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Wiesner D, Feldengut S, Woelfle S, Boeckers TM, Ludolph AC, Roselli F, Del Tredici K. Neuropeptide FF (NPFF)-positive nerve cells of the human cerebral cortex and white matter in controls, selected neurodegenerative diseases, and schizophrenia. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:108. [PMID: 38943180 PMCID: PMC11212262 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01792-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
We quantified and determined for the first time the distribution pattern of the neuropeptide NPFF in the human cerebral cortex and subjacent white matter. To do so, we studied n = 9 cases without neurological disorders and n = 22 cases with neurodegenerative diseases, including sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, n = 8), Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 8), Pick's disease (PiD, n = 3), and schizophrenia (n = 3). NPFF-immunopositive cells were located chiefly, but not exclusively, in the superficial white matter and constituted there a subpopulation of white matter interstitial cells (WMIC): Pyramidal-like and multipolar somata predominated in the gyral crowns, whereas bipolar and ovoid somata predominated in the cortex surrounding the sulci. Their sparsely ramified axons were unmyelinated and exhibited NPFF-positive bead-like varicosities. We found significantly fewer NPFF-immunopositive cells in the gray matter of the frontal, cingulate, and superior temporal gyri of both sporadic ALS and late-stage AD patients than in controls, and significantly fewer NPFF-positive cells in the subjacent as well as deep white matter of the frontal gyrus of these patients compared to controls. Notably, the number of NPFF-positive cells was also significantly lower in the hippocampal formation in AD compared to controls. In PiD, NPFF-positive cells were present in significantly lower numbers in the gray and white matter of the cingulate and frontal gyrii in comparison to controls. In schizophrenic patients, lower wNPFF cell counts in the neocortex were significant and global (cingulate, frontal, superior temporal gyrus, medial, and inferior gyri). The precise functions of NPFF-positive cells and their relationship to the superficial corticocortical white matter U-fibers are currently unknown. Here, NPFF immunohistochemistry and expression characterize a previously unrecognized population of cells in the human brain, thereby providing a new entry-point for investigating their physiological and pathophysiological roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Wiesner
- Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- DZNE, Ulm Site, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Simone Feldengut
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Sarah Woelfle
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- DZNE, Ulm Site, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
- DZNE, Ulm Site, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Kelly Del Tredici
- Clinical Neuroanatomy Section, Department of Neurology, Center for Biomedical Research, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
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Ahmed B, Duque A, Rakic P, Molnár Z. Correlation between the number of interstitial neurons of the white matter and number of neurons within cortical layers: Histological analyses in postnatal macaque. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25626. [PMID: 39031698 PMCID: PMC11262481 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
We have examined the number and distribution of NeuN-immunoreactive cortical white matter interstitial cells (WMICs) and compared them to the neurons in layers 1-6 across the overlying cortex in coronal sections from postnatal macaques. The data have been gathered from over 300 selected regions at gyral crowns, at sulci, and at linear regions of the cortex where we also determined cortical layer thicknesses: standard thicknesses and tangential thicknesses. Cortical thicknesses and cell numbers showed variability according to gyral, linear, or sulcal regions. In spite of these variations, our standardized cell numbers in layers 1 to 6b and interstitial cells underlying layer 6b-white matter boundary have shown a consistent correlation between the number of WMICs and the number of layer 5 and 6a cortical neurons on all cortical regions studied: for each WMIC, there are on the order of five cortical neurons in layer 5 and approximately three cortical neurons in layer 6a, irrespective of the origins of the selected cortical area or whether they are from gyral, linear, or sulcal regions. We propose that the number of interstitial neurons in the postnatal macaque cortex is correlated to the density of neurons within layers 5 and 6a and, from a clinical perspective, the change in density or distribution of interstitial neurons in schizophrenia or epilepsy may in fact be linked to the number of layers 5 and 6a neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bashir Ahmed
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alvaro Duque
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Pasko Rakic
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Sherrington Building, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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3
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He J, Wang Y. Superficial white matter microstructural imaging method based on time-space fractional-order diffusion. Phys Med Biol 2024; 69:065010. [PMID: 38394673 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ad2ca1] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Objective. Microstructure imaging based on diffusion magnetic resonance signal is an advanced imaging technique that enablesin vivomapping of the brain's microstructure. Superficial white matter (SWM) plays an important role in brain development, maturation, and aging, while fewer microstructure imaging methods address the SWM due to its complexity. Therefore, this study aims to develop a diffusion propagation model to investigate the microstructural characteristics of the SWM region.Approach. In this paper, we hypothesize that the effect of cell membrane permeability and the water exchange between soma and dendrites cannot be neglected for typical clinical diffusion times (20 ms
