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Chabert S, Salas R, Cantor E, Veloz A, Cancino A, González M, Torres F, Bennett C. Hemodynamic response function description in patients with glioma. J Neuroradiol 2024; 51:101156. [PMID: 37805126 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2023.10.001] [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: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Functional magnetic resonance imaging is a powerful tool that has provided many insights into cognitive sciences. Yet, as its analysis is mostly based on the knowledge of an a priori canonical hemodynamic response function (HRF), its reliability in patients' applications has been questioned. There have been reports of neurovascular uncoupling in patients with glioma, but no specific description of the Hemodynamic Response Function (HRF) in glioma has been reported so far. The aim of this work is to describe the HRF in patients with glioma. METHODS Forty patients were included. MR images were acquired on a 1.5T scanner. Activated clusters were identified using a fuzzy general linear model; HRFs were adjusted with a double-gamma function. Analyses were undertaken considering the tumor grade, age, sex, tumor location, and activated location. RESULTS Differences are found in the occipital, limbic, insular, and sub-lobar areas, but not in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. The presence of a glioma slows the time-to-peak and onset times by 5.2 and 3.8 % respectively; high-grade gliomas present 8.1 % smaller HRF widths than low-grade gliomas. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION There is significant HRF variation due to the presence of glioma, but the magnitudes of the observed differences are small. Most processing pipelines should be robust enough for this magnitude of variation and little if any impact should be visible on functional maps. The differences that have been observed in the literature between functional mapping obtained with magnetic resonance vs. that obtained with direct electrostimulation during awake surgery are more probably due to the intrinsic difference in the mapping process: fMRI mapping detects all recruited areas while intra-surgical mapping indicates only the areas indispensable for the realization of a certain task. Surgical mapping might not be the gold standard to use when trying to validate the fMRI mapping process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéren Chabert
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Valparaiso, General Cruz 222, Valparaiso, Chile; Millennium Science Initiative Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Rodrigo Salas
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Valparaiso, General Cruz 222, Valparaiso, Chile; Millennium Science Initiative Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Erika Cantor
- Institute of Statistics, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Alejandro Veloz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad de Valparaiso, General Cruz 222, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Astrid Cancino
- Millennium Science Initiative Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile; Doctorado en Ciencias e Ingeniería para la Salud, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Matías González
- Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Francisco Torres
- Millennium Science Initiative Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile; Radiology Department, Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Carlos Bennett
- Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaiso, Chile
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Mohamed Yusof NIS, Mohd Fauzi F. Nature's Toolbox for Alzheimer's Disease: A Review on the Potential of Natural Products as Alzheimer's Disease Drugs. Neurochem Int 2024; 176:105738. [PMID: 38616012 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105738] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Numerous clinical trials involving natural products have been conducted to observe cognitive performances and biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients. However, to date, no natural-based drugs have been approved by the FDA as treatments for AD. In this review, natural product-based compounds that were tested in clinical trials from 2011 to 2023, registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov were reviewed. Thirteen compounds, encompassing 7 different mechanisms of action were covered. Several observations were deduced, which are: i) several compounds showed cognitive improvement, but these improvements may not extend to AD, ii) compounds that are endogenous to the human body showed better outcomes, and iii) Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and cerebrolysin had the most potential as AD drugs among the 13 compounds. Based on the current findings, natural products may be more suitable as a supplement than AD drugs in most cases. However, the studies covered here were conducted in a relatively short amount of time, where compounds acting on AD pathways may take time to show any effect. Given the diverse pathways that these natural products are involved in, they may potentially produce synergistic effects that would be beneficial in treating AD. Additionally, natural products benefit from both physicochemical properties being in more favorable ranges and active transport playing a more significant role than it does for synthetic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fazlin Mohd Fauzi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus, 42 300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia; Center for Drug Discovery Research, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus, 42 300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
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Hyppönen VEA, Rosa J, Kettunen MI. Simultaneous fMRI and metabolic MRS of hyperpolarized [1- 13C]pyruvate during nicotine stimulus in rat. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2024; 37:e5108. [PMID: 38273732 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Functional MRI (fMRI) and MRS (fMRS) can be used to noninvasively map cerebral activation and metabolism. Recently, hyperpolarized 13C spectroscopy and metabolic imaging have provided an alternative approach to assess metabolism. In this study, we combined 1H fMRI and hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate MRS to compare cerebral blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) response and real-time cerebral metabolism, as assessed with lactate and bicarbonate labelling, during nicotine stimulation. Simultaneous 1H fMRI (multislice gradient echo echo-planar imaging) and 13C spectroscopic (single slice pulse-acquire) data were collected in urethane-anaesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 12) at 9.4 T. Animals received an intravenous (i.v.) injection of either nicotine (stimulus; 88 μg/kg, n = 7, or 300 μg/kg, n = 5) or 0.9% saline (matching volume), followed by hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate injection 60 s later. Three hours later, a second injection was administered: the animals that had previously received saline were injected with nicotine and vice versa, both followed by another hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate i.v. injection 60 s later. The low-dose (88 μg/kg) nicotine injection led to a 12% ± 4% (n = 7, t-test, p ~ 0.0006 (t-value -5.8, degrees of freedom 6), Wilcoxon p ~ 0.0078 (test statistic 0)) increase in BOLD signal. At the same time, an increase in 13C-bicarbonate signal was seen in four out of six animals. Bicarbonate-to-total carbon ratios were 0.010 ± 0.004 and 0.018 ± 0.010 (n = 6, t-test, p ~ 0.03 (t-value -2.3, degrees of freedom 5), Wilcoxon p ~ 0.08 (test statistic 3)) for saline and nicotine experiments, respectively. No increase in the lactate signal was seen; lactate-to-total carbon was 0.16 ± 0.02 after both injections. The high (300 μg/kg) nicotine dose (n = 5) caused highly variable BOLD and metabolic responses, possibly due to the apparent respiratory distress. Simultaneous detection of 1H fMRI and hyperpolarized 13C-MRS is feasible. A comparison of metabolic response between control and stimulated states showed differences in bicarbonate signal, implying that the hyperpolarization technique could offer complimentary information on brain activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viivi-Elina A Hyppönen
- Metabolic MR Imaging, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Jessica Rosa
- Metabolic MR Imaging, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko I Kettunen
- Metabolic MR Imaging, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Kuopio Biomedical Imaging Unit, A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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Hamidovic A, Cho S, Smadi S, Davis J. Visuospatial Function in Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2004. [PMID: 38610770 PMCID: PMC11012488 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13072004] [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: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is an understudied psychiatric condition affecting reproductive-age women who experience negative mood in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Cognitive functions in PMDD are not well understood as patients have been tested in the luteal phase. This may confound study results due to noted emotional interferences, as well as the potential opposing effects of the sex hormones estradiol and progesterone. In the present study, we evaluated visuospatial function in the follicular phase in women with PMDD and healthy controls, and further examined the effect of estradiol as research into the hormonal mediation of visuospatial function in reproductive-age women has produced mixed results. Methods: To this end, we analyzed estradiol concentrations using the gold standard mass spectrometry. Serum samples were collected in the early follicular and mid/late follicular subphases when estradiol is low and high, respectively, while progesterone is low and steady. We assessed visuospatial function using the classic mental rotation task. Results: Women with PMDD had a higher mental rotation total score (t = 2.17; p < 0.05). The addition of six demographic, biological, and anthropomorphic variables in a hierarchical fashion accounted for 45.3% of the total variance in the final model with diagnosis remaining statistically significant (t = 4.36; p < 0.001). Estradiol did not mediate the group difference and was not significantly associated with visuospatial function. Conclusions: The present results provide support for new research directions into the potential biological mechanisms that underlie the pathophysiology of PMDD, represented as enhanced visuospatial ability in women with PMDD in the follicular phase. We review the theory that PMDD is a disorder of the enhanced excitation-to-inhibition ratio, with a focus on findings to date from brain imaging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajna Hamidovic
- College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Soojeong Cho
- College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Shahd Smadi
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (S.S.); (J.D.)
| | - John Davis
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (S.S.); (J.D.)
