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Dubner SE, Rickerich L, Bruckert L, Poblaciones RV, Sproul D, Scala M, Feldman HM, Travis KE. Early, low-dose hydrocortisone and near-term brain connectivity in extremely preterm infants. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:1028-1034. [PMID: 38030826 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02903-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postnatal steroids are used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants but may have adverse effects on brain development. We assessed connectivity metrics of major cerebral and cerebellar white matter pathways at near-term gestational age among infants who did or did not receive a standardized regimen of hydrocortisone during the first 10 days of life. METHODS Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS Infants born <28 weeks: Protocol group (n = 33) received at least 50% and not more than 150% of an intended standard dose of 0.5 mg/kg hydrocortisone twice daily for 7 days, then 0.5 mg/kg per day for 3 days; Non-Protocol group (n = 22), did not receive protocol hydrocortisone or completed <50% of the protocol dose. We assessed group differences in near-term diffusion MRI mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) across the corticospinal tract, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum and superior cerebellar peduncle. RESULTS Groups were comparable in gestational age, post-menstrual age at scan, medical complications, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. No significant large effect group differences were identified in mean FA or MD in any cerebral or cerebellar tract. CONCLUSION(S) Low dose, early, postnatal hydrocortisone was not associated with significant differences in white matter tract microstructure at near-term gestational age. IMPACT This study compared brain microstructural connectivity as a primary outcome among extremely preterm infants who did or did not receive early postnatal hydrocortisone. Low dose hydrocortisone in the first 10 days of life was not associated with significant differences in white matter microstructure in major cerebral and cerebellar pathways. Hydrocortisone did not have a significant effect on early brain white matter circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Dubner
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lucy Rickerich
- Program in Human Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Bruckert
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rocío Velasco Poblaciones
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dawson Sproul
- Program in Human Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Scala
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine E Travis
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Asaridou SS, Cler GJ, Wiedemann A, Krishnan S, Smith HJ, Willis HE, Healy MP, Watkins KE. Microstructural Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Children with Developmental Language Disorder. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.13.548858. [PMID: 37503009 PMCID: PMC10370025 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.548858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) struggle to learn their native language for no apparent reason. While research on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder has focused on the role of cortico-striatal systems, little is known about the role of the cerebellum in DLD. Cortico-cerebellar circuits might be involved in the disorder as they contribute to complex sensorimotor skill learning, including the acquisition of spoken language. Here, we used diffusion-weighted imaging data from 77 typically developing and 54 children with DLD and performed probabilistic tractography to identify the cerebellum's white matter tracts: the inferior, middle, and superior cerebellar peduncles. Children with DLD showed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the inferior cerebellar peduncles (ICP), fiber tracts that carry motor and sensory input via the inferior olive to the cerebellum. Lower FA in DLD was driven by lower axial diffusivity. Probing this further with more sophisticated modeling of diffusion data, we found higher orientation dispersion but no difference in neurite density in the ICP of DLD. Reduced FA is therefore unlikely to be reflecting microstructural differences in myelination in this tract, rather the organization of axons in these pathways is disrupted. ICP microstructure was not associated with language or motor coordination performance in our sample. We also found no differences in the middle and superior peduncles, the main pathways connecting the cerebellum with the cortex. To conclude, it is not cortico-cerebellar but atypical olivocerebellar white matter connections that characterize DLD and suggest the involvement of the olivocerebellar system in speech acquisition and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salomi S. Asaridou
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gabriel J. Cler
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Anna Wiedemann
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Saloni Krishnan