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianglin He
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanjun Wang
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, People's Republic of China
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Imam A, Bhagwandin A, Ajao MS, Manger PR. The brain of the tree pangolin (Manis tricuspis). IX. The pallial telencephalon. J Comp Neurol 2022; 530:2645-2691. [PMID: 35621013 PMCID: PMC9546464 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A cyto‐, myelo‐, and chemoarchitectonic analysis of the pallial telencephalon of the tree pangolin is provided. As certain portions of the pallial telencephalon have been described previously (olfactory pallium, hippocampal formation, and amygdaloid complex), we focus on the claustrum and endopiriform nuclear complex, the white matter and white matter interstitial cells, and the areal organization of the cerebral cortex. Our analysis indicates that the organization of the pallial telencephalon of the tree pangolin is similar to that observed in many other mammals, and specifically quite similar to the closely related carnivores. The claustrum of the tree pangolin exhibits a combination of insular and laminar architecture, while the endopiriform nuclear complex contains three nuclei, both reminiscent of observations made in other mammals. The population of white matter interstitial cells resembles that observed in other mammals, while a distinct laminated organization of the intracortical white matter was revealed with parvalbumin immunostaining. The cerebral cortex of the tree pangolin presented with indistinct laminar boundaries as well as pyramidalization of the neurons in both layers 2 and 4. All cortical regions typically found in mammals were present, with the cortical areas within these regions often corresponding to what has been reported in carnivores. Given the similarity of the organization of the pallial telencephalon of the tree pangolin to that observed in other mammals, especially carnivores, it would be reasonable to assume that the neural processing afforded the tree pangolin by these structures does not differ dramatically to that of other mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminu Imam
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.,Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Moyosore S Ajao
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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Swiegers J, Bhagwandin A, Maseko BC, Sherwood CC, Hård T, Bertelsen MF, Spocter MA, Molnár Z, Manger PR. The distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in the brains of a southern lesser galago, a black-capped squirrel monkey, and a crested macaque. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3676-3708. [PMID: 34259349 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the current study, we examined the number, distribution, and aspects of the neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons, also termed white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), in the brains of a southern lesser galago (Galago moholi), a black-capped squirrel monkey (Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis), and a crested macaque (Macaca nigra). Staining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed WMICs throughout the infracortical white matter, these cells being most dense close to inner cortical border, decreasing in density with depth in the white matter. Stereological analysis of NeuN-immunopositive cells revealed estimates of approximately 1.1, 10.8, and 37.7 million WMICs within the infracortical white matter of the galago, squirrel monkey, and crested macaque, respectively. The total numbers of WMICs form a distinct negative allometric relationship with brain mass and white matter volume when examined in a larger sample of primates where similar measures have been obtained. In all three primates studied, the highest densities of WMICs were in the white matter of the frontal lobe, with the occipital lobe having the lowest. Immunostaining revealed significant subpopulations of WMICs containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and calretinin, with very few WMICs containing parvalbumin, and none containing calbindin. The nNOS and calretinin immunopositive WMICs represent approximately 21% of the total WMIC population; however, variances in the proportions of these neurochemical phenotypes were noted. Our results indicate that both the squirrel monkey and crested macaque might be informative animal models for the study of WMICs in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Swiegers
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Busisiwe C Maseko
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Muhammad A Spocter
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.,Department of Anatomy, Des Moines University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Swiegers J, Bhagwandin A, Williams VM, Maseko BC, Sherwood CC, Hård T, Bertelsen MF, Rockland KS, Molnár Z, Manger PR. The distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) brain. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3429-3452. [PMID: 34180538 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
