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Wang T, Huang X, Dai LX, Zhan KM, Wang J. Investigation of altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with bronchial asthma using the percent amplitude of fluctuation method: a resting-state functional MRI study. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1228541. [PMID: 38098762 PMCID: PMC10719853 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1228541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To explore the regions of aberrant spontaneous brain activity in asthma patients and their potential impacts using the Percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF) analysis method. Patients and methods In this study, a total of 31 bronchial asthma (BA) patients were ultimately included, comprising 17 males and 14 females. Subsequently, 31 healthy control subjects (HCS) were recruited, consisting of 17 males and 14 females, and they were matched with the BA group based on age, sex, and educational status. The PerAF analysis technique was employed to study the differences in spontaneous brain activity between the two groups. The SPM12 toolkit was used to carry out a two sample t-test on the collected fMRI data, in order to examine the differences in PerAF values between the asthma patients and the healthy controls. We employed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) to evaluate the cognitive and emotional states of the two groups. Pearson correlation analysis was utilized to ascertain the relationship between changes in the PerAF values within specific brain regions and cognitive as well as emotional conditions. Results Compared with the healthy control group, areas of the brain with reduced PerAF in asthma patients included the inferior cerebellum, fusiform gyrus, right inferior orbital frontal gyrus, left middle orbital frontal gyrus, left/right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), dorsal lateral superior frontal gyrus (SFGdl), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and left/right angular gyrus. BA patients exhibit mild cognitive impairments and a propensity for emotional disturbances. Furthermore, the perAF values of the SFGdl region are significantly positively correlated with the results of the MoCA cognitive assessment, while negatively correlated with the HAMD evaluation. Conclusion Through the application of PerAF analysis methods, we discovered that several brain regions in asthma patients that control the amplitude of respiration, vision, memory, language, attention, and emotional control display abnormal changes in intrinsic brain activity. This helps characterize the neural mechanisms behind cognitive, sensory, and motor function impairments in asthma patients, providing valuable insights for potential therapeutic targets and disease management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Li-xue Dai
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Kang-min Zhan
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Wang
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
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Dehdar K, Raoufy MR. Brain structural and functional alterations related to anxiety in allergic asthma. Brain Res Bull 2023; 202:110727. [PMID: 37562517 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110727] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders are common in patients with allergic asthma, and they can have a significant impact on their quality of life and disease control. Recent studies have suggested that there may be potential immune-brain communication mechanisms in asthma, which can activate inflammatory responses in different brain areas, leading to structural and functional alterations and behavioral changes. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these alterations remain unclear. In this paper, we comprehensively review the relevant research on asthma-induced brain structural and functional alterations that lead to the initiation and promotion of anxiety. We summarize the possible pathways for peripheral inflammation to affect the brain's structure and function. Our review highlights the importance of addressing neuropsychiatric disorders in the clinical guidelines of asthma, to improve the quality of life of these patients. We suggest that a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying psychiatric comorbidities in asthma could lead to the development of more effective treatments for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolsoum Dehdar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Raoufy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
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Zaied RE, Fadason T, O'Sullivan JM. De novo identification of complex traits associated with asthma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1231492. [PMID: 37680636 PMCID: PMC10480836 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1231492] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Asthma is a heterogeneous inflammatory disease often associated with other complex phenotypes. Identifying asthma-associated diseases and uncovering the molecular mechanisms mediating their interaction can help detangle the heterogeneity of asthma. Network analysis is a powerful approach for untangling such inter-disease relationships. Methods Here, we integrated information on physical contacts between common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and gene expression with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from the lung and whole blood to construct two tissue-specific spatial gene regulatory networks (GRN). We