101
|
Wang Y, Chen X, Liu R, Zhang Z, Zhou J, Feng Y, Jiang C, Zuo XN, Zhou Y, Wang G. Effect of Phase-Encoding Direction on Gender Differences: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:748080. [PMID: 35145372 PMCID: PMC8824585 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.748080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AimNeuroimaging studies have highlighted gender differences in brain functions, but conclusions are not well established. Few studies paid attention to the influence of phase-encoding (PE) direction in echo-planar imaging on gender differences, which is a commonly used technique in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A disadvantage of echo-planar images is the geometrical distortion and signal loss due to large susceptibility effects along the PE direction. The present research aimed to clarify how PE direction can affect the outcome of a specific research on gender differences.MethodsWe collected resting-state fMRI using anterior to posterior (AP) and posterior to anterior (PA) directions from 113 healthy participants. We calculated several commonly used indices for spontaneous brain activity including amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional ALFF (fALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), degree centrality (DC), and functional connectivity (FC) of posterior cingulate cortex for each session, and performed three group comparisons: (i) AP versus PA; (ii) male versus female; (iii) interaction between gender and PE direction.ResultsThe estimated indices differed substantially between the two PE directions, and the regions that exhibited differences were roughly similar for all the indices. In addition, we found that multiple brain regions showed gender differences in these estimated indices. Further, we observed an interaction effect between gender and PE direction in the bilateral middle frontal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, right postcentral gyrus, right lingual gyrus, and bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe.ConclusionThese apparent findings revealed that PE direction can partially influence gender differences in spontaneous brain activity of resting-state fMRI. Therefore, future studies should document the adopted PE direction and appropriate selection of PE direction will be important in future resting-state fMRI studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiongying Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhifang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jingjing Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Feng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Nian Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Yuan Zhou,
| | - Gang Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Beijing, China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Gang Wang,
| |
Collapse
|
102
|
Matamoros-Angles A, Hervera A, Soriano J, Martí E, Carulla P, Llorens F, Nuvolone M, Aguzzi A, Ferrer I, Gruart A, Delgado-García JM, Del Río JA. Analysis of co-isogenic prion protein deficient mice reveals behavioral deficits, learning impairment, and enhanced hippocampal excitability. BMC Biol 2022; 20:17. [PMID: 35027047 PMCID: PMC8759182 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01203-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cellular prion protein (PrPC) is a cell surface GPI-anchored protein, usually known for its role in the pathogenesis of human and animal prionopathies. However, increasing knowledge about the participation of PrPC in prion pathogenesis contrasts with puzzling data regarding its natural physiological role. PrPC is expressed in a number of tissues, including at high levels in the nervous system, especially in neurons and glial cells, and while previous studies have established a neuroprotective role, conflicting evidence for a synaptic function has revealed both reduced and enhanced long-term potentiation, and variable observations on memory, learning, and behavior. Such evidence has been confounded by the absence of an appropriate knock-out mouse model to dissect the biological relevance of PrPC, with some functions recently shown to be misattributed to PrPC due to the presence of genetic artifacts in mouse models. Here we elucidate the role of PrPC in the hippocampal circuitry and its related functions, such as learning and memory, using a recently available strictly co-isogenic Prnp0/0 mouse model (PrnpZH3/ZH3). Results We performed behavioral and operant conditioning tests to evaluate memory and learning capabilities, with results showing decreased motility, impaired operant conditioning learning, and anxiety-related behavior in PrnpZH3/ZH3 animals. We also carried in vivo electrophysiological recordings on CA3-CA1 synapses in living behaving mice and monitored spontaneous neuronal firing and network formation in primary neuronal cultures of PrnpZH3/ZH3 vs wildtype mice. PrPC absence enhanced susceptibility to high-intensity stimulations and kainate-induced seizures. However, long-term potentiation (LTP) was not enhanced in the PrnpZH3/ZH3 hippocampus. In addition, we observed a delay in neuronal maturation and network formation in PrnpZH3/ZH3 cultures. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that PrPC promotes neuronal network formation and connectivity. PrPC mediates synaptic function and protects the synapse from excitotoxic insults. Its deletion may underlie an epileptogenic-susceptible brain that fails to perform highly cognitive-demanding tasks such as associative learning and anxiety-like behaviors. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01203-0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Matamoros-Angles
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Hervera
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Soriano
- Departament de Física de la Materia Condensada, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Martí
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Bioinformatics and Genomics, Center for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
| | - P Carulla
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Llorens
- CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Neurology, University Medical School, Göttingen, Germany.,Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - M Nuvolone
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Amyloidosis Center, Foundation IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - A Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - I Ferrer
- CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Senior Consultant, Bellvitge University Hospital, IDIBELL (Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.,Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - J M Delgado-García
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, 41013, Seville, Spain.
| | - J A Del Río
- Molecular and Cellular Neurobiotechnology, Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,CIBERNED (Network Centre of Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases), Institute of Health Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain. .,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Costa TG, Duque L, do Amaral LC, Viana RB, da Silva WF, Vancini RL, Andrade MS, de Lira CAB. Unpleasant Pictures Exposure Evokes Different Repercussion on Emotional State and Heart Rate Response in Healthy Women and Men. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2022; 47:85-94. [PMID: 35006474 DOI: 10.1007/s10484-021-09532-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate the heart rate response, emotion and changes in anxiety and anger levels after exposure to unpleasant pictures from the International Assessment Pictures System (IAPS) compared with neutral picture exposure in healthy individuals. Forty participants (23 women) visited the laboratory on two occasions. State anger and state anxiety levels were evaluated pre- and post-visualization of a set of IAPS pictures and heart rate was monitored during exposure. Two different picture sets were utilized-one with neutral pictures (that served as the control) and the other with unpleasant pictures. State anxiety and state anger were higher in post-unpleasant session for women than before (p < 0.001). For men, only state anxiety was higher in the post-unpleasant session (p < 0.001). State anxiety (p = 0.004) and state anger (p < 0.001) post-unpleasant session was higher for women than in men. The pleasure and dominance domains were lower in the unpleasant session for both men and women (p < 0.001), and the arousal domain was higher for both men and women (p < 0.001) than in the neutral session. In the unpleasant session, arousal was higher (p = 0.004), and dominance was lower (p < 0.001) among women than among men, but no difference in pleasure was found (p > 0.05). For women, average heart rate was higher on unpleasant session, compared to neutral (p = 0.01), but not for men (p > 0.05). Women are more sensitive and react strongly to unpleasant picture exposure. The IAPS unpleasant session was not able to induce anger levels in men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thalles Guilarducci Costa
- College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Avenue Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas Duque
- College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Avenue Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas Carrara do Amaral
- College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Avenue Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Borges Viana
- Superior School of Physical Education and Physiotherapy of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Estácio de Sá College, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Wellington Fernando da Silva
- College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Avenue Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Luiz Vancini
- Center of Physical Education and Sports, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Claudio Andre Barbosa de Lira
- College of Physical Education and Dance, Federal University of Goiás, Avenue Esperança s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, 74690-900, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
104
|
Evaluating the evidence for sex differences: a scoping review of human neuroimaging in psychopharmacology research. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:430-443. [PMID: 34732844 PMCID: PMC8674314 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01162-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Although sex differences in psychiatric disorders abound, few neuropsychopharmacology (NPP) studies consider sex as a biological variable (SABV). We conducted a scoping review of this literature in humans by systematically searching PubMed to identify peer-reviewed journal articles published before March 2020 that (1) studied FDA-approved medications used to treat psychiatric disorders (or related symptoms) and (2) adequately evaluated sex differences using in vivo neuroimaging methodologies. Of the 251 NPP studies that included both sexes and considered SABV in analyses, 80% used methodologies that eliminated the effect of sex (e.g., by including sex as a covariate to control for its effect). Only 20% (50 studies) adequately evaluated sex differences either by testing for an interaction involving sex or by stratifying analyses by sex. Of these 50 studies, 72% found statistically significant sex differences in at least one outcome. Sex differences in neural and behavioral outcomes were studied more often in drugs indicated for conditions with known sex differences. Likewise, the majority of studies conducted in those drug classes noted sex differences: antidepressants (13 of 16), antipsychotics (10 of 12), sedative-hypnotics (6 of 10), and stimulants (6 of 10). In contrast, only two studies of mood stabilizers evaluated SABV, with one noting a sex difference. By mapping this literature, we bring into sharp relief how few studies adequately evaluate sex differences in NPP studies. Currently, all NIH-funded studies are required to consider SABV. We urge scientific journals, peer reviewers, and regulatory agencies to require researchers to consider SABV in their research. Continuing to ignore SABV in NPP research has ramifications both in terms of rigor and reproducibility of research, potentially leading to costly consequences and unrealized benefits.
