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Andrews MJ, Salat DH, Milberg WP, McGlinchey RE, Fortier CB. Poor sleep and decreased cortical thickness in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mil Med Res 2024; 11:51. [PMID: 39098930 PMCID: PMC11299360 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-024-00557-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poor sleep quality has been associated with changes in brain volume among veterans, particularly those who have experienced mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study sought to investigate (1) whether poor sleep quality is associated with decreased cortical thickness in Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, and (2) whether these associations differ topographically depending on the presence or absence of mTBI and PTSD. METHODS A sample of 440 post-9/11 era U.S. veterans enrolled in the Translational Research Center for Traumatic Brain Injury and Stress Disorders study at VA Boston, MA from 2010 to 2022 was included in the study. We examined the relationship between sleep quality, as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and cortical thickness in veterans with mTBI (n = 57), PTSD (n = 110), comorbid mTBI and PTSD (n = 129), and neither PTSD nor mTBI (n = 144). To determine the topographical relationship between subjective sleep quality and cortical thickness in each diagnostic group, we employed a General Linear Model (GLM) at each vertex on the cortical mantle. The extent of topographical overlap between the resulting statistical maps was assessed using Dice coefficients. RESULTS There were no significant associations between PSQI and cortical thickness in the group without PTSD or mTBI (n = 144) or in the PTSD-only group (n = 110). In the mTBI-only group (n = 57), lower sleep quality was significantly associated with reduced thickness bilaterally in frontal, cingulate, and precuneus regions, as well as in the right parietal and temporal regions (β = -0.0137, P < 0.0005). In the comorbid mTBI and PTSD group (n = 129), significant associations were observed bilaterally in frontal, precentral, and precuneus regions, in the left cingulate and the right parietal regions (β = -0.0094, P < 0.0005). Interaction analysis revealed that there was a stronger relationship between poor sleep quality and decreased cortical thickness in individuals with mTBI (n = 186) compared to those without mTBI (n = 254) specifically in the frontal and cingulate regions (β = -0.0077, P < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates a significant relationship between poor sleep quality and lower cortical thickness primarily within frontal regions among individuals with both isolated mTBI or comorbid diagnoses of mTBI and PTSD. Thus, if directionality is established in longitudinal and interventional studies, it may be crucial to consider addressing sleep in the treatment of veterans who have sustained mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray J Andrews
- Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - David H Salat
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Neuroimaging Research for Veterans Center, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Anthinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - William P Milberg
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02138, USA
- Geriatric Research, Educational and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Regina E McGlinchey
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02138, USA
- Geriatric Research, Educational and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA
| | - Catherine B Fortier
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02138, USA.
- Geriatric Research, Educational and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.
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Poliva O, Herrera C, Sugai K, Whittle N, Leek MR, Barnes S, Holshouser B, Yi A, Venezia JH. Additive effects of mild head trauma, blast exposure, and aging within white matter tracts: A novel Diffusion Tensor Imaging analysis approach. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024:nlae069. [PMID: 39053000 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae069] [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] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Existing diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of neurological injury following high-level blast exposure (hlBE) in military personnel have produced widely variable results. This is potentially due to prior studies often not considering the quantity and/or recency of hlBE, as well as co-morbidity with non-blast head trauma (nbHT). Herein, we compare commonly used DTI metrics: fractional anisotropy and mean, axial, and radial diffusivity, in Veterans with and without history of hlBE and/or nbHT. We use both the traditional method of dividing participants into 2 equally weighted groups and an alternative method wherein each participant is weighted by quantity and recency of hlBE and/or nbHT. While no differences were detected using the traditional method, the alternative method revealed diffuse and extensive changes in all DTI metrics. These effects were quantified within 43 anatomically defined white matter tracts, which identified the forceps minor, middle corpus callosum, acoustic and optic radiations, fornix, uncinate, inferior fronto-occipital and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and cingulum, as the pathways most affected by hlBE and nbHT. Moreover, additive effects of aging were present in many of the same tracts suggesting that these neuroanatomical effects may compound with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Poliva
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | | | - Kelli Sugai
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Nicole Whittle
- VA Portland Healthcare System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Marjorie R Leek
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Samuel Barnes
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Barbara Holshouser
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Alex Yi
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan H Venezia
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
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Yamamoto EA, Koike S, Luther M, Dennis L, Lim MM, Raskind M, Pagulayan K, Iliff J, Peskind E, Piantino JA. Perivascular Space Burden and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in US Veterans With Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2024; 41:1565-1577. [PMID: 38185848 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0505] [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] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is recognized as the "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Sleep disruption, mTBI, and neuroinflammation have been individually linked to cerebral perivascular space (PVS) dilatation. Dilated PVSs are putative markers of impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange, which plays an important role in removing cerebral waste. The aim of this cross-sectional, retrospective study was to define associations between biomarkers of inflammation and MRI-visible PVS (MV-PVS) burden in Veterans after blast-related mTBI (blast-mTBI) and controls. The CSF and plasma inflammatory biomarker concentrations were compared between blast-mTBI and control groups and correlated with MV-PVS volume and number per white matter cm3. Multiple regression analyses were performed with inflammatory biomarkers as predictors and MV-PVS burden as the outcome. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed using the Banjamini-Hochberg method with a false discovery rate of 0.05. There were no group-wise differences in MV-PVS burden between Veterans with blast-mTBI and controls. Greater MV-PVS burden was significantly associated with higher concentrations of several proinflammatory biomarkers from CSF (i.e., eotaxin, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8) and plasma (i.e., MCP-4, IL-13) in the blast-mTBI group only. After controlling for sleep time and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, temporal MV-PVS burden remained significantly associated with higher CSF markers of inflammation in the blast-mTBI group only. These data support an association between central, rather than peripheral, neuroinflammation and MV-PVS burden in Veterans with blast-mTBI independent of sleep. Future studies should continue to explore the role of blast-mTBI related central inflammation in MV-PVS development, as well as investigate the impact of subclinical exposures on MV-PVS burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Yamamoto
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Division of Child Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Seiji Koike
- Biostatistics and Design Program, Division of Child Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Madison Luther
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Laura Dennis
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Miranda M Lim
- Veterans Affairs VISN20 Northwest MIRECC, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Oregon Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Northwest (VISN 20) Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Murray Raskind
- Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Northwest (VISN 20) Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kathleen Pagulayan
- Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Northwest (VISN 20) Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jeffrey Iliff
- Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Northwest (VISN 20) Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elaine Peskind
- Veterans Affairs (V.A.) Northwest (VISN 20) Mental Illness, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Juan A Piantino
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Child Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Gimbel SI, Hungerford LD, Twamley EW, Ettenhofer ML. White Matter Organization and Cortical Thickness Differ Among Active Duty Service Members With Chronic Mild, Moderate, and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2024; 41:818-835. [PMID: 37800726 PMCID: PMC11005384 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0336] [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] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract This study compared findings from whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among 90 Active Duty Service Members with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI; n = 52), chronic moderate-to-severe TBI (n = 17), and TBI-negative controls (n = 21). Data were collected on a Philips Ingenia 3T MRI with DTI in 32 directions. Results demonstrated that history of TBI was associated with differences in white matter microstructure, white matter volume, and cortical thickness in both mild TBI and moderate-to-severe TBI groups relative to controls. However, the presence, pattern, and distribution of these findings varied substantially depending on the injury severity. Spatially-defined forms of DTI fractional anisotropy (FA) analyses identified altered white matter organization within the chronic moderate-to-severe TBI group, but they did not provide clear evidence of abnormalities within the chronic mild TBI group. In contrast, DTI FA "pothole" analyses identified widely distributed areas of decreased FA throughout the white matter in both the chronic mild TBI and chronic moderate-to-severe TBI groups. Additionally, decreased white matter volume was found in several brain regions for the chronic moderate-to-severe TBI group compared with the other groups. Greater number of DTI FA potholes and reduced cortical thickness were also related to greater severity of self-reported symptoms. In sum, this study expands upon a growing body of literature using advanced imaging techniques to identify potential effects of brain injury in military Service Members. These findings may differ from work in other TBI populations due to varying mechanisms and frequency of injury, as well as a potentially higher level of functioning in the current sample related to the ability to maintain continued Active Duty status after injury. In conclusion, this study provides DTI and volumetric MRI findings across the spectrum of TBI severity. These results provide support for the use of DTI and volumetric MRI to identify differences in white matter microstructure and volume related to TBI. In particular, DTI FA pothole analysis may provide greater sensitivity for detecting subtle forms of white matter injury than conventional DTI FA analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah I. Gimbel
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
| | - Lars D. Hungerford
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
| | - Elizabeth W. Twamley
- University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Mark L. Ettenhofer
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
- Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
- University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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Sachdeva T, Ganpule SG. Twenty Years of Blast-Induced Neurotrauma: Current State of Knowledge. Neurotrauma Rep 2024; 5:243-253. [PMID: 38515548 PMCID: PMC10956535 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2024.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT) is an important injury paradigm of neurotrauma research. This short communication summarizes the current knowledge of BINT. We divide the BINT research into several broad categories-blast wave generation in laboratory, biomechanics, pathology, behavioral outcomes, repetitive blast in animal models, and clinical and neuroimaging investigations in humans. Publications from 2000 to 2023 in each subdomain were considered. The analysis of the literature has brought out salient aspects. Primary blast waves can be simulated reasonably in a laboratory using carefully designed shock tubes. Various biomechanics-based theories of BINT have been proposed; each of these theories may contribute to BINT by generating a unique biomechanical signature. The injury thresholds for BINT are in the nascent stages. Thresholds for rodents are reasonably established, but such thresholds (guided by primary blast data) are unavailable in humans. Single blast exposure animal studies suggest dose-dependent neuronal pathologies predominantly initiated by blood-brain barrier permeability and oxidative stress. The pathologies were typically reversible, with dose-dependent recovery times. Behavioral changes in animals include anxiety, auditory and recognition memory deficits, and fear conditioning. The repetitive blast exposure manifests similar pathologies in animals, however, at lower blast overpressures. White matter irregularities and cortical volume and thickness alterations have been observed in neuroimaging investigations of military personnel exposed to blast. Behavioral changes in human cohorts include sleep disorders, poor motor skills, cognitive dysfunction, depression, and anxiety. Overall, this article provides a concise synopsis of current understanding, consensus, controversies, and potential future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarun Sachdeva
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
| | - Shailesh G. Ganpule
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
- Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India
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6
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Papesh MA, Koerner T. Clinical Gaps-in-Noise Measures in Blast-Exposed Veterans: Associations with Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses. Semin Hear 2024; 45:83-100. [PMID: 38370515 PMCID: PMC10872670 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1770139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been established that blast exposure and brain injury can result in self-reported and measured auditory processing deficits in individuals with normal or near-normal hearing sensitivity. However, the impaired sensory and/or cognitive mechanisms underlying these auditory difficulties are largely unknown. This work used a combination of behavioral and electrophysiological measures to explore how neural stimulus discrimination and processing speed contribute to impaired temporal processing in blast-exposed Veterans measured using the behavioral Gaps-in-Noise (GIN) Test. Results confirm previous findings that blast exposure can impact performance on the GIN and effect neural auditory discrimination, as measured using the P3 auditory event-related potential. Furthermore, analyses revealed correlations between GIN thresholds, P3 responses, and a measure of behavioral reaction time. Overall, this work illustrates that behavioral responses to the GIN are dependent on both auditory-specific bottom-up processing beginning with the neural activation of the cochlea and auditory brainstem as well as contributions from complex neural networks involved in processing speed and task-dependent target detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Papesh
- VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Tess Koerner
- VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