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham Hill, Surrey, UK
| | - Harriet J. Smith
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hanna E. Willis
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Máiréad P. Healy
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kate E. Watkins
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Hosoki M, Bruckert L, Borchers LR, Marchman VA, Travis KE, Feldman HM. Associations of Behavioral Problems and White Matter Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Boys and Girls Born Full Term and Preterm. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 22:163-172. [PMID: 35138604 PMCID: PMC9360188 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01375-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the role of cerebellum includes regulation of behaviors; cerebellar impairment may lead to behavioral problems. Behavioral problems differ by sex: internalizing problems are more common in girls, externalizing problems in boys. Behavioral problems are also elevated in children born preterm (PT) compared to children born full term (FT). The current study examined internalizing and externalizing problems in 8-year-old children in relation to sex, birth-group, fractional anisotropy (FA) of the three cerebellar peduncles (superior, middle, and inferior), and interactions among these predictor variables. Participants (N = 78) were 44 boys (28 PT) and 34 girls (15 PT). We assessed behavioral problems via standardized parent reports and FA of the cerebellar peduncles using deterministic tractography. Internalizing problems were higher in children born PT compared to children born FT (p = .032); the interaction of sex and birth-group was significant (p = .044). When considering the contribution of the mean-tract FA of cerebellar peduncles to behavioral problems, there was a significant interaction of sex and mean-tract FA of the inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP) with internalizing problems; the slope was negative in girls (p = .020) but not in boys. In boys, internalizing problems were only associated with mean-tract FA ICP in those born preterm (p = .010). We found no other significant associations contributing to internalizing or externalizing problems. Thus, we found sexual dimorphism and birth-group differences in the association of white matter metrics of the ICP and internalizing problems in school-aged children. The findings inform theories of the origins of internalizing behavioral problems in middle childhood and may suggest approaches to treatment at school age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machiko Hosoki
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 3145 Porter Drive Mail Code 5395, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Lisa Bruckert
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 3145 Porter Drive Mail Code 5395, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | | | | | - Katherine E Travis
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 3145 Porter Drive Mail Code 5395, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, 3145 Porter Drive Mail Code 5395, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, USA.
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Association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity and white matter integrity moderated by in-scanner head motion. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:434. [PMID: 36202807 PMCID: PMC9537185 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02117-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder associated with various negative life impacts. The manifestation of ADHD is very heterogeneous, and previous investigations on neuroanatomical alterations in ADHD have yielded inconsistent results. We investigated the mediating effect of in-scanner head motion and ADHD hyperactivity severity on motion-corrected fractional anisotropy (FA) using diffusion tensor imaging in the currently largest sample (n = 739) of medication-naïve children and adolescents (age range 5-22 years). We used automated tractography to examine whole-brain and mean FA of the tracts most frequently reported in ADHD; corpus callosum forceps major and forceps minor, left and right superior-longitudinal fasciculus, and left and right corticospinal tract (CST). Associations between FA and hyperactivity severity appeared when in-scanner head motion was not accounted for as mediator. However, causal mediation analysis revealed that these effects are fully mediated through in-scanner head motion for whole-brain FA, the corpus callosum forceps minor, and left superior-longitudinal fasciculus. Direct effect of hyperactivity severity on FA was only found for the left CST. This study illustrates the crucial role of in-scanner head motion in the identification of white matter integrity alterations in ADHD and shows how neglecting irremediable motion artifacts causes spurious findings. When the mediating effect of in-scanner head motion on FA is accounted for, an association between hyperactivity severity and FA is only present for the left CST; this may play a crucial role in the manifestation of hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms in ADHD.