Collapse
|
105
|
Andermann M, Izurieta Hidalgo NA, Rupp A, Schmahl C, Herpertz SC, Bertsch K. Behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of emotional face processing in borderline personality disorder: are there differences between men and women? Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 272:1583-1594. [PMID: 35661904 PMCID: PMC9653371 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Emotional dysregulation is a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD); it is, for example, known to influence one's ability to read other people's facial expressions. We investigated behavioral and neurophysiological foundations of emotional face processing in individuals with BPD and in healthy controls, taking participants' sex into account. 62 individuals with BPD (25 men, 37 women) and 49 healthy controls (20 men, 29 women) completed an emotion classification task with faces depicting blends of angry and happy expressions while the electroencephalogram was recorded. The cortical activity (late positive potential, P3/LPP) was evaluated using source modeling. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with BPD responded slower to happy but not to angry faces; further, they showed more anger ratings in happy but not in angry faces, especially in those with high ambiguity. Men had lower anger ratings than women and responded slower to angry but not happy faces. The P3/LPP was larger in healthy controls than in individuals with BPD, and larger in women than in men; moreover, women but not men produced enlarged P3/LPP responses to angry vs. happy faces. Sex did not interact with behavioral or P3/LPP-related differences between healthy controls and individuals with BPD. Together, BPD-related alterations in behavioral and P3/LPP correlates of emotional face processing exist in both men and women, supposedly without sex-related interactions. Results point to a general 'negativity bias' in women. Source modeling is well suited to investigate effects of participant and stimulus characteristics on the P3/LPP generators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Andermann
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Natalie A. Izurieta Hidalgo
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany ,School of Medicine, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Quito, Pichincha Ecuador
| | - André Rupp
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sabine C. Herpertz
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katja Bertsch
- Department for General Psychiatry, Center of Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Leopoldstr. 13, 80802, Munich, Germany. .,NeuroImaging Core Unit Munich (NICUM), University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
106
|
Fowler C, Goerzen D, Madularu D, Devenyi GA, Chakravarty MM, Near J. Longitudinal characterization of neuroanatomical changes in the Fischer 344 rat brain during normal aging and between sexes. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 109:216-228. [PMID: 34775212 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are widely used to study the pathophysiology of disease and to evaluate the efficacy of novel interventions, crucial steps towards improving disease outcomes in humans. The Fischer 344 (F344) wildtype rat is a common experimental background strain for transgenic models of disease and is one of the most frequently used models in aging research. Despite frequency of use, characterization of agerelated neuroanatomical change has not been performed in the F344 rat. To this end, we present a comprehensive longitudinal examination of morphometric change in 73 brain regions and at a voxel-wise level during normative aging in vivo in a mixed-sexcohort of F344 rats. We identified the greatest vulnerability to aging within the cortex, caudoputamen, hindbrain, and internal capsule, while the influence of sex was strongest in the caudoputamen, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and thalamus, many of which are implicated in memory and motor control circuits frequently affected by aging and neurodegenerative disease. These findings provide a baseline for neuroanatomical changes associated with aging in male and female F344 rats, to which data from transgenic models or other background strains can be compared.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Fowler
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Dana Goerzen
- Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Dan Madularu
- Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Center for Translational NeuroImaging, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jamie Near
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Centre d'Imagerie Cérébrale, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
107
|
Bhattacharjee S, Kashyap R, Goodwill AM, O'Brien BA, Rapp B, Oishi K, Desmond JE, Chen SHA. Sex difference in tDCS current mediated by changes in cortical anatomy: A study across young, middle and older adults. Brain Stimul 2022; 15:125-140. [PMID: 34826627 PMCID: PMC9041842 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The observed variability in the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is influenced by the amount of current reaching the targeted region-of-interest (ROI). Age and sex might affect current density at target ROI due to their impact on cortical anatomy. The present tDCS simulation study investigates the effects of cortical anatomical parameters (volumes, dimension, and torque) on simulated tDCS current density in healthy young, middle-aged, and older males and females. METHODOLOGY Individualized head models from 240 subjects (120 males, 18-87 years of age) were used to identify the estimated current density (2 mA current intensity, 25 cm2 electrode) from two simulated tDCS montages (CP5_CZ and F3_FP2) targeting the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and middle frontal gyrus (MFG), respectively. Cortical parameters including segmented brain volumes (cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], grey and white matter), cerebral-dimensions (length/width &length/height) and brain-torque (front and back shift, petalia, and bending) were measured using the magnetic resonance images (MRIs) from each subject. The present study estimated sex differences in current density at these target ROIs mediated by these cortical parameters within each age group. RESULTS For both tDCS montages, females in the older age group received higher current density than their male counterparts at the target ROIs. No sex differences were observed in the middle-aged group. Males in the younger age group had a higher current density than females, only for the parietal montage. Across all age groups, CSF, and grey matter volumes significantly predicted the current intensity estimated at the target sites. In the older age group only, brain-torque was a significant mediator of the sex difference. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the presence of sex differences in the simulated tDCS current density, however this pattern differed across age groups and stimulation locations. Future studies should consider influence of age and sex on individual cortical anatomy and tailor tDCS stimulation parameters accordingly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rajan Kashyap
- Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| | - Alicia M Goodwill
- Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Physical Education and Sports Science Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| | - Beth Ann O'Brien
- Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD), National Institute of Education, Singapore.
| | - Brenda Rapp
- The Johns Hopkins University, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Baltimore, United States.
| | - Kenichi Oishi
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States.
| | - John E Desmond
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States.
| | - S H Annabel Chen
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKC Medicine), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
108
|
Ponticorvo S, Prinster A, Cantone E, Di Salle F, Esposito F, Canna A. Sex differences in the taste-evoked functional connectivity network. Chem Senses 2022; 47:6617558. [PMID: 35749468 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The central gustatory pathway encompasses multiple subcortical and cortical regions whose neural functional connectivity can be modulated by taste stimulation. While gustatory perception has been previously linked to sex, whether and how the gustatory network differently responds to basic tastes between men and women is unclear. Here, we defined the regions of the central gustatory network by a meta-analysis of 35 fMRI taste activation studies and then analyzed the taste-evoked functional connectivity between these regions in 44 subjects (19 women) in a separate 3 Tesla activation study where sweet and bitter solutions, at five concentrations each, were administered during scanning. From the meta-analysis, a network model was set up, including bilateral anterior, middle and inferior insula, thalamus, precentral gyrus, left amygdala, caudate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Higher functional connectivity than in women was observed in men between the right middle insula and bilateral thalami for bitter taste. Men exhibited higher connectivity than women at low bitter concentrations and middle-high sweet concentrations between bilateral thalamus and insula. A graph-based analysis expressed similar results in terms of nodal characteristics of strength and centrality. Our findings add new insights into the mechanisms of taste processing by highlighting sex differences in the functional connectivity of the gustatory network as modulated by the perception of sweet and bitter tastes. These results shed more light on the neural origin of sex-related differences in gustatory perception and may guide future research on the pathophysiology of taste perception in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Ponticorvo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Anna Prinster
- Biostructure and Bioimaging Institute, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Cantone
- Section of ENT, Department of Neuroscience, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Di Salle
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.,University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi D'Aragona", Scuola Medica Salernitana, Salerno, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Esposito
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Antonietta Canna
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
109
|
Krafnick AJ, Napoliello EM, Flowers DL, Eden GF. The Role of Brain Activity in Characterizing Successful Reading Intervention in Children With Dyslexia. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:898661. [PMID: 35769700 PMCID: PMC9234261 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.898661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of reading intervention in dyslexia have shown changes in performance and in brain function. However, there is little consistency in the location of brain regions associated with successful reading gains in children, most likely due to variability/limitations in methodologies (study design, participant criteria, and neuroimaging procedures). Ultimately for the results to be meaningful, the intervention has to be successful, be assessed against a control, use rigorous statistics, and take biological variables (sex) into consideration. Using a randomized, crossover design, 31 children with dyslexia were assigned to a phonological- and orthographic-based tutoring period as well as a within-subjects control period to examine: (1) intervention-induced changes in behavior (reading performance) and in brain activity (during reading); and (2) behavioral and brain activity pre-intervention data that predicted intervention-induced gains in reading performance. We found gains in reading ability following the intervention, but not following the control period, with no effect of participants' sex. However, there were no changes in brain activity following the intervention (regardless of sex), suggesting that individual brain changes are too variable to be captured at the group level. Reading gains were not predicted by pre-intervention behavioral data, but were predicted by pre-intervention brain activity in bilateral supramarginal/angular gyri. Notably, some of this prediction was only found in females. Our results highlight the limitations of brain imaging in detecting the neural correlates of reading intervention in this age group, while providing further evidence for its utility in assessing eventual success of intervention, especially if sex is taken into consideration.
