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Moazzami K, Kulshreshtha A, Gold M, Rahbar A, Goldstein F, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA. Hemodynamic Reactivity to Mental Stress and Cognitive Function in Coronary Artery Disease. Psychosom Med 2024:00006842-990000000-00213. [PMID: 38648028 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with coronary artery disease (CAD) are at higher risk of cognitive impairment than those without CAD. Psychological stress is a risk factor for both conditions and assessing the hemodynamic reactivity to mental stress could explain the link between stress and cognitive function. METHODS Individuals with stable CAD from two prospective cohort studies were included. All individuals underwent acute mental stress testing, as well as conventional stress testing. Cognitive function was assessed both at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up. The rate-pressure product (RPP) was calculated as the mean systolic blood pressure times the mean heart rate at rest. RPP reactivity was defined as the maximum RPP during standardized mental stress test minus the RPP at rest. RESULTS After multivariable adjustment, every standard deviation decrease in RPP reactivity with mental stress was associated with slower completion of Trail-A and Trail-B in both cohorts (13% and 11% in cohort 1, and 15% and 16% in cohort 2, respectively, p for all <0.01). After a 2-year follow-up period, every standard deviation decrease in RPP reactivity with mental stress was associated with a 8%, and 9% slower completion of Trail-A and Trail-B, respectively (p for all <0.01). There was no significant association between RPP reactivity with conventional stress testing and any of the cognitive tests. CONCLUSION In the CAD population, a blunted hemodynamic response to mental stress is associated with slower visuomotor processing and worse executive function at baseline and with greater decline in these abilities over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew Gold
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Alireza Rahbar
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Atlanta, GA
| | | | | | | | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Atlanta, GA
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Huang M, Shah AJ, Lampert R, Bliwise DL, Johnson DA, Clifford GD, Sloan R, Goldberg J, Ko YA, Da Poian G, Perez-Alday EA, Almuwaqqat Z, Shah A, Garcia M, Young A, Moazzami K, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V. Heart Rate Variability, Deceleration Capacity of Heart Rate, and Death: A Veteran Twins Study. J Am Heart Assoc 2024; 13:e032740. [PMID: 38533972 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.032740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autonomic function can be measured noninvasively using heart rate variability (HRV), which indexes overall sympathovagal balance. Deceleration capacity (DC) of heart rate is a more specific metric of vagal modulation. Higher values of these measures have been associated with reduced mortality risk primarily in patients with cardiovascular disease, but their significance in community samples is less clear. METHODS AND RESULTS This prospective twin study followed 501 members from the VET (Vietnam Era Twin) registry. At baseline, frequency domain HRV and DC were measured from 24-hour Holter ECGs. During an average 12-year follow-up, all-cause death was assessed via the National Death Index. Multivariable Cox frailty models with random effect for twin pair were used to examine the hazard ratios of death per 1-SD increase in log-transformed autonomic metrics. Both in the overall sample and comparing twins within pairs, higher values of low-frequency HRV and DC were significantly associated with lower hazards of all-cause death. In within-pair analysis, after adjusting for baseline factors, there was a 22% and 27% lower hazard of death per 1-SD increment in low-frequency HRV and DC, respectively. Higher low-frequency HRV and DC, measured during both daytime and nighttime, were associated with decreased hazard of death, but daytime measures showed numerically stronger associations. Results did not substantially vary by zygosity. CONCLUSIONS Autonomic inflexibility, and especially vagal withdrawal, are important mechanistic pathways of general mortality risk, independent of familial and genetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
- Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center Decatur GA
| | | | - Donald L Bliwise
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Dayna A Johnson
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Gari D Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Richard Sloan
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons Columbia University New York NY
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health University of Washington Seattle WA
- Vietnam Era Twin Registry, Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center US Department of Veterans Affairs Seattle WA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Giulia Da Poian
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Erick A Perez-Alday
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Anish Shah
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - An Young
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta Veteran Affairs Medical Center Decatur GA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
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Sheikh SAA, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Inan OT, Clifford GD, Rad AB. Impedance cardiogram based exploration of cardiac mechanisms in post-traumatic stress disorder during trauma recall. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14488. [PMID: 37986190 PMCID: PMC10939951 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an independent risk factor for developing heart failure; however, the underlying cardiac mechanisms are still elusive. This study aims to evaluate the real-time effects of experimentally induced PTSD symptom activation on various cardiac contractility and autonomic measures. We recorded synchronized electrocardiogram and impedance cardiogram from 137 male veterans (17 PTSD, 120 non-PTSD; 48 twin pairs, 41 unpaired singles) during a laboratory-based traumatic reminder stressor. To identify the parameters describing the cardiac mechanisms by which trauma reminders can create stress on the heart, we utilized a feature selection mechanism along with a random forest classifier distinguishing PTSD and non-PTSD. We extracted 99 parameters, including 76 biosignal-based and 23 sociodemographic, medical history, and psychiatric diagnosis features. A subject/twin-wise stratified nested cross-validation procedure was used for parameter tuning and model assessment to identify the important parameters. The identified parameters included biomarkers such as pre-ejection period, acceleration index, velocity index, Heather index, and several physiology-agnostic features. These identified parameters during trauma recall suggested a combination of increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and deteriorated cardiac contractility that may increase the heart failure risk for PTSD. This indicates that the PTSD symptom activation associates with real-time reductions in several cardiac contractility measures despite SNS activation. This finding may be useful in future cardiac prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafa-at Ali Sheikh
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
| | - Gari D. Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Ali Bahrami Rad
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
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Almuwaqqat Z, Wittbrodt M, Moazzami K, Garcia M, Lima B, Martini A, Sullivan S, Nye JA, Pearce BD, Shah AJ, Waller EK, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA. Acute psychological stress-induced progenitor cell mobilization and cardiovascular events. J Psychosom Res 2024; 178:111412. [PMID: 38281471 PMCID: PMC10823179 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Certain brain activation responses to psychological stress are associated with worse outcomes in CVD patients. We hypothesized that elevated acute psychological stress, manifesting as greater activity within neural centers for emotional regulation, mobilizes CPC from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood and predicts future cardiovascular events. METHODS In 427 patients with stable CAD undergoing a laboratory-based mental stress (MS) test, CPCs were enumerated using flow cytometry as CD34-expressing mononuclear cells (CD34+) before and 45 min after stress. Changes in brain regional blood flow with MS were measured using high resolution-positron emission tomography (HR-PET). Association between the change in CPC with MS and the risk of cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction (MI) during a 5-year follow-up period was analyzed. RESULTS MS increased CPC counts by a mean of 150 [630] cells/mL (15%), P < 0.001. Greater limbic lobe activity, indicative of activation of emotion-regulating centers, was associated with greater CPC mobilization (P < 0.005). Using Fine and Gray models after adjustment for demographioc, clinical risk factors and medications use, greater CPC mobilization was associated with a higher adjusted risk of adverse events; a rise of 1000 cells/mL was associated with a 50% higher risk of cardiovascular death/MI [hazards ratio, 1.5, 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.2). CONCLUSION Greater limbic lobe activity, brain areas involved in emotional regulation, is associated with MS-induced CPC mobilization. This mobilization isindependently associated with cardiovascular events. These findings provide novel insights into mechanisms through which psychological stressors modulate cardiovascular risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bruno Lima
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Afif Martini
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bradley D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Martin ZT, Shah AJ, Ko YA, Sheikh SAA, Daaboul O, Haddad G, Goldberg J, Smith NL, Lewis TT, Quyyumi AA, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V. Exaggerated Peripheral and Systemic Vasoconstriction During Trauma Recall in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Co-Twin Control Study. Biol Psychiatry 2023:S0006-3223(23)01791-2. [PMID: 38142719 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms linking PTSD to cardiovascular disease remain incompletely understood. We used a co-twin control study design to test the hypothesis that individuals with PTSD exhibit augmented peripheral and systemic vasoconstriction during a personalized trauma recall task. METHODS In 179 older male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry, lifetime history of PTSD and current (last month) PTSD symptoms were assessed. Participants listened to neutral and personalized trauma scripts while peripheral vascular tone (Peripheral Arterial Tone ratio) and systemic vascular tone (e.g., total vascular conductance) were measured. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the within-pair relationship between PTSD and vascular tone indices. RESULTS The mean age of participants was 68 years, and 19% had a history of PTSD. For the Peripheral Arterial Tone ratio analysis, 32 twins were discordant for a history of PTSD, and 46 were discordant for current PTSD symptoms. Compared with their brothers without PTSD, during trauma recall, participants with a history of PTSD had greater increases in peripheral (β = -1.01, 95% CI [-1.72, -0.30]) and systemic (total vascular conductance: β = -1.12, 95% CI [-1.97, -0.27]) vasoconstriction after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors. Associations persisted after adjusting for antidepressant medication use and heart rate and blood pressure during the tasks. Analysis of current PTSD symptom severity showed consistent results. CONCLUSIONS PTSD is associated with exaggerated peripheral and systemic vasoconstrictor responses to traumatic stress reminders, which may contribute to elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary T Martin
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amit J Shah
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Obada Daaboul
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - George Haddad
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington
| | - Nicholas L Smith
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
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6
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Bremner JD, Ortego RA, Campanella C, Nye JA, Davis LL, Fani N, Vaccarino V. Neural correlates of PTSD in women with childhood sexual abuse with and without PTSD and response to paroxetine treatment: A placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. J Affect Disord Rep 2023; 14:100615. [PMID: 38088987 PMCID: PMC10715797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Childhood sexual abuse is the leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women, and is a prominent cause of morbidity and loss of function for which limited treatments are available. Understanding the neurobiology of treatment response is important for developing new treatments. The purpose of this study was to assess neural correlates of personalized traumatic memories in women with childhood sexual abuse with and without PTSD, and to assess response to treatment. Methods Women with childhood sexual abuse with (N = 28) and without (N = 17) PTSD underwent brain imaging with High-Resolution Positron Emission Tomography scanning with radiolabeled water for brain blood flow measurements during exposure to personalized traumatic scripts and memory encoding tasks. Women with PTSD were randomized to paroxetine or placebo followed by three months of double-blind treatment and repeat imaging with the same protocol. Results Women with PTSD showed decreases in areas involved in the Default Mode Network (DMN), a network of brain areas usually active when the brain is at rest, hippocampus and visual processing areas with exposure to traumatic scripts at baseline while women without PTSD showed increased activation in superior frontal gyrus and other areas (p < 0.005). Treatment of women with PTSD with paroxetine resulted in increased anterior cingulate activation and brain areas involved in the DMN and visual processing with scripts compared to placebo (p < 0.005). Conclusion PTSD related to childhood sexual abuse in women is associated with alterations in brain areas involved in memory and the stress response and treatment with paroxetine results in modulation of these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
| | - Rebeca Alvarado Ortego
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Carolina Campanella
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lori L Davis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
- Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa AL
| | - Negar Fani
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta GA
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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7
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Moazzami K, Pearce BD, Gurel NZ, Wittbrodt MT, Levantsevych OM, Huang M, Shandhi MMH, Herring I, Murrah N, Driggers E, Alkhalaf ML, Soudan M, Shallenberger L, Hankus AN, Nye JA, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation modulates stress-induced plasma ghrelin levels: A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial. J Affect Disord 2023; 342:85-90. [PMID: 37714385 PMCID: PMC10698687 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has emerged as a potential treatment strategy for patients with stress-related psychiatric disorders. Ghrelin is a hormone that has been postulated to be a biomarker of stress. While the mechanisms of action of tcVNS are unclear, we hypothesized that tcVNS reduces the levels of ghrelin in response to stress. METHODS Using a randomized double-blind approach, we studied the effects of tcVNS on ghrelin levels in individuals with a history of exposure to traumatic stress. Participants received either sham (n = 29) or active tcVNS (n = 26) after exposure to acute personalized traumatic script stress and mental stress challenges (public speech, mental arithmetic) over a three day period. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the levels of ghrelin between the tcVNS and sham stimulation groups at either baseline or in the absence of trauma scripts. However, tcVNS in conjunction with personalized traumatic scripts resulted in lower ghrelin levels compared to the sham stimulation group (265.2 ± 143.6 pg/ml vs 478.7 ± 349.2 pg/ml, P = 0.01). Additionally, after completing the public speaking and mental arithmetic tests, ghrelin levels were found to be lower in the group receiving tcVNS compared to the sham group (293.3 ± 102.4 pg/ml vs 540.3 ± 203.9 pg/ml, P = 0.009). LIMITATIONS Timing of ghrelin measurements, and stimulation of only left vagus nerve. CONCLUSION tcVNS decreases ghrelin levels in response to various stressful stimuli. These findings are consistent with a growing literature that tcVNS modulates hormonal and autonomic responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America.