then located the asthma GRN (level 0) within each tissue-specific GRN by identifying the genes that are functionally affected by asthma-associated spatial eQTLs. Curated protein interaction partners were subsequently identified up to four edges or levels away from the asthma GRN. The eQTLs spatially regulating genes on levels 0-4 were queried against the GWAS Catalog to identify the traits enriched (hypergeometric test; FDR ≤ 0.05) in each level. Results We identified 80 and 82 traits significantly enriched in the lung and blood GRNs, respectively. All identified traits were previously reported to be comorbid or associated (positively or negatively) with asthma (e.g., depressive symptoms and lung cancer), except 8 traits whose association with asthma is yet to be confirmed (e.g., reticulocyte count). Our analysis additionally pinpoints the variants and genes that link asthma to the identified asthma-associated traits, a subset of which was replicated in a comorbidity analysis using health records of 26,781 asthma patients in New Zealand. Discussion Our discovery approach identifies enriched traits in the regulatory space proximal to asthma, in the tissue of interest, without a priori selection of the interacting traits. The predictions it makes expand our understanding of possible shared molecular interactions and therapeutic targets for asthma, where no cure is currently available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roan E Zaied
- The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tayaza Fadason
- The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Justin M O'Sullivan
- The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
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Wang T, Huang X, Wang J. Asthma's effect on brain connectivity and cognitive decline. Front Neurol 2023; 13:1065942. [PMID: 36818725 PMCID: PMC9936195 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1065942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the changes in dynamic voxel mirror homotopy connection (dVMHC) between cerebral hemispheres in patients with asthma. Methods Our study was designed using a case-control method. A total of 31 subjects with BA and 31 healthy subjects with matching basic information were examined using rsfMRI. We also calculated and obtained the dVMHC value between the cerebral cortexes. Results Compared with the normal control group, the dVMHC of the lingual gyrus (Ling) and the calcarine sulcus (CAL), which represented the visual network (VN), increased significantly in the asthma group, while the dVMHC of the medial superior frontal gyrus (MSFG), the anterior/middle/posterior cingulate gyrus (A/M/PCG), and the supplementary motor area (SMA) of the sensorimotor network decreased significantly in the asthma group. Conclusion This study showed that the ability of emotion regulation and the efficiency of visual and cognitive information processing in patients with BA was lower than in those in the HC group. The dVMHC analysis can be used to sensitively evaluate oxygen saturation, visual function changes, and attention bias caused by emotional disorders in patients with asthma, as well as to predict airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammatory progression, and dyspnea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wang
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Jun Wang
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China,*Correspondence: Jun Wang ✉
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Wang X, Cui L, Ji X. Cognitive impairment caused by hypoxia: from clinical evidences to molecular mechanisms. Metab Brain Dis 2022; 37:51-66. [PMID: 34618295 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00796-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia is a state of reduced oxygen supply and excessive oxygen consumption. According to the duration of hypoxic period, it can be classified as acute and chronic hypoxia. Both acute and chronic hypoxia could induce abundant neurological deficits. Although there have been significant advances in the pathophysiological injuries, few studies have focused on the cognitive dysfunction. In this review, we focused on the clinical evidences and molecular mechanisms of cognitive impairment under acute and chronic hypoxia. Hypoxia can impair several cognitive domains such as attention, learning and memory, procession speed and executive function, which are similar in acute and chronic hypoxia. The severity of cognitive deficit correlates with the duration and degree of hypoxia. Recovery can be achieved after acute hypoxia, while sequelae or even dementia can be observed after chronic hypoxia, perhaps due to the different molecular mechanisms. Cardiopulmonary compensatory response, glycolysis, oxidative stress, calcium overload, adenosine, mitochondrial disruption, inflammation and excitotoxicity contribute to the molecular mechanisms of cognitive deficit after acute hypoxia. During the chronic stage of hypoxia, different adaptive responses, impaired neurovascular coupling, apoptosis, transcription factors-mediated inflammation, as well as Aβ accumulation and tau phosphorylation account for the neurocognitive deficit. Moreover, brain structural changes with hippocampus and cortex atrophy, ventricle enlargement, senile plaque and neurofibrillary tangle deposition can be observed under chronic hypoxia rather than acute hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyin Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xunming Ji
- Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, No 45, Changchun Street, Beijing, 100053, Xicheng District, China.
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Huang H, Li SY, Shi L, Huang X, Wang J. Altered spontaneous brain activity in patients with asthma: a resting-state functional MRI study using regional homogeneity analysis. Neuroreport 2021; 32:1403-1407. [PMID: 34743166 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies have shown that patients with asthma have changes in brain function activities, but the specific relationship is still unknown. This study aims to investigate the potential regional homogeneity (ReHo) brain activity changes in patients with asthma and healthy controls. METHODS Thirty-one patients with asthma and 31 healthy controls closely matched in age, sex, and weight underwent resting-state functional MRI scans, respectively. The ReHo method was applied to evaluate synchronous neural activity changes. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to show high test-retest stability and a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS Compared with the healthy controls, asthma patients had significantly increased ReHo values in left cerebellum posterior lobe and left superior frontal gyrus, and decreased ReHo values of right middle temporal gyrus, right Putamen, right inferior temporal gyrus, right inferior middle frontal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and right precentral/middle frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION Patients with asthma have different functional changes in different brain regions, mainly including the cerebellum, frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe, which provides important pieces of evidence to support the role of brain networks in the pathophysiology of asthma and offers an entirely new target for potential therapeutic intervention in asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | - Si-Yu Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | - Ling Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University
| | | | - Jun Wang
- The Second Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, P.R. China
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Wu YJ, Rao J, Huang X, Wu N, Shi L, Huang H, Li SY, Chen XL, Huang SQ, Zhong PP, Wu XR, Wang J. Impaired Interhemispheric Synchrony in Bronchial Asthma. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:10315-10325. [PMID: 34992446 PMCID: PMC8713883 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s343269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jun Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jie Rao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Na Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Shi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Si-Yu Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Lin Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shui-Qin Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pei-Pei Zhong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Rong Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital Affiliated to Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Jun Wang Email
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Coupling of spatial and directional functional network connectivity reveals a physiological basis for salience network hubs in asthma. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:176-185. [PMID: 34286477 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00490-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Research findings have consistently indicated that asthma might be correlated with neural activity in brain circuits, especially the insular and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which are primary nodes of the salience network (SN). However, little is known about the relationships between the SN and other brain regions that are affected by asthma. Therefore, we explored the role of the SN to determine whether its neural activity was disrupted by asthma. Forty asthmatic patients and 40 well-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning and clinical assessments, including the asthma control test and 17-item Hamilton depression scale (HAMD). Altered spatial, network and temporal connections of the SN were investigated. Compared to HCs, patients showed increased functional connectivity (FC) between the dorsal ACC (dACC) and left middle frontal gyrus. In addition, network FC analysis suggested that the SN has increased connections with both the default mode network (DMN) and executive control network (ECN), which are both related to asthma. Asthma decreased the network connections between the DMN and ECN. Furthermore, Granger causality (GC) strengths from both the DMN and ECN to the bilateral anterior insula were increased in asthmatic patients. A positive correlation was found between GC strengths from the left parietal cortex to the right anterior insula and HAMD scores in asthmatic patients (r = 0.434, P = 0.005). The findings from this study suggested that the SN plays an important role in asthma. The aberrant spatial FC of the SN and its directional network connections with the DMN and ECN may contribute to the potential neural underpinnings of asthma.