Collapse
|
110
|
Everts R, Muri R, Leibundgut K, Siegwart V, Wiest R, Steinlin M. Fear and discomfort of children and adolescents during MRI: ethical consideration on research MRIs in children. Pediatr Res 2022; 91:720-723. [PMID: 33879848 PMCID: PMC9064788 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-020-01277-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Regula Everts
- Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Children's University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. .,Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. .,Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children's University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Raphaela Muri
- grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Kurt Leibundgut
- grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children’s University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Valerie Siegwart
- grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Children’s University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ,grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Children’s University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Maja Steinlin
- grid.411656.10000 0004 0479 0855Division of Neuropediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Children’s University Hospital, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
111
|
Stuchlíková Z, Klírová M. A Literature Mini-Review of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:874128. [PMID: 35530026 PMCID: PMC9069055 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.874128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neurostimulation method that utilizes the effect of low-current on brain tissue. In recent years, the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation has been investigated as a therapeutic modality in various neuropsychiatric indications, one of them being schizophrenia. This article aims to provide an overview of the potential application and effect of tDCS in treating patients with schizophrenia. A literature search was performed using the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for relevant research published from any date until December 2021. Eligible studies included those that used randomized controlled parallel-group design and focused on the use of transcranial direct current stimulation for the treatment of positive, negative, or cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Studies were divided into groups based on the focus of research and an overview is provided in separate sections and tables in the article. The original database search yielded 705 results out of which 27 randomized controlled trials met the eligibility criteria and were selected and used for the purpose of this article. In a review of the selected trials, transcranial direct current stimulation is a safe and well-tolerated method that appears to have the potential as an effective modality for the treatment of positive and negative schizophrenic symptoms and offers promising results in influencing cognition. However, ongoing research is needed to confirm these conclusions and to further specify distinct application parameters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Stuchlíková
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia.,Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Hospital České Budĕjovice, a.s., České Budĕjovice, Czechia
| | - Monika Klírová
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czechia.,Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| |
Collapse
|
112
|
Silberstein RB, Camfield DA. Sex influences the brain functional connectivity correlates of originality. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23269. [PMID: 34857822 PMCID: PMC8640048 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02674-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Creative cognition is thought to involve two processes, the creation of new ideas and the selection and retention of suitable new ideas. Neuroimaging studies suggest that the Default Mode Network contributes to the creation of new ideas while left inferior frontal and parieto-temporal cortical networks mediate the selection/retention process. Higher levels of activity in the selection/retention have been shown to be associated with stricter criteria for selection and hence the expression of fewer novel ideas. In this study, we examined the brain functional connectivity correlates of an originality score while 27 males and 27 females performed a low and a high demand visual vigilance task. Brain functional connectivity was estimated from the steady state visual evoked potential event related partial coherence. In the male group, we observed a hypothesized left frontal functional connectivity that was negatively correlated with originality in both tasks. By contrast, in the female group no significant correlation between functional connectivity and originality was observed in either task. We interpret the findings to suggest that males and females engaged different functional networks when performing the vigilance tasks. We conclude with a consideration of the possible risks when data pooling across sex in studies of higher cortical function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard B Silberstein
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Level 3, Building B, 192 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia.
- Neuro-Insight Pty Ltd, Melbourne, 3122, Australia.
| | - David A Camfield
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University, Level 3, Building B, 192 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, VIC, 3122, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
113
|
Wen Z, Hammoud MZ, Scott JC, Jimmy J, Brown L, Marin MF, Asnaani A, Gur RC, Foa EB, Milad MR. Impact of exogenous estradiol on task-based and resting-state neural signature during and after fear extinction in healthy women. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:2278-2287. [PMID: 34493827 PMCID: PMC8581031 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01158-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Fluctuations of endogenous estrogen modulates fear extinction, but the influence of exogenous estradiol is less studied. Moreover, little focus has been placed on the impact of estradiol on broad network connectivity beyond the fear extinction circuit. Here, we examined the effect of acute exogenous estradiol administration on fear extinction-induced brain activation, whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) during the fear extinction task and post-extinction resting-state. Ninety healthy women (57 using oral contraceptives [OC], 33 naturally cycling [NC]) were fear conditioned on day 1. They ingested an estradiol or placebo pill prior to extinction learning on day 2 (double-blind design). Extinction memory was assessed on day 3. Task-based functional MRI data were ascertained on days 2 and 3 and resting-state data were collected post-extinction on day 2 and pre-recall on day 3. Estradiol administration significantly modulated the neural signature associated with fear extinction learning and memory, consistent with prior studies. Importantly, estradiol administration induced significant changes in FC within multiple networks, including the default mode and somatomotor networks during extinction learning, post-extinction, and during extinction memory recall. Exploratory analyses revealed that estradiol impacted ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activation and FC differently in the NC and OC women. The data implicate a more diffused and significant effect of acute estradiol administration on multiple networks. Such an effect might be beneficial to modulating attention and conscious processes in addition to engaging neural processes associated with emotional learning and memory consolidation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfu Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mira Z Hammoud
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - J Cobb Scott
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- VISN4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jagan Jimmy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Lily Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Marie-France Marin
- Departement of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Center of the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anu Asnaani
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Edna B Foa
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
114
|
Abstract Action Language Processing in Eleven-Year-Old Children: Influence of Upper Limb Movement on Sentence Comprehension. Behav Sci (Basel) 2021; 11:bs11120162. [PMID: 34940097 PMCID: PMC8698763 DOI: 10.3390/bs11120162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regarding the embodiment of language processing in adults, there is evidence of a close connection between sensorimotor brain areas and brain areas relevant to the processing of action verbs. This thesis is hotly debated and has therefore been thoroughly studied in adults. However, there are still questions concerning its development in children. The present study deals with the processing of action verbs in concrete and abstract sentences in 60 eleven-year-olds using a decision time paradigm. Sixty-five children mirrored arm movements or sat still and rated the semantic plausibility of sentences. The data of the current study suggest that eleven-year-olds are likely to misunderstand the meaning of action verbs in abstract contexts. Their decision times were faster and their error rates for action verbs in concrete sentences were lower. However, the gender of the children had a significant influence on the decision time and the number of errors, especially when processing abstract sentences. Females were more likely to benefit from an arm movement before the decision, while males were better if they sat still beforehand. Overall, children made quite a few errors when assessing the plausibility of sentences, but the female participants more often gave plausibility assessments that deviated from our expectations, especially when processing abstract sentences. It can be assumed that the embodiment of language processing plays some role in 11-year-old children, but is not yet as mature as it is in adults. Especially with regard to the processing of abstract language, the embodied system still has to change and mature in the course of child development.
Collapse
|
115
|
Lin Y, Ding H, Zhang Y. Unisensory and Multisensory Stroop Effects Modulate Gender Differences in Verbal and Nonverbal Emotion Perception. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:4439-4457. [PMID: 34469179 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to examine the Stroop effects of verbal and nonverbal cues and their relative impacts on gender differences in unisensory and multisensory emotion perception. Method Experiment 1 investigated how well 88 normal Chinese adults (43 women and 45 men) could identify emotions conveyed through face, prosody and semantics as three independent channels. Experiments 2 and 3 further explored gender differences during multisensory integration of emotion through a cross-channel (prosody-semantics) and a cross-modal (face-prosody-semantics) Stroop task, respectively, in which 78 participants (41 women and 37 men) were asked to selectively attend to one of the two or three communication channels. Results The integration of accuracy and reaction time data indicated that paralinguistic cues (i.e., face and prosody) of emotions were consistently more salient than linguistic ones (i.e., semantics) throughout the study. Additionally, women demonstrated advantages in processing all three types of emotional signals in the unisensory task, but only preserved their strengths in paralinguistic processing and showed greater Stroop effects of nonverbal cues on verbal ones during multisensory perception. Conclusions These findings demonstrate clear gender differences in verbal and nonverbal emotion perception that are modulated by sensory channels, which have important theoretical and practical implications. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16435599.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lin
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Hongwei Ding
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences & Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
| |
Collapse
|
116
|
Safari S, Ahmadi N, Mohammadkhani R, Ghahremani R, Khajvand-Abedeni M, Shahidi S, Komaki A, Salehi I, Karimi SA. Sex differences in spatial learning and memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation at perforant pathway-dentate gyrus (PP-DG) synapses in Wistar rats. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2021; 17:9. [PMID: 34724971 PMCID: PMC8559395 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-021-00184-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies show that gender may have a significant impact on brain functions. However, the reports of sex effects on spatial ability and synaptic plasticity in rodents are divergent and controversial. Here spatial learning and memory was measured in male and female rats by using Morris water maze (MWM) task. Moreover, to assess sex difference in hippocampal synaptic plasticity we examined hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant pathway-dentate gyrus (PP-DG) synapses. RESULTS In MWM task, male rats outperformed female rats, as they had significantly shorter swim distance and escape latency to find the hidden platform during training days. During spatial reference memory test, female rats spent less time and traveled less distance in the target zone. Male rats also had larger LTP at PP-DG synapses, which was evident in the high magnitude of population spike (PS) potentiation and the field excitatory post synaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results suggest that sex differences in the LTP at PP-DG synapses, possibly contribute to the observed sex difference in spatial learning and memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Safari
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Nesa Ahmadi
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | | | - Reza Ghahremani
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran
| | | | - Siamak Shahidi
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Fahmideh Street, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Alireza Komaki
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Fahmideh Street, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Iraj Salehi
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Seyed Asaad Karimi
- Neurophysiology Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Fahmideh Street, Hamadan, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
117
|
Spets DS, Slotnick SD. It's time for sex in cognitive neuroscience. Cogn Neurosci 2021; 13:1-9. [PMID: 34719337 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2021.1996343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In a discussion paper published in the special issue of Cognitive Neuroscience, Sex Differences in the Brain, we investigated whether certain experimental parameters contributed to findings in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of sex differences during long-term memory. Experimental parameters included: the number of participants, stimulus type(s), whether or not performance was matched, whether or not sex differences were reported, the type of between-subject statistical test used, and the contrast(s) employed. None of these parameters determined whether or not differences were observed, as all included studies reported sex differences. We also conducted a meta-analysis to determine if there were any brain regions consistently activated to a greater degree in either sex. The meta-analysis identified sex differences (male > female) in the lateral prefrontal cortex, visual processing regions, parahippocampal cortex, and the cerebellum. We received eight commentaries in response to that paper. Commentaries called for an expanded discussion on various topics including the influence of sex hormones, the role of gender (and other social factors), the pros and cons of equating behavioral performance between the sexes, and interpreting group differences in patterns of brain activity. There were some common statistical assumptions discussed in the commentaries regarding the 'file drawer' issue (i.e., the lack of reporting of null results) and effect size. The current paper provides further discussion of the various topics brought up in the commentaries and addresses some statistical misconceptions in the field. Overall, the commentaries echoed a resounding call to include sex as a factor in cognitive neuroscience studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan S Spets