| | - Bradley D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Nil Z Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Oleksiy M Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Md Mobashir H Shandhi
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Isaias Herring
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Emily Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - MhmtJamil L Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Majd Soudan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Allison N Hankus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States of America
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, United States of America
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8
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Moazzami K, Garcia M, Sullivan S, Lewis TT, Bremner JD, Razavi AC, Shallenberger L, Sun YV, Raggi P, Shah AJ, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Association Between Symptoms of Chronic Psychological Distress and Myocardial Ischemia Induced by Mental Stress in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e030305. [PMID: 37929719 PMCID: PMC10727402 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.030305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia is a frequent phenomenon in patients with coronary artery disease and is associated with a greater risk of future cardiovascular events. The association between chronic symptoms of psychological distress and mental stress-induced ischemia is not clear. Methods and Results We used a composite score of psychological distress derived from symptoms of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, anger, and perceived general stress. Participants underwent myocardial perfusion imaging with both mental (public speaking task) and conventional (exercise or pharmacological) stress testing. Overall, 142 (15.9%) patients experienced mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia. After adjusting for demographic factors, medical history, and medication use, patients in the highest tertile of psychological distress score had 35% higher odds of having mental stress-induced ischemia compared to those in the lowest tertile (odds ratio [OR], 1.35 [95% CI, 1.06-2.22]). Stratified analyses showed that the association between psychological distress score and mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia was significantly associated only within the subgroup of patients with a prior myocardial infraction, with patients with a prior myocardial infarction in the highest tertile having a 93% higher odds of developing myocardial ischemia with mental stress (95% CI, 1.07-3.60). There was no significant association between psychological distress and conventional stress-induced ischemia (OR, 1.19 [95% CI, 0.87-1.63]). Conclusions Among patients with a history of myocardial infarction, a higher level of psychosocial distress is associated with mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia but not with ischemia induced by a conventional stress test.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
- Grady Health System Atlanta GA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston TX
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center Decatur GA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Alexander C Razavi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Yan V Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Amit J Shah
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center Decatur GA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute Atlanta GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
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9
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Choudhary T, Elliott M, Euliano NR, Gurel NZ, Rivas AG, Wittbrodt MT, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Effect of transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation on declarative and working memory in patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A pilot study. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:418-425. [PMID: 37442455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with changes in multiple neurophysiological systems, including verbal declarative memory deficits. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) has been shown in preliminary studies to enhance function when paired with cognitive and motor tasks. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of transcutaneous cervical VNS (tcVNS) on attention, declarative and working memory in PTSD patients. METHODS Fifteen PTSD patients were randomly assigned to active tcVNS (N = 8) or sham (N = 7) stimulation in a double-blinded fashion. Memory assessment tests including paragraph recall and N-back tests were performed to assess declarative and working memory function when paired with active/sham tcVNS once per month in a longitudinal study during which patients self-administered tcVNS/sham twice daily. RESULTS Active tcVNS stimulation resulted in a significant improvement in paragraph recall performance following pairing with paragraph encoding for PTSD patients at two months (p < 0.05). It resulted in a 91 % increase in paragraph recall performance within group (p = 0.03), while sham tcVNS exhibited no such trend in performance improvement. In the N-back study, positive deviations in accuracy, precision and recall measures on different day visits (7,34,64,94) of patients with respect to day 1 revealed a pattern of better performance of the active tcVNS population compared to sham VNS which did not reach statistical significance. LIMITATIONS Our sample size was small. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results suggest that tcVNS improves attention, declarative and working memory, which may improve quality of life and productivity for patients with PTSD. Future studies are required to confirm these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tilendra Choudhary
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA.
| | | | | | - Nil Z Gurel
- Reality Labs, Meta Platforms Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Amanda G Rivas
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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10
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Moazzami K, Cheung B, Sullivan S, Shah A, Almuwaqqat Z, Alkhoder A, Mehta PK, Pearce BD, Shah AJ, Martini A, Obideen M, Nye J, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA. Hemodynamic Reactivity to Mental Stress in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2338060. [PMID: 37847500 PMCID: PMC10582791 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.38060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance The clinical significance of hemodynamic reactivity to mental stress in the population with coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. Objective To investigate the association between hemodynamic reactivity to mental stress and the risk of adverse cardiovascular events in patients with stable CAD. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included individuals with stable CAD from 2 prospective studies from a university-based hospital network: the Mental Stress Ischemia Prognosis Study (MIPS) and the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 (MIMS2). Participants were enrolled between June 2011 and March 2016 and followed up for a median of 6.0 (IQR, 5.6-6.0) years in MIPS and 4.6 (IQR, 3.8-5.3) years in MIMS2. Data were analyzed from December 1, 2022, to February 15, 2023. Exposures The rate-pressure product (RPP) was calculated as the mean systolic blood pressure times the mean heart rate at rest. Rate-pressure product reactivity was calculated as the maximum RPP during a standardized mental stress test minus the RPP at rest. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction. The secondary end point additionally included hospitalizations for heart failure. Results From the total of 938 individuals from the pooled cohort (mean [SD] age, 60.2 [10.1] years; 611 [65.1%] men), 631 participated in MIPS and 307 in MIMS2. A total of 373 individuals (39.8%) were Black, 519 (55.3%) were White, and 46 (4.9%) were of unknown race or ethnicity. The RPP increased by a mean (SD) of 77.1% (23.1%) during mental stress (mean [SD] absolute change, 5651 [2878]). For every SD decrease in RPP reactivity with mental stress, the adjusted hazard ratios for the primary and secondary end points were 1.30 (95% CI, 1.04-1.72) and 1.30 (95% CI, 1.06-1.56), respectively, in MIPS and 1.41 (95% CI, 1.06-1.97) and 1.21 (95% CI, 1.02-1.60), respectively, in MIMS2. In the pooled sample, when RPP reactivity to mental stress was added to a model including traditional clinical risk characteristics, model discrimination for adverse events improved (increase in C statistic of 5% for the primary end point; P = .009). Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of individuals with stable CAD, a blunted cardiovascular reactivity to mental stress was associated with adverse outcomes. Future studies are needed to assess the clinical utility of mental stress reactivity testing in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brian Cheung
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anish Shah
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ayman Alkhoder
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Puja K. Mehta
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brad D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Afif Martini
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Malik Obideen
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathon Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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11
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Almuwaqqat Z, Garcia EV, Cooke CD, Garcia M, Shah AJ, Elon L, Ko YA, Sullivan S, Nye J, Van Assen M, De Cecco C, Raggi P, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Quantitation of diffuse myocardial ischemia with mental stress and its association with cardiovascular events in individuals with recent myocardial infarction. J Nucl Cardiol 2023; 30:2029-2038. [PMID: 36991249 DOI: 10.1007/s12350-023-03212-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Microcirculatory dysfunction during psychological stress may lead to diffuse myocardial ischemia. We developed a novel quantification method for diffuse ischemia during mental stress (dMSI) and examined its relationship with outcomes after a myocardial infarction (MI). We studied 300 patients ≤ 61 years of age (50% women) with a recent MI. Patients underwent myocardial perfusion imaging with mental stress and were followed for 5 years. dMSI was quantified from cumulative count distributions of rest and stress perfusion. Focal ischemia was defined in a conventional fashion. The main outcome was a composite outcome of recurrent MI, heart failure hospitalizations, and cardiovascular death. A dMSI increment of 1 standard deviation was associated with a 40% higher risk for adverse events (HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.5). Results were similar after adjustment for viability, demographic and clinical factors and focal ischemia. In sex-specific analysis, higher levels of dMSI (per standard deviation increment) were associated with 53% higher risk of adverse events in women (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0) but not in men (HR 0.9, 95% CI 0.5-1.4), P 0.001. A novel index of diffuse ischemia with mental stress was associated with recurrent events in women but not in men after MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Ernest V Garcia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C David Cooke
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jonathon Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marly Van Assen
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carlo De Cecco
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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12
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Bremner JD, Gazi AH, Lambert TP, Nawar A, Harrison AB, Welsh JW, Vaccarino V, Walton KM, Jaquemet N, Mermin-Bunnell K, Mesfin H, Gray TA, Ross K, Saks G, Tomic N, Affadzi D, Bikson M, Shah AJ, Dunn KE, Giordano NA, Inan OT. Noninvasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Opioid Use Disorder. Ann Depress Anxiety 2023; 10:1117. [PMID: 38074313 PMCID: PMC10699253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Background Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is an escalating public health problem with over 100,000 drug overdose-related deaths last year most of them related to opioid overdose, yet treatment options remain limited. Non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) can be delivered via the ear or the neck and is a non-medication alternative to treatment of opioid withdrawal and OUD with potentially widespread applications. Methods This paper reviews the neurobiology of opioid withdrawal and OUD and the emerging literature of nVNS for the application of OUD. Literature databases for Pubmed, Psychinfo, and Medline were queried for these topics for 1982-present. Results Opioid withdrawal in the context of OUD is associated with activation of peripheral sympathetic and inflammatory systems as well as alterations in central brain regions including anterior cingulate, basal ganglia, and amygdala. NVNS has the potential to reduce sympathetic and inflammatory activation and counter the effects of opioid withdrawal in initial pilot studies. Preliminary studies show that it is potentially effective at acting through sympathetic pathways to reduce the effects of opioid withdrawal, in addition to reducing pain and distress. Conclusions NVNS shows promise as a non-medication approach to OUD, both in terms of its known effect on neurobiology as well as pilot data showing a reduction in withdrawal symptoms as well as physiological manifestations of opioid withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Decatur GA
| | - Asim H Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tamara P Lambert
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Afra Nawar
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anna B Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Justine W Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kevin M Walton
- Clinical Research Grants Branch, Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nora Jaquemet
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kellen Mermin-Bunnell
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Hewitt Mesfin
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Trinity A Gray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Keyatta Ross
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Georgia Saks
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nikolina Tomic
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - Danner Affadzi
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY
| | - Amit J Shah
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Decatur GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta GA
| | - Kelly E Dunn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD
| | | | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
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13
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Gazi AH, Sanchez-Perez JA, Natarajan S, Chan M, Nikbakht M, Lin DJ, Douglas Bremner J, Hahn JO, Inan OT, Rozell CJ. Leveraging Physiological Markers to Quantify the Transient Effects of Traumatic Stress and Non-Invasive Neuromodulation . Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2023; 2023:1-4. [PMID: 38083108 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Millions around the world suffer from traumatic stress (stress caused by traumatic memories). Transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has been shown to counteract physiological changes associated with traumatic stress. However, little is known regarding the approximate timecourse of tcVNS effects. This knowledge of how quickly tcVNS takes effect is needed to optimize closed-loop tcVNS systems that can mitigate traumatic stress in a timely manner. To address this gap, we studied N=26 participants with history of prior trauma. Participants wore electrocardiogram, photoplethysmogram, seismocardiogram, and respiratory effort sensors throughout a double-blind protocol involving traumatic stress and active tcVNS (n=12) or sham stimulation (n=14). From the physiological signals, we extracted cardiovascular and respiratory markers and studied their dynamics during the traumatic stress and stimulation conditions. We decoupled the short-term transient responses from longer-term cumulative changes by centering each condition's response with respect to data immediately prior to the condition. We thereby elucidate a diverse set of transient physiological responses to tcVNS and traumatic stress. These responses demonstrate that tcVNS-induced changes occur within seconds and have the potential to reduce acute physiological manifestations of traumatic stress.Clinical relevance- Traumatic stress can overpower an individual within seconds and often occurs outside the clinic. This analysis focuses on transient physiological responses to traumatic memories and tcVNS captured using multimodal physiological sensing. We demonstrate that tcVNS-induced changes occur within seconds and have the potential to mitigate some of the short-term effects of traumatic stress.
