1
|
Xu W, Ren L, Hao X, Shi D, Ma Y, Hu Y, Xie L, Geng F. The brain markers of creativity measured by divergent thinking in childhood: Hippocampal volume and functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2024; 291:120586. [PMID: 38548039 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Creativity, a high-order cognitive ability, has received wide attention from researchers and educators who are dedicated to promoting its development throughout one's lifespan. Currently, creativity is commonly assessed with divergent thinking tasks, such as the Alternative Uses Task. Recent advancements in neuroimaging techniques have enabled the identification of brain markers for high-order cognitive abilities. One such brain structure of interest in this regard is the hippocampus, which has been found to play an important role in generating creative thoughts in adulthood. However, such role of the hippocampus in childhood is not clear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the associations between creativity, as measured by divergent thinking, and both the volume of the hippocampus and its resting-state functional connectivity in 116 children aged 8-12 years. The results indicate significant relations between divergent thinking and the volume of the hippocampal head and the hippocampal tail, as well as the volume of a subfield comprising cornu ammonis 2-4 and dentate gyrus within the hippocampal body. Additionally, divergent thinking was significantly related to the differences between the anterior and the posterior hippocampus in their functional connectivity to other brain regions during rest. These results suggest that these two subregions may collaborate with different brain regions to support diverse cognitive processes involved in the generation of creative thoughts. In summary, these findings indicate that divergent thinking is significantly related to the structural and functional characteristics of the hippocampus, offering potential insights into the brain markers for creativity during the developmental stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Xu
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liyuan Ren
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiaoxin Hao
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Donglin Shi
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yupu Ma
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yuzheng Hu
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Long Xie
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fengji Geng
- Department of Curriculum and Learning Sciences, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China; National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310052, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Burenkova OV, Naumova OY, Church JA, Juranek J, Fletcher JM, Grigorenko EL. Associations between telomere length, glucocorticoid receptor gene DNA methylation, volume of stress-related brain structures, and academic performance in middle-school-age children. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 17:100223. [PMID: 38223236 PMCID: PMC10787263 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The biological embedding theory posits that early life experiences can lead to enduring physiological and molecular changes impacting various life outcomes, notably academic performance. Studying previously revealed and objective biomarkers of early life stress exposure, such as telomere length (TL), glucocorticoid receptor gene DNA methylation (DNAme), and the volume of brain structures involved in the regulation of HPA axis functioning (the hippocampus, the amygdala, and the medial prefrontal cortex), in relation to academic performance is crucial. This approach provides an objective measure that surpasses the limitations of self-reported early life adversity and reveals potential molecular and neurological targets for interventions to enhance academic outcomes. Methods The participants were 52 children of Mexican or Central American origin aged 11.6-15.6 years. DNA methylation levels and TL were analyzed in three cell sources: saliva, whole blood, and T cells derived from whole blood. Results Overall, the concordance across three systems of stress-related biomarkers (TL, DNAme, and the brain) was observed to some extent, although it was less pronounced than we expected; no consistency in different cell sources was revealed. Each of the academic domains that we studied was characterized by a unique and distinct complex of associations with biomarkers, both in terms of the type of biomarker, the directionality of the observed effects, and the cell source of biomarkers. Furthermore, there were biomarker-by-sex interaction effects in predicting academic performance measures. Conclusions Assessed in an understudied youth sample, these preliminary data present new essential evidence for a deepened understanding of the biological mechanisms behind associations between exposure to early life stress and academic performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olga V. Burenkova
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), The University of Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Oksana Yu. Naumova
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), The University of Houston, Texas, United States
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics RAS, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Jessica A. Church
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas, United States
| | - Jenifer Juranek
- Department of Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas, United States
| | - Jack M. Fletcher
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Elena L. Grigorenko
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
- Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics (TIMES), The University of Houston, Texas, United States
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sirius, Russian Federation
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fel JT, Ellis CT, Turk-Browne NB. Automated and manual segmentation of the hippocampus in human infants. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 60:101203. [PMID: 36791555 PMCID: PMC9957787 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101203] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus, critical for learning and memory, undergoes substantial changes early in life. Investigating the developmental trajectory of hippocampal structure and function requires an accurate method for segmenting this region from anatomical MRI scans. Although manual segmentation is regarded as the "gold standard" approach, it is laborious and subjective. This has fueled the pursuit of automated segmentation methods in adults. However, little is known about the reliability of these automated protocols in infants, particularly when anatomical scan quality is degraded by head motion or the use of shorter and quieter infant-friendly sequences. During a task-based fMRI protocol, we collected quiet T1-weighted anatomical scans from 42 sessions with awake infants aged 4-23 months. Two expert tracers first segmented the hippocampus in both hemispheres manually. The resulting inter-rater reliability (IRR) was only moderate, reflecting the difficulty of infant segmentation. We then used four protocols to predict these manual segmentations: average adult template, average infant template, FreeSurfer software, and Automated Segmentation of Hippocampal Subfields (ASHS) software. ASHS generated the most reliable hippocampal segmentations in infants, exceeding the manual IRR of experts. Automated methods thus provide robust hippocampal segmentations of noisy T1-weighted infant scans, opening new possibilities for interrogating early hippocampal development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J T Fel
