1
|
Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness ( VO 2 max ) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14191. [PMID: 38895950 PMCID: PMC11250687 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
AIM Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greaterVo 2 max - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). METHODS We hypothesized that greaterVo 2 max would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. In a sample of 41 healthy subjects, we performed Voxel-Based Morphometry analyses, then repeated for the other neuromodulators as a control procedure (Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine). RESULTS As hypothesized, greaterVo 2 max related to greater LC signal intensity, and weaker associations emerged for the other neuromodulators. CONCLUSION This newly established link betweenVo 2 max and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the NA system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provides ground for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration viaVo 2 max enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele R G Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Sandra B Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cai J, Wang Y, McKeown MJ. Advances in functional and structural imaging of the brainstem: implications for disease. Curr Opin Neurol 2024; 37:361-368. [PMID: 38884636 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The brainstem's complex anatomy and relatively small size means that structural and functional assessment of this structure is done less frequently compared to other brain areas. However, recent years have seen substantial progress in brainstem imaging, enabling more detailed investigations into its structure and function, as well as its role in neuropathology. RECENT FINDINGS Advancements in ultrahigh field MRI technology have allowed for unprecedented spatial resolution in brainstem imaging, facilitating the new creation of detailed brainstem-specific atlases. Methodological improvements have significantly enhanced the accuracy of physiological (cardiac and respiratory) noise correction within brainstem imaging studies. These technological and methodological advancements have allowed for in-depth analyses of the brainstem's anatomy, including quantitative assessments and examinations of structural connectivity within both gray and white matter. Furthermore, functional studies, including assessments of activation patterns and functional connectivity, have revealed the brainstem's roles in both specialized functions and broader neural integration. Notably, these investigations have identified alterations in brainstem structure and function associated with various neurological disorders. SUMMARY The aforementioned developments have allowed for a greater appreciation of the importance of the brainstem in the wider context of neuroscience and clinical neurology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Cai
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuheng Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering
- Faculty of Medicine
| | - Martin J McKeown
- School of Biomedical Engineering
- Faculty of Medicine
- Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pohl H, Neumeier MS, Gantenbein AR, Wegener S, Rosio M, Hennel F, Sandor PS, Weller M, Michels L. Circadian functional changes of pain-processing brainstem nuclei and implications for cluster headache: A 7 Tesla imaging study. Headache 2024; 64:729-737. [PMID: 38923561 DOI: 10.1111/head.14752] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain thresholds and primary headaches, including cluster headache attacks, have circadian rhythmicity. Thus, they might share a common neuronal mechanism. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to elucidate how the modulation of nociceptive input in the brainstem changes from noon to midnight. Insights into the mechanism of these fluctuations could allow for new hypotheses about the pathophysiology of cluster headache. METHODS This repeated measure observational study was conducted at the University Hospital Zurich from December 2019 to November 2022. Healthy adults between 18 and 85 years of age were eligible. All participants were examined at noon and midnight. We tested the pain threshold on both sides of the foreheads with quantitative sensory testing, assessed tiredness levels, and obtained high-field (7 Tesla) and high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at each visit. Functional connectivity was assessed at the two visits by performing a region-of-interest analysis. We defined nuclei in the brainstem implicated in processing nociceptive input as well as the thalamus and suprachiasmatic nucleus as the region-of-interest. RESULTS Ten people were enrolled, and seven participants were included. First, we did not find statistically significant differences between noon and midnight of A-delta-mediated pain thresholds (median mechanical pain threshold at noon: left 9.2, right 9.2; at night: left 6.5, right 6.1). Second, after correction for a false discovery rate, we found changes in the mechanical pain sensitivity to have a statistically significant effect on changes in the functional connectivity between the left parabrachial nucleus and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (T = -40.79). CONCLUSION The MRI data analysis suggested that brain stem nuclei and the hypothalamus modulate A-delta-mediated pain perception; however, these changes in pain perception did not lead to statistically significantly differing pain thresholds between noon and midnight. Hence, our findings shed doubt on our hypothesis that the physiologic circadian rhythmicity of pain thresholds could drive the circadian rhythmicity of cluster headache attacks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Pohl
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria S Neumeier
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas R Gantenbein
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, ZURZACH Care, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Wegener
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Rosio
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franciszek Hennel
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter S Sandor
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, ZURZACH Care, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland
| | - Michael Weller
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Clinical Neuroscience Centre, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Michels
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Danielson TL, Gould LA, DeFreitas JM, MacLennan RJ, Ekstrand C, Borowsky R, Farthing JP, Andrushko JW. Activity in the pontine reticular nuclei scales with handgrip force in humans. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:807-814. [PMID: 38505916 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00407.2023] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The neural pathways that contribute to force production in humans are currently poorly understood, as the relative roles of the corticospinal tract and brainstem pathways, such as the reticulospinal tract (RST), vary substantially across species. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we aimed to measure activation in the pontine reticular nuclei (PRN) during different submaximal handgrip contractions to determine the potential role of the PRN in force modulation. Thirteen neurologically intact participants (age: 28 ± 6 yr) performed unilateral handgrip contractions at 25%, 50%, 75% of maximum voluntary contraction during brain scans. We quantified the magnitude of PRN activation from the contralateral and ipsilateral sides during each of the three contraction intensities. A repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant main effect of force (P = 0.012, [Formula: see text] = 0.307) for PRN activation, independent of side (i.e., activation increased with force for both contralateral and ipsilateral nuclei). Further analyses of these data involved calculating the linear slope between the magnitude of activation and handgrip force for each region of interest (ROI) at the individual-level. One-sample t tests on the slopes revealed significant group-level scaling for the PRN bilaterally, but only the ipsilateral PRN remained significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. We show evidence of task-dependent activation in the PRN that was positively related to handgrip force. These data build on a growing body of literature that highlights the RST as a functionally relevant motor pathway for force modulation in humans.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we used a task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm to show that activity in the pontine reticular nuclei scales linearly with increasing force during a handgrip task. These findings directly support recently proposed hypotheses that the reticulospinal tract may play an important role in modulating force production in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler L Danielson