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5
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Johnson CA, Liu Y, Waller N, Chang SE. Tract profiles of the cerebellar peduncles in children who stutter. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:1773-1787. [PMID: 35220486 PMCID: PMC9743081 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02471-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar-cortical loops comprise critical neural circuitry that supports self-initiated movements and motor adjustments in response to perceived errors, functions that are affected in stuttering. It is unknown whether structural aspects of cerebellar circuitry are affected in stuttering, particularly in children close to symptom onset. Here we examined white matter diffusivity characteristics of the three cerebellar peduncles (CPs) based on diffusion MRI (dMRI) data collected from 41 children who stutter (CWS) and 42 controls in the 3-11 years range. We hypothesized that CWS would exhibit decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the right CPs given the contralateral connectivity of the cerebellar-cortical loops and past reports of structural differences in left cortical areas in stuttering speakers. Automatic Fiber Quantification (AFQ) was used to track and segment cerebellar white matter pathways and to extract diffusivity measures. We found significant group differences for FA in the right inferior CP (ICP) only: controls showed significantly higher FA in the right ventral ICP compared to CWS, controlling for age, sex, and verbal IQ. Furthermore, FA of right ICP was negatively correlated with stuttering frequency in CWS. These results suggest an early developmental difference in the right ICP for CWS compared to age-matched peers, which may indicate an alteration in error processing, a function previously linked to the ICP. Lower FA here may impact error monitoring and sensory input processing to guide motor corrections. Further longitudinal investigations in children may provide additional insights into how CP development links to stuttering persistence and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea A Johnson
- Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yanni Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Noah Waller
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Soo-Eun Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Toescu SM, Bruckert L, Jabarkheel R, Yecies D, Zhang M, Clark CA, Mankad K, Aquilina K, Grant GA, Feldman HM, Travis KE, Yeom KW. Spatiotemporal changes in along-tract profilometry of cerebellar peduncles in cerebellar mutism syndrome. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 35:103000. [PMID: 35370121 PMCID: PMC9421471 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar mutism syndrome, characterised by mutism, emotional lability and cerebellar motor signs, occurs in up to 39% of children following resection of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant posterior fossa tumour of childhood. Its pathophysiology remains unclear, but prior studies have implicated damage to the superior cerebellar peduncles. In this study, the objective was to conduct high-resolution spatial profilometry of the cerebellar peduncles and identify anatomic biomarkers of cerebellar mutism syndrome. In this retrospective study, twenty-eight children with medulloblastoma (mean age 8.8 ± 3.8 years) underwent diffusion MRI at four timepoints over one year. Forty-nine healthy children (9.0 ± 4.2 years), scanned at a single timepoint, served as age- and sex-matched controls. Automated Fibre Quantification was used to segment cerebellar peduncles and compute fractional anisotropy (FA) at 30 nodes along each tract. Thirteen patients developed cerebellar mutism syndrome. FA was significantly lower in the distal third of the left superior cerebellar peduncle pre-operatively in all patients compared to controls (FA in proximal third 0.228, middle and distal thirds 0.270, p = 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.927). Pre-operative differences in FA did not predict cerebellar mutism syndrome. However, post-operative reductions in FA were highly specific to the distal left superior cerebellar peduncle, and were most pronounced in children with cerebellar mutism syndrome compared to those without at the 1-4 month follow up (0.325 vs 0.512, p = 0.042, d = 1.36) and at the 1-year follow up (0.342, vs 0.484, p = 0.038, d = 1.12). High spatial resolution cerebellar profilometry indicated a site-specific alteration of the distal segment of the superior cerebellar peduncle seen in cerebellar mutism syndrome which may have important surgical implications in the treatment of these devastating tumours of childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian M Toescu
- Division of Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Radiology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK.