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14
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Buto PT, Shah A, Pearce BD, Lima BB, Almuwaqqat Z, Martini A, Al-Abboud O, Tarlapally N, Sullivan S, Sun YV, Murrah NV, Driggers E, Shallenberger L, Lewis TT, Elon L, Bremner JD, Raggi P, Quyyumi A, Vaccarino V. Association of systemic inflammation with posttraumatic stress disorder after a myocardial infarction. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 30:100629. [PMID: 37396337 PMCID: PMC10308211 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Adverse mental health conditions including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety are prevalent among patients who survive myocardial infarctions (MI) and are associated with adverse outcomes. The mechanisms underlying these associations, however, are not well understood. Inflammatory pathways may mediate the cardiovascular outcomes of patients with mental health disorders. We examined the bidirectional association between PTSD symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers in a young/middle-aged post MI population. We further examined how this association may differ between women and men as well as between Black and non-Black individuals. Methods Participants included individuals with early onset MI between the ages 25 and 60. Mental health scores for depression, PTSD, perceived stress, and anxiety as well as inflammatory biomarkers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), were collected at baseline and at six-month follow up. We examined the bidirectional changes in mental health symptoms and inflammatory biomarkers between baseline and follow-up. Results Among 244 patients in the study (mean age: 50.8, 48.4% female, 64.3% Black), the geometric means for IL-6 level and hsCRP at rest were 1.7 pg/mL and 2.76 mg/L, respectively. Mental health scores at baseline did not consistently predict changes in inflammatory biomarkers at follow-up. However, baseline levels of both IL-6 and hsCRP were robustly associated with an increase in re-experiencing PTSD symptoms at 6 months: in adjusted linear mixed models, there was a 1.58-point increase in re-experiencing PTSD symptoms per unit of baseline hsCRP (p = 0.01) and 2.59-point increase per unit of baseline IL-6 (p = 0.02). Once the analysis was stratified by race, the association was only noted in Black individuals. Baseline inflammation was not associated with change in any of the other mental health symptom scores. Conclusion Markers of inflammation are associated with an increase in post-event PTSD symptoms in younger or middle-aged patients who experienced an MI, especially Black patients. These results suggest a mechanistic link between inflammation and the development of PTSD among individuals with cardiovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter T. Buto
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Brad D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bruno B. Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Afif Martini
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Omar Al-Abboud
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nitya Tarlapally
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yan V. Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Nancy V. Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tené T. Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, Decatur, GA, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Arshed Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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15
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Okoh AK, Young A, Garcia M, Sullivan S, Almuwaqqat Z, Hu Y, Liu C, Moazzami K, Uphoff I, Lima BB, Ko YA, Elon L, Jajeh N, Rout P, Gupta S, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Lewis T, Quyyumi A, Vaccarino V. Racial Differences in Mental Stress-Induced Transient Endothelial Dysfunction and Its Association With Cardiovascular Outcomes. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:431-439. [PMID: 37053106 PMCID: PMC10239336 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate differences in transient endothelial dysfunction (TED) with mental stress in Black and non-Black individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD), and their potential impact on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS We examined 812 patients with stable CHD between June 2011 and March 2016 and followed through February 2020 at a university-affiliated hospital network. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) was assessed before and 30 minutes after mental stress. TED was defined as a lower poststress FMD than prestress FMD. We compared prestress FMD, post-stress FMD, and TED between Black and non-Black participants. In both groups, we examined the association of TED with an adjudicated composite end point of cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction (first and recurring events) after adjusting for demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS Prestress FMD was lower in Black than non-Black participants (3.7 [2.8] versus 4.9 [3.8], p < .001) and significantly declined with mental stress in both groups. TED occurred more often in Black (76%) than non-Black patients (67%; multivariable-adjusted odds ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.5-1.7). Over a median (interquartile range) follow-up period of 75 (65-82) months, 142 (18%) patients experienced either cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction. Black participants had a 41.9% higher risk of the study outcome than non-Black participants (95% confidence interval = 1.01-1.95). TED with mental stress explained 69% of this excess risk. CONCLUSIONS Among CHD patients, Black individuals are more likely than non-Black individuals to develop endothelial dysfunction with mental stress, which in turn explains a substantial portion of their excess risk of adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis K Okoh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - An Young
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yingtian Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Irina Uphoff
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Bruno B. Lima
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nour Jajeh
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Pratik Rout
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Shishir Gupta
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tene Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Arshed Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
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16
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Bremner JD, Piccinelli M, Garcia EV, Moncayo VM, Elon L, Nye JA, Cooke CD, Washington BP, Ortega RA, Desai SR, Okoh AK, Cheung B, Soyebo BO, Shallenberger LH, Raggi P, Shah AJ, Daaboul O, Jajeh MN, Ziegler C, Driggers EG, Murrah N, De Cecco CN, van Assen M, Krafty RT, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. A Pilot Study of Neurobiological Mechanisms of Stress and Cardiovascular Risk. Med Res Arch 2023; 11:3787. [PMID: 37484871 PMCID: PMC10361343 DOI: 10.18103/mra.v11i4.3787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Objective Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability. Although psychological stress has been identified as an important potential contributor, mechanisms by which stress increases risk of heart disease and mortality are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to assess mechanisms by which stress acts through the brain and heart to confer increased CHD risk. Methods Coronary Heart Disease patients (N=10) underwent cardiac imaging with [Tc-99m] sestamibi single photon emission tomography at rest and during a public speaking mental stress task. Patients returned for a second day and underwent positron emission tomography imaging of the brain, heart, bone marrow, aorta (indicating inflammation) and subcutaneous adipose tissue, after injection of [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose for assessment of glucose uptake followed mental stress. Patients with (N=4) and without (N=6) mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia were compared for glucose uptake in brain, heart, adipose tissue and aorta with mental stress. Results Patients with mental stress-induced ischemia showed a pattern of increased uptake in the heart, medial prefrontal cortex, and adipose tissue with stress. In the heart disease group as a whole, activity increase with stress in the medial prefrontal brain and amygdala correlated with stress-induced increases in spleen (r=0.69, p=0.038; and r=0.69, p=0.04 respectfully). Stress-induced frontal lobe increased uptake correlated with stress-induced aorta uptake (r=0.71, p=0.016). Activity in insula and medial prefrontal cortex was correlated with post-stress activity in bone marrow and adipose tissue. Activity in other brain areas not implicated in stress did not show similar correlations. Increases in medial prefrontal activity with stress correlated with increased cardiac glucose uptake with stress, suggestive of myocardial ischemia (r=0.85, p=0.004). Conclusions These findings suggest a link between brain response to stress in key areas mediating emotion and peripheral organs involved in inflammation and hematopoietic activity, as well as myocardial ischemia, in Coronary Heart Disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Marina Piccinelli
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Ernest V. Garcia
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Valeria M. Moncayo
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - C. David Cooke
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brianna P. Washington
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Rebeca Alvarado Ortega
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Shivang R. Desai
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Alexis K. Okoh
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brian Cheung
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Britt O. Soyebo
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Obada Daaboul
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Carrie Ziegler
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carlo N. De Cecco
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Marly van Assen
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Robert T. Krafty
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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17
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Sullivan S, Young A, Garcia M, Almuwaqqat Z, Moazzami K, Hammadah M, Lima BB, Hu Y, Jajeh MN, Alkhoder A, Elon L, Lewis TT, Shah AJ, Mehta PK, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Sex Differences in Vascular Response to Mental Stress and Adverse Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2023; 43:e112-e120. [PMID: 36857628 PMCID: PMC10164352 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.122.318576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microvascular measures of vascular dysfunction during acute mental stress may be important determinants of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), especially among younger and middle-aged women survivors of an acute myocardial infarction. METHODS In the MIMS2 study (Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress 2), individuals who had been hospitalized for a myocardial infarction in the past 8 months were prospectively followed for 5 years. MACE was defined as a composite index of cardiovascular death and first/recurring events for nonfatal myocardial infarction and hospitalizations for heart failure. Reactive hyperemia index and flow-mediated dilation were used to measure microvascular and endothelial function, respectively, before and 30 minutes after a public-speaking mental stress task. Survival models for recurrent events were used to examine the association between vascular response to stress (difference between poststress and resting values) and MACE. Reactive hyperemia index and flow-mediated dilation were standardized in analyses. RESULTS Of 263 patients (the mean age was 51 years; range, 25-61), 48% were women, and 65% were Black. During a median follow-up of 4.3 years, 64 patients had 141 adverse cardiovascular events (first and repeated). Worse microvascular response to stress (for each SD decrease in the reactive hyperemia index) was associated with 50% greater risk of MACE (hazard ratio, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.05-2.13]; P=0.03) among women only (sex interaction: P=0.03). Worse transient endothelial dysfunction in response to stress (for each SD decrease in flow-mediated dilation) was associated with a 35% greater risk of MACE (hazard ratio, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.07-1.71]; P=0.01), and the association was similar in women and men. CONCLUSIONS Peripheral microvascular dysfunction with mental stress was associated with adverse events among women but not men. In contrast, endothelial dysfunction was similarly related to MACE among both men and women. These results suggest a female-specific mechanism linking psychological stress to adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and
Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston,
Dallas, TX
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
| | - An Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Bruno B. Lima
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yingtian Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory
University, Atlanta, GA
| | | | | | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory
University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Tené T. Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA
| | - Puja K. Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory
University, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta,
GA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
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18
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Kim JH, Almuwaqqat Z, Martini A, Liu C, Ko YA, Sullivan S, Dong T, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Pearce BD, Nye JA, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA. Mental Stress-Induced Change in Plasma Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Cohort Study. CJC Open 2023; 5:325-332. [PMID: 37124969 PMCID: PMC10140748 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjco.2023.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Acute psychological stress can provoke mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia (MSIMI) in coronary artery disease (CAD). Stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF1) is released in response to hypoxia, and higher levels of SDF1 are associated with adverse outcomes. We examined whether an increase in SDF1 level in response to mental stress predicts adverse outcomes in CAD patients. Methods A total of 554 patients with stable CAD (mean age 63 years; 76% male; 26% Black) underwent standardized mental stress testing. Plasma SDF1 levels were measured at rest and 90 minutes after mental stress, and MSIMI was evaluated by 99mTc-sestamibi perfusion imaging. Participants were followed for 5 years for the primary endpoint of composite of death and myocardial infarction (MI) and the secondary endpoint of composite of death, MI, and heart failure hospitalization. Cox hazard models were used to assess the association between SDF1 change and incident adverse events. Results Mean (standard deviation) SDF1 change with mental stress was +56.0 (230) pg/mL. During follow-up, a rise of 1 standard deviation in SDF1 with mental stress was associated with a 32% higher risk for the primary endpoint of death and MI (95% confidence interval, 6%-64%), independent of the resting SDF1 level, demographic and clinical risk factors, and presence of ischemia. A rise of 1 standard deviation in SDF1 was associated with a 33% (95% confidence interval, 11%-59%) increase in the risk for the secondary endpoint, independent of the resting SDF1 level, demographic, and clinical risk factors and presence of ischemia. Conclusions An increase in SDF1 level in response to mental stress is associated with a higher risk of adverse events in stable CAD, independent of MSIMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Hwan Kim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Afif Martini
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center- Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Tiffany Dong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brad D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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19
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Sheikh SAA, Alday EAP, Rad AB, Levantsevych O, Alkhalaf M, Soudan M, Abdulbaki R, Haffar A, Smith NL, Goldberg J, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Inan OT, Clifford GD, Shah AJ. Association between PTSD and Impedance Cardiogram-based contractility metrics during trauma recall: A controlled twin study. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14197. [PMID: 36285491 PMCID: PMC9976595 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an independent risk factor for incident heart failure, but the underlying cardiac mechanisms remained elusive. Impedance cardiography (ICG), especially when measured during stress, can help understand the underlying psychophysiological pathways linking PTSD with heart failure. We investigated the association between PTSD and ICG-based contractility metrics (pre-ejection period (PEP) and Heather index (HI)) using a controlled twin study design with a laboratory-based traumatic reminder stressor. PTSD status was assessed using structured clinical interviews. We acquired synchronized electrocardiograms and ICG data while playing personalized-trauma scripts. Using linear mixed-effects models, we examined twins as individuals and within PTSD-discordant pairs. We studied 137 male veterans (48 pairs, 41 unpaired singles) from Vietnam War Era with a mean (standard deviation) age of 68.5(2.5) years. HI during trauma stress was lower in the PTSD vs. non-PTSD individuals (7.2 vs. 9.3 [ohm/s2 ], p = .003). PEP reactivity (trauma minus neutral) was also more negative in PTSD vs. non-PTSD individuals (-7.4 vs. -2.0 [ms], p = .009). The HI and PEP associations with PTSD persisted for adjusted models during trauma and reactivity, respectively. For within-pair analysis of eight PTSD-discordant twin pairs (out of 48 pairs), PTSD was associated with lower HI in neutral, trauma, and reactivity, whereas no association was found between PTSD and PEP. PTSD was associated with reduced HI and PEP, especially with trauma recall stress. This combination of increased sympathetic activation and decreased cardiac contractility combined may be concerning for increased heart failure risk after recurrent trauma re-experiencing in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shafa-at Ali Sheikh
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Ali Bahrami Rad
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Majd Soudan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Rami Abdulbaki
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | | | | | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
| | - Gari D. Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, USA
- Veterans Affairs Health Care System, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA
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20
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Sullivan S, Young A, Garcia M, Almuwaqqat Z, Moazzami K, Hammadah M, Lima BB, Hu Y, Alkhalaf M, Jajeh MN, Alkhoder A, Elon L, Lewis TT, Shah AJ, Mehta PK, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Abstract P407: Sex Differences in Microvascular Response to Mental Stress and Adverse Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease. Circulation 2023. [DOI: 10.1161/circ.147.suppl_1.p407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Introduction:
Microvascular dysfunction during acute mental stress may be an important determinant of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes (MACE) especially among middle-aged women survivors of an acute myocardial infarction (MI).
Hypothesis:
There are sex differences in the association between microvascular dysfunction and MACE.
Methods:
The Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 enrolled individuals who had been hospitalized for an MI in the past 8 months at the age of 60 years or younger, with an oversampling of women. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI) was used to measure digital microvascular function before and 30 minutes after a public-speaking mental stress task. This assessment was contrasted with macrovascular endothelial function at the brachial artery through flow-mediated dilation (FMD). Participants were followed for 5-years, and MACE was defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, first/recurring events for nonfatal MI, and hospitalizations for heart failure. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine vascular response to stress (difference between post-stress and resting values) and MACE adjusting for demographics, clinical risk factors, medications, psychological factors, and mental stress ischemia. Lower RHI and FMD values are indicative of greater microvascular and endothelial dysfunction, respectively.
Results:
Of 263 participants, the mean age was 51 years and 48% were women. There were 64 patients with 141 adverse cardiovascular events (first and repeated). In the overall sample, there was no significant association between microvascular response to stress and MACE, but there was a significant interaction with sex (p = 0.03). Each standard deviation decrease in RHI response to stress was associated with 50% greater risk of MACE (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.13) among women only, while no association was observed in men (HR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.69, 1.26). Transient endothelial dysfunction in response to stress (for each standard deviation decrease in FMD) was associated with 35% greater risk of MACE (HR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.71), and was similar in women and men.