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Ly MT, Merritt VC, Ozturk ED, Clark AL, Hanson KL, Delano-Wood LM, Sorg SF. Subjective memory complaints are associated with decreased cortical thickness in Veterans with histories of mild traumatic brain injury. Clin Neuropsychol 2023; 37:1745-1765. [PMID: 36883430 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2023.2184720] [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: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Memory problems are frequently endorsed in Veterans following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but subjective complaints are poorly associated with objective memory performance. Few studies have examined associations between subjective memory complaints and brain morphometry. We investigated whether self-reported memory problems were associated with objective memory performance and cortical thickness in Veterans with a history of mTBI. Methods: 40 Veterans with a history of remote mTBI and 29 Veterans with no history of TBI completed the Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), PTSD Checklist (PCL), California Verbal Learning Test-2nd edition (CVLT-II), and 3 T T1 structural magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical thickness was estimated in 14 a priori frontal and temporal regions. Multiple regressions adjusting for age and PCL scores examined associations between PRMQ, CVLT-II scores, and cortical thickness within each Veteran group. Results: Greater subjective memory complaints on the PRMQ were associated with lower cortical thickness in the right middle temporal gyrus (β = 0.64, q = .004), right inferior temporal gyrus (β = 0.56, q = .014), right rostral middle frontal gyrus (β = 0.45, q = .046), and right rostral anterior cingulate gyrus (β = 0.58, q = .014) in the mTBI group but not the control group (q's > .05). These associations remained significant after adjusting for CVLT-II learning. CVLT-II performance was not associated with PRMQ score or cortical thickness in either group. Conclusions: Subjective memory complaints were associated with lower cortical thickness in right frontal and temporal regions, but not with objective memory performance, in Veterans with histories of mTBI. Subjective complaints post-mTBI may indicate underlying brain morphometry independently of objective cognitive testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica T Ly
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, CA, USA
| | - Victoria C Merritt
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Erin D Ozturk
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA, USA
- San Diego Joint Doctoral Program, San Diego State University/University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra L Clark
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Karen L Hanson
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, CA, USA
| | - Lisa M Delano-Wood
- Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Health, CA, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Scott F Sorg
- Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program, Boston, MA, USA
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Kim SY, Yeh PH, Ollinger JM, Morris HD, Hood MN, Ho VB, Choi KH. Military-related mild traumatic brain injury: clinical characteristics, advanced neuroimaging, and molecular mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:289. [PMID: 37652994 PMCID: PMC10471788 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02569-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant health burden among military service members. Although mTBI was once considered relatively benign compared to more severe TBIs, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated the devastating neurological consequences of mTBI, including chronic post-concussion symptoms and deficits in cognition, memory, sleep, vision, and hearing. The discovery of reliable biomarkers for mTBI has been challenging due to under-reporting and heterogeneity of military-related mTBI, unpredictability of pathological changes, and delay of post-injury clinical evaluations. Moreover, compared to more severe TBI, mTBI is especially difficult to diagnose due to the lack of overt clinical neuroimaging findings. Yet, advanced neuroimaging techniques using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hold promise in detecting microstructural aberrations following mTBI. Using different pulse sequences, MRI enables the evaluation of different tissue characteristics without risks associated with ionizing radiation inherent to other imaging modalities, such as X-ray-based studies or computerized tomography (CT). Accordingly, considering the high morbidity of mTBI in military populations, debilitating post-injury symptoms, and lack of robust neuroimaging biomarkers, this review (1) summarizes the nature and mechanisms of mTBI in military settings, (2) describes clinical characteristics of military-related mTBI and associated comorbidities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), (3) highlights advanced neuroimaging techniques used to study mTBI and the molecular mechanisms that can be inferred, and (4) discusses emerging frontiers in advanced neuroimaging for mTBI. We encourage multi-modal approaches combining neuropsychiatric, blood-based, and genetic data as well as the discovery and employment of new imaging techniques with big data analytics that enable accurate detection of post-injury pathologic aberrations related to tissue microstructure, glymphatic function, and neurodegeneration. Ultimately, this review provides a foundational overview of military-related mTBI and advanced neuroimaging techniques that merit further study for mTBI diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Y Kim
- School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ping-Hong Yeh
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John M Ollinger
- Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Herman D Morris
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Radiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maureen N Hood
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Radiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vincent B Ho
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Radiology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kwang H Choi
- Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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9
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Hellewell SC, Granger DA, Cernak I. Blast-Induced Neurotrauma Results in Spatially Distinct Gray Matter Alteration Alongside Hormonal Alteration: A Preliminary Investigation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076797. [PMID: 37047768 PMCID: PMC10094760 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT) frequently occurs during military training and deployment and has been linked to long-term neuropsychological and neurocognitive changes, and changes in brain structure. As military personnel experience frequent exposures to stress, BINT may negatively influence stress coping abilities. This study aimed to determine the effects of BINT on gray matter volume and hormonal alteration. Participants were Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans with a history of BINT (n = 12), and first responder controls (n = 8), recruited due to their characteristic occupational stress professions. Whole saliva was collected via passive drool on the morning of testing and analyzed for testosterone (pg/mL), cortisol (μg/dL), and testosterone/cortisol (T/C) ratio. Voxel-based morphometry was performed to compare gray matter (GM) volume, alongside measurement of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes. Saliva analyses revealed distinct alterations following BINT, with significantly elevated testosterone and T/C ratio. Widespread and largely symmetric loci of reduced GM were found specific to BINT, particularly in the temporal gyrus, precuneus, and thalamus. These findings suggest that BINT affects hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and -gonadal axis function, and causes anatomically-specific GM loss, which were not observed in a comparator group with similar occupational stressors. These findings support BINT as a unique injury with distinct structural and endocrine consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Hellewell
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Douglas A Granger
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ibolja Cernak
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Columbus, GA 31902, USA
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10
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Gimbel SI, Wang CC, Hungerford L, Twamley EW, Ettenhofer ML. Associations of mTBI and post-traumatic stress to amygdala structure and functional connectivity in military Service Members. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1129446. [PMID: 37554633 PMCID: PMC10406312 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1129446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the highest public health priorities, especially among military personnel where comorbidity with post-traumatic stress symptoms and resulting consequences is high. Brain injury and post-traumatic stress symptoms are both characterized by dysfunctional brain networks, with the amygdala specifically implicated as a region with both structural and functional abnormalities. METHODS This study examined the structural volumetrics and resting state functional connectivity of 68 Active Duty Service Members with or without chronic mild TBI (mTBI) and comorbid symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Structural analysis of the amygdala revealed no significant differences in volume between mTBI and healthy comparison participants with and without post-traumatic stress symptoms. Resting state functional connectivity with bilateral amygdala revealed decreased anterior network connectivity and increased posterior network connectivity in the mTBI group compared to the healthy comparison group. Within the mTBI group, there were significant regions of correlation with amygdala that were modulated by PTS severity, including networks implicated in emotional processing and executive functioning. An examination of a priori regions of amygdala connectivity in the default mode network, task positive network, and subcortical structures showed interacting influences of TBI and PTS, only between right amygdala and right putamen. These results suggest that mTBI and PTS are associated with hypo-frontal and hyper-posterior amygdala connectivity. Additionally, comorbidity of these conditions appears to compound these neural activity patterns. PTS in mTBI may change neural resource recruitment for information processing between the amygdala and other brain regions and networks, not only during emotional processing, but also at rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah I. Gimbel
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States
| | - Cailynn C. Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lars Hungerford
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States
| | - Elizabeth W. Twamley
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Mark L. Ettenhofer
- Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Silver Spring, MD, United States
- Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, VA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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11
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Volumetric MRI Findings in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and Neuropsychological Outcome. Neuropsychol Rev 2023; 33:5-41. [PMID: 33656702 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-020-09474-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Region of interest (ROI) volumetric assessment has become a standard technique in quantitative neuroimaging. ROI volume is thought to represent a coarse proxy for making inferences about the structural integrity of a brain region when compared to normative values representative of a healthy sample, adjusted for age and various demographic factors. This review focuses on structural volumetric analyses that have been performed in the study of neuropathological effects from mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in relation to neuropsychological outcome. From a ROI perspective, the probable candidate structures that are most likely affected in mTBI represent the target regions covered in this review. These include the corpus callosum, cingulate, thalamus, pituitary-hypothalamic area, basal ganglia, amygdala, and hippocampus and associated structures including the fornix and mammillary bodies, as well as whole brain and cerebral cortex along with the cerebellum. Ventricular volumetrics are also reviewed as an indirect assessment of parenchymal change in response to injury. This review demonstrates the potential role and limitations of examining structural changes in the ROIs mentioned above in relation to neuropsychological outcome. There is also discussion and review of the role that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may play in structural outcome in mTBI. As emphasized in the conclusions, structural volumetric findings in mTBI are likely just a single facet of what should be a multimodality approach to image analysis in mTBI, with an emphasis on how the injury damages or disrupts neural network integrity. The review provides an historical context to quantitative neuroimaging in neuropsychology along with commentary about future directions for volumetric neuroimaging research in mTBI.
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12
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Masri S, Deng D, Wang W, Luo H, Zhang J, Bao S. Contributions of Hearing Loss and Traumatic Brain Injury to Blast-Induced Cortical Parvalbumin Neuron Loss and Auditory Processing Deficits. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:395-407. [PMID: 36205587 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0179] [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: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Auditory processing disorder is the most common problem affecting veterans after blast exposure, but the distinct impacts of blast-related traumatic brain injury and blast-related hearing loss are unknown. Independently, both hearing loss and blast exposure affect the entire auditory processing pathway at the molecular and physiological levels. Here, we identified distinct changes to the primary auditory cortex (AI) and temporal processing in mice following blast exposure both with and without protected hearing. Our results show that blast-exposure alone activated microglia in AI, but hearing loss was required for reductions in the density of parvalbumin-expressing interneurons. Although blast exposure impaired the temporal following response, these impairments were more severe with concurrent unilateral hearing loss, further resulting in impairments in behavioral gap detection. Taken together, these results indicate that protecting hearing during blast exposure can prevent most impairments to auditory processing but does not fully protect temporal processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samer Masri
- Neuroscience Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Di Deng
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,School of Pharmaceutical Science, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weihua Wang
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Hao Luo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jinsheng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Shaowen Bao
- Neuroscience Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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13
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Close proximity to blast: No long-term or lasting effect on cognitive performance in service members with and without TBI during blast exposure. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2022:1-10. [PMID: 36200831 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617722000558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Blast related characteristics may contribute to the diversity of findings on whether mild traumatic brain injury sustained during war zone deployment has lasting cognitive effects. This study aims to evaluate whether a history of blast exposure at close proximity, defined as exposure within 30 feet, has long-term or lasting influences on cognitive outcomes among current and former military personnel. METHOD One hundred participants were assigned to one of three groups based on a self-report history of blast exposure during combat deployments: 47 close blast, 14 non-close blast, and 39 comparison participants without blast exposure. Working memory, processing speed, verbal learning/memory, and cognitive flexibility were evaluated using standard neuropsychological tests. In addition, assessment of combat exposure and current post-concussive, posttraumatic stress, and depressive symptoms, and headache was performed via self-report measures. Variables that differed between groups were controlled as covariates. RESULTS No group differences survived Bonferroni correction for family-wise error rate; the close blast group did not differ from non-close blast and comparison groups on measures of working memory, processing speed, verbal learning/memory, or cognitive flexibility. Controlling for covariates did not alter these results. CONCLUSION No evidence emerged to suggest that a history of close blast exposure was associated with decreased cognitive performance when comparisons were made with the other groups. Limited characterization of blast contexts experienced, self-report of blast distance, and heterogeneity of injury severity within the groups are the main limitations of this study.