| | - Lisa Bruckert
- Division of Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rashad Jabarkheel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Derek Yecies
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Christopher A Clark
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Kshitij Mankad
- Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Kristian Aquilina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Gerald A Grant
- Department of Neurosurgery, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Division of Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Katherine E Travis
- Division of Developmental-Behavioural Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kristen W Yeom
- Department of Radiology, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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De Benedictis A, Rossi-Espagnet MC, de Palma L, Carai A, Marras CE. Networking of the Human Cerebellum: From Anatomo-Functional Development to Neurosurgical Implications. Front Neurol 2022; 13:806298. [PMID: 35185765 PMCID: PMC8854219 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.806298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the past, the cerebellum was considered to be substantially involved in sensory-motor coordination. However, a growing number of neuroanatomical, neuroimaging, clinical and lesion studies have now provided converging evidence on the implication of the cerebellum in a variety of cognitive, affective, social, and behavioral processes as well. These findings suggest a complex anatomo-functional organization of the cerebellum, involving a dense network of cortical territories and reciprocal connections with many supra-tentorial association areas. The final architecture of cerebellar networks results from a complex, highly protracted, and continuous development from childhood to adulthood, leading to integration between short-distance connections and long-range extra-cerebellar circuits. In this review, we summarize the current evidence on the anatomo-functional organization of the cerebellar connectome. We will focus on the maturation process of afferent and efferent neuronal circuitry, and the involvement of these networks in different aspects of neurocognitive processing. The final section will be devoted to identifying possible implications of this knowledge in neurosurgical practice, especially in the case of posterior fossa tumor resection, and to discuss reliable strategies to improve the quality of approaches while reducing postsurgical morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro De Benedictis
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alessandro De Benedictis
| | - Maria Camilla Rossi-Espagnet
- Neuroradiology Unit, Imaging Department, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca de Palma
- Neurology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Carai
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Efisio Marras
- Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Rome, Italy
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Jossinger S, Sares A, Zislis A, Sury D, Gracco V, Ben-Shachar M. White matter correlates of sensorimotor synchronization in persistent developmental stuttering. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2022; 95:106169. [PMID: 34856426 PMCID: PMC8821245 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Individuals with persistent developmental stuttering display deficits in aligning motor actions to external cues (i.e., sensorimotor synchronization). Diffusion imaging studies point to stuttering-associated differences in dorsal, not ventral, white matter pathways, and in the cerebellar peduncles. Here, we studied microstructural white matter differences between adults who stutter (AWS) and fluent speakers using two complementary approaches to: (a) assess previously reported group differences in white matter diffusivity, and (b) evaluate the relationship between white matter diffusivity and sensorimotor synchronization in each group. METHODS Participants completed a sensorimotor synchronization task and a diffusion MRI scan. We identified the cerebellar peduncles and major dorsal- and ventral-stream language pathways in each individual and assessed correlations between sensorimotor synchronization and diffusion measures along the tracts. RESULTS The results demonstrated group differences in dorsal, not ventral, language tracts, in alignment with prior reports. Specifically, AWS had significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left arcuate fasciculus, and significantly higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the bilateral frontal aslant tract compared to fluent speakers, while no significant group difference was detected in the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus. We also found significant group differences in both FA and MD of the left middle cerebellar peduncle. Comparing patterns of association with sensorimotor synchronization revealed a novel double dissociation: MD within the left inferior cerebellar peduncle was significantly correlated with mean asynchrony in AWS but not in fluent speakers, while FA within the left arcuate fasciculus was significantly correlated with mean asynchrony in fluent speakers, but not in AWS. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the view that stuttering involves altered connectivity in dorsal tracts and that AWS may rely more heavily on cerebellar tracts to process timing information. Evaluating microstructural associations with sensitive behavioral measures provides a powerful tool for discovering additional functional differences in the underlying connectivity in AWS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Jossinger
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Anastasia Sares
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Avital Zislis
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Dana Sury