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Davignon LM, Brouillard A, Juster RP, Marin MF. The role of sex hormones, oral contraceptive use, and its parameters on visuospatial abilities, verbal fluency, and verbal memory. Horm Behav 2024; 157:105454. [PMID: 37981465 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Sex hormones can cross the blood-brain barrier and access brain regions underlying higher-order cognition. Containing synthetic sex hormones, oral contraceptives (OC) have been found to modulate visuospatial and verbal abilities, though inconsistencies have been found in the literature. Among possible explanations, certain OC use parameters (progestin androgenicity, synthetic hormone levels, duration of use) have not received consistent consideration. Thus, the objectives were to (1) examine group differences between men, combined OC users, and naturally cycling women (NC women; not using OC) in visuospatial abilities, verbal fluency, and verbal memory and (2) investigate the contribution of endogenous and exogenous sex hormones on these effects. We also aimed to (3) identify OC use parameters relevant to cognitive outcomes. In total, 70 combined OC users, 53 early follicular (EF) women, 43 pre-ovulatory (PO) women, and 47 men underwent cognitive tests. Performance was compared based on hormonal milieus (OC, EF, PO, men) and OC users' contraceptive androgenicity (anti, low, high). Correlations between performance, hormone levels and OC use duration were also conducted. OC use dampened the sex difference that typically favors men in 3D visuospatial abilities, whereas its duration of use positively predicted verbal fluency. Androgenicity and hormone levels did not predict performance in any task. These results highlight the importance of considering OC use duration. Results also did not support a role for androgenicity in cognition. Importantly, combined OC use (including prolonged use) does not impair visuospatial, verbal, and memory functions in a healthy young sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Marie Davignon
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal H1N 3J4, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke Street W, Montreal H2X 2P3, Canada
| | - Alexandra Brouillard
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal H1N 3J4, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke Street W, Montreal H2X 2P3, Canada
| | - Robert-Paul Juster
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal H1N 3J4, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Marie-France Marin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, 7331 Hochelaga Street, Montreal H1N 3J4, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, 100 Sherbrooke Street W, Montreal H2X 2P3, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Boulevard, Montreal H3T 1J4, Canada.
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Veldema J. Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation and Sex/Polypeptide Hormones in Reciprocal Interactions: A Systematic Review. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1981. [PMID: 37509620 PMCID: PMC10377221 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071981] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of interindividual differences and the development of targeted therapies is one of the major challenges of modern medicine. The sex of a person plays a crucial role in this regard. This systematic review aimed to summarise and analyse available evidence on the mutual interactions between non-invasive brain stimulation and sex/polypeptide hormones. The PubMed database was searched from its inception to 31 March 2023, for (i) studies that investigated the impact of sex and/or polypeptide hormones on the effects induced by non-invasive brain stimulation, or (ii) studies that investigated non-invasive brain stimulation in the modulation of sex and/or polypeptide hormones. Eighteen studies (319 healthy and 96 disabled participants) were included. Most studies focused on female sex hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. The later follicular phase is associated with a weak between hemispheric and intracortical inhibition, strong intracortical facilitation, and high stimulation-induced neural and behavioural changes. The opposite effects are observed during the luteal phase. In addition, the participant's sex, presence and/or absence of real ovulation and increase in oestradiol level by chorionic gonadotropin injection influence the stimulation-induced neurophysiological and behavioural effects. In Parkinson's disease and consciousness disorders, the repetitive application of non-invasive brain stimulation increases oestradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone levels and reduces disability. To date, male hormones have not been sufficiently included in these studies. Here, we show that the sex and/or polypeptide hormones and non-invasive brain stimulation methods are in reciprocal interactions. This may be used to create a more effective and individualised approach for healthy individuals and individuals with disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitka Veldema
- Department of Sport Science, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
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Ulrich M, Niemann F, Grön G. Role of the right anterior insula for the emergence of flow-A combined task-based fMRI activation and connectivity study. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:1067968. [PMID: 36569474 PMCID: PMC9772033 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.1067968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of flow is a situation of high salience because externally oriented attention on the task and access to resources for goal-directed behavior are enhanced, while internally oriented or self-related cognition is decreased. The right anterior insula has been reported as a causal out-flow hub of the salience resting-state network, orchestrating the engagement of the central executive network (CEN) and the disengagement of the default-mode network (DMN) during a functional challenge. In the present study, we employed a combined task-based activation and connectivity analysis to investigate the role of the right anterior insula during the emergence of flow. A sample of 41 healthy male subjects was confronted with a functional challenge that permitted the emergence of flow during BOLD-based functional magnetic resonance imaging. Comparing connectivity changes in the right anterior insula during the flow condition against connectivity changes associated with control conditions of boredom and overload, relatively increased couplings were observed with the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Activation data for these regions did, however, not show the flow-typical inverted U-shaped (invU) response pattern. Relatively decreased functional couplings encompassed ventral aspects of the striatum, but neither the amygdala nor the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). For the ventral striatum, activation data were consistent with the flow-typical U-shaped activation pattern, which supports the notion that under the high salience of autotelic situations, the anterior insula is much less positively coupled with the ventral striatum than under boundary conditions of boredom and overload. Taken together, present functional connectivity results were in alignment with the assumed role of the right anterior insula under conditions of different salience. However, this particular region does not appear to mediate the most typical flow-associated activation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ulrich
- Section Neuropsychology and Functional Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany,*Correspondence: Martin Ulrich,
| | - Filip Niemann
- Cognition, Aging, and Brain Stimulation Lab, Department of Neurology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georg Grön
- Section Neuropsychology and Functional Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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The neural signatures of the psychological construct “flow”: A replication study. NEUROIMAGE: REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2022.100139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Harrington YA, Parisi JM, Duan D, Rojo-Wissar DM, Holingue C, Spira AP. Sex Hormones, Sleep, and Memory: Interrelationships Across the Adult Female Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:800278. [PMID: 35912083 PMCID: PMC9331168 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.800278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
As the population of older adults grows, so will the prevalence of aging-related conditions, including memory impairments and sleep disturbances, both of which are more common among women. Compared to older men, older women are up to twice as likely to experience sleep disturbances and are at a higher risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). These sex differences may be attributed in part to fluctuations in levels of female sex hormones (i.e., estrogen and progesterone) that occur across the adult female lifespan. Though women tend to experience the most significant sleep and memory problems during the peri-menopausal period, changes in memory and sleep have also been observed across the menstrual cycle and during pregnancy. Here, we review current knowledge on the interrelationships among female sex hormones, sleep, and memory across the female lifespan, propose possible mediating and moderating mechanisms linking these variables and describe implications for ADRD risk in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin A. Harrington
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jeanine M. Parisi
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Daisy Duan
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Darlynn M. Rojo-Wissar
- The Initiative on Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Calliope Holingue
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Adam P. Spira
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Marchant IC, Chabert S, Martínez-Pinto J, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Ramírez-Barrantes R, Acevedo L, Córdova C, Olivero P. Estrogen, Cognitive Performance, and Functional Imaging Studies: What Are We Missing About Neuroprotection? Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:866122. [PMID: 35634466 PMCID: PMC9133497 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.866122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Menopause transition can be interpreted as a vulnerable state characterized by estrogen deficiency with detrimental systemic effects as the low-grade chronic inflammation that appears with aging and partly explains age-related disorders as cancer, diabetes mellitus and increased risk of cognitive impairment. Over the course of a lifetime, estrogen produces several beneficial effects in healthy neurological tissues as well as cardioprotective effects, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, clinical evidence on the efficacy of hormone treatment in menopausal women has failed to confirm the benefit reported in observational studies. Unambiguously, enhanced verbal memory is the most robust finding from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, what merits consideration for future studies aiming to determine estrogen neuroprotective efficacy. Estrogen related brain activity and functional connectivity remain, however, unexplored. In this context, the resting state paradigm may provide valuable information about reproductive aging and hormonal treatment effects, and their relationship with brain imaging of functional connectivity may be key to understand and anticipate estrogen cognitive protective effects. To go in-depth into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying rapid-to-long lasting protective effects of estrogen, we will provide a comprehensive review of cognitive tasks used in animal studies to evaluate the effect of hormone treatment on cognitive performance and discuss about the tasks best suited to the demonstration of clinically significant differences in cognitive performance to be applied in human studies. Eventually, we will focus on studies evaluating the DMN activity and responsiveness to pharmacological stimulation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivanny Carolina Marchant
