innovation & Enterprise Department, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Ana-Maria Iosif
- Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Judy Van de Water
- MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States; Rheumatology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, United States
| | - Cameron S Carter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of California, Davis, United States
| | | | - Melissa D Bauman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, United States; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States; California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, United States.
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, United States; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, United States.
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Renner J, Rasia-Filho AA. Morphological Features of Human Dendritic Spines. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:367-496. [PMID: 37962801 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spine features in human neurons follow the up-to-date knowledge presented in the previous chapters of this book. Human dendrites are notable for their heterogeneity in branching patterns and spatial distribution. These data relate to circuits and specialized functions. Spines enhance neuronal connectivity, modulate and integrate synaptic inputs, and provide additional plastic functions to microcircuits and large-scale networks. Spines present a continuum of shapes and sizes, whose number and distribution along the dendritic length are diverse in neurons and different areas. Indeed, human neurons vary from aspiny or "relatively aspiny" cells to neurons covered with a high density of intermingled pleomorphic spines on very long dendrites. In this chapter, we discuss the phylogenetic and ontogenetic development of human spines and describe the heterogeneous features of human spiny neurons along the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, hippocampal regions, and neocortical areas. Three-dimensional reconstructions of Golgi-impregnated dendritic spines and data from fluorescence microscopy are reviewed with ultrastructural findings to address the complex possibilities for synaptic processing and integration in humans. Pathological changes are also presented, for example, in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Basic morphological data can be linked to current techniques, and perspectives in this research field include the characterization of spines in human neurons with specific transcriptome features, molecular classification of cellular diversity, and electrophysiological identification of coexisting subpopulations of cells. These data would enlighten how cellular attributes determine neuron type-specific connectivity and brain wiring for our diverse aptitudes and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Khalil R, Kallel S, Farhat A, Dlotko P. Topological Sholl descriptors for neuronal clustering and classification. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010229. [PMID: 35731804 PMCID: PMC9255741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal morphology is a fundamental factor influencing information processing within neurons and networks. Dendritic morphology in particular can widely vary among cell classes, brain regions, and animal species. Thus, accurate quantitative descriptions allowing classification of large sets of neurons is essential for their structural and functional characterization. Current robust and unbiased computational methods that characterize groups of neurons are scarce. In this work, we introduce a novel technique to study dendritic morphology, complementing and advancing many of the existing techniques. Our approach is to conceptualize the notion of a Sholl descriptor and associate, for each morphological feature, and to each neuron, a function of the radial distance from the soma, taking values in a metric space. Functional distances give rise to pseudo-metrics on sets of neurons which are then used to perform the two distinct tasks of clustering and classification. To illustrate the use of Sholl descriptors, four datasets were retrieved from the large public repository https://neuromorpho.org/ comprising neuronal reconstructions from different species and brain regions. Sholl descriptors were subsequently computed, and standard clustering methods enhanced with detection and metric learning algorithms were then used to objectively cluster and classify each dataset. Importantly, our descriptors outperformed conventional morphometric techniques (L-Measure metrics) in several of the tested datasets. Therefore, we offer a novel and effective approach to the analysis of diverse neuronal cell types, and provide a toolkit for researchers to cluster and classify neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Khalil
- American University of Sharjah, Department of Biology Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- * E-mail:
| | - Sadok Kallel
- American University of Sharjah, Department of Mathematics, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ahmad Farhat
- Dioscuri Centre in Topological Data Analysis, Mathematical Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pawel Dlotko
- Dioscuri Centre in Topological Data Analysis, Mathematical Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
During evolution, the cerebral cortex advances by increasing in surface and the introduction of new cytoarchitectonic areas among which the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is considered to be the substrate of highest cognitive functions. Although neurons of the PFC are generated before birth, the differentiation of its neurons and development of synaptic connections in humans extend to the 3rd decade of life. During this period, synapses as well as neurotransmitter systems including their receptors and transporters, are initially overproduced followed by selective elimination. Advanced methods applied to human and animal models, enable investigation of the cellular mechanisms and role of specific genes, non-coding regulatory elements and signaling molecules in control of prefrontal neuronal production and phenotypic fate, as well as neuronal migration to establish layering of the PFC. Likewise, various genetic approaches in combination with functional assays and immunohistochemical and imaging methods reveal roles of neurotransmitter systems during maturation of the PFC. Disruption, or even a slight slowing of the rate of neuronal production, migration and synaptogenesis by genetic or environmental factors, can induce gross as well as subtle changes that eventually can lead to cognitive impairment. An understanding of the development and evolution of the PFC provide insight into the pathogenesis and treatment of congenital neuropsychiatric diseases as well as idiopathic developmental disorders that cause intellectual disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon M Kolk