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; The Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Bruckert L, Travis KE, Mezer AA, Ben-Shachar M, Feldman HM. Associations of Reading Efficiency with White Matter Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Children. THE CEREBELLUM 2021; 19:771-777. [PMID: 32642932 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01162-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Reading in children has been associated with microstructural properties of the cerebellar peduncles, the white matter pathways connecting the cerebellum to the cerebrum. In this study, we used two independent neuroimaging modalities to assess which features of the cerebellar peduncles would be associated with reading. Twenty-three 8-year-old children were evaluated on word reading efficiency and imaged using diffusion MRI (dMRI) and quantitative T1 relaxometry (qT1). We segmented the superior (SCP), middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles and extracted two metrics: fractional anisotropy (FA) from dMRI and R1 from qT1. Tract-FA was significantly correlated with tract-R1 in left and right SCPs (left: rP(21) = .63, right: rP(21) = .76, p ≤ .001) suggesting that FA of these peduncles, at least in part, indexed myelin content. Tract-FA and tract R1 were not correlated in the other cerebellar peduncles. Reading efficiency negatively correlated with tract-FA of the left (rP(21) = - .43, p = .040) and right SCP (rP(21) = - .37, p = .079). Reading efficiency did not correlate with tract-R1 in the SCPs. The negative association of reading efficiency with tract-FA and the lack of association of reading efficiency with tract-R1 implicate properties other than myelin content as relevant to the information flow between the cerebellum and the cerebrum for individual differences in reading skills in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bruckert
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine E Travis
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Aviv A Mezer
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Medical School Office Building, 1265 Welch Road, Room X163, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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White Matter Microstructural Properties of the Cerebellar Peduncles Predict Change in Symptoms of Psychopathology in Adolescent Girls. THE CEREBELLUM 2021; 21:380-390. [PMID: 34309819 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01307-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Internalizing symptoms typically emerge in adolescence and are more prevalent in females than in males; in contrast, externalizing symptoms typically emerge in childhood and are more commonly observed in males. Previous research has implicated aspects of white matter organization, including fractional anisotropy (FA), of cerebral tracts in both internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Although the cerebellum has been posited to integrate limbic and cortical regions, its role in psychopathology is not well understood. In this longitudinal study, we investigated whether FA of the superior (SCP), middle (MCP), and inferior cerebellar peduncles (ICP) predict change in symptoms and whether sex moderates this association. One hundred eleven adolescents completed the Youth Self-Report, assessing symptoms at baseline (ages 9-13 years) and again 2 years later. Participants also underwent diffusion-weighted imaging at baseline. We used deterministic tractography to segment and compute mean FA of the cerebellar peduncles. Lower FA of the right SCP at baseline predicted increases in internalizing symptoms in females only. Lower FA in the right SCP and ICP also predicted increases in externalizing symptoms in females, but these associations did not survive multiple comparison correction. There was no association between FA of the cerebellar peduncles and change in symptoms in males or between MCP FA and symptom changes in males or females. Organizational properties of the SCP may be a sex-specific marker of internalizing symptom changes in adolescence. The cerebellar peduncles should be explored further in future studies to elucidate sex differences in symptoms.
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Amore G, Spoto G, Ieni A, Vetri L, Quatrosi G, Di Rosa G, Nicotera AG. A Focus on the Cerebellum: From Embryogenesis to an Age-Related Clinical Perspective. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:646052. [PMID: 33897383 PMCID: PMC8062874 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.646052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum and its functional multiplicity and heterogeneity have been objects of curiosity and interest since ancient times, giving rise to the urge to reveal its complexity. Since the first hypothesis of cerebellar mere role in motor tuning and coordination, much more has been continuously discovered about the cerebellum’s circuitry and functioning throughout centuries, leading to the currently accepted knowledge of its prominent involvement in cognitive, social, and behavioral areas. Particularly in childhood, the cerebellum may subserve several age-dependent functions, which might be compromised in several Central Nervous System pathologies. Overall, cerebellar damage may produce numerous signs and symptoms and determine a wide variety of neuropsychiatric impairments already during the evolutive age. Therefore, an early assessment in children would be desirable to address a prompt diagnosis and a proper intervention since the first months of life. Here we provide an overview of the cerebellum, retracing its morphology, histogenesis, and physiological functions, and finally outlining its involvement in typical and atypical development and the age-dependent patterns of cerebellar dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Amore
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giulia Spoto
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Ieni
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Luigi Vetri
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Quatrosi
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gabriella Di Rosa
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Gennaro Nicotera
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and Developmental Age "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, Messina, Italy
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12