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14
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Li MJ, Huang SH, Huang CX, Liu J. Morphometric changes in the cortex following acute mild traumatic brain injury. Neural Regen Res 2022; 17:587-593. [PMID: 34380898 PMCID: PMC8504398 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.320995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphometric changes in cortical thickness (CT), cortical surface area (CSA), and cortical volume (CV) can reflect pathological changes after acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Most previous studies focused on changes in CT, CSA, and CV in subacute or chronic mTBI, and few studies have examined changes in CT, CSA, and CV in acute mTBI. Furthermore, acute mTBI patients typically show transient cognitive impairment, and few studies have reported on the relationship between cerebral morphological changes and cognitive function in patients with mTBI. This prospective cohort study included 30 patients with acute mTBI (15 males, 15 females, mean age 33.7 years) and 27 matched healthy controls (12 males, 15 females, mean age 37.7 years) who were recruited from the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between September and December 2019. High-resolution T1-weighted images were acquired within 7 days after the onset of mTBI. The results of analyses using FreeSurfer software revealed significantly increased CSA and CV in the right lateral occipital gyrus of acute-stage mTBI patients compared with healthy controls, but no significant changes in CT. The acute-stage mTBI patients also showed reduced executive function and processing speed indicated by a lower score in the Digital Symbol Substitution Test, and reduced cognitive ability indicated by a longer time to complete the Trail Making Test-B. Both increased CSA and CV in the right lateral occipital gyrus were negatively correlated with performance in the Trail Making Test part A. These findings suggest that cognitive deficits and cortical alterations in CSA and CV can be detected in the acute stage of mTBI, and that increased CSA and CV in the right lateral occipital gyrus may be a compensatory mechanism for cognitive dysfunction in acute-stage mTBI patients. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, China (approval No. 086) on February 9, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Jun Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Si-Hong Huang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Chu-Xin Huang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
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15
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Wu Z, Cao M, Di X, Wu K, Gao Y, Li X. Regional Topological Aberrances of White Matter- and Gray Matter-Based Functional Networks for Attention Processing May Foster Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Attention Deficits in Adults. Brain Sci 2021; 12:brainsci12010016. [PMID: 35053760 PMCID: PMC8774280 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is highly prevalent in adults. TBI-related functional brain alterations have been linked with common post-TBI neurobehavioral sequelae, with unknown neural substrates. This study examined the systems-level functional brain alterations in white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) for visual sustained-attention processing, and their interactions and contributions to post-TBI attention deficits. Task-based functional MRI data were collected from 42 adults with TBI and 43 group-matched normal controls (NCs), and analyzed using the graph theoretic technique. Global and nodal topological properties were calculated and compared between the two groups. Correlation analyses were conducted between the neuroimaging measures that showed significant between-group differences and the behavioral symptom measures in attention domain in the groups of TBI and NCs, respectively. Significantly altered nodal efficiencies and/or degrees in several WM and GM nodes were reported in the TBI group, including the posterior corona radiata (PCR), posterior thalamic radiation (PTR), postcentral gyrus (PoG), and superior temporal sulcus (STS). Subjects with TBI also demonstrated abnormal systems-level functional synchronization between the PTR and STS in the right hemisphere, hypo-interaction between the PCR and PoG in the left hemisphere, as well as the involvement of systems-level functional aberrances in the PCR in TBI-related behavioral impairments in the attention domain. The findings of the current study suggest that TBI-related systems-level functional alterations associated with these two major-association WM tracts, and their anatomically connected GM regions may play critical role in TBI-related behavioral deficits in attention domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyan Wu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA;
| | - Meng Cao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (M.C.); (X.D.)
| | - Xin Di
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (M.C.); (X.D.)
| | - Kai Wu
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510630, China;
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, New York, NY 11210, USA;
- The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Xiaobo Li
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (M.C.); (X.D.)
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +1-973-596-5880
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16
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Ogino Y, Bernas T, Greer JE, Povlishock JT. Axonal injury following mild traumatic brain injury is exacerbated by repetitive insult and is linked to the delayed attenuation of NeuN expression without concomitant neuronal death in the mouse. Brain Pathol 2021; 32:e13034. [PMID: 34729854 PMCID: PMC8877729 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects brain structure and function and can lead to persistent abnormalities. Repetitive mTBI exacerbates the acute phase response to injury. Nonetheless, its long‐term implications remain poorly understood, particularly in the context of traumatic axonal injury (TAI), a player in TBI morbidity via axonal disconnection, synaptic loss and retrograde neuronal perturbation. In contrast to the examination of these processes in the acute phase of injury, the chronic‐phase burden of TAI and/or its implications for retrograde neuronal perturbation or death have received little consideration. To critically assess this issue, murine neocortical tissue was investigated at acute (24‐h postinjury, 24hpi) and chronic time points (28‐days postinjury, 28dpi) after singular or repetitive mTBI induced by central fluid percussion injury (cFPI). Neurons were immunofluorescently labeled for NeuroTrace and NeuN (all neurons), p‐c‐Jun (axotomized neurons) and DRAQ5 (cell nuclei), imaged in 3D and quantified in automated manner. Single mTBI produced axotomy in 10% of neurons at 24hpi and the percentage increased after repetitive injury. The fraction of p‐c‐Jun+ neurons decreased at 28dpi but without neuronal loss (NeuroTrace), suggesting their reorganization and/or repair following TAI. In contrast, NeuN+ neurons decreased with repetitive injury at 24hpi while the corresponding fraction of NeuroTrace+ neurons decreased over 28dpi. Attenuated NeuN expression was linked exclusively to non‐axotomized neurons at 24hpi which extended to the axotomized at 28dpi, revealing a delayed response of the axotomized neurons. Collectively, we demonstrate an increased burden of TAI after repetitive mTBI, which is most striking in the acute phase response to the injury. Our finding of widespread axotomy in large fields of intact neurons contradicts the notion that repetitive mTBI elicits progressive neuronal death, rather, emphasizing the importance of axotomy‐mediated change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuaki Ogino
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Tytus Bernas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - John E Greer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Department of Surgery, Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - John T Povlishock
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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17
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Martindale SL, Shura RD, Rostami R, Taber KH, Rowland JA. Research Letter: Blast Exposure and Brain Volume. J Head Trauma Rehabil 2021; 36:424-428. [PMID: 33656482 DOI: 10.1097/htr.0000000000000660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether blast exposure is associated with brain volume beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). SETTING Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS One hundred sixty-three Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans, 86.5% male, and 68.10% with a history of blast exposure. Individuals with a history of moderate to severe TBI were excluded. MAIN MEASURES Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5), Mid-Atlantic MIRECC Assessment of TBI (MMA-TBI), Salisbury Blast Interview (SBI), and magnetic resonance imaging. Maximum blast pressure experienced from a blast event represented blast severity. METHODS Hierarchical regression analysis evaluated effects of maximum pressure experienced from a blast event on bilateral volume of hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, precuneus, and insula. All analyses adjusted for effects of current and lifetime PTSD diagnosis, and a history of deployment mild TBI. RESULTS Maximum blast pressure experienced was significantly associated with lower bilateral hippocampal volume (left: ΔR2 = 0.032, P < .001; right: ΔR2 = 0.030, P < .001) beyond PTSD diagnosis and deployment mild TBI history. Other characteristics of blast exposure (time since most recent exposure, distance from closest blast, and frequency of blast events) were not associated with evaluated volumes. CONCLUSION Exposure to a blast is independently associated with hippocampal volume beyond PTSD and mild TBI; however, these effects are small. These results also demonstrate that blast exposure in and of itself may be less consequential than severity of the exposure as measured by the pressure gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Martindale
- Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MA-MIRECC), Research & Academic Affairs Service Line (Drs Martindale, Shura, Taber, and Rowland), and Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences Service Line (Dr Rostami), W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Healthcare System, Salisbury, North Carolina; Departments of Physiology & Pharmacology (Dr Martindale), Neurology (Dr Shura), and Neurobiology & Anatomy (Dr Rowland), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Division of Biomedical Sciences, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia (Dr Taber); and Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas (Dr Taber)
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18
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Song J, Li J, Chen L, Lu X, Zheng S, Yang Y, Cao B, Weng Y, Chen Q, Ding J, Huang R. Altered gray matter structural covariance networks at both acute and chronic stages of mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:1840-1854. [PMID: 32880075 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00378-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive and emotional impairments observed in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients may reflect variances of brain connectivity within specific networks. Although previous studies found altered functional connectivity (FC) in mTBI patients, the alterations of brain structural properties remain unclear. In the present study, we analyzed structural covariance (SC) for the acute stages of mTBI (amTBI) patients, the chronic stages of mTBI (cmTBI) patients, and healthy controls. We first extracted the mean gray matter volume (GMV) of seed regions that are located in the default-mode network (DMN), executive control network (ECN), salience network (SN), sensorimotor network (SMN), and the visual network (VN). Then we determined and compared the SC for each seed region among the amTBI, the cmTBI and the healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, the amTBI patients showed lower SC for the ECN, and the cmTBI patients showed higher SC for the both DMN and SN but lower SC for the SMN. The results revealed disrupted ECN in the amTBI patients and disrupted DMN, SN and SMN in the cmTBI patients. These alterations suggest that early disruptions in SC between bilateral insula and the bilateral prefrontal cortices may appear in amTBI and persist into cmTBI, which might be potentially related to the cognitive and emotional impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Song
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Lixiang Chen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Xingqi Lu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Senning Zheng
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Bolin Cao
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Yihe Weng
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Qinyuan Chen
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.,Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Jianping Ding
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310015, China. .,School of Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310015, China.
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. .,School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. .,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China.
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19
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Perez Garcia G, De Gasperi R, Gama Sosa MA, Perez GM, Otero-Pagan A, Pryor D, Abutarboush R, Kawoos U, Hof PR, Dickstein DL, Cook DG, Gandy S, Ahlers ST, Elder GA. Laterality and region-specific tau phosphorylation correlate with PTSD-related behavioral traits in rats exposed to repetitive low-level blast. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:33. [PMID: 33648608 PMCID: PMC7923605 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01128-3] [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: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Military veterans who experience blast-related traumatic brain injuries often suffer from chronic cognitive and neurobehavioral syndromes. Reports of abnormal tau processing following blast injury have raised concerns that some cases may have a neurodegenerative basis. Rats exposed to repetitive low-level blast exhibit chronic neurobehavioral traits and accumulate tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (Thr181). Using data previously reported in separate studies we tested the hypothesis that region-specific patterns of Thr181 phosphorylation correlate with behavioral measures also previously determined and reported in the same animals. Elevated p-tau Thr181 in anterior neocortical regions and right hippocampus correlated with anxiety as well as fear learning and novel object localization. There were no correlations with levels in amygdala or posterior neocortical regions. Particularly striking were asymmetrical effects on the right and left hippocampus. No systematic variation in head orientation toward the blast wave seems to explain the laterality. Levels did not correlate with behavioral measures of hyperarousal. Results were specific to Thr181 in that no correlations were observed for three other phospho-acceptor sites (threonine 231, serine 396, and serine 404). No consistent correlations were linked with total tau. These correlations are significant in suggesting that p-tau accumulation in anterior neocortical regions and the hippocampus may lead to disinhibited amygdala function without p-tau elevation in the amygdala itself. They also suggest an association linking blast injury with tauopathy, which has implications for understanding the relationship of chronic blast-related neurobehavioral syndromes in humans to neurodegenerative diseases.