- Applied Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory, College of Education and Human Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
| | - Layla A Gould
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jason M DeFreitas
- Department of Exercise Science, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, United States
| | - Rob J MacLennan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Chelsea Ekstrand
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ron Borowsky
- Department of Psychology and Health Studies, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jonathan P Farthing
- College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Justin W Andrushko
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mohamed AZ, Kwiatek R, Del Fante P, Calhoun VD, Lagopoulos J, Shan ZY. Functional MRI of the Brainstem for Assessing Its Autonomic Functions: From Imaging Parameters and Analysis to Functional Atlas. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024. [PMID: 38339792 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29286] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brainstem is a crucial component of the central autonomic nervous (CAN) system. Functional MRI (fMRI) of the brainstem remains challenging due to a range of factors, including diverse imaging protocols, analysis, and interpretation. PURPOSE To develop an fMRI protocol for establishing a functional atlas in the brainstem. STUDY TYPE Prospective cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS Ten healthy subjects (four males, six females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Using a 3.0 Tesla MR scanner, we acquired T1-weighted images and three different fMRI scans using fMRI protocols of the optimized functional Imaging of Brainstem (FIBS), the Human Connectome Project (HCP), and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project. ASSESSMENT The temporal signal-to-noise-ratio (TSNR) of fMRI data was compared between the FIBS, HCP, and ABCD protocols. Additionally, the main normalization algorithms (i.e., FSL-FNIRT, SPM-DARTEL, and ANTS-SyN) were compared to identify the best approach to normalize brainstem data using root-mean-square (RMS) error computed based on manually defined reference points. Finally, a functional autonomic brainstem atlas that maps brainstem regions involved in the CAN system was defined using meta-analysis and data-driven approaches. STATISTICAL TESTS ANOVA was used to compare the performance of different imaging and preprocessing pipelines with multiple comparison corrections (P ≤ 0.05). Dice coefficient estimated ROI overlap, with 50% overlap between ROIs identified in each approach considered significant. RESULTS The optimized FIBS protocol showed significantly higher brainstem TSNR than the HCP and ABCD protocols (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, FSL-FNIRT RMS error (2.1 ± 1.22 mm; P ≤ 0.001) exceeded SPM (1.5 ± 0.75 mm; P ≤ 0.01) and ANTs (1.1 ± 0.54 mm). Finally, a set of 12 final brainstem ROIs with dice coefficient ≥0.50, as a step toward the development of a functional brainstem atlas. DATA CONCLUSION The FIBS protocol yielded more robust brainstem CAN results and outperformed both the HCP and ABCD protocols. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdalla Z Mohamed
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Richard Kwiatek
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter Del Fante
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- Thompson Brain and Mind Healthcare, Birtinya, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zack Y Shan
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Travers BG, Surgent O, Guerrero-Gonzalez J, Dean DC, Adluru N, Kecskemeti SR, Kirk GR, Alexander AL, Zhu J, Skaletski EC, Naik S, Duran M. Role of autonomic, nociceptive, and limbic brainstem nuclei in core autism features. Autism Res 2024; 17:266-279. [PMID: 38278763 PMCID: PMC10922575 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3096] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Although multiple theories have speculated about the brainstem reticular formation's involvement in autistic behaviors, the in vivo imaging of brainstem nuclei needed to test these theories has proven technologically challenging. Using methods to improve brainstem imaging in children, this study set out to elucidate the role of the autonomic, nociceptive, and limbic brainstem nuclei in the autism features of 145 children (74 autistic children, 6.0-10.9 years). Participants completed an assessment of core autism features and diffusion- and T1-weighted imaging optimized to improve brainstem images. After data reduction via principal component analysis, correlational analyses examined associations among autism features and the microstructural properties of brainstem clusters. Independent replication was performed in 43 adolescents (24 autistic, 13.0-17.9 years). We found specific nuclei, most robustly the parvicellular reticular formation-alpha (PCRtA) and to a lesser degree the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) and ventral tegmental parabrachial pigmented complex (VTA-PBP), to be associated with autism features. The PCRtA and some of the LPB associations were independently found in the replication sample, but the VTA-PBP associations were not. Consistent with theoretical perspectives, the findings suggest that individual differences in pontine reticular formation nuclei contribute to the prominence of autistic features. Specifically, the PCRtA, a nucleus involved in mastication, digestion, and cardio-respiration in animal models, was associated with social communication in children, while the LPB, a pain-network nucleus, was associated with repetitive behaviors. These findings highlight the contributions of key autonomic brainstem nuclei to the expression of core autism features.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brittany G. Travers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Olivia Surgent
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jose Guerrero-Gonzalez
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Douglas C. Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nagesh Adluru
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Gregory R. Kirk
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrew L. Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Statistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Emily C. Skaletski
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sonali Naik
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Monica Duran
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Okkels N, Horsager J, Fedorova TD, Knudsen K, Skjærbæk C, Andersen KB, Labrador-Espinosa M, Vestergaard K, Mortensen JK, Klit H, Møller M, Danielsen EH, Johnsen EL, Bekan G, Hansen KV, Munk OL, Damholdt MF, Kjeldsen PL, Hansen AK, Gottrup H, Grothe MJ, Borghammer P. Impaired cholinergic integrity of the colon and pancreas in dementia with Lewy bodies. Brain 2024; 147:255-266. [PMID: 37975822 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad391] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Dementia with Lewy bodies is characterized by a high burden of autonomic dysfunction and Lewy pathology in peripheral organs and components of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Parasympathetic terminals may be quantified with 18F-fluoroetoxybenzovesamicol, a PET tracer that binds to the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in cholinergic presynaptic terminals. Parasympathetic imaging may be useful for diagnostics, improving our understanding of autonomic dysfunction and for clarifying the spatiotemporal relationship of neuronal degeneration in prodromal disease. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the cholinergic parasympathetic integrity in peripheral organs and central autonomic regions of subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies and its association with subjective and objective measures of autonomic dysfunction. We hypothesized that organs with known parasympathetic innervation, especially the pancreas and colon, would have impaired cholinergic integrity. To achieve these aims, we conducted a cross-sectional comparison study including 23 newly diagnosed non-diabetic subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies (74 ± 6 years, 83% male) and 21 elderly control subjects (74 ± 6 years, 67% male). We obtained whole-body images to quantify PET uptake in peripheral organs and brain images to quantify PET uptake in regions of the brainstem and hypothalamus. Autonomic dysfunction was assessed with questionnaires and measurements of orthostatic blood pressure. Subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies displayed reduced cholinergic tracer uptake in the pancreas (32% reduction, P = 0.0003) and colon (19% reduction, P = 0.0048), but not in organs with little or no parasympathetic innervation. Tracer uptake in a region of the medulla oblongata overlapping the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus correlated with autonomic symptoms (rs = -0.54, P = 0.0077) and changes in orthostatic blood pressure (rs = 0.76, P < 0.0001). Tracer uptake in the pedunculopontine region correlated with autonomic symptoms (rs = -0.52, P = 0.0104) and a measure of non-motor symptoms (rs = -0.47, P = 0.0230). In conclusion, our findings provide the first imaging-based evidence of impaired cholinergic integrity of the pancreas and colon in dementia with Lewy bodies. The observed changes may reflect parasympathetic denervation, implying that this process is initiated well before the point of diagnosis. The findings also support that cholinergic denervation in the brainstem contributes to dysautonomia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niels Okkels