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Toescu SM, Hales PW, Kaden E, Lacerda LM, Aquilina K, Clark CA. Tractographic and Microstructural Analysis of the Dentato-Rubro-Thalamo-Cortical Tracts in Children Using Diffusion MRI. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:2595-2609. [PMID: 33338201 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The dentato-rubro-thalamo-cortical tract (DRTC) is the main outflow pathway of the cerebellum, contributing to a finely balanced corticocerebellar loop involved in cognitive and sensorimotor functions. Damage to the DRTC has been implicated in cerebellar mutism syndrome seen in up to 25% of children after cerebellar tumor resection. Multi-shell diffusion MRI (dMRI) combined with quantitative constrained spherical deconvolution tractography and multi-compartment spherical mean technique modeling was used to explore the frontocerebellar connections and microstructural signature of the DRTC in 30 healthy children. The highest density of DRTC connections were to the precentral (M1) and superior frontal gyri (F1), and from cerebellar lobules I-IV and IX. The first evidence of a topographic organization of anterograde projections to the frontal cortex at the level of the superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) is demonstrated, with streamlines terminating in F1 lying dorsomedially in the SCP compared to those terminating in M1. The orientation dispersion entropy of DRTC regions appears to exhibit greater contrast than that shown by fractional anisotropy. Analysis of a separate reproducibility cohort demonstrates good consistency in the dMRI metrics described. These novel anatomical insights into this well-studied pathway may prove to be of clinical relevance in the surgical resection of cerebellar tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian M Toescu
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK.,Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Patrick W Hales
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Enrico Kaden
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK.,Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London WC1V 6LJ, UK
| | - Luis M Lacerda
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Kristian Aquilina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London WC1N 3JH, UK
| | - Christopher A Clark
- Developmental Imaging and Biophysics Section, UCL-GOS Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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13
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Jossinger S, Mawase F, Ben-Shachar M, Shmuelof L. Locomotor Adaptation Is Associated with Microstructural Properties of the Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle. THE CEREBELLUM 2021; 19:370-382. [PMID: 32034666 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-020-01116-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In sensorimotor adaptation paradigms, participants learn to adjust their behavior in response to an external perturbation. Locomotor adaptation and reaching adaptation depend on the cerebellum and are accompanied by changes in functional connectivity in cortico-cerebellar circuits. In order to gain a better understanding of the particular cerebellar projections involved in locomotor adaptation, we assessed the contribution of specific white matter pathways to the magnitude of locomotor adaptation and to long-term motor adaptation effects (recall and relearning). Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with deterministic tractography was used to delineate the inferior and superior cerebellar peduncles (ICP, SCP) and the corticospinal tract (CST). Correlations were calculated to assess the association between the diffusivity values along the tracts and behavioral measures of locomotor adaptation. The results point to a significant correlation between the magnitude of adaptation and diffusivity values in the left ICP. Specifically, a higher magnitude of adaptation was associated with higher mean diffusivity and with lower anisotropy values in the left ICP, but not in other pathways. Post hoc analysis revealed that the effect stems from radial, not axial, diffusivity. The magnitude of adaptation was further associated with the degree of ICP lateralization, such that greater adaptation magnitude was correlated with increased rightward asymmetry of the ICP. Our findings suggest that the magnitude of locomotor adaptation depends on afferent signals to the cerebellum, transmitted via the ICP, and point to the contribution of error detection to locomotor adaptation rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Jossinger
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Firas Mawase
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.,The Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Lior Shmuelof
- Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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14
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Speech rate association with cerebellar white-matter diffusivity in adults with persistent developmental stuttering. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:801-816. [PMID: 33538875 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02210-7] [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] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Speech rate is a basic characteristic of language production, which affects the speaker's intelligibility and communication efficiency. Various speech disorders, including persistent developmental stuttering, present altered speech rate. Specifically, adults who stutter (AWS) typically exhibit a slower speech rate compared to fluent speakers. Evidence from imaging studies suggests that the cerebellum contributes to the paced production of speech. People who stutter show structural and functional abnormalities in the cerebellum. However, the involvement of the cerebellar pathways in controlling speech rate remains unexplored. Here, we assess the association of the cerebellar peduncles with speech rate in AWS and control speakers. Diffusion MRI and speech-rate data were collected in 42 participants (23 AWS, 19 controls). We used deterministic tractography with Automatic Fiber segmentation and Quantification (AFQ) to identify the superior, middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles (SCP, MCP, ICP) bilaterally, and quantified fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) along each tract. No significant differences were observed between AWS and controls in the diffusivity values of the cerebellar peduncles. However, AWS demonstrated a significant negative association between speech rate and FA within the left ICP, a major cerebellar pathway that transmits sensory feedback signals from the olivary nucleus into the cerebellum. The involvement of the ICP in controlling speech production in AWS is compatible with the view that stuttering stems from hyperactive speech monitoring, where even minor deviations from the speech plan are considered as errors. In conclusion, our findings suggest a plausible neural mechanism for speech rate reduction observed in AWS.
