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Calabro FJ, Parr AC, Sydnor VJ, Hetherington H, Prasad KM, Ibrahim TS, Sarpal DK, Famalette A, Verma P, Luna B. Leveraging ultra-high field (7T) MRI in psychiatric research. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01980-6. [PMID: 39251774 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01980-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Non-invasive brain imaging has played a critical role in establishing our understanding of the neural properties that contribute to the emergence of psychiatric disorders. However, characterizing core neurobiological mechanisms of psychiatric symptomatology requires greater structural, functional, and neurochemical specificity than is typically obtainable with standard field strength MRI acquisitions (e.g., 3T). Ultra-high field (UHF) imaging at 7 Tesla (7T) provides the opportunity to identify neurobiological systems that confer risk, determine etiology, and characterize disease progression and treatment outcomes of major mental illnesses. Increases in scanner availability, regulatory approval, and sequence availability have made the application of UHF to clinical cohorts more feasible than ever before, yet the application of UHF approaches to the study of mental health remains nascent. In this technical review, we describe core neuroimaging methodologies which benefit from UHF acquisition, including high resolution structural and functional imaging, single (1H) and multi-nuclear (e.g., 31P) MR spectroscopy, and quantitative MR techniques for assessing brain tissue iron and myelin. We discuss advantages provided by 7T MRI, including higher signal- and contrast-to-noise ratio, enhanced spatial resolution, increased test-retest reliability, and molecular and neurochemical specificity, and how these have begun to uncover mechanisms of psychiatric disorders. Finally, we consider current limitations of UHF in its application to clinical cohorts, and point to ongoing work that aims to overcome technical hurdles through the continued development of UHF hardware, software, and protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finnegan J Calabro
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Ashley C Parr
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Valerie J Sydnor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Konasale M Prasad
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tamer S Ibrahim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Deepak K Sarpal
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alyssa Famalette
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Piya Verma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Hai T, Swansburg R, Kahl CK, Frank H, Stone K, Lemay JF, MacMaster FP. Right Superior Frontal Gyrus Cortical Thickness in Pediatric ADHD. J Atten Disord 2022; 26:1895-1906. [PMID: 35815438 PMCID: PMC9605998 DOI: 10.1177/10870547221110918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated the right Superior Frontal Gyrus (right-SFG) and Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) in children with ADHD and their clinical relevance with Executive Function (EF) and ADHD symptom severity. METHODS About 26 children with ADHD and 24 typically developing children (TDC; 7‒16 years) underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and completed an EF assessment battery. RESULTS Significantly thinner right-SFG in the ADHD group was found compared to the TDC group (t (48) = 2.81, p = .007, Cohen's d = 0.84). Linear regression models showed that 12.5% of inattention, 13.6% of hyperactivity, and 9.0% of EF variance was accounted for by the right-SFG thickness. CONCLUSIONS Differences in the right-SFG thickness were found in our ADHD group and were associated with parent ratings of inattentive and hyperactive symptoms as well with EF ratings. These results replicate previous findings of thinner right-SFG and are consistent with the delayed cortical maturation theory of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasmia Hai
- University of Calgary, AB, Canada,University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Frank P. MacMaster
- University of Calgary, AB, Canada,Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Calgary, AB, Canada,Frank P. MacMaster, Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital, 28 Oki Drive NW, Calgary, AB T3B 6A8, Canada.
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Laukka JJ, Kain KM, Rathnam AS, Sohi J, Khatib D, Kamholz J, Stanley JA. Altered high-energy phosphate and membrane metabolism in Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac202. [PMID: 36003325 PMCID: PMC9396944 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac202] [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: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease is an X-linked recessive leucodystrophy of the central nervous system caused by mutations affecting the major myelin protein, proteolipid protein 1. The extent of the altered in vivo neurochemistry of protein, proteolipid protein 1 duplications, the most common form of Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease, is, however, poorly understood. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy is the only in vivo technique that can assess the biochemistry associated with high-energy phosphate and membrane phospholipid metabolism across different cortical, subcortical and white matter areas. In this cross-sectional study, whole-brain, multi-voxel phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy was acquired at 3 T on 14 patients with Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease with protein, proteolipid protein 1 duplications and 23 healthy controls (all males). Anabolic and catabolic levels of membrane phospholipids (phosphocholine and phosphoethanolamine, and glycerophosphoethanolamine and glycerophosphocholine, respectively), as well as phosphocreatine, inorganic orthophosphate and adenosine triphosphate levels relative to the total phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy signal from 12 different cortical and subcortical areas were compared between the two groups. Independent of brain area, phosphocholine, glycerophosphoethanolamine and inorganic orthophosphate levels were significantly lower (P = 0.0025, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0002) and phosphocreatine levels were significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease patients compared with controls. Additionally, there was a significant group-by-brain area interaction for phosphocreatine with post-hoc analyses demonstrating significantly higher phosphocreatine levels in patients with Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease compared with controls across multiple brain areas (anterior and posterior white matter, superior parietal