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20
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Phipps H, Mondello S, Wilson A, Dittmer T, Rohde NN, Schroeder PJ, Nichols J, McGirt C, Hoffman J, Tanksley K, Chohan M, Heiderman A, Abou Abbass H, Kobeissy F, Hinds S. Characteristics and Impact of U.S. Military Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review. Front Neurol 2020; 11:559318. [PMID: 33224086 PMCID: PMC7667277 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.559318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As a result of armed conflict, head trauma from exposure to blasts is an increasing critical health issue, particularly among military service members. Whilst numerous studies examined the burden of blast-related brain injuries on service members', few systematic reviews have been published. This work provides a comprehensive summary of the evidence on blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) burden in active U.S. military service members and inactive Veterans, describing characteristics and outcomes. Records published up to April 2017 were identified through a search of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. Records-based and original research reporting on U.S. military service members and Veterans with mild blast TBI were included. Data on subject characteristics, exposure, diagnostic criterion, and outcomes were extracted from included studies using a standardized extraction form and were presented narratively. Of the 2,290 references identified by the search, 106 studies with a total of 37,515 participants met inclusion criteria for blast-related mTBI. All but nine studies were based out of military or Veteran medical facilities. Unsurprisingly, men were over-represented (75–100%). The criteria used to define blast-related mTBI were consistent; however, the methodology used to ascertain whether individuals met those criteria for diagnosis were inconsistent. The diagnosis, most prevalent among the Army, heavily relied on self-reported histories. Commonly reported adverse outcomes included hearing disturbances and headaches. The most frequently associated comorbidities were post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, attention disorders, and cognitive disorders. The primary objective of this review was to provide a summary of descriptive data on blast-related mTBI in a U.S. military population. Low standardization of the methods for reaching diagnosis and problems in the study reporting emphasize the importance to collect high-quality data to fill knowledge gaps pertaining to blast-related mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Phipps
- Booz Allen Hamilton, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Stefania Mondello
- Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Neurology IC, Oasi Research Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hussein Abou Abbass
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Firas Kobeissy
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neuroproteomics and Biomarkers Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sidney Hinds
- Medical Research and Development Command, Ft Detrick, MD, United States
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21
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Stone JR, Avants BB, Tustison NJ, Wassermann EM, Gill J, Polejaeva E, Dell KC, Carr W, Yarnell AM, LoPresti ML, Walker P, O'Brien M, Domeisen N, Quick A, Modica CM, Hughes JD, Haran FJ, Goforth C, Ahlers ST. Functional and Structural Neuroimaging Correlates of Repetitive Low-Level Blast Exposure in Career Breachers. J Neurotrauma 2020; 37:2468-2481. [PMID: 32928028 PMCID: PMC7703399 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2020.7141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Combat military and civilian law enforcement personnel may be exposed to repetitive low-intensity blast events during training and operations. Persons who use explosives to gain entry (i.e., breach) into buildings are known as “breachers” or dynamic entry personnel. Breachers operate under the guidance of established safety protocols, but despite these precautions, breachers who are exposed to low-level blast throughout their careers frequently report performance deficits and symptoms to healthcare providers. Although little is known about the etiology linking blast exposure to clinical symptoms in humans, animal studies demonstrate network-level changes in brain function, alterations in brain morphology, vascular and inflammatory changes, hearing loss, and even alterations in gene expression after repeated blast exposure. To explore whether similar effects occur in humans, we collected a comprehensive data battery from 20 experienced breachers exposed to blast throughout their careers and 14 military and law enforcement controls. This battery included neuropsychological assessments, blood biomarkers, and magnetic resonance imaging measures, including cortical thickness, diffusion tensor imaging of white matter, functional connectivity, and perfusion. To better understand the relationship between repetitive low-level blast exposure and behavioral and imaging differences in humans, we analyzed the data using similarity-driven multi-view linear reconstruction (SiMLR). SiMLR is specifically designed for multiple modality statistical integration using dimensionality-reduction techniques for studies with high-dimensional, yet sparse, data (i.e., low number of subjects and many data per subject). We identify significant group effects in these data spanning brain structure, function, and blood biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- James R Stone
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Brian B Avants
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Nicholas J Tustison
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Eric M Wassermann
- Behavioral Neurology Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessica Gill
- Tissue Injury Branch, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Elena Polejaeva
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kristine C Dell
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Walter Carr
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.,Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Angela M Yarnell
- Military Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew L LoPresti
- Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter Walker
- Health Mission Initiative, DoD Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Meghan O'Brien
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Natalie Domeisen
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alycia Quick
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Claire M Modica
- Neurotrauma Department, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - John D Hughes
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Francis J Haran
- Operational and Undersea Medicine Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Carl Goforth
- Operational and Undersea Medicine Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen T Ahlers
- Operational and Undersea Medicine Directorate, Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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22
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Kinzel P, Marx CE, Sollmann N, Hartl E, Guenette JP, Kaufmann D, Bouix S, Pasternak O, Rathi Y, Coleman MJ, van der Kouwe A, Helmer K, Kilts JD, Naylor JC, Morey RA, Shutter L, Andaluz N, Coimbra R, Lang AJ, George MS, McAllister TW, Zafonte R, Stein MB, Shenton ME, Koerte IK. Serum Neurosteroid Levels Are Associated With Cortical Thickness in Individuals Diagnosed With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Clin EEG Neurosci 2020; 51:285-299. [PMID: 32186207 DOI: 10.1177/1550059420909676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) co-occurring with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common in veterans. Worse clinical outcome in those with PTSD has been associated with decreased serum neurosteroid levels. Furthermore, decreased cortical thickness has been associated with both PTSD and mTBI. However, it is not known whether decreased neurosteroids are associated with decreased cortical thickness in PTSD co-occurring with mTBI. This study included 141 individuals divided into the following groups: (a) mTBI group (n = 32 [10 female, 22 male] veterans with a history of mTBI); (b) PTSD + mTBI group (n = 41 [6 female, 35 male] veterans with current PTSD with a history of mTBI); and (c) control group (n = 68 [35 female, 33 male] control participants), which were acquired through the Injury and Traumatic Stress (INTRuST) Clinical Consortium. Subjects underwent clinical assessment, magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T, and serum neurosteroid quantifications of allopregnanolone (ALLO) and pregnenolone (PREGN). Group differences in cortical thickness and associations between serum neurosteroid levels and cortical thickness were investigated. Cortical thickness was decreased in the PTSD + mTBI group compared with the other groups. In the PTSD + mTBI group, decreased cortical thickness was also associated with lower serum ALLO (right superior frontal cortex) and lower serum PREGN (left middle temporal and right orbitofrontal cortex). Cortical thickness in the middle temporal and orbitofrontal cortex was associated with PTSD symptom severity. There were no significant associations between neurosteroids and cortical thickness in the mTBI or control groups. Decreased cortical thickness in individuals with PTSD + mTBI is associated with decreased serum neurosteroid levels and greater PTSD symptom severity. Causality is unclear. However, future studies might investigate whether treatment with neurosteroids could counteract stress-induced neural atrophy in PTSD + mTBI by potentially preserving cortical thickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Kinzel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
| | - Christine E Marx
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nico Sollmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hartl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Epilepsy Center, University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jeffrey P Guenette
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Radiology, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sylvain Bouix
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ofer Pasternak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yogesh Rathi
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Coleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andre van der Kouwe
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Karl Helmer
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jason D Kilts
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer C Naylor
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rajendra A Morey
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.,Duke-UNC Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lori Shutter
- Departments of Critical Care Medicine, Neurology and Neurosurgery, UPMC Health System/University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Norberto Andaluz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Mayfield Brain & Spine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Raul Coimbra
- Department of General Surgery, Riverside University Health System Medical Center, Moreno Valley, CA, USA
| | - Ariel J Lang
- VA San Diego Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH), San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mark S George
- Psychiatry Department, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Ross Zafonte
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- VA San Diego Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health (CESAMH), San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, Brockton, MA, USA
| | - Inga K Koerte
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,cBRAIN, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Graduate School of Systemic Neuroscience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany
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23
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Mac Donald CL, Barber J, Andre J, Panks C, Zalewski K, Temkin N. Longitudinal neuroimaging following combat concussion: sub-acute, 1 year and 5 years post-injury. Brain Commun 2019; 1:fcz031. [PMID: 31915753 PMCID: PMC6935683 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Questions remain regarding the long-term impact of combat concussive blast exposure. While efforts have begun to highlight the clinical impact, less is known about neuroimaging trajectories that may inform underlying pathophysiological changes post-injury. Through collaborative efforts in combat, following medical evacuation, and at universities in the USA, this study followed service members both with and without blast concussion from the sub-acute to 1-year and 5-year outcomes with quantitative neuroimaging. The following two primary and two exploratory groups were examined: combat-deployed controls without blast exposure history ‘non-blast control’ and concussive blast patients (primary) and combat concussion arising not from blast ‘non-blast concussion’ and combat-deployed controls with blast exposure history ‘blast control’ (exploratory). A total of 575 subjects were prospectively enrolled and imaged; 347 subjects completed further neuroimaging examination at 1 year and 342 subjects completed further neuroimaging examination at 5 years post-injury. At each time point, MRI scans were completed that included high-resolution structural as well as diffusion tensor imaging acquisitions processed for quantitative volumetric and diffusion tensor imaging changes. Longitudinal evaluation of the number of abnormal diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric regions in patients with blast concussion revealed distinct trends by imaging modality. While the presence of abnormal volumetric regions remained quite stable comparing our two primary groups of non-blast control to blast concussion, the diffusion tensor imaging abnormalities were observed to have varying trajectories. Most striking was the fractional anisotropy ‘U-shaped’ curve observed for a proportion of those that, if we had only followed them to 1 year, would look like trajectories of recovery. However, by continuing the follow-up to 5 years in these very same patients, a secondary increase in the number of reduced fractional anisotropy regions was identified. Comparing non-blast controls to blast concussion at each time point revealed significant differences in the number of regions with reduced fractional anisotropy at both the sub-acute and 5-year time points, which held after adjustment for age, education, gender, scanner and subsequent head injury exposure followed by correction for multiple comparisons. The secondary increase identified in patients with blast concussion may be the earliest indications of microstructural changes underlying the ‘accelerated brain aging’ theory recently reported from chronic, cross-sectional studies of veterans following brain injury. These varying trajectories also inform potential prognostic neuroimaging biomarkers of progression and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Barber
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Jalal Andre
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Chris Panks
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Kody Zalewski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
| | - Nancy Temkin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.,Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
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24
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Cortical thinning in military blast compared to non-blast persistent mild traumatic brain injuries. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 22:101793. [PMID: 30939340 PMCID: PMC6446073 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In the military, explosive blasts are a significant cause of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). The symptoms associated with blast mTBIs causes significant economic burdens and a diminished quality of life for many service members. At present, the distinction of the injury mechanism (blast versus non-blast) may not influence TBI diagnosis. However, using noninvasive imaging, this study reveals significant distinctions between the blast and non-blast TBI mechanisms. A cortical whole-brain thickness analysis was performed using structural high-resolution T1-weighted MRI to identify the effects of blasts in persistent mTBI (pmTBI) subjects. A total of 41 blast pmTBI subjects were individually age- and gender-matched to 41 non-blast pmTBI subjects. Using FreeSurfer, cortical thickness was quantified for the blast group, relative to the non-blast group. Cortical thinning was identified within the blast mTBI group, in two clusters bilaterally. In the left hemisphere, the cluster overlapped with the lateral orbitofrontal, rostral middle frontal, medial orbitofrontal, superior frontal, rostral anterior cingulate and frontal pole cortices (p < 0.02, two-tailed, size = 1680 mm2). In the right hemisphere, the cluster overlapped with the lateral orbitofrontal, rostral middle frontal, medial orbitofrontal, pars orbitalis, pars triangularis and insula cortices (p < 0.002, two-tailed, cluster size = 2453 mm2). Self-report assessments suggest significant differences in the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (p < 0.05, Bonferroni-corrected) and the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (p < 0.01, uncorrected) between the blast and non-blast mTBI groups. These results suggest that blast may cause a unique injury pattern related to a reduction in cortical thickness within specific brain regions which could affect symptoms. No other study has found cortical thickness difference between blast and non-blast mTBI groups and further replication is needed to confirm these initial observations.