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Jacob Horsager
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Tatyana D Fedorova
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Karoline Knudsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Casper Skjærbæk
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Katrine B Andersen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Miguel Labrador-Espinosa
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Janne K Mortensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Henriette Klit
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Mette Møller
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Erik H Danielsen
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Erik L Johnsen
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Goran Bekan
- Department of Neurology, Regionshospitalet Gødstrup, 7400 Herning, Denmark
| | - Kim V Hansen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Ole L Munk
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Malene F Damholdt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Pernille L Kjeldsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Allan K Hansen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Hanne Gottrup
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Michel J Grothe
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Per Borghammer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Meissner SN, Bächinger M, Kikkert S, Imhof J, Missura S, Carro Dominguez M, Wenderoth N. Self-regulating arousal via pupil-based biofeedback. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:43-62. [PMID: 37904022 PMCID: PMC10810759 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01729-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
The brain's arousal state is controlled by several neuromodulatory nuclei known to substantially influence cognition and mental well-being. Here we investigate whether human participants can gain volitional control of their arousal state using a pupil-based biofeedback approach. Our approach inverts a mechanism suggested by previous literature that links activity of the locus coeruleus, one of the key regulators of central arousal and pupil dynamics. We show that pupil-based biofeedback enables participants to acquire volitional control of pupil size. Applying pupil self-regulation systematically modulates activity of the locus coeruleus and other brainstem structures involved in arousal control. Furthermore, it modulates cardiovascular measures such as heart rate, and behavioural and psychophysiological responses during an oddball task. We provide evidence that pupil-based biofeedback makes the brain's arousal system accessible to volitional control, a finding that has tremendous potential for translation to behavioural and clinical applications across various domains, including stress-related and anxiety disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Nadine Meissner
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Marc Bächinger
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sanne Kikkert
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jenny Imhof
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Silvia Missura
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Carro Dominguez
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Wenderoth
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Future Health Technologies, Singapore-ETH Centre, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, Singapore.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hansen JY, Cauzzo S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Shine JM, Bianciardi M, Misic B. Integrating brainstem and cortical functional architectures. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3569352. [PMID: 38076888 PMCID: PMC10705693 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3569352/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem is a fundamental component of the central nervous system yet it is typically excluded from in vivo human brain mapping efforts, precluding a complete understanding of how the brainstem influences cortical function. Here we use high-resolution 7 Tesla fMRI to derive a functional connectome encompassing cortex as well as 58 brainstem nuclei spanning the midbrain, pons and medulla. We identify a compact set of integrative hubs in the brainstem with widespread connectivity with cerebral cortex. Patterns of connectivity between brainstem and cerebral cortex manifest as multiple emergent phenomena including neurophysiological oscillatory rhythms, patterns of cognitive functional specialization, and the unimodal-transmodal functional hierarchy. This persistent alignment between cortical functional topographies and brainstem nuclei is shaped by the spatial arrangement of multiple neurotransmitter receptors and transporters. We replicate all findings using 3 Tesla data from the same participants. Collectively, we find that multiple organizational features of cortical activity can be traced back to the brainstem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justine Y. Hansen
- Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Center for Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
| | - James M. Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Hansen JY, Cauzzo S, Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Shine JM, Bianciardi M, Misic B. Integrating brainstem and cortical functional architectures. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.26.564245. [PMID: 37961347 PMCID: PMC10634864 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem is a fundamental component of the central nervous system yet it is typically excluded from in vivo human brain mapping efforts, precluding a complete understanding of how the brainstem influences cortical function. Here we use high-resolution 7 Tesla fMRI to derive a functional connectome encompassing cortex as well as 58 brainstem nuclei spanning the midbrain, pons and medulla. We identify a compact set of integrative hubs in the brainstem with widespread connectivity with cerebral cortex. Patterns of connectivity between brainstem and cerebral cortex manifest as multiple emergent phenomena including neurophysiological oscillatory rhythms, patterns of cognitive functional specialization, and the unimodal-transmodal functional hierarchy. This persistent alignment between cortical functional topographies and brainstem nuclei is shaped by the spatial arrangement of multiple neurotransmitter receptors and transporters. We replicate all findings using 3 Tesla data from the same participants. Collectively, we find that multiple organizational features of cortical activity can be traced back to the brainstem.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justine Y. Hansen
- Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Center for Rare Neurological Diseases (ERN-RND), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, México
| | - James M. Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Grimaldi S, Guye M, Bianciardi M, Eusebio A. Brain MRI Biomarkers in Isolated Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder: Where Are We? A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1398. [PMID: 37891767 PMCID: PMC10604962 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101398] [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: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of MRI studies focused on prodromal Parkinson's Disease (PD) demonstrates a strong interest in identifying early biomarkers capable of monitoring neurodegeneration. In this systematic review, we present the latest information regarding the most promising MRI markers of neurodegeneration in relation to the most specific prodromal symptoms of PD, namely isolated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). We reviewed structural, diffusion, functional, iron-sensitive, neuro-melanin-sensitive MRI, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies conducted between 2000 and 2023, which yielded a total of 77 relevant papers. Among these markers, iron and neuromelanin emerged as the most robust and promising indicators for early neurodegenerative processes in iRBD. Atrophy was observed in several regions, including the frontal and temporal cortices, limbic cortices, and basal ganglia, suggesting that neurodegenerative processes had been underway for some time. Diffusion and functional MRI produced heterogeneous yet intriguing results. Additionally, reduced glymphatic clearance function was reported. Technological advancements, such as the development of ultra-high field MRI, have enabled the exploration of minute anatomical structures and the detection of previously undetectable anomalies. The race to achieve early detection of neurodegeneration is well underway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Grimaldi
- Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders, APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, 265 rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France
- Centre d’Exploration Métabolique par Résonnance Magnétique, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, 265 rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France
- Center for Magnetic Resonance in Biology and Medicine, Aix Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 149 13th St., Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Maxime Guye
- Centre d’Exploration Métabolique par Résonnance Magnétique, Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Marseille, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, 265 rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France
- Center for Magnetic Resonance in Biology and Medicine, Aix Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 149 13th St., Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Alexandre Eusebio
- Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders, APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, 265 rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Aix Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness (Vo2Max) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic system. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2556690. [PMID: 36798156 PMCID: PMC9934752 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2556690/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greater Vo2max - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). In the current study, we hypothesised that greater Vo2 max would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. As hypothesised, greater Vo2max related to greater LC signal intensity across 41 healthy adults (age range 60-72). As a control procedure, in which these analyses were repeated for the other neuromodulators' seeds (for Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine), weaker associations emerged. This newly established link between Vo2max and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the noradrenergic system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provide grounds for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration via Vo2max enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele RG Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S. Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sandra B. Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Okkels N, Horsager J, Labrador-Espinosa M, Kjeldsen PL, Damholdt MF, Mortensen J, Vestergård K, Knudsen K, Andersen KB, Fedorova TD, Skjærbæk C, Gottrup H, Hansen AK, Grothe MJ, Borghammer P. Severe cholinergic terminal loss in newly diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies. Brain 2023; 146:3690-3704. [PMID: 37279796 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholinergic changes play a fundamental role in the natural history of dementia with Lewy bodies and Lewy body disease in general. Despite important achievements in the field of cholinergic research, significant challenges remain. We conducted a study with four main objectives: (i) to examine the integrity of cholinergic terminals in newly diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies; (ii) to disentangle the cholinergic contribution to dementia by comparing cholinergic changes in Lewy body patients with and without dementia; (iii) to investigate the in vivo relationship between cholinergic terminal loss and atrophy of cholinergic cell clusters in the basal forebrain at different stages of Lewy body disease; and (iv) to test whether any asymmetrical degeneration in cholinergic terminals would correlate with motor dysfunction and hypometabolism. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a comparative cross-sectional study of 25 newly diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies patients (age 74 ± 5 years, 84% male), 15 healthy control subjects (age 75 ± 6 years, 67% male) and 15 Parkinson's disease patients without dementia (age 70 ± 7 years, 60% male). All participants underwent 18F-fluoroetoxybenzovesamicol PET and high-resolution structural MRI. In addition, we collected clinical 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET images. Brain images were normalized to standard space and regional tracer uptake and volumetric indices of basal forebrain degeneration were extracted. Patients with dementia showed spatially distinct reductions in cholinergic terminals across the cerebral cortex, limbic system, thalamus and brainstem. Also, cholinergic terminal binding in cortical and limbic regions correlated quantitatively and spatially with atrophy of the basal forebrain. In contrast, patients without dementia showed decreased cholinergic terminal binding in the cerebral cortex despite preserved basal forebrain volumes. In patients with dementia, cholinergic terminal reductions were most severe in limbic regions and least severe in occipital regions compared to those without dementia. Interhemispheric asymmetry of cholinergic terminals correlated with asymmetry of brain metabolism and lateralized motor function. In conclusion, this study provides robust evidence for severe cholinergic terminal loss in newly diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies, which correlates with structural imaging measures of cholinergic basal forebrain degeneration. In patients without dementia, our findings suggest that loss of cholinergic terminal function occurs 'before' neuronal cell degeneration. Moreover, the study supports that degeneration of the cholinergic system is important for brain metabolism and may be linked with degeneration in other transmitter systems. Our findings have implications for understanding how cholinergic system pathology contributes to the clinical features of Lewy body disease, changes in brain metabolism and disease progression patterns.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niels Okkels
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Jacob Horsager
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Miguel Labrador-Espinosa
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pernille L Kjeldsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Malene F Damholdt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Janne Mortensen
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Karsten Vestergård
- Department of Neurology, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Karoline Knudsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Katrine B Andersen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Tatyana D Fedorova
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Casper Skjærbæk
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Hanne Gottrup
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
| | - Allan K Hansen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Aalborg University Hospital, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Michel J Grothe
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Seville, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Per Borghammer