lobe, posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, occipital cortex, striatum and thalamus; all P ≤ 0.0042). Phosphoethanolamine, glycerophosphoethanolamine and adenosine triphosphate levels were not significantly different between groups. For the first-time, widespread alterations in phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite levels of Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease patients are being reported. Specifically, increased high-energy phosphate storage levels of phosphocreatine concomitant with decreased inorganic orthophosphate across multiple areas suggest a widespread reduction in the high-energy phosphate utilization in Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease, and the membrane phospholipid metabolite deficits suggest a widespread degradation in the neuropil content/maintenance of patients with Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease which includes axons, dendrites and astrocytes within cortex and the myelin microstructure and oligodendrocytes within white matter. These results provide greater insight into the neuropathology of Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease both in terms of energy expenditure and membrane phospholipid metabolites. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to investigate the utility of phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy as surrogate biomarkers in monitoring treatment intervention for Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy J Laukka
- Department of Medical Education, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences , Toledo, OH , USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences , Toledo, OH , USA
| | - Kevin M Kain
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City University , Kansas City, MO , USA
| | | | - Jasloveleen Sohi
- Department of Neurology, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine , MI , USA
| | - Dalal Khatib
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit, MI , USA
| | - John Kamholz
- Department of Neurology, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine , MI , USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine , Iowa City, IA , USA
| | - Jeffrey A Stanley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine , Detroit, MI , USA
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Neuroimaging in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Recent Advances. AJR. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ROENTGENOLOGY 2021; 218:321-332. [PMID: 34406053 DOI: 10.2214/ajr.21.26316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition, leading to impaired attention and impulsive behaviors diagnosed in, but not limited to, children. ADHD can cause symptoms throughout life. This article summarizes structural (conventional, volumetric, and diffusion tensor imaging MRI) and functional [task-based functional MRI (fMRI), resting state fMRI, PET, and MR spectroscopy] brain findings in patients with ADHD. Consensus is lacking regarding altered anatomic or functional imaging findings of the brain in children with ADHD, likely because of the disorder's heterogeneity. Most anatomic studies report abnormalities in the frontal lobes, basal ganglia, and corpus callosum; decreased surface area in the left ventral frontal and right prefrontal cortex; thinner medial temporal lobes; and smaller caudate nuclei. Using fMRI, researchers have focused on the prefrontal and temporal regions, reflecting perception-action mapping alterations. Artificial intelligence models evaluating brain anatomy have highlighted changes in cortical thickness and shape of the inferior frontal cortex, bilateral sensorimotor cortex, left temporal lobe, and insula. Early intervention and/or normal brain maturation can alter imaging patterns and convert functional imaging studies to a normal pattern. While the imaging findings provide insight into the disease's neuropathophysiology, no definitive structural or functional pattern defines the disorder from a neuroradiologic perspective.
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Santos-Díaz A, Noseworthy MD. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging (31P-MRS/MRSI) as a window to brain and muscle metabolism: A review of the methods. Biomed Signal Process Control 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2020.101967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Haszto CS, Stanley JA, Iyengar S, Prasad KM. Regionally Distinct Alterations in Membrane Phospholipid Metabolism in Schizophrenia: A Meta-analysis of Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Studies. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 5:264-280. [PMID: 31748123 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Existing data on altered membrane phospholipid metabolism in schizophrenia are diverse. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies of phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a noninvasive imaging approach that can assess molecular biochemistry of cortex by measuring phosphomonoester (PME) and phosphodiester (PDE) levels, which can provide evidence of altered biochemical processes involved in neuropil membrane expansion and contraction in schizophrenia. METHODS We analyzed PME and PDE data in the frontal and temporal lobes in subjects with schizophrenia from 24 peer-reviewed publications using the MAVIS package in R by building random- and fixed-effects models. Heterogeneity of effect sizes, effects of publication bias, and file drawer analysis were also assessed. RESULTS Subjects with schizophrenia showed lower PME levels in the frontal regions (p = .008) and elevated PDE levels in the temporal regions (p < .001) with significant heterogeneity. We noted significant publication bias and file drawer effect for frontal PME and PDE and temporal PDE levels, but not for temporal PME levels. Fail-safe analysis estimated that a high number of negative studies were required to provide nonsignificant results. CONCLUSIONS Despite methodological differences, these phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies demonstrate regionally specific imbalance in membrane phospholipid metabolism related to neuropil in subjects with schizophrenia compared with control subjects reflecting neuropil contraction. Specifically, decreased PME levels in the frontal regions and elevated PDE levels in the temporal regions provide evidence of decreased synthesis and increased degradation of neuropil membrane, respectively. Notwithstanding significant heterogeneity and publication bias, a large number of negative studies are required to render the results of this meta-analysis nonsignificant. These findings warrant further postmortem and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor S Haszto
- Kenneth Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jeffrey A Stanley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Satish Iyengar