We examined the number, distribution, and immunoreactivity of the infracortical white matter neuronal population, also termed white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), throughout the telencephalic white matter of an adult female chimpanzee. Staining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed WMICs throughout the infracortical white matter, these cells being most numerous and dense close to the inner border of cortical layer VI, decreasing significantly in density with depth in the white matter. Stereological analysis of NeuN-immunopositive cells revealed an estimate of approximately 137.2 million WMICs within the infracortical white matter of the chimpanzee brain studied. Immunostaining revealed subpopulations of WMICs containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS, approximately 14.4 million in number), calretinin (CR, approximately 16.7 million), very few WMICs containing parvalbumin (PV), and no calbindin-immunopositive neurons. The nNOS, CR, and PV immunopositive WMICs, possibly all inhibitory neurons, represent approximately 22.6% of the total WMIC population. As the white matter is affected in many cognitive conditions, such as schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy, and also in neurodegenerative diseases, understanding these neurons across species is important for the translation of findings of neural dysfunction in animal models to humans. Furthermore, studies of WMICs in species such as apes provide a crucial phylogenetic context for understanding the evolution of these cell types in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Swiegers
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Victoria M Williams
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Busisiwe C Maseko
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | | | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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7
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White Matter Interstitial Neurons in the Adult Human Brain: 3% of Cortical Neurons in Quest for Recognition. Cells 2021; 10:cells10010190. [PMID: 33477896 PMCID: PMC7833373 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
White matter interstitial neurons (WMIN) are a subset of cortical neurons located in the subcortical white matter. Although they were fist described over 150 years ago, they are still largely unexplored and often considered a small, functionally insignificant neuronal population. WMIN are adult remnants of neurons located in the transient fetal subplate zone (SP). Following development, some of the SP neurons undergo apoptosis, and the remaining neurons are incorporated in the adult white matter as WMIN. In the adult human brain, WMIN are quite a large population of neurons comprising at least 3% of all cortical neurons (between 600 and 1100 million neurons). They include many of the morphological neuronal types that can be found in the overlying cerebral cortex. Furthermore, the phenotypic and molecular diversity of WMIN is similar to that of the overlying cortical neurons, expressing many glutamatergic and GABAergic biomarkers. WMIN are often considered a functionally unimportant subset of neurons. However, upon closer inspection of the scientific literature, it has been shown that WMIN are integrated in the cortical circuitry and that they exhibit diverse electrophysiological properties, send and receive axons from the cortex, and have active synaptic contacts. Based on these data, we are able to enumerate some of the potential WMIN roles, such as the control of the cerebral blood flow, sleep regulation, and the control of information flow through the cerebral cortex. Also, there is a number of studies indicating the involvement of WMIN in the pathophysiology of many brain disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. All of these data indicate that WMIN are a large population with an important function in the adult brain. Further investigation of WMIN could provide us with novel data crucial for an improved elucidation of the pathophysiology of many brain disorders. In this review, we provide an overview of the current WMIN literature, with an emphasis on studies conducted on the human brain.
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Ding C, Emmenegger V, Schaffrath K, Feldmeyer D. Layer-Specific Inhibitory Microcircuits of Layer 6 Interneurons in Rat Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:32-47. [PMID: 32829414 PMCID: PMC7727376 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic interneurons in different cortical areas play important roles in diverse higher-order cognitive functions. The heterogeneity of interneurons is well characterized in different sensory cortices, in particular in primary somatosensory and visual cortex. However, the structural and functional properties of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) interneurons have received less attention. In this study, a cluster analysis based on axonal projection patterns revealed four distinct clusters of L6 interneurons in rat mPFC: Cluster 1 interneurons showed axonal projections similar to Martinotti-like cells extending to layer 1, cluster 2 displayed translaminar projections mostly to layer 5, and cluster 3 interneuron axons were confined to the layer 6, whereas those of cluster 4 interneurons extend also into the white matter. Correlations were found between neuron location and axonal distribution in all clusters. Moreover, all cluster 1 L6 interneurons showed a monotonically adapting firing pattern with an initial high-frequency burst. All cluster 2 interneurons were fast-spiking, while neurons in cluster 3 and 4 showed heterogeneous firing patterns. Our data suggest that L6 interneurons that have distinct morphological and physiological characteristics are likely to innervate different targets in mPFC and thus play differential roles in the L6 microcircuitry and in mPFC-associated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ding
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Vishalini Emmenegger
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kim Schaffrath
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Ophthalmology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Medical School, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Dirk Feldmeyer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, INM-10 Function of Cortical Microcircuits Group, Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Translational Brain Medicine, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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Bhagwandin A, Debipersadh U, Kaswera-Kyamakya C, Gilissen E, Rockland KS, Molnár Z, Manger PR. Distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in the brains of three megachiropteran bat species. J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:3023-3038. [PMID: 32103488 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A large population of infracortical white matter neurons, or white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), are found within the subcortical white matter of the mammalian telencephalon. We examined WMICs in three species of megachiropterans, Megaloglossus woermanni, Casinycteris argynnis, and Rousettus aegyptiacus, using immunohistochemical and stereological techniques. Immunostaining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed substantial numbers of WMICs in each species-M. woermanni 124,496 WMICs, C. argynnis 138,458 WMICs, and the larger brained R. aegyptiacus having an estimated WMIC population of 360,503. To examine the range of inhibitory neurochemical types we used antibodies against parvalbumin, calbindin, calretinin, and neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). The calbindin and nNOS immunostained neurons were the most commonly observed, while those immunoreactive for calretinin and parvalbumin were sparse. The proportion of WMICs exhibiting inhibitory neurochemical profiles was ~26%, similar to that observed in previously studied primates. While for the most part the WMIC population in the megachiropterans studied was similar to that observed in other mammals, the one feature that differed was the high proportion of WMICs immunoreactive to calbindin, whereas in primates (macaque monkey, lar gibbon and human) the highest proportion of inhibitory WMICs contain calretinin. Interestingly, there appears to be an allometric scaling of WMIC numbers with brain mass. Further quantitative comparative work across more mammalian species will reveal the developmental and evolutionary trends associated with this infrequently studied neuronal population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of Clinical Anatomy and Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ulsana Debipersadh
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Emmanuel Gilissen
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
- Laboratory of Histology and Neuropathology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | - Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Kirilina E, Helbling S, Morawski M, Pine K, Reimann K, Jankuhn S, Dinse J, Deistung A, Reichenbach JR, Trampel R, Geyer S, Müller L, Jakubowski N, Arendt T, Bazin PL, Weiskopf N. Superficial white matter imaging: Contrast mechanisms and whole-brain in vivo mapping. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/41/eaaz9281. [PMID: 33028535 PMCID: PMC7541072 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz9281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Superficial white matter (SWM) contains the most cortico-cortical white matter connections in the human brain encompassing the short U-shaped association fibers. Despite its importance for brain connectivity, very little is known about SWM in humans, mainly due to the lack of noninvasive imaging methods. Here, we lay the groundwork for systematic in vivo SWM mapping using ultrahigh resolution 7 T magnetic resonance imaging. Using biophysical modeling informed by quantitative ion beam microscopy on postmortem brain tissue, we demonstrate that MR contrast in SWM is driven by iron and can be linked to the microscopic iron distribution. Higher SWM iron concentrations were observed in U-fiber-rich frontal, temporal, and parietal areas, potentially reflecting high fiber density or late myelination in these areas. Our SWM mapping approach provides the foundation for systematic studies of interindividual differences, plasticity, and pathologies of this crucial structure for cortico-cortical connectivity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeniya Kirilina
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Berlin, Free University Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Saskia Helbling
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Morawski
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 19, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerrin Pine
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Katja Reimann
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 19, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Steffen Jankuhn
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juliane Dinse
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Deistung
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Department of Radiology University Hospital Halle (Saale), Ernst-Grube-Str. 40, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Jürgen R Reichenbach
- Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Robert Trampel
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Geyer
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Larissa Müller
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Jakubowski
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Richard-Willstätter-Straße 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
- Spetec GmbH, Berghamer Str. 2, 85435 Erding, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 19, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Pierre-Louis Bazin
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Integrative Model-Based Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit, University of Amsterdam, 1001 NK Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Linnéstraße 5, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK
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11