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Department of Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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Wilder L, Semendeferi K. Infant Brain Development and Plasticity from an Evolutionary Perspective. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-76000-7_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Rasia-Filho AA, Guerra KTK, Vásquez CE, Dall’Oglio A, Reberger R, Jung CR, Calcagnotto ME. The Subcortical-Allocortical- Neocortical continuum for the Emergence and Morphological Heterogeneity of Pyramidal Neurons in the Human Brain. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:616607. [PMID: 33776739 PMCID: PMC7991104 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.616607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cortical and subcortical areas integrate emotion, memory, and cognition when interpreting various environmental stimuli for the elaboration of complex, evolved social behaviors. Pyramidal neurons occur in developed phylogenetic areas advancing along with the allocortex to represent 70-85% of the neocortical gray matter. Here, we illustrate and discuss morphological features of heterogeneous spiny pyramidal neurons emerging from specific amygdaloid nuclei, in CA3 and CA1 hippocampal regions, and in neocortical layers II/III and V of the anterolateral temporal lobe in humans. Three-dimensional images of Golgi-impregnated neurons were obtained using an algorithm for the visualization of the cell body, dendritic length, branching pattern, and pleomorphic dendritic spines, which are specialized plastic postsynaptic units for most excitatory inputs. We demonstrate the emergence and development of human pyramidal neurons in the cortical and basomedial (but not the medial, MeA) nuclei of the amygdala with cells showing a triangular cell body shape, basal branched dendrites, and a short apical shaft with proximal ramifications as "pyramidal-like" neurons. Basomedial neurons also have a long and distally ramified apical dendrite not oriented to the pial surface. These neurons are at the beginning of the allocortex and the limbic lobe. "Pyramidal-like" to "classic" pyramidal neurons with laminar organization advance from the CA3 to the CA1 hippocampal regions. These cells have basal and apical dendrites with specific receptive synaptic domains and several spines. Neocortical pyramidal neurons in layers II/III and V display heterogeneous dendritic branching patterns adapted to the space available and the afferent inputs of each brain area. Dendritic spines vary in their distribution, density, shapes, and sizes (classified as stubby/wide, thin, mushroom-like, ramified, transitional forms, "atypical" or complex forms, such as thorny excrescences in the MeA and CA3 hippocampal region). Spines were found isolated or intermingled, with evident particularities (e.g., an extraordinary density in long, deep CA1 pyramidal neurons), and some showing a spinule. We describe spiny pyramidal neurons considerably improving the connectional and processing complexity of the brain circuits. On the other hand, these cells have some vulnerabilities, as found in neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease and in temporal lobe epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A. Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Kétlyn T. Knak Guerra
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carlos Escobar Vásquez
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aline Dall’Oglio
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Roman Reberger
- Medical Engineering Program, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Cláudio R. Jung
- Institute of Informatics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Biochemistry Graduate Program, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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8
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Decreased density of cholinergic interneurons in striatal territories in Williams syndrome. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1019-1032. [PMID: 32189114 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02055-0] [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: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the hemideletion of approximately 25-28 genes at 7q11.23. Its unusual social and cognitive phenotype is most strikingly characterized by the disinhibition of social behavior, in addition to reduced global IQ, with a relative sparing of language ability. Hypersociality and increased social approach behavior in WS may represent a unique inability to inhibit responses to specific social stimuli, which is likely associated with abnormalities of frontostriatal circuitry. The striatum is characterized by a diversity of interneuron subtypes, including inhibitory parvalbumin-positive interneurons (PV+) and excitatory cholinergic interneurons (Ch+). Animal model research has identified an important role for these specialized cells in regulating social approach behavior. Previous research in humans identified a depletion of interneuron subtypes associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we examined the density of PV+ and Ch+ interneurons in the striatum of 13 WS and neurotypical (NT) subjects. We found a significant reduction in the density of Ch+ interneurons in the medial caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens, important regions receiving cortical afferents from the orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and circuitry involved in language and reward systems. No significant difference in the distribution of PV+ interneurons was found. The pattern of decreased Ch+ interneuron densities in WS differs from patterns of interneuron depletion found in other disorders.