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Scott D Slotnick
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Boston, United States
| |
Collapse
|
118
|
Riva D. Sex and gender difference in cognitive and behavioral studies in developmental age: An introduction. J Neurosci Res 2021; 101:543-552. [PMID: 34687075 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This paper introduces a special issue focused on sex and gender (s/g) cognitive/behavioral differences at developmental ages providing an overview of this multifaceted and debated topic. It will provide a description of the biological systems that are strongly interconnected to generate s/g differences, that is, genetic determinants, sex hormones, differences in brain structure, organization, and/or function, inherited or modifiable under environmental pressures. Developmental studies are rare. Some addressed whether s/g differences in cognitive/behavioral characteristics are evident early in life and are consistent throughout development, entailing that s/g differences can follow the evolving steps in girls and boys in different domains. The data are far from being homogeneous and consistent about s/g difference in language, social skills, and visuo/spatial abilities. The differences are small, often with overlapping performances, similar to what is seen in adulthood. Given that several variables and the interactions between them are implicated, further longitudinal studies adopting adequate assessment tools, very large size multicultural samples stratified in different, well-sized and precise age groups, considering biological and sociocultural variables, are needed. Due to the complexity of the issue, there is still the need to support and adopt an s/g difference approach also in cognitive and behavioral studies at developmental ages. Finally, these studies have not only scientific importance and relevant cultural, anthropological, and social implications, but are also useful for pedagogical programming as well as for the study of the different susceptibility to develop CNS diseases and consequently to promote different therapies and treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daria Riva
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy.,Fondazione Pierfranco e Luisa Mariani, Milano, Italy.,Fondazione Together To Go, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
119
|
López-Ojeda W, Hurley RA. Sexual Dimorphism in Brain Development: Influence on Affective Disorders. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 33:A485-89. [PMID: 34018811 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wilfredo López-Ojeda
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (López-Ojeda, Hurley). The Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (López-Ojeda) and Psychiatry and Radiology (Hurley), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.; and the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley)
| | - Robin A Hurley
- The Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, and the Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W.G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (López-Ojeda, Hurley). The Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (López-Ojeda) and Psychiatry and Radiology (Hurley), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.; and the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley)
| |
Collapse
|
120
|
Bontempi C, Jacquot L, Brand G. Sex Differences in Odor Hedonic Perception: An Overview. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:764520. [PMID: 34733137 PMCID: PMC8558558 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.764520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Odor hedonic evaluation (pleasant/unpleasant) is considered as the first and one of the most prominent dimension in odor perception. While sex differences in human olfaction have been extensively explored, gender effect in hedonic perception appears to be less considered. However, a number of studies have included comparisons between men and women, using different types of measurements (psychophysical, psychophysiological,…). This overview presents experimental works with non-specific and body odors separately presented as well as experimental studies comparing healthy participants vs patients with psychiatric disorders. Contrary to sensitivity, identification or discrimination, the overall literature tends to prove that no so clear differences occur in odor hedonic judgment between men and women. On the whole, gender effect appears more marked for body than non-specific odors and is almost never reported in psychiatric diseases. These findings are discussed in relation to the processes classically implied in pleasantness rating and emotional processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Bontempi
- Laboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive – UR481, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Laurence Jacquot
- Laboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive – UR481, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - Gérard Brand
- Laboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive – UR481, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
- CSGA Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation, Dijon, France
| |
Collapse
|
121
|
The Effect of Mental Fatigue and Gender on Working Memory Performance during Repeated Practice by Young and Older Adults. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6612805. [PMID: 34646318 PMCID: PMC8505107 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6612805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is one of the most investigated cognitive functions albeit the extent to which individual characteristics impact on performance is still unclear, especially when older adults are involved. The present study considers repeated practice of a visual N-Back task with three difficulty levels (1-, 2-, and 3-Back) in healthy young and older individuals. Our results reveal that, for both age groups, the expected mental fatigue was countered by a learning effect, in terms of accuracies and reaction times, which turned out to benefit females more than males, for all three N-Back levels. We conclude that future WM studies, in particular when relying on repeated N-Back sessions, should account for learning effects in relation to mental fatigue and gender, in both young and older adults.
Collapse
|
122
|
Choi J, Kim SJ, Fujiyama T, Miyoshi C, Park M, Suzuki-Abe H, Yanagisawa M, Funato H. The Role of Reproductive Hormones in Sex Differences in Sleep Homeostasis and Arousal Response in Mice. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:739236. [PMID: 34621154 PMCID: PMC8491770 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.739236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There are various sex differences in sleep/wake behaviors in mice. However, it is unclear whether there are sex differences in sleep homeostasis and arousal responses and whether gonadal hormones are involved in these sex differences. Here, we examined sleep/wake behaviors under baseline condition, after sleep deprivation by gentle handling, and arousal responses to repeated cage changes in male and female C57BL/6 mice that are hormonally intact, gonadectomized, or gonadectomized with hormone supplementation. Compared to males, females had longer wake time, shorter non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREMS) time, and longer rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) episodes. After sleep deprivation, males showed an increase in NREMS delta power, NREMS time, and REMS time, but females showed a smaller increase. Females and males showed similar arousal responses. Gonadectomy had only a modest effect on homeostatic sleep regulation in males but enhanced it in females. Gonadectomy weakened arousal response in males and females. With hormone replacement, baseline sleep in gonadectomized females was similar to that of intact females, and baseline sleep in gonadectomized males was close to that of intact males. Gonadal hormone supplementation restored arousal response in males but not in females. These results indicate that male and female mice differ in their baseline sleep-wake behavior, homeostatic sleep regulation, and arousal responses to external stimuli, which are differentially affected by reproductive hormones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinhwan Choi
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Staci J Kim
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Fujiyama
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Chika Miyoshi
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Minjeong Park
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Haruka Suzuki-Abe
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masashi Yanagisawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Funato
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
123
|
Krawczyk MC, Millan J, Blake MG, Boccia MM. Role of prediction error and the cholinergic system on memory reconsolidation processes in mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107534. [PMID: 34619364 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The ability to make predictions based on stored information is a general coding strategy. A prediction error (PE) is a mismatch between expected and current events. Our memories, like ourselves, are subject to change. Thus, an acquired memory can become active and update its content or strength by a labilization-reconsolidation process. Within the reconsolidation framework, PE drives the updating of consolidated memories. In the past our lab has made key progresses showing that a blockade in the central cholinergic system during reconsolidation can cause memory impairment, while reinforcement of cholinergic activity enhances it. In the present work we determined that PE is a necessary condition for memory to reconsolidate in an inhibitory avoidance task using both male and female mice. Depending on the intensity of the unconditioned stimulus (US) used during training, a negative (higher US intensity) or positive (lower US intensity/no US) PE on a retrieval session modified the behavioral response on a subsequent testing session. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the cholinergic system modulates memory reconsolidation only when PE is detected. In this scenario administration of oxotremorine, scopolamine or nicotine after memory reactivation either enhanced or impaired memory reconsolidation in a sex-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M C Krawczyk
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología de los Procesos de Memoria, Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J Millan
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología de los Procesos de Memoria, Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M G Blake
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica (IFIBIO UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - M M Boccia
- Laboratorio de Neurofarmacología de los Procesos de Memoria, Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
124
|
Abstract
This special issue of Cognitive Neuroscience focuses on sex differences in the brain. Berchicci, Bianco, and Di Russo found ERP auditory cortex activity was larger in females than males during sound perception. Spets, Fritch, Thakral, & Slotnick reported greater fMRI activity during high- versus low-confidence spatial memory in males than females within the lateral prefrontal cortex and other brain regions. Using fMRI resting-state data, Murray, Maurer, Peechatka, Frederick, Kaiser, and Janes observed females spent more time in transient dorsal attention/occipital/sensory-motor network states and males spent more time in transient salience network states, and de Lacy, Kutz, and Calhoun found that brain dynamism (transitioning between brain states) was correlated with anxiety/depression in males and drive/novelty-seeking/self-control in females. Kurth, Gaser, and Luders predicted the sex of girls and boys with an 80.4% accuracy using a classifier based on anatomic (MRI) data. In a discussion paper, Spets and Slotnick conducted an fMRI meta-analysis that revealed greater male than female long-term memory activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, visual processing regions, and the parahippocampal cortex, and argued against the claim there is reporting bias in sex-differences studies. In response to this discussion paper, commentaries were written by Cahill; de Lacy; Hausmann; McGlade, Rogowska, and Yurgelun-Todd; Sneider and Silveri; Tejavibulya and Scheinost; Wiersch and Weis; Young and Compère. It is hoped that these findings will help motivate a shift in the field to consider sex as a factor in cognitive neuroscience studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott D Slotnick
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
125
|
Mank JE, Rideout EJ. Developmental mechanisms of sex differences: from cells to organisms. Development 2021; 148:272484. [PMID: 34647574 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Male-female differences in many developmental mechanisms lead to the formation of two morphologically and physiologically distinct sexes. Although this is expected for traits with prominent differences between the sexes, such as the gonads, sex-specific processes also contribute to traits without obvious male-female differences, such as the intestine. Here, we review sex differences in developmental mechanisms that operate at several levels of biological complexity - molecular, cellular, organ and organismal - and discuss how these differences influence organ formation, function and whole-body physiology. Together, the examples we highlight show that one simple way to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of animal development is to include both sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Elizabeth J Rideout
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
126
|
Sex/gender differences in the brain are not trivial-A commentary on Eliot et al. (2021). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:408-409. [PMID: 34509515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this commentary to the comprehensive review by Eliot et al. (2021), we fully comply with rejecting the 'sexual dimorphism' concept in its extreme, binary form. However, we criticise the authors' extreme position and argue that sex/gender differences in the brain are far from being 'trivial' and 'unlikely to be meaningful'. Our key arguments refer to the importance of small effects which can have meaningful behavioural consequences, and to several non-binary sex/gender-related factors which might explain individual differences better than sex/gender per se and which have shown to play important roles as risk factors in the aetiology of many mental and neurodevelopmental disorders. We conclude that the biopsychosocial approach is key to understanding sex/gender differences in the brain better than we currently do.