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhang J, Chen D, Srirangarajan T, Theriault J, Kragel PA, Hartley L, Lee KM, McVeigh K, Wager TD, Wald LL, Satpute AB, Quigley KS, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Barrett LF, Bianciardi M. Cortical and subcortical mapping of the allostatic-interoceptive system in the human brain: replication and extension with 7 Tesla fMRI. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.20.548178. [PMID: 37546889 PMCID: PMC10401932 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.20.548178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The brain continuously anticipates the energetic needs of the body and prepares to meet those needs before they arise, a process called allostasis. In support of allostasis, the brain continually models the internal state of the body, a process called interoception. Using published tract-tracing studies in non-human animals as a guide, we previously identified a large-scale system supporting allostasis and interoception in the human brain with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 3 Tesla. In the present study, we replicated and extended this system in humans using 7 Tesla fMRI (N = 91), improving the precision of subgenual and pregenual anterior cingulate topography as well as brainstem nuclei mapping. We verified over 90% of the anatomical connections in the hypothesized allostatic-interoceptive system observed in non-human animal research. We also identified functional connectivity hubs verified in tract-tracing studies but not previously detected using 3 Tesla fMRI. Finally, we demonstrated that individuals with stronger fMRI connectivity between system hubs self-reported greater interoceptive awareness, building on construct validity evidence from our earlier paper. Taken together, these results strengthen evidence for the existence of a whole-brain system supporting interoception in the service of allostasis and we consider the implications for mental and physical health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiahe Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Danlei Chen
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | | | - Jordan Theriault
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02139
| | | | - Ludger Hartley
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Kent M. Lee
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Kieran McVeigh
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Tor D. Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Lawrence L. Wald
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02139
| | - Ajay B. Satpute
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Karen S. Quigley
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
| | | | - Lisa Feldman Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02139
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02139
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02139
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Nepozitek J, Varga Z, Dostalova S, Perinova P, Keller J, Robinson S, Ibarburu V, Prihodova I, Bezdicek O, Ruzicka E, Sonka K, Dusek P. Magnetic susceptibility changes in the brainstem reflect REM sleep without atonia severity in isolated REM sleep behavior disorder. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:112. [PMID: 37452075 PMCID: PMC10349141 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00557-2] [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: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
REM sleep without atonia (RWA) is the hallmark of isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) and is caused by neurodegeneration of brainstem structures. Previously, quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was shown to detect microstructural tissue changes in neurodegenerative diseases. The goal of the study was to compare brainstem magnetic susceptibility (MS) in iRBD and controls using the voxel-based QSM approach and to examine the association between brainstem MS and severity of RWA in iRBD. Sixty iRBD patients and 41 healthy controls were included in the study. Phasic, tonic, mixed RWA and SINBAR score was quantified. QSM maps were reconstructed with QSMbox software from a multi-gradient-echo sequence acquired at 3T MRI system and normalized using a custom T1 template. Voxel-based analysis with age and gender as covariates was performed using a two-sample t-test model for between-group comparison and using a linear regression model for association with the RWA parameters. Statistical maps were generated using threshold free cluster enhancement with p-value p < 0.05, corrected for family wise error. Compared to controls, the iRBD group had higher MS in bilateral substantia nigra (SN), red nucleus and the ventral tegmental area. MS positively correlated with iRBD duration in the right pedunculotegmental nucleus and white matter of caudal mesencephalic and pontine tegmentum and with phasic RWA in bilateral SN. QSM was able to detect MS abnormalities in several brainstem structures in iRBD. Association of MS levels in the brainstem with the intensity of RWA suggests that increased iron content in SN is related to RWA severity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Nepozitek
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Zsoka Varga
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Dostalova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Perinova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Keller
- Radiodiagnostic Department, Na Homolce Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Simon Robinson
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Centre of Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Veronika Ibarburu
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Iva Prihodova
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Bezdicek
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Evzen Ruzicka
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Sonka
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Dusek
- Department of Neurology and Center of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Calderón-Garcidueñas L, Kulesza R, Greenough GP, García-Rojas E, Revueltas-Ficachi P, Rico-Villanueva A, Flores-Vázquez JO, Brito-Aguilar R, Ramírez-Sánchez S, Vacaseydel-Aceves N, Cortes-Flores AP, Mansour Y, Torres-Jardón R, Villarreal-Ríos R, Koseoglu E, Stommel EW, Mukherjee PS. Fall Risk, Sleep Behavior, and Sleep-Related Movement Disorders in Young Urbanites Exposed to Air Pollution. J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 91:847-862. [PMID: 36502327 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quadruple aberrant hyperphosphorylated tau, amyloid-β, α-synuclein, and TDP-43 pathology had been documented in 202/203 forensic autopsies in Metropolitan Mexico City ≤40-year-olds with high exposures to ultrafine particulate matter and engineered nanoparticles. Cognition deficits, gait, equilibrium abnormalities, and MRI frontal, temporal, caudate, and cerebellar atrophy are documented in young adults. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify an association between falls, probable Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (pRBD), restless leg syndrome (RLS), and insomnia in 2,466 Mexican, college-educated volunteers (32.5±12.4 years). METHODS The anonymous, online study applied the pRBD and RLS Single-Questions and self-reported night-time sleep duration, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and falls. RESULTS Fall risk was strongly associated with pRBD and RLS. Subjects who fell at least once in the last year have an OR = 1.8137 [1.5352, 2.1426] of answering yes to pRBD and/or RLS questions, documented in 29% and 24% of volunteers, respectively. Subjects fell mostly outdoors (12:01 pm to 6:00 pm), 43% complained of early wake up hours, and 35% complained of sleep onset insomnia (EOI). EOI individuals have an OR of 2.5971 [2.1408, 3.1506] of answering yes to the RLS question. CONCLUSION There is a robust association between falls, pRBD, and RLS, strongly suggesting misfolded proteinopathies involving critical brainstem arousal and motor hubs might play a crucial role. Nanoparticles are likely a significant risk for falls, sleep disorders, insomnia, and neurodegenerative lethal diseases, thus characterizing air particulate pollutants' chemical composition, emission sources, and cumulative exposure concentrations are strongly recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Randy Kulesza
- Auditory Research Center, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, USA
| | - Glen P Greenough
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover NH, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yusra Mansour
- Department of Otolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, Clinton Township, MI, USA
| | - Ricardo Torres-Jardón
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional, Autónoma de México, México
| | | | - Emel Koseoglu
- Neurology Department, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Elijah W Stommel
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover NH, USA
| | - Partha S Mukherjee
