Different Frequency of Heschl’s Gyrus Duplication Patterns in Neuropsychiatric Disorders: An MRI Study in Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorders

Long-term follow-up of brain regional changes and the association with cognitive impairment in quarantined COVID-19 survivors

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the neuropsychiatric symptoms of quarantined COVID-19 survivors 15 months after discharge and explore its potential association with structural and functional brain changes and inflammation.

METHODS

A total of 51 quarantined COVID-19 survivors and 74 healthy controls were included in this study. Cognitive function was assessed using the THINC-integrated tool. Structural brain changes were examined through both surface- and volume-based analyses, and functional changes were assessed using resting-state amplitude low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF). Serum inflammatory markers were measured by a multiplexed flow cytometric assay.

RESULTS

COVID-19 survivors exhibited subjective cognitive decline compared to healthy controls, despite no significant differences in objective cognitive tasks. Structural analysis revealed significantly increased gray matter volume and cortical surface area in the left transverse temporal gyrus (Heschl's gyrus) in quarantined COVID-19 survivors. This enlargement was negatively correlated with cognitive impairment. The ALFF analysis showed decreased neural activity in multiple brain regions. Elevated levels of serum inflammatory markers were also found in COVID-19 survivors, including MIP-1a, MIP-1b, TNF-a, and IL-8, which correlated with functional abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate a subjective cognitive decline in quarantined COVID-19 survivors 15 months after discharge, which is associated with brain structural alterations in the left Heschl's gyrus. The observed elevation of inflammatory markers suggests a potential mechanism involving inflammation-induced neurogenesis. These results contribute to our understanding of the possible mechanisms underlying long-term neuropsychiatric consequences of COVID-19 and highlight the need for further research to develop targeted interventions.

Heschl's gyrus duplication pattern and clinical characteristics in borderline personality disorder: A preliminary study

Inter-individual variations in the sulco-gyral pattern of Heschl's gyrus (HG) might contribute to emotional processing. However, it remains largely unknown whether borderline personality disorder (BPD) patients exhibit an altered HG gyrification pattern, compared with healthy individuals, and whether such a brain morphological feature, if present, might contribute to their clinical characteristics. The present study used magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the distribution of HG gyrification patterns (single or duplicated) and their relationship to clinical characteristics in teenage BPD patients with minimal treatment exposure. No significant difference was noted for the prevalence of HG patterns between 20 BPD and 20 healthy participants. However, the BPD participants with left duplicated HG were characterized by higher prevalence of comorbid disruptive behavior disorders, with higher externalizing score compared with those with left single HG. Our preliminary results suggest that neurodevelopmental pathology associated with gyral formation might be implicated in the neurobiology of early BPD, especially for emotional and behavioral control.