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25
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Terry DP, Miller LS. Repeated mild traumatic brain injuries is not associated with volumetric differences in former high school football players. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 12:631-639. [PMID: 28434160 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9719-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
We investigated potential brain volumetric differences in a sample of former high school football players many years after these injuries. Forty community-dwelling males ages 40-65 who played high school football, but not college or professional sports, were recruited. The experimental group (n = 20) endorsed experiencing two or more mTBIs on an empirically validated mTBI assessment tool (median = 3, range = 2-15). The control group (n = 20) denied ever experiencing an mTBI. Participants completed a self-report index of current mTBI symptomatology and underwent high-resolution T1-weighted MRI scanning, which were analyzed using the Freesurfer software package. A priori regions of interest (ROIs) included total intracranial volume (ICV), total gray matter, total white matter, bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral hippocampi, and lateral ventricles. ROIs were corrected for head size using a normalization method that took ICV into account. Despite an adequate sample size and being matched on age, education, estimated premorbid IQ, current concussive symptomatology, there were no statistically significant volumetric group differences across all of the ROIs. These data suggest that multiple mTBIs from high school football may not be associated with measurable brain atrophy later in life. Accounting for the severity of injury and chronicity of sport exposure may be especially important when measuring long-term neuroanatomical differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas P Terry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - L Stephen Miller
- Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, 110 Hooper St, Psychology Building, Room 163, Athens, GA, 30602, USA. .,BioImaging Research Center, Biomedical & Health Science Institute, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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26
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Santhanam P, Wilson SH, Oakes TR, Weaver LK. Accelerated age-related cortical thinning in mild traumatic brain injury. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01161. [PMID: 30488646 PMCID: PMC6346670 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can result in many structural abnormalities in the cerebral cortex. While thinning of the cortex has been shown in mTBI patients, there is high regional variability in reported findings. High-resolution imaging can elucidate otherwise unnoticed changes in cortical measures following injury. This study examined age-related patterns of cortical thickness in U.S. active duty service members and veterans with a history of mTBI (n = 66) as compared to a normative population (n = 67). METHODS Using a fully automated cortical parcellation methodology, cortical thickness measures were extracted from 31 bilateral cortical regions for all participants. RESULTS The effect of diagnosis and age on cortical thickness (group × age interaction) was found to be significant (p < 0.05) for many regions, including bilateral parietal and left frontal and temporal cortices. Findings held for a male-only subset, and there was no effect of time since injury in any regions. CONCLUSIONS The presence of mTBI appeared to accelerate age-related cortical thinning across the cortex in our study population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Terrence R. Oakes
- Madison School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of WisconsinMadisonWisconsin
| | - Lindell K. Weaver
- Division of Hyperbaric Medicine Intermountain Medical CenterMurray, UT and Intermountain LDS HospitalSalt Lake CityUtah
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Utah School of MedicineSalt LakeUtah
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27
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Clark AL, Merritt VC, Bigler ED, Bangen KJ, Werhane M, Sorg SF, Bondi MW, Schiehser DM, Delano-Wood L. Blast-Exposed Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Show Greater Frontal Cortical Thinning and Poorer Executive Functioning. Front Neurol 2018; 9:873. [PMID: 30473678 PMCID: PMC6237912 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Blast exposure (BE) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) have been independently linked to pathological brain changes. However, the combined effects of BE and mTBI on brain structure have yet to be characterized. Therefore, we investigated whether regional differences in cortical thickness exist between mTBI Veterans with and without BE while on deployment. We also examined whether cortical thickness (CT) and cognitive performance differed among mTBI Veterans with low vs. high levels of cumulative BE. Methods: 80 Veterans with mTBI underwent neuroimaging and completed neuropsychological testing and self-report symptom rating scales. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare blast-exposed Veterans (mTBI+BE, n = 51) to those without BE (mTBI-BE, n = 29) on CT of frontal and temporal a priori regions of interest (ROIs). Next, multiple regression analyses were used to examine whether CT and performance on an executive functions composite differed among mTBI Veterans with low (mTBI+BE Low, n = 22) vs. high (mTBI+BE High, n = 26) levels of cumulative BE. Results: Adjusting for age, numer of TBIs, and PTSD symptoms, the mTBI+BE group showed significant cortical thinning in frontal regions (i.e., left orbitofrontal cortex [p = 0.045], left middle frontal gyrus [p = 0.023], and right inferior frontal gyrus [p = 0.034]) compared to the mTBI-BE group. No significant group differences in CT were observed for temporal regions (p's > 0.05). Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant cumulative BE × CT interaction for the left orbitofrontal cortex (p = 0.001) and left middle frontal gyrus (p = 0.020); reduced CT was associated with worse cognitive performance in the mTBI+BE High group but not the mTBI+BE Low group. Conclusions: Findings show that Veterans with mTBI and BE may be at risk for cortical thinning post-deployment. Moreover, our results demonstrate that reductions in CT are associated with worse executive functioning among Veterans with high levels of cumulative BE. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether BE exacerbates mTBI-related cortical thinning or independently negatively influences gray matter structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. Clark
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego (SDSU/UCSD) Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Erin D. Bigler
- Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Center, Brigham and Young University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Katherine J. Bangen
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Madeleine Werhane
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego (SDSU/UCSD) Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego State University, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Scott F. Sorg
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Mark W. Bondi
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Dawn M. Schiehser
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lisa Delano-Wood
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
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28
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Yuan W, Barber Foss KD, Dudley J, Thomas S, Galloway R, DiCesare C, Leach J, Scheifele P, Farina M, Valencia G, Smith D, Altaye M, Rhea CK, Talavage T, Myer GD. Impact of Low-Level Blast Exposure on Brain Function after a One-Day Tactile Training and the Ameliorating Effect of a Jugular Vein Compression Neck Collar Device. J Neurotrauma 2018; 36:721-734. [PMID: 30136637 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.5737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) personnel who conduct breacher exercises are at risk for blast-related head trauma. We aimed to investigate the potential impact of low-level blast exposure during breacher training on the neural functioning of working memory and auditory network connectivity. We also aimed to evaluate the effects of a jugular vein compression collar, designed to internally mitigate slosh energy absorption, preserving neural functioning and connectivity, following blast exposure. A total of 23 SWAT personnel were recruited and randomly assigned to a non-collar (n = 11) and collar group (n = 12). All participants completed a 1-day breacher training with multiple blast exposure. Prior to and following training, 18 participants (non-collar, n = 8; collar, n = 10) completed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of working memory using N-Back task; 20 participants (non-collar, n = 10; collar, n = 12) completed resting-state fMRI. Key findings from the working memory analysis include significantly increased fMRI brain activation in the right insular, right superior temporal pole, right inferior frontal gyrus, and pars orbitalis post-training for the non-collar group (p < 0.05, threshold-free cluster enhancement corrected), but no changes were noted for the collar group. The elevation in fMRI activation in the non-collar group was found to correlate significantly (n = 7, r = 0.943, p = 0.001) with average peak impulse amplitude experienced during the training. In the resting-state fMRI analysis, significant pre- to post-training increase in connectivity between the auditory network and two discrete regions (left middle frontal gyrus and left superior lateral occipital/angular gyri) was found in the non-collar group, while no change was observed in the collar group. These data provided initial evidence of the impact of low-level blast on working memory and auditory network connectivity as well as the protective effect of collar on brain function following blast exposure, and is congruent with previous collar findings in sport-related traumatic brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weihong Yuan
- 1 Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.,10 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Kim D Barber Foss
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Jonathan Dudley
- 1 Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Staci Thomas
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ryan Galloway
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Christopher DiCesare
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - James Leach
- 3 Division of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.,10 University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Pete Scheifele
- 4 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Megan Farina
- 4 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - Gloria Valencia
- 4 Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Cincinnati , Ohio
| | - David Smith
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- 5 Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Christopher K Rhea
- 6 Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro , Greensboro, North Carolina
| | - Thomas Talavage
- 7 School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Gregory D Myer
- 2 The SPORT Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati, Ohio.,8 Departments of Pediatrics and Orthopedic Surgery, University of Cincinnati , Ohio.,9 The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention , Waltham, Massachusetts
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29
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Goldman-Yassen AE, Chen KX, Edasery D, Hsu K, Ye K, Lipton ML. Near-Term Decrease in Brain Volume following Mild Traumatic Injury Is Detectible in the Context of Preinjury Volumetric Stability: Neurobiologic Insights from Analysis of Historical Imaging Examinations. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2018; 39:1821-1826. [PMID: 30190258 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a5769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Neurodegeneration after mild traumatic brain injury may manifest as decreasing regional brain volume that evolves from months to years following mild traumatic brain injury and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. We hypothesized that quantitative brain volume derived from CT of the head, performed for clinical indications during routine care, would change with time and provide insights into the putative neuroinflammatory response to mild traumatic brain injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched the electronic medical record of our institution for NCCTs of the head performed in patients with mild traumatic brain injury and included those who also underwent NCCTs of the head 1 month to 1 year before and after mild traumatic brain injury for an indication unrelated to trauma. Controls underwent 3 sequential NCCTs of the head with indications unrelated to trauma. The whole-brain and intracranial volume groups were computed using ITK-SNAP. Brain volumes normalized to intracranial volumes were compared across time points using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS We identified 48 patients from 2005 to 2015 who underwent NCCTs of the head in the emergency department for mild traumatic brain injury and had NCCTs of the head performed both before and after mild traumatic brain injury. Median normalized brain volumes significantly decreased on the follow-up study post-mild traumatic brain injury (0.86 versus 0.84, P < .001) and were similar compared with pre-mild traumatic brain injury studies (0.87 versus 0.86, P = .927). There was no significant difference between normalized brain volumes in the 48 controls. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in brain volume following mild traumatic brain injury is detectable on CT and is not seen in similar patients with non-mild traumatic brain injury during a similar timeframe. Given the stability of brain volume before mild traumatic brain injury, CT volume loss may represent the subtle effects of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Goldman-Yassen
- From the Department of Radiology (A.E.G.-Y., K.X.C., D.E., K.H.), Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - K X Chen
- From the Department of Radiology (A.E.G.-Y., K.X.C., D.E., K.H.), Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - D Edasery
- From the Department of Radiology (A.E.G.-Y., K.X.C., D.E., K.H.), Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - K Hsu
- From the Department of Radiology (A.E.G.-Y., K.X.C., D.E., K.H.), Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
| | - K Ye
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health (K.Y.), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - M L Lipton
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience (M.L.L.), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
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30
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Headache is a frequent and debilitating symptom after mild traumatic brain injury, yet little is known about its pathophysiology and most effective treatments. The goal of this review is to summarize findings from imaging studies used during the clinical evaluation and research investigation of post-traumatic headache (PTH). RECENT FINDINGS There are no published recommendations or guidelines for when to acquire imaging studies of the head or neck in patients with PTH. Clinical acumen is required to determine if imaging is needed to assess for a secondary cause of headache which may have been precipitated or unmasked by the trauma. Several guidelines for when to image the patient with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in the emergency setting consider headache among the deciding factors. In the research arena, imaging techniques including proton spectroscopy magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, magnetic resonance morphometry, and functional neck x-rays have been employed with the goal of identifying diagnostic and prognostic factors for PTH and to help understand its underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Results indicate that changes in regional cortical thickness and damage to specific white matter tracts warrant further research. Future research should interrogate whether these imaging findings contribute to the classification and prognosis of PTH. Current research provides evidence that imaging findings associated with PTH may be distinct from those attributable to mTBI. A variety of imaging techniques have potential to further our understanding of the pathophysiologic processes underlying PTH as well as to provide diagnostic and prognostic indicators. However, considerable work must be undertaken for this to be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill C Rau
- Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA
| | - Gina M Dumkrieger
- Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA
| | - Catherine D Chong
- Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA
| | - Todd J Schwedt
- Mayo Clinic Arizona, 5777 East Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ, 85054, USA.