- Interdisciplinary Statistical Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Harkin A, Dahl MJ, McAuslan M, Kühn S, Boyle RT, Whelan R, Andrews R, Düzel S, Drewelies J, Wagner GG, Lindenberger U, Norman K, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Dietary Tyrosine Intake (FFQ) Is Associated with Locus Coeruleus, Attention and Grey Matter Maintenance: An MRI Structural Study on 398 Healthy Individuals of the Berlin Aging Study-II. J Nutr Health Aging 2023; 27:1174-1187. [PMID: 38151868 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-023-2005-y] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE It is documented that low protein and amino-acid dietary intake is related to poorer cognitive health and increased risk of dementia. Degradation of the neuromodulatory pathways, (comprising the cholinergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic and noradrenergic systems) is observed in neurodegenerative diseases and impairs the proper biosynthesis of key neuromodulators from micro-nutrients and amino acids. How these micro-nutrients are linked to neuromodulatory pathways in healthy adults is less studied. The Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic System (LC-NA) is the earliest subcortical structure affected in Alzheimer's disease, showing marked neurodegeneration, but is also sensitive for age-related changes. The LC-NA system is critical for supporting attention and cognitive control, functions that are enhanced both by tyrosine administration and chronic tyrosine intake. The purpose of this study was to 1) investigate whether the dietary intake of tyrosine, the key precursor for noradrenaline (NA), is related to LC signal intensity 2) whether LC mediates the reported association between tyrosine intake and higher cognitive performance (measured with Trail Making Test - TMT), and 3) whether LC signal intensity relates to an objective measure of brain maintenance (BrainPAD). METHODS The analyses included 398 3T MRIs of healthy participants from the Berlin Aging Study II to investigate the relationship between LC signal intensity and habitual dietary tyrosine intake-daily average (HD-Tyr-IDA - measured with Food Frequency Questionnaire - FFQ). As a control procedure, the same analyses were repeated on other main seeds of the neuromodulators' subcortical system (Dorsal and Medial Raphe, Ventral Tegmental Area and Nucleus Basalis of Meynert). In the same way, the relationships between the five nuclei and BrainPAD were tested. RESULTS Results show that HD-Tyr-IDA is positively associated with LC signal intensity. Similarly, LC disproportionally relates to better brain maintenance (BrainPAD). Mediation analyses reveal that only LC, relative to the other nuclei tested, mediates the relationship between HD-Tyr-IDA I and performance in the TMT and between HD-Tyr-IDA and BrainPAD. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide the first evidence linking tyrosine intake with LC-NA system signal intensity and its correlation with neuropsychological performance. This study strengthens the role of diet for maintaining brain and cognitive health and supports the noradrenergic theory of cognitive reserve. Within this framework, adequate tyrosine intake might increase the resilience of LC-NA system functioning, by preventing degeneration and supporting noradrenergic metabolism required for LC function and neuropsychological performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E R G Plini
- Emanuele RG Plini, Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland,
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Calderón-Garcidueñas L, Torres-Jardón R, Greenough GP, Kulesza R, González-Maciel A, Reynoso-Robles R, García-Alonso G, Chávez-Franco DA, García-Rojas E, Brito-Aguilar R, Silva-Pereyra HG, Ayala A, Stommel EW, Mukherjee PS. Sleep matters: Neurodegeneration spectrum heterogeneity, combustion and friction ultrafine particles, industrial nanoparticle pollution, and sleep disorders-Denial is not an option. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1117695. [PMID: 36923490 PMCID: PMC10010440 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1117695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained exposures to ubiquitous outdoor/indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5), including combustion and friction ultrafine PM (UFPM) and industrial nanoparticles (NPs) starting in utero, are linked to early pediatric and young adulthood aberrant neural protein accumulation, including hyperphosphorylated tau (p-tau), beta-amyloid (Aβ1 - 42), α-synuclein (α syn) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), hallmarks of Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). UFPM from anthropogenic and natural sources and NPs enter the brain through the nasal/olfactory pathway, lung, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, skin, and placental barriers. On a global scale, the most important sources of outdoor UFPM are motor traffic emissions. This study focuses on the neuropathology heterogeneity and overlap of AD, PD, FTLD, and ALS in older adults, their similarities with the neuropathology of young, highly exposed urbanites, and their strong link with sleep disorders. Critical information includes how this UFPM and NPs cross all biological barriers, interact with brain soluble proteins and key organelles, and result in the oxidative, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondrial stress, neuroinflammation, DNA damage, protein aggregation and misfolding, and faulty complex protein quality control. The brain toxicity of UFPM and NPs makes them powerful candidates for early development and progression of fatal common neurodegenerative diseases, all having sleep disturbances. A detailed residential history, proximity to high-traffic roads, occupational histories, exposures to high-emission sources (i.e., factories, burning pits, forest fires, and airports), indoor PM sources (tobacco, wood burning in winter, cooking fumes, and microplastics in house dust), and consumption of industrial NPs, along with neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric histories, are critical. Environmental pollution is a ubiquitous, early, and cumulative risk factor for neurodegeneration and sleep disorders. Prevention of deadly neurological diseases associated with air pollution should be a public health priority.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas
- College of Health, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States.,Universidad del Valle de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ricardo Torres-Jardón
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Glen P Greenough
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Randy Kulesza
- Department of Anatomy, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Héctor G Silva-Pereyra
- Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C., San Luis Potosi, Mexico
| | - Alberto Ayala
- Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, Sacramento, CA, United States.,Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
| | - Elijah W Stommel
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Partha S Mukherjee
- Interdisciplinary Statistical Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Calderón-Garcidueñas L, Stommel EW, Lachmann I, Waniek K, Chao CK, González-Maciel A, García-Rojas E, Torres-Jardón R, Delgado-Chávez R, Mukherjee PS. TDP-43 CSF Concentrations Increase Exponentially with Age in Metropolitan Mexico City Young Urbanites Highly Exposed to PM 2.5 and Ultrafine Particles and Historically Showing Alzheimer and Parkinson's Hallmarks. Brain TDP-43 Pathology in MMC Residents Is Associated with High Cisternal CSF TDP-43 Concentrations. TOXICS 2022; 10:559. [PMID: 36287840 PMCID: PMC9611594 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ultrafine particle matter (UFPM) are associated with overlapping Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) hallmark protein pathologies in young Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC) urbanites. We measured CSF concentrations of TDP-43 in 194 urban residents, including 92 MMC children aged 10.2 ± 4.7 y exposed to PM2.5 levels above the USEPA annual standard and to high UFPM and 26 low pollution controls (11.5 ± 4.4 y); 43 MMC adults (42.3 ± 15.9 y) and 14 low pollution adult controls (33.1 ± 12.0 y); and 19 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients (52.4 ± 14.1 y). TDP-43 neuropathology and cisternal CSF data from 20 subjects—15 MMC (41.1 ± 18.9 y) and 5 low pollution controls (46 ± 16.01 y)—were included. CSF TDP-43 exponentially increased with age (p < 0.0001) and it was higher for MMC residents. TDP-43 cisternal CSF levels of 572 ± 208 pg/mL in 6/15 MMC autopsy cases forecasted TDP-43 in the olfactory bulb, medulla and pons, reticular formation and motor nuclei neurons. A 16 y old with TDP-43 cisternal levels of 1030 pg/mL exhibited TDP-43 pathology and all 15 MMC autopsy cases exhibited AD and PD hallmarks. Overlapping TDP-43, AD and PD pathologies start in childhood in urbanites with high exposures to PM2.5 and UFPM. Early, sustained exposures to PM air pollution represent a high risk for developing brains and MMC UFPM emissions sources ought to be clearly identified, regulated, monitored and controlled. Prevention of deadly neurologic diseases associated with air pollution ought to be a public health priority and preventive medicine is key.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas
- College of Health, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
- Universidad del Valle de México, Mexico City 14370, Mexico
| | - Elijah W. Stommel
