Multimodal Neuroimaging of Frontolimbic Structure and Function Associated With Suicide Attempts in Adolescents and Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorder is associated with high risk for suicidal behavior that often develops in adolescence and young adulthood. Elucidation of involved neural systems is critical for prevention. This study of adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder with and without a history of suicide attempts combines structural, diffusion tensor, and functional MR imaging methods to investigate implicated abnormalities in the morphology and structural and functional connectivity within frontolimbic systems.

METHOD

The study had 26 participants with bipolar disorder who had a prior suicide attempt (the attempter group) and 42 participants with bipolar disorder without a suicide attempt (the nonattempter group). Regional gray matter volume, white matter integrity, and functional connectivity during processing of emotional stimuli were compared between groups, and differences were explored for relationships between imaging modalities and associations with suicide-related symptoms and behaviors.

RESULTS

Compared with the nonattempter group, the attempter group showed significant reductions in gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum; white matter integrity in the uncinate fasciculus, ventral frontal, and right cerebellum regions; and amygdala functional connectivity to the left ventral and right rostral prefrontal cortex. In exploratory analyses, among attempters, there was a significant negative correlation between right rostral prefrontal connectivity and suicidal ideation and between left ventral prefrontal connectivity and attempt lethality.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescent and young adult suicide attempters with bipolar disorder demonstrate less gray matter volume and decreased structural and functional connectivity in a ventral frontolimbic neural system subserving emotion regulation. Among attempters, reductions in amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity may be associated with severity of suicidal ideation and attempt lethality.

A highly immunogenic trivalent T cell receptor peptide vaccine for multiple sclerosis

Background: T cell receptor (TCR) peptide vaccination is a novel approach to treating multiple sclerosis (MS). The low immunogenicity of previous vaccines has hindered the development of TCR peptide vaccination for MS. Objective: To compare the immunogenicity of intramuscular injections of TCR BV5S2, BV6S5 and BV13S1 CDR2 peptides in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant (IFA) with intradermal injections of the same peptides without IFA. Methods: MS subjects were randomized to receive TCR peptides/IFA, TCR peptides/saline or IFA alone. Subjects were on study for 24 weeks. Results: The TCR peptides/IFA vaccine induced vigorous T cell responses in 100% of subjects completing the 24-week study (9/9) compared with only 20% (2/10) of those receiving the TCR peptides/saline vaccine (P =0.001). IFA alone induced a weak response in only one of five subjects. Aside from injection site reactions, there were no significant adverse events attributable to the treatment. Conclusions: The trivalent TCR peptide in IFA vaccine represents a significant improvement in immunogenicity over previous TCR peptide vaccines and warrants investigation of its ability to treat MS.

Anterior Cortical Development During Adolescence in Bipolar Disorder

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence supports a neurodevelopmental model for bipolar disorder (BD), with adolescence as a critical period in its development. Developmental abnormalities of anterior paralimbic and heteromodal frontal cortices, key structures in emotional regulation processes and central in BD, are implicated. However, few longitudinal studies have been conducted, limiting understanding of trajectory alterations in BD. In this study, we performed longitudinal neuroimaging of adolescents with and without BD and assessed volume changes over time, including changes in tissue overall and within gray and white matter. Larger decreases over time in anterior cortical volumes in the adolescents with BD were hypothesized. Gray matter decreases and white matter increases are typically observed during adolescence in anterior cortices. It was hypothesized that volume decreases over time in BD would reflect alterations in those processes, showing larger gray matter contraction and decreased white matter expansion.

METHODS

Two high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained approximately 2 years apart for 35 adolescents with bipolar I disorder (BDI) and 37 healthy adolescents. Differences over time between groups were investigated for volume overall and specifically for gray and white matter.

RESULTS

Relative to healthy adolescents, adolescents with BDI showed greater volume contraction over time in a region including insula and orbitofrontal, rostral, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (p < .05, corrected), including greater gray matter contraction and decreased white matter expansion over time, in the BD compared with the healthy group.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support neurodevelopmental abnormalities during adolescence in BDI in anterior cortices, including altered developmental trajectories of anterior gray and white matter.