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15
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Machado-Rivas F, Afacan O, Khan S, Marami B, Rollins CK, Ortinau C, Velasco-Annis C, Warfield SK, Gholipour A, Jaimes C. Tractography of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Second- and Third-Trimester Fetuses. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2021; 42:194-200. [PMID: 33431505 PMCID: PMC7814802 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a6869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Little is known about microstructural development of cerebellar white matter in vivo. This study aimed to investigate developmental changes of the cerebellar peduncles in second- and third-trimester healthy fetuses using motion-corrected DTI and tractography. MATERIALS AND METHODS 3T data of 81 healthy fetuses were reviewed. Structural imaging consisted of multiplanar T2-single-shot sequences; DTI consisted of a series of 12-direction diffusion. A robust motion-tracked section-to-volume registration algorithm reconstructed images. ROI-based deterministic tractography was performed using anatomic landmarks described in postnatal tractography. Asymmetry was evaluated qualitatively with a perceived difference of >25% between sides. Linear regression evaluated gestational age as a predictor of tract volume, ADC, and fractional anisotropy. RESULTS Twenty-four cases were excluded due to low-quality reconstructions. Fifty-eight fetuses with a median gestational age of 30.6 weeks (interquartile range, 7 weeks) were analyzed. The superior cerebellar peduncle was identified in 39 subjects (69%), and it was symmetric in 15 (38%). The middle cerebellar peduncle was identified in all subjects and appeared symmetric; in 13 subjects (22%), two distinct subcomponents were identified. The inferior cerebellar peduncle was not found in any subject. There was a significant increase in volume for the superior cerebellar peduncle and middle cerebellar peduncle (both, P < .05), an increase in fractional anisotropy (both, P < .001), and a decrease in ADC (both, P < .001) with gestational age. The middle cerebellar peduncle had higher volume (P < .001) and fractional anisotropy (P = .002) and lower ADC (P < .001) than the superior cerebellar peduncle after controlling for gestational age. CONCLUSIONS A robust motion-tracked section-to-volume registration algorithm enabled deterministic tractography of the superior cerebellar peduncle and middle cerebellar peduncle in vivo and allowed characterization of developmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Machado-Rivas
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - O Afacan
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - S Khan
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - B Marami
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - C K Rollins
- Department of Radiology, Department of Neurology (C.K.R.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - C Ortinau
- Department of Pediatrics (C.O.), Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - C Velasco-Annis
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
| | - S K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - A Gholipour
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
| | - C Jaimes
- Computational Radiology Laboratory (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.V.-A., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.)
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center (C.J.), Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School (F.M.-R., O.A., S.K., B.M., C.K.R., S.K.W., A.G., C.J.), Boston, Massachusetts
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16
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Dubner SE, Rose J, Bruckert L, Feldman HM, Travis KE. Neonatal white matter tract microstructure and 2-year language outcomes after preterm birth. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 28:102446. