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Li M, Izumoto M, Wang Y, Kato Y, Iwatani Y, Hirata I, Mizuno Y, Tachibana M, Mohri I, Kagitani-Shimono K. Altered white matter connectivity of ventral language networks in autism spectrum disorder: An automated fiber quantification analysis with multi-site datasets. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120731. [PMID: 39002786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120731] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Comprehension and pragmatic deficits are prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are potentially linked to altered connectivity in the ventral language networks. However, previous magnetic resonance imaging studies have not sufficiently explored the microstructural abnormalities in the ventral fiber tracts underlying comprehension dysfunction in ASD. Additionally, the precise locations of white matter (WM) changes in the long tracts of patients with ASD remain poorly understood. In the current study, we applied the automated fiber-tract quantification (AFQ) method to investigate the fine-grained WM properties of the ventral language pathway and their relationships with comprehension and symptom manifestation in ASD. The analysis included diffusion/T1 weighted imaging data of 83 individuals with ASD and 83 age-matched typically developing (TD) controls. Case-control comparisons were performed on the diffusion metrics of the ventral tracts at both the global and point-wise levels. We also explored correlations between diffusion metrics, comprehension performance, and ASD traits, and conducted subgroup analyses based on age range to examine developmental moderating effects. Individuals with ASD exhibited remarkable hypoconnectivity in the ventral tracts, particularly in the temporal portions of the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) and the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF). These WM abnormalities were associated with poor comprehension and more severe ASD symptoms. Furthermore, WM alterations in the ventral tract and their correlation with comprehension dysfunction were more prominent in younger children with ASD than in adolescents. These findings indicate that WM disruptions in the temporal portions of the left ILF/IFOF are most notable in ASD, potentially constituting the core neurological underpinnings of comprehension and communication deficits in autism. Moreover, impaired WM connectivity and comprehension ability in patients with ASD appear to improve with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Maya Izumoto
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yide Wang
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoko Kato
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Iwatani
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ikuko Hirata
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Mizuno
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Masaya Tachibana
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ikuko Mohri
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- Osaka University, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
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Xu X, Song X, Lin L, Pan N, Jin Y, Tan S, Cao M, Chen Y, Zhao J, Su X, Yang K, Jing J, Li X. White matter substrates underlying morphological awareness deficit in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 134:111083. [PMID: 38992486 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Morphological awareness (MA) deficit is strongly associated with Chinese developmental dyslexia (DD). However, little is known about the white matter substrates underlying the MA deficit in Chinese children with DD. METHODS In the current study, 34 Chinese children with DD and 42 typical developmental (TD) children were recruited to complete a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scan and cognitive tests for MA. We conducted linear regression to test the correlation between MA and DTI metrics, the structural abnormalities of the tracts related to MA, and the interaction effect of DTI metrics by group on MA. RESULTS First, MA was significant related to the right inferior occipito-frontal fascicle (IFO) and inferior longitudinal fsciculus (ILF), the bilateral thalamo-occipital (T_OCC) and the left arcuate fasciculus (AF); second, compared to TD children, Chinese children with DD had lower axial diffusivity (AD) in the right IFO and T_OCC; third, there were significant interactions between metrics (fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD)) of the right IFO and MA in groups. The FA and RD of the right IFO were significantly associated with MA in children with DD but not in TD children. CONCLUSION In conclusion, compared to TD children, Chinese children with DD had axonal degeneration not only in the ventral tract (the right IFO) but also the visuospatial tract (the right T_OCC) which were associated with their MA deficit. And Chinese MA involved not only the ventral tracts, but also the visuospatial pathway and dorsal tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Xu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaojing Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lizi Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ning Pan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuying Jin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Si Tan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Muqing Cao
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingqian Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingxian Zhao
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xintong Su
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaize Yang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jin Jing
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiuhong Li
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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Bartha-Doering L, Roberts D, Baumgartner B, Yildirim MS, Giordano V, Spagna A, Pal-Handl K, Javorszky SM, Kasprian G, Seidl R. Developmental surface dyslexia and dysgraphia in a child with corpus callosum agenesis: an approach to diagnosis and treatment. Cogn Neuropsychol 2024:1-23. [PMID: 38942485 DOI: 10.1080/02643294.2024.2368876] [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: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
We present a case study detailing cognitive performance, functional neuroimaging, and effects of a hypothesis-driven treatment in a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with complete, isolated corpus callosum agenesis. Despite having average overall intellectual abilities, the girl exhibited profound surface dyslexia and dysgraphia. Spelling treatment significantly and persistently improved her spelling of trained irregular words, and this improvement generalized to reading accuracy and speed of trained words. Diffusion weighted imaging revealed strengthened intrahemispheric white matter connectivity of the left temporal cortex after treatment and identified interhemispheric connectivity between the occipital lobes, likely facilitated by a pathway crossing the midline via the posterior commissure. This case underlines the corpus callosum's critical role in lexical reading and writing. It demonstrates that spelling treatment may enhance interhemispheric connectivity in corpus callosum agenesis through alternative pathways, boosting the development of a more efficient functional organization of the visual word form area within the left temporo-occipital cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bartha-Doering
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Roberts
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bettina Baumgartner
- Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics, and Audiology, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mehmet Salih Yildirim
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vito Giordano
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Alfredo Spagna
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katharina Pal-Handl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susanne Maria Javorszky
- Department of Logopedics, Phoniatrics, and Audiology, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Seidl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Yan Z, Tan Z, Zhu Q, Shi Z, Feng J, Wei Y, Yin F, Wang X, Li Y. Cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation of white matter microstructure damage and cognitive correlations by automated fibre quantification in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00893-8. [PMID: 38814544 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00893-8] [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] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to characterize whole-brain white matter (WM) fibre tracts by automated fibre quantification (AFQ), capture subtle changes cross-sectionally and longitudinally in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients and explore correlations between these changes and cognitive performance A total of 114 RRMS patients and 71 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled and follow-up investigations were conducted on 46 RRMS patients. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusion (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) at each node along the 20 WM fibre tracts identified by AFQ were investigated cross-sectionally and longitudinally in entire and pointwise manners. Partial correlation analyses were performed between the abnormal metrics and cognitive performance. At baseline, compared with HCs, patients with RRMS showed a widespread decrease in FA and increases in MD, AD, and RD among tracts. In the pointwise comparisons, more detailed abnormalities were localized to specific positions. At follow-up, although there was no significant difference in the entire WM fibre tract, there was a reduction in FA in the posterior portion of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (R_SLF) and elevations in MD and AD in the anterior and posterior portions of the right arcuate fasciculus (R_AF) in the pointwise analysis. Furthermore, the altered metrics were widely correlated with cognitive performance in RRMS patients. RRMS patients exhibited widespread WM microstructure alterations at baseline and alterations in certain regions at follow-up, and the altered metrics were widely correlated with cognitive performance in RRMS patients, which will enhance our understanding of WM microstructure damage and its cognitive correlation in RRMS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichun Yan
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Zeyun Tan
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiyuan Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuowei Shi
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinzhou Feng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiqiu Wei
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Feiyue Yin
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaohua Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
- College of Medical Informatics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Yongmei Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1, Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China.
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Vandecruys F, Vandermosten M, De Smedt B. The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus correlates with early precursors of mathematics and reading before the start of formal schooling. Cortex 2024; 174:149-163. [PMID: 38547813 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.014] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Diffusion-weighted imaging studies in preschoolers have almost exclusively been done in the field of reading. As a result, virtually nothing is known about white matter tracts associated with individual differences in mathematics at this age. Studying the preschoolers' brain is crucial because it allows us to identify individual differences in brain anatomy without influences of formal mathematics and reading instruction. To fill this gap, we investigated for the first time before the start of formal school entry the associations between white matter tracts and precursors of mathematics and reading simultaneously. We also investigated whether these associations were specific to mathematics and to reading, or not. We focused on four bilateral white matter tracts (arcuate fasciculus (direct, anterior), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus), which have been previously correlated with mathematical performance in older children and with reading performance in children of a similar age as the current study. Participants were 56 5-year-old children (Mage = 67 months; SD = 1.8), none of which received formal instruction. Our results showed an association between the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and precursors of mathematics (numerical ordering, numeral knowledge) and reading (phonological awareness, letter knowledge). Follow-up regression analyses revealed that the associations found with the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus were neither specific to mathematics nor specific to reading. These findings suggest that, already before the start of formal schooling, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus might be related to the neural overlap between mathematics and reading. This overlap potentially reflects one of their many shared mechanisms, such as the reliance on phonological codes or the processing of visual symbols, and these mechanisms should be exploited in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floor Vandecruys
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Maaike Vandermosten
- Experimental ORL, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bert De Smedt
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
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6
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Ding S, Shi Z, Huang K, Fan X, Li X, Zheng H, Wang L, Yan Z, Cai J. Aberrant white matter microstructure detected by automatic fiber quantification in pediatric myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2024; 84:105483. [PMID: 38354445 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105483] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated diseases (MOGAD) is an idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorder in children, for which the precise damage patterns of the white matter (WM) fibers remain unclear. Herein, we utilized diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based automated fiber quantification (AFQ) to identify patterns of fiber damage and to investigate the clinical significance of MOGAD-affected fiber tracts. METHODS A total of 28 children with MOGAD and 31 healthy controls were included in this study. The AFQ approach was employed to track WM fiber with 100 equidistant nodes defined along each tract for statistical analysis of DTI metrics in both the entire and nodal manner. The feature selection method was used to further screen significantly aberrant DTI metrics of the affected fiber tracts or segments for eight common machine learning (ML) to evaluate their potential in identifying MOGAD. These metrics were then correlated with clinical scales to assess their potential as imaging biomarkers. RESULTS In the entire manner, significantly reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) was shown in the left anterior thalamic radiation, arcuate fasciculus, and the posterior and anterior forceps of corpus callosum in MOGAD (all p < 0.05). In the nodal manner, significant DTI metrics alterations were widely observed across 37 segments in 10 fiber tracts (all p < 0.05), mainly characterized by decreased FA and increased radial diffusivity (RD). Among them, 14 DTI metrics in seven fiber tracts were selected as important features to establish ML models, and satisfactory discrimination of MOGAD was obtained in all models (all AUC > 0.85), with the best performance in the logistic regression model (AUC = 0.952). For those features, the FA of left cingulum cingulate and the RD of right inferior frontal-occipital fasciculus were negatively and positively correlated with the expanded disability status scale (r = -0.54, p = 0.014; r = 0.43, p = 0.03), respectively. CONCLUSION Pediatric MOGAD exhibits extensive WM fiber tract aberration detected by AFQ. Certain fiber tracts exhibit specific patterns of DTI metrics that hold promising potential as biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Ding
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Zhuowei Shi
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400000, China
| | - Kaiping Huang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Xiao Fan
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Xiujuan Li
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Helin Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Longlun Wang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China
| | - Zichun Yan
- Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400000, China
| | - Jinhua Cai
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Child Neurodevelopment and Cognitive Disorders, Chongqing 400014, China.