Novel mutations causing biotinidase deficiency in individuals identified by newborn screening in Michigan including an unique intronic mutation that alters mRNA expression of the biotinidase gene

Biotinidase deficiency (BD) is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting in the inability to recycle the vitamin biotin. Individuals with biotinidase deficiency can develop neurological and cutaneous symptoms if they are not treated with biotin. To date, more than 165 mutations in the biotinidase gene (BTD) have been reported. Essentially all the mutations result in enzymatic activities with less than 10% of mean normal serum enzyme activity (profound biotinidase deficiency) with the exception of the c.1330G>C (p.D444H) mutation, which results in an enzyme having 50% of mean normal serum activity and causes partial biotinidase deficiency (10-30% of mean normal serum biotinidase activity) if there is a mutation for profound biotinidase deficiency on the second allele. We now reported eight novel mutations in ten children identified by newborn screening in Michigan from 1988 to the end of 2012. Interestingly, one intronic mutation, c.310-15delT, results in an approximately two-fold down-regulation of BTD mRNA expression by Quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). This is the first report of an intronic mutation in the BTD gene with demonstration of its effect on enzymatic activity by altering mRNA expression. This study identified three other mutations likely to cause partial biotinidase deficiency. These results emphasize the importance of full gene sequencing of BTD on patients with biotinidase deficiency to better understand the genotype and phenotype correlation in the future.

Emergence of speech sounds between 7 and 24 months of cochlear implant use

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the process of speech development in five 42-month-old children with profound deafness who received cochlear implants (CIs) between 19 and 36 months of age and five normal hearing (NH) age mates.

METHODS

Conversational samples were collected and transcribed. Sounds produced correctly within meaningful words (target sounds) and recognizable sounds produced in spontaneous productions (target-less sounds) were analyzed for all 10 children.

RESULTS

Revealed that there was overlap in the total number of vowels and consonants produced by the two groups. The differences between the two groups were more evident in the target condition, whereas the two groups were more similar in the target-less condition.

DISCUSSION

The similarities documented in the target-less repertoire of CI and NH children underscore the importance of examining the emerging sound system to predict the end-point sound system in children with CIs. Using target and target-less speech sound comparisons offers a supplementary view of the emergent process of speech sound development and is a valid method of analysis. Results suggest that early implantation may help some children with profound deafness develop speech sounds in a manner similar to NH age mates.

Breast size, thoracic kyphosis & thoracic spine pain - association & relevance of bra fitting in post-menopausal women: a correlational study

BACKGROUND

Menopause would seem to exist as a period of accelerated changes for women and their upper torso mechanics. Whether these anthropometric changes reflect changes in pain states remains unclear. Plausible mechanisms of pain exist for the independent and combined effect of increasing breast size and thoracic kyphosis. Bra fit has the potential to change when the anthropometric measures (chest circumference and bust circumference) used to determine bra size change, such as postmenopausally.Identifying an association between breast size, thoracic kyphosis and thoracic spine pain in postmenopausal women and identifying the relevance of bra fit to this association may be of importance to the future management and education of post-menopausal women presenting clinically with thoracic spine pain.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design. Fifty-one postmenopausal bra-wearing women were recruited. Measures included breast size (Triumph International), thoracic kyphosis (flexible curve), bra fitted (Y/N) and pain (Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire) and tenderness on palpation (posteroanterior pressure testing). These measures were collected in one session at a physiotherapy clinic.

RESULTS

The majority of the women in this study were overweight or obese and wearing an incorrect sized bra. Pain was significantly related to breast size, body weight and BMI at mid thoracic levels (T7-8). In contrast self-reported thoracic pain was not correlated with age or index of kyphosis (thoracic kyphosis). Women with thoracic pain were no more likely to have their bra professionally fitted whereas women with a higher BMI and larger breasts were more likely to have their bra professionally fitted.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study show that larger breasts and increased BMI are associated with thoracic pain in postmenopausal women. This is unrelated to thoracic kyphosis. Increasing breast size and how a bra is worn may have biomechanical implications for the loaded thoracic spine and surrounding musculature. Post-menopause women present with a spectrum of anthropometrical changes that have the potential to contribute to altered biomechanics and affect pain states in the thoracic spine.