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Shang S, Wu J, Chen YC, Chen H, Zhang H, Dou W, Wang P, Cao X, Yin X. Aberrant cerebral perfusion pattern in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment: a comparative arterial spin labeling study. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021; 11:3082-3097. [PMID: 34249637 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-1259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been defined as the prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease (PD) with dementia. We investigated the differences in regional perfusion properties among MCI subtypes and healthy control (HC) subjects by using arterial spin labeling (ASL). Methods Regional normalized CBF (z-CBF) and CBF-connectivity were analyzed from ASL data in 44 amnestic MCI (aMCI) patients, 42 PD-MCI patients, and 50 matched HC participants. The correlations between these significant regions and clinical performance were investigated separately using Spearman correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was generated to determine the differentiating ability of z-CBF values. z-CBF values in disease-related specific regions were extracted for group comparison. Results MCI subgroups showed overlapped impaired regions, aMCI group seemed more extensive than the PD-MCI group. PD-MCI patients had reduced z-CBF in the bilateral putamen, left precentral gyrus, left middle cingulate gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus compared to aMCI group. Correlations to executive performance and motor severity were found in PD-MCI group, and correlations were to memory performance found in aMCI group. CBF-connectivity in left precentral gyrus, left middle cingulate gyrus, and right middle frontal gyrus were significantly altered. All of the significant clusters had good discriminatory ability. Conclusions Normalized CBF as measured by ASL revealed different patterns of perfusion between aMCI and PD-MCI, which were probably linked to distinct neural mechanisms. The present study indicates that z-CBF can provide specific perfusion information for further pathological and neuropsychological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song'an Shang
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Jingtao Wu
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongri Chen
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Hongying Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Weiqiang Dou
- MR Research China, GE Healthcare, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Cao
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Science, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xindao Yin
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Choo AL, Smith SA, Li H. Associations between stuttering, comorbid conditions and executive function in children: a population-based study. BMC Psychol 2020; 8:113. [PMID: 33129350 PMCID: PMC7603732 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-020-00481-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between executive function (EF), stuttering, and comorbidity by examining children who stutter (CWS) and children who do not stutter (CWNS) with and without comorbid conditions. Data from the National Health Interview Survey were used to examine behavioral manifestations of EF, such as inattention and self-regulation, in CWS and CWNS. Methods The sample included 2258 CWS (girls = 638, boys = 1620), and 117,725 CWNS (girls = 57,512; boys = 60,213). EF, and the presence of stuttering and comorbid conditions were based on parent report. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of stuttering and comorbidity across group and sex. Regression analyses were to determine the effects of stuttering and comorbidity on EF, and the relationship between EF and socioemotional competence. Results Results point to weaker EF in CWS compared to CWNS. Also, having comorbid conditions was also associated with weaker EF. CWS with comorbidity showed the weakest EF compared to CWNS with and without comorbidity, and CWS without comorbidity. Children with stronger EF showed higher socioemotional competence. A majority (60.32%) of CWS had at least one other comorbid condition in addition to stuttering. Boys who stutter were more likely to have comorbid conditions compared to girls who stutter. Conclusion Present findings suggest that comorbidity is a common feature in CWS. Stuttering and comorbid conditions negatively impact EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Leen Choo
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Georgia State University, 30 Pryor St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Sara Ashley Smith
- Department of Teaching and Learning, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Hongli Li
- Department of Educational Policy Studies, Georgia State University, 30 Pryor St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
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Yu S, Dong X, Sun R, He Z, Zhang C, Chen M, Hong X, Lan L, Zeng F. Effect of acupuncture and its influence on cerebral activity in patients with persistent asthma: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial. Trials 2020; 21:406. [PMID: 32410641 PMCID: PMC7227329 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-020-04319-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies suggested that acupuncture was a promising adjunctive treatment for asthma. However, the underlying mechanism of acupuncture for asthma remains unclear. The aim of the present trial is to explore whether and how specific meridian acupuncture works in quality of life and symptomatic improvement by modulating brain function in patients with asthma. Methods/design This is a randomized controlled functional brain imaging trial currently being conducted in Sichuan, China. In total, 48 patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma will be recruited randomly and allocated to either of two acupuncture groups: acupuncture at the lung meridian or acupuncture at the heart meridian. The treatment period will last 4 weeks. The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire is the primary outcome. The Asthma Control Test, peak expiratory flow rate, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Zung Self-rating Depression Scale will also be used to assess the clinical efficacy of different interventions. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be performed to detect cerebral activity changes in each group. The clinical data and fMRI data will be analyzed between groups, then, the Pearson correlation analysis will be used to assess the association between the changes of cerebral activity features and the improvement of clinical outcomes in each group. Discussion The present study has been established on the basis of the “meridian–viscera relationship” theory of traditional Chinese medicine and the modern central mechanism of acupuncture. The results of this trial would be useful to identify the efficiency of the specific meridian acupuncture for asthma. The investigation of its central mechanism would further expand knowledge of acupuncture for asthma. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900027478. Registered on 15 November 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyi Yu
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaohui Dong
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruirui Sun
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhaoxuan He
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China
| | - Chuantao Zhang
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610072, Sichuan, China
| | - Mei Chen
- Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaojuan Hong
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China
| | - Lei Lan
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China.
| | - Fang Zeng
- Brain Research Center, Acupuncture and Tuina School/Third Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 37 Shierqiao Road, Chengdu, 610075, Sichuan, China.