Collapse
|
127
|
Jang EH, Bae YH, Yang EM, Gim Y, Suh HJ, Kim S, Park SM, Park JB, Hur EM. Comparing axon regeneration in male and female mice after peripheral nerve injury. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2874-2887. [PMID: 34510521 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Axons in the adult mammalian central nervous system fail to regenerate after injury. By contrast, spontaneous axon regeneration occurs in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) due to a supportive PNS environment and an increase in the intrinsic growth potential induced by injury via cooperative activation of multifaceted biological pathways. This study compared axon regeneration and injury responses in C57BL/6 male and female mice after sciatic nerve crush (SNC) injury. The extent of axon regeneration in vivo was indistinguishable in male and female mice when observed at 3 days after SNC injury, and primary dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from injured, male and female mice extended axons to a similar length. Moreover, the induction of selected regeneration-associated genes (RAGs), such as Atf3, Sprr1a, Gap43, Sox11, Jun, Gadd45a, and Smad1 were comparable in male and female DRGs when assessed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the RNA-seq analysis of male and female DRGs revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SNC groups compared to sham-operated groups included many common genes associated with neurite outgrowth. However, we also found that a large number of genes in the DEGs were sex dependent, implicating the involvement of distinct gene regulatory network in the two sexes following peripheral nerve injury. In conclusion, we found that male and female mice mounted a comparable axon regeneration response and many RAGs were commonly induced in response to SNC. However, given that many DEGs were sex-dependently expressed, future studies are needed to investigate whether they contribute to peripheral axon regeneration, and if so, to what extent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Hae Jang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yun-Hee Bae
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun Mo Yang
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,BK21 Four Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education & Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yunho Gim
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Jun Suh
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Subin Kim
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong-Min Park
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Bae Park
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea.,Rare Cancer Branch, Research Institute and Hospital, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Mi Hur
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,BK21 Four Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education & Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
128
|
Coenjaerts M, Pape F, Santoso V, Grau F, Stoffel-Wagner B, Philipsen A, Schultz J, Hurlemann R, Scheele D. Sex differences in economic decision-making: Exogenous estradiol has opposing effects on fairness framing in women and men. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 50:46-54. [PMID: 33957337 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Burgeoning evidence indicates that women are more sensitive to the context of an offer and show a stronger propensity to adjust their behavior with changing fairness frames. We evaluated whether the sex hormone estradiol and associated stereotypical beliefs contribute to fairness framings by administering topical estradiol (2 mg) to 108 healthy women and 104 heathy men in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled between-subject study design. Participants played the role of the responder in a modified version of the Ultimatum Game (UG), in which identical offers for the division of a given amount of money were framed as either fair or unfair. Furthermore, participants completed an unframed UG and a delayed discounting task to probe possible effects of estradiol on altruistic preferences and delay gratification. Our results show that women were more sensitive to fairness frames than men. Intriguingly, however, estradiol had sex-specific effects on fairness sensitivity by increasing the acceptance rate of proposals with a fair frame in men and reducing it in women. Furthermore, the mere belief of receiving estradiol treatment significantly increased the acceptance of unfair-framed offers in both sexes, but estradiol did not significantly alter the response to unframed offers and impulsive decision-making. Collectively, our findings indicate that estradiol has opposing effects on the sensitivity to the perceived fairness of economic offers in women and men. The profound effects of estradiol treatment and stereotypical beliefs provide support for the notion that sex differences in fairness framing are rooted in both biological and environmental factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Coenjaerts
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Frederike Pape
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Virginia Santoso
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Franziska Grau
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Birgit Stoffel-Wagner
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Johannes Schultz
- Center for Economics and Neuroscience, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Institute of Experimental Epileptology and Cognition Research, University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
129
|
Bontempi P, Podda R, Daducci A, Sonato N, Fattoretti P, Fiorini S, Tambalo S, Mosconi E, Merigo F, Balietti M, Marzola P. MRI characterization of rat brain aging at structural and functional level: Clues for translational applications. Exp Gerontol 2021; 152:111432. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
130
|
Gschwandtner U, Bogaarts G, Chaturvedi M, Hatz F, Meyer A, Fuhr P, Roth V. Dynamic Functional Connectivity of EEG: From Identifying Fingerprints to Gender Differences to a General Blueprint for the Brain's Functional Organization. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:683633. [PMID: 34456669 PMCID: PMC8385669 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.683633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An individual's brain functional organization is unique and can reliably be observed using modalities such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Here we demonstrate that a quantification of the dynamics of functional connectivity (FC) as measured using electroencephalography (EEG) offers an alternative means of observing an individual's brain functional organization. Using data from both healthy individuals as well as from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) (n = 103 healthy individuals, n = 57 PD patients), we show that “dynamic FC” (DFC) profiles can be used to identify individuals in a large group. Furthermore, we show that DFC profiles predict gender and exhibit characteristics shared both among individuals as well as between both hemispheres. Furthermore, DFC profile characteristics are frequency band specific, indicating that they reflect distinct processes in the brain. Our empirically derived method of DFC demonstrates the potential of studying the dynamics of the functional organization of the brain using EEG.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ute Gschwandtner
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Guy Bogaarts
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Menorca Chaturvedi
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florian Hatz
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antonia Meyer
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Fuhr
- Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Volker Roth
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
131
|
Fageera W, Sengupta SM, Fortier MÈ, Grizenko N, Babienco S, Labbe A, Joober R. Sex-dependent complex association of TPH2 with multiple dimensions of ADHD. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 110:110296. [PMID: 33677046 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of serotonin in the brain. This study aims to investigate the role of a functional variant in TPH2 (rs17110747) in the pathophysiology of ADHD. This variant has been implicated in mood disorders in recent meta-analysis. This study uses a comprehensive approach that combines association testing and pharmaco-dynamic evaluation of behaviour, in a large sample of children with ADHD (n = 570). METHODS The association between various ADHD relevant traits and rs17110747 was analyzed using family-based association tests (FBAT). Children were assessed by parents, teachers and research staff under three experimental conditions (EC): baseline, placebo, and methylphenidate using a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial. OUTCOMES FBAT analysis conducted in a sample stratified based on sex of the proband, showed that there was a highly significant overtransmission of the G allele from parents to affected girls. In addition, significant association with several behavioral and cognitive dimensions of ADHD was observed only when the proband was female. Further, girls with the G/G genotype (rs17110747) had greater response to placebo when evaluated by parents. INTERPRETATION These results suggest that there may be a complex association of TPH2 in the etiology of ADHD, with a sex-specific effect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weam Fageera
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sarojini M Sengupta
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Fortier
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Natalie Grizenko
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Svetlana Babienco
- Department of Decision Sciences, HEC Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Aurelie Labbe
- Department of Decision Sciences, HEC Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ridha Joober
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
132
|
Lin Y, Ding H, Zhang Y. Gender Differences in Identifying Facial, Prosodic, and Semantic Emotions Show Category- and Channel-Specific Effects Mediated by Encoder's Gender. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:2941-2955. [PMID: 34310173 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-20-00553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Purpose The nature of gender differences in emotion processing has remained unclear due to the discrepancies in existing literature. This study examined the modulatory effects of emotion categories and communication channels on gender differences in verbal and nonverbal emotion perception. Method Eighty-eight participants (43 females and 45 males) were asked to identify three basic emotions (i.e., happiness, sadness, and anger) and neutrality encoded by female or male actors from verbal (i.e., semantic) or nonverbal (i.e., facial and prosodic) channels. Results While women showed an overall advantage in performance, their superiority was dependent on specific types of emotion and channel. Specifically, women outperformed men in regard to two basic emotions (happiness and sadness) in the nonverbal channels and only the anger category with verbal content. Conversely, men did better for the anger category in the nonverbal channels and for the other two emotions (happiness and sadness) in verbal content. There was an emotion- and channel-specific interaction effect between the two types of gender differences, with male subjects showing higher sensitivity to sad faces and prosody portrayed by the female encoders. Conclusion These findings reveal explicit emotion processing as a highly dynamic complex process with significant gender differences tied to specific emotion categories and communication channels. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15032583.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Lin
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongwei Ding
- Speech-Language-Hearing Center, School of Foreign Languages, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences & Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis
| |
Collapse
|
133
|