Conclusions:
Peripheral microvascular dysfunction with mental stress is associated with MACE among women but not among men. In contrast, brachial artery endothelial dysfunction is similarly related to MACE among both men and women. These results suggest that microvascular dysfunction is a female-specific mechanism linking psychological stress to adverse outcomes.
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21
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Alday EAP, Poian GD, Levantsevych O, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Alkhalaf M, Haffar A, Kaseer B, Yi-An K, Goldberg J, Smith N, Lampert R, Bremner JD, Clifford GD, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ. Association of Autonomic Activation with traumatic reminder challenges in posttraumatic stress disorder: A co-twin control study. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14167. [PMID: 35959570 PMCID: PMC10157622 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms remain unclear. Autonomic dysfunction, associated with higher CVD risk, may be triggered by acute PTSD symptoms. We hypothesized that a laboratory-based trauma reminder challenge, which induces acute PTSD symptoms, provokes autonomic dysfunction in a cohort of veteran twins. We investigated PTSD-associated real-time physiologic changes with a simulation of traumatic experiences in which the twins listened to audio recordings of a one-minute neutral script followed by a one-minute trauma script. We examined two heart rate variability metrics: deceleration capacity (DC) and logarithmic low frequency (log-LF) power from beat-to-beat intervals extracted from ambulatory electrocardiograms. We assessed longitudinal PTSD status with a structured clinical interview and the severity with the PTSD Symptoms Scale. We used linear mixed-effects models to examine twin dyads and account for cardiovascular and behavioral risk factors. We examined 238 male Veteran twins (age 68 ± 3 years old, 4% black). PTSD status and acute PTSD symptom severity were not associated with DC or log-LF measured during the neutral session, but were significantly associated with lower DC and log-LF during the traumatic script listening session. Long-standing PTSD was associated with a 0.38 (95% confidence interval, -0.83,-0.08) and 0.79 (-1.30,-0.29) standardized unit lower DC and log-LF, respectively, compared to no history of PTSD. Traumatic reminders in patients with PTSD lead to real-time autonomic dysregulation and suggest a potential causal mechanism for increased CVD risk, based on the well-known relationships between autonomic dysfunction and CVD mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick A. Perez Alday
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Giulia Da Poian
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Belal Kaseer
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ko Yi-An
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nicholas Smith
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachel Lampert
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Gari D. Clifford
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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22
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Moazzami K, Mehta A, Young A, Dhindsa DS, Martin G, Mokhtari A, Ghaini Hesaroieh I, Shah A, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Waller EK, Quyyumi AA. The association between baseline circulating progenitor cells and vascular function: The role of aging and risk factors. Vasc Med 2022; 27:532-541. [PMID: 36062298 PMCID: PMC10150400 DOI: 10.1177/1358863x221116411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between vascular function and circulating progenitor cell (CPC) counts with respect to aging and exposure to risk factors. METHODS In 797 adult participants, CPCs were enumerated by flow cytometry as CD45med mononuclear cells expressing CD34 epitope and its subsets co-expressing CD133, and chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4+). Arterial stiffness was evaluated by tonometry-derived pulse wave velocity (PWV) and microvascular function was assessed as digital reactive hyperemia index (RHI). RESULTS In cross-sectional analyses, for every doubling in CD34+ cell counts, PWV was 15% higher and RHI was 9% lower, after adjusting for baseline characteristics and risk factors (p for all < 0.01). There were significant CPC-by-age-by-risk factor interactions (p <0.05) for both vascular measures. Among younger subjects (< 48 years), CPC counts were higher in those with risk factors and vascular function was better in those with higher compared to those with lower CPC counts (p for all < 0.0l). In contrast, in older participants, CPCs were not higher in those with risk factors, and vascular function was worse compared to the younger age group. A lower CPC count at baseline was an independent predictor of worsening vascular function during 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSION A higher CPC count in the presence of risk factors is associated with better vascular function among younger individuals. There is no increase in CPC count with risk factors in older individuals who have worse vascular function. Moreover, a higher CPC count is associated with less vascular dysfunction with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anurag Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - An Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Devinder Singh Dhindsa
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Greg Martin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ali Mokhtari
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Iraj Ghaini Hesaroieh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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23
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Liu C, Wang Z, Hui Q, Goldberg J, Smith NL, Shah AJ, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Diggers E, Bremner JD, Sun YV, Vaccarino V. Association between depression and epigenetic age acceleration: A co-twin control study. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:741-750. [PMID: 35758529 PMCID: PMC9729366 DOI: 10.1002/da.23279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prior studies have shown inconsistent findings of an association between depression and epigenetic aging. DNA methylation (DNAm) age acceleration can measure biological aging. We adopted a robust co-twin control study design to examine whether depression is associated with DNAm age acceleration after accounting for the potential confounding influences of genetics and family environment. METHODS We analyzed data on a sub-cohort of the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. A total of 291 twins participated at baseline and 177 at follow-up visit after a mean of 11.7 years, with 111 participants having DNA samples for both time points. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Six measures of DNAm age acceleration were computed at each time point, including Horvath's DNAm age acceleration (HorvathAA), intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA), Hannum's DNAm age acceleration (HannumAA), extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA), GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), and PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA). Mixed-effects modeling was used to assess the within-pair association between depression and DNAm age acceleration. RESULTS At baseline, a 10-unit higher BDI-II total score was associated with HannumAA (0.73 years, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.13-1.33, p = .019) and EEAA (0.94 years, 95% CI 0.22-1.66, p = .012). At follow-up, 10-unit higher BDI-II score was associated with PhenoAA (1.32 years, 95% CI 0.18-2.47, p = .027). CONCLUSION We identified that depression is associated with higher levels of DNAm age acceleration. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the underlying mechanisms for the potential causal relationship between depression and accelerated aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Zeyuan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Qin Hui
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Vietnam Era Twin Registry, Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicholas L. Smith
- Vietnam Era Twin Registry, Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Cooperative Studies Program, Office of Research and Development, Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Emily Diggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yan V. Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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24
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Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Moncayo V, Nye JA, Piccinelli M, Ko YA, Ma X, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Driggers E, Jajeh N, Haffar A, Al-Abboud O, Raggi P, Hall MH, Sloan RP, Goldberg J, Smith NL, Garcia EV, Quyyumi AA, Bremner JD, Bliwise DL. Obstructive sleep apnea, myocardial perfusion and myocardial blood flow: A study of older male twins. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278420. [PMID: 36449510 PMCID: PMC9710778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with incidence of cardiovascular disease and with nocturnal angina, but evidence of a link with coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia is limited and previous studies may have been affected by selection bias or unmeasured confounding factors. METHODS We performed overnight polysomnography in 178 older male twins. The Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI) was calculated to assess OSA from the overnight sleep evaluation. AHI ≥15 was used as indicator of moderate/severe OSA. The following day, twins underwent myocardial perfusion imaging with [82Rb]-chloride positron emission tomography. Quantitative and semiquantitative measures of myocardial perfusion and absolute myocardial blood flow were obtained. RESULTS The mean age was 68 years and 40% of the sample had an AHI≥15, which indicates moderate to severe OSA. Abnormal myocardial perfusion, both with stress and at rest, was more common in twins with elevated AHI. After adjusting for clinical, lifestyle and behavioral factors, and previous history of cardiovascular disease, twins with AHI ≥15 had 3.6 higher odds (95% CI, 1.5-8.9) of an abnormal total severity score, defined as a score ≥100, and for each 5-point increment in AHI, the odds of abnormality increased by 20% (95% CI, 7%-34%). Twin pairs where both twins had OSA exhibited the greatest risk. There were no differences in measures of ischemia and absolute myocardial blood flow and flow reserve by AHI status. CONCLUSIONS OSA is associated with myocardial perfusion abnormalities that suggest prior subclinical myocardial scarring or infarction. Early environmental factors that affect both twins equally may play a role and should be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,* E-mail:
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Valeria Moncayo
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Marina Piccinelli
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Xin Ma
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Emily Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nour Jajeh
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Omar Al-Abboud
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Martica H. Hall
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Richard P. Sloan
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Office of Research and Development, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Nicholas L. Smith
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, Office of Research and Development, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, Washington, United States of America,Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Ernest V. Garcia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia, United States of America,Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Donald L. Bliwise
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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25
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Gazi AH, Harrison AB, Lambert TP, Nawar A, Obideen M, Driggers EG, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Rozell CJ, Bikson M, Welsh JW, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Pain is reduced by transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation and correlated with cardiorespiratory variability measures in the context of opioid withdrawal. Front Pain Res 2022; 3:1031368. [PMID: 36438447 PMCID: PMC9682166 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.1031368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Over 100,000 individuals in the United States lost their lives secondary to drug overdose in 2021, with opioid use disorder (OUD) being a leading cause. Pain is an important component of opioid withdrawal, which can complicate recovery from OUD. This study's objectives were to assess the effects of transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS), a technique shown to reduce sympathetic arousal in other populations, on pain during acute opioid withdrawal and to study pain's relationships with objective cardiorespiratory markers. Twenty patients with OUD underwent opioid withdrawal while participating in a two-hour protocol. The protocol involved opioid cues to induce opioid craving and neutral conditions for control purposes. Adhering to a double-blind design, patients were randomly assigned to receive active tcVNS (n = 9) or sham stimulation (n = 11) throughout the protocol. At the beginning and end of the protocol, patients' pain levels were assessed using the numerical rating scale (0–10 scale) for pain (NRS Pain). During the protocol, electrocardiogram and respiratory effort signals were measured, from which heart rate variability (HRV) and respiration pattern variability (RPV) were extracted. Pre- to post- changes (denoted with a Δ) were computed for all measures. Δ NRS Pain scores were lower (P = 0.045) for the active group (mean ± standard deviation: −0.8 ± 2.4) compared to the sham group (0.9 ± 1.0). A positive correlation existed between Δ NRS pain scores and Δ RPV (Spearman's ρ = 0.46; P = 0.04). Following adjustment for device group, a negative correlation existed between Δ HRV and Δ NRS Pain (Spearman's ρ = −0.43; P = 0.04). This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled pilot study provides the first evidence of tcVNS-induced reductions in pain in patients with OUD experiencing opioid withdrawal. This study also provides the first quantitative evidence of an association between breathing irregularity and pain. The correlations between changes in pain and changes in objective physiological markers add validity to the data. Given the clinical importance of reducing pain non-pharmacologically, the findings support the need for further investigation of tcVNS and wearable cardiorespiratory sensing for pain monitoring and management in patients with OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim H. Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Correspondence: Asim H. Gazi J. Douglas Bremner
| | - Anna B. Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Tamara P. Lambert
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Afra Nawar
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Malik Obideen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Emily G. Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, GA, United States
| | - Christopher J. Rozell
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Justine W. Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, GA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Correspondence: Asim H. Gazi J. Douglas Bremner
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26
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Suglia SF, Hardy ST, Cammack AL, Kim YJ, Pearce BD, Shah AJ, Sullivan S, Wittbrodt M, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V. Child Maltreatment and Inflammatory Response to Mental Stress Among Adults Who Have Survived a Myocardial Infarction. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:1013-1020. [PMID: 35980788 PMCID: PMC9643601 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Experiences of child maltreatment are associated with cardiovascular risk and disease in adulthood; however, the mechanisms underlying these associations are poorly understood. METHODS We examined associations between retrospectively self-reported exposure to child maltreatment (Early Trauma Inventory Self-Report Short Form) and inflammatory responses to mental stress among adults (mean age = 50 years) who recently had a myocardial infarction ( n = 227). Inflammation was assessed as blood interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 concentrations, measured before and after a standardized public speaking stress task. We used mixed linear regression models adjusting for cardiovascular disease severity, medication usage, and psychosocial, demographic, and life-style factors. RESULTS In women, increases in IL-6 levels and MMP-9 levels with stress were smaller in those exposed to sexual abuse, relative to those unexposed (IL-6 geometric mean increases = 1.6 [95% confidence interval {CI} = 1.4-1.9] pg/ml versus 2.1 [95% CI = 1.8-2.4] pg/ml; MMP-9 geometric mean increases = 1.0 [95% CI = 0.9-1.2] ng/ml versus 1.2 [95% CI = 1.1-1.4] ng/ml). No differences were noted for emotional or physical abuse. By contrast in men, individuals exposed to sexual abuse had larger IL-6 responses than those not exposed to abuse. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest sex differences in stress response among survivors of a myocardial infarction exposed to abuse early in life. They also underscore the importance of examining sex as an effect modifier of relationships between exposure to early life adversity and inflammatory responses to mental stressors in midlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakira F Suglia
- From the Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health (Suglia, Cammack, Kim, Pearce, Shah, Sullivan, Vaccarino), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology (Hardy), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology (Shah, Wittbrodt, Vaccarino), Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Health (Sullivan), University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas; Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology (Bremner), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta; and Atlanta VA Medical Center (Bremner), Decatur, Georgia