- Department of Neurology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | | | | | - Chih-Kai Chao
- College of Health, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
| | | | | | - Ricardo Torres-Jardón
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y Cambio Climático, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | | | - Partha S. Mukherjee
- Interdisciplinary Statistical Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata 700108, India
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Byun JI, Oh S, Sunwoo JS, Shin JW, Kim TJ, Jun JS, Kim HJ, Shin WC, Seong JK, Jung KY. White matter tract-specific microstructural disruption is associated with depressive symptoms in isolated RBD. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103186. [PMID: 36116164 PMCID: PMC9483791 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE White matter (WM) tract-specific changes may precede gray matter loss in isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD). We aimed to evaluate tract-specific WM changes using tract-specific statistical analysis (TSSA) and their correlation with clinical variables in iRBD patients. METHODS This was a cross-sectional single-center study of 50 polysomnography-confirmed iRBD patients and 20 age- and sex-matched controls. We used TSSA to identify tract-specific fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in fourteen major fiber tracts and analyzed between-group differences in these values. Correlations between FA or MD values and clinical variables, including RBD symptom severity, depression and cognition, were evaluated. RESULTS Patients with iRBD showed lower FA in the right anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) and higher MD in the bilateral ATR and right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IF-OF) than controls after adjusting for age, sex, and years of education. MD values in the IF-OF positively correlated with scores on the Korean version of the Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder Questionnaire-Hong Kong (RBDQ-KR, p = 0.042) and the Korean version of the geriatric depression scale (GDS-K, p = 0.002) in iRBD patients. Only GDS-K scores independently correlated with IF-OF MD values after adjusting for RBDQ-KR scores (adjusted p = 0.026). CONCLUSION This study suggests WM microstructural disruption in the bilateral ATR and right IF-OF in patients with iRBD and that alterations in the IF-OF may contribute to depressive symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Ick Byun
- Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seunghwan Oh
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jun-Sang Sunwoo
- Department of Neurology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung-Won Shin
- Department of Neurology, CHA University, CHA Bundang Medical Center, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Tae-Joon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of South Korea
| | - Jin-Sun Jun
- Department of Neurology, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Han-Joon Kim
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Won Chul Shin
- Department of Neurology, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joon-Kyung Seong
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea,Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea,School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea,Corresponding authors at: School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, South Korea (Joon-Kyung Seong), Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea (Ki-Young Jung)
| | - Ki-Young Jung
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea,Corresponding authors at: School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, South Korea (Joon-Kyung Seong), Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul 110-744, South Korea (Ki-Young Jung)
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Hvingelby VS, Glud AN, Sørensen JCH, Tai Y, Andersen ASM, Johnsen E, Moro E, Pavese N. Interventions to improve gait in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials and network meta-analysis. J Neurol 2022; 269:4068-4079. [PMID: 35378605 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11091-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Disabling gait symptoms, especially freezing of gait (FoG), represents a milestone in the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). This systematic review and network meta-analysis assessed and ranked interventions according to their effectiveness in treating gait symptoms in people with PD across four different groups of gait measures. METHODS A systematic search was carried out across PubMed, EMBASE, PubMed Central (PMC), and Cochrane Central Library from January 2000 to April 2021. All interventions, or combinations, were included. The primary outcome was changes in objective gait measures, before and after intervention. Outcome measures in the included studies were stratified into four different types of gait outcome measures; dynamic gait, fitness, balance, and freezing of gait. For the statistical analysis, five direct head-to-head comparisons of interventions, as well as indirect comparisons were performed. Corresponding forest plots ranking the interventions were generated. RESULTS The search returned 6288 articles. From these, 148 articles could be included. Of the four different groups of measurement, three were consistent, meaning that there was agreement between direct and indirect evidence. The groups with consistent evidence were dynamic gait, fitness, and freezing of gait. For dynamic gait measures, treatments with the largest observed effect were Aquatic Therapy with dual task exercising (SMD 1.99 [- 1.00; 4.98]) and strength and balance training (SMD 1.95 [- 0.20; 4.11]). For measures of fitness, treatments with the largest observed effects were aquatic therapy (SMD 3.41 [2.11; 4.71] and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (SMD 2.51 [1.48; 3.55]). For FoG measures, none of the included interventions yielded significant results. CONCLUSION Some interventions can ameliorate gait impairment in people with PD. No recommendations on a superior intervention can be made. None of the studied interventions proved to be efficacious in the treatment of FoG. PROSPERO (registration ID CRD42021264076).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Schwartz Hvingelby
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. .,Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET Centre Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Andreas Nørgaard Glud
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.,Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens Christian Hedemann Sørensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.,Department of Neurosurgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yen Tai
- Department of Neurosciences, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Erik Johnsen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.,Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Elena Moro
- Division of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire of Grenoble, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble, France.,Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, Grenoble, France
| | - Nicola Pavese
- Clinical Ageing Research Unit, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, PET Centre Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
García-Gomar MG, Singh K, Cauzzo S, Bianciardi M. In vivo structural connectome of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei by 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4397-4421. [PMID: 35633277 PMCID: PMC9435015 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Brainstem nuclei are key participants in the generation and maintenance of arousal, which is a basic function that modulates wakefulness/sleep, autonomic responses, affect, attention, and consciousness. Their mechanism is based on diffuse pathways ascending from the brainstem to the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain and cortex. Several arousal brainstem nuclei also participate in motor functions that allow humans to respond and interact with the surrounding through a multipathway motor network. Yet, little is known about the structural connectivity of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in living humans. This is due to the lack of appropriate tools able to accurately visualize brainstem nuclei in conventional imaging. Using a recently developed in vivo probabilistic brainstem nuclei atlas and 7 Tesla diffusion‐weighted images (DWI), we built the structural connectome of 18 arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in living humans (n = 19). Furthermore, to investigate the translatability of our findings to standard clinical MRI, we acquired 3 Tesla DWI on the same subjects, and measured the association of the connectome across scanners. For both arousal and motor circuits, our