Stang J, McElvany N. Unterschiede in der Wahrnehmung der Qualität des Deutschunterrichts zwischen Grundschülerinnen und Grundschülern. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PADAGOGISCHE PSYCHOLOGIE 2021. [DOI: 10.1024/1010-0652/a000275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Zusammenfassung. Der gleiche Unterricht wird von Schülerinnen und Schülern einer Klasse unterschiedlich wahrgenommen. Unklar ist, welche Schülermerkmale hierfür ursächlich sind. Aus der Forschung ist zudem bekannt, dass Schülereinschätzungen der Unterrichtsqualität prädiktiv für den Schulerfolg sind. Allerdings beziehen sich viele Arbeiten auf Lernende weiterführender Schulen sowie auf mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Fächer. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde in dieser Arbeit analysiert, ob zwischen Grundschülerinnen und Grundschülern systematische Unterschiede in der Wahrnehmung der Basisdimensionen von Unterrichtsqualität, Klassenführung, kognitive Aktivierung und Unterrichtsklima, im Deutschunterricht bestehen. Zusätzlich wurde untersucht, ob unter Kontrolle der individuellen Lesekompetenz die angenommenen Zusammenhänge bestehen bleiben. Des Weiteren wurde geprüft, ob die Unterrichtsqualitätseinschätzung geschlechtsbezogene Unterschiede in motivationalen Schülervariablen, welche für den Schulerfolg von Lernenden relevant sind, miterklären kann. Die Forschungsfragen wurden anhand der deutschen Teilstichprobe ( N = 3959, 49.2% weiblich) der Internationalen Grundschul-Lese-Untersuchung 2016 mit Mehrebenenmodellen überprüft. Mädchen nahmen das unterstützende Unterrichtsklima positiver wahr als Jungen. Das Geschlecht war hingegen nicht prädiktiv für die Wahrnehmung der Klassenführung und des Unterrichtsklimas. Auch unter Kontrolle der individuellen Lesekompetenz blieben die Zusammenhänge bestehen. Zusätzlich zeigte sich, dass die geschlechterbezogenen Unterschiede in der Lesemotivation und dem Leseverhalten durch die Wahrnehmung der Unterrichtsqualität vermittelt wurden. Die Ergebnisse werden inhaltlich und methodisch diskutiert. Implikationen für Forschung und Praxis werden abgeleitet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justine Stang
- Institut für Schulentwicklungsforschung, TU Dortmund
| | - Nele McElvany
- Institut für Schulentwicklungsforschung, TU Dortmund
| |
Collapse
|
134
|
Haase J, Jones AKC, Mc Veigh CJ, Brown E, Clarke G, Ahnert-Hilger G. Sex and brain region-specific regulation of serotonin transporter activity in synaptosomes in guanine nucleotide-binding protein G(q) alpha knockout mice. J Neurochem 2021; 159:156-171. [PMID: 34309872 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The regulation of the serotonin transporter (SERT) by guanine nucleotide-binding protein alpha (Gα) q was investigated using Gαq knockout mice. In the absence of Gαq, SERT-mediated uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) was enhanced in midbrain and frontal cortex synaptosomes, but only in female mice. The mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism were investigated using quantitative western blot analysis revealing brain region-specific differences. In the frontal cortex, SERT protein expression was decreased in male knockout mice, seemingly explaining the sex-dependent variation in SERT activity. The differential expression of Gαi1 in female mice contributes to the sex differences in the midbrain. In fact, Gαi1 levels inversely correlate with 5HT uptake rates across both sexes and genotypes. Likely due to differential SERT regulation as well as sex differences in the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase 2, Gαq knockout mice also displayed sex- and genotype-dependent alterations in total 5HT tissue levels as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Gαq inhibitors, YM-254890 and BIM-46187, differentially affected SERT activity in both, synaptosomes and cultured cells. YM-254890 treatment mimicked the effect of Gαq knockout in the frontal cortex. BIM-46187, which promotes the nucleotide-free form of Gα proteins, substantially inhibited 5HT uptake, prompting us to hypothesise that Gαq interacts with SERT similarly as with G-protein-coupled receptors and inhibits SERT activity by modulating transport-associated conformational changes. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel mechanism of SERT regulation and impact our understanding of sex differences in diseases associated with dysregulation of serotonin transmission, such as depression and anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana Haase
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aimée K C Jones
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Conor J Mc Veigh
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eric Brown
- UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland and Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gudrun Ahnert-Hilger
- Institute of Integrative Neuroanatomy, Charité University Medicine Berlin and Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
135
|
Granocchio E, De Salvatore M, Bonanomi E, Sarti D. Sex-related differences in reading achievement. J Neurosci Res 2021; 101:668-678. [PMID: 34240762 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 40 years, ever-growing interest in sex-related differences in the human brain has led to a vast amount of literature on the subject, a small part of which relates to studies of differences in the ability to read. The data concerning typically developing children mainly come from school-based screening projects (Programme for International Student Assessment, INVALSI) and partially from the standardization of reading tests. These have revealed the existence of a gap in favor of females that primarily appears during adolescence and in situations of sociocultural disadvantage, usually explained on the basis of environmental factors such as socioeconomic status and gender-based education. Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is significantly more prevalent among males, a difference that neuroimaging and genetic studies have attributed to the presence of hormone-related protective factors in females, although it has been hypothesized that a different neurocognitive substrate may also be involved. However, the literature on the subject is still limited, and further studies of the interactions between genetic risk, environmental factors, and brain phenotypes are needed to clarify why females are better at performing reading tasks and less susceptible to dyslexia, regardless of their language or the educational system in the country in which they live. The aim of this mini-review was to describe the studies that have investigated sex-related differences in reading ability in both typically and atypically developing subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Granocchio
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Marinella De Salvatore
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Bonanomi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniela Sarti
- Developmental Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
136
|
Brennan D, Wu T, Fan J. Morphometrical Brain Markers of Sex Difference. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3641-3649. [PMID: 33774662 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Many major neuropsychiatric pathologies, some of which appear in adolescence, show differentiated prevalence, onset, and symptomatology across the biological sexes. Therefore, mapping differences in brain structure between males and females during this critical developmental period may provide information about the neural mechanisms underlying the dimorphism of these pathologies. Utilizing a large dataset collected through the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, we investigated the differences of adolescent (9-10 years old) male and female brains (n = 8325) by using a linear Support-Vector Machine Classifier to predict sex based on morphometry and image intensity values of structural brain imaging data. The classifier correctly classified the sex of 86% individuals with the insula, the precentral and postcentral gyri, and the pericallosal sulcus as the most discernable features. These results demonstrate the existence of complex, yet robustly measurable morphometrical brain markers of sex difference.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Brennan
- Department of Psychology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Tingting Wu
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, NY 11367, USA
| | - Jin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Queens College, The City University of New York, Queens, NY 11367, USA
| |
Collapse
|
137
|
Jafari F, Mohammadi H, Amani R. The effect of zinc supplementation on brain derived neurotrophic factor: A meta-analysis. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2021; 66:126753. [PMID: 33831797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zinc in one of the most abundant trace minerals in human body which is involved in numerous biological pathways and has variety of roles in the nervous system. It has been assumed that zinc exerts its role in nervous system through increasing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations. OBJECTIVES Present meta-analysis was aimed to review the effect of zinc supplementation on serum concentrations of BDNF. METHODS AND MATERIALS Four electronic databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase) were searched for identifying studies that examined BDNF levels prior and after zinc supplementation up to May 2020. According to the Cochrane guideline, a meta-analysis was performed to pool the effect size estimate (Hedges' test) of serum BDNF across studies. Risk of publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and Egger's test. RESULTS Five studies were eligible and 238 participants were included. These studies enrolled subjects with premenstrual syndrome, diabetic retinopathy, major depression disorder, overweight/obese and obese with mild to moderate depressive disorders. Zinc supplementation failed to increase blood BDNF concentrations with effect size of 0.30 (95 % CI: -0.08, 0.67, P = 0.119). Funnel plot did not suggest publication bias. CONCLUSION Zinc supplementation may not significantly increase BDNF levels. However, the small number of included articles and significant heterogeneity between them can increase the risk of a false negative result; therefore, the results should be interpreted with caution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Jafari
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Hamed Mohammadi
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Reza Amani
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Food Security Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
138
|
Lee D, Son T. Structural connectivity differs between males and females in the brain object manipulation network. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253273. [PMID: 34115811 PMCID: PMC8195422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Object control skills are one of the most important abilities in daily life. Knowledge of object manipulation is an essential factor in improving object control skills. Although males and females equally try to use object manipulation knowledge, their object control abilities often differ. To explain this difference, we investigated how structural brain networks in males and females are differentially organized in the tool-preferring areas of the object manipulation network. The structural connectivity between the primary motor and premotor regions and between the inferior parietal regions in males was significantly higher than that in females. However, females showed greater structural connectivity in various regions of the object manipulation network, including the paracentral lobule, inferior parietal regions, superior parietal cortices, MT+ complex and neighboring visual areas, and dorsal stream visual cortex. The global node strength found in the female parietal network was significantly higher than that in males but not for the entire object manipulation, ventral temporal, and motor networks. These findings indicated that the parietal network in females has greater inter-regional structural connectivity to retrieve manipulation knowledge than that in males. This study suggests that differential structural networks in males and females might influence object manipulation knowledge retrieval.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dongha Lee
- Cognitive Science Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail:
| | - Taekwon Son
- Korea Brain Bank, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
139
|
Baldinger-Melich P, Urquijo Castro MF, Seiger R, Ruef A, Dwyer DB, Kranz GS, Klöbl M, Kambeitz J, Kaufmann U, Windischberger C, Kasper S, Falkai P, Lanzenberger R, Koutsouleris N. Sex Matters: A Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Sex- and Gender-Related Neuroanatomical Differences in Cis- and Transgender Individuals Using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:1345-1356. [PMID: 31368487 PMCID: PMC7132951 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Univariate analyses of structural neuroimaging data have produced heterogeneous results regarding anatomical sex- and gender-related differences. The current study aimed at delineating and cross-validating brain volumetric surrogates of sex and gender by comparing the structural magnetic resonance imaging data of cis- and transgender subjects using multivariate pattern analysis. Gray matter (GM) tissue maps of 29 transgender men, 23 transgender women, 35 cisgender women, and 34 cisgender men were created using voxel-based morphometry and analyzed using support vector classification. Generalizability of the models was estimated using repeated nested cross-validation. For external validation, significant models were applied to hormone-treated transgender subjects (n = 32) and individuals diagnosed with depression (n = 27). Sex was identified with a balanced accuracy (BAC) of 82.6% (false discovery rate [pFDR] < 0.001) in cisgender, but only with 67.5% (pFDR = 0.04) in transgender participants indicating differences in the neuroanatomical patterns associated with sex in transgender despite the major effect of sex on GM volume irrespective of the self-identification as a woman or man. Gender identity and gender incongruence could not be reliably identified (all pFDR > 0.05). The neuroanatomical signature of sex in cisgender did not interact with depressive features (BAC = 74.7%) but was affected by hormone therapy when applied in transgender women (P < 0.001).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pia Baldinger-Melich