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31
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Salat DH, Robinson ME, Miller DR, Clark DC, McGlinchey RE. Neuroimaging of deployment-associated traumatic brain injury (TBI) with a focus on mild TBI (mTBI) since 2009. Brain Inj 2018; 31:1204-1219. [PMID: 28981347 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2017.1327672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A substantial body of recent research has aimed to better understand the clinical sequelae of military trauma through the application of advanced brain imaging procedures in Veteran populations. The primary objective of this review was to highlight a portion of these recent studies to demonstrate how imaging tools can be used to understand military-associated brain injury. METHODS We focus here on the phenomenon of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) given its high prevalence in the Veteran population and current recognition of the need to better understand the clinical implications of this trauma. This is intended to provide readers with an initial exposure to the field of neuroimaging of mTBI with a brief introduction to the concept of traumatic brain injury, followed by a summary of the major imaging techniques that have been applied to the study of mTBI. RESULTS Taken together, the collection of studies reviewed demonstrates a clear role for neuroimaging towards understanding the various neural consequences of mTBI as well as the clinical complications of such brain changes. CONCLUSIONS This information must be considered in the larger context of research into mTBI, including the potentially unique nature of blast exposure and the long-term consequences of mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Salat
- a Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,b Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging , Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Radiology , Charlestown , MA , USA.,c Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Meghan E Robinson
- a Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,c Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,d Department of Neurology , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Danielle R Miller
- e National Center for PTSD , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,f Department of Psychiatry , Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Dustin C Clark
- a Neuroimaging Research for Veterans (NeRVe) Center , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA
| | - Regina E McGlinchey
- c Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) , VA Boston Healthcare System , Boston , MA , USA.,g Geriatric Research , Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) , Boston , MA , USA.,h Department of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School , Boston , MA , USA
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32
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Masri S, Zhang LS, Luo H, Pace E, Zhang J, Bao S. Blast Exposure Disrupts the Tonotopic Frequency Map in the Primary Auditory Cortex. Neuroscience 2018; 379:428-434. [PMID: 29625214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Blast exposure can cause various auditory disorders including tinnitus, hyperacusis, and other central auditory processing disorders. While this is suggestive of pathologies in the central auditory system, the impact of blast exposure on central auditory processing remains poorly understood. Here we examined the effects of blast shockwaves on acoustic response properties and the tonotopic frequency map in the auditory cortex. We found that multiunits recorded from the auditory cortex exhibited higher acoustic thresholds and broader frequency tuning in blast-exposed animals. Furthermore, the frequency map in the primary auditory cortex was distorted. These changes may contribute to central auditory processing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samer Masri
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
| | - Li S Zhang
- Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
| | - Hao Luo
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Edward Pace
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Jinsheng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States; Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, United States
| | - Shaowen Bao
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States; Department of Physiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States.
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Bajaj S, Dailey NS, Rosso IM, Rauch SL, Killgore WDS. Time-dependent differences in cortical measures and their associations with behavioral measures following mild traumatic brain injury. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1886-1897. [PMID: 29359498 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23951] [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: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently a critical need to establish an improved understanding of time-dependent differences in brain structure following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We compared differences in brain structure, specifically cortical thickness (CT), cortical volume (CV), and cortical surface area (CSA) in 54 individuals who sustained a recent mTBI and 33 healthy controls (HCs). Individuals with mTBI were split into three groups, depending on their time since injury. By comparing structural measures between mTBI and HC groups, differences in CT reflected cortical thickening within several areas following 0-3 (time-point, TP1) and 3-6 months (TP2) post-mTBI. Compared with the HC group, the mTBI group at TP2 showed lower CSA within several areas. Compared with the mTBI group at TP2, the mTBI group during the most chronic stage (TP3: 6-18 months post-mTBI) showed significantly higher CSA in several areas. All the above reported differences in CT and CSA were significant at a cluster-forming p < .01 (corrected for multiple comparisons). We also found that in the mTBI group at TP2, CT within two clusters (i.e., the left rostral middle frontal gyrus (L. RMFG) and the right postcentral gyrus (R. PostCG)) was negatively correlated with basic attention abilities (L. RMFG: r = -.41, p = .05 and R. PostCG: r = -.44, p = .03). Our findings suggest that alterations in CT and associated neuropsychological assessments may be more prominent during the early stages of mTBI. However, alterations in CSA may reflect compensatory structural recovery during the chronic stages of mTBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahil Bajaj
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (SCAN Lab), Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Natalie S Dailey
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (SCAN Lab), Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Isabelle M Rosso
- McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Scott L Rauch
- McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - William D S Killgore
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory (SCAN Lab), Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.,McLean Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts
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Chong CD, Berisha V, Chiang CC, Ross K, Schwedt TJ. Less Cortical Thickness in Patients With Persistent Post-Traumatic Headache Compared With Healthy Controls: An MRI Study. Headache 2017; 58:53-61. [PMID: 29139130 DOI: 10.1111/head.13223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate differences in cortical thickness in patients with persistent post-traumatic headache (PPTH) relative to healthy controls and to interrogate whether cortical morphology relates to headache burden (headache frequency, years with post-traumatic headache, PTH) in patients with PPTH. BACKGROUND PTHs are one of the most common symptoms following concussion. In some patients, PTHs continue for longer than three months and are classified as PPTH. This study has two main goals: (1) To delineate the neuropathology of PPTH, by interrogating differences in cortical thickness in patients with PPTH relative to healthy controls. (2) To interrogate potential associations between brain morphology and headache burden in patients with PPTH by examining whether cortical thickness relates to frequency of headaches or years lived with PTH. METHODS Adults with PPTH diagnosed according to ICHD 3 beta diagnostic criteria and healthy controls underwent brain MRI on a 3 Tesla scanner. Vertex-by-vertex whole brain estimates of cortical thickness were automatically calculated using FreeSurfer v5.3. Differences in cortical thickness in patients with PPTH relative to healthy controls were determined using a general linear model design. Associations were explored between regional clusters where patients with PPTH showed cortical thickness differences compared with healthy controls with headache frequency and years lived with PPTH. RESULTS This study included 33 patients with PPTH and 33 healthy control subjects (healthy controls: median age = 33.0, IQR = 15.5; patients with PPTH: median age = 36.0, IQR = 20.5; P = .56). Patients with PPTH had less cortical thickness relative to healthy controls in the left and right superior frontal, caudal middle frontal, and precentral cortex as well as less cortical thickness in the right supramarginal, right superior and inferior parietal, and right precuneus region (P < .05, Monte Carlo corrected for multiple comparisons). There were no regions where patients with PPTH had more cortical thickness relative to healthy controls. A correlation analysis of regions that showed less cortical thickness in patients with PPTH demonstrated a negative correlation between left and right superior frontal thickness with headache frequency (P < .05). There was no association between regional cortical thickness and years lived with PPTH. CONCLUSION Compared with healthy controls, patients with PPTH had less cortical thickness in bilateral frontal regions and right hemisphere parietal regions. For patients with PPTH, more frequent headaches were related to less thickness in the left and right superior frontal regions, potentially indicating that brain morphology changes in the superior frontal regions in patients with PPTH are modified by headache frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Visar Berisha
- School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering and Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | - Katherine Ross
- Phoenix VA Health Care System, Audiology and Speech Pathology Service, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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35
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Dall'Acqua P, Johannes S, Mica L, Simmen HP, Glaab R, Fandino J, Schwendinger M, Meier C, Ulbrich EJ, Müller A, Jäncke L, Hänggi J. Prefrontal Cortical Thickening after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A One-Year Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. J Neurotrauma 2017; 34:3270-3279. [PMID: 28847215 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.5124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate group-by-time interactions between gray matter morphology of healthy controls and that of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as they transitioned from acute to chronic stages, and to relate these findings to long-term cognitive alterations to identify distinct recovery trajectories between good outcome (GO) and poor outcome (PO). High-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were acquired in 49 mTBI patients within 7 days and 1 year post-injury and at equivalent times in 49 healthy controls. Using linear mixed-effects models, we performed mass-univariate analyses and associated the results of the interaction with changes in cognitive performance. Morphological alterations indexed by increased or decreased cortical thickness have been expected mainly in frontal, parietal, and temporal brain regions. A significant interaction was found in cortical thickness, spatially restricted to bilateral structures of the prefrontal cortex, showing thickening in mTBI and normal developmental thinning in controls. A discrete thickness increase that can interpreted as the absence of cortical thinning typically seen in the healthy population was associated with cognitive recovery in the GO subgroup, while the exaggerated cortical thickening in the PO patients was linked to worsening cognitive performance. Thickness of the prefrontal cortex is subject to structural alterations during the first year after mTBI. Beside beneficial neuroplasticity, a prolonged state of neuroinflammation for symptomatic patients (maladaptive neuroplasticity) cannot be excluded. If the underlying cellular processes responsible for cortical thickening following mTBI have been determined, brain stimulation or even pharmacological intervention targeting the prefrontal cortex might promote endogenous neural restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Dall'Acqua
- 1 Bellikon Rehabilitation Clinic , Bellikon, Switzerland .,2 Department of Psychology, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sönke Johannes
- 1 Bellikon Rehabilitation Clinic , Bellikon, Switzerland
| | - Ladislav Mica
- 3 Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Peter Simmen
- 3 Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Javier Fandino
- 5 Department of Neurosurgery, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Markus Schwendinger
- 6 Interdisciplinary Emergency Center , Baden Cantonal Hospital, Baden, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Meier
- 7 Department of Surgery, Waid Hospital Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erika Jasmin Ulbrich
- 8 Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Müller
- 9 Brain and Trauma Foundation Grisons , Chur, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- 2 Department of Psychology, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland .,10 International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland .,11 University Research Priority Program, Dynamic of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hänggi
- 2 Department of Psychology, University of Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland
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36