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27
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Lambert TP, Gazi AH, Harrison AB, Gharehbaghi S, Chan M, Obideen M, Alavi P, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Driggers EG, Alvarado Ortega R, Washington B, Walton KM, Tang YL, Gupta R, Nye JA, Welsh JW, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Leveraging Accelerometry as a Prognostic Indicator for Increase in Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:924. [PMID: 36354433 PMCID: PMC9688173 DOI: 10.3390/bios12110924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Treating opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant healthcare challenge in the United States. Remaining abstinent from opioids is challenging for individuals with OUD due to withdrawal symptoms that include restlessness. However, to our knowledge, studies of acute withdrawal have not quantified restlessness using involuntary movements. We hypothesized that wearable accelerometry placed mid-sternum could be used to detect withdrawal-related restlessness in patients with OUD. To study this, 23 patients with OUD undergoing active withdrawal participated in a protocol involving wearable accelerometry, opioid cues to elicit craving, and non-invasive Vagal Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) to dampen withdrawal symptoms. Using accelerometry signals, we analyzed how movements correlated with changes in acute withdrawal severity, measured by the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS). Our results revealed that patients demonstrating sinusoidal-i.e., predominantly single-frequency oscillation patterns in their motion almost exclusively demonstrated an increase in the COWS, and a strong relationship between the maximum power spectral density and increased withdrawal over time, measured by the COWS (R = 0.92, p = 0.029). Accelerometry may be used in an ambulatory setting to indicate the increased intensity of a patient's withdrawal symptoms, providing an objective, readily-measurable marker that may be captured ubiquitously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara P. Lambert
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Asim H. Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Anna B. Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Sevda Gharehbaghi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Michael Chan
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Malik Obideen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Parvaneh Alavi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Emily G. Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Rebeca Alvarado Ortega
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Brianna Washington
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Kevin M. Walton
- Clinical Research Grants Branch, Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD 20877, USA
| | - Yi-Lang Tang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Rahul Gupta
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Justine W. Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Omer T. Inan
- The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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28
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Shapira I, Richman J, Pace TWW, Lim KO, Polusny MA, Hamner MB, Bremner JD, Mumba MN, Jacobs ML, Pilkinton P, Davis LL. Biomarker Response to Mindfulness Intervention in Veterans Diagnosed with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Mindfulness (N Y) 2022; 13:2448-2460. [PMID: 36938380 PMCID: PMC10022677 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-01969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Objectives This study evaluates the effects of treatment with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) compared to the active control, present-centered group therapy (PCGT), on morning plasma cortisol, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods In a post hoc exploratory analysis, we pooled biomarkers and clinical outcomes of mindfulness, PTSD, and depression from two randomized controlled trials comparing MBSR (n = 104) to PCGT (n = 106) in U.S. military veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to evaluate associations between changes in biomarkers and clinical outcomes from baseline to 9-week primary endpoint and 16-week follow-up endpoint. Results Cortisol levels were inversely related to self-reported PTSD symptoms at baseline (p = 0.02). Cortisol increased from baseline to 9-week endpoint for both groups, but significantly less so in the MBSR group compared to PCGT group (mean difference 1.69 ± 0.8 SE; p = 0.035). Changes in IL-6 and CRP did not differ between groups at either baseline or week 9. From baseline to week 9, increased mindfulness was significantly associated with increased cortisol (p = 0.02) and decreased PTSD and depression severity (p < 0.01). Increased IL-6 and CRP were significantly associated with decreased PTSD severity (p < 0.05), but not depression. Pooled analysis corroborated earlier findings that MBSR is significantly better than PCGT in improving clinical outcomes. Increased mindfulness was strongly associated with improved symptoms. Conclusions Increased mindfulness is associated with a recalibration of cortisol levels which may be indicative of therapeutic response, especially in patients with lower baseline cortisol. Furthermore, mindfulness-based practices improve symptoms of PTSD and depression in a significant correlation with self-reported levels of mindfulness. Clinical Trial Registration clinicaltrialsgov NCT01532999 and NCT01548742.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itamar Shapira
- School of Medicine, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, 1670 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Joshua Richman
- Department of Surgery, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
- Birmingham VA Health Care System, Research Service, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Kelvin O. Lim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Centers, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Melissa A. Polusny
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Care Delivery Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Mark B. Hamner
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Mental Health Service, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Mercy N. Mumba
- Research Service, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
- University of Alabama, Capstone College of Nursing, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - M. Lindsey Jacobs
- Research Service, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Patricia Pilkinton
- Research Service, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Lori L. Davis
- Research Service, Tuscaloosa VA Medical Center, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, UAB Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Sullivan S, Young A, Garcia M, Almuwaqqat Z, Moazzami K, Hammadah M, Lima BB, Driggers EG, Levantsevych O, Alkhalaf M, Jajeh MN, Alkhoder A, Elon L, Gooding H, Lewis TT, Shah AJ, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Gender Disparities Between Neighborhood Social Vulnerability and Psychological Distress Among Patients with Heart Disease. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 2022; 31:1440-1449. [PMID: 35960809 PMCID: PMC9618377 DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychological stress disorders are twice as prevalent in women with ischemic heart disease compared to men. The disproportionate psychological health experience of these women is not well understood. The objective of this study was to examine whether neighborhood social factors are associated with disparities in psychological health by gender. Materials and Methods: We studied 286 patients with heart disease recruited from Emory-based hospitals in the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress 2 Study (n = 286). A global measure of psychological distress was calculated by taking an average of ranks across symptom scales for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, anger, and perceived stress. The social vulnerability index (SVI) was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was used to rank patients' census tracks on 14 social factors. Beta coefficients for mean ranks in psychological distress scores were estimated per 10-unit increase in SVI percentile ranking using multilevel regression models. Results: The mean age of the sample was 51 years, 49% were women, and 66% African American. After adjusting for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and antidepressant use, each 10-unit increase in SVI percentile ranking was associated with 4.65 (95% CI: 0.61-8.69; p = 0.02) unit increase in mean scores for psychological distress among women only (SVI-by-gender-interaction = 0.01). These associations were driven by the SVI themes of lower socioeconomic status and poorer access to housing and transportation. Conclusion: Neighborhood social vulnerability may be a psychosocial stressor that potentiates women's susceptibility to adverse psychological and cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health-Dallas Campus, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - An Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Bruno B. Lima
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily G. Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ayman Alkhoder
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Holly Gooding
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tené T. Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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30
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Gazi AH, Harrison AB, Lambert TP, Obideen M, Welsh JW, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Back SE, Rozell CJ, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Respiratory Variability in the Context of Opioid Withdrawal. IEEE EMBS Int Conf Biomed Health Inform 2022; 2022:10.1109/bhi56158.2022.9926787. [PMID: 37143708 PMCID: PMC10155675 DOI: 10.1109/bhi56158.2022.9926787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Opioid withdrawal's physiological effects are a major impediment to recovery from opioid use disorder (OUD). Prior work has demonstrated that transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) can counteract some of opioid withdrawal's physiological effects by reducing heart rate and perceived symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of tcVNS on respiratory manifestations of opioid withdrawal - specifically, respiratory timings and their variability. Patients with OUD (N = 21) underwent acute opioid withdrawal over the course of a two-hour protocol. The protocol involved opioid cues to induce opioid craving and neutral conditions for control purposes. Patients were randomly assigned to receive double-blind active tcVNS (n = 10) or sham stimulation (n = 11) throughout the protocol. Respiratory effort and electrocardiogram-derived respiration signals were used to estimate inspiration time (Ti), expiration time (Te), and respiration rate (RR), along with each measure's variability quantified via interquartile range (IQR). Comparing the active and sham groups, active tcVNS significantly reduced IQR(Ti) - a variability measure - compared to sham stimulation (p = .02). Relative to baseline, the active group's median change in IQR(Ti) was 500 ms less than the sham group's median change in IQR(Ti). Notably, IQR(Ti) was found to be positively associated with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in prior work. Therefore, a reduction in IQR(Ti) suggests that tcVNS downregulates the respiratory stress response associated with opioid withdrawal. Although further investigations are necessary, these results promisingly suggest that tcVNS - a non-pharmacologic, non-invasive, readily implemented neuromodulation approach - can serve as a novel therapy to mitigate opioid withdrawal symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim H Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna B Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tamara P Lambert
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Malik Obideen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Justine W Welsh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, and the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA, and the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Sudie E Back
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Christopher J Rozell
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA, USA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Omer T Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Moncayo V, Nye J, Piccinelli M, Ko YA, Ma X, Murrah N, Shallenberger L, Driggers E, Levantsevych OM, Hammadah M, Lima BB, Young A, O'Neal W, Alkhalaf M, Haffar A, Raggi P, Goldberg J, Smith NL, Garcia EV, Quyyumi AA, Bremner JD. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Myocardial Perfusion, and Myocardial Blood Flow: A Longitudinal Twin Study. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:615-625. [PMID: 34865854 PMCID: PMC8918004 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The link between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and ischemic heart disease remains elusive owing to a shortage of longitudinal studies with a clinical diagnosis of PTSD and objective measures of cardiac compromise. METHODS We performed positron emission tomography in 275 twins who participated in two examinations approximately 12 years apart. At both visits, we obtained a clinical diagnosis of PTSD, which was classified as long-standing (both visit 1 and visit 2), late onset (only visit 2), and no PTSD (no PTSD at both visits). With positron emission tomography, we assessed myocardial flow reserve (MFR), which, in absence of significant coronary stenoses, indexes coronary microvascular function. We compared positron emission tomography data at visit 2 across the three categories of longitudinally assessed PTSD and examined changes between the two visits. RESULTS Overall, 80% of the twins had no or minimal obstructive coronary disease. Yet, MFR was depressed in twins with PTSD and was progressively lower across groups with no PTSD (2.13), late-onset PTSD (1.97), and long-standing PTSD (1.93) (p = .01). A low MFR (a ratio <2.0) was present in 40% of the twins without PTSD, in 56% of those with late-onset PTSD, and in 72% of those with long-standing PTSD (p < .001). Associations persisted in multivariable analysis, when examining changes in MFR between visit 1 and visit 2, and within twin pairs. Results were similar by zygosity. CONCLUSIONS Longitudinally, PTSD is associated with reduced coronary microcirculatory function and greater deterioration over time. The association is especially noted among twins with chronic, long-standing PTSD and is not confounded by shared environmental or genetic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Valeria Moncayo
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathon Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Marina Piccinelli
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Xin Ma
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Emily Driggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Oleksiy M Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Bruno B Lima
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - An Young
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Wesley O'Neal
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ammer Haffar
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington
| | - Nicholas L Smith
- Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Seattle, Washington; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Ernest V Garcia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia; Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Decatur, Georgia
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Almuwaqqat Z, Wittbrodt MT, Moazzami K, Nye JA, Lima BB, Shah AJ, Alkhalaf J, Pearce B, Sun YV, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD. Neural correlates of stress and leucocyte telomere length in patients with coronary artery disease. J Psychosom Res 2022; 155:110760. [PMID: 35217318 PMCID: PMC8940678 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accelerated biological aging, as indicated by telomere shortening, is associated with CAD pathogenesis. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated neural correlates of acute psychological stress and short telomeres in patients with CAD. METHODS Individuals with CAD (N = 168) underwent a validated mental stress protocol including public speaking and mental arithmetic. Imaging of the brain with [O-15] water and high-resolution positron emission tomography (HR-PET) was performed during mental stress and control conditions. Blood flow during stressful tasks (average of speech and arithmetic) and control tasks were assessed. Telomere length in peripheral leucocytes was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and expressed as Telomere/Single Copy Gene (T/S) ratio. Voxel-wise regression models were constructed to assess the association between brain areas and activity during rest and mental stress after adjustments for demographic factors and clinical characteristics. RESULTS The mean (SD) age of the sample was 62 (8) years, and 69% were men. Increased activation with mental stress in the lingual gyrus, cerebellum and superior and inferior frontal gyri were associated with reduced telomere length; 1.6 higher voxel activation of these areas was associated with 0.1 T/S-units reduction in telomere length (P < 0.005). Additionally, during neutral counting and speaking tasks, brain activity in the precentral, middle and superior frontal and middle temporal gyri was inversely associated with telomere length. Results remained consistent after adjustment for demographic and clinical risk factors. CONCLUSION Increased stress-induced activity in brain areas mediating the stress response was associated with shortened telomere length in CAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States of America
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Jonathan A Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Bruno B Lima
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Jamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Brad Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Yan V Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States of America; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia.
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Kim YJ, Levantsevych OM, Elon L, Lewis TT, Suglia SF, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Pearce B, Raggi P, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ. Early life stress and autonomic response to acute mental stress in individuals with coronary heart disease. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:521-532. [PMID: 35032417 PMCID: PMC9109683 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We examined whether ELS was associated with autonomic function and stress reactivity among individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD). We included patients with stable CHD from two parallel studies, the Mental Stress Ischemia Prognosis Study (MIPS) and the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 (MIMS2), and assessed ELS using the Early Trauma Inventory-Self-Report-Short Form. Participants underwent a laboratory-based mental stress task while undergoing ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. We used multivariate linear regression models to estimate the associations between ELS and heart rate variability (HRV; low frequency [LF], high frequency [HF], and LF and HF [LH] ratio). The analytic sample included 405 MIPS and 284 MIMS2 participants. Most participants endorsed at least one experience of ELS (92.2%). Although we did not observe associations between ELS and HRV outcomes in the overall sample, ELS was associated with lower LH ratio HRV during recovery in the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) subgroup, ELS x PTSD interaction, p = .041. In the MIMS2 subgroup, ELS was associated with lower resting period LF HRV, B ̂ $ \widehat{B} $ = -0.16 ln ms2 ; 95% CI [-0.31, -0.02]. Exposure to physical trauma was associated with decreased HF HRV overall reactivity only among participants with high to moderate depressive symptoms, B ̂ $ \widehat{B} $ = -0.52 ln ms2 vs. B ̂ $ \widehat{B} $ = 0.01 ln ms2 , p = .013. Overall, heterogeneous associations between ELS and HRV emerged, suggesting the need for additional research regarding longer-term ambulatory HRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Ji Kim
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tené T. Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Shakira F. Suglia
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Departments of Psychiatry and Radiology and Center for Positron Emission Tomography, Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Bradley Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA. Mental Stress-Induced Myocardial Ischemia and Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease-Reply. JAMA 2022; 327:1091-1092. [PMID: 35289883 PMCID: PMC10155673 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.1098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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35
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Shah AJ, Weeks V, Lampert R, Bremner JD, Kutner M, Raggi P, Sun YV, Lewis TT, Levantsevych O, Kim YJ, Hammadah M, Alkhoder A, Wittbrodt M, Pearce BD, Ward L, Sheps D, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Early Life Trauma Is Associated With Increased Microvolt T-Wave Alternans During Mental Stress Challenge: A Substudy of Mental Stress Ischemia: Prognosis and Genetic Influences. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e021582. [PMID: 35167312 PMCID: PMC9075061 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.021582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Early life trauma has been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but the arrhythmic implications are unclear. We hypothesized that in patients with coronary artery disease, early life trauma predicts increased arrhythmic risk during mental stress, measured by elevated microvolt T‐wave alternans (TWA), a measure of repolarization heterogeneity and sudden cardiac death risk. Methods and Results In a cohort with stable coronary artery disease (NCT04123197), we examined early life trauma with the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report‐Short Form. Participants underwent a laboratory‐based mental stress speech task with Holter monitoring, as well as a structured psychiatric interview. We measured TWA during rest, mental stress, and recovery with ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. We adjusted for sociodemographic factors, cardiac history, psychiatric comorbidity, and hemodynamic stress reactivity with multivariable linear regression models. We examined 320 participants with noise‐ and arrhythmia‐free ECGs. The mean (SD) age was 63.8 (8.7) years, 27% were women, and 27% reported significant childhood trauma (Early Trauma Inventory Self Report‐Short Form ≥10). High childhood trauma was associated with a multivariable‐adjusted 17% increase in TWA (P=0.04) during stress, and each unit increase in the Early Trauma Inventory Self Report‐Short Form total score was associated with a 1.7% higher stress TWA (P=0.02). The largest effect sizes were found with the emotional trauma subtype. Conclusions In a cohort with stable coronary artery disease, early life trauma, and in particular emotional trauma, is associated with increased TWA, a marker of increased arrhythmic risk, during mental stress. This association suggests that early trauma exposures may affect long‐term sudden cardiac death risk during emotional triggers, although more studies are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA.,Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA.,Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Decatur GA
| | | | - Rachel Lampert
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Yale University School of Medicine New Haven CT
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA.,Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology Emory University, School of MedicineEmory University Atlanta GA
| | - Michael Kutner
- Department of Biostatistics Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Department of Medicine Mazankowski Alberta Heart InstituteUniversity of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Yan V Sun
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Ye Ji Kim
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA.,Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Ayman Alkhoder
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Matthew Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences School of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Brad D Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Laura Ward
- Department of Biostatistics Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - David Sheps
- Department of Epidemiology University of Florida Gainesville FL
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA.,Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA
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Wang Z, Hui Q, Goldberg J, Smith N, Kaseer B, Murrah N, Levantsevych OM, Shallenberger L, Diggers E, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Sun YV. Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Epigenetic Age Acceleration in a Sample of Twins. Psychosom Med 2022; 84:151-158. [PMID: 34629427 PMCID: PMC8831461 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been related to accelerated biological aging processes, but objective evidence for this association is limited. DNA methylation (DNAm) age acceleration is a novel measure of biological aging that may help clarify if PTSD is related to biological aging processes. We aim to examine whether PTSD is associated with biological aging using a comprehensive set of DNAm age acceleration markers and to what extent the unshared environment contributes to the association. METHODS Using a cross-sectional co-twin control study design, we investigated the association of the clinical diagnosis and symptom severity of PTSD with six measurements of DNAm age acceleration based on epigenome-wide data derived from peripheral blood lymphocytes of 296 male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. RESULTS Twins with current PTSD had significantly advanced DNAm age acceleration compared with twins without PTSD for five of six measures of DNAm age acceleration. Across almost all measures of DNAm age acceleration, twins with current PTSD were "epigenetically older" than their twin brothers without PTSD: estimated differences ranged between 1.6 (95% confidence interval = 0.0-3.1) and 2.7 (95% confidence interval = 0.5-4.8) biological age year-equivalents. A higher Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale score was also associated with a higher within-pair DNAm age acceleration. Results remained consistent after adjustment for behavioral and cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS PTSD is associated with epigenetic age acceleration, primarily through unshared environmental mechanisms as opposed to genetic or familial factors. These results suggest that PTSD is related to systemic processes relevant to biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyuan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Qin Hui
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jack Goldberg
- Vietnam Era Twin Registry, Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA
| | - Nicholas Smith
- Vietnam Era Twin Registry, Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA
| | - Belal Kaseer
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Oleksiy M. Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Emily Diggers
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yan V. Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Health Care System, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
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Gazi AH, Wittbrodt MT, Harrison AB, Sundararaj S, Gurel NZ, Nye JA, Shah AJ, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Robust Estimation of Respiratory Variability Uncovers Correlates of Limbic Brain Activity and Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation in the Context of Traumatic Stress. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2022; 69:849-859. [PMID: 34449355 PMCID: PMC8853700 DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2021.3108135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Variations in respiration patterns are a characteristic response to distress due to underlying neurorespiratory couplings. Yet, no work to date has quantified respiration pattern variability (RPV) in the context of traumatic stress and studied its functional neural correlates - this analysis aims to address this gap. METHODS Fifty human subjects with prior traumatic experiences (24 with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) completed a ∼3-hr protocol involving personalized traumatic scripts and active/sham (double-blind) transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS). High-resolution positron emission tomography functional neuroimages, electrocardiogram (ECG), and respiratory effort (RSP) data were collected during the protocol. Supplementing the RSP signal with ECG-derived respiration for quality assessment and timing extraction, RPV metrics were quantified and analyzed. Specifically, correlation analyses were performed using neuroactivity in selected limbic regions, and responses to active and sham tcVNS were compared. RESULTS The single-lag unscaled autocorrelation of respiration rate correlated negatively with left amygdala activity and positively with right rostromedial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC) activity for non-PTSD; it also correlated negatively with left and right insulae activity and positively with right rmPFC activity for PTSD. The single-lag unscaled autocorrelation of expiration time was greater following active stimulation for non-PTSD. CONCLUSION Quantifying RPV is of demonstrable importance to assessing trauma-induced changes in neural function and tcVNS effects on respiratory physiology. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first demonstration of RPV's pertinence to traumatic stress- and tcVNS-induced neurorespiratory responses. The open-source processing pipeline elucidated herein uniquely includes both RSP and ECG-derived respiration signals for quality assessment, timing estimation, and RPV extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim H. Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, S. Sundararaj is with the College of Sciences, Atlanta, GA 30308 USA
| | - Matthew T. Wittbrodt
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Anna B. Harrison
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, S. Sundararaj is with the College of Sciences, Atlanta, GA 30308 USA
| | | | - Nil Z. Gurel
- David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA 30322,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, S. Sundararaj is with the College of Sciences,Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30308 USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To summarize recent evidence on mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia (MSIMI), its mechanisms, and clinical significance. RECENT FINDINGS MSIMI can occur in patients with normal cardiac stress testing, is only weakly related to severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), and it is often silent. Among patients with CAD, MSIMI is associated with a twofold increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared to those who do not have MSIMI. Certain groups such as young women with myocardial infarction and those with psychological comorbidities are more susceptible to MSIMI. Abnormal microvascular vasoreactivity and inflammation are implicated mechanisms in MSIMI. Increased brain activity in regions that modulate autonomic reactivity to emotional stress and fear is associated with MSIMI. MSIMI has important prognostic implications in patients with CAD. Stress can no longer be ignored as a risk factor in cardiology care. Clinical trials testing effective strategies to target MSIMI are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puja K. Mehta
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Division of Cardiology, Emory Women’s Heart Center and Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Ashish Sharma
- grid.259906.10000 0001 2162 9738Internal Medicine Residency Program, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA USA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA USA ,grid.414026.50000 0004 0419 4084Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Division of Cardiology, Emory Women’s Heart Center and Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA ,grid.189967.80000 0001 0941 6502Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA USA
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Bremner JD, Wittbrodt MT, Gurel NZ, Shandhi MH, Gazi AH, Jiao Y, Levantsevych OM, Huang M, Beckwith J, Herring I, Murrah N, Driggers EG, Ko YA, Alkhalaf ML, Soudan M, Shallenberger L, Hankus AN, Nye JA, Park J, Woodbury A, Mehta PK, Rapaport MH, Vaccarino V, Shah AJ, Pearce BD, Inan OT. Transcutaneous Cervical Vagal Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Pilot Study of Effects on PTSD Symptoms and Interleukin-6 Response to Stress. J Affect Disord Rep 2021; 6:100190. [PMID: 34778863 PMCID: PMC8580056 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2021.100190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly disabling condition associated with alterations in multiple neurobiological systems, including increases in inflammatory and sympathetic function, responsible for maintenance of symptoms. Treatment options including medications and psychotherapies have limitations. We previously showed that transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (tcVNS) blocks inflammatory (interleukin (IL)-6) responses to stress in PTSD. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of tcVNS on PTSD symptoms and inflammatory responses to stress. METHODS Twenty patients with PTSD were randomized to double blind active tcVNS (N=9) or sham (N=11) stimulation in conjunction with exposure to personalized traumatic scripts immediately followed by active or sham tcVNS and measurement of IL-6 and other biomarkers of inflammation. Patients then self administered active or sham tcVNS twice daily for three months. PTSD symptoms were measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL) and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), clinical improvement with the Clinical Global Index (CGI) and anxiety with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (Ham-A) at baseline and one-month intervals followed by a repeat of measurement of biomarkers with traumatic scripts. After three months patients self treated with twice daily open label active tcVNS for another three months followed by assessment with the CGI. RESULTS Traumatic scripts increased IL-6 in PTSD patients, an effect that was blocked by tcVNS (p<.05). Active tcVNS treatment for three months resulted in a 31% greater reduction in PTSD symptoms compared to sham treatment as measured by the PCL (p=0.013) as well as hyperarousal symptoms and somatic anxiety measured with the Ham-A p<0.05). IL-6 increased from baseline in sham but not tcVNS. Open label tcVNS resulted in improvements measured with the CGI compared to the sham treatment period p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These preliminary results suggest that tcVNS reduces inflammatory responses to stress, which may in part underlie beneficial effects on PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Matthew T. Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nil Z. Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - MdMobashir H. Shandhi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Asim H. Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Yunshen Jiao
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Oleksiy M. Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Minxuan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Joy Beckwith
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Isaias Herring
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Emily G. Driggers
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - MhmtJamil L. Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Majd Soudan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lucy Shallenberger
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Allison N. Hankus
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jeanie Park
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Medicine, Renal Division, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anna Woodbury
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Puja K. Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mark H. Rapaport
- Huntsman Mental Health Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Bradley D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
- Coulter Department of Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
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Vaccarino V, Almuwaqqat Z, Kim JH, Hammadah M, Shah AJ, Ko YA, Elon L, Sullivan S, Shah A, Alkhoder A, Lima BB, Pearce B, Ward L, Kutner M, Hu Y, Lewis TT, Garcia EV, Nye J, Sheps DS, Raggi P, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA. Association of Mental Stress-Induced Myocardial Ischemia With Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease. JAMA 2021; 326:1818-1828. [PMID: 34751708 PMCID: PMC8579237 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.17649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia is a recognized phenomenon in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), but its clinical significance in the contemporary clinical era has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE To compare the association of mental stress-induced or conventional stress-induced ischemia with adverse cardiovascular events in patients with CHD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Pooled analysis of 2 prospective cohort studies of patients with stable CHD from a university-based hospital network in Atlanta, Georgia: the Mental Stress Ischemia Prognosis Study (MIPS) and the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Study 2 (MIMS2). Participants were enrolled between June 2011 and March 2016 (last follow-up, February 2020). EXPOSURES Provocation of myocardial ischemia with a standardized mental stress test (public speaking task) and with a conventional (exercise or pharmacological) stress test, using single-photon emission computed tomography. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death or first or recurrent nonfatal myocardial infarction. The secondary end point additionally included hospitalizations for heart failure. RESULTS Of the 918 patients in the total sample pool (mean age, 60 years; 34% women), 618 participated in MIPS and 300 in MIMS2. Of those, 147 patients (16%) had mental stress-induced ischemia, 281 (31%) conventional stress ischemia, and 96 (10%) had both. Over a 5-year median follow-up, the primary end point occurred in 156 participants. The pooled event rate was 6.9 per 100 patient-years among patients with and 2.6 per 100 patient-years among patients without mental stress-induced ischemia. The multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for patients with vs those without mental stress-induced ischemia was 2.5 (95% CI, 1.8-3.5). Compared with patients with no ischemia (event rate, 2.3 per 100 patient-years), patients with mental stress-induced ischemia alone had a significantly increased risk (event rate, 4.8 per 100 patient-years; HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.7) as did patients with both mental stress ischemia and conventional stress ischemia (event rate, 8.1 per 100 patient-years; HR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.6-5.6). Patients with conventional stress ischemia alone did not have a significantly increased risk (event rate, 3.1 per 100 patient-years; HR, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.9-2.1). Patients with both mental stress ischemia and conventional stress ischemia had an elevated risk compared with patients with conventional stress ischemia alone (HR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.7-4.3). The secondary end point occurred in 319 participants. The event rate was 12.6 per 100 patient-years for patients with and 5.6 per 100 patient-years for patients without mental stress-induced ischemia (adjusted HR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.5-2.5). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with stable coronary heart disease, the presence of mental stress-induced ischemia, compared with no mental stress-induced ischemia, was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death or nonfatal myocardial infarction. Although these findings may provide insights into mechanisms of myocardial ischemia, further research is needed to assess whether testing for mental stress-induced ischemia has clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jeong Hwan Kim
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Anish Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ayman Alkhoder
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Bruno B. Lima
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Brad Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Laura Ward
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Michael Kutner
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Yingtian Hu
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tené T. Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ernest V. Garcia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathon Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - David S. Sheps
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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41
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Almuwaqqat Z, Kim JH, Garcia M, Ko YA, Moazzami K, Lima B, Sullivan S, Alkhalaf J, Mehta A, Shah AJ, Hussain MS, Pearce BD, Bremner JD, Waller EK, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA. Associations Between Inflammation, Cardiovascular Regenerative Capacity, and Cardiovascular Events: A Cohort Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2021; 41:2814-2822. [PMID: 34551591 PMCID: PMC8675629 DOI: 10.1161/atvbaha.121.316574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective Circulating progenitor cells possess immune modulatory properties and might mitigate inflammation that is characteristic of patients with coronary artery disease. We hypothesized that patients with fewer circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) will have higher inflammatory markers and worse outcomes. Approach and Results Patients with stable coronary artery disease were enrolled in a prospective study enumerating CPCs as CD (cluster of differentiation)-34-expressing mononuclear cells (CD34+) and inflammation as levels of IL (interleukin)-6 and high-sensitivity CRP (C-reactive protein) levels. Patients were followed for 5 years for the end points of death and myocardial infarction with repeat inflammatory biomarkers measured after a median of 2 years. In the entire cohort of 392 patients, IL-6 and high-sensitivity CRP levels remained unchanged (0.3+/-2.4 pg/mL and 0.1+/-1.0 mg/L; P=0.45) after 2 years. CPC counts (log-transformed) were inversely correlated with the change in IL-6 levels (r, -0.17; P<0.001). Using linear regression, IL-6 and high-sensitivity CRP levels declined by -0.59 (95% CI, -0.90 to -0.20) pg/mL and -0.13 (-0.28 to 0.01) mg/L per 1 log higher CPC counts after adjustment for the demographic and clinical variables, as well as medications. Using Cox models adjusted for these risk factors, a rise in 1 pg/mL of IL-6 was associated with a 11% (95% CI, 9-13) greater risk of death/myocardial infarction. We found that the change in IL6 level partly (by 40%) mediated the higher risk of adverse events among those with low CPC counts. Conclusions Reduced cardiovascular regenerative capacity is independently associated with progressive inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease that in turn is associated with poor outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jeong Hwan Kim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Bruno Lima
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Jamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Anurag Mehta
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
| | - Mohammad S. Hussain
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brad D. Pearce
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Edmund K. Waller
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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Kreisberg E, Esmaeilpour Z, Adair D, Khadka N, Datta A, Badran BW, Bremner JD, Bikson M. High-resolution computational modeling of the current flow in the outer ear during transcutaneous auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS). Brain Stimul 2021; 14:1419-1430. [PMID: 34517143 PMCID: PMC8608747 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transcutaneous auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) applies low-intensity electrical current to the ear with the intention of activating the auricular branch of the Vagus nerve. The sensitivity and selectivity of stimulation applied to the ear depends on current flow pattern produced by a given electrode montage (size and placement). OBJECTIVE We compare different electrodes designs for taVNS considering both the predicted peak electric fields (sensitivity) and their spatial distribution (selectivity). METHODS Based on optimized high-resolution (0.47 mm) T1 and T2 weighted MRI, we developed an anatomical model of the left ear and the surrounding head tissues including brain, CSF/meninges, skull, muscle, blood vessels, fat, cartilage, and skin. The ear was further segmented into 6 regions of interest (ROI) based on various nerve densities: cavum concha, cymba concha, crus of helix, tragus, antitragus, and earlobe. A range of taVNS electrode montages were reproduced spanning varied electrodes sizes and placements over the tragus, cymba concha, earlobe, cavum concha, and crus of helix. Electric field across the ear (from superficial skin to cartilage) for each montage at 1 mA or 2 mA taVNS, assuming an activation threshold of 6.15 V/m, 12.3 V/m or 24.6 V/m was predicted using a Finite element method (FEM). Finally, considering every ROI, we calculated the sensitivity and selectivity of each montage. RESULTS Current flow patterns through the ear were highly specific to the electrode montage. Electric field was maximal at the ear regions directly under the electrodes, and for a given total current, increases with decreasing electrode size. Depending on the applied current and nerves threshold, activation may also occur in the regions between multiple anterior surface electrodes. Each considered montage was selective for one or two regions of interest. For example, electrodes across the tragus restricted significant electric field to the tragus. Stimulation across the earlobe restricted significant electric field to the earlobe and the antitragus. Because of this relative selectivity, use of control ear montages in experimental studies, support testing of targeting. Relative targeting was robust across assumptions of activation threshold and tissue properties. DISCUSSION Computational models provide additional insight on how details in electrode shape and placement impact sensitivity (how much current is needed) and selectivity (spatial distribution), thereby supporting analysis of existing approaches and optimization of new devices. Our result suggest taVNS current patterns and relative target are robust across individuals, though (variance in) axon morphology was not represented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Kreisberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zeinab Esmaeilpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Devin Adair
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Niranjan Khadka
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Abhishek Datta
- Research and Development, Soterix Medical, New York, USA, The City College of the City University of New York, New York, USA
| | - Bashar W Badran
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, And the Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Marom Bikson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
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Gazi AH, Sundararaj S, Harrison AB, Gurel NZ, Wittbrodt MT, Alkhalaf M, Soudan M, Levantsevych O, Haffar A, Shah AJ, Vaccarino V, Bremner JD, Inan OT. Transcutaneous Cervical Vagus Nerve Stimulation Inhibits the Reciprocal of the Pulse Transit Time’s Responses to Traumatic Stress in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. 2021 43rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society (EMBC) 2021; 2021:1444-1447. [PMID: 34891557 PMCID: PMC10114282 DOI: 10.1109/embc46164.2021.9630415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Research has shown that transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) yields downstream changes in peripheral physiology in individuals afflicted with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While the cardiovascular effects of tcVNS have been studied broadly in prior work, the specific effects of tcVNS on the reciprocal of the pulse transit time (1/PTT) remain unknown. By quantifying detectable effects, tcVNS can be further evaluated as a counterbalance to sympathetic hyperactivity during distress - specifically, we hypothesized that tcVNS would inhibit 1/PTT responses to traumatic stress. To investigate this, the electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), and seismocardiogram (SCG), were simultaneously measured from 24 human subjects suffering from PTSD. Implementing state-of-the-art signal quality assessment algorithms, relative changes in the pulse arrival time (PAT) and the pre-ejection period (PEP) were estimated solely from signal segments of sufficient quality. Thereby computing relative changes in 1/PTT, we find that tcVNS results in reduced 1/PTT responses to traumatic stress and the first minute of stimulation, compared to a sham control (corrected p < 0.05). This suggests that tcVNS induces inhibitory effects on blood pressure (BP) and/or vasoconstriction, given the established relationship between 1/PTT and these parameters.Clinical Relevance- Relative changes in 1/PTT are induced by varying vasomotor tone and/or BP - it has therefore piqued considerable interest as a potential surrogate of continuous BP. Studying its responses to tcVNS thus furthers understanding of tcVNS-induced cardiovascular modulation. The positive effects detailed herein suggest a potential role for tcVNS in the long-term management of PTSD.
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Wittbrodt MT, Gurel NZ, Nye JA, H. Shandhi M, Gazi AH, Shah AJ, Pearce BD, Murrah N, Ko YA, Shallenberger LH, Vaccarino V, Inan OT, Bremner JD. Noninvasive Cervical Vagal Nerve Stimulation Alters Brain Activity During Traumatic Stress in Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:969-977. [PMID: 34292205 PMCID: PMC8578349 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling condition affecting a large segment of the population; however, current treatment options have limitations. New interventions that target the neurobiological alterations underlying symptoms of PTSD could be highly beneficial. Transcutaneous cervical (neck) vagal nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has the potential to represent such an intervention. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of tcVNS on neural responses to reminders of traumatic stress in PTSD. METHODS Twenty-two participants were randomized to receive either sham (n = 11) or active (n = 11) tcVNS stimulation in conjunction with exposure to neutral and personalized traumatic stress scripts with high-resolution positron emission tomography scanning with radiolabeled water for brain blood flow measurements. RESULTS Compared with sham, tcVNS increased brain activations during trauma scripts (p < .005) within the bilateral frontal and temporal lobes, left hippocampus, posterior cingulate, and anterior cingulate (dorsal and pregenual), and right postcentral gyrus. Greater deactivations (p < .005) with tcVNS were observed within the bilateral frontal and parietal lobes and left thalamus. Compared with tcVNS, sham elicited greater activations (p < .005) in the bilateral frontal lobe, left precentral gyrus, precuneus, and thalamus, and right temporal and parietal lobes, hippocampus, insula, and posterior cingulate. Greater (p < .005) deactivations were observed with sham in the right temporal lobe, posterior cingulate, hippocampus, left anterior cingulate, and bilateral cerebellum. CONCLUSIONS tcVNS increased anterior cingulate and hippocampus activation during trauma scripts, potentially indicating a reversal of neurobiological changes with PTSD consistent with improved autonomic control.Trial Registration: No. NCT02992899.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T. Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nil Z. Gurel
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Mobashir H. Shandhi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA
| | - Asim H. Gazi
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
| | - Bradley D. Pearce
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta GA
| | - Lucy H. Shallenberger
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Omer T. Inan
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA
| | - J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA
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45
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Bromfield SG, Sullivan S, Saelee R, Elon L, Lima B, Young A, Uphoff I, Li L, Quyyumi A, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Lewis TT. Race and Gender Differences in the Association Between Experiences of Everyday Discrimination and Arterial Stiffness Among Patients With Coronary Heart Disease. Ann Behav Med 2021; 54:761-770. [PMID: 32227162 PMCID: PMC7516092 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaaa015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Self-reported experiences of discrimination have been linked to indices of cardiovascular disease. However, most studies have focused on healthy populations. Thus, we examined the association between experiences of everyday discrimination and arterial stiffness among patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI). PURPOSE We hypothesized that higher reports of discrimination would be associated with greater arterial stiffness and that associations would be more pronounced among Black women, in particular, relative to other race-gender groups, using an "intersectionality" perspective. METHODS Data were from 313 participants (49.2% female, mean age: 50.8 years) who were 6 months post-MI in the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress 2 study. Data were collected via self-reported questionnaires, medical chart review, and a clinic visit during which arterial stiffness was measured noninvasively using pulse wave velocity. RESULTS Reports of discrimination were highest in Black men and women and arterial stiffness was greatest in Black and White women. After adjustment for demographics and relevant clinical variables, discrimination was not associated with arterial stiffness in the overall study sample. However, discrimination was associated with increased arterial stiffness among Black women but not White women, White men, or Black men. CONCLUSIONS Despite no apparent association between discrimination and arterial stiffness in the overall study sample, further stratification revealed an association among Black women but not other race-gender groups. These data not only support the utility of an intersectionality lens but also suggest the importance of implementing psychosocial interventions and coping strategies focused on discrimination into the care of clinically ill Black women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha G Bromfield
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ryan Saelee
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bruno Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - An Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Irina Uphoff
- Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lian Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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46
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Garcia M, Almuwaqqat Z, Moazzami K, Young A, Lima BB, Sullivan S, Kaseer B, Lewis TT, Hammadah M, Levantsevych O, Elon L, Bremner JD, Raggi P, Shah AJ, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Racial Disparities in Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes After a Myocardial Infarction in Young or Middle-Aged Patients. J Am Heart Assoc 2021; 10:e020828. [PMID: 34431313 PMCID: PMC8649258 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.020828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Black patients tend to develop coronary artery disease at a younger age than other groups. Previous data on racial disparities in outcomes of myocardial infarction (MI) have been inconsistent and limited to older populations. Our objective was to investigate racial differences in the outcome of MI among young and middle‐aged patients and the role played by socioeconomic, psychosocial, and clinical differences. Methods and Results We studied 313 participants (65% non‐Hispanic Black) <61 years old hospitalized for confirmed type 1 MI at Emory‐affiliated hospitals and followed them for 5 years. We used Cox proportional‐hazard models to estimate the association of race with a composite end point of recurrent MI, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular death after adjusting for demographic, socioeceonomic status, psychological, and clinical risk factors. The mean age was 50 years, and 50% were women. Compared with non‐Black patients, Black patients had lower socioeconomic status and more clinical and psychosocial risk factors but less angiographic coronary artery disease. The 5‐year incidence of cardiovascular events was higher in Black (35%) compared to non‐Black patients (19%): hazard ratio (HR) 2.1, 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.6. Adjustment for socioeconomic status weakened the association (HR 1.3, 95% CI, 0.8–2.4) more than adjustment for clinical and psychological risk factors. A lower income explained 46% of the race‐related disparity in outcome. Conclusions Among young and middle‐aged adult survivors of an MI, Black patients have a 2‐fold higher risk of adverse outcomes, which is largely driven by upstream socioeconomic factors rather than downstream psychological and clinical risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Garcia
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Kasra Moazzami
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - An Young
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Bruno B Lima
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Samaah Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Belal Kaseer
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Oleksiy Levantsevych
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center Decatur GA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA.,Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA.,Mazankowski Alberta Heart InstituteUniversity of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Amit J Shah
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA.,Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center Decatur GA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Division of Cardiology Department of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta GA.,Department of Epidemiology Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta GA
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Islam SJ, Hwan Kim J, Joseph E, Topel M, Baltrus P, Liu C, Ko YA, Almuwaqqat Z, Mujahid MS, Sims M, Mubasher M, Ejaz K, Searles C, Dunbar SB, Pemu P, Taylor H, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA, Lewis TT. Association Between Early Trauma and Ideal Cardiovascular Health Among Black Americans: Results From the Morehouse-Emory Cardiovascular (MECA) Center for Health Equity. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2021; 14:e007904. [PMID: 34380328 PMCID: PMC8455434 DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.121.007904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early trauma (general, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse before age 18 years) has been associated with both cardiovascular disease risk and lifestyle-related risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. Despite higher prevalence, the association between early trauma and cardiovascular health (CVH) has been understudied in Black Americans, especially those from low-income backgrounds, who may be doubly vulnerable. Therefore, we investigated the association between early trauma and CVH, particularly among low-income Black Americans. METHODS We recruited 457 Black adults (age 53±10, 38% male) without known cardiovascular disease from the Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area using personalized, community-based recruitment methods. The Early Trauma Inventory was administered to assess overall early traumatic life experiences which include physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and general trauma. Our primary outcome was the American Heart Association Life's Simple 7, which is a set of 7 CVH metrics, including 4 lifestyle-related factors (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, and diet) and three physiologically measured health factors (blood pressure, total blood cholesterol, and blood glucose). We used linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and depression to test the association between early trauma and CVH and tested the early trauma by household income (<$50 000) interaction. RESULTS Higher levels of early trauma were associated with lower Life's Simple 7 scores (β, -0.05 [95% CI, -0.09 to -0.01], P=0.02, per 1 unit increase in the Early Trauma Inventory score) among lower, but not higher, income Black participants (P value for interaction=0.04). Subtypes of early trauma linked to Life's Simple 7 were general trauma, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Exploratory analyses demonstrated that early trauma was only associated with the body mass index and smoking components of Life's Simple 7. CONCLUSIONS Early trauma, including general trauma, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse, may be associated with worse CVH among low-, but not higher-income Black adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabatun J Islam
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Jeong Hwan Kim
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Emma Joseph
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Matthew Topel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Peter Baltrus
- Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (P.B., M.M.).,National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (P.B.)