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuroimaging Labs (NIL) PET, MRI, EEG, TMS and Chemical Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria F Urquijo Castro
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.,Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - René Seiger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuroimaging Labs (NIL) PET, MRI, EEG, TMS and Chemical Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anne Ruef
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.,Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Dominic B Dwyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.,Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Georg S Kranz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuroimaging Labs (NIL) PET, MRI, EEG, TMS and Chemical Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Joseph Kambeitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.,Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Ulrike Kaufmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Windischberger
- MR Centre of Excellence, Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Falkai
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Neuroimaging Labs (NIL) PET, MRI, EEG, TMS and Chemical Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikolaos Koutsouleris
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany.,Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
140
|
Bhargava A, Arnold AP, Bangasser DA, Denton KM, Gupta A, Hilliard Krause LM, Mayer EA, McCarthy M, Miller WL, Raznahan A, Verma R. Considering Sex as a Biological Variable in Basic and Clinical Studies: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement. Endocr Rev 2021; 42:219-258. [PMID: 33704446 PMCID: PMC8348944 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In May 2014, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) stated its intent to "require applicants to consider sex as a biological variable (SABV) in the design and analysis of NIH-funded research involving animals and cells." Since then, proposed research plans that include animals routinely state that both sexes/genders will be used; however, in many instances, researchers and reviewers are at a loss about the issue of sex differences. Moreover, the terms sex and gender are used interchangeably by many researchers, further complicating the issue. In addition, the sex or gender of the researcher might influence study outcomes, especially those concerning behavioral studies, in both animals and humans. The act of observation may change the outcome (the "observer effect") and any experimental manipulation, no matter how well-controlled, is subject to it. This is nowhere more applicable than in physiology and behavior. The sex of established cultured cell lines is another issue, in addition to aneuploidy; chromosomal numbers can change as cells are passaged. Additionally, culture medium contains steroids, growth hormone, and insulin that might influence expression of various genes. These issues often are not taken into account, determined, or even considered. Issues pertaining to the "sex" of cultured cells are beyond the scope of this Statement. However, we will discuss the factors that influence sex and gender in both basic research (that using animal models) and clinical research (that involving human subjects), as well as in some areas of science where sex differences are routinely studied. Sex differences in baseline physiology and associated mechanisms form the foundation for understanding sex differences in diseases pathology, treatments, and outcomes. The purpose of this Statement is to highlight lessons learned, caveats, and what to consider when evaluating data pertaining to sex differences, using 3 areas of research as examples; it is not intended to serve as a guideline for research design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Bhargava
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Arthur P Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kate M Denton
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Arpana Gupta
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lucinda M Hilliard Krause
- Cardiovascular Disease Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emeran A Mayer
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Margaret McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Walter L Miller
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institutes of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ragini Verma
- Diffusion and Connectomics In Precision Healthcare Research (DiCIPHR) lab, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
141
|
Hausmann M. Sex/gender differences in brain activity - it's time for a biopsychosocial approach to cognitive neuroscience. Cogn Neurosci 2021; 12:178-179. [PMID: 33975524 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2020.1853087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
There is compelling evidence that men and women differ in brain activity in long-term memory and other cognitive functions. However, until the origins of sex/gender differences in brain activity, and consequently behavior, are not fully understood, the factor sex/gender should be considered as imperfect proxy of a combination of yet unknown biological and psychosocial factors underlying these sex/gender differences. The key avenue to a full understanding of sex/gender differences in brain and behavior depends largely on cognitive neuroscience investigating sex/gender differences in brain activity within a biopsychosocial approach.
Collapse
|
142
|
Henze GI, Konzok J, Kreuzpointner L, Bärtl C, Giglberger M, Peter H, Streit F, Kudielka BM, Kirsch P, Wüst S. Sex-Specific Interaction Between Cortisol and Striato-Limbic Responses to Psychosocial Stress. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:972-984. [PMID: 33961049 PMCID: PMC8421693 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although women and men differ in psychological and endocrine stress responses as well as in the prevalence rates of stress-related disorders, knowledge on sex differences regarding stress regulation in the brain is scarce. Therefore, we performed an in-depth analysis of data from 67 healthy participants (31 women, taking oral contraceptives), who were exposed to the ScanSTRESS paradigm in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Changes in cortisol, affect, heart rate and neural activation in response to psychosocial stress were examined in women and men as well as potential sex-specific interactions between stress response domains. Stress exposure led to significant cortisol increases, with men exhibiting higher levels than women. Depending on sex, cortisol elevations were differently associated with stress-related responses in striato-limbic structures: higher increases were associated with activations in men but with deactivations in women. Regarding affect or heart rate responses, no sex differences emerged. Although women and men differ in their overall stress reactivity, our findings do not support the idea of distinct neural networks as the base of this difference. Instead, we found differential stress reactions for women and men in identical structures. We propose considering quantitative predictors such as sex-specific cortisol increases when exploring neural response differences of women and men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Julian Konzok
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Christoph Bärtl
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Giglberger
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hannah Peter
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Wüst
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
143
|
Karalija N, Papenberg G, Wåhlin A, Johansson J, Andersson M, Axelsson J, Riklund K, Lindenberger U, Nyberg L, Bäckman L. Sex differences in dopamine integrity and brain structure among healthy older adults: Relationships to episodic memory. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 105:272-279. [PMID: 34134056 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Normal brain aging is a multidimensional process that includes deterioration in various brain structures and functions, with large heterogeneity in patterns and rates of decline. Sex differences have been reported for various cognitive and brain parameters, but little is known in relation to neuromodulatory aspects of brain aging. We examined sex differences in dopamine D2-receptor (D2DR) availability in relation to episodic memory, but also, grey-matter volumes, white-matter lesions, and cerebral perfusion in healthy older adults (n = 181, age: 64-68 years) from the Cognition, Brain, and Aging study. Women had higher D2DR availability in midbrain and left caudate and putamen, as well as superior episodic memory performance. Controlling for left caudate D2DR availability attenuated sex differences in memory performance. In men, lower left caudate D2DR levels were associated with lower cortical perfusion and higher burden of white-matter lesions, as well as with episodic memory performance. However, sex was not a significant moderator of the reported links to D2DR levels. Our findings suggest that sex differences in multiple associations among DA receptor availability, vascular factors, and structural connectivity contribute to sex differences in episodic memory. Future longitudinal studies need to corroborate these patterns by lead-lag associations. This manuscript is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Neuroscience of Healthy and Pathological Aging' edited by Drs. M. N. Rajah, S. Belleville, and R. Cabeza. This article is part of the Virtual Special Issue titled COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE OF HEALTHY AND PATHOLOGICAL AGING. The full issue can be found on ScienceDirect at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/neurobiology-of-aging/special-issue/105379XPWJP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Karalija
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Goran Papenberg
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Wåhlin
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jarkko Johansson
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Micael Andersson
- Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan Axelsson
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Katrine Riklund
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany, and London
| | - Lars Nyberg
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging (UFBI), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden; Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lars Bäckman
- Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute & Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
144
|
Reckziegel D, Abdullah T, Wu B, Wu B, Huang L, Schnitzer TJ, Apkarian AV. Hippocampus shape deformation: a potential diagnostic biomarker for chronic back pain in women. Pain 2021; 162:1457-1467. [PMID: 33181581 PMCID: PMC8049947 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Sex differences in the quality and prevalence of chronic pain are manifold, with women generally presenting higher incidence and severity. Uncovering chronic pain-related sex differences inform neural mechanisms and may lead to novel treatment routes. In a multicenter morphological study (total n = 374), we investigated whether the shape of subcortical regions would reflect sex differences in back pain. Given the hormone-dependent functions of the hippocampus, and its role in the transition to chronic pain, this region constituted our primary candidate. We found that the anterior part of the left hippocampus (alHP) presented outer deformation in women with chronic back pain (CBP), identified in CBP in the United States (n = 77 women vs n = 78 men) and validated in a Chinese data set (n = 29 women vs n = 58 men with CBP, in contrast to n = 53 female and n = 43 male healthy controls). Next, we examined this region in subacute back pain who persisted with back pain a year later (SBPp; n = 18 women vs n = 18 men) and in a subgroup with persistent back pain for 3 years. Weeks after onset of back pain, there was no deformation within alHP, but at 1 and 3 years women exhibited a trend for outer deformation. The alHP partly overlapped with the subiculum and entorhinal cortex, whose functional connectivity, in healthy subjects, was associated with emotional and episodic memory related terms (Neurosynth, reverse inference). These findings suggest that in women the alHP undergoes anatomical changes with pain persistence, highlighting sexually dimorphic involvement of emotional and episodic memory-related circuitry with chronic pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diane Reckziegel
- Center for Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Taha Abdullah
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Binbin Wu
- Department of Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Bo Wu
- Department of Information, the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Lejian Huang
- Center for Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - Thomas J Schnitzer
- Center for Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Rheumatology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| | - A Vania Apkarian
- Center for Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA
| |
Collapse
|
145
|
Azanova M, Herrojo Ruiz M, Belianin AV, Klucharev V, Nikulin VV. Resting-State Theta Oscillations and Reward Sensitivity in Risk Taking. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:608699. [PMID: 33994916 PMCID: PMC8113640 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.608699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Females demonstrate greater risk aversion than males on a variety of tasks, but the underlying neurobiological basis is still unclear. We studied how theta (4–7 Hz) oscillations at rest related to three different measures of risk taking. Thirty-five participants (15 females) completed the Bomb Risk Elicitation Task (BRET), which allowed us to measure risk taking during an economic game. The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) was used to measure self-assessed risk attitudes as well as reward and punishment sensitivities. In addition, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS11) was included to quantify impulsiveness. To obtain measures of frontal theta asymmetry and frontal theta power, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) acquired prior to task completion, while participants were at rest. Frontal theta asymmetry correlated with average risk taking during the game but only in the female sample. By contrast, frontal theta power correlated with risk taking as well as with measures of reward and punishment sensitivity in the joint sample. Importantly, we showed that reward sensitivity mediated a correlation between risk taking and the power of theta oscillations localized to the anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, we observed significant sex differences in source- and sensor-space theta power, risk taking during the game, and reward sensitivity. Our findings suggest that sensitivity to rewards, associated with resting-state theta oscillations in the anterior cingulate cortex, is a trait that potentially contributes to sex differences in risk taking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Azanova
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Herrojo Ruiz
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexis V Belianin
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia.,International College of Economics and Finance, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasily Klucharev
- International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim V Nikulin
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
146
|
Lin F, Han X, Wang Y, Ding W, Sun Y, Zhou Y, Lei H. Sex-specific effects of cigarette smoking on caudate and amygdala volume and resting-state functional connectivity. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1-13. [PMID: 31898088 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00227-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated sex-specific differences in etiology, course and brain dysfunction that are associated with cigarette smoking. However, little is known about sex-specific differences in subcortical structure and function. In this study, structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 60 cigarette smokers (25 females) and 67 nonsmokers (28 females). The structural MRI was applied to identify deficits in sex-specific subcortical volume. Using resting-state fMRI, sex-related alterations in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) were investigated in subcortical nuclei with volume deficits as seed regions. Compared to nonsmokers, male but not female smokers demonstrated a significantly smaller volume in the left caudate, while female but not male smokers showed a smaller volume in the right amygdala. Resting-state FC analysis revealed that male but not female smokers had increased rsFC between the left caudate and the left prefrontal cortex but decreased rsFC within the bilateral caudate and between the right amygdala and right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Furthermore, the right amygdala volume was negatively correlated with the impulsivity score in female but not male smokers. The rsFC of the right amygdala-OFC circuit was negatively associated with the craving score in male but not female smokers. These findings indicate that cigarette smoking may have differential effects on the caudate and amygdala volumes as well as rsFC between men and women, contributing to our knowledge of sex-specific effects of nicotine addiction. Such sex-specific differences in subcortical structure and function may provide a methodological framework for the development of sex-specific relapse prevention therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuchun Lin
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xu Han
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Weina Ding
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yawen Sun
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Hao Lei
- National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
147
|
Brauns K, Friedl-Werner A, Gunga HC, Stahn AC. Effects of two months of bed rest and antioxidant supplementation on attentional processing. Cortex 2021; 141:81-93. [PMID: 34044245 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Physical inactivity across the lifespan is a growing public health concern affecting the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and central nervous system. Data on the effects of dietary antioxidants as neuroprotective treatments when physical activity levels are impaired are lacking. In this randomized controlled study, twenty young healthy men underwent 60 days of bed rest. Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 10) receiving a daily antioxidant supplement comprising polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and selenium or a control group (n = 10). Event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data from a three-stimulus oddball paradigm were collected eight days before bed rest, after 60 days of immobilization, and after eight days of recovery. After two months of bed rest, we found a significant decrease in task efficiency irrespective of the treatment that was corroborated by lower ERPs in fronto-central and parietal brain regions. Neither behavioral nor electrocortical data returned to baseline values after eight days of recovery. Our results provide support for the adverse and persistent neurobehavioral effects of prolonged bed rest, which could not be mitigated by antioxidant supplementation. These findings raise important implications for situations in which physical activity levels become severely restricted such as medical conditions or sedentary lifestyles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Brauns
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Physiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Friedl-Werner
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Physiology, Berlin, Germany; Université de Normandie, INSERM U 1075 COMETE, Caen, France
| | - Hanns-Christian Gunga
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Physiology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander C Stahn
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Physiology, Berlin, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19004, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
148
|
Kamp SM, Forester G, Vatheuer CC, Domes G. Stress effects on the oddball P300 and N2 in males and females. Biol Psychol 2021; 162:108095. [PMID: 33872742 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effect of psychosocial stress on electrophysiological markers of novelty and deviance processing, the N2 and P300, as well as sex differences therein. Participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or a control procedure, followed by an oddball paradigm. A physiological stress response was induced in both sexes in the TSST condition. Furthermore, a reduced target P300 amplitude was elicited in the TSST condition in fronto-central electrodes, an effect that did not differ in magnitude between both sexes. By contrast, stressor effects on N2 amplitude differed by sex: In females, N2 amplitude was decreased in the TSST condition, while in males, no stress effects were observed. Exploratory correlational analyses suggested that a stress-induced P300 amplitude reduction, at least in males, could be due to a modulation of adrenergic activity. These results are consistent with sex differences in the manner in which stress affects lower-level, stimulus-driven vs. higher-level, more controlled processing stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siri-Maria Kamp
- Neurocognitive Psychology Unit, University of Trier, Germany.
| | - Glen Forester
- Neurocognitive Psychology Unit, University of Trier, Germany
| | - C Carolyn Vatheuer
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Germany
| | - Gregor Domes
- Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, University of Trier, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
149
|
Swift KM, Keus K, Echeverria CG, Cabrera Y, Jimenez J, Holloway J, Clawson BC, Poe GR. Sex differences within sleep in gonadally intact rats. Sleep 2021; 43:5648150. [PMID: 31784755 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsz289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep impacts diverse physiological and neural processes and is itself affected by the menstrual cycle; however, few studies have examined the effects of the estrous cycle on sleep in rodents. Studies of disease mechanisms in females therefore lack critical information regarding estrous cycle influences on relevant sleep characteristics. We recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) activity from multiple brain regions to assess sleep states as well as sleep traits such as spectral power and interregional spectral coherence in freely cycling females across the estrous cycle and compared with males. Our findings show that the high hormone phase of proestrus decreases the amount of nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and increases the amount of time spent awake compared with other estrous phases and to males. This spontaneous sleep deprivation of proestrus was followed by a sleep rebound in estrus which increased NREM and REM sleep. In proestrus, spectral power increased in the delta (0.5-4 Hz) and the gamma (30-60 Hz) ranges during NREM sleep, and increased in the theta range (5-9 Hz) during REM sleep during both proestrus and estrus. Slow-wave activity (SWA) and cortical sleep spindle density also increased in NREM sleep during proestrus. Finally, interregional NREM and REM spectral coherence increased during proestrus. This work demonstrates that the estrous cycle affects more facets of sleep than previously thought and reveals both sex differences in features of the sleep-wake cycle related to estrous phase that likely impact the myriad physiological processes influenced by sleep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Swift
- Molecular and Integrative Physiology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Karina Keus
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Yesenia Cabrera
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Janelly Jimenez
- Psychology Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jasmine Holloway
- Psychology Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Brittany C Clawson
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Gina R Poe
- Integrative Biology and Physiology Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.,Psychiatry Department, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| |
Collapse
|
150
|
Lee SM, Majumder MA. National Institutes of Mental Health Data Archive: Privacy, Consent, and Diversity Considerations and Options for Improvement. AJOB Neurosci 2021; 13:3-9. [PMID: 33834954 DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2021.1904025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Data sharing is essential to further advance the field of neuropsychiatry. However, it raises significant ethical issues in the domains of privacy, consent, and diversity. We begin by considering the sensitive nature of much neuropsychiatric data. Next, we review relevant policies of the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), a prominent funder in this field. Because data sharing in neuropsychiatry is in its infancy and rapidly evolving, the NIMH policies serve as a helpful starting point for examining ethical considerations related to the collection and distribution of neuropsychiatric data. However, we find gaps in their guidance in each of the three key ethical domains. Finally, we illustrate how examination of lessons and strategies from other contexts where sustained attention has already been given to these ethical issues may add value by suggesting specific opportunities for improvement. In particular, we highlight approaches including a three-tiered data access scheme, use of technology to enhance the data sharing component of the informed consent process, and evidence-based, targeted recruitment of underrepresented populations to support diverse data resources. Assessment of current policy and potentially helpful innovations in other fields is a necessary step in moving the field forward in an ethically responsible manner.
Collapse
|