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Konasale M Prasad
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Dow-Edwards D, MacMaster FP, Peterson BS, Niesink R, Andersen S, Braams BR. Experience during adolescence shapes brain development: From synapses and networks to normal and pathological behavior. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2019; 76:106834. [PMID: 31505230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2019.106834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of dramatic neural reorganization creating a period of vulnerability and the possibility for the development of psychopathology. The maturation of various neural circuits during adolescence depends, to a large degree, on one's experiences both physical and psychosocial. This occurs through a process of plasticity which is the structural and functional adaptation of the nervous system in response to environmental demands, physiological changes and experiences. During adolescence, this adaptation proceeds upon a backdrop of structural and functional alterations imparted by genetic and epigenetic factors and experiences both prior to birth and during the postnatal period. Plasticity entails an altering of connections between neurons through long-term potentiation (LTP) (which alters synaptic efficiency), synaptogenesis, axonal sprouting, dendritic remodeling, neurogenesis and recruitment (Skaper et al., 2017). Although most empirical evidence for plasticity derives from studies of the sensory systems, recent studies have suggested that during adolescence, social, emotional, and cognitive experiences alter the structure and function of the networks subserving these domains of behavior. Each of these neural networks exhibits heightened vulnerability to experience-dependent plasticity during the sensitive periods which occur in different circuits and different brain regions at specific periods of development. This report will summarize some examples of adaptation which occur during adolescence and some evidence that the adolescent brain responds differently to stimuli compared to adults and children. This symposium, "Experience during adolescence shapes brain development: from synapses and networks to normal and pathological behavior" occurred during the Developmental Neurotoxicology Society/Teratology Society Annual Meeting in Clearwater Florida, June 2018. The sections will describe the maturation of the brain during adolescence as studied using imaging technologies, illustrate how plasticity shapes the structure of the brain using examples of pathological conditions such as Tourette's' syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a review of the key molecular systems involved in this plasticity and how some commonly abused substances alter brain development. The role of stimulants used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the plasticity of the reward circuit is then described. Lastly, clinical data promoting an understanding of peer-influences on risky behavior in adolescents provides evidence for the complexity of the roles that peers play in decision making, a phenomenon different from that in the adult. Imaging studies have revealed that activation of the social network by the presence of peers at times of decision making is unique in the adolescent. Since normal brain development relies on experiences which alter the functional and structural connections between cells within circuits and networks to ultimately alter behavior, readers can be made aware of the myriad of ways normal developmental processes can be hijacked. The vulnerability of developing adolescent brain places the adolescent at risk for the development of a life time of abnormal behaviors and mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Dow-Edwards
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, United States of America.
| | - Frank P MacMaster
- Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Addiction and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, The Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Raymond Niesink
- Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Faculty of Management, Science and Technology, School of Science, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Susan Andersen
- McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - B R Braams
- Department of Psychology, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
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Neuropil contraction in relation to Complement C4 gene copy numbers in independent cohorts of adolescent-onset and young adult-onset schizophrenia patients-a pilot study. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:134. [PMID: 30026462 PMCID: PMC6053402 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0181-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A recent report suggested Complement 4 (C4A) gene copy numbers (GCN) as risk factors for schizophrenia. Rodent model showed association of C4 with synaptic pruning suggesting its pathophysiological significance (Sekar, A. et al. (2016)). We, therefore, predicted that C4A GCN would be positively correlated with neuropil contraction in the human brain among schizophrenia patients showing more prominent correlations in ventral regions among young adults and dorsal regions among adolescents since neuromaturation progresses dorsoventrally. Whole-brain, multi-voxel, in vivo phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS) assessed neuropil changes by estimating levels of membrane phospholipid (MPL) precursors and catabolites. Increased MPL catabolites and/or decreased MPL precursors indexed neuropil contraction. Digital droplet PCR-based assay was used to estimate C4A and C4B GCN. We evaluated two independent cohorts (young adult-onset early-course schizophrenia (YASZ = 15) and adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOSZ = 12) patients), and controls matched for each group, n = 22 and 15, respectively. Separate forward stepwise linear regression models with Akaike information Criterion were built for MPL catabolites and precursors. YASZ cohort: Consistent with the rodent model (Sekar, A. et al. 2016)), C4A GCN positively correlated with neuropil contraction (increased pruning/decreased formation) in the inferior frontal cortex and inferior parietal lobule. AOSZ cohort: C4A GCN positively correlated with neuropil contraction in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and thalamus. Exploratory analysis of C4B GCN showed positive correlation with neuropil contraction in the cerebellum and superior temporal gyrus among YASZ while AOSZ showed neuropil contraction in the prefrontal and subcortical structures. Thus, C4A and C4B GCN are associated with neuropil contraction in regions often associated with schizophrenia, and may be neuromaturationally dependent.