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Dasilva M, Navarro-Guzman A, Ortiz-Romero P, Camassa A, Muñoz-Cespedes A, Campuzano V, Sanchez-Vives MV. Altered Neocortical Dynamics in a Mouse Model of Williams-Beuren Syndrome. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:765-777. [PMID: 31471877 PMCID: PMC7031212 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01732-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by moderate intellectual disability and learning difficulties alongside behavioral abnormalities such as hypersociability. Several structural and functional brain alterations are characteristic of this syndrome, as well as disturbed sleep and sleeping patterns. However, the detailed physiological mechanisms underlying WBS are mostly unknown. Here, we characterized the cortical dynamics in a mouse model of WBS previously reported to replicate most of the behavioral alterations described in humans. We recorded the laminar local field potential generated in the frontal cortex during deep anesthesia and characterized the properties of the emergent slow oscillation activity. Moreover, we performed micro-electrocorticogram recordings using multielectrode arrays covering the cortical surface of one hemisphere. We found significant differences between the cortical emergent activity and functional connectivity between wild-type mice and WBS model mice. Slow oscillations displayed Up states with diminished firing rate and lower high-frequency content in the gamma range. Lower firing rates were also recorded in the awake WBS animals while performing a marble burying task and could be associated with the decreased spine density and thus synaptic connectivity in this cortical area. We also found an overall increase in functional connectivity between brain areas, reflected in lower clustering and abnormally high integration, especially in the gamma range. These results expand previous findings in humans, suggesting that the cognitive deficits characterizing WBS might be associated with reduced excitability, plus an imbalance in the capacity to functionally integrate and segregate information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Dasilva
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alvaro Navarro-Guzman
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Ortiz-Romero
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alessandra Camassa
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Muñoz-Cespedes
- Laboratorio Cajal de Circuitos Corticales (CTB), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Depatamento de Biología Celular, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - Victoria Campuzano
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria V Sanchez-Vives
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain.
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Hrvoj-Mihic B, Semendeferi K. Neurodevelopmental disorders of the prefrontal cortex in an evolutionary context. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 250:109-127. [PMID: 31703898 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex consists of several cytoarchitectonically defined areas that are involved in higher-order cognitive and emotional processing. The areas are highly variable in terms of organization of cortical layers and distribution of specific neuronal classes, and are affected in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Here the focus is on microstructural anatomical characteristics of human prefrontal cortex in an evolutionary context with special emphasis on Williams syndrome. We include a pilot analysis of distribution of neurons labeled with an antibody to non-phosphorylated neurofilament protein (SMI-32) in the frontal pole of Williams syndrome to further examine microstructural characteristics of the prefrontal cortex in Williams syndrome and implications of the distribution of SMI-32 immunoreactive neurons for connectivity between the frontal pole and other cortical areas in the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branka Hrvoj-Mihic
- University of California San Diego, Department of Anthropology, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- University of California San Diego, Department of Anthropology, La Jolla, CA, United States; University of California San Diego, Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, La Jolla, CA, United States.
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11
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Petanjek Z, Sedmak D, Džaja D, Hladnik A, Rašin MR, Jovanov-Milosevic N. The Protracted Maturation of Associative Layer IIIC Pyramidal Neurons in the Human Prefrontal Cortex During Childhood: A Major Role in Cognitive Development and Selective Alteration in Autism. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:122. [PMID: 30923504 PMCID: PMC6426783 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human specific cognitive shift starts around the age of 2 years with the onset of self-awareness, and continues with extraordinary increase in cognitive capacities during early childhood. Diffuse changes in functional connectivity in children aged 2-6 years indicate an increase in the capacity of cortical network. Interestingly, structural network complexity does not increase during this time and, thus, it is likely to be induced by selective maturation of a specific neuronal subclass. Here, we provide an overview of a subclass of cortico-cortical neurons, the associative layer IIIC pyramids of the human prefrontal cortex. Their local axonal collaterals are in control of the prefrontal cortico-cortical output, while their long projections modulate inter-areal processing. In this way, layer IIIC pyramids are the major integrative element of cortical processing, and changes in their connectivity patterns will affect global cortical functioning. Layer IIIC neurons have a unique pattern of dendritic maturation. In contrast to other classes of principal neurons, they undergo an additional phase of extensive dendritic growth during early childhood, and show characteristic molecular changes. Taken together, circuits associated with layer IIIC neurons have the most protracted period of developmental plasticity. This unique feature is advanced but also provides a window of opportunity for pathological events to disrupt normal formation of cognitive circuits involving layer IIIC neurons. In this manuscript, we discuss how disrupted dendritic and axonal maturation of layer IIIC neurons may lead into global cortical disconnectivity, affecting development of complex communication and social abilities. We also propose a model that developmentally dictated incorporation of layer IIIC neurons into maturing cortico-cortical circuits between 2 to 6 years will reveal a previous (perinatal) lesion affecting other classes of principal neurons. This "disclosure" of pre-existing functionally silent lesions of other neuronal classes induced by development of layer IIIC associative neurons, or their direct alteration, could be found in different forms of autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the gene-environment interaction in shaping cognitive microcircuitries may be fundamental for developing rehabilitation and prevention strategies in autism spectrum and other cognitive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Domagoj Džaja
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Hladnik
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mladen Roko Rašin
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rutgers University, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, United States
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milosevic
- Department of Neuroscience, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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12
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Sedmak D, Hrvoj-Mihić B, Džaja D, Habek N, Uylings HB, Petanjek Z. Biphasic dendritic growth of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex associative neurons and early cognitive development. Croat Med J 2018. [PMID: 30394011 PMCID: PMC6240825 DOI: 10.3325/cmj.2018.59.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To analyze postnatal development and life-span changes of apical dendrite side branches (oblique dendrites) from associative layer IIIC magnopyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and to compare the findings with the previously established pattern of basal dendrite development. Methods We analyzed dendritic morphology from 352 rapid-Golgi impregnated neurons (10-18 neurons per subject) in Brodmann area 9 from the post-mortem tissue of 25 subjects ranging in age from 1 week to 91 years. Data were collected in the period between 1994 and 1996, and the analysis was performed between September 2017 and February 2018. Quantitative dendritic parameters were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and two-tailed t tests. Results Oblique dendrites grew rapidly during the first postnatal months, and the increase in the dendrite length was accompanied by the outgrowth of new dendritic segments. After a more than one-year-long “dormant” period of only fine dendritic rearrangements (2.5-16 months), oblique dendrites displayed a second period of marked growth, continuing through the third postnatal year. Basal and oblique dendrites displayed roughly the same growth pattern, but had considerably different topological organization in adulthood. Conclusion Our analysis confirmed that a biphasic pattern of postnatal dendritic development, together with a second growth spurt at the age of 2-3 years, represents a unique feature of the associative layer IIIC magnopyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We propose that these structural changes relate to rapid cognitive development during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Zdravko Petanjek, Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 11, Zagreb, Croatia,
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13
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Decreased Neuron Density and Increased Glia Density in the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex (Brodmann Area 25) in Williams Syndrome. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8120209. [PMID: 30501059 PMCID: PMC6316781 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8120209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams Syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a deletion of 25–28 genes on chromosome 7 and characterized by a specific behavioral phenotype, which includes hypersociability and anxiety. Here, we examined the density of neurons and glia in fourteen human brains in Brodmann area 25 (BA 25), in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), using a postmortem sample of five adult and two infant WS brains and seven age-, sex- and hemisphere-matched typically developing control (TD) brains. We found decreased neuron density, which reached statistical significance in the supragranular layers, and increased glia density and glia to neuron ratio, which reached statistical significance in both supra- and infragranular layers. Combined with our previous findings in the amygdala, caudate nucleus and frontal pole (BA 10), these results in the vmPFC suggest that abnormalities in frontostriatal and frontoamygdala circuitry may contribute to the anxiety and atypical social behavior observed in WS.