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Savjani RR, Taylor BA, Acion L, Wilde EA, Jorge RE. Accelerated Changes in Cortical Thickness Measurements with Age in Military Service Members with Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2017; 34:3107-3116. [PMID: 28657432 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.5022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding objective and quantifiable imaging markers of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) has proven challenging, especially in the military population. Changes in cortical thickness after injury have been reported in animals and in humans, but it is unclear how these alterations manifest in the chronic phase, and it is difficult to characterize accurately with imaging. We used cortical thickness measures derived from Advanced Normalization Tools (ANTs) to predict a continuous demographic variable: age. We trained four different regression models (linear regression, support vector regression, Gaussian process regression, and random forests) to predict age from healthy control brains from publicly available datasets (n = 762). We then used these models to predict brain age in military Service Members with TBI (n = 92) and military Service Members without TBI (n = 34). Our results show that all four models overpredicted age in Service Members with TBI, and the predicted age difference was significantly greater compared with military controls. These data extend previous civilian findings and show that cortical thickness measures may reveal an association of accelerated changes over time with military TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricky R Savjani
- 1 Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Houston, Texas.,2 Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,7 Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine , Bryan, Texas
| | - Brian A Taylor
- 1 Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Houston, Texas.,3 Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Laura Acion
- 6 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,8 Instituto de Cálculo, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires-CONICET , Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elisabeth A Wilde
- 1 Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Houston, Texas.,3 Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,5 Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Ricardo E Jorge
- 1 Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Houston, Texas.,6 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
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Han K, Davis RA, Chapman SB, Krawczyk DC. Strategy-based reasoning training modulates cortical thickness and resting-state functional connectivity in adults with chronic traumatic brain injury. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00687. [PMID: 28523229 PMCID: PMC5434192 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prior studies have demonstrated training-induced changes in the healthy adult brain. Yet, it remains unclear how the injured brain responds to cognitive training months-to-years after injury. METHODS Sixty individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) were randomized into either strategy-based (N = 31) or knowledge-based (N = 29) training for 8 weeks. We measured cortical thickness and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) before training, immediately posttraining, and 3 months posttraining. RESULTS Relative to the knowledge-based training group, the cortical thickness of the strategy-based training group showed diverse temporal patterns of changes over multiple brain regions (pvertex < .05, pcluster < .05): (1) increases followed by decreases, (2) monotonic increases, and (3) monotonic decreases. However, network-based statistics (NBS) analysis of rsFC among these regions revealed that the strategy-based training group induced only monotonic increases in connectivity, relative to the knowledge-based training group (|Z| > 1.96, pNBS < 0.05). Complementing the rsFC results, the strategy-based training group yielded monotonic improvement in scores for the trail-making test (p < .05). Analyses of brain-behavior relationships revealed that improvement in trail-making scores were associated with training-induced changes in cortical thickness (pvertex < .05, pcluster < .05) and rsFC (pvertex < .05, pcluster < .005) within the strategy-based training group. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that training-induced brain plasticity continues through chronic phases of TBI and that brain connectivity and cortical thickness may serve as markers of plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kihwan Han
- Center for BrainHealthSchool of Behavioral and Brain SciencesThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTXUSA
| | - Rebecca A. Davis
- Center for BrainHealthSchool of Behavioral and Brain SciencesThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTXUSA
| | - Sandra B. Chapman
- Center for BrainHealthSchool of Behavioral and Brain SciencesThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTXUSA
| | - Daniel C. Krawczyk
- Center for BrainHealthSchool of Behavioral and Brain SciencesThe University of Texas at DallasDallasTXUSA
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterDallasTXUSA
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Lucke-Wold BP, Turner RC, Logsdon AF, Rosen CL, Qaiser R. Blast Scaling Parameters: Transitioning from Lung to Skull Base Metrics. JOURNAL OF SURGERY AND EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2017; 1. [PMID: 28386605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2022]
Abstract
Neurotrauma from blast exposure is one of the single most characteristic injuries of modern warfare. Understanding blast traumatic brain injury is critical for developing new treatment options for warfighters and civilians exposed to improvised explosive devices. Unfortunately, the pre-clinical models that are widely utilized to investigate blast exposure are based on archaic lung based parameters developed in the early 20th century. Improvised explosive devices produce a different type of injury paradigm than the typical mortar explosion. Protective equipment for the chest cavity has also improved over the past 100 years. In order to improve treatments, it is imperative to develop models that are based more on skull-based parameters. In this mini-review, we discuss the important anatomical and biochemical features necessary to develop a skull-based model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryan C Turner
- Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | | | - Charles L Rosen
- Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Rabia Qaiser
- Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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39
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40
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Wu X, Kirov II, Gonen O, Ge Y, Grossman RI, Lui YW. MR Imaging Applications in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Imaging Update. Radiology 2016; 279:693-707. [PMID: 27183405 DOI: 10.1148/radiol.16142535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also commonly referred to as concussion, affects millions of Americans annually. Although computed tomography is the first-line imaging technique for all traumatic brain injury, it is incapable of providing long-term prognostic information in mTBI. In the past decade, the amount of research related to magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of mTBI has grown exponentially, partly due to development of novel analytical methods, which are applied to a variety of MR techniques. Here, evidence of subtle brain changes in mTBI as revealed by these techniques, which are not demonstrable by conventional imaging, will be reviewed. These changes can be considered in three main categories of brain structure, function, and metabolism. Macrostructural and microstructural changes have been revealed with three-dimensional MR imaging, susceptibility-weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and higher order diffusion imaging. Functional abnormalities have been described with both task-mediated and resting-state blood oxygen level-dependent functional MR imaging. Metabolic changes suggesting neuronal injury have been demonstrated with MR spectroscopy. These findings improve understanding of the true impact of mTBI and its pathogenesis. Further investigation may eventually lead to improved diagnosis, prognosis, and management of this common and costly condition. (©) RSNA, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wu
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
| | - Ivan I Kirov
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
| | - Oded Gonen
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
| | - Yulin Ge
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
| | - Robert I Grossman
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
| | - Yvonne W Lui
- From the Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
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Singh AK, Ditkofsky NG, York JD, Abujudeh HH, Avery LA, Brunner JF, Sodickson AD, Lev MH. Blast Injuries: From Improvised Explosive Device Blasts to the Boston Marathon Bombing. Radiographics 2016; 36:295-307. [PMID: 26761543 DOI: 10.1148/rg.2016150114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Although most trauma centers have experience with the imaging and management of gunshot wounds, in most regions blast wounds such as the ones encountered in terrorist attacks with the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are infrequently encountered outside the battlefield. As global terrorism becomes a greater concern, it is important that radiologists, particularly those working in urban trauma centers, be aware of the mechanisms of injury and the spectrum of primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary blast injury patterns. Primary blast injuries are caused by barotrauma from the initial increased pressure of the explosive detonation and the rarefaction of the atmosphere immediately afterward. Secondary blast injuries are caused by debris carried by the blast wind and most often result in penetrating trauma from small shrapnel. Tertiary blast injuries are caused by the physical displacement of the victim and the wide variety of blunt or penetrating trauma sustained as a result of the patient impacting immovable objects such as surrounding cars, walls, or fences. Quaternary blast injuries include all other injuries, such as burns, crush injuries, and inhalational injuries. Radiography is considered the initial imaging modality for assessment of shrapnel and fractures. Computed tomography is the optimal test to assess penetrating chest, abdominal, and head trauma. The mechanism of blast injuries and the imaging experience of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing are detailed, as well as musculoskeletal, neurologic, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary injury patterns from blast injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay K Singh
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - Noah G Ditkofsky
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - John D York
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - Hani H Abujudeh
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - Laura A Avery
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - John F Brunner
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - Aaron D Sodickson
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
| | - Michael H Lev
- From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, FND-210, Boston, MA 02114 (A.K.S., H.H.A., L.A.A., M.H.L.); Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (N.G.D.); Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va (J.D.Y.); Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif (J.F.B.); and Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass (A.D.S.)
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Tate DF, Wade BSC, Velez CS, Drennon AM, Bolzenius J, Gutman BA, Thompson PM, Lewis JD, Wilde EA, Bigler ED, Shenton ME, Ritter JL, York GE. Volumetric and shape analyses of subcortical structures in United States service members with mild traumatic brain injury. J Neurol 2016; 263:2065-79. [PMID: 27435967 PMCID: PMC5564450 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8236-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a significant health concern. The majority who sustain mTBI recover, although ~20 % continue to experience symptoms that can interfere with quality of life. Accordingly, there is a critical need to improve diagnosis, prognostic accuracy, and monitoring (recovery trajectory over time) of mTBI. Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been successfully utilized to examine TBI. One promising improvement over standard volumetric approaches is to analyze high-dimensional shape characteristics of brain structures. In this study, subcortical shape and volume in 76 Service Members with mTBI was compared to 59 Service Members with orthopedic injury (OI) and 17 with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) only. FreeSurfer was used to quantify structures from T1-weighted 3 T MRI data. Radial distance (RD) and Jacobian determinant (JD) were defined vertex-wise on parametric mesh-representations of subcortical structures. Linear regression was used to model associations between morphometry (volume and shape), TBI status, and time since injury (TSI) correcting for age, sex, intracranial volume, and level of education. Volumetric data was not significantly different between the groups. JD was significantly increased in the accumbens and caudate and significantly reduced in the thalamus of mTBI participants. Additional significant associations were noted between RD of the amygdala and TSI. Positive trend-level associations between TSI and the amygdala and accumbens were observed, while a negative association was observed for third ventricle. Our findings may aid in the initial diagnosis of mTBI, provide biological targets for functional examination, and elucidate regions that may continue remodeling after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- David F Tate
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, St. Louis, 4633 World Parkway Circle, Berkeley, MO, 63134-3115, USA.