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Cognitive impairments associated with alterations in synaptic proteins induced by the genetic loss of adenosine A 2A receptors in mice. Neuropharmacology 2017; 126:48-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Magnetization transfer imaging identifies basal ganglia abnormalities in adult ADHD that are invisible to conventional T1 weighted voxel-based morphometry. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2017; 15:8-14. [PMID: 28458999 PMCID: PMC5397127 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In childhood, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is reliably associated with reduced volume of the striatum. In contrast, striatal abnormalities are infrequently detected in voxel-based morphometry (VBM) neuroimaging studies of adults with ADHD. This discrepancy has been suggested to reflect normalisation of striatal morphology with age and prolonged treatment of symptoms. If so, this would indicate that while striatal abnormalities are linked to symptom expression in childhood, they cannot explain the persistence of these symptoms in adulthood. However, this may not be case. Instead, we hypothesized that the lack of evidence for striatal abnormalities in adult ADHD may reflect poor sensitivity of typical (T1-weighted) neuroimaging to detect subcortical differences. To address this, we acquired both magnetisation transfer (MT) saturation maps optimised for subcortical contrast, and conventional T1-weighted images in 30 adults with ADHD and 30 age, IQ, gender and handedness-matched controls. Using VBM of both datasets, we demonstrate volumetric reductions within the left ventral striatum on MT that are not observed on identically pre-processed T1-weighted images from the same participants. Nevertheless, both techniques reported similar sensitivity to cortical abnormalities in the right inferior parietal lobe. Additionally, we show that differences in striatal iron may potentially explain this reduced sensitivity of T1-weighted images in adults. Together, these findings indicate that prior VBM studies reporting no abnormalities in striatal volume in adult ADHD might have been compromised by the methodological insensitivity of T1-weighted VBM to subcortical differences, and that structural abnormalities of the striatum in ADHD do indeed persist into adulthood. Striatal grey matter changes in adult ADHD are robustly observed using VBM of MT maps. These changes are not detectable when using typical T1 images in the same subjects. Prior negative findings using T1-VBM in adults were thought to reflect therapeutic volumetric normalisation. We suggest that such findings reflect the insensitivity of T1-VBM to these changes, not structural normalisation.
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Friedman AL, Burgess A, Ramaseshan K, Easter P, Khatib D, Chowdury A, Arnold PD, Hanna GL, Rosenberg DR, Diwadkar VA. Brain network dysfunction in youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder induced by simple uni-manual behavior: The role of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Psychiatry Res 2017; 260:6-15. [PMID: 27992792 PMCID: PMC5302006 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to elucidate differences in functioning brain networks between youth with obsessive-compulsive disorder and controls, we used fMRI signals to analyze brain network interactions of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) during visually coordinated motor responses. Subjects made a uni-manual response to briefly presented probes, at periodic (allowing participants to maintain a "motor set") or random intervals (demanding reactive responses). Network interactions were assessed using psycho-physiological interaction (PPI), a basic model of functional connectivity evaluating modulatory effects of the dACC in the context of each task condition. Across conditions, OCD were characterized by hyper-modulation by the dACC, with loci alternatively observed as both condition-general and condition-specific. Thus, dynamically driven task demands during simple uni-manual motor control induce compensatory network interactions in cortical-thalamic regions in OCD. These findings support previous research in OCD showing compensatory network interactions during complex memory tasks, but establish that these network effects are observed during basic sensorimotor processing. Thus, these patterns of network dysfunction may in fact be independent of the complexity of tasks used to induce brain network activity. Hypothesis-driven approaches coupled with sophisticated network analyses are a highly valuable approach in using fMRI to uncover mechanisms in disorders like OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Friedman
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ashley Burgess
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Karthik Ramaseshan
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Phil Easter
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Dalal Khatib
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Paul D Arnold
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gregory L Hanna
- Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - David R Rosenberg
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Prasad KM, Burgess AM, Keshavan MS, Nimgaonkar VL, Stanley JA. Neuropil pruning in Early-Course Schizophrenia: Immunological, Clinical, and Neurocognitive Correlates. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2016; 1:528-538. [PMID: 28255578 PMCID: PMC5328666 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuropathological studies suggest neuropil reduction in schizophrenia. Altered synaptic pruning is proposed to underlie neuropil reduction. Underlying factors and clinical correlates of synaptic pruning are poorly understood. Using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P MRS), it is feasible to assess membrane phospholipid (MPL) metabolites in the brain that specifically and sensitively reflect neuropil expansion (elevated MPL precursors) or contraction (elevated MPL catabolites). METHODS We examined MPL metabolites and their cognitive, clinical and immunologic correlates among 28 early-course schizophrenia individuals (illness duration 1.99±1.33 years; antipsychotic-naïve=18) and 21 controls. We acquired whole-brain multi-voxel 31P MRS data from 12 unique brain regions. Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assayed in the serum. Generalized linear mixed models examined case-control differences in MPL metabolites in these regions correcting for multiple testing. Partial correlations accounting for multiple tests examined the relationship of Interleukin-6 and CRP levels with MPL metabolite levels. RESULTS MPL catabolite levels were increased in the thalamus in schizophrenia compared to controls. Interleukin-6 and CRP levels did not show case-control differences. Interleukin-6 levels positively correlated with MPL catabolite levels in the thalamus after correcting for multiple tests. The left thalamus MPL catabolite levels correlated negatively with sustained attention (corrected p=0.039). DISCUSSION Elevated MPL catabolites in the thalamus suggest increased neuropil contraction that may be related to excessive synaptic pruning. The thalamic neuropil contraction is associated with Interleukin-6 levels suggesting central pathogenic mechanisms for the inflammatory mediators. Correlation of increased thalamic MPL catabolite levels with cognitive impairments suggests clinical correlates of neuropil contraction.