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14
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Sedmak D, Hrvoj-Mihić B, Džaja D, Habek N, Uylings HB, Petanjek Z. Biphasic dendritic growth of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex associative neurons and early cognitive development. Croat Med J 2018; 59:189-202. [PMID: 30394011 PMCID: PMC6240825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To analyze postnatal development and life-span changes of apical dendrite side branches (oblique dendrites) from associative layer IIIC magnopyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and to compare the findings with the previously established pattern of basal dendrite development. METHODS We analyzed dendritic morphology from 352 rapid-Golgi impregnated neurons (10-18 neurons per subject) in Brodmann area 9 from the post-mortem tissue of 25 subjects ranging in age from 1 week to 91 years. Data were collected in the period between 1994 and 1996, and the analysis was performed between September 2017 and February 2018. Quantitative dendritic parameters were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and two-tailed t tests. RESULTS Oblique dendrites grew rapidly during the first postnatal months, and the increase in the dendrite length was accompanied by the outgrowth of new dendritic segments. After a more than one-year-long "dormant" period of only fine dendritic rearrangements (2.5-16 months), oblique dendrites displayed a second period of marked growth, continuing through the third postnatal year. Basal and oblique dendrites displayed roughly the same growth pattern, but had considerably different topological organization in adulthood. CONCLUSION Our analysis confirmed that a biphasic pattern of postnatal dendritic development, together with a second growth spurt at the age of 2-3 years, represents a unique feature of the associative layer IIIC magnopyramidal neurons in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We propose that these structural changes relate to rapid cognitive development during early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Zdravko Petanjek, Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Šalata 11, Zagreb, Croatia,
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15
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Lew CH, Groeniger KM, Bellugi U, Stefanacci L, Schumann CM, Semendeferi K. A postmortem stereological study of the amygdala in Williams syndrome. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:1897-1907. [PMID: 29270815 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Perturbations to the amygdala have been observed in neurological disorders characterized by abnormalities in social behavior, such as autism and schizophrenia. Here, we quantitatively examined the amygdala in the postmortem human brains of male and female individuals diagnosed with Williams Syndrome (WS), a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a well-defined deletion of ~ 26 genes, and accompanied by a consistent behavioral profile that includes profound hypersociability. Using unbiased stereological sampling, we estimated nucleus volume, number of neurons, neuron density, and neuron soma area in four major amygdaloid nuclei- the lateral nucleus, basal nucleus, accessory basal nucleus, and central nucleus- in a sample of five adult and two infant WS brains and seven age-, sex- and hemisphere-matched typically developing control (TD) brains. Boundaries of the four nuclei examined were drawn on Nissl-stained coronal sections as four separate regions of interest for data collection. We found that the lateral nucleus contains significantly more neurons in WS compared to TD. WS and TD do not demonstrate significant differences in neuron number in the basal, accessory basal, or central nuclei, and there are no significant differences between WS and TD in nuclei volume, neuron density, and neuron soma area in any of the four nuclei. A similarly designed study reported a decrease in lateral nucleus neuron number in autism, mirroring the opposing extremes of the two disorders in the social domain. These results suggest that the number of neurons in the lateral nucleus may contribute to pathological disturbances in amygdala function and sociobehavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline H Lew
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Kimberly M Groeniger
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Lisa Stefanacci
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences Building Rm. 210, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0532, USA. .,Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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16
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Hanson KL, Lew CH, Hrvoj-Mihic B, Groeniger KM, Halgren E, Bellugi U, Semendeferi K. Increased glia density in the caudate nucleus in williams syndrome: Implications for frontostriatal dysfunction in autism. Dev Neurobiol 2017; 78:531-545. [PMID: 29090517 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder with a well-described, known genetic etiology. In contrast to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), WS has a unique phenotype characterized by global reductions in IQ and visuospatial ability, with relatively preserved language function, enhanced reactivity to social stimuli and music, and an unusual eagerness to interact socially with strangers. A duplication of the deleted region in WS has been implicated in a subset of ASD cases, defining a spectrum of genetic and behavioral variation at this locus defined by these opposite extremes in social behavior. The hypersociability characteristic of WS may be linked to abnormalities of frontostriatal circuitry that manifest as deficits in inhibitory control of behavior. Here, we examined the density of neurons and glia in associative and limbic territories of the striatum including the caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens regions in Nissl stained sections in five pairs of age, sex, and hemisphere-matched WS and typically-developing control (TD) subjects. In contrast to what is reported in ASD, no significant increase in overall neuron density was observed in this study. However, we found a significant increase in the density of glia in the dorsal caudate nucleus, and in the ratio of glia to neurons in the dorsal and medial caudate nucleus in WS, accompanied by a significant increase in density of oligodendrocytes in the medial caudate nucleus. These cellular abnormalities may underlie reduced frontostriatal activity observed in WS, with implications for understanding altered connectivity and function in ASD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 78: 531-545, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari L Hanson
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Caroline H Lew
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Branka Hrvoj-Mihic
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Kimberly M Groeniger
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Eric Halgren
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.,Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Ursula Bellugi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Salk Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Katerina Semendeferi
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California.,Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
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