Corticolimbic functional connectivity in adolescents with bipolar disorder

Convergent evidence supports regional dysfunction within a corticolimbic neural system that subserves emotional processing and regulation in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder (BD), with abnormalities prominent within the amygdala and its major anterior paralimbic cortical connection sites including ventral anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal, insular and temporopolar cortices. Recent studies of adults with BD demonstrate abnormalities in the functional connectivity between the amygdala and anterior paralimbic regions suggesting an important role for the connections between these regions in the development of the disorder. This study tests the hypothesis that these functional connectivity abnormalities are present in adolescents with BD. Fifty-seven adolescents, twenty-one with BD and thirty-six healthy comparison (HC) adolescents, participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging while processing emotional face stimuli. The BD and HC groups were compared in the strength of functional connectivity from amygdala to the anterior paralimbic cortical regions, and explored in remaining brain regions. Functional connectivity was decreased in the BD group, compared to the HC group, during processing of emotional faces in ventral anterior cingulate (VACC), orbitofrontal, insular and temporopolar cortices (p<0.005). Orbitofrontal and VACC findings for the happy condition, and additionally right insula for the neutral condition, survived multiple comparison correction. Exploratory analyses did not reveal additional regions of group differences. This study provides evidence for decreased functional connectivity between the amygdala and anterior paralimbic cortices in adolescents with BD. This suggests that amygdala-anterior paralimbic connectivity abnormalities are early features of BD that emerge at least by adolescence in the disorder.

Trait and state corticostriatal dysfunction in bipolar disorder during emotional face processing

OBJECTIVES

Convergent evidence supports limbic, anterior paralimbic, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) abnormalities in emotional processing in bipolar disorder (BD) and suggests that some abnormalities are mood-state dependent and others persist into euthymia. However, few studies have assessed elevated, depressed, and euthymic mood states while individuals processed emotional stimuli of varying valence to investigate trait- and state-related neural system responses. Here, regional brain responses to positive, negative, and neutral emotional stimuli were assessed in individuals with BD during elevated, depressed, and euthymic mood states.

METHODS

One hundred and thirty-four subjects participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning while processing faces depicting happy, fearful, and neutral expressions: 76 with BD (18 in elevated mood states, 19 depressed, 39 euthymic) and 58 healthy comparison (HC) individuals. Analyses were performed for BD trait- and mood state-related features.

RESULTS

Ventral anterior cingulate cortex (VACC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and ventral striatum responses to happy and neutral faces were decreased in the BD group, compared to the HC group, and were not influenced by mood state. Elevated mood states were associated with decreased right rostral PFC activation to fearful and neutral faces, and depression was associated with increased left OFC activation to fearful faces.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that abnormal VACC, OFC, and ventral striatum responses to happy and neutral stimuli are trait features of BD. Acute mood states may be associated with additional lateralized abnormalities of diminished right rostral PFC responses to fearful and neutral stimuli in elevated states and increased left OFC responses to fearful stimuli in depressed states.

Structure-function associations in hippocampus in bipolar disorder

Hippocampus volume decreases and verbal memory deficits have been reported in bipolar disorder (BD) as independent observations. We investigated potential associations between these deficits in subjects with BD. Hippocampus volumes were measured on magnetic resonance images of 31 subjects with BD and 32 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT) assessed verbal memory function in these subjects. Compared to the HC group, the BD group showed both significantly smaller hippocampus volumes and impaired performance on CVLT tests of immediate, short delay and long delay cued and free recall. Further, smaller hippocampus volume correlated with impaired performance in BD. Post hoc analyses revealed a trend towards improved memory in BD subjects taking antidepressant medications. These results support associations between morphological changes in hippocampus structure in BD and verbal memory impairment. They provide preliminary evidence pharmacotherapy may reverse hippocampus-related memory deficits.

Lateral ventricle volume and psychotic features in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder

This magnetic resonance imaging study demonstrates increased lateral ventricle volume (LVV) in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder (BD) with psychotic symptoms, but not without psychosis, compared to healthy adolescents and adults. This suggests LVV is a morphologic feature associated with psychosis in BD, present by adolescence.

Olfactocentric paralimbic cortex morphology in adolescents with bipolar disorder

The olfactocentric paralimbic cortex plays a critical role in the regulation of emotional and neurovegetative functions that are disrupted in core features of bipolar disorder. Adolescence is thought to be a critical period in both the maturation of the olfactocentric paralimbic cortex and in the emergence of bipolar disorder pathology. Together, these factors implicate a central role for the olfactocentric paralimbic cortex in the development of bipolar disorder and suggest that abnormalities in this cortex may be expressed by adolescence in the disorder. We tested the hypothesis that differences in olfactocentric paralimbic cortex structure are a morphological feature in adolescents with bipolar disorder. Subjects included 118 adolescents (41 with bipolar disorder and 77 healthy controls). Cortical grey matter volume differences between adolescents with and without bipolar disorder were assessed with voxel-based morphometry analyses of high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging scans. Compared with healthy comparison adolescents, adolescents with bipolar disorder demonstrated significant volume decreases in olfactocentric paralimbic regions, including orbitofrontal, insular and temporopolar cortices. Findings in these regions survived small volume correction (P < 0.05, corrected). Volume decreases in adolescents with bipolar disorder were also noted in inferior prefrontal and superior temporal gyri and cerebellum. The findings suggest that abnormalities in the morphology of the olfactocentric paralimbic cortex may contribute to the bipolar disorder phenotype that emerges in adolescence. The morphological development of the olfactocentric paralimbic cortex has received little study. The importance of these cortices in emotional and social development, and support for a central role for these cortices in the development of bipolar disorder, suggest that study of the development of these cortices in health and in bipolar disorder is critically needed.

Sexually dimorphic features of vermis morphology in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

The cerebellar vermis is increasingly implicated in bipolar disorder (BD). In this study, we investigated vermis morphology in BD using a quantitative volumetric analysis.

METHODS

Volumes for total vermis and vermis subregions V1 (lobules I-V), V2 (lobules VI-VII), and V3 (lobules VIII-X) were calculated using high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging obtained from 44 individuals with BD (25 females and 19 males) and 43 healthy comparison (HC) subjects (26 females and 17 males). Total vermis volumes were compared between the BD and HC groups. Potential effects of vermis subregions and clinical features were explored.

RESULTS

Total vermis volumes were significantly larger in the BD group than in the HC group (p = 0.02). There was a significant group-by-sex interaction (p = 0.02). Total vermis volumes were significantly larger in males with BD than HC males (p = 0.004); vermis volumes did not differ significantly between females with and without BD (p = 0.95). Subregion analyses showed a trend-level interaction between diagnosis and subregion (p = 0.07) in which subregion V1 volumes were significantly larger in BD participants (p = 0.001), with differences primarily driven by males (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate increases in cerebellar vermis volumes in males with BD. These findings support the presence of structural alterations in the cerebellar vermis in BD and furthermore the influence of sex on such changes.

A fuller understanding of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours combined with aggressive management improves outcome

BACKGROUND

Neuroendocrine tumours of the pancreas (PNETs) represent 1-2% of all pancreatic tumours. The terms 'islet cell tumours' and 'carcinoids' of the pancreas should be avoided. The aim of this review is to offer an overview of the history and diagnosis of PNETs followed by a discussion of the available treatment options.

METHODS

A search on PubMed using the keywords 'neuroendocrine', 'pancreas' and 'carcinoid' was performed to identify relevant literature over the last 30 years.

RESULTS

The introduction of a revised classification of neuroendocrine tumours by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2000 significantly changed our understanding of and approach to the management of these tumours. Advances in laboratory and radiological techniques have also led to an increased detection of PNETs. Surgery remains the only treatment that offers a chance of cure with increasing number of non-surgical options serving as beneficial adjuncts. The better understanding of the behaviours of PNETs together with improvements in tumour localisation has resulted in a more aggressive management strategy with a concomitant improvement in symptom palliation and a prolongation of survival.

CONCLUSION

Due to their complex nature and the wide range of therapeutic options, the involvement of specialists from all necessary disciplines in a multidisciplinary team setting is vital to provide optimal treatment of this disease.

Class I topical corticosteroid use by psoriasis patients in an academic practice

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that can have a profound impact on the quality of life of patients. The treatment of psoriasis is complicated by the availability of numerous topical agents, systemic agents, and phototherapy. Of the topical preparations available, the ultra-high potency, or Class I steroids, have an important role in treating psoriasis. Their use is most appropriate for the treatment of plaques in regions excluding the face, axilla, groin and genitals.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine the prescribing patterns of Class I topical corticosteroids within a large academic dermatology practice for patients with all types of psoriasis.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review of 650 patients with psoriasis from an academic dermatology practice was performed. Class I steroid use was defined as those patients who were observed to be currently using clobetasol propionate, halobetasol propionate, diflorasone, or augmented betamethasone dipropionate.

RESULTS

A total of 79% of patients were prescribed topical steroids of any class while 46% of patients were prescribed a Class I steroid. In all, 58% of patients who received topical steroid therapy received a Class I agent; 11% of patients prescribed Class I steroids also received systemic therapy for their psoriasis. Conversely, 35% of patients who received systemic therapy were also receiving Class I topical therapy.

DISCUSSION

In our department, Class I topical steroids are commonly used in the treatment of psoriasis. The superpotent topicals are often used as an adjunct to systemic therapy and will likely remain a mainstay of psoriasis therapy.

Effects of the brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor val66met variation on hippocampus morphology in bipolar disorder

Histological and behavioral research in bipolar disorder (BD) implicates structural abnormalities in the hippocampus. Brain-derived neurotrophic growth factor (BDNF) protein is associated with hippocampal development and plasticity, and in mood disorder pathophysiology. We tested the hypotheses that both the BDNF val66met polymorphism and BD diagnosis are associated with decreased hippocampus volume, and that individuals with BD who carry the met allele have the smallest hippocampus volumes compared to individuals without BD and val/val homozygotes. We further explored localization of morphological differences within hippocampus in BD associated with the met allele. Twenty individuals with BD and 18 healthy comparison (HC) subjects participated in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging scans from which hippocampus volumes were defined and measured. We used linear mixed model analysis to study effects of diagnosis and BDNF genotype on hippocampus volumes. We then employed three-dimensional mapping to localize areas of change within the hippocampus associated with the BDNF met allele in BD. We found that hippocampus volumes were significantly smaller in BD compared to HC subjects, and presence of the BDNF met allele was associated with smaller hippocampus volume in both diagnostic groups. The BD subgroup who carried the BDNF met allele had the smallest hippocampus volumes, and three-dimensional mapping identified these decreases as most prominent in left anterior hippocampus. These results support effects of BD diagnosis and BDNF genotype on hippocampus structure and suggest a genetic subgroup within BD who may be most vulnerable to deficits in hippocampus and may most benefit from interventions that influence BDNF-mediated signaling.

Abnormal anterior cingulum integrity in bipolar disorder determined through diffusion tensor imaging

BACKGROUND

Convergent evidence implicates white matter abnormalities in bipolar disorder. The cingulum is an important candidate structure for study in bipolar disorder as it provides substantial white matter connections within the corticolimbic neural system that subserves emotional regulation involved in the disorder.

AIMS

To test the hypothesis that bipolar disorder is associated with abnormal white matter integrity in the cingulum.

METHOD

Fractional anisotropy in the anterior and posterior cingulum was compared between 42 participants with bipolar disorder and 42 healthy participants using diffusion tensor imaging.

RESULTS

Fractional anisotropy was significantly decreased in the anterior cingulum in the bipolar disorder group compared with the healthy group (P=0.003); however, fractional anisotropy in the posterior cingulum did not differ significantly between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate abnormalities in the structural integrity of the anterior cingulum in bipolar disorder. They extend evidence that supports involvement of the neural system comprising the anterior cingulate cortex and its corticolimbic gray matter connection sites in bipolar disorder to implicate abnormalities in the white matter connections within the system provided by the cingulum.