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Endres D, Perlov E, Maier S, Feige B, Nickel K, Goll P, Bubl E, Lange T, Glauche V, Graf E, Ebert D, Sobanski E, Philipsen A, Tebartz van Elst L. Normal Neurochemistry in the Prefrontal and Cerebellar Brain of Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:242. [PMID: 26441572 PMCID: PMC4585345 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. In an attempt to extend earlier neurochemical findings, we organized a magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study as part of a large, government-funded, prospective, randomized, multicenter clinical trial comparing the effectiveness of specific psychotherapy with counseling and stimulant treatment with placebo treatment (Comparison of Methylphenidate and Psychotherapy Study). We report the baseline neurochemical data for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the cerebellum in a case–control setting. For the trial, 1,480 adult patients were contacted for participation, 518 were assessed for eligibility, 433 were randomized, and 187 were potentially eligible for neuroimaging. The control group included 119 healthy volunteers. Single-voxel proton MRS was performed. In the patient group, 113 ACC and 104 cerebellar spectra fulfilled all quality criteria for inclusion in statistical calculations, as did 82 ACC and 78 cerebellar spectra in the control group. We did not find any significant neurometabolic differences between the ADHD and control group in the ACC (Wilks’ lambda test: p = 0.97) or in the cerebellum (p = 0.62). Thus, we were unable to replicate earlier findings in this methodologically sophisticated study. We discuss our findings in the context of a comprehensive review of other MRS studies on ADHD and a somewhat skeptical neuropsychiatric research perspective. As in other neuropsychiatric disorders, the unclear nosological status of ADHD might be an explanation for false-negative findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Endres
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Evgeniy Perlov
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Simon Maier
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Bernd Feige
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Kathrin Nickel
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Peter Goll
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Emanuel Bubl
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Thomas Lange
- Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany ; Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, Albert-Ludwigs-University , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Volkmar Glauche
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Erika Graf
- Clinical Trials Unit, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Dieter Ebert
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Esther Sobanski
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute for Mental Health Mannheim , Mannheim , Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg , Freiburg , Germany
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Altabella L, Zoratto F, Adriani W, Canese R. MR imaging-detectable metabolic alterations in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: from preclinical to clinical studies. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2014; 35:S55-63. [PMID: 24481327 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a3843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
MR spectroscopy represents one of the most suitable in vivo tool to assess neurochemical dysfunction in several brain disorders, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder in childhood and adolescence, which persists into adulthood (in approximately 30%-50% of cases). In past years, many studies have applied different MR spectroscopy techniques to investigate the pathogenesis and effect of conventional treatments. In this article, we review the most recent clinical and preclinical MR spectroscopy results on subjects with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and animal models, from childhood to adulthood. We found that the most investigated brain regions were the (pre)frontal lobes and striatum, both involved in the frontostriatal circuits and networks that are known to be impaired in this pathology. Neurometabolite alterations were detected in several regions: the NAA, choline, and glutamatergic compounds. The creatine pool was also altered when an absolute quantitative protocol was adopted. In particular, glutamate was increased in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and this can apparently be reversed by methylphenidate treatment. The main difficulties in reviewing MR spectroscopy studies were in the nonhomogeneity of the analyzed subjects, the variety of the investigated brain regions, and also the use of different MR spectroscopy techniques. As for possible improvements in future studies, we recommend the use of standardized protocols and the analysis of other brain regions of particular interest for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, like the hippocampus, limbic structures, thalamus, and cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Altabella
- From the Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences (L.A., F.Z., W.A., R.C.), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - F Zoratto
- From the Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences (L.A., F.Z., W.A., R.C.), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, ItalyBambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS (F.Z.), Rome, Italy
| | - W Adriani
- From the Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences (L.A., F.Z., W.A., R.C.), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - R Canese
- From the Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences (L.A., F.Z., W.A., R.C.), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
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Diwadkar VA, Pruitt P, Zhang A, Radwan J, Keshavan MS, Murphy E, Rajan U, Zajac-Benitez C. The neural correlates of performance in adolescents at risk for schizophrenia: inefficiently increased cortico-striatal responses measured with fMRI. J Psychiatr Res 2012; 46:12-21. [PMID: 22033368 PMCID: PMC5731832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2011] [Revised: 09/09/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND fMRI studies indicate that schizophrenia patients and their adult relatives require greater prefrontal activation to maintain performance at levels equal to controls, but studies have not established if this pattern of inefficiency is observed in child and adolescent offspring of schizophrenia patients (SCZ-Off). METHODS Using a task with visual working memory demands, we investigated activation in cortico-striatal networks and dorsal prefrontal modulation of regions underlying visual working memory in a group of SCZ-Off (n = 19) and controls with no family history of psychosis (n = 25 subjects) using an event-related design. Trials were divided based on memory performance (correct vs. incorrect) to specifically identify the neural correlates of correct working memory performance. RESULTS Whereas groups did not differ in terms of behavioral accuracy, SCZ-Off demonstrated significantly increased fMRI-measured activation in dorsal prefrontal cortex and the caudate nucleus during correct, relative to incorrect memory performance. Whereas activation in SCZ-Off was high and independent of performance in each region, in controls the fMRI response was related to behavioral proficiency in the caudate. Further, exploratory analyses indicated that this inefficiency in the dorsal prefrontal cortex response increased with age in SCZ-Off (but in no other regions or group). Finally, these differences were not based in differences in dorsal prefrontal modulation of other regions during successful performance. DISCUSSION These results are consistent with observed patterns in adult patients and first-degree relatives. Inefficient fronto-striatal responses during working memory may characterize the schizophrenia diathesis and may reflect the effects of the illness and vulnerability for the illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav A Diwadkar
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM, MI 48201, USA.
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Whitaker AH, Feldman JF, Lorenz JM, McNicholas F, Fisher PW, Shen S, Pinto-Martin J, Shaffer D, Paneth N. Neonatal head ultrasound abnormalities in preterm infants and adolescent psychiatric disorders. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 68:742-52. [PMID: 21727256 DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Infants born prematurely are at risk for a perinatal encephalopathy characterized by white and gray matter injuries that affect subsequent cortical development and neural connectivity and potentially increase risk for later psychiatric disorder. OBJECTIVE To determine the relation of perinatal brain injury, as detected by neonatal head ultrasound, to psychiatric disorders in adolescents who were born prematurely. DESIGN Prospective cohort. SETTING Community. PARTICIPANTS Adolescent survivors of a population-based low-birth-weight (<2000 g; 96% preterm; born 1984-1987) cohort (n = 1105) screened as neonates with serial head ultrasounds. Neonatal head ultrasound abnormalities were categorized as either (1) germinal matrix and/or intraventricular hemorrhage or (2) parenchymal lesions and/or ventricular enlargement. Of 862 eligible survivors, 628 (72.9%) were assessed at age 16 years. The sample consisted of 458 nondisabled survivors assessed in person. Main Outcome Measure Adolescent current and lifetime psychiatric disorders assessed with parent report on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV. RESULTS Compared with no abnormality, germinal matrix/intraventricular hemorrhage increased risk for current major depressive disorder (odds ratio, 2.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-6.8) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (9.5; 3.0-30.1). Parenchymal lesions/ventricular enlargement increased risk for current attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattentive type (odds ratio, 7.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-26.5), tic disorders (8.4; 2.4-29.6), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (7.6; 1.39-42.0). Parenchymal lesions/ventricular enlargement were not related to lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-inattentive type, but all other relations were similar for lifetime disorders. Control for other early risk factors did not alter these relations. Most of these relations persisted with control for concurrent cognitive or motor problems. CONCLUSION In preterm infants, 2 distinct types of perinatal brain injury detectable with neonatal head ultrasound selectively increase risk in adolescence for psychiatric disorders in which dysfunction of subcortical-cortical circuits has been implicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes H Whitaker
- Division of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Szuromi B, Czobor P, Komlósi S, Bitter I. P300 deficits in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med 2011; 41:1529-1538. [PMID: 20961477 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291710001996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The P300 (P3) event-related potential (ERP) component, a possible endophenotype for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been widely examined in children, but received little attention in adults. Our objective was to conduct a meta-analysis of P3 studies in adults with ADHD. METHOD We searched the Medline and PsycINFO databases for controlled studies examining both adult ADHD and matched healthy controls. Six relevant publications were identified for the meta-analysis, which had comparable data across studies with regard to the amplitude of ERP components related to target detection (P3, P3b). Pooled effect size (ES) for P3 amplitude as well as the association of the ES with age and gender were investigated using meta-regression. RESULTS Comparing the ADHD group versus controls, the pooled effect size for a decrease in P3 amplitude was in the medium range (Cohen's d=-0.55, p=0.0006). Additionally, meta-regression revealed that decrease in P3 amplitude significantly varied with the mean age of ADHD patients (p=0.0087), with a gradual increasing of the difference at higher ages. Results also showed a significant association between the ES and gender, indicating a more pronounced reduction of P3 amplitude in the ADHD group versus controls when females were predominantly represented in the sample. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis of P3 characteristics in adults with ADHD. It reveals a significantly decreased P3 amplitude during target detection. Our result that the reduction in P3 amplitude increases with age is interpreted in a neurodevelopmental context.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Szuromi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
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18
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Bledsoe JC, Semrud-Clikeman M, Pliszka SR. Neuroanatomical and neuropsychological correlates of the cerebellum in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder--combined type. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2011; 50:593-601. [PMID: 21621143 PMCID: PMC3104210 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2011.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2010] [Revised: 02/08/2011] [Accepted: 02/24/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies of healthy individuals and those with cerebellar damage have implicated the cerebellum in a variety of cognitive and behavioral processes. Decreased cerebellar volume has been found in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and differentially related to behavioral outcomes. The present study investigated whether smaller cerebellar vermis volume was present in children with ADHD-combined type (ADHD-C) compared with controls and whether volume related to parent- and teacher-reported levels of ADHD symptomatology. METHOD T1-weighted magnetic resonance images and parent- and teacher-reported ADHD symptoms were acquired for 32 children diagnosed with ADHD-C and 15 typically developing controls. Participants were right-handed, had no comorbid diagnoses of learning disabilities, conduct disorder, or affective/mood disorder, and were 9 to 15 years of age. RESULTS Participants with ADHD-C showed significantly smaller volume in the posterior inferior vermis compared with controls. No statistically significant differences were observed for cerebral volume, anterior vermis volume, posterior superior volume, or total cerebellar volume. Regression analyses indicated that a significant amount of the variance in parent-reported Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition, Hyperactivity and Attention and Conners Restless/Impulsive ratings was explained by volume of the posterior inferior vermis. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous studies, children with ADHD had smaller volume in the posterior inferior vermis. New findings emerged with smaller volume of the posterior inferior vermis predicting a significant amount of the variance in parent-reported hyperactivity, attention, and restlessness/impulsivity. Thus, symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention in ADHD may be partly explained by smaller volume of the cerebellar vermis and its connections within the cerebrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse C Bledsoe
- Michigan State University, Consortium for Neurodevelopmental Study, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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19
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Shaw P, Gilliam M, Liverpool M, Weddle C, Malek M, Sharp W, Greenstein D, Evans A, Rapoport J, Giedd J. Cortical development in typically developing children with symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity: support for a dimensional view of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Psychiatry 2011; 168:143-51. [PMID: 21159727 PMCID: PMC3268520 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.10030385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is considerable epidemiological and neuropsychological evidence that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is best considered dimensionally, lying at the extreme end of a continuous distribution of symptoms and underlying cognitive impairments. The authors investigated whether cortical brain development in typically developing children with symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity resembles that found in the syndrome of ADHD. Specifically, they examined whether a slower rate of cortical thinning during late childhood and adolescence, which they previously found in ADHD, is also linked to the severity of symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity in typically developing children. METHOD In a longitudinal analysis, a total of 193 typically developing children with 389 neuroanatomic magnetic resonance images and varying levels of symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity (measured with the Conners' Parent Rating Scale) were contrasted with 197 children with ADHD with 337 imaging scans. The relationship between the rates of regional cortical thinning and severity of symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity was determined. RESULTS Youth with higher levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity had a slower rate of cortical thinning, predominantly in prefrontal cortical regions, bilaterally in the middle frontal/premotor gyri, extending down the medial prefrontal wall to the anterior cingulate; the orbitofrontal cortex; and the right inferior frontal gyrus. For each increase of one point in the hyperactivity/impulsivity score, there was a decrease in the rate of regional cortical thinning of 0.0054 mm/year (SE=0.0019 mm/year). Children with ADHD had the slowest rate of cortical thinning. CONCLUSIONS Slower cortical thinning during adolescence characterizes the presence of both the symptoms and syndrome of ADHD, providing neurobiological evidence for dimensionality of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Shaw