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Benjamin S C Wade
- Imaging Genetics Center, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Carmen S Velez
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, St. Louis, 4633 World Parkway Circle, Berkeley, MO, 63134-3115, USA
| | - Ann Marie Drennon
- Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Centers, San Antonio Military Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jacob Bolzenius
- Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri, St. Louis, 4633 World Parkway Circle, Berkeley, MO, 63134-3115, USA
| | - Boris A Gutman
- Imaging Genetics Center, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Lewis
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elisabeth A Wilde
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Erin D Bigler
- Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA
| | - Martha E Shenton
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Brockton Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, USA
| | - John L Ritter
- Department of Radiology, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Gerald E York
- Alaska Radiology Associates, TBI Imaging and Research, Anchorage, AK, USA
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43
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Dickstein DL, Pullman MY, Fernandez C, Short JA, Kostakoglu L, Knesaurek K, Soleimani L, Jordan BD, Gordon WA, Dams-O'Connor K, Delman BN, Wong E, Tang CY, DeKosky ST, Stone JR, Cantu RC, Sano M, Hof PR, Gandy S. Cerebral [ 18 F]T807/AV1451 retention pattern in clinically probable CTE resembles pathognomonic distribution of CTE tauopathy. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e900. [PMID: 27676441 PMCID: PMC5048212 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder most commonly associated with repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) and characterized by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein, known as a tauopathy. Currently, the diagnosis of CTE can only be definitively established postmortem. However, a new positron emission tomography (PET) ligand, [18F]T807/AV1451, may provide the antemortem detection of tau aggregates, and thus various tauopathies, including CTE. Our goal was to examine [18F]T807/AV1451 retention in athletes with neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with a history of multiple concussions. Here we report a 39-year-old retired National Football League player who suffered 22 concussions and manifested progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms. Emotional lability and irritability were the chief complaints. Serial neuropsychological exams revealed a decline in executive functioning, processing speed and fine motor skills. Naming was below average but other cognitive functions were preserved. Structural analysis of longitudinally acquired magenetic resonance imaging scans revealed cortical thinning in the left frontal and lateral temporal areas, as well as volume loss in the basal ganglia. PET with [18F]florbetapir was negative for amyloidosis. The [18F]T807/AV1451 PET showed multifocal areas of retention at the cortical gray matter-white matter junction, a distribution considered pathognomonic for CTE. [18F]T807/AV1451 standard uptake value (SUV) analysis showed increased uptake (SUVr⩾1.1) in bilateral cingulate, occipital, and orbitofrontal cortices, and several temporal areas. Although definitive identification of the neuropathological underpinnings basis for [18F]T807/AV1451 retention requires postmortem correlation, our data suggest that [18F]T807/AV1451 tauopathy imaging may be a promising tool to detect and diagnose CTE-related tauopathy in living subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L Dickstein
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 USA. E-mail:
| | - M Y Pullman
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - J A Short
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - L Kostakoglu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - K Knesaurek
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - L Soleimani
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - B D Jordan
- Burke Rehabilitaiton Hospital, White Plains, NY, USA
| | - W A Gordon
- The NFL Neurological Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - K Dams-O'Connor
- The NFL Neurological Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - B N Delman
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - E Wong
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - C Y Tang
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - S T DeKosky
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - J R Stone
- Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA,Department of Neurosurgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - R C Cantu
- Centre for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Neurosurgery, Emerson Hospital, Concord, MA, USA
| | - M Sano
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - P R Hof
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - S Gandy
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029 USA. E-mail:
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44
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Wang X, Xie H, Cotton AS, Brickman KR, Lewis TJ, Wall JT, Tamburrino MB, Bauer WR, Law K, McLean SA, Liberzon I. Early Changes in Cortical Emotion Processing Circuits after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury from Motor Vehicle Collision. J Neurotrauma 2016; 34:273-280. [PMID: 27169480 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.4392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients frequently experience emotion dysregulation symptoms, including post-traumatic stress. Although mTBI likely affects cortical activation and structure, resulting in cognitive symptoms after mTBI, early effects of mTBI on cortical emotion processing circuits have rarely been examined. To assess early mTBI effects on cortical functional and structural components of emotion processing, we assessed cortical activation to fearful faces within the first 2 weeks after motor vehicle collision (MVC) in survivors who did and did not experience mTBI. We also examined the thicknesses of cortical regions with altered activation. MVC survivors with mTBI (n = 21) had significantly less activation in left superior parietal gyrus (SPG) (-5.9, -81.8, 33.8; p = 10-3.623), left medial orbitofrontal gyrus (mOFG) (-4.7, 36.1, -19.3; p = 10-3.231), and left and right lateral orbitofrontal gyri (lOFG) (left: -16.0, 41.4, -16.6; p = 10-2.573; right: 18.7, 22.7, -17.7; p = 10-2.764) than MVC survivors without mTBI (n = 23). SPG activation in mTBI survivors within 2 weeks after MVC was negatively correlated with subsequent post-traumatic stress symptom severity at 3 months (r = -0.68, p = 0.03). Finally, the SPG region was thinner in the mTBI survivors than in the non-mTBI survivors (F = 11.07, p = 0.002). These results suggest that early differences in activation and structure in cortical emotion processing circuits in trauma survivors who sustain mTBI may contribute to the development of emotion-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio.,2 Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio.,3 Department of Radiology, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | - Hong Xie
- 2 Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | - Andrew S Cotton
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | | | | | - John T Wall
- 2 Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | | | - William R Bauer
- 2 Department of Neurosciences, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | - Kenny Law
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Toledo , Toledo, Ohio
| | - Samuel A McLean
- 5 Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Israel Liberzon
- 6 Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan
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45
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Advanced neuroimaging applied to veterans and service personnel with traumatic brain injury: state of the art and potential benefits. Brain Imaging Behav 2016; 9:367-402. [PMID: 26350144 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-015-9444-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the most prevalent forms of morbidity among Veterans and Service Members, particularly for those engaged in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Neuroimaging has been considered a potentially useful diagnostic and prognostic tool across the spectrum of TBI generally, but may have particular importance in military populations where the diagnosis of mild TBI is particularly challenging, given the frequent lack of documentation on the nature of the injuries and mixed etiologies, and highly comorbid with other disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance misuse. Imaging has also been employed in attempts to understand better the potential late effects of trauma and to evaluate the effects of promising therapeutic interventions. This review surveys the use of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques utilized in military studies published to date, including the utilization of quantitative fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), volumetric analysis, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetization transfer imaging (MTI), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetoencephalography (MEG), task-based and resting state functional MRI (fMRI), arterial spin labeling (ASL), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The importance of quality assurance testing in current and future research is also highlighted. Current challenges and limitations of each technique are outlined, and future directions are discussed.
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46
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Dall'Acqua P, Johannes S, Mica L, Simmen HP, Glaab R, Fandino J, Schwendinger M, Meier C, Ulbrich EJ, Müller A, Jäncke L, Hänggi J. Connectomic and Surface-Based Morphometric Correlates of Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:127. [PMID: 27065831 PMCID: PMC4809899 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Reduced integrity of white matter (WM) pathways and subtle anomalies in gray matter (GM) morphology have been hypothesized as mechanisms in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). However, findings on structural brain changes in early stages after mTBI are inconsistent and findings related to early symptoms severity are rare. Fifty-one patients were assessed with multimodal neuroimaging and clinical methods exclusively within 7 days following mTBI and compared to 53 controls. Whole-brain connectivity based on diffusion tensor imaging was subjected to network-based statistics, whereas cortical surface area, thickness, and volume based on T1-weighted MRI scans were investigated using surface-based morphometric analysis. Reduced connectivity strength within a subnetwork of 59 edges located predominantly in bilateral frontal lobes was significantly associated with higher levels of self-reported symptoms. In addition, cortical surface area decreases were associated with stronger complaints in five clusters located in bilateral frontal and postcentral cortices, and in the right inferior temporal region. Alterations in WM and GM were localized in similar brain regions and moderately-to-strongly related to each other. Furthermore, the reduction of cortical surface area in the frontal regions was correlated with poorer attentive-executive performance in the mTBI group. Finally, group differences were detected in both the WM and GM, especially when focusing on a subgroup of patients with greater complaints, indicating the importance of classifying mTBI patients according to severity of symptoms. This study provides evidence that mTBI affects not only the integrity of WM networks by means of axonal damage but also the morphology of the cortex during the initial post-injury period. These anomalies might be greater in the acute period than previously believed and the involvement of frontal brain regions was consistently pronounced in both findings. The dysconnected subnetwork suggests that mTBI can be conceptualized as a dysconnection syndrome. It remains unclear whether reduced WM integrity is the trigger for changes in cortical surface area or whether tissue deformations are the direct result of mechanical forces acting on the brain. The findings suggest that rapid identification of high-risk patients with the use of clinical scales should be assessed acutely as part of the mTBI protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrizia Dall'Acqua
- Bellikon Rehabilitation ClinicBellikon, Switzerland; Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Ladislav Mica
- Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Peter Simmen
- Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Richard Glaab
- Department of Traumatology, Cantonal Hospital Aarau Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Javier Fandino
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital Aarau Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Markus Schwendinger
- Interdisciplinary Emergency Centre, Baden Cantonal Hospital Baden, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Meier
- Department of Surgery, Waid Hospital Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erika J Ulbrich
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program, Dynamic of Healthy Aging, University of ZurichZurich, Switzerland
| | - Jürgen Hänggi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
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47
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Govindarajan KA, Narayana PA, Hasan KM, Wilde EA, Levin HS, Hunter JV, Miller ER, Patel VKS, Robertson CS, McCarthy JJ. Cortical Thickness in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2016; 33:1809-1817. [PMID: 26959810 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.4253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired at ∼24 h and ∼3 months post-injury on mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI; n = 75) and orthopedic injury (n = 60) cohorts. The mTBI subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group with atorvastatin or a non-treatment mTBI group. The treatment group was further divided into drug and placebo subgroups. FreeSurfer software package was used to compute cortical thickness based on the three dimensional T1-weighted images at both time-points. Cross-sectional analysis was carried out to compare cortical thickness between the mTBI and control groups. Longitudinal unbiased templates were generated for all subjects and cortical thickness measurements were compared between baseline and follow-up scans in the mTBI group. At baseline, significant reduction in cortical thickness was observed in the left middle temporal and the right superior parietal regions in the mTBI group, relative to the control group (p = 0.01). At follow-up, significant cortical thinning was again observed in the left middle temporal cortex in the mTBI group. Further analysis revealed significant cortical thinning only in the non-treatment group relative to the control group. In the follow-up, small regions with significant but subtle cortical thinning and thickening were seen in the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes in the left hemisphere in the non-treatment group only. Our results indicate that cortical thickness could serve as a useful measure in identifying subtle changes in mTBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koushik A Govindarajan
- 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston, Texas
| | - Ponnada A Narayana
- 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston, Texas
| | - Khader M Hasan
- 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston, Texas
| | - Elisabeth A Wilde
- 2 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,3 Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Harvey S Levin
- 2 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas.,4 Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center , Houston, Texas
| | - Jill V Hunter
- 3 Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine , Houston, Texas
| | - Emmy R Miller
- 5 Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond, Virginia
| | - Vipul Kumar S Patel
- 1 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston, Texas
| | | | - James J McCarthy
- 7 Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston, Texas
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48
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Michael AP, Stout J, Roskos PT, Bolzenius J, Gfeller J, Mogul D, Bucholz R. Evaluation of Cortical Thickness after Traumatic Brain Injury in Military Veterans. J Neurotrauma 2015; 32:1751-8. [DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.3918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alex P. Michael
- Division of Neurosurgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois
| | - Jeffrey Stout
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
| | - P. Tyler Roskos
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Oakwood, Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Dearborn, Michigan
| | | | - Jeffrey Gfeller
- Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - David Mogul
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Richard Bucholz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
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49
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Structural Image Analysis of the Brain in Neuropsychology Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Techniques. Neuropsychol Rev 2015; 25:224-49. [PMID: 26280751 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-015-9290-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain provides exceptional image quality for visualization and neuroanatomical classification of brain structure. A variety of image analysis techniques provide both qualitative as well as quantitative methods to relate brain structure with neuropsychological outcome and are reviewed herein. Of particular importance are more automated methods that permit analysis of a broad spectrum of anatomical measures including volume, thickness and shape. The challenge for neuropsychology is which metric to use, for which disorder and the timing of when image analysis methods are applied to assess brain structure and pathology. A basic overview is provided as to the anatomical and pathoanatomical relations of different MRI sequences in assessing normal and abnormal findings. Some interpretive guidelines are offered including factors related to similarity and symmetry of typical brain development along with size-normalcy features of brain anatomy related to function. The review concludes with a detailed example of various quantitative techniques applied to analyzing brain structure for neuropsychological outcome studies in traumatic brain injury.
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Meier TB, Bellgowan PSF, Bergamino M, Ling JM, Mayer AR. Thinner Cortex in Collegiate Football Players With, but not Without, a Self-Reported History of Concussion. J Neurotrauma 2015; 33:330-8. [PMID: 26061068 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.3919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that a history of sports-related concussions can lead to long-term neuroanatomical changes. The extent to which similar changes are present in young athletes is undetermined at this time. Here, we tested the hypothesis that collegiate football athletes with (n = 25) and without (n = 24) a self-reported history of concussion would have cortical thickness differences and altered white matter integrity relative to healthy controls (n = 27) in fronto-temporal regions that appear particularly susceptible to traumatic brain injury. Freesurfer software was used to estimate cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy was calculated in a priori white matter tracts, and behavior was assessed using a concussion behavioral battery. Groups did not differ in self-reported symptoms (p > 0.10) or cognitive performance (p > 0.10). Healthy controls reported significantly higher happiness levels than both football groups (all p < 0.01). Contrary to our hypothesis, no differences in fractional anisotropy were observed between our groups (p > 0.10). However, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the left anterior cingulate cortex, orbital frontal cortex, and medial superior frontal cortex relative to healthy controls (p = 0.02, d = -0.69). Further, football athletes with a history of concussion had significantly thinner cortex in the right central sulcus and precentral gyrus relative to football athletes without a history of concussion (p = 0.03, d = -0.71). No differences were observed between football athletes without a history of concussion and healthy controls. These results suggest that previous concussions, but not necessarily football exposure, may be associated with cortical thickness differences in collegiate football athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy B Meier
- 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico .,2 Laureate Institute for Brain Research , Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Patrick S F Bellgowan
- 3 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health , North Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Josef M Ling
- 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Andrew R Mayer
- 1 The Mind Research Network/Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute , Albuquerque, New Mexico .,4 Neurology Department, University of New Mexico School of Medicine , Albuquerque, New Mexico .,5 Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico , Albuquerque, New Mexico
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