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - C T Ellis
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - N B Turk-Browne
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jiang Y, Wei Y, Guo W, Du J, Jiang T, Ma H, Jin G, Chen T, Qin R, Tao S, Lu Q, Lv H, Han X, Zhou K, Xu B, Li Z, Li M, Lin Y, Xia Y, Hu Z. Prenatal titanium exposure and child neurodevelopment at 1 year of age: A longitudinal prospective birth cohort study. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 311:137034. [PMID: 36342025 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Previous animal studies provided the evidence that prenatal titanium exposure can cause neurotoxicity in their offspring, while human data is vacant. Our aim was to identify the associations of prenatal titanium exposure with the child neurodevelopment. Participants in present study were recruited during early pregnancy between 2014 and 2017. Urinary concentrations of titanium at first trimester were determined. We assessed child neurodevelopment using the Chinese version of Gesell Developmental Schedules at first year follow-up. The multivariable linear regressions and the robust modified Poisson regressions were used to estimate the associations of specific gravity corrected urinary titanium concentrations with the child neurodevelopment. In adjusted models, children's developmental quotient scores in the language domain were 2.03 points (95% CI: -3.66, -0.40) lower in the highest tertile of prenatal urinary titanium than in the lowest tertile. Also, children with prenatal urinary titanium in the highest tertile had 1.42 times (95% CI: 1.17, 1.72) increased risk of language development delay compared to those in the lowest tertile. No statistically significant associations were observed between titanium exposure and child development delay in motor, adaptive and social areas. The findings indicated that prenatal higher titanium exposure was associated with impaired language development, suggesting that titanium might act as developmental neurotoxicants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yangqian Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yongyue Wei
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiangbo Du
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongxia Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guangfu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ting Chen
- Department of Science and Technology, Women's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, 210004, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rui Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shiyao Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiumei Han
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kun Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China; Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yankai Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Zhibin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China; Department of Epidemiology, Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China; State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine (Suzhou Centre), The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215002, Jiangsu, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dick AS, Ralph Y, Farrant K, Reeb-Sutherland B, Pruden S, Mattfeld AT. Volumetric development of hippocampal subfields and hippocampal white matter connectivity: Relationship with episodic memory. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22333. [PMID: 36426794 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus is a complex structure composed of distinct subfields. It has been central to understanding neural foundations of episodic memory. In the current cross-sectional study, using a large sample of 830, 3- to 21-year-olds from a unique, publicly available dataset we examined the following questions: (1) Is there elevated grey matter volume of the hippocampus and subfields in late compared to early development? (2) How does hippocampal volume compare with the rest of the cerebral cortex at different developmental stages? and (3) What is the relation between hippocampal volume and connectivity with episodic memory performance? We found hippocampal subfield volumes exhibited a nonlinear relation with age and showed a lag in volumetric change with age when compared to adjacent cortical regions (e.g., entorhinal cortex). We also observed a significant reduction in cortical volume across older cohorts, while hippocampal volume showed the opposite pattern. In addition to age-related differences in gray matter volume, dentate gyrus/cornu ammonis 3 volume was significantly related to episodic memory. We did not, however, find any associations with episodic memory performance and connectivity through the uncinate fasciculus, fornix, or cingulum. The results are discussed in the context of current research and theories of hippocampal development and its relation to episodic memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Steven Dick
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Yvonne Ralph
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kristafor Farrant
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | - Shannon Pruden
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Aaron T Mattfeld
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Johnson EG, Mooney L, Graf Estes K, Nordahl CW, Ghetti S. Activation for newly learned words in left medial-temporal lobe during toddlers' sleep is associated with memory for words. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5429-5438.e5. [PMID: 34670113 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the neural substrates underlying early memory functioning. To gain more insight, we examined how toddlers remember newly learned words. Hippocampal and anterior medial-temporal lobe (MTL) processes have been hypothesized to support forming and retaining the association between novel words and their referents, but direct evidence of this connection in early childhood is lacking. We assessed 2-year-olds (n = 38) for their memory of newly learned pseudowords associated with novel objects and puppets. We tested memory for these associations during the same session as learning and after a 1-week delay. We then played these pseudowords, previously known words, and completely novel pseudowords during natural nocturnal sleep, while collecting functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Activation in the left hippocampus and the left anterior MTL for newly learned compared to novel words was associated with same-session memory for these newly learned words only when they were learned as puppet names. Activation for known words was associated with memory for puppet names at the 1-week delay. Activation for newly learned words was also associated with overall productive vocabulary. These results underscore an early developing link between memory mechanisms and word learning in the medial temporal lobe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elliott Gray Johnson
- Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA.
| | - Lindsey Mooney
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Katharine Graf Estes
- Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Christine Wu Nordahl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA; MIND Institute, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Simona Ghetti
- Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Esterline K, Gómez RL. The Role of Sleep in Retention of New Words in Habitually and Non-Habitually Napping Children. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11101320. [PMID: 34679385 PMCID: PMC8533952 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11101320] [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: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Daytime napping contributes to retention of new word learning in children. Importantly, children transition out of regular napping between ages 3–5 years, and the impact of this transition on memory is unclear. Here, we examined the performance of both non-habitually napping children (nap 0–3 days per week, n = 28) and habitually napping children (nap 4–7 days per week, n = 30) on a word learning task after a delay including either sleep or wakefulness. Children ages 3.5–4.5 years old experienced a brief exposure to two novel labels and their referents during training, a scenario that replicates learning experiences children encounter every day. After a 4-h delay, children were tested on the object-label associations. Using mixed effects logistic regression, we compared retention performance. Non-habitual nappers and habitual nappers displayed a different pattern of retention such that non-habitually napping children did equally well on a test of retention regardless of whether they napped or stayed awake during the delay. In contrast, habitually napping children needed a nap after learning to retain the novel object-label associations 4 h later. As a group, habitual nappers who remained awake after learning performed no better than chance on the retention test. As children transition out of naps, they may be less susceptible to interference and are better able to retain newly learned words across a delay including wakefulness.
Collapse
|
8
|
Automatic multispectral MRI segmentation of human hippocampal subfields: an evaluation of multicentric test-retest reproducibility. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 226:137-150. [PMID: 33231744 PMCID: PMC7817563 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02172-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Accurate and reproducible automated segmentation of human hippocampal subfields is of interest to study their roles in cognitive functions and disease processes. Multispectral structural MRI methods have been proposed to improve automated hippocampal subfield segmentation accuracy, but the reproducibility in a multicentric setting is, to date, not well characterized. Here, we assessed test-retest reproducibility of FreeSurfer 6.0 hippocampal subfield segmentations using multispectral MRI analysis pipelines (22 healthy subjects scanned twice, a week apart, at four 3T MRI sites). The harmonized MRI protocol included two 3D-T1, a 3D-FLAIR, and a high-resolution 2D-T2. After within-session T1 averaging, subfield volumes were segmented using three pipelines with different multispectral data: two longitudinal ("long_T1s" and "long_T1s_FLAIR") and one cross-sectional ("long_T1s_FLAIR_crossT2"). Volume reproducibility was quantified in magnitude (reproducibility error-RE) and space (DICE coefficient). RE was lower in all hippocampal subfields, except for hippocampal fissure, using the longitudinal pipelines compared to long_T1s_FLAIR_crossT2 (average RE reduction of 0.4-3.6%). Similarly, the longitudinal pipelines showed a higher spatial reproducibility (1.1-7.8% of DICE improvement) in all hippocampal structures compared to long_T1s_FLAIR_crossT2. Moreover, long_T1s_FLAIR provided a small but significant RE improvement in comparison to long_T1s (p = 0.015), whereas no significant DICE differences were found. In addition, structures with volumes larger than 200 mm3 had better RE (1-2%) and DICE (0.7-0.95) than smaller structures. In summary, our study suggests that the most reproducible hippocampal subfield FreeSurfer segmentations are derived from a longitudinal pipeline using 3D-T1s and 3D-FLAIR. Adapting a longitudinal pipeline to include high-resolution 2D-T2 may lead to further improvements.
Collapse
|
9
|
Reinhardt VP, Iosif AM, Libero L, Heath B, Rogers SJ, Ferrer E, Nordahl C, Ghetti S, Amaral D, Solomon M. Understanding Hippocampal Development in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020; 59:1069-1079. [PMID: 31449875 PMCID: PMC9940822 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined growth trajectories of hippocampal volume (HV) in early childhood in a longitudinal cohort of male and female participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) individuals, and investigated HV in those with large brains. Relations between factors potentially associated with hippocampal size and growth were investigated. METHOD Participants received 1 to 3 structural magnetic resonance imaging scans between ages 25 and 80 months (unique participants: ASD, n =200; TD, n =110; total longitudinal scans, n = 593). HV growth during this period was examined using mixed-effects linear models. Associations between early HV and growth rates, and IQ and adaptive functioning, were evaluated. RESULTS After accounting for cerebral hemisphere volume, male participants exhibited larger left and right HV than female participants. Hippocampal growth rates did not differ by sex. In children with larger hemisphere volumes, male and female participants with ASD had relatively larger HV than TD participants of similar hemisphere volume. This effect was present in a broader group than only those with disproportionate megalencephaly (male participants with large cerebral volumes relative to body size). Right hippocampi were larger than left hippocampi in both groups and sexes. Right versus left volume differences were greater for ASD. After adjusting for hemisphere volume, male participants with ASD showed a significant positive association between right hippocampal growth and adaptive behavior. CONCLUSION HV was relatively greater in ASD in analyses adjusting for hemisphere volume, whereas only subtle differences were observed in HV and growth between participants with ASD and TD participants in unadjusted analyses, suggesting that ASD involves atypical coupling between HV and brain size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - David Amaral
- University of California, Davis; MIND Institute, Davis, California
| | - Marjorie Solomon
- University of California, Davis; MIND Institute, Davis, California; UC Davis Imaging Research Center, Davis, California.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Decker AL, Duncan K, Finn AS, Mabbott DJ. Children's family income is associated with cognitive function and volume of anterior not posterior hippocampus. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4040. [PMID: 32788583 PMCID: PMC7423938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17854-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Children from lower income backgrounds tend to have poorer memory and language abilities than their wealthier peers. It has been proposed that these cognitive gaps reflect the effects of income-related stress on hippocampal structure, but the empirical evidence for this relationship has not been clear. Here, we examine how family income gaps in cognition relate to the anterior hippocampus, given its high sensitivity to stress, versus the posterior hippocampus. We find that anterior (but not posterior) hippocampal volumes positively correlate with family income up to an annual income of ~$75,000. Income-related differences in the anterior (but not posterior) hippocampus also predicted the strength of the gaps in memory and language. These findings add anatomical specificity to current theories by suggesting a stronger relationship between family income and anterior than posterior hippocampal volumes and offer a potential mechanism through which children from different income homes differ cognitively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine Duncan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy S Finn
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Donald J Mabbott
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Walker S, Gaskell MG, Knowland VCP, Fletcher FE, Cairney SA, Henderson LM. Growing up with interfering neighbours: the influence of time of learning and vocabulary knowledge on written word learning in children. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191597. [PMID: 32269794 PMCID: PMC7137956 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Evidence suggests that new vocabulary undergoes a period of strengthening and integration offline, particularly during sleep. Practical questions remain, however, including whether learning closer to bedtime can optimize consolidation, and whether such an effect varies with vocabulary ability. To examine this, children aged 8-12-years-old (n 59) were trained on written novel forms (e.g. BANARA) in either the morning (long delay) or the evening (short delay). Immediately after training and the next day, lexical competition (a marker of integration) was assessed via speeded semantic decisions to neighbouring existing words (e.g. BANANA); explicit memory was measured via recognition and recall tasks. There were no main effects indicating performance changes across sleep for any task, counter to studies of spoken word learning. However, a significant interaction was found, such that children with poorer vocabulary showed stronger lexical competition on the day after learning if there was a short delay between learning and sleep. Furthermore, while poorer vocabulary was associated with slower novel word recognition speed before and after sleep for the long delay group, this association was only present before sleep for the short delay group. Thus, weak vocabulary knowledge compromises novel word acquisition, and when there is a longer period of post-learning wake, this disadvantage remains after a consolidation opportunity. However, when sleep occurs soon after learning, consolidation processes can compensate for weaker encoding and permit lexical integration. These data provide preliminary suggestion that children with poorer vocabulary may benefit from learning new words closer to bedtime.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - L. M. Henderson
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lee JK, Fandakova Y, Johnson EG, Cohen NJ, Bunge SA, Ghetti S. Changes in anterior and posterior hippocampus differentially predict item-space, item-time, and item-item memory improvement. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 41:100741. [PMID: 31826840 PMCID: PMC6994624 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Relational memory improves during middle childhood and adolescence, yet the neural correlates underlying those improvements are debated. Although memory for spatial, temporal, and other associative relations requires the hippocampus, it is not established whether within-individual changes in hippocampal structure contribute to memory improvements from middle childhood into adolescence. Here, we investigated how structural changes in hippocampal head, body, and tail subregions predict improvements in the capacity to remember item-space, item-time, and item-item relations. Memory for each relation and volumes of hippocampal subregions were assessed longitudinally in 171 participants across 3 time points (Mage at T1 = 9.45 years; Mage at T2 = 10.86 years, Mage at T3 = 12.12 years; comprising 393 behavioral assessments and 362 structural scans). Among older children, volumetric growth in: (a) head and body predicted improvements in item-time memory, (b) head predicted improvements in item-item memory; and (c) right tail predicted improvements in item-space memory. The present research establishes that changes in hippocampal structure are related to improvements in relational memory, and that sub-regional changes in hippocampal volume differentially predict changes in different aspects of relational memory. These findings underscore a division of labor along the anterior-posterior axis of the hippocampus during child development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua K Lee
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Health, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
| | - Yana Fandakova
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Elliott G Johnson
- Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, CA, 95618, USA
| | - Neal J Cohen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Silvia A Bunge
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Simona Ghetti
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, CA, 95618, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Riggins T, Canada KL, Botdorf M. Empirical Evidence Supporting Neural Contributions to Episodic Memory Development in Early Childhood: Implications for Childhood Amnesia. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2020; 14:41-48. [PMID: 34290824 DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Memories for events that happen early in life are fragile-they are forgotten more quickly than expected based on typical adult rates of forgetting. Although numerous factors contribute to this phenomenon, data show one major source of change is the protracted development of neural structures related to memory. Recent empirical studies in early childhood reveal that the development of specific subdivisions of the hippocampus (i.e., the dentate gyrus) are related directly to variations in memory. Yet the hippocampus is only one region within a larger network supporting memory. Data from young children have also shown that activation of cortical regions during memory tasks and the functional connectivity between the hippocampus and cortex relate to memory during this period. Taken together, these results suggest that protracted neural development of the hippocampus, cortex, and connections between these regions contribute to the fragility of memories early in life and may ultimately contribute to childhood amnesia.
Collapse
|
14
|
Johnson EG, Leckey S, Davinson K, Ghetti S. Associative binding in early childhood: Evidence from a preferential looking paradigm. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 62:266-278. [PMID: 31404482 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Relational memory processes are responsible for forming representations that bind together the co-occurring elements of an experience. These processes provide a foundation of episodic memory, the capacity to remember specific events about one's past. In the present research, we used a visual comparison paradigm to determine whether toddlers can form memories for the relation between co-occurring items. In Experiment 1, 66 2-year-olds viewed pairs of cartoon faces (AB; CD) and did not show a significant novelty preference for the violated associations (i.e., did not look longer at AD rearranged pair than old AB pair when exposed to AD-AB). However, toddlers looked longest at the individual face (i.e., D) violating a studied pair, which appeared to be supported by visual preference for centrally located stimuli. In Experiment 2, 46 2-year-olds participated in a similar procedure, but faces violating the pair during test were located to the periphery (e.g., AB-AC). Under these conditions, toddlers looked longer at recombined pair AC. Overall, our results show that toddlers show some ability to make item-item associations but may need to overcome preferential looking biases to demonstrate this capacity. Furthermore, looking behaviors beyond overall novelty preference may be informative even when overall novelty preference is not found.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elliott G Johnson
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sarah Leckey
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kelsey Davinson
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Simona Ghetti
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Human Development Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Walker S, Henderson LM, Fletcher FE, Knowland VCP, Cairney SA, Gaskell MG. Learning to live with interfering neighbours: the influence of time of learning and level of encoding on word learning. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:181842. [PMID: 31183121 PMCID: PMC6502395 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
New vocabulary is consolidated offline, particularly during sleep; however, the parameters that influence consolidation remain unclear. Two experiments investigated effects of exposure level and delay between learning and sleep on adults' consolidation of novel competitors (e.g. BANARA) to existing words (e.g. BANANA). Participants made speeded semantic decisions (i.e. a forced choice: natural versus man-made) to the existing words, with the expectation that novel word learning would inhibit responses due to lexical competition. This competition was observed, particularly when assessed after sleep, for both standard and high exposure levels (10 and 20 exposures per word; Experiment 1). Using a lower exposure level (five exposures; Experiment 2), no post-sleep enhancement of competition was observed, despite evidence of consolidation when explicit knowledge of novel word memory was tested. Thus, when encoding is relatively weak, consolidation-related lexical integration is particularly compromised. There was no evidence that going to bed soon after learning is advantageous for overnight consolidation; however, there was some preliminary suggestion that longer gaps between learning and bed-onset were associated with better explicit memory of novel words one week later, but only at higher levels of exposure. These findings suggest that while lexical integration can occur overnight, weaker lexical traces may not be able to access overnight integration processes in the sleeping brain. Furthermore, the finding that longer-term explicit memory of stronger (but not weaker) traces benefit from periods of wake following learning deserves examination in future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - M. G. Gaskell
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bauer PJ, Dugan JA, Varga NL, Riggins T. Relations between neural structures and children's self-derivation of new knowledge through memory integration. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 36:100611. [PMID: 30630776 PMCID: PMC6969255 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of semantic or factual knowledge is a major task during development. Knowledge builds through direct experience and explicit instruction as well as through productive processes that permit derivation of new understandings. In the present research, we tested the neural bases of the specific productive process of self-derivation of new factual knowledge through integration of separate yet related episodes of new learning. The process serves as an ecologically valid model of semantic knowledge accumulation. We tested structure/behavior relations in 5- to 8-year-old children, a period characterized by both age-related differences and individual variability in self-derivation, as well as in the neural regions implicated in memory integration, namely the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. After controlling for the variance in task performance explained by age, sex, verbal IQ, and gray-matter volume (medial prefrontal cortex, mPFC, only), we observed relations between right mPFC thickness and memory for information explicitly taught to the children as well as the new information they self-derived; relations with the volume of the right hippocampus approached significance. This research provides the first evidence of the neural substrate that subserves children's accumulation of knowledge via self-derivation through memory integration, an empirically demonstrated, functionally significant learning mechanism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicole L Varga
- Center for Learning and Memory, University of Texas at Austin, USA
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Herten A, Konrad K, Krinzinger H, Seitz J, von Polier GG. Accuracy and bias of automatic hippocampal segmentation in children and adolescents. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 224:795-810. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1802-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
18
|
Bartha-Doering L, Novak A, Kollndorfer K, Kasprian G, Schuler AL, Berl MM, Fischmeister FPS, Gaillard WD, Alexopoulos J, Prayer D, Seidl R. When two are better than one: Bilateral mesial temporal lobe contributions associated with better vocabulary skills in children and adolescents. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2018; 184:1-10. [PMID: 29913315 PMCID: PMC6192511 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
This study considered the involvement of the mesial temporal lobe (MTL) in language and verbal memory functions in healthy children and adolescents. We investigated 30 healthy, right-handed children and adolescents, aged 7-16, with a fMRI language paradigm and a comprehensive cognitive test battery. We found significant MTL activations during language fMRI in all participants; 63% of them had left lateralized MTL activations, 20% exhibited right MTL lateralization, and 17% showed bilateral MTL involvement during the fMRI language paradigm. Group analyses demonstrated a strong negative correlation between the lateralization of MTL activations and language functions. Specifically, children with less lateralized MTL activation showed significantly better vocabulary skills. These findings suggest that the mesial temporal lobes of both hemispheres play an important role in language functioning, even in right-handers. Our results furthermore show that bilateral mesial temporal lobe involvement is advantageous for vocabulary skills in healthy, right-handed children and adolescents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bartha-Doering
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Astrid Novak
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kathrin Kollndorfer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Anna-Lisa Schuler
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Madison M Berl
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health, Children's National Health System (CNHS), George Washington University School of Medicine, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, WA, DC 20010, United States.
| | | | - William D Gaillard
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Health, Children's National Health System (CNHS), George Washington University School of Medicine, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW, WA, DC 20010, United States.
| | - Johanna Alexopoulos
- Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Rainer Seidl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Speech and language delay in a patient with WDR4 mutations. Eur J Med Genet 2018; 61:468-472. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
|
20
|
Abstract
Nonhuman research has implicated developmental processes within the hippocampus in the emergence and early development of episodic memory, but methodological challenges have hindered assessments of this possibility in humans. Here, we delivered a previously learned song and a novel song to 2-year-old toddlers during natural nocturnal sleep and, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, found that hippocampal activation was stronger for the learned song compared with the novel song. This was true regardless of whether the song was presented intact or backwards. Toddlers who remembered where and in the presence of which toy character they heard the song exhibited stronger hippocampal activation for the song. The results establish that hippocampal activation in toddlers reflects past experiences, persists despite some alteration of the stimulus, and is associated with behavior. This research sheds light on early hippocampal and memory functioning and offers an approach to interrogate the neural substrates of early memory.
Collapse
|
21
|
Etchell A, Adhikari A, Weinberg LS, Choo AL, Garnett EO, Chow HM, Chang SE. A systematic literature review of sex differences in childhood language and brain development. Neuropsychologia 2018; 114:19-31. [PMID: 29654881 PMCID: PMC5988993 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The extent of sex differences in childhood language development is unclear. We conducted a systematic literature review synthesizing results from studies examining sex differences in brain structure and function relevant to language development during childhood. We searched PubMed and Scopus databases, and this returned a total of 46 published studies meeting criteria for inclusion that directly examined sex differences in brain development relevant to language function in children. The results indicate that: (a) sex differences in brain structure or function do not necessarily lead to differences in language task performance; (b) evidence for sex differences in brain and language development are limited; (c) when present, sex differences often interact with a variety of factors such as age and task. Overall, the magnitude of sexual dimorphism of brain developmental trajectories associated with language is not as significant as previously thought. Sex differences were found, however, in studies employing tighter age ranges. This suggests that sex differences may be more prominent during certain developmental stages but are negligible in other stages, likely due to different rates of maturation between the sexes. More research is needed to improve our understanding of how sex differences may arise due to the influence of sex hormones and developmental stages, and how these differences may lead to differences in various language task performance. These studies are expected to provide normative information that may be used in studies examining neurodevelopmental disorders that frequently affect more males than females, and also often affect language development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Etchell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Aditi Adhikari
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Lauren S Weinberg
- College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ai Leen Choo
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Georgia State University, USA
| | - Emily O Garnett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ho Ming Chow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Katzin Diagnostic & Research PET/MR Center, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Riggins T, Geng F, Botdorf M, Canada K, Cox L, Hancock GR. Protracted hippocampal development is associated with age-related improvements in memory during early childhood. Neuroimage 2018. [PMID: 29518573 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a structure that is critical for memory. Previous studies have shown that age-related differences in specialization along the longitudinal axis of this structure (i.e., subregions) and within its internal circuitry (i.e., subfields) relate to age-related improvements in memory in school-age children and adults. However, the influence of age on hippocampal development and its relations with memory ability earlier in life remains under-investigated. This study examined effects of age and sex on hippocampal subregion (i.e., head, body, tail) and subfield (i.e., subiculum, CA1, CA2-4/DG) volumes, and their relations with memory, using a large sample of 4- to 8-year-old children. Results examining hippocampal subregions suggest influences of both age and sex on the hippocampal head during early childhood. Results examining subfields within hippocampal head suggest these age effects may arise from CA1, whereas sex differences may arise from subiculum and CA2-4/DG. Memory ability was not associated with hippocampal subregion volume but was associated with subfield volume. Specifically, within the hippocampal head, relations between memory and CA1 were moderated by age; in younger children bigger was better, whereas in older children smaller was superior. Within the hippocampal body, smaller CA1 and larger CA2-4/DG contributed to better memory performance across all ages. Together, these results shed light on hippocampal development during early childhood and support claims that the prolonged developmental trajectory of the hippocampus contributes to memory development early in life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Riggins
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.
| | - Fengji Geng
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Kelsey Canada
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Lisa Cox
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
James E, Gaskell MG, Weighall A, Henderson L. Consolidation of vocabulary during sleep: The rich get richer? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 77:1-13. [PMID: 28274725 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Sleep plays a role in strengthening new words and integrating them with existing vocabulary knowledge, consistent with neural models of learning in which sleep supports hippocampal transfer to neocortical memory. Such models are based on adult research, yet neural maturation may mean that the mechanisms supporting word learning vary across development. Here, we propose a model in which children may capitalise on larger amounts of slow-wave sleep to support a greater demand on learning and neural reorganisation, whereas adults may benefit from a richer knowledge base to support consolidation. Such an argument is reinforced by the well-reported "Matthew effect", whereby rich vocabulary knowledge is associated with better acquisition of new vocabulary. We present a meta-analysis that supports this association between children's existing vocabulary knowledge and their integration of new words overnight. Whilst multiple mechanisms likely contribute to vocabulary consolidation and neural reorganisation across the lifespan, we propose that contributions of existing knowledge should be rigorously examined in developmental studies. Such research has potential to greatly enhance neural models of learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma James
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - M Gareth Gaskell
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Weighall
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Henderson
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hui L, Han M, Du XD, Zhang BH, He SC, Shao TN, Yin GZ. Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients: associated with cognitive deficits. Sci Rep 2017; 7:39992. [PMID: 28054633 PMCID: PMC5215543 DOI: 10.1038/srep39992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive deficits have been regarded as one of the most significant clinical symptoms of depressive disorder. Accumulating evidence has shown that apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels, which are responsible for inducing neurodegeneration, may be involved in cognitive deficits. This study examines cognitive deficits, and the correlation of serum ApoB levels with cognitive deficits of depressive disorder. 90 depressive patients and 90 healthy controls with matched age and gender were recruited. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum ApoB levels in depressive patients were measured by immunoturbidimetric method. Our results showed that depressive patients had lower scores of cognition including RBANS total score and subscales of language and delayed memory (all, p < 0.001) than healthy controls after controlling for the variables. The differences in cognitive functions also passed Bonferroni corrections. Serum ApoB levels were negatively correlated with delayed memory score in depressive patients (r = −0.30, p = 0.01). Furthermore, stepwise multivariate regression analysis indicated that serum ApoB levels independently contributed to delayed memory in depressive patients (t = −2.68, p = 0.01). Our findings support that serum ApoB levels may be involved in delayed memory decline in depressive patients. Depressive patients also experience greater cognitive deficits, especially in delayed memory and language than healthy controls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Hui
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Mei Han
- School of Medicine, IHMRI, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Xiang Dong Du
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Bao Hua Zhang
- Beijing HuilongGuan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100096, PR China
| | - Shu Chang He
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, Beijing 100000, PR China
| | - Tian Nan Shao
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Guang Zhong Yin
- Institute of Mental Health, Suzhou Psychiatric Hospital, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215008, Jiangsu, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang JY, Ngo MM, Hessl D, Hagerman RJ, Rivera SM. Robust Machine Learning-Based Correction on Automatic Segmentation of the Cerebellum and Brainstem. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156123. [PMID: 27213683 PMCID: PMC4877064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Automated segmentation is a useful method for studying large brain structures such as the cerebellum and brainstem. However, automated segmentation may lead to inaccuracy and/or undesirable boundary. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether SegAdapter, a machine learning-based method, is useful for automatically correcting large segmentation errors and disagreement in anatomical definition. We further assessed the robustness of the method in handling size of training set, differences in head coil usage, and amount of brain atrophy. High resolution T1-weighted images were acquired from 30 healthy controls scanned with either an 8-channel or 32-channel head coil. Ten patients, who suffered from brain atrophy because of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, were scanned using the 32-channel head coil. The initial segmentations of the cerebellum and brainstem were generated automatically using Freesurfer. Subsequently, Freesurfer's segmentations were both manually corrected to serve as the gold standard and automatically corrected by SegAdapter. Using only 5 scans in the training set, spatial overlap with manual segmentation in Dice coefficient improved significantly from 0.956 (for Freesurfer segmentation) to 0.978 (for SegAdapter-corrected segmentation) for the cerebellum and from 0.821 to 0.954 for the brainstem. Reducing the training set size to 2 scans only decreased the Dice coefficient ≤0.002 for the cerebellum and ≤ 0.005 for the brainstem compared to the use of training set size of 5 scans in corrective learning. The method was also robust in handling differences between the training set and the test set in head coil usage and the amount of brain atrophy, which reduced spatial overlap only by <0.01. These results suggest that the combination of automated segmentation and corrective learning provides a valuable method for accurate and efficient segmentation of the cerebellum and brainstem, particularly in large-scale neuroimaging studies, and potentially for segmenting other neural regions as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Yi Wang
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Michael M. Ngo
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - David Hessl
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California-Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Randi J. Hagerman
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, United States of America
| | - Susan M. Rivera
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California-Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, United States of America
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Gómez RL, Edgin JO. The extended trajectory of hippocampal development: Implications for early memory development and disorder. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2016; 18:57-69. [PMID: 26437910 PMCID: PMC4808499 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hippocampus has an extended developmental trajectory, with refinements occurring in the trisynaptic circuit until adolescence. While structural change should suggest a protracted course in behavior, some studies find evidence of precocious hippocampal development in the first postnatal year and continuity in memory processes beyond. However, a number of memory functions, including binding and relational inference, can be cortically supported. Evidence from the animal literature suggests that tasks often associated with hippocampus (visual paired comparison, binding of a visuomotor response) can be mediated by structures external to hippocampus. Thus, a complete examination of memory development will have to rule out cortex as a source of early memory competency. We propose that early memory must show properties associated with full function of the trisynaptic circuit to reflect "adult-like" memory function, mainly (1) rapid encoding of contextual details of overlapping patterns, and (2) retention of these details over sleep-dependent delays. A wealth of evidence suggests that these functions are not apparent until 18-24 months, with behavioral discontinuities reflecting shifts in the neural structures subserving memory beginning approximately at this point in development. We discuss the implications of these observations for theories of memory and for identifying and measuring memory function in populations with typical and atypical hippocampal function.
Collapse
|