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Sedmak G, Judaš M. The total number of white matter interstitial neurons in the human brain. J Anat 2019; 235:626-636. [PMID: 31173356 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the adult human brain, the interstitial neurons (WMIN) of the subcortical white matter are the surviving remnants of the fetal subplate zone. It has been suggested that they perform certain important functions and may be involved in the pathogenesis of several neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, many important features of this class of human cortical neurons remain insufficiently explored. In this study, we analyzed the total number, and regional and topological distribution of WMIN in the adult human subcortical white matter, using a combined immunocytochemical (NeuN) and stereological approaches. We found that the average number of WMIN in 1 mm3 of the subcortical white matter is 1.230 ± 549, which translates to the average total number of 593 811 183.6 ± 264 849 443.35 of WMIN in the entire subcortical telencephalic white matter. While there were no significant differences in their regional distribution, the lowest number of WMIN has been consistently observed in the limbic cortex, and the highest number in the frontal cortex. With respect to their topological distribution, the WMIN were consistently more numerous within gyral crowns, less numerous along gyral walls and least numerous at the bottom of cortical sulci (where they occupy a narrow and compact zone below the cortical-white matter border). The topological location of WMIN is also significantly correlated with their morphology: pyramidal and multipolar forms are the most numerous within gyral crowns, whereas bipolar forms predominate at the bottom of cortical sulci. Our results indicate that WMIN represent substantial neuronal population in the adult human cerebral cortex (e.g. more numerous than thalamic or basal ganglia neurons) and thus deserve more detailed morphological and functional investigations in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Sedmak
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center for Excellence in Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Miloš Judaš
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center for Excellence in Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Zagreb, Croatia
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Swiegers J, Bhagwandin A, Sherwood CC, Bertelsen MF, Maseko BC, Hemingway J, Rockland KS, Molnár Z, Manger PR. The distribution, number, and certain neurochemical identities of infracortical white matter neurons in a lar gibbon (Hylobates lar) brain. J Comp Neurol 2018; 527:1633-1653. [PMID: 30378128 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We examined the number, distribution, and immunoreactivity of the infracortical white matter neuronal population, also termed white matter interstitial cells (WMICs), in the brain of a lesser ape, the lar gibbon. Staining for neuronal nuclear marker (NeuN) revealed WMICs throughout the infracortical white matter, these cells being most numerous and dense close to cortical layer VI, decreasing significantly in density with depth in the white matter. Stereological analysis of NeuN-immunopositive cells revealed a global estimate of ~67.5 million WMICs within the infracortical white matter of the gibbon brain, indicating that the WMICs are a numerically significant population, ~2.5% of the total cortical gray matter neurons that would be estimated for a primate brain the mass of that of the lar gibbon. Immunostaining revealed subpopulations of WMICs containing neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS, ~7 million in number, with both small and large soma volumes), calretinin (~8.6 million in number, all of similar soma volume), very few WMICs containing parvalbumin, and no calbindin-immunopositive neurons. These nNOS, calretinin, and parvalbumin immunopositive WMICs, presumably all inhibitory neurons, represent ~23.1% of the total WMIC population. As the white matter is affected in many cognitive conditions, such as schizophrenia, autism and also in neurodegenerative diseases, understanding these neurons across species is important for the translation of findings of neural dysfunction in animal models to humans. Furthermore, studies of WMICs in species such as apes provide a crucial phylogenetic context for understanding the evolution of these cell types in the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Swiegers
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Busisiwe C Maseko
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Jason Hemingway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Kathleen S Rockland
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zoltán Molnár
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, England
| | - Paul R Manger
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Anatomical Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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Interlaminar Glia and Other Glial Themes Revisited: Pending Answers Following Three Decades of Glial Research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/neuroglia1010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This review aims to highlight the various significant matters in glial research stemming from personal work by the author and associates at the Unit of Applied Neurobiology (UNA, CEMIC-CONICET), and some of the pending questions. A reassessment and further comments on interlaminar astrocytes—an astroglial cell type that is specific to humans and other non-human primates, and is not found in rodents, is presented. Tentative hypothesis regarding their function and future possible research lines that could contribute to further the analysis of their development and possible role(s), are suggested. The possibility that they function as a separate entity from the “territorial” astrocytes, is also considered. In addition, the potential significance of our observations on interspecies differences in in vitro glial cell dye coupling, on glial diffusible factors affecting the induction of this glial phenotype, and on their interference with the cellular toxic effects of cerebrospinal fluid obtained from l-DOPA treated patients with Parkinson´s disease, is also considered. The major differences oberved in the cerebral cortex glial layout between human and rodents—the main model for studying glial function and pathology—calls for a careful assessment of known and potential species differences in all aspects of glial cell biology. This is essential to provide a better understanding of the organization and function of human and non-human primate brain, and of the neurobiological basis of their behavior.
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