- Laboratorio de Modelamiento en Medicina, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile
- Centro Interoperativo en Ciencias Odontológicas y Médicas, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: Ivanny Carolina Marchant
| | - Stéren Chabert
- Millennium Nucleus in Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Ingeniería Biomédica, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería en Salud, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jonathan Martínez-Pinto
- Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Neuroquímica y Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
- Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Neuroquímica y Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | | | - Lilian Acevedo
- Servicio de Neurología Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Claudio Córdova
- Laboratorio de Estructura y Función Celular, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Pablo Olivero
- Centro Interoperativo en Ciencias Odontológicas y Médicas, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Estructura y Función Celular, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Pablo Olivero
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The influence of estradiol and progesterone on neurocognition during three phases of the menstrual cycle: Modulating factors. Behav Brain Res 2022; 417:113593. [PMID: 34560130 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Estradiol is an ovarian steroid hormone that peaks shortly before ovulation and significantly affects various brain regions and neurotransmitter systems, with similar and differential effects with progesterone, another ovarian hormone. Studies investigating the neurocognitive processes during the menstrual cycle have focused on the early follicular phase (EFP) characterized by low estradiol and progesterone levels and the mid-luteal phase (MLP) with high estradiol and progesterone levels. However, most studies have failed to include the ovulatory phase, characterized by high estradiol and low progesterone levels. Given the various hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle, we revisited studies suggesting that the menstrual cycle did not affect verbal and spatial abilities and observed that many contain mixed results. Comparing these studies makes it possible to identify relevant modulating factors, such as sample size, participant age, accurate selection of days for testing, asymmetrical practice effects, genetic polymorphisms, and task difficulty. More robust findings are related to improved mental rotation capacity during EFP with challenging tasks and differences in brain activation among menstrual cycle phases during the execution of spatial and verbal tasks. During MLP, less robust findings were observed, possibly modulated by the complex effects of the two hormones on the brain. In conclusion, we propose that it is crucial to include all three menstrual cycle phases and consider these modulating factors to avoid confounding findings.
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Beltz AM, Demidenko MI, Chaku N, Klump KL, Joseph JE. Intrauterine Device Use: A New Frontier for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:853714. [PMID: 35937811 PMCID: PMC9352855 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.853714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are the most-used reversible contraceptive method for women in the world, but little is known about their potential modulation of brain function, cognition, and behavior. This is disconcerting because research on other hormonal contraceptives, especially oral contraceptives (OCs), increasingly shows that exogenous sex hormones have behavioral neuroendocrine consequences, especially for gendered cognition, including spatial skills. Effects are small and nuanced, however, partially reflecting heterogeneity. The goal of this paper is to introduce IUD use as a new frontier for basic and applied research, and to offer key considerations for studying it, emphasizing the importance of multimodal investigations and person-specific analyses. The feasibility and utility of studying IUD users is illustrated by: scanning women who completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging mental rotations task; taking an individualized approach to mapping functional connectivity during the task using network analyses containing connections common across participants and unique to individual women, focusing on brain regions in putative mental rotations and default mode networks; and linking metrics of brain connectivity from the individualized networks to both mental rotations task performance and circulating hormone levels. IUD users provide a promising natural experiment for the interplay between exogenous and endogenous sex hormones, and they are likely qualitatively different from OC users with whom they are often grouped in hormonal contraceptive research. This paper underscores how future research on IUD users can advance basic neuroendocrinological knowledge and women's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M. Beltz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Adriene M. Beltz,
| | | | - Natasha Chaku
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kelly L. Klump
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Jane E. Joseph
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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13
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Hidalgo-Lopez E, Zeidman P, Harris T, Razi A, Pletzer B. Spectral dynamic causal modelling in healthy women reveals brain connectivity changes along the menstrual cycle. Commun Biol 2021; 4:954. [PMID: 34376799 PMCID: PMC8355156 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02447-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Longitudinal menstrual cycle studies allow to investigate the effects of ovarian hormones on brain organization. Here, we use spectral dynamic causal modelling (spDCM) in a triple network model to assess effective connectivity changes along the menstrual cycle within and between the default mode, salience and executive control networks (DMN, SN, and ECN). Sixty healthy young women were scanned three times along their menstrual cycle, during early follicular, pre-ovulatory and mid-luteal phase. Related to estradiol, right before ovulation the left insula recruits the ECN, while the right middle frontal gyrus decreases its connectivity to the precuneus and the DMN decouples into anterior/posterior parts. Related to progesterone during the mid-luteal phase, the insulae (SN) engage to each other, while decreasing their connectivity to parietal ECN, which in turn engages the posterior DMN. When including the most confident connections in a leave-one out cross-validation, we find an above-chance prediction of the left-out subjects' cycle phase. These findings corroborate the plasticity of the female brain in response to acute hormone fluctuations and may help to further understand the neuroendocrine interactions underlying cognitive changes along the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda Hidalgo-Lopez
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Peter Zeidman
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
| | - TiAnni Harris
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Adeel Razi
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
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14
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Azanova M, Herrojo Ruiz M, Belianin AV, Klucharev V, Nikulin VV. Resting-State Theta Oscillations and Reward Sensitivity in Risk Taking. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:608699. [PMID: 33994916 PMCID: PMC8113640 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.608699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Females demonstrate greater risk aversion than males on a variety of tasks, but the underlying neurobiological basis is still unclear. We studied how theta (4–7 Hz) oscillations at rest related to three different measures of risk taking. Thirty-five participants (15 females) completed the Bomb Risk Elicitation Task (BRET), which allowed us to measure risk taking during an economic game. The Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale (DOSPERT) was used to measure self-assessed risk attitudes as well as reward and punishment sensitivities. In addition, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS11) was included to quantify impulsiveness. To obtain measures of frontal theta asymmetry and frontal theta power, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) acquired prior to task completion, while participants were at rest. Frontal theta asymmetry correlated with average risk taking during the game but only in the female sample. By contrast, frontal theta power correlated with risk taking as well as with measures of reward and punishment sensitivity in the joint sample. Importantly, we showed that reward sensitivity mediated a correlation between risk taking and the power of theta oscillations localized to the anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, we observed significant sex differences in source- and sensor-space theta power, risk taking during the game, and reward sensitivity. Our findings suggest that sensitivity to rewards, associated with resting-state theta oscillations in the anterior cingulate cortex, is a trait that potentially contributes to sex differences in risk taking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Azanova
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Herrojo Ruiz
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, United Kingdom.,Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexis V Belianin
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia.,International College of Economics and Finance, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasily Klucharev
- International Laboratory of Social Neurobiology, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vadim V Nikulin
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Spets DS, Fritch HA, Slotnick SD. Sex differences in hippocampal connectivity during spatial long‐term memory. Hippocampus 2021; 31:669-676. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dylan S. Spets
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Boston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts USA
| | - Haley A. Fritch
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Boston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts USA
| | - Scott D. Slotnick
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Boston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts USA
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16
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Schommartz I, Dix A, Passow S, Li SC. Functional Effects of Bilateral Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Modulation During Sequential Decision-Making: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study With Offline Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:605190. [PMID: 33613203 PMCID: PMC7886709 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.605190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to learn sequential contingencies of actions for predicting future outcomes is indispensable for flexible behavior in many daily decision-making contexts. It remains open whether such ability may be enhanced by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The present study combined tDCS with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate potential tDCS-induced effects on sequential decision-making and the neural mechanisms underlying such modulations. Offline tDCS and sham stimulation were applied over the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) in young male adults (N = 29, mean age = 23.4 years, SD = 3.2) in a double-blind between-subject design using a three-state Markov decision task. The results showed (i) an enhanced dlPFC hemodynamic response during the acquisition of sequential state transitions that is consistent with the findings from a previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study; (ii) a tDCS-induced increase of the hemodynamic response in the dlPFC, but without accompanying performance-enhancing effects at the behavioral level; and (iii) a greater tDCS-induced upregulation of hemodynamic responses in the delayed reward condition that seems to be associated with faster decision speed. Taken together, these findings provide empirical evidence for fNIRS as a suitable method for investigating hemodynamic correlates of sequential decision-making as well as functional brain correlates underlying tDCS-induced modulation. Future research with larger sample sizes for carrying out subgroup analysis is necessary in order to decipher interindividual differences in tDCS-induced effects on sequential decision-making process at the behavioral and brain levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna Schommartz
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Annika Dix
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet With Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Susanne Passow
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Shu-Chen Li
- Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Centre for Tactile Internet With Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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17
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Dubol M, Epperson CN, Sacher J, Pletzer B, Derntl B, Lanzenberger R, Sundström-Poromaa I, Comasco E. Neuroimaging the menstrual cycle: A multimodal systematic review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100878. [PMID: 33098847 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that ovarian hormones affect brain structure, chemistry and function of women in their reproductive age, potentially shaping their behavior and mental health. Throughout the reproductive years, estrogens and progesterone levels fluctuate across the menstrual cycle and can modulate neural circuits involved in affective and cognitive processes. Here, we review seventy-seven neuroimaging studies and provide a comprehensive and data-driven evaluation of the accumulating evidence on brain plasticity associated with endogenous ovarian hormone fluctuations in naturally cycling women (n = 1304). The results particularly suggest modulatory effects of ovarian hormones fluctuations on the reactivity and structure of cortico-limbic brain regions. These findings highlight the importance of performing multimodal neuroimaging studies on neural correlates of systematic ovarian hormone fluctuations in naturally cycling women based on careful menstrual cycle staging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Dubol
- Department of Neuroscience, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - C Neill Epperson
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine-Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
| | - Julia Sacher
- Emotion Neuroimaging Lab, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Austria
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
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18
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Hornung J, Lewis CA, Derntl B. Sex hormones and human brain function. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2020; 175:195-207. [PMID: 33008525 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64123-6.00014-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Sex hormones have organizational and activational effects on the human brain and can interact with the neurotransmitter systems. These biologic mechanisms may have a far-reaching impact, with both behavioral consequences and structural as well as functional brain modulation. The impact of cycling hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle on cognitive and emotion processing has especially received some attention recently. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to give an overview of findings regarding the effects of estradiol and progesterone, but also testosterone, on functional brain domains comprising cognition, emotion, and reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Carolin A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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19
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Ikarashi K, Sato D, Iguchi K, Baba Y, Yamashiro K. Menstrual Cycle Modulates Motor Learning and Memory Consolidation in Humans. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100696. [PMID: 33019607 PMCID: PMC7599572 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous studies have noted that sex and/or menstrual phase influences cognitive performance (in particular, declarative memory), but the effects on motor learning (ML) and procedural memory/consolidation remain unclear. In order to test the hypothesis that ML differs across menstrual cycle phases, initial ML, overlearning, consolidation, and final performance were assessed in women in the follicular, preovulation and luteal phases. Primary motor cortex (M1) oscillations were assessed neuro-physiologically, and premenstrual syndrome and interoceptive awareness scores were assessed psychologically. We found not only poorer performance gain through initial ML but also lower final performance after overlearning a day and a week later in the luteal group than in the ovulation group. This behavioral difference could be explained by particular premenstrual syndrome symptoms and associated failure of normal M1 excitability in the luteal group. In contrast, the offline effects, i.e., early and late consolidation, did not differ across menstrual cycle phases. These results provide information regarding the best time in which to start learning new sensorimotor skills to achieve expected gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koyuki Ikarashi
- Field of Health and Sports, Graduate School of Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan; (K.I.); (K.I.)
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
| | - Daisuke Sato
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-25-257-4624
| | - Kaho Iguchi
- Field of Health and Sports, Graduate School of Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan; (K.I.); (K.I.)
| | - Yasuhiro Baba
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
| | - Koya Yamashiro
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata City 950-3198, Japan;
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20
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Scheuringer A, Harris TA, Pletzer B. Recruiting the right hemisphere: Sex differences in inter-hemispheric communication during semantic verbal fluency. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 207:104814. [PMID: 32502896 PMCID: PMC7611590 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in cognitive functions are heavily debated. Recent work suggests that sex differences do stem from different processing strategies utilized by men and women. While these processing strategies are likely reflected in different brain networks, so far the link between brain networks and processing strategies remains speculative. In the present study we seek for the first time to link sex differences in brain activation patterns to sex differences in processing strategies utilizing a semantic verbal fluency task in a large sample of 35 men and 35 women, all scanned thrice. For verbal fluency, strategies of clustering and switching have been described. Our results show that men show higher activation in the brain network supporting clustering, while women show higher activation in the brain network supporting switching. Furthermore, converging evidence from activation results, lateralization indices and connectivity analyses suggests that men recruit the right hemisphere more strongly during clustering, but women during switching. These results may explain findings of differential performance and strategy-use in previous behavioral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scheuringer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ti-Anni Harris
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
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21
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Le J, Thomas N, Gurvich C. Cognition, The Menstrual Cycle, and Premenstrual Disorders: A Review. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10040198. [PMID: 32230889 PMCID: PMC7226433 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10040198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones, such as estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone, have a significant influence on brain, behavior, and cognitive functioning. The menstrual cycle has been a convenient model to examine how subtle fluctuations of these hormones can relate to emotional and cognitive functioning. The aim of the current paper is to provide a narrative review of studies investigating cognitive functioning in association with the menstrual cycle in biological females, with a focus on studies that have investigated cognitive functioning across the menstrual cycle in females with premenstrual mood disorders, such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). In line with previous reviews, the current review concluded that there is a lack of consistent findings regarding cognitive functioning across the menstrual cycle. Most studies focused on changes in levels of blood estrogen, and neglected to explore the role of other hormones, such as progesterone, on cognitive functioning. Cognitive research involving premenstrual disorders is in its infancy, and it remains unclear whether any cognitive disturbances that are identified may be attributed to negative experience of mood and psychological symptoms or be a more direct effect of hormonal dysregulation or sensitivity. Suggestions for future research are provided.
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22
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Beltz AM, Moser JS. Ovarian hormones: a long overlooked but critical contributor to cognitive brain structures and function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2020; 1464:156-180. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M. Beltz
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Jason S. Moser
- Department of PsychologyMichigan State University East Lansing Michigan
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23
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Cutting to the Pathophysiology Chase: Translating Cutting-Edge Neuroscience to Rehabilitation Practice in Sports-Related Concussion Management. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019; 49:811-818. [PMID: 31154951 DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2019.8884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion, is a common sports injury. Concussion involves physical injury to brain tissue and vascular and axonal damage that manifests as transient and often nonspecific clinical symptoms. Concussion diagnosis is challenging, and the relationship between brain injury and clinical symptoms is unclear. The purpose of this commentary was to translate cutting-edge neuroscience to rehabilitation practice. We (1) highlight potential biomarkers that may improve our understanding of concussion and its recovery, (2) explain why researchers must address the paucity of concussion research in female athletes, and (3) present female-specific factors that should be accounted for in future studies. Integrating objective, quantitative measures of concussion pathophysiology with concussion history, genetics, and genomics will help caregivers identify concussed athletes, tailor recovery protocols, and protect athletes from potential long-term effects of cumulative head impact. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(11):811-818. Epub 1 Jun 2019. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.8884.
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24
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The cycling brain: menstrual cycle related fluctuations in hippocampal and fronto-striatal activation and connectivity during cognitive tasks. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1867-1875. [PMID: 31195407 PMCID: PMC6785086 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0435-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Estradiol and progesterone vary along the menstrual cycle and exert opposite effects on a variety of neurotransmitter systems. However, few studies have addressed menstrual cycle-dependent changes in the brain. In the present study we investigate menstrual cycle changes in brain activation and connectivity patterns underlying cognition. Thirty-six naturally cycling women underwent functional MRI during two cognitive tasks: spatial navigation and verbal fluency. While no significant performance differences were observed along the menstrual cycle, the changes in brain activation patterns are strikingly similar during both tasks. Irrespective of the task, estradiol boosts hippocampal activation during the pre-ovulatory cycle phase and progesterone boosts fronto-striatal activation during the luteal cycle phase. Connectivity analyses suggest that the increase in right-hemispheric frontal activation is the result of inter-hemispheric decoupling and is involved in the down-regulation of hippocampal activation.
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25
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Wong-Goodrich SJE, DeRosa HJ, Kee DW. Dual-Task Paradigm Reveals Variation in Left Hemisphere Involvement in Verbal Processing Across the Menstrual Cycle in Normally Cycling Women. Psychol Rep 2019; 123:2372-2393. [PMID: 31291167 DOI: 10.1177/0033294119862992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive performance and cerebral hemispheric function are known to vary with fluctuating levels of estradiol and progesterone across the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling females. However, the literature is mixed with regard to how each hemisphere may be affected by elevated ovarian hormones. To better understand this, the current study employed a dual-task paradigm to examine potential shifts in hemispheric involvement for a verbal problem-solving task across the menstrual cycle in 30 right-handed, normally cycling young adult females (18-21 years old). To our knowledge, no study to date has utilized dual-task procedures to directly investigate the potential shifts in hemispheric function across the menstrual cycle. Specifically, participants were tested during both menses and their estimated midluteal phase where they engaged in repetitive unilateral finger-tapping while concurrently solving anagrams silently or aloud. Analysis of finger-tapping interference during the dual-task conditions revealed that solving anagrams silently was lateralized to the left hemisphere while solving anagrams aloud yielded a pattern of more bilateral hemispheric involvement, both of which were consistent across both menses and midluteal phases. Analysis of cognitive performance, however, revealed that silent anagrams performance while tapping with the right, but not left, hand significantly increased during the midluteal phase. Consistent with a number of other studies using different methodological approaches, the current dual-task findings suggest that when ovarian hormone levels are putatively elevated, there is enhanced recruitment of left hemisphere resources while performing a lateralized verbal task.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Holly J DeRosa
- Department of Psychology, Iona College, New Rochelle, NY, USA
| | - Daniel W Kee
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Fullerton, CA, USA
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26
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Sheppard PAS, Choleris E, Galea LAM. Structural plasticity of the hippocampus in response to estrogens in female rodents. Mol Brain 2019; 12:22. [PMID: 30885239 PMCID: PMC6423800 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0442-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well established that estrogens affect neuroplasticity in a number of brain regions. In particular, estrogens modulate and mediate spine and synapse formation as well as neurogenesis in the hippocampal formation. In this review, we discuss current research exploring the effects of estrogens on dendritic spine plasticity and neurogenesis with a focus on the modulating factors of sex, age, and pregnancy. Hormone levels, including those of estrogens, fluctuate widely across the lifespan from early life to puberty, through adulthood and into old age, as well as with pregnancy and parturition. Dendritic spine formation and modulation are altered both by rapid (likely non-genomic) and classical (genomic) actions of estrogens and have been suggested to play a role in the effects of estrogens on learning and memory. Neurogenesis in the hippocampus is influenced by age, the estrous cycle, pregnancy, and parity in female rodents. Furthermore, sex differences exist in hippocampal cellular and molecular responses to estrogens and are briefly discussed throughout. Understanding how structural plasticity in the hippocampus is affected by estrogens and how these effects can influence function and be influenced by other factors, such as experience and sex, is critical and can inform future treatments in conditions involving the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A. S. Sheppard
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Liisa A. M. Galea
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
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27
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Ulrich M, Niemann J, Boland M, Kammer T, Niemann F, Grön G. The neural correlates of flow experience explored with transcranial direct current stimulation. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:3223-3237. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5378-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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28
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Hodgetts S, Hausmann M. The Neuromodulatory Effects of Sex Hormones on Functional Cerebral Asymmetries and Cognitive Control. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NEUROPSYCHOLOGIE 2018. [DOI: 10.1024/1016-264x/a000224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract. Nearly 20 years ago, Hausmann and Güntürkün (2000a, 2000b) published a review article in the Journal of Neuropsychology/Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie on the influences of sex hormones on functional cerebral asymmetries (FCAs). They further presented a neuroendocrinological model (Hausmann & Güntürkün, 2000c) that could potentially explain how sex hormones modulate FCAs. Their model proposed that high levels of progesterone reduce the synaptic efficiency of cortico-cortical transmission, leading to a reduction of FCAs. However, empirical data testing their hypothesis directly were missing. Using various approaches, we have now gathered behavioral, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging data that partly support the original idea, while also pointing toward estradiol-modulating FCAs. The current review provides an update on this fascinating topic and briefly explores clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Hodgetts
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing, University of Sunderland, Shackleton House, Silksworth Row, Sunderland, UK
| | - Markus Hausmann
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham, UK
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Miedl SF, Blechert J, Meule A, Richard A, Wilhelm FH. Suppressing images of desire: Neural correlates of chocolate-related thoughts in high and low trait chocolate cravers. Appetite 2018. [PMID: 29518469 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chocolate is the most often craved food in Western societies and many individuals try to resist its temptation due to weight concerns. Suppressing chocolate-related thoughts might, however, lead to paradoxical enhancements of these thoughts and this effect might be more pronounced in individuals with frequent chocolate cravings. In the current study, neural and cognitive correlates of chocolate thought suppression were investigated as a function of trait chocolate craving. Specifically, 20 high and 20 low trait chocolate cravers followed suppression vs. free thinking instructions after being exposed to chocolate and neutral images. Enhanced cue reactivity was evident in high trait chocolate cravers in that they reported more chocolate-related thoughts selectively after chocolate images compared to their low trait craving counterparts. This cue reactivity was mirrored neurally by higher activation in the ventral and dorsal striatum, demonstrating enhanced reward system activity. Unexpectedly, high trait chocolate cravers successfully reduced their elevated chocolate thoughts in the suppression condition. This lends support for the use of thought suppression as a means of regulating unwanted thoughts, cravings and imagery. Whether this thought manipulation is able to curb the elevated cue reactivity and the underlying reward sensitivity in chocolate cravers in applied settings remains to be shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan F Miedl
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria
| | - Jens Blechert
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Adrian Meule
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anna Richard
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frank H Wilhelm
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Austria
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Abstract
In this mini-review, I summarize and interpret the current status of sex/gender differences in terms of brain anatomy, brain function, behavior, and cognition. Based on this review and the reported findings, I conclude that most of these sex/gender differences are not large enough to support the assumption of sexual dimorphism in terms of brain anatomy, brain function, cognition, and behavior. Instead, I suggest that many brain and cognitive features are modulated by environment, culture, and practice (and several other influences). These influences interact with the menstrual cycle, the general hormone level, and current gender stereotypes in a way that has not yet been fully understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutz Jäncke
- Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamic of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Sundström-Poromaa I. The Menstrual Cycle Influences Emotion but Has Limited Effect on Cognitive Function. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2018; 107:349-376. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2018.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Ulrich M, Lorenz S, Spitzer MW, Steigleder L, Kammer T, Grön G. Theta-burst modulation of mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex affects salience coding in the human ventral tegmental area. Appetite 2017; 123:91-100. [PMID: 29247796 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In the context of hedonic (over-)eating the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a core part of the dopaminergic reward system plays a central role in coding incentive salience of high-caloric food. In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether transcranial magnetic theta-burst stimulation (TBS) over the right mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (mid-VLPFC) can induce modulation of calorie-sensitive brain activation in the VTA. The prefrontal location for TBS had been predetermined by seed-based resting-state fMRI with a functionally defined portion of the VTA serving as seed region obtained from an independent second fMRI experiment. In a sample of 15 healthy male participants, modulation of calorie-sensitive VTA activation did not significantly differ between the two TBS protocols. Comparisons with baseline revealed that both TBS protocols significantly affected calorie-sensitive neural processing of the mid-VLPFC in a rather similar way. In the VTA significant modulation of calorie-sensitive activation was observed after continuous TBS, whereas the modulatory effect of intermittent TBS was less reliable but also associated with a decrease of activation for high-caloric food images. Neurostimulation of right mid-VLPFC is suggestive as a main entry point of downstream signal changes for high- and low-caloric food cues that could enforce a shift in valuating stimuli of initially different incentive salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ulrich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sabrina Lorenz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus W Spitzer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Leon Steigleder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Kammer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany
| | - Georg Grön
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ulm, Leimgrubenweg 12-14, 89075 Ulm, Germany.
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Syan SK, Minuzzi L, Costescu D, Smith M, Allega OR, Coote M, Hall GBC, Frey BN. Influence of endogenous estradiol, progesterone, allopregnanolone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate on brain resting state functional connectivity across the menstrual cycle. Fertil Steril 2017; 107:1246-1255.e4. [PMID: 28476183 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To [1] study brain resting state functional connectivity (Rs-FC) in a well-characterized sample of healthy women in the mid-follicular and late luteal phases of the menstrual cycle; and [2] examine the correlation between endogenous E2, P, allopregnanolone, and DHEAS and patterns of Rs-FC across the menstrual cycle. DESIGN We studied the Rs-FC of the default mode network, salience network, meso-paralimbic network, fronto-parietal network, visual network, and sensorimotor network in the mid-follicular and late luteal phases. Serum levels of E2, P, allopregnanolone, and DHEAS were correlated to patterns of functional connectivity. SETTING University medical center. PATIENT(S) Twenty-five healthy women with regular menstrual cycles. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Functional connectivity of key brain networks at rest and correlations of hormones to Rs-FC in the mid-follcuar and late luteal menstrual phases. RESULT(S) There were no differences in Rs-FC between the mid-follicular and late luteal menstrual phases using either independent component analysis or seed-based analysis. However, specific correlations between each hormone and patterns of functional connectivity were found in both menstrual cycle phases. CONCLUSION(S) It seems that the association between female sex hormones and brain Rs-FC is menstrual cycle phase-dependent. Future studies should examine the cognitive and behavioral correlates of this association in regularly cycling women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina K Syan
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Luciano Minuzzi
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dustin Costescu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mara Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Olivia R Allega
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marg Coote
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Geoffrey B C Hall
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benicio N Frey
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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Tschernegg M, Neuper C, Schmidt R, Wood G, Kronbichler M, Fazekas F, Enzinger C, Koini M. FMRI to probe sex-related differences in brain function with multitasking. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181554. [PMID: 28759619 PMCID: PMC5536366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although established as a general notion in society, there is no solid scientific foundation for the existence of sex-differences in multitasking. Reaction time and accuracy in dual task conditions have an inverse relationship relative to single task, independently from sex. While a more disseminated network, parallel to decreasing accuracy and reaction time has been demonstrated in dual task fMRI studies, little is known so far whether there exist respective sex-related differences in activation. Methods We subjected 20 women (mean age = 25.45; SD = 5.23) and 20 men (mean age = 27.55; SD = 4.00) to a combined verbal and spatial fMRI paradigm at 3.0T to assess sex-related skills, based on the assumption that generally women better perform in verbal tasks while men do better in spatial tasks. We also obtained behavioral tests for verbal and spatial intelligence, attention, executive functions, and working memory. Results No differences between women and men were observed in behavioral measures of dual-tasking or cognitive performance. Generally, brain activation increased with higher task load, mainly in the bilateral inferior and prefrontal gyri, the anterior cingulum, thalamus, putamen and occipital areas. Comparing sexes, women showed increased activation in the inferior frontal gyrus in the verbal dual-task while men demonstrated increased activation in the precuneus and adjacent visual areas in the spatial task. Conclusion Against the background of equal cognitive and behavioral dual-task performance in both sexes, we provide first evidence for sex-related activation differences in functional networks for verbal and spatial dual-tasking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Tschernegg
- Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Christa Neuper
- Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Reinhold Schmidt
- Department of Neurogeriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Guilherme Wood
- Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Martin Kronbichler
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Neuroscience Institute and Centre for Neurocognitive Research, Christian-Doppler-Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Franz Fazekas
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian Enzinger
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Divisions of Neuroradiology, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Marisa Koini
- Department of Neurogeriatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- * E-mail:
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Slyepchenko A, Lokuge S, Nicholls B, Steiner M, Hall GBC, Soares CN, Frey BN. Subtle persistent working memory and selective attention deficits in women with premenstrual syndrome. Psychiatry Res 2017; 249:354-362. [PMID: 28152471 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
As a recurrent, cyclical phenomenon, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects a significant proportion of women of the reproductive age, and leads to regular monthly days of functional impairment. Symptoms of PMS include somatic and psychological symptoms, such as headaches, sleep disturbances, social withdrawal and mood changes, during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which alleviate during the follicular phase. This study investigated neurocognitive functioning in women with moderate to severe PMS symptoms (n=13) compared to women with mild/no PMS (n=27) through administration of a battery of neuropsychological tests during the asymptomatic follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Relative to women with mild/no PMS symptoms, women with moderate to severe PMS showed significantly poorer accuracy and more errors of omission on the N-0-back, as well as more errors of omission on the N-2-back task, indicating the presence of impairment in selective attention and working memory. This study provides evidence of persistent, subtle working memory and selective attention difficulties in those with moderate to severe PMS during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya Slyepchenko
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3K7; MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada.
| | - Sonali Lokuge
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3K7; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, 123 Edward St. Suite 1200, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Brianne Nicholls
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3K7.
| | - Meir Steiner
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3K7; MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada.
| | - Geoffrey B C Hall
- MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada.
| | - Claudio N Soares
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
| | - Benicio N Frey
- Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 3K7; MiNDS Neuroscience Graduate Program, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, Canada; Mood Disorders Program, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, 100 West 5th St, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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Ulrich M, Steigleder L, Grön G. Neural signature of the Food Craving Questionnaire (FCQ)-Trait. Appetite 2016; 107:303-310. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Ances BM, Detre JA. Perfusion Changes with Photic Stimulation During two Phases of the Menstrual Cycle: A Pilot Study Comparing Controls and True Menstrual Migraine Patients. Cephalalgia 2016; 23:907-13. [PMID: 14616933 DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2003.00625.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This pilot study investigated the effect of menstrual cycle phase (late luteal and mid-follicular) on cerebral perfusion changes during photic stimulation in both controls ( n = 5) and true menstrual migraine patients ( n = 5). No significant differences in resting baseline perfusion were observed between the two groups during either phase of the menstrual cycle. During the late luteal phase, changes in perfusion within the occipital lobe due to photic stimulation were similar for both groups. However, during the mid-follicular phase, occipital perfusion during visual stimulation decreased for controls but significantly increased for true menstrual migraine patients ( P < 0.05). A two way repeated measures ANOVA also demonstrated a significant difference between menstrual migraine patients and controls for photic activation ( P < 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Ances
- Department of Neurology University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA
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Hausmann M. Why sex hormones matter for neuroscience: A very short review on sex, sex hormones, and functional brain asymmetries. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:40-49. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hausmann
- Department of Psychology; Durham University; Durham United Kingdom
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Kranczioch C, Lindig A, Hausmann M. Sex hormones modulate neurophysiological correlates of visual temporal attention. Neuropsychologia 2016; 91:86-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Modulation of spatial and response strategies by phase of the menstrual cycle in women tested in a virtual navigation task. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 70:108-17. [PMID: 27213559 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Different memory systems are employed to navigate an environment. It has been consistently shown in rodents that estrogen impacts multiple memory system bias such that low estradiol (E2) is associated with increased use of a striatal-mediated response strategy whereas high E2 increases use of a hippocampal-dependent spatial memory. Low E2 also enhances performance on a response-based task whereas high E2 levels improve learning on a spatial task. The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate navigational strategies in young, healthy, naturally cycling women. Participants were split into either an early follicular (i.e., when E2 levels are low), ovulatory (i.e., when E2 levels are high) or mid/late luteal (i.e., end of the cycle, when E2 levels decrease and progesterone levels rise) phase group, using self-reported date of the menstrual cycle. Serum hormone level measurements (E2, progesterone, testosterone) were used to confirm cycle phase assignment. Participants were administered a verbal memory task as well as a virtual navigation task that can be solved by using either a response or spatial strategy. Women tested in the ovulatory phase, under high E2 conditions, performed better on a verbal memory task than women tested during the other phases of the cycle. Interestingly, women tested in the mid/late luteal phase, when progesterone is high, predominantly used a spatial strategy, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in the early follicular and ovulatory groups. Our data suggest that the specific memory system engaged differs depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle and may be mediated by both E2 and progesterone, rather than E2 alone.
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Hamson DK, Roes MM, Galea LAM. Sex Hormones and Cognition: Neuroendocrine Influences on Memory and Learning. Compr Physiol 2016; 6:1295-337. [DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Altered functional brain asymmetry for mental rotation: effect of estradiol changes across the menstrual cycle. Neuroreport 2016. [PMID: 26222958 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000000429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mental rotation is a visuospatial task associated with pronounced sex differences. Performance is also affected by gonadal hormones such as testosterone and estradiol. To better understand hormonal modulation of the neural substrates of mental rotation, the present study examined the influence of estradiol using functional MRI. Ten premenopausal women were tested on a 3D mental rotation task during the early follicular and late follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. Change in estradiol between the two phases was confirmed by hormone assays. Brain activation patterns were similar across the two phases, but the change in estradiol had different associations with the two hemispheres. Better performance in the late follicular than the early follicular phase was associated with a pattern of reduced recruitment of the right hemisphere and increased recruitment of the left hemisphere. The increased recruitment of the left hemisphere was directly associated with greater changes in estradiol. Given that the right hemisphere is the dominant hemisphere in visuospatial processing, our results suggest that estradiol is associated with reduced functional asymmetry, consistent with recent accounts of hormonal modulation of neurocognitive function.
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Galea LAM, Frick KM, Hampson E, Sohrabji F, Choleris E. Why estrogens matter for behavior and brain health. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 76:363-379. [PMID: 27039345 PMCID: PMC5045786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has required the inclusion of women in clinical studies since 1993, which has enhanced our understanding of how biological sex affects certain medical conditions and allowed the development of sex-specific treatment protocols. However, NIH's policy did not previously apply to basic research, and the NIH recently introduced a new policy requiring all new grant applications to explicitly address sex as a biological variable. The policy itself is grounded in the results of numerous investigations in animals and humans illustrating the existence of sex differences in the brain and behavior, and the importance of sex hormones, particularly estrogens, in regulating physiology and behavior. Here, we review findings from our laboratories, and others, demonstrating how estrogens influence brain and behavior in adult females. Research from subjects throughout the adult lifespan on topics ranging from social behavior, learning and memory, to disease risk will be discussed to frame an understanding of why estrogens matter to behavioral neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada.
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada
| | - Farida Sohrabji
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M HSC College of Medicine, Bryan, TX 77807, United States
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Pletzer B, Moeller K, Scheuringer A, Domahs F, Kerschbaum HH, Nuerk HC. Behavioural evidence for sex differences in the overlap between subtraction and multiplication. Cogn Process 2016; 17:147-54. [PMID: 26861245 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-016-0753-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The present study aims to identify factors that may influence the dissociability of number magnitude processing and arithmetic fact retrieval at the behavioural level. To that end, we assessed both subtraction and multiplication performance in a within-subject approach and evaluated the interdependence of unit-decade integration measures on the one hand as well as sex differences in the interdependence of performance measures on the other hand. We found that subtraction items requiring borrowing (e.g. 53-29 = 24, 3 < 9) are more error prone than subtraction items not requiring borrowing (e.g. 59-23 = 34, 9 > 3), thereby demonstrating a borrowing effect, which has been suggested as a measure of unit-decade integration in subtraction. Furthermore, we observed that multiplication items with decade-consistent distractors (e.g. 6 × 4 = 28 instead of 24) are more error prone that multiplication items with decade-inconsistent distractors (e.g. 6 × 4 = 30 instead of 24), thereby demonstrating a decade-consistency effect, which has been suggested as a measure of unit-decade integration in simple multiplication. However, the borrowing effect in subtraction was not correlated with the effect of decade consistency in simple multiplication in either men or women. This indicates that unit-decade integration arises from different systems in subtraction and multiplication. Nevertheless, men outperformed women not only in subtraction, but also in multiplication. Furthermore, subtraction and multiplication performance on correct solution probes were correlated in women, but unrelated in men. Thus, the view of differential systems for number magnitude processing and arithmetic fact retrieval may not be universal across sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, Paris-Lodron University Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | | | - Andrea Scheuringer
- Department of Psychology, Paris-Lodron University Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frank Domahs
- Department of Neurology, Section Neuropsychology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Hubert H Kerschbaum
- Department of Cell Biology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Hans-Christoph Nuerk
- Department of Neurology, Section Neuropsychology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.,Institute of Psychology, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Levine SC, Foley A, Lourenco S, Ehrlich S, Ratliff K. Sex differences in spatial cognition: advancing the conversation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2016; 7:127-55. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2010] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan C. Levine
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Alana Foley
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Stella Lourenco
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Stacy Ehrlich
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Kristin Ratliff
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
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Guerrieri GM, Wakim PG, Keenan PA, Schenkel LA, Berlin K, Gibson CJ, Rubinow DR, Schmidt PJ. Sex differences in visuospatial abilities persist during induced hypogonadism. Neuropsychologia 2015; 81:219-229. [PMID: 26719236 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite well-established sex differences in the performance on tests of several cognitive domains (e.g., visuospatial ability), few studies in humans have evaluated if these sex differences are evident both in the presence of circulating sex hormones and during sex steroid hormonal suppression. Sex differences identified in the relative absence of circulating levels of estradiol and testosterone suggest that differences in brain structure or function exist independent of current hormonal environment and are more likely a reflection of differing developmental exposures and/or genetic substrates. OBJECTIVE To evaluate cognitive performance in healthy eugonadal men and women before and again during GnRH agonist-induced hypogonadism. METHODS Men (n=16) and women (n=15) without medical or psychiatric illness were matched for IQ. Cognitive tests were performed at baseline (when eugonadal) and after 6-8 weeks of GnRH agonist-induced gonadal suppression. The test batteries included measures of verbal and spatial memory, spatial ability, verbal fluency, motor speed/dexterity, and attention/concentration. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures models. RESULTS During both eugonadism and hypogonadism, men performed significantly better than women on several measures of visuospatial performance including mental rotation, line orientation, Money Road Map, Porteus maze, and complex figure drawing. Although some test performances showed an effect of hormone treatment, the majority of these differences reflected an improved performance during hypogonadism compared with baseline (and probably reflected practice effects). CONCLUSION The well-documented male advantage in visuospatial performance, which we observed during eugonadal conditions, was maintained in the context of short-term suppression of gonadal function in both men and women. These findings suggest that, in humans, sex differences in visuospatial performance are not merely dependent on differences in the current circulating sex steroid environment. Thus sex differences in visuospatial performance in adulthood could reflect early developmental effects of sex steroid exposure or other environmental exposures differing across the sexes as our data confirm that these differences are independent of circulating estradiol or testosterone levels in men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia M Guerrieri
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Paul G Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - P A Keenan
- Cronos Clinical Consulting (formerly Wayne State University), 22 Tanglewood Drive, Titusville, NJ 08560, United States
| | - Linda A Schenkel
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Kate Berlin
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Carolyn J Gibson
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Peter J Schmidt
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States.
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Duarte-Guterman P, Yagi S, Chow C, Galea LAM. Hippocampal learning, memory, and neurogenesis: Effects of sex and estrogens across the lifespan in adults. Horm Behav 2015; 74:37-52. [PMID: 26122299 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Estradiol and Cognition". There are sex differences in hippocampus-dependent cognition and neurogenesis suggesting that sex hormones are involved. Estrogens modulate certain forms of spatial and contextual memory and neurogenesis in the adult female rodent, and to a lesser extent male, hippocampus. This review focuses on the effects of sex and estrogens on hippocampal learning, memory, and neurogenesis in the young and aged adult rodent. We discuss how factors such as the type of estrogen, duration and dose of treatment, timing of treatment, and type of memory influence the effects of estrogens on cognition and neurogenesis. We also address how reproductive experience (pregnancy and mothering) and aging interact with estrogens to modulate hippocampal cognition and neurogenesis in females. Given the evidence that adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays a role in long-term spatial memory and pattern separation, we also discuss the functional implications of regulating neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Duarte-Guterman
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Shunya Yagi
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Carmen Chow
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Brain Health, Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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Amygdala/hippocampal activation during the menstrual cycle: Evidence for lateralization of effects across different tasks. Neuropsychologia 2015; 67:55-62. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2014.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Haensel JX, Spain A, Martin C. A systematic review of physiological methods in rodent pharmacological MRI studies. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:489-99. [PMID: 25585682 PMCID: PMC4302233 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3855-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) provides an approach to study effects of drug challenges on brain processes. Elucidating mechanisms of drug action helps us to better understand the workings of neurotransmitter systems, map brain function or facilitate drug development. phMRI is increasingly used in preclinical research employing rodent models; however, data interpretation and integration are complicated by the use of different experimental approaches between laboratories. In particular, the effects of different anaesthetic regimes upon neuronal and haemodynamic processes and baseline physiology could be problematic. OBJECTIVES This paper investigates how differences in phMRI research methodologies are manifested and considers associated implications, placing particular emphasis on choice of anaesthetic regimes. METHODS A systematic review of rodent phMRI studies was conducted. Factors such as those describing anaesthetic regimes (e.g. agent, dosage) and parameters relating to physiological maintenance (e.g. ventilatory gases) and MRI method were recorded. RESULTS We identified 126 eligible studies and found that the volatile agents isoflurane (43.7 %) and halothane (33.3 %) were most commonly used for anaesthesia, but dosage and mixture of ventilatory gases varied substantially between laboratories. Relevant physiological parameters were usually recorded, although 32 % of studies did not provide cardiovascular measures. CONCLUSIONS Anaesthesia and animal preparation can influence phMRI data profoundly. The variation of anaesthetic type, dosage regime and ventilatory gases makes consolidation of research findings (e.g. within a specific neurotransmitter system) difficult. Standardisation of a small(er) number of preclinical phMRI research methodologies and/or increased consideration of approaches that do not require anaesthesia is necessary to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer X. Haensel
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TP UK
| | - Aisling Spain
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TP UK
| | - Chris Martin
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TP UK
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Toffoletto S, Lanzenberger R, Gingnell M, Sundström-Poromaa I, Comasco E. Emotional and cognitive functional imaging of estrogen and progesterone effects in the female human brain: a systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 50:28-52. [PMID: 25222701 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian hormones are pivotal for the physiological maintenance of the brain function as well as its response to environmental stimuli. There is mounting evidence attesting the relevance of endogenous ovarian hormones as well as exogenous estradiol and progesterone for emotional and cognitive processing. The present review systematically summarized current knowledge on sex steroid hormonal modulation of neural substrates of emotion and cognition revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-four studies of healthy naturally cycling and combined oral contraceptives (COC) user women, or women undergoing experimental manipulations, during their reproductive age, were included. Furthermore, six studies of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a hormonally based mood disorder, and three of gender dysphoria (GD), which provides an intriguing opportunity to examine the effect of high-dose cross-sex hormone therapy (CSHT) on brain functioning, were included. Globally, low (early follicular and the entire follicular phase for estrogen and progesterone, respectively) and high (COC, CSHT, late follicular and luteal phase for estrogen; COC, mid- and late-luteal phase for progesterone) hormonal milieu diversely affected the response of several brain regions including the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and inferior frontal gyrus, but their functional recruitment across groups and domains was scattered. The constellation of findings provides initial evidence of the influence of sex steroid hormones on cortical and subcortical regions implicated in emotional and cognitive processing. Further well-powered and multimodal neuroimaging studies will be needed to identify the neural mechanism of functional brain alterations induced by sex steroid hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Women's & Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
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