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.).,Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. (C.L., Y.-A.K.)
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. (C.L., Y.-A.K.)
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Mahasin S Mujahid
- Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley (M.S.M.)
| | - Mario Sims
- Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson (M.S.)
| | - Mohamed Mubasher
- Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (P.B., M.M.)
| | - Kiran Ejaz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Charles Searles
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Sandra B Dunbar
- Rollins School of Public Health, and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. (S.B.D.)
| | - Priscilla Pemu
- Department of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (P.P., H.T.)
| | - Herman Taylor
- Department of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (P.P., H.T.)
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (J.D.B.).,Department of Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.(J.D.B.)
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.).,Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. (V.V., T.T.L.)
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. (S.J.I., J.H.K., E.J., M.T., C.L., Z.A., K.E., C.S., V.V., A.A.Q.)
| | - Tené T Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. (V.V., T.T.L.)
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48
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Moazzami K, Wittbrodt MT, Lima BB, Kim JH, Hammadah M, Ko YA, Obideen M, Abdelhadi N, Kaseer B, Gafeer MM, Nye JA, Shah AJ, Ward L, Raggi P, Waller EK, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Circulating Progenitor Cells and Cognitive Impairment in Men and Women with Coronary Artery Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 74:659-668. [PMID: 32083582 DOI: 10.3233/jad-191063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Circulating progenitor cells (CPC) have been associated with memory function and cognitive impairment in healthy adults. However, it is unclear whether such associations also exist in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). OBJECTIVE To assess the association between CPCs and memory performance among individuals with CAD. METHODS We assessed cognitive function in 509 patients with CAD using the verbal and visual Memory subtests of the Wechsler memory scale-IV and the Trail Making Test parts A and B. CPCs were enumerated with flow cytometry as CD45med/CD34+ blood mononuclear cells, those co-expressing other epitopes representing populations enriched for hematopoietic and endothelial progenitors. RESULTS After adjusting for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, lower number of endothelial progenitor cell counts were independently associated with lower visual and verbal memory scores (p for all < 0.05). There was a significant interaction in the magnitude of this association with race (p < 0.01), such that the association of verbal memory scores with endothelial progenitor subsets was present in Black but not in non-Black participants. No associations were present with the hematopoietic progenitor-enriched cells or with the Trail Making Tests. CONCLUSION Lower numbers of circulating endothelial progenitor cells are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with CAD, suggesting a protective effect of repair/regeneration processes in the maintenance of cognitive status. Impairment of verbal memory function was more strongly associated with lower CPC counts in Black compared to non-Black participants with CAD. Whether strategies designed to improve regenerative capacity will improve cognition needs further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Matthew T Wittbrodt
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bruno B Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeong Hwan Kim
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Muhammad Hammadah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yi-An Ko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Malik Obideen
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Naser Abdelhadi
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Belal Kaseer
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - M Mazen Gafeer
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A Nye
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Laura Ward
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Paolo Raggi
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada
| | - Edmund K Waller
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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49
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Moazzami K, Garcia M, Young A, Almuwaqqat Z, Lima BB, Martini A, Alkhalaf M, Shah AJ, Goldstein FC, Hajjar I, Levey AI, Bremner JD, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. Association between symptoms of psychological distress and cognitive functioning among adults with coronary artery disease. Stress Health 2021; 37:538-546. [PMID: 33319483 PMCID: PMC8395370 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Greater psychological distress is associated with cognitive impairment in healthy adults. Whether such associations also exist in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) is uncertain. We assessed cognitive function in 496 individuals with CAD using the verbal and visual memory subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale and executive functioning measured by the Trail Making Test Parts A and B. We used a composite score of psychological distress derived through summation of Z-transformed psychological distress symptom scales (depression, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, anger, hostility and perceived stress) and scores for each individual psychological scale. Multivariable linear regression models were used to determine the association between memory scores (as outcomes) and the psychological distress scores (both composite score and individual scales). After adjusting for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, a higher psychological distress score was independently associated with worse memory and executive functioning. Each standard deviation increase in psychological distress score was associated with 3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1%-5%) to 5% (95% CI, 3-7%) worse cognitive performance (higher Trail A and Trail B, and lower verbal and visual memory scores). Among individuals with CAD, a higher level of psychological distress is independently associated with worse cognitive performance. These findings suggest that psychological risk factors play a role in cognitive trajectories of persons with CAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasra Moazzami
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mariana Garcia
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - An Young
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zakaria Almuwaqqat
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Bruno B Lima
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Afif Martini
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mhmtjamil Alkhalaf
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amit J Shah
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA
| | - Felicia C Goldstein
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Goizuetta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ihab Hajjar
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Goizuetta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Goizuetta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Emory Clinical Cardiovascular Research Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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50
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Sun YV, Li C, Hui Q, Huang Y, Barbano R, Rodriguez R, Malaty IA, Reich S, Bambarger K, Holmes K, Jankovic J, Patel NJ, Roze E, Vidailhet M, Berman BD, LeDoux MS, Espay AJ, Agarwal P, Pirio-Richardson S, Frank SA, Ondo WG, Saunders-Pullman R, Chouinard S, Natividad S, Berardelli A, Pantelyat AY, Brashear A, Fox SH, Kasten M, Krämer UM, Neis M, Bäumer T, Loens S, Borsche M, Zittel S, Maurer A, Gelderblom M, Volkmann J, Odorfer T, Kühn AA, Borngräber F, König IR, Cruchaga C, Cotton AC, Kilic-Berkmen G, Freeman A, Factor SA, Scorr L, Bremner JD, Vaccarino V, Quyyumi AA, Klein C, Perlmutter JS, Lohmann K, Jinnah HA. A Multi-center Genome-wide Association Study of Cervical Dystonia. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2795-2801. [PMID: 34320236 PMCID: PMC8688173 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several monogenic causes for isolated dystonia have been identified, but they collectively account for only a small proportion of cases. Two genome-wide association studies have reported a few potential dystonia risk loci; but conclusions have been limited by small sample sizes, partial coverage of genetic variants, or poor reproducibility. OBJECTIVE To identify robust genetic variants and loci in a large multicenter cervical dystonia cohort using a genome-wide approach. METHODS We performed a genome-wide association study using cervical dystonia samples from the Dystonia Coalition. Logistic and linear regressions, including age, sex, and population structure as covariates, were employed to assess variant- and gene-based genetic associations with disease status and age at onset. We also performed a replication study for an identified genome-wide significant signal. RESULTS After quality control, 919 cervical dystonia patients compared with 1491 controls of European ancestry were included in the analyses. We identified one genome-wide significant variant (rs2219975, chromosome 3, upstream of COL8A1, P-value 3.04 × 10-8 ). The association was not replicated in a newly genotyped sample of 473 cervical dystonia cases and 481 controls. Gene-based analysis identified DENND1A to be significantly associated with cervical dystonia (P-value 1.23 × 10-6 ). One low-frequency variant was associated with lower age-at-onset (16.4 ± 2.9 years, P-value = 3.07 × 10-8 , minor allele frequency = 0.01), located within the GABBR2 gene on chromosome 9 (rs147331823). CONCLUSION The genetic underpinnings of cervical dystonia are complex and likely consist of multiple distinct variants of small effect sizes. Larger sample sizes may be needed to provide sufficient statistical power to address the presumably multi-genic etiology of cervical dystonia. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan V Sun
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chengchen Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Qin Hui
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yunfeng Huang
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Richard Barbano
- Movement Disorders Division, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | | | - Irene A Malaty
- Department of Neurology, Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Stephen Reich
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kimberly Bambarger
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Katie Holmes
- Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Joseph Jankovic
- Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Neepa J Patel
- Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Health System, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Emmanuel Roze
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle; Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Salpêtrière, Département de Neurologie, Paris, France
| | - Marie Vidailhet
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle; Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Salpêtrière, Département de Neurologie, Paris, France
| | - Brian D Berman
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mark S LeDoux
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Alberto J Espay
- James J and Joan A Gardner Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Pinky Agarwal
- Booth Gardner Parkinson's Care Center, Evergreen Health, Kirkland, Washington, USA
| | | | - Samuel A Frank
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - William G Ondo
- Department of Neurology, Methodist Neurological Institute, Weill Cornell Medical School, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Rachel Saunders-Pullman
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sylvain Chouinard
- Unité des troubles du mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Stover Natividad
- Department of Neurology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Alfredo Berardelli
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome and IRCCS Neuromed, Rome, Italy
| | - Alexander Y Pantelyat
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Allison Brashear
- Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Susan H Fox
- University of Toronto, Edmond J Safra Program in Parkinson Disease; Movement Disorder Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meike Kasten
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Ulrike M Krämer
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Miriam Neis
- Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute for Health Sciences, Department of Midwifery Science, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Tobias Bäumer
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute of Systemic Motor Research, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sebastian Loens
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Institute of Systemic Motor Research, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Max Borsche
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Simone Zittel
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Antonia Maurer
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mathias Gelderblom
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jens Volkmann
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Odorfer
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andrea A Kühn
- Department of Neurology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Inke R König
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carlos Cruchaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Adam C Cotton
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gamze Kilic-Berkmen
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alan Freeman
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Stewart A Factor
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Laura Scorr
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - J Douglas Bremner
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Radiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Arshed A Quyyumi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christine Klein
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Joel S Perlmutter
- Department of Neurology, Radiology, Neuroscience, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Katja Lohmann
- Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hyder A Jinnah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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