- Child Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Thaler NS, Allen DN, Park BS, McMurray JC, Mayfield J. Attention processing abnormalities in children with traumatic brain injury and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: differential impairment of component processes. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2010; 32:929-36. [PMID: 20401771 DOI: 10.1080/13803391003596488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with acquired and neurodevelopmental brain disorders often exhibit deficits in attention. Recent models of attention have conceptualized it as a multicomponent system. One influential model proposed by Mirsky et al. (1991) consists of factors that include focus, sustain, shift, and encode components. This model has been used to examine the structure of attention in a variety of clinical populations although few studies have contrasted performance of various clinical groups in order to determine whether these components are differentially affected. To address this issue, the current study investigated the differential sensitivity of these attention components in 90 children: 30 who had sustained traumatic brain injury (TBI), 30 who were diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 30 normal controls. Results demonstrated that the TBI group had significantly lower focus factor scores, the ADHD group had significantly lower sustain scores, and that both clinical groups had lower encode factor scores than controls. Stepwise discriminant function analysis (DFA) retained the focus and encode factors in predicting clinical groups from controls with 75.6% accuracy. A second DFA retained the focus factor in differentiating the two clinical groups with 70.0% accuracy. These findings provide evidence of differential attention deficits resulting from TBI and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas S Thaler
- Department of Psychology, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030, USA
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Yang P, Wu MT, Dung SS, Ko CW. Short-TE proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy investigation in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatry Res 2010; 181:199-203. [PMID: 20153148 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2007] [Revised: 10/02/2009] [Accepted: 10/08/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this study, short echo time (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was applied for quantification of neurometabolites using the LC Model algorithm in Taiwanese adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Proton magnetic resonance spectra were acquired bilaterally on the prefrontal area (part of the anterior cingulate gyrus and part of the medial frontal gyrus) in 15 adolescents with ADHD (average age of 13.88years) and 22 controls (average age of 14.85years). Absolute metabolite levels and ratios relative to creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cr+PCr) were obtained to be compared between groups. Results showed that adolescents with ADHD had significantly lower mean right prefrontal levels of Cr+PCr as compared with the controls. No significant differences between groups were noted in the remainder of the prefrontal metabolites. As for the group comparison of relative ratios, the N-acetylaspartate/Cr+PCr ratio was significantly higher in the right prefrontal regions of ADHD adolescents. This finding provides evidence of a right prefrontal neurochemical alteration in ADHD adolescents, which is consistent with current ADHD theory of prefrontal neuropathology with developmental mechanism. In addition, it highlights the importance of the method in interpretation of MRS findings in the context of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinchen Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University and Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Howells FM, Bindewald L, Russell VA. Cross-fostering does not alter the neurochemistry or behavior of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Behav Brain Funct 2009; 5:24. [PMID: 19549323 PMCID: PMC2711096 DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-5-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2009] [Accepted: 06/23/2009] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable developmental disorder resulting from complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. The most widely used animal model, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), displays the major symptoms of ADHD (deficits in attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity) and has a disturbance in the noradrenergic system when compared to control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The aim of the present study was to determine whether the ADHD-like characteristics of SHR were purely genetically determined or dependent on the gene-environment interaction provided by the SHR dam. Methods SHR/NCrl (Charles River, USA), WKY/NCrl (Charles River, USA) and Sprague Dawley rats (SD/Hsd, Harlan, UK) were bred at the University of Cape Town. Rat pups were cross-fostered on postnatal day 2 (PND 2). Control rats remained with their birth mothers to serve as a reference for their particular strain phenotype. Behavior in the open-field and the elevated-plus maze was assessed between PND 29 and 33. Two days later, rats were decapitated and glutamate-stimulated release of [3H]norepinephrine was determined in prefrontal cortex and hippocampal slices. Results There was no significant effect of "strain of dam" but there was a significant effect of "pup strain" on all parameters investigated. SHR pups travelled a greater distance in the open field, spent a longer period of time in the inner zone and entered the inner zone of the open-field more frequently than SD or WKY. SD were more active than WKY in the open-field. WKY took longer to enter the inner zone than SHR or SD. In the elevated-plus maze, SHR spent less time in the closed arms, more time in the open arms and entered the open arms more frequently than SD or WKY. There was no difference between WKY and SD behavior in the elevated-plus maze. SHR released significantly more [3H]norepinephrine in response to glutamate than SD or WKY in both hippocampus and prefrontal cortex while SD prefrontal cortex released more [3H]norepinephrine than WKY. SHR were resilient, cross-fostering did not reduce their ADHD-like behavior or change their neurochemistry. Cross-fostering of SD pups onto SHR or WKY dams increased their exploratory behavior without altering their anxiety-like behavior. Conclusion The ADHD-like behavior of SHR and their neurochemistry is genetically determined and not dependent on nurturing by SHR dams. The similarity between WKY and SD supports the continued use of WKY as a control for SHR and suggests that SD may be a useful additional reference strain for SHR. The fact that SD behaved similarly to WKY in the elevated-plus maze argues against the use of WKY as a model for anxiety-like disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur M Howells
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Division of Physiology, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.
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