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Gao X, Xiao Y, Lv P, Zhang W, Gong Y, Wang T, Gong Q, Ji Y, Lui S. Altered brain network integrity in patients with asthma: A structural connectomic diffusion tensor imaging study. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2019; 266:89-94. [PMID: 31085322 DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Brain functional deficits had been reported in asthma patients. These deficits may be related to treatment resistance, inaccurate self-assessment and poor self-management. However, changes of the structural brain network in asthma patients remain largely unclear. Diffusion tensor imaging were acquired from 54 asthmatic patients and 44 controls. Then we calculated all the participants' structural network metrics. All the participants underwent the test of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Anxiety as well as a lung function. Multiple linear correlation analyses were conducted. At the global level, asthma patients had a higher path length and lower global efficiency than controls, implying a shift toward regular networks. At the local level, asthma patients exhibited abnormal nodal connectivity with other nodes involved the fronto-limbic regions. Our findings highlight more locally segregated but less efficiently integrated structural networks, particularly involving frontal-limbic networks, in asthmatic patients. These findings provide important evidence to support the role of brain networks in the pathophysiology of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gao
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; Department of Radiology, People's Hospital of Deyang City, Deyang, China
| | - Yuan Xiao
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Peilin Lv
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yao Gong
- The Fourth People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yulin Ji
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Su Lui
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Li P, Lang X, Xia S. Elevated expression of microRNA-378 in children with asthma aggravates airway remodeling by promoting the proliferation and apoptosis resistance of airway smooth muscle cells. Exp Ther Med 2018; 17:1529-1536. [PMID: 30783418 PMCID: PMC6364182 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2018.7141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study determined the expression of microRNA (miR)-378 in the peripheral blood and lung tissues of children with asthma, and investigated its effect and mechanism of action on the biological functions of airway smooth muscle cells. A total of 23 asthmatic children and 15 healthy children were included in the study. Peripheral blood and tissues were obtained from asthmatic children. Healthy children provided peripheral blood. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of miR-378. Airway smooth muscle cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. The cells were transfected with miR-378 mimics or miR-378 inhibitor. Following transfection, proliferation of the cells was determined using the CCK-8 assay. In addition, flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycles and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells. Western blotting was performed to determine the expression of extracellular matrix proteins in smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, bioinformatics was used to predict potential target genes of miR-378 and their downstream signaling pathways. Results indicated that the expression of miR-378 in peripheral blood and lung tissues from asthmatic children was increased compared with that in healthy children. Serum from asthmatic children promoted the proliferation of smooth muscle cells in vitro by affecting the cell cycle, and enhanced apoptotic resistance of smooth muscle cells. Notably, overexpression of miR-378 increased the proliferation of smooth muscle cells by affecting the cell cycle, and this upregulated apoptotic resistance of smooth muscle cells and enhanced the expression of extracellular matrix-related proteins in smooth muscle cells. However, downregulation of miR-378 expression reversed the promoting effect of serum from asthmatic children on the biological functions of smooth muscle cells. These findings suggested that miR-378 possibly affects the proliferation, apoptosis and motility of airway smooth muscle cells via downstream signaling pathways. To conclude, the present study demonstrated that miR-378 expression was elevated in the peripheral blood and lung tissues from children with asthma. Furthermore, miR-378 promoted the biological functions of extracellular matrix-related proteins of smooth muscle cells, and possibly exerts its effect via its target genes through downstream signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Zibo City, Zibo, Shandong 255029, P.R. China
| | - Xufang Lang
- Department of Student Affairs, College of Nursing, Zibo Vocational Institute, Zibo, Shandong 255314, P.R. China
| | - Shungang Xia
- Department of Pediatrics, Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Zibo City, Zibo, Shandong 255029, P.R. China
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