results showed high connectivity within brainstem nuclei, and with expected subcortical and cortical structures based on animal studies. The association between 3 Tesla and 7 Tesla connectivity values was good, especially within the brainstem. The resulting structural connectome might be used as a baseline to better understand arousal and motor functions in health and disease in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Life Sciences Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Singh K, García-Gomar MG, Cauzzo S, Staab JP, Indovina I, Bianciardi M. Structural connectivity of autonomic, pain, limbic, and sensory brainstem nuclei in living humans based on 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:3086-3112. [PMID: 35305272 PMCID: PMC9188976 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autonomic, pain, limbic, and sensory processes are mainly governed by the central nervous system, with brainstem nuclei as relay centers for these crucial functions. Yet, the structural connectivity of brainstem nuclei in living humans remains understudied. These tiny structures are difficult to locate using conventional in vivo MRI, and ex vivo brainstem nuclei atlases lack precise and automatic transformability to in vivo images. To fill this gap, we mapped our recently developed probabilistic brainstem nuclei atlas developed in living humans to high‐spatial resolution (1.7 mm isotropic) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) at 7 Tesla in 20 healthy participants. To demonstrate clinical translatability, we also acquired 3 Tesla DWI with conventional resolution (2.5 mm isotropic) in the same participants. Results showed the structural connectome of 15 autonomic, pain, limbic, and sensory (including vestibular) brainstem nuclei/nuclei complex (superior/inferior colliculi, ventral tegmental area‐parabrachial pigmented, microcellular tegmental–parabigeminal, lateral/medial parabrachial, vestibular, superior olivary, superior/inferior medullary reticular formation, viscerosensory motor, raphe magnus/pallidus/obscurus, parvicellular reticular nucleus‐alpha part), derived from probabilistic tractography computation. Through graph measure analysis, we identified network hubs and demonstrated high intercommunity communication in these nuclei. We found good (r = .5) translational capability of the 7 Tesla connectome to clinical (i.e., 3 Tesla) datasets. Furthermore, we validated the structural connectome by building diagrams of autonomic/pain/limbic connectivity, vestibular connectivity, and their interactions, and by inspecting the presence of specific links based on human and animal literature. These findings offer a baseline for studies of these brainstem nuclei and their functions in health and disease, including autonomic dysfunction, chronic pain, psychiatric, and vestibular disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Life Sciences Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.,Research Center E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jeffrey P Staab
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Iole Indovina
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cauzzo S, Singh K, Stauder M, García-Gomar MG, Vanello N, Passino C, Staab J, Indovina I, Bianciardi M. Functional connectome of brainstem nuclei involved in autonomic, limbic, pain and sensory processing in living humans from 7 Tesla resting state fMRI. Neuroimage 2022; 250:118925. [PMID: 35074504 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.118925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite remarkable advances in mapping the functional connectivity of the cortex, the functional connectivity of subcortical regions is understudied in living humans. This is the case for brainstem nuclei that control vital processes, such as autonomic, limbic, nociceptive and sensory functions. This is because of the lack of precise brainstem nuclei localization, of adequate sensitivity and resolution in the deepest brain regions, as well as of optimized processing for the brainstem. To close the gap between the cortex and the brainstem, on 20 healthy subjects, we computed a correlation-based functional connectome of 15 brainstem nuclei involved in autonomic, limbic, nociceptive, and sensory function (superior and inferior colliculi, ventral tegmental area-parabrachial pigmented nucleus complex, microcellular tegmental nucleus-prabigeminal nucleus complex, lateral and medial parabrachial nuclei, vestibular and superior olivary complex, superior and inferior medullary reticular formation, viscerosensory motor nucleus, raphe magnus, pallidus, and obscurus, and parvicellular reticular nucleus - alpha part) with the rest of the brain. Specifically, we exploited 1.1mm isotropic resolution 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI, ad-hoc coregistration and physiological noise correction strategies, and a recently developed probabilistic template of brainstem nuclei. Further, we used 2.5mm isotropic resolution resting-state fMRI data acquired on a 3 Tesla scanner to assess the translatability of our results to conventional datasets. We report highly consistent correlation coefficients across subjects, confirming available literature on autonomic, limbic, nociceptive and sensory pathways, as well as high interconnectivity within the central autonomic network and the vestibular network. Interestingly, our results showed evidence of vestibulo-autonomic interactions in line with previous work. Comparison of 7 Tesla and 3 Tesla findings showed high translatability of results to conventional settings for brainstem-cortical connectivity and good yet weaker translatability for brainstem-brainstem connectivity. The brainstem functional connectome might bring new insight in the understanding of autonomic, limbic, nociceptive and sensory function in health and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Life Sciences Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew Stauder
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicola Vanello
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Passino
- Life Sciences Institute, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy; Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jeffrey Staab
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Iole Indovina
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Italy; Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Singh K, Cauzzo S, García-Gomar MG, Stauder M, Vanello N, Passino C, Bianciardi M. Functional connectome of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in living humans by 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI. Neuroimage 2022; 249:118865. [PMID: 35031472 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Brainstem nuclei play a pivotal role in many functions, such as arousal and motor control. Nevertheless, the connectivity of arousal and motor brainstem nuclei is understudied in living humans due to the limited sensitivity and spatial resolution of conventional imaging, and to the lack of atlases of these deep tiny regions of the brain. For a holistic comprehension of sleep, arousal and associated motor processes, we investigated in 20 healthy subjects the resting-state functional connectivity of 18 arousal and motor brainstem nuclei in living humans. To do so, we used high spatial-resolution 7 Tesla resting-state fMRI, as well as a recently developed in-vivo probabilistic atlas of these nuclei in stereotactic space. Further, we verified the translatability of our brainstem connectome approach to conventional (e.g. 3 Tesla) fMRI. Arousal brainstem nuclei displayed high interconnectivity, as well as connectivity to the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal forebrain and frontal cortex, in line with animal studies and as expected for arousal regions. Motor brainstem nuclei showed expected connectivity to the cerebellum, basal ganglia and motor cortex, as well as high interconnectivity. Comparison of 3 Tesla to 7 Tesla connectivity results indicated good translatability of our brainstem connectome approach to conventional fMRI, especially for cortical and subcortical (non-brainstem) targets and to a lesser extent for brainstem targets. The functional connectome of 18 arousal and motor brainstem nuclei with the rest of the brain might provide a better understanding of arousal, sleep and accompanying motor function in living humans in health and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Simone Cauzzo
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy
| | - María Guadalupe García-Gomar
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew Stauder
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicola Vanello
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Passino
- Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy; Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Bianciardi
- Brainstem Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
| |
Collapse
|