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Martins B, Baba MY, Dimateo EM, Costa LF, Camara AS, Lukasova K, Nucci MP. Investigating Dyslexia through Diffusion Tensor Imaging across Ages: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2024; 14:349. [PMID: 38672001 PMCID: PMC11047980 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040349] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that presents a deficit in accuracy and/or fluency while reading or spelling that is not expected given the level of cognitive functioning. Research indicates brain structural changes mainly in the left hemisphere, comprising arcuate fasciculus (AF) and corona radiata (CR). The purpose of this systematic review is to better understand the possible methods for analyzing Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data while accounting for the characteristics of dyslexia in the last decade of the literature. Among 124 articles screened from PubMed and Scopus, 49 met inclusion criteria, focusing on dyslexia without neurological or psychiatric comorbidities. Article selection involved paired evaluation, with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. The selected articles were analyzed using two topics: (1) a demographic and cognitive assessment of the sample and (2) DTI acquisition and analysis. Predominantly, studies centered on English-speaking children with reading difficulties, with preserved non-verbal intelligence, attention, and memory, and deficits in reading tests, rapid automatic naming, and phonological awareness. Structural differences were found mainly in the left AF in all ages and in the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus for readers-children and adults. A better understanding of structural brain changes of dyslexia and neuroadaptations can be a guide for future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Martins
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica em Neurorradiologia—LIM44—Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (B.M.); (M.Y.B.); (E.M.D.)
| | - Mariana Yumi Baba
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica em Neurorradiologia—LIM44—Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (B.M.); (M.Y.B.); (E.M.D.)
| | - Elisa Monteiro Dimateo
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica em Neurorradiologia—LIM44—Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (B.M.); (M.Y.B.); (E.M.D.)
| | - Leticia Fruchi Costa
- Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC), Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil; (L.F.C.); (A.S.C.); (K.L.)
| | - Aila Silveira Camara
- Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC), Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil; (L.F.C.); (A.S.C.); (K.L.)
| | - Katerina Lukasova
- Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC), Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil; (L.F.C.); (A.S.C.); (K.L.)
| | - Mariana Penteado Nucci
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica em Neurorradiologia—LIM44—Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil; (B.M.); (M.Y.B.); (E.M.D.)
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Sagi R, Taylor JSH, Neophytou K, Cohen T, Rapp B, Rastle K, Ben-Shachar M. White matter associations with spelling performance. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02775-7. [PMID: 38528269 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02775-7] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Multiple neurocognitive processes are involved in the highly complex task of producing written words. Yet, little is known about the neural pathways that support spelling in healthy adults. We assessed the associations between performance on a difficult spelling-to-dictation task and microstructural properties of language-related white matter pathways, in a sample of 73 native English-speaking neurotypical adults. Participants completed a diffusion magnetic resonance imaging scan and a cognitive assessment battery. Using constrained spherical deconvolution modeling and probabilistic tractography, we reconstructed dorsal and ventral white matter tracts of interest, bilaterally, in individual participants. Spelling associations were found in both dorsal and ventral stream pathways. In high-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) within the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, a ventral stream pathway. In low-performing spellers, spelling scores significantly correlated with FA within the third branch of the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, a dorsal pathway. An automated analysis of spelling errors revealed that high- and low- performing spellers also differed in their error patterns, diverging primarily in terms of the orthographic distance between their errors and the correct spelling, compared to the phonological plausibility of their spelling responses. The results demonstrate the complexity of the neurocognitive architecture of spelling. The distinct white matter associations and error patterns detected in low- and high- performing spellers suggest that they rely on different cognitive processes, such that high-performing spellers rely more on lexical-orthographic representations, while low-performing spellers rely more on phoneme-to-grapheme conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romi Sagi
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - J S H Taylor
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kyriaki Neophytou
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Tamar Cohen
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Brenda Rapp
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| | - Kathleen Rastle
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
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9
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Zhu K, Wan Y, Zhu B, Zhu Y, Wang H, Jiang Q, Feng Y, Xiang Z, Song R. Exposure to organophosphate, pyrethroid, and neonicotinoid insecticides and dyslexia: Association with oxidative stress. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123362. [PMID: 38237851 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Organophosphates (OPPs), pyrethroids (PYRs), and neonicotinoids (NNIs) are three major classes of insecticides used worldwide. They might compromise child neurodevelopment. However, few studies have explored the association between exposure to them and dyslexia. The present study aimed to investigate the association between dyslexia and exposure to the three classes of insecticides, as well as explore the potential role of oxidative stress in the association. A total of 355 dyslexic children and 390 controls were included in this study. The exposure biomarkers were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Specifically, the exposure biomarkers included three typical metabolites of OPPs, three of PYRs, and nine of NNIs. Additionally, three typical oxidative stress biomarkers, namely, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) for DNA damage, 8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHG) for RNA damage, and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-mercapturic acid (HNEMA) for lipid peroxidation were measured. The detection frequencies of the urinary biomarkers ranged from 83.9% to 100%. Among the target metabolites of the insecticides, a significant association was observed between urinary 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPy, the metabolite of chlorpyrifos, an OPP insecticide) and dyslexia. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, children in the highest quartile of TCPy levels had an increased odds of dyslexia (odds ratio [OR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03, 2.75] in comparison to those in the lowest quartile. Among the three oxidative stress biomarkers, urinary HNEMA concentration showed a significant relationship with dyslexia. Children in the highest quartile of HNEMA levels demonstrated an increased dyslexic odds in comparison to those in the lowest quartile after multiple adjustments (OR, 1.64; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.65). Mediation analysis indicated a significant effect of HNEMA in the association between urinary TCPy and dyslexia, with an estimate of 17.2% (P < 0.01). In conclusion, this study suggested the association between urinary TCPy and dyslexia. The association could be attributed to lipid peroxidation partially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiheng Zhu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yanjian Wan
- Center for Public Health Laboratory Service, Institute of Environmental Health, Wuhan Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Wuhan, Hubei, 430024, China
| | - Bing Zhu
- Zhejiang Province Disease Control, Hangzhou, 310051, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Haoxue Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qi Jiang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yanan Feng
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhen Xiang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ranran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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10
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Meisler SL, Gabrieli JDE, Christodoulou JA. White matter microstructural plasticity associated with educational intervention in reading disability. IMAGING NEUROSCIENCE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 2:10.1162/imag_a_00108. [PMID: 38974814 PMCID: PMC11225775 DOI: 10.1162/imag_a_00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Children's reading progress typically slows during extended breaks in formal education, such as summer vacations. This stagnation can be especially concerning for children with reading difficulties or disabilities, such as dyslexia, because of the potential to exacerbate the skills gap between them and their peers. Reading interventions can prevent skill loss and even lead to appreciable gains in reading ability during the summer. Longitudinal studies relating intervention response to brain changes can reveal educationally relevant insights into rapid learning-driven brain plasticity. The current work focused on reading outcomes and white matter connections, which enable communication among the brain regions required for proficient reading. We collected reading scores and diffusion-weighted images at the beginning and end of summer for 41 children with reading difficulties who had completed either 1st or 2nd grade. Children were randomly assigned to either receive an intensive reading intervention (n = 26; Seeing Stars from Lindamood-Bell which emphasizes orthographic fluency) or be deferred to a wait-list group (n = 15), enabling us to analyze how white matter properties varied across a wide spectrum of skill development and regression trajectories. On average, the intervention group had larger gains in reading compared to the non-intervention group, who declined in reading scores. Improvements on a proximal measure of orthographic processing (but not other more distal reading measures) were associated with decreases in mean diffusivity within core reading brain circuitry (left arcuate fasciculus and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus) and increases in fractional anisotropy in the left corticospinal tract. Our findings suggest that responses to intensive reading instruction are related predominantly to white matter plasticity in tracts most associated with reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven L. Meisler
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - John D. E. Gabrieli
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Joanna A. Christodoulou
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Charlestown, MA, United States
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11
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Lasnick OHM, Hoeft F. Sensory temporal sampling in time: an integrated model of the TSF and neural noise hypothesis as an etiological pathway for dyslexia. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 17:1294941. [PMID: 38234592 PMCID: PMC10792016 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1294941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Much progress has been made in research on the causal mechanisms of developmental dyslexia. In recent years, the "temporal sampling" account of dyslexia has evolved considerably, with contributions from neurogenetics and novel imaging methods resulting in a much more complex etiological view of the disorder. The original temporal sampling framework implicates disrupted neural entrainment to speech as a causal factor for atypical phonological representations. Yet, empirical findings have not provided clear evidence of a low-level etiology for this endophenotype. In contrast, the neural noise hypothesis presents a theoretical view of the manifestation of dyslexia from the level of genes to behavior. However, its relative novelty (published in 2017) means that empirical research focused on specific predictions is sparse. The current paper reviews dyslexia research using a dual framework from the temporal sampling and neural noise hypotheses and discusses the complementary nature of these two views of dyslexia. We present an argument for an integrated model of sensory temporal sampling as an etiological pathway for dyslexia. Finally, we conclude with a brief discussion of outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver H. M. Lasnick
- brainLENS Laboratory, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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12
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Liu Y, Jiang Y, Du W, Gao B, Gao J, Hu S, Song Q, Wang W, Miao Y. White matter microstructure alterations in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its correlation with cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive performance. Sci Rep 2024; 14:270. [PMID: 38167604 PMCID: PMC10762026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50768-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Microstructural abnormalities of white matter fiber tracts are considered as one of the etiology of diabetes-induced neurological disorders. We explored the cerebral white matter microstructure alteration accurately, and to analyze its correlation between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden and cognitive performance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The clinical-laboratory data, cognitive scores [including mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), California verbal learning test (CVLT), and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT)], CSVD burden scores of the T2DM group (n = 34) and healthy control (HC) group (n = 21) were collected prospectively. Automatic fiber quantification (AFQ) was applied to generate bundle profiles along primary white matter fiber tracts. Diffusion tensor images (DTI) metrics and 100 nodes of white matter fiber tracts between groups were compared. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between DTI metrics and cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. For fiber-wise and node-wise, DTI metrics in some commissural and association fibers were increased in T2DM. Some white matter fiber tracts DTI metrics were independent predictors of cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. White matter fiber tracts damage in patients with T2DM may be characterized in specific location, especially commissural and association fibers. Aberrational specific white matter fiber tracts are associated with visuospatial function and CSVD burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyingqiu Liu
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
- Department of Radiology, Zibo Central Hospital, 54 Gongqingtuan Road, Zhangdian, Zibo, China
| | - Yuhan Jiang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Wei Du
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Bingbing Gao
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Shuai Hu
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Qingwei Song
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China.
| | - Yanwei Miao
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Xigang, Dalian, China.
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13
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Zhao J, Zhao Y, Song Z, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Altarelli I, Ramus F. Adaptive compensation of arcuate fasciculus lateralization in developmental dyslexia. Cortex 2023; 167:1-11. [PMID: 37515830 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported anomalies in the arcuate fasciculus (AF) lateralization in developmental dyslexia (DD). Still, the relationship between AF lateralization and literacy skills in DD remains largely unknown. The purpose of our study is to investigate the relationship between lateralization of three segments of AF (AF anterior segment (AFAS), AF long segment (AFLS), and AF posterior segment (AFPS)) and literacy skills in DD. A total of 26 children with dyslexia and 31 age-matched control children were included in this study. High angular diffusion imaging, combined with spherical deconvolution tractography, was used to reconstruct the AF. Connectivity measures of hindrance-modulated orientational anisotropy (HMOA) were computed for each of the three segments of the AF. The lateralization index (LI) of each AF segment was calculated by (right HMOA - left HMOA)/(right HMOA + left HMOA). Results showed that the LIs of AFAS and AFLS were positively correlated with reading accuracy in children with dyslexia. Specifically, the LI of AFAS was positively correlated with nonword and meaningless text reading accuracy, while the LI of AFLS accounted for word reading accuracy. The results suggest adaptive compensation of arcuate fasciculus lateralization in developmental dyslexia and functional dissociation of the anterior segment and long segment in the compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Zhao
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University and Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Xi'an, China.
| | - Yueye Zhao
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University and Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Xi'an, China
| | - Zujun Song
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University and Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Behavior and Cognitive Neuroscience, Xi'an, China
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR5293, CNRS, CEA, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Brain Connectivity and Behavior Laboratory, Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France
| | - Irene Altarelli
- LaPsyDÉ Laboratory (UMR 8240), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Franck Ramus
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (ENS, EHESS, CNRS), Département D'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL University, Paris, France.
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14
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Neophytou K, Wiley R, Litovsky C, Tsapkini K, Rapp B. The right hemisphere's capacity for language: evidence from primary progressive aphasia. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9971-9985. [PMID: 37522277 PMCID: PMC10502784 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of the right hemisphere (RH) in core language processes is still a matter of intense debate. Most of the relevant evidence has come from studies of gray matter, with relatively little research on RH white matter (WM) connectivity. Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging-based tractography, the current work examined the role of the two hemispheres in language processing in 33 individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), aiming to better characterize the contribution of the RH to language processing in the context of left hemisphere (LH) damage. The findings confirm the impact of PPA on the integrity of the WM language tracts in the LH. Additionally, an examination of the relationship between tract integrity and language behaviors provides robust evidence of the involvement of the WM language tracts of both hemispheres in language processing in PPA. Importantly, this study provides novel evidence of a unique contribution of the RH to language processing (i.e. a contribution independent from that of the language-dominant LH). Finally, we provide evidence that the RH contribution is specific to language processing rather than being domain general. These findings allow us to better characterize the role of RH in language processing, particularly in the context of LH damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriaki Neophytou
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Robert Wiley
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United States
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Celia Litovsky
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kyrana Tsapkini
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Brenda Rapp
- Department of Cognitive Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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15
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Delinte N, Dricot L, Macq B, Gosse C, Van Reybroeck M, Rensonnet G. Unraveling multi-fixel microstructure with tractography and angular weighting. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1199568. [PMID: 37351427 PMCID: PMC10282555 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1199568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in MRI technology have enabled richer multi-shell sequences to be implemented in diffusion MRI, allowing the investigation of both the microscopic and macroscopic organization of the brain white matter and its complex network of neural fibers. The emergence of advanced diffusion models has enabled a more detailed analysis of brain microstructure by estimating the signal received from a voxel as the combination of responses from multiple fiber populations. However, disentangling the individual microstructural properties of different macroscopic white matter tracts where those pathways intersect remains a challenge. Several approaches have been developed to assign microstructural properties to macroscopic streamlines, but often present shortcomings. ROI-based heuristics rely on averages that are not tract-specific. Global methods solve a computationally-intensive global optimization but prevent the use of microstructural properties not included in the model and often require restrictive hypotheses. Other methods use atlases that might not be adequate in population studies where the shape of white matter tracts varies significantly between patients. We introduce UNRAVEL, a framework combining the microscopic and macroscopic scales to unravel multi-fixel microstructure by utilizing tractography. The framework includes commonly-used heuristics as well as a new algorithm, estimating the microstructure of a specific white matter tract with angular weighting. Our framework grants considerable freedom as the inputs required, a set of streamlines defining a tract and a multi-fixel diffusion model estimated in each voxel, can be defined by the user. We validate our approach on synthetic data and in vivo data, including a repeated scan of a subject and a population study of children with dyslexia. In each case, we compare the estimation of microstructural properties obtained with angular weighting to other commonly-used approaches. Our framework provides estimations of the microstructure at the streamline level, volumetric maps for visualization and mean microstructural values for the whole tract. The angular weighting algorithm shows increased accuracy, robustness to uncertainties in its inputs and maintains similar or better reproducibility compared to commonly-used analysis approaches. UNRAVEL will provide researchers with a flexible and open-source tool enabling them to study the microstructure of specific white matter pathways with their diffusion model of choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Delinte
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Institute of NeuroScience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of NeuroScience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benoit Macq
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Claire Gosse
- Institute of NeuroScience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marie Van Reybroeck
- Institute of NeuroScience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Gaetan Rensonnet
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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16
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Cross AM, Lammert JM, Peters L, Frijters JC, Ansari D, Steinbach KA, Lovett MW, Archibald LMD, Joanisse MF. White matter correlates of reading subskills in children with and without reading disability. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2023; 241:105270. [PMID: 37141728 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2023.105270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Individual differences in reading ability are associated with characteristics of white matter microstructure in the brain. However, previous studies have largely measured reading as a single construct, resulting in difficulty characterizing the role of structural connectivity in discrete subskills of reading. The present study used diffusion tensor imaging to examine how white matter microstructure, measured by fractional anisotropy (FA), relates to individual differences in reading subskills in children aged 8 to 14 (n = 65). Findings showed positive correlations between FA of the left arcuate fasciculus and measures of single word reading and rapid naming abilities. Negative correlations were observed between FA of the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus and bilateral uncinate fasciculi, and reading subskills, particularly reading comprehension. The results suggest that although reading subskills rely to some extent on shared tracts, there are also distinct characteristics of white matter microstructure supporting different components of reading ability in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Cross
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
| | - Jessica M Lammert
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Lien Peters
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Jan C Frijters
- Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada
| | - Daniel Ansari
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | | | - Maureen W Lovett
- The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, Canada; Paediatrics and Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lisa M D Archibald
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Marc F Joanisse
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Department of Psychology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven CT, USA
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17
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Andica C, Kamagata K, Aoki S. Automated three-dimensional major white matter bundle segmentation using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Anat Sci Int 2023:10.1007/s12565-023-00715-9. [PMID: 37017902 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00715-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
White matter bundle segmentation using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging fiber tractography enables detailed evaluation of individual white matter tracts three-dimensionally, and plays a crucial role in studying human brain anatomy, function, development, and diseases. Manual extraction of streamlines utilizing a combination of the inclusion and exclusion of regions of interest can be considered the current gold standard for extracting white matter bundles from whole-brain tractograms. However, this is a time-consuming and operator-dependent process with limited reproducibility. Several automated approaches using different strategies to reconstruct the white matter tracts have been proposed to address the issues of time, labor, and reproducibility. In this review, we discuss few of the most well-validated approaches that automate white matter bundle segmentation with an end-to-end pipeline, including TRActs Constrained by UnderLying Anatomy (TRACULA), Automated Fiber Quantification, and TractSeg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Andica
- Faculty of Health Data Science, Juntendo University, 6-8-1 Hinode, Urayasu, Chiba, 279-0013, Japan.
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.
| | - Koji Kamagata
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Shigeki Aoki
- Faculty of Health Data Science, Juntendo University, 6-8-1 Hinode, Urayasu, Chiba, 279-0013, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
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18
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Kumpulainen V, Merisaari H, Silver E, Copeland A, Pulli EP, Lewis JD, Saukko E, Shulist SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Sex differences, asymmetry, and age-related white matter development in infants and 5-year-olds as assessed with tract-based spatial statistics. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2712-2725. [PMID: 36946076 PMCID: PMC10089102 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26238] [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: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid white matter (WM) maturation of first years of life is followed by slower yet long-lasting development, accompanied by learning of more elaborate skills. By the age of 5 years, behavioural and cognitive differences between females and males, and functions associated with brain lateralization such as language skills are appearing. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be used to quantify fractional anisotropy (FA) within the WM and increasing values correspond to advancing brain development. To investigate the normal features of WM development during early childhood, we gathered a DTI data set of 166 healthy infants (mean 3.8 wk, range 2-5 wk; 89 males; born on gestational week 36 or later) and 144 healthy children (mean 5.4 years, range 5.1-5.8 years; 76 males). The sex differences, lateralization patterns and age-dependent changes were examined using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). In 5-year-olds, females showed higher FA in wide-spread regions in the posterior and the temporal WM and more so in the right hemisphere, while sex differences were not detected in infants. Gestational age showed stronger association with FA values compared to age after birth in infants. Additionally, child age at scan associated positively with FA around the age of 5 years in the body of corpus callosum, the connections of which are important especially for sensory and motor functions. Lastly, asymmetry of WM microstructure was detected already in infants, yet significant changes in lateralization pattern seem to occur during early childhood, and in 5-year-olds the pattern already resembles adult-like WM asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venla Kumpulainen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Harri Merisaari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Eero Silver
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Anni Copeland
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Elmo P Pulli
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ekaterina Saukko
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Shulist
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital & University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital & University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital & University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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19
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DiPiero M, Rodrigues PG, Gromala A, Dean DC. Applications of advanced diffusion MRI in early brain development: a comprehensive review. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:367-392. [PMID: 36585970 PMCID: PMC9974794 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02605-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Brain development follows a protracted developmental timeline with foundational processes of neurodevelopment occurring from the third trimester of gestation into the first decade of life. Defining structural maturational patterns of early brain development is a critical step in detecting divergent developmental trajectories associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders that arise later in life. While considerable advancements have already been made in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) for pediatric research over the past three decades, the field of neurodevelopment is still in its infancy with remarkable scientific and clinical potential. This comprehensive review evaluates the application, findings, and limitations of advanced dMRI methods beyond diffusion tensor imaging, including diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) to quantify the rapid and dynamic changes supporting the underlying microstructural architectural foundations of the brain in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa DiPiero
- Department of Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | | | - Alyssa Gromala
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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20
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Palser ER, Miller ZA, Licata AE, Yabut NA, Sudarsan SP, Tee BL, Deleon JA, Mandelli ML, Caverzasi E, Sturm VE, Hendren R, Possin KL, Miller BL, Tempini MLG, Pereira CW. Visual and social differences in dyslexia: deep phenotyping of four cases with spared phonology. Neurocase 2022; 28:419-431. [PMID: 36450280 PMCID: PMC9957930 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2022.2145905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Diagnostic criteria for dyslexia describe specific reading difficulties, and single-deficit models, including the phonological deficit theory, have prevailed. Children seeking diagnosis, however, do not always show phonological deficits, and may present with strengths and challenges beyond reading. Through extensive neurological, neuropsychological, and academic evaluation, we describe four children with visuospatial, socio-emotional, and attention impairments and spared phonology, alongside long-standing reading difficulties. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed white matter alterations in inferior longitudinal, uncinate, and superior longitudinal fasciculi versus neurotypical children. Findings emphasize that difficulties may extend beyond reading in dyslexia and underscore the value of deep phenotyping in learning disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor R. Palser
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Zachary A. Miller
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Abigail E. Licata
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nicole A. Yabut
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Swati P Sudarsan
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Boon Lead Tee
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jessica A. Deleon
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mandelli
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Eduardo Caverzasi
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Virginia E. Sturm
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA
| | - Robert Hendren
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA
| | - Katherine L. Possin
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bruce L. Miller
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94131, USA
| | - Christa Watson Pereira
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Dyslexia Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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21
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Braun EJ, Billot A, Meier EL, Pan Y, Parrish TB, Kurani AS, Kiran S. White matter microstructural integrity pre- and post-treatment in individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 232:105163. [PMID: 35921727 PMCID: PMC9641951 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2022.105163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
While previous studies have found that white matter damage relates to impairment severity in individuals with aphasia, further study is required to understand the relationship between white matter integrity and treatment response. In this study, 34 individuals with chronic post-stroke aphasia underwent behavioral testing and structural magnetic resonance imaging at two timepoints. Thirty participants within this sample completed typicality-based semantic feature treatment for anomia. Tractography of bi-hemispheric white matter tracts was completed via Automated Fiber Quantification. Associations between microstructural integrity metrics and behavioral measures were evaluated at the tract level and in nodes along the tract. Diffusion measures of the left inferior longitudinal, superior longitudinal, and arcuate fasciculi were related to aphasia severity and diffusion measures of the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus were related to naming and treatment response. This study also found preliminary evidence of left inferior longitudinal fasciculus microstructural changes following treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Braun
- Aphasia Research Laboratory, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 326, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Anne Billot
- Aphasia Research Laboratory, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 326, Boston, MA 02115, USA; School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erin L Meier
- Aphasia Research Laboratory, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 326, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yue Pan
- Aphasia Research Laboratory, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 326, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Todd B Parrish
- Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 737 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ajay S Kurani
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 625 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1150, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Swathi Kiran
- Aphasia Research Laboratory, Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Sargent College, Boston University, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 326, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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22
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Vanes LD, Tye C, Tournier JD, Combes AJE, Shephard E, Liang H, Barker GJ, Nosarti C, Bolton P. White matter disruptions related to inattention and autism spectrum symptoms in tuberous sclerosis complex. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103163. [PMID: 36037661 PMCID: PMC9434133 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare genetic multisystem condition that is associated with a high prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The underlying neural mechanisms of the emergence of these symptom domains in tuberous sclerosis complex remain unclear. Here, we use fixel-based analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging, which allows for the differentiation between multiple fibre populations within a voxel, to compare white matter properties in 16 participants with tuberous sclerosis complex (aged 11-19) and 12 age and sex matched control participants. We further tested associations between white matter alterations and autism and inattention symptoms as well as cognitive ability in participants with tuberous sclerosis complex. Compared to controls, participants with tuberous sclerosis complex showed reduced fibre density cross-section (FDC) in the dorsal branch of right superior longitudinal fasciculus and bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, reduced fibre density (FD) in bilateral tapetum, and reduced fibre cross-section (FC) in the ventral branch of right superior longitudinal fasciculus. In participants with tuberous sclerosis complex, the extent of FDC reductions in right superior longitudinal fasciculus was significantly associated with autism traits (social communication difficulties and restricted, repetitive behaviours), whereas FDC reductions in right inferior longitudinal fasciculus were associated with inattention. The observed white matter alterations were unrelated to cognitive ability. Our findings shed light on the fibre-specific biophysical properties of white matter alterations in tuberous sclerosis complex and suggest that these regional changes are selectively associated with the severity of neurodevelopmental symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy D Vanes
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK.
| | - Charlotte Tye
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Jacques-Donald Tournier
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK
| | - Anna J E Combes
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Shephard
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Holan Liang
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Gareth J Barker
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Patrick Bolton
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
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23
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Yan Z, Wang X, Zhu Q, Shi Z, Chen X, Han Y, Zheng Q, Wei Y, Wang J, Li Y. Alterations in White Matter Fiber Tracts Characterized by Automated Fiber-Tract Quantification and Their Correlations With Cognitive Impairment in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Patients. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:904309. [PMID: 35844220 PMCID: PMC9283762 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.904309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives To investigate whether patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have tract-specific alterations in the white matter (WM) and the correlations between the alterations and cognitive impairment. Materials and Methods In total, 40 patients with NMOSD and 20 healthy controls (HCs) who underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scan and neuropsychological scale assessments were enrolled. Automated fiber-tract quantification (AFQ) was applied to identify and quantify 100 equally spaced nodes of 18 specific WM fiber tracts for each participant. Then the group comparisons in DTI metrics and correlations between different DTI metrics and neuropsychological scales were performed. Results Regardless of the entire or pointwise level in WM fiber tracts, patients with NMOSD exhibited a decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (L_IFOF) and widespread increased mean diffusion (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD), especially for the thalamic radiation (TR), corticospinal tract (CST), IFOF, inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) [p < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) correction], and the pointwise analyses performed more sensitive. Furthermore, the negative correlations among MD, AD, RD, and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) scores in the left TR (L_TR) were found in NMOSD. Conclusion Patients with NMOSD exhibited the specific nodes of WM fiber tract damage, which can enhance our understanding of WM microstructural abnormalities in NMOSD. In addition, the altered DTI metrics were correlated with cognitive impairment, which can be used as imaging markers for the early identification of NMOSD cognitive impairment.
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24
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Weiss B, Nárai Á, Vidnyánszky Z. Lateralization of early orthographic processing during natural reading is impaired in developmental dyslexia. Neuroimage 2022; 258:119383. [PMID: 35709947 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Skilled reading requires specialized visual cortical processing of orthographic information and its impairment has been proposed as a potential correlate of compromised reading in dyslexia. However, which stage of orthographic information processing during natural reading is disturbed in dyslexics remains unexplored. Here we addressed this question by simultaneously measuring the eye movements and EEG of dyslexic and control young adults during natural reading. Isolated meaningful sentences were presented at five inter-letter spacing levels spanning the range from minimal to extra-large spacing, and participants were instructed to read the text silently at their own pace. Control participants read faster, performed larger saccades and shorter fixations compared to dyslexics. While reading speed peaked around the default letter spacing, saccade amplitude increased and fixation duration decreased with the increase of letter spacing in both groups. Lateralization of occipito-temporal fixation-related EEG activity (FREA) was found in three consecutive time intervals corresponding to early orthographic processing in control readers. Importantly, the lateralization in the time range of the first negative left occipito-temporal FREA peak was specific for first fixations and exhibited an interaction effect between reading ability and letter spacing. The interaction originated in the significant decrease of FREA lateralization at extra-large compared to default letter spacing in control readers and the lack of lateralization in both letter spacing conditions in the case of dyslexics. These findings suggest that expertise-driven hemispheric functional specialization for early orthographic processing thought to be responsible for letter identity extraction during natural reading is compromised in dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Béla Weiss
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., Budapest H-1117, Hungary.
| | - Ádám Nárai
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Vidnyánszky
- Brain Imaging Centre, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2., Budapest H-1117, Hungary.
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25
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Wang J, Ma L, Liu G, Bai W, Ai K, Zhang P, Hu W, Zhang J. Tractography in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus With Subjective Memory Complaints: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:800420. [PMID: 35462734 PMCID: PMC9019711 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.800420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain white matter (WM) structural injury caused by type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been linked to cognitive impairment. However, the focus was mainly on the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage in most previous studies, with little attention made to subjective memory complaints (SMC). The main purpose of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of WM injury in T2DM patients and its correlation with SMC symptoms. In a group of 66 participants (33 HC and 33 T2DM-S), pointwise differences along WM tracts were identified using the automated fiber quantification (AFQ) approach. Then we investigated the utility of DTI properties along major WM tracts as features to distinguish patients with T2DM-S from HC via the support vector machine (SVM). Based on AFQ analysis, 10 primary fiber tracts that represent the subtle alterations of WM in T2DM-S were identified. Lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right SLF tract (r = −0.538, p = 0.0013), higher radial diffusivity (RD) in the thalamic radiation (TR) tract (r = 0.433, p = 0.012), and higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) tract (r = 0.385, p = 0.0029) were significantly associated with a long period of disease. Decreased axial diffusivity (AD) in the left arcuate was associated with HbA1c (r = −0.368, p = 0.049). In addition, we found a significant negative correlation between delayed recall and abnormal MD in the left corticospinal tract (r = −0.546, p = 0.001). The FA of the right SLF tracts and bilateral arcuate can be used to differentiate the T2DM-S and the HC at a high accuracy up to 88.45 and 87.8%, respectively. In conclusion, WM microstructure injury in T2DM may be associated with SMC, and these abnormalities identified by DTI can be used as an effective biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Laiyang Ma
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Guangyao Liu
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wenjuan Bai
- Department of Endocrine, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Kai Ai
- Department of Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare, Xi’an, China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Wanjun Hu
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jing Zhang,
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26
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Cheema K, Sweneya S, Craig J, Huynh T, Ostevik AV, Reed A, Cummine J. An investigation of white matter properties as they relate to spelling behaviour in skilled and impaired readers. Neuropsychol Rehabil 2022:1-29. [PMID: 35323090 DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2022.2053168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
RESULTS While the inferior longitudinal fasciculus was more strongly related to spelling behaviour in skilled adults, the uncinate fasciculus was more strongly related to spelling behaviour in impaired adults. We found strong left lateralization of the arcuate fasciculus and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in both groups. However, lateralization of the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus was more strongly related to spelling response time behaviour in skilled adults, whereas lateralization of the uncinate fasciculus was more strongly related to spelling accuracy behaviour in the impaired adults. CONCLUSION This study provides some useful information for understanding the underlying white matter pathways that support spelling in skilled and impaired adults and underscore the advantage of adopting multiple spelling tasks and outcomes (i.e., response time and accuracy) to better characterize brain-behaviour relationships in skilled and impaired adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kulpreet Cheema
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sarah Sweneya
- Faculty of Education, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Julia Craig
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Truc Huynh
- Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Amberley V Ostevik
- Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alesha Reed
- Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Cummine
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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27
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Gao Y, Meng X, Bai Z, Liu X, Zhang M, Li H, Ding G, Liu L, Booth JR. Left and Right Arcuate Fasciculi Are Uniquely Related to Word Reading Skills in Chinese-English Bilingual Children. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 3:109-131. [PMID: 37215330 PMCID: PMC10158580 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Whether reading in different writing systems recruits language-unique or language-universal neural processes is a long-standing debate. Many studies have shown the left arcuate fasciculus (AF) to be involved in phonological and reading processes. In contrast, little is known about the role of the right AF in reading, but some have suggested that it may play a role in visual spatial aspects of reading or the prosodic components of language. The right AF may be more important for reading in Chinese due to its logographic and tonal properties, but this hypothesis has yet to be tested. We recruited a group of Chinese-English bilingual children (8.2 to 12.0 years old) to explore the common and unique relation of reading skill in English and Chinese to fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral AF. We found that both English and Chinese reading skills were positively correlated with FA in the rostral part of the left AF-direct segment. Additionally, English reading skill was positively correlated with FA in the caudal part of the left AF-direct segment, which was also positively correlated with phonological awareness. In contrast, Chinese reading skill was positively correlated with FA in certain segments of the right AF, which was positively correlated with visual spatial ability, but not tone discrimination ability. Our results suggest that there are language universal substrates of reading across languages, but that certain left AF nodes support phonological mechanisms important for reading in English, whereas certain right AF nodes support visual spatial mechanisms important for reading in Chinese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangzhi Meng
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- PekingU-PolyU Center for Child Development and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Zilin Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Manli Zhang
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Hehui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - James R. Booth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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28
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Meisler SL, Gabrieli JDE. A Large-Scale Investigation of White Matter Microstructural Associations with Reading Ability. Neuroimage 2022; 249:118909. [PMID: 35033675 PMCID: PMC8919267 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Reading involves the functioning of a widely distributed brain network,
and white matter tracts are responsible for transmitting information between
constituent network nodes. Several studies have analyzed fiber bundle
microstructural properties to shed insights into the neural basis of reading
abilities and disabilities. Findings have been inconsistent, potentially due to
small sample sizes and varying methodology. To address this, we analyzed a large
data set of 686 children ages 5–18 using state-of-the-art neuroimaging
acquisitions and processing techniques. We searched for associations between
fractional anisotropy (FA) and single-word and single-nonword reading skills in
children with diverse reading abilities across multiple tracts previously
thought to contribute to reading. We also looked for group differences in tract
FA between typically reading children and children with reading disabilities. FA
of the white matter increased with age across all participants. There were no
significant correlations between overall reading abilities and tract FAs across
all children, and no significant group differences in tract FA between children
with and without reading disabilities. There were associations between FA and
nonword reading ability in older children (ages 9 and above). Higher FA in the
right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and left inferior cerebellar
peduncle (ICP) correlated with better nonword reading skills. These results
suggest that letter-sound correspondence skills, as measured by nonword reading,
are associated with greater white matter coherence among older children in these
two tracts, as indexed by higher FA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven L Meisler
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, 43 Vassar Street, Bldg. 46, Room 4033 Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - John D E Gabrieli
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Bldg. 46, Room 4033 Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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Muncy NM, Kimbler A, Hedges-Muncy AM, McMakin DL, Mattfeld AT. General additive models address statistical issues in diffusion MRI: An example with clinically anxious adolescents. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 33:102937. [PMID: 35033812 PMCID: PMC8762458 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Statistical models employed to test for group differences in quantized diffusion-weighted MRI white matter tracts often fail to account for the large number of data points per tract in addition to the distribution, type, and interdependence of the data. To address these issues, we propose the use of Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) and supply code and examples to aid in their implementation. Specifically, using diffusion data from 73 periadolescent clinically anxious and no-psychiatric-diagnosis control participants, we tested for group tract differences and show that a GAM allows for the identification of differences within a tract while accounting for the nature of the data as well as covariates and group factors. Further, we then used these tract differences to investigate their association with performance on a memory test. When comparing our high versus low anxiety groups, we observed a positive association between the left uncinate fasciculus and memory overgeneralization for negatively valenced stimuli. This same association was not evident in the right uncinate or anterior forceps. These findings illustrate that GAMs are well-suited for modeling diffusion data while accounting for various aspects of the data, and suggest that the adoption of GAMs will be a powerful investigatory tool for diffusion-weighted analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Muncy
- Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA.
| | - Adam Kimbler
- Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | - Dana L McMakin
- Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Aaron T Mattfeld
- Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
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OUP accepted manuscript. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4684-4697. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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31
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Jiang Y, Liu Y, Gao B, Che Y, Lin L, Jiang J, Chang P, Song Q, Wang N, Wang W, Miao Y. Segmental Abnormalities of White Matter Microstructure in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients: An Automated Fiber Quantification Tractography Study. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:765677. [PMID: 34938154 PMCID: PMC8685541 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.765677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) results in extensive white matter abnormalities, but the specific damage segment cannot be identified. This study aimed to determine the segmental abnormalities of white matter microstructure in ESRD and its relationship with cognitive and renal function indicators. Methods: Eighteen ESRD patients and 19 healthy controls (HCs) were prospectively recruited. All participants underwent DTI and clinical assessments. Automatic fiber quantification (AFQ) was applied to generate bundle profiles along 16 main white matter tracts. We compared the DTI parameters between groups. Besides, we used partial correlation and multiple linear regression analyses to explore the associations between white matter integrity and cognitive performance as well as renal function indicators. Results: In the global tract level, compared to HCs, ESRD patients had greater MD, AD, and RD values and lower FA value in several fibers (P < 0.05, FDR correction). In the point-wise level, extensive damage existed in specific locations of different fiber tracts, particularly in the left hemisphere (P < 0.05, FDR correction). Among these tracts, the mean AD values of the left cingulum cingulate correlated negatively with MoCA score. Urea and UA level were independent predictors of the AD value of superior component of the left corticospinal. Besides, urea level was the independent predictors of mean MD value of left anterior thalamic radiation (ATR). Conclusion: White matter fiber tract damage in ESRD patients may be characterized by abnormalities in its specific location, especially in the left hemisphere. Aberrational specific located fibers were related to cognitive impairment and renal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yangyingqiu Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Bingbing Gao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yiwei Che
- Department of Radiology, The Third People's Hospital of Dalian, Dalian, China
| | | | - Jian Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Peipei Chang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Qingwei Song
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Yanwei Miao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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Mundorf A, Peterburs J, Ocklenburg S. Asymmetry in the Central Nervous System: A Clinical Neuroscience Perspective. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:733898. [PMID: 34970125 PMCID: PMC8712556 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.733898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent large-scale neuroimaging studies suggest that most parts of the human brain show structural differences between the left and the right hemisphere. Such structural hemispheric asymmetries have been reported for both cortical and subcortical structures. Interestingly, many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders have been associated with altered functional hemispheric asymmetries. However, findings concerning the relation between structural hemispheric asymmetries and disorders have largely been inconsistent, both within specific disorders as well as between disorders. In the present review, we compare structural asymmetries from a clinical neuroscience perspective across different disorders. We focus especially on recent large-scale neuroimaging studies, to concentrate on replicable effects. With the notable exception of major depressive disorder, all reviewed disorders were associated with distinct patterns of alterations in structural hemispheric asymmetries. While autism spectrum disorder was associated with altered structural hemispheric asymmetries in a broader range of brain areas, most other disorders were linked to more specific alterations in brain areas related to cognitive functions that have been associated with the symptomology of these disorders. The implications of these findings are highlighted in the context of transdiagnostic approaches to psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annakarina Mundorf
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jutta Peterburs
- Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Liu T, Thiebaut de Schotten M, Altarelli I, Ramus F, Zhao J. Maladaptive compensation of right fusiform gyrus in developmental dyslexia: A hub-based white matter network analysis. Cortex 2021; 145:57-66. [PMID: 34689032 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive theories have been proposed to clarify the causes and symptoms of dyslexia. However, correlations between local network parameters of white matter connectivity and literacy skills remain poorly known. An unbiased hypothesis-free approach was adopted to examine the correlations between literacy symptoms (reading and spelling) and hub-based white matter networks' connectivity parameters [nodal degree fractional anisotropy (FA) values] of 90 brain regions based on Anatomical Atlas Labels (AAL) in a group of French children with dyslexia aged 9-14 years. Results revealed that the higher the right fusiform gyrus's (FFG) nodal degree FA values, the lower the reading accuracy for words and pseudowords in dyslexic children. The results indicate that the severity of word/pseudoword reading symptoms in dyslexia relates to a white matter network centered around the right FFG. The negative correlation between right FFG network connectivity and reading accuracy, in particular pseudoword reading accuracy, suggests that right FFG represents a maladaptive compensation towards a general orthography-to-phonology decoding ability in developmental dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianqiang Liu
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Shaanxi Provincial Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China
| | - Michel Thiebaut de Schotten
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France
| | - Irene Altarelli
- CNRS UMR 8240, Laboratory for the Psychology of Child Development and, Education (LaPsyDE), University Paris Descartes, Université de Paris, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (ENS, EHESS, CNRS), Département d'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Franck Ramus
- Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (ENS, EHESS, CNRS), Département d'Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Shaanxi Provincial Key Research Center of Child Mental and Behavioral Health, Xi'an, China.
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Alterations in white matter integrity and asymmetry in patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes and childhood absence epilepsy: An automated fiber quantification tractography study. Epilepsy Behav 2021; 123:108235. [PMID: 34411950 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate whether patients with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS) and childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) show distinct patterns of white matter (WM) alterations and structural asymmetry compared with healthy controls and the relationship between WM alterations and epilepsy-related clinical variables. METHODS We used automated fiber quantification to create tract profiles of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in twenty-six patients with BECTS, twenty-nine patients with CAE, and twenty-four healthy controls. Group differences in FA and MD were quantified at 100 equidistant nodes along the fiber tract and these alterations and epilepsy-related clinical variables were correlated. A lateralization index (LI) representing the structural asymmetry of the fiber tract was computed and compared between both patient groups and controls. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, the BECTS group showed widespread FA reduction in 43.75% (7/16) and MD elevation in 50% (8/16) of identified fiber tracts, and the CAE group showed regional FA reduction in 31.25% (5/16) and MD elevation in 25% (4/16) of identified fiber tracts. In the BECTS group, FA and MD in the right anterior thalamic radiation positively and negatively correlated with the number of antiepileptic drugs, respectively, and MD in the right arcuate fasciculus (AF) positively correlated with seizure frequency. In the CAE group, the LI values were significantly lower in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and the AF. CONCLUSION The two childhood epilepsy syndromes display different patterns of WM alterations and structural asymmetry, suggesting that neuroanatomical differences may underlie the different profiles of BECTS and CAE.
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Liu T, Gao F, Zheng W, You Y, Zhao Z, Lv Y, Chen W, Zhang H, Ji C, Wu D. Diffusion MRI of the infant brain reveals unique asymmetry patterns during the first-half-year of development. Neuroimage 2021; 242:118465. [PMID: 34389444 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The human brain demonstrates anatomical and functional lateralization/asymmetry between the left and right hemispheres, and such asymmetry is known to start from the early age of life. However, how the asymmetry changes with brain development during infancy remained unknown. In this study, we aimed to systematically investigate the spatiotemporal pattern of brain asymmetry in healthy preterm-born infants during the first-half-year of development, using high angular resolution diffusion MRI. Sixty-five healthy preterm-born infants (gestational age between 25.3-36.6 weeks) were scanned with postmenstrual age (PMA) ranging from term-equivalent age (TEA) to 6-months. At the regional level, we performed a region-of-interest-based analysis by segmenting the brain into 63 symmetrical pairs of regions, based on which the laterality index was assessed and correlated with PMA. At the voxel level, we performed a fixel-based analysis of each fiber component between the native and left-right flipped data, separately in TEA-1 month, 1-3 months, and 3-6 months groups. The infant brains demonstrated extensive regions with structural asymmetry during their first half-of-year of life. A distinct central-peripheral asymmetry pattern was observed in mean diffusivity, namely, leftward lateralization in the neocortex and rightward asymmetry in the deep brain regions. Besides, the posterior brain demonstrated a higher lateralization index compared with the anterior brain in all metrics, which is congruent with the brain developmental pattern from caudal to rostral. Regionally, language processing regions showed a rightward asymmetry, while visuospatial processing regions exhibited leftward lateralization in fractional anisotropy, fibre density, and fibre cross-section measurements, and most white matter regions were lateralized to the left in these measurements. The laterality index of several regions (12 out 63) demonstrated significant developmental changes in mean diffusivity. At the fixel level, the fiber cross-section of inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus showed significant leftward asymmetry and the extent of asymmetry increased with PMA. In summary, the results revealed unique spatiotemporal patterns of macro- and micro-structural asymmetry in early life, which dynamically changed with age. These findings may contribute to the understanding of brain development during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Room 525, Zhou Yiqing Building, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Fusheng Gao
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weihao Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Room 525, Zhou Yiqing Building, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yuqing You
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Room 525, Zhou Yiqing Building, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Ying Lv
- Department of Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weijun Chen
- Department of Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongxi Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chai Ji
- Department of Child Health, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Room 525, Zhou Yiqing Building, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou 310027, China.
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Sihvonen AJ, Virtala P, Thiede A, Laasonen M, Kujala T. Structural white matter connectometry of reading and dyslexia. Neuroimage 2021; 241:118411. [PMID: 34293464 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Current views on the neural network subserving reading and its deficits in dyslexia rely largely on evidence derived from functional neuroimaging studies. However, understanding the structural organization of reading and its aberrations in dyslexia requires a hodological approach, studies of which have not provided consistent findings. Here, we adopted a whole brain hodological approach and investigated relationships between structural white matter connectivity and reading skills and phonological processing in a cross-sectional study of 44 adults using individual local connectome matrix from diffusion MRI data. Moreover, we performed quantitative anisotropy aided differential tractography to uncover structural white matter anomalies in dyslexia (23 dyslexics and 21 matched controls) and their correlation to reading-related skills. The connectometry analyses indicated that reading skills and phonological processing were both associated with corpus callosum (tapetum), forceps major and minor, as well as cerebellum bilaterally. Furthermore, the left dorsal and right thalamic pathways were associated with phonological processing. Differential tractography analyses revealed structural white matter anomalies in dyslexics in the left ventral route and bilaterally in the dorsal route compared to the controls. Connectivity deficits were also observed in the corpus callosum, forceps major, vertical occipital fasciculus and corticostriatal and thalamic pathways. Altered structural connectivity in the observed differential tractography results correlated with poor reading skills and phonological processing. Using a hodological approach, the current study provides novel evidence for the extent of the reading-related connectome and its aberrations in dyslexia. The results conform current functional neuroanatomical models of reading and developmental dyslexia but provide novel network-level and tract-level evidence on structural connectivity anomalies in dyslexia, including the vertical occipital fasciculus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksi J Sihvonen
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Queensland Aphasia Research Centre and UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Australia.
| | - Paula Virtala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anja Thiede
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marja Laasonen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics, Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Finland; Logopedics, School of Humanities, Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland
| | - Teija Kujala
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Dębska A, Banfi C, Chyl K, Dzięgiel-Fivet G, Kacprzak A, Łuniewska M, Plewko J, Grabowska A, Landerl K, Jednoróg K. Neural patterns of word processing differ in children with dyslexia and isolated spelling deficit. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1467-1478. [PMID: 33761000 PMCID: PMC8096730 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02255-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate concerning the extent to which deficits in reading and spelling share cognitive components and whether they rely, in a similar fashion, on sublexical and lexical pathways of word processing. The present study investigates whether the neural substrates of word processing differ in children with various patterns of reading and spelling deficits. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we compared written and auditory processing in three groups of 9-13-year olds (N = 104): (1) with age-adequate reading and spelling skills; (2) with reading and spelling deficits (i.e., dyslexia); (3) with isolated spelling deficits but without reading deficits. In visual word processing, both deficit groups showed hypoactivations in the posterior superior temporal cortex compared to typical readers and spellers. Only children with dyslexia exhibited hypoactivations in the ventral occipito-temporal cortex compared to the two groups of typical readers. This is the result of an atypical pattern of higher activity in the occipito-temporal cortex for non-linguistic visual stimuli than for words, indicating lower selectivity. The print-speech convergence was reduced in the two deficit groups. Impairments in lexico-orthographic regions in a reading-based task were associated primarily with reading deficits, whereas alterations in the sublexical word processing route could be considered common for both reading and spelling deficits. These findings highlight the partly distinct alterations of the language network related to reading and spelling deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Dębska
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Chiara Banfi
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Katarzyna Chyl
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Gabriela Dzięgiel-Fivet
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kacprzak
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Psychology, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Łuniewska
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Plewko
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Grabowska
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karin Landerl
- Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
- Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Jednoróg
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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Partanen M, Kim DHC, Rauscher A, Siegel LS, Giaschi DE. White matter but not grey matter predicts change in reading skills after intervention. DYSLEXIA (CHICHESTER, ENGLAND) 2021; 27:224-244. [PMID: 32959479 DOI: 10.1002/dys.1668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study examined changes in white matter microstructure and grey matter volume, cortical thickness, and cortical surface area before and after reading intervention. Participants included 22 average readers and 13 dyslexic readers (8-9 years old in third grade); the dyslexic readers were enrolled in reading intervention programs at their elementary school. Participants completed scans of diffusion tensor imaging and T1-weighted MRI before and after 3 months of instruction. An a priori region of interest (ROI) analysis was used. Dyslexic readers, compared to average readers, showed higher mean diffusivity in white matter ROIs including bilateral inferior frontal, bilateral insula, left superior temporal, and right supramarginal gyri across time points. Dyslexic readers also had thicker cortex in left fusiform and bilateral supramarginal gyri; whereas, average readers had greater surface area in right fusiform across time. There were no significant changes in white or grey matter following intervention; however, mean diffusivity in the right hemisphere was associated with reading gains over time. White matter organization in the right hemisphere predicts reading changes, and dyslexic readers may have persistent differences in white and grey matter due to ongoing reading deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marita Partanen
- Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Danny H C Kim
- B.C. Children's Hospital MRI Research Facility, B.C. Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexander Rauscher
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Linda S Siegel
- Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Deborah E Giaschi
- B.C. Children's Hospital MRI Research Facility, B.C. Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Rahul DR, Ponniah RJ. The Modularity of Dyslexia. Pediatr Neonatol 2021; 62:240-248. [PMID: 33775610 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing interest in understanding dyslexia and the mechanisms involved in reading difficulties. Inquiries into the morphological and physiological changes of the brain have contributed to our increased understanding of reading ability and dyslexia. Similarly, inquiries into brain chemistry and reading provide a neurometabolic framework of dyslexia in terms of poor reading and phonological measures. Also, studies of the genetic etiology of reading yield substantial evidence of genes and SNPs associated with dyslexia. However, little is known about the interface between these distinct areas of knowledge. Therefore, we offer an exhaustive perspective on dyslexia using the idea of modularity by assimilating the findings and implications from the brain morphological, neurophysiological, neurochemical, genetic, and educational insights into dyslexia. We contend that this endeavor will provide a beneficial foundation for aiming at the possibilities of a holistic intervention and informed solutions for reading difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Rahul
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India
| | - R Joseph Ponniah
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India.
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Is the Letter ‘t’ in the Word ‘gourmet’? Disruption in Task-Evoked Connectivity Networks in Adults with Impaired Literacy Skills. NEUROSCI 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci2010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Much work has been done to characterize domain-specific brain networks associated with reading, but very little work has been done with respect to spelling. Our aim was to characterize domain-specific spelling networks (SpNs) and domain-general resting state networks (RSNs) in adults with and without literacy impairments. Skilled and impaired adults were recruited from the University of Alberta. Participants completed three conditions of an in-scanner spelling task called a letter probe task (LPT). We found highly connected SpNs for both groups of individuals, albeit comparatively more connections for skilled (50) vs. impaired (43) readers. Notably, the SpNs did not correlate with spelling behaviour for either group. We also found relationships between SpNs and RSNs for both groups of individuals, this time with comparatively fewer connections for skilled (36) vs. impaired (53) readers. Finally, the RSNs did predict spelling performance in a limited manner for the skilled readers. These results advance our understanding of brain networks associated with spelling and add to the growing body of literature that describes the important and intricate connections between domain-specific networks and domain-general networks (i.e., resting states) in individuals with and without developmental disorders.
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41
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Huang L, Chen X, Sun W, Chen H, Ye Q, Yang D, Li M, Luo C, Ma J, Shao P, Xu H, Zhang B, Zhu X, Xu Y. Early Segmental White Matter Fascicle Microstructural Damage Predicts the Corresponding Cognitive Domain Impairment in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Patients by Automated Fiber Quantification. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 12:598242. [PMID: 33505302 PMCID: PMC7829360 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.598242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To characterize earlier damage pattern of white matter (WM) microstructure in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and its relationship with cognitive domain dysfunction. Methods: A total of 144 CSVD patients and 100 healthy controls who underwent neuropsychological measurements and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) examination were recruited. Cognitive function, emotion, and gait were assessed in each participant. The automated fiber quantification (AFQ) technique was used to extract different fiber properties between groups, and partial correlation and general linear regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between position-specific WM microstructure and cognitive function. Results: Specific segments in the association fibers, commissural WM regions of interest (ROIs), and projection fibers were damaged in the CSVD group [P < 0.05, family-wise error (FWE) correction], and these damaged segments showed interhemispheric symmetry. In addition, the damage to specific tract profiles [including the posteromedial component of the right cingulum cingulate (CC), the occipital lobe portion of the callosum forceps major, the posterior portion of the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation (ATR)] was related to the dysfunction in specific cognitive domains. Among these tracts, we found the ATR to be the key set of tracts whose profiles were most associated with cognitive dysfunction. The left ATR was a specific fiber bundle associated with episode memory and language function, whereas the fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the intermediate component of the right ATR were negatively correlated with executive function and gait evaluation. It should be noted that the abovementioned relationships could not survive the Bonferroni correction (p < 0.05/27), so we chose more liberal uncorrected statistical thresholds. Conclusions: Damage to the WM fiber bundles showed extensive interhemispheric symmetry and was limited to particular segments in CSVD patients. Disruption of strategically located fibers was associated with different cognitive deficits, especially the bilateral ATR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Huang
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenshan Sun
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Haifeng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Qing Ye
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengchun Li
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Caimei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Junyi Ma
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Pengfei Shao
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Hengheng Xu
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaolei Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neurological Medical Center, Nanjing, China
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A general role for ventral white matter pathways in morphological processing: Going beyond reading. Neuroimage 2020; 226:117577. [PMID: 33221439 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to recognize the structural components of words, known as morphological processing, was recently associated with the bilateral ventral white matter pathways, across different writing systems. However, it remains unclear whether these associations are specific to the context of reading. To shed light on this question, in the current study we investigated whether the ventral pathways are associated with morphological processing in an oral word production task that does not involve reading. Forty-five participants completed a morpheme-based fluency task in Hebrew, as well as diffusion MRI (dMRI) scans. We used probabilistic tractography to segment the major ventral and dorsal white matter pathways, and assessed the correlations between their microstructural properties and performance on the morpheme-based fluency task. We found significant correlations between morpheme-based fluency and properties of the bilateral ventral tracts, suggesting that the involvement of these tracts in morphological processing extends beyond the reading modality. In addition, significant correlations were found in the frontal aslant tract (FAT), a dorsal tract associated with oral fluency and speech production. Together, our findings emphasize that neurocognitive associations reflect both the cognitive construct under investigation as well as the task used for its assessment. Lastly, to elucidate the biological factors underlying these correlations, we incorporated the composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) framework, measured in independent scans. We found that only some of our findings could be attributed to variation in a CHARMED-based estimate of fiber density. Further, we were able to uncover additional correlations that could not be detected using traditional dMRI indices. In sum, our results show that the involvement of the ventral tracts in morphological processing extends to the production domain, and demonstrate the added value of including sensitive structural measurements in neurocognitive investigations.
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43
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Chen H, Sheng X, Qin R, Luo C, Li M, Liu R, Zhang B, Xu Y, Zhao H, Bai F. Aberrant White Matter Microstructure as a Potential Diagnostic Marker in Alzheimer's Disease by Automated Fiber Quantification. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:570123. [PMID: 33071742 PMCID: PMC7541946 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.570123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging evidence has suggested white matter microstructure are heavily affected in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, whether white matter dysfunction is localized at the specific regions of fiber tracts and whether they would be a potential biomarker for AD remain unclear. By automated fiber quantification (AFQ), we applied diffusion tensor images from 25 healthy controls (HC), 24 amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients and 18 AD patients to create tract profiles along 16 major white matter fibers. We compared diffusion metrics [Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (DA), and radial diffusivity (DR)] between groups. To assess the diagnostic value, we applied a random forest (RF) classifier, a type of machine learning method. In the global tract level, we found that aMCI and AD patients showed higher MD, DA, and DR values in some fiber tracts mostly in the left hemisphere compared to HC. In the point-wise level, widespread disruption were distributed on specific locations of different tracts. The point-wise MD measurements presented the best classification performance with respect to differentiating AD from HC. The two most important variables were localized in the prefrontal potion of left uncinate fasciculus and anterior thalamic radiation. In addition, the point-wise DA in the posterior component of the left cingulum cingulate displayed the most robust discriminative ability to identify AD from aMCI. Our findings provide evidence that white matter abnormalities based on the AFQ method could be as a diagnostic biomarker in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoning Sheng
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Ruomeng Qin
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Caimei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengchun Li
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Renyuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Bai
- Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Neuropsychiatry Clinic Medical Center, Nanjing, China
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Raja R, Caprihan A, Rosenberg GA, Rachakonda S, Calhoun VD. Discriminating VCID subgroups: A diffusion MRI multi-model fusion approach. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 335:108598. [PMID: 32004594 PMCID: PMC7443575 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) and Alzheimer's disease are predominant diseases among the aging population resulting in decline of various cognitive domains. Diffusion weighted MRI (DW-MRI) has been shown to be a promising aid in the diagnosis of such diseases. However, there are various models of DW-MRI and the interpretation of diffusion metrics depends on the model used in fitting data. Most previous studies are entirely based on parameters calculated from a single diffusion model. NEW METHOD We employ a data fusion framework wherein diffusion metrics from different models such as diffusion tensor imaging, diffusion kurtosis imaging and constrained spherical deconvolution model are fused using well known blind source separation approach to investigate white matter microstructural changes in population comprising of controls and VCID subgroups. Multiple comparisons between subject groups and prediction analysis using features from individual models and proposed fusion model are carried out to evaluate performance of proposed method. RESULTS Diffusion features from individual models successfully distinguished between controls and disease groups, but failed to differentiate between disease groups, whereas fusion approach showed group differences between disease groups too. WM tracts showing significant differences are superior longitudinal fasciculus, anterior thalamic radiation, arcuate fasciculus, optic radiation and corticospinal tract. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD ROC analysis showed increased AUC for fusion (AUC = 0.913, averaged across groups and tracts) compared to that of uni-model features (AUC = 0.77) demonstrating increased sensitivity of proposed method. CONCLUSION Overall our results highlight the benefits of multi-model fusion approach, providing improved sensitivity in discriminating VCID subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajikha Raja
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
| | | | - Gary A Rosenberg
- UNM Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Srinivas Rachakonda
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
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45
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Chen HF, Huang LL, Li HY, Qian Y, Yang D, Qing Z, Luo CM, Li MC, Zhang B, Xu Y. Microstructural disruption of the right inferior fronto-occipital and inferior longitudinal fasciculus contributes to WMH-related cognitive impairment. CNS Neurosci Ther 2020; 26:576-588. [PMID: 31901155 PMCID: PMC7163793 DOI: 10.1111/cns.13283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 12/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims White matter hyperintensity (WMH) is the most common neuroimaging manifestation of cerebral small vessel disease and is related to cognitive dysfunction or dementia. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism and effective indicators to predict WMH‐related cognitive impairment. Methods We recruited 22 healthy controls (HC), 25 cases of WMH with normal cognition (WMH‐NC), and 23 cases of WMH with mild cognitive impairment (WMH‐MCI). All individuals underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a standardized neuropsychological assessment. Automated Fiber Quantification was used to extract altered DTI metrics between groups, and partial correlation was performed to assess the associations between WM integrity and cognitive performance. Furthermore, machine learning analyses were performed to determine underlying imaging markers of WMH‐related cognitive impairment. Results Our study found that mean diffusivity (MD) values of several fiber bundles including the bilateral anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), the left inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus (IFOF), the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), and the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) were negatively correlated with memory function, while that of the anterior component of the right IFOF and the posterior and intermediate component of the right ILF showed significant negative correlation with MMSE and episodic memory, respectively. Furthermore, machine learning analyses showed that the accuracy of recognizing WMH‐MCI patients from the WMH populations was up to 80.5% and the intermediate and posterior components of the right ILF and the anterior component of the right IFOF contribute the most. Conclusions Changes in the properties of DTI may be the potential mechanism of WMH‐related MCI, especially the right IFOF and the right ILF, which may become imaging markers for predicting WMH‐related cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Feng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Li-Li Huang
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui-Ya Li
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Yi Qian
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhao Qing
- Department of Radiology, Afliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Cai-Mei Luo
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Meng-Chun Li
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Afliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yun Xu
- Department of Neurology, Medical School and The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Institute of Brain Science, Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.,Jiangsu Province Stroke Center for Diagnosis and Therapy, Nanjing, China.,Nanjing Clinic Medical Center for Neurology, Nanjing, China
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Banfi C, Koschutnig K, Moll K, Schulte-Körne G, Fink A, Landerl K. White matter alterations and tract lateralization in children with dyslexia and isolated spelling deficits. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:765-776. [PMID: 30267634 PMCID: PMC6492145 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated whether children with a typical dyslexia profile and children with isolated spelling deficits show a distinct pattern of white matter alteration compared with typically developing peers. Relevant studies on the topic are scarce, rely on small samples, and often suffer from the limitations of conventional tensor-based methods. The present Constrained Spherical Deconvolution study includes 27 children with typical reading and spelling skills, 21 children with dyslexia and 21 children with isolated spelling deficits. Group differences along major white matter tracts were quantified utilizing the Automated Fiber Quantification software and a lateralization index was calculated in order to investigate the structural asymmetry of the tracts. The two deficit groups mostly displayed different patterns of white matter alterations, located in the bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculi, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and cingulum for the group with dyslexia and in the left arcuate fasciculus for the group with isolated spelling deficits. The two deficit groups differed also with respect to structural asymmetry. Children with dyslexia did not show the typical leftward asymmetry of the arcuate fasciculus, whereas the group with isolated spelling deficits showed absent rightward asymmetry of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. This study adds evidence to the notion that different profiles of combined or isolated reading and spelling deficits are associated with different neural signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Banfi
- University of Graz, Institute of Psychology, Graz, Austria
| | | | - Kristina Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Gerd Schulte-Körne
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Andreas Fink
- University of Graz, Institute of Psychology, Graz, Austria
| | - Karin Landerl
- University of Graz, Institute of Psychology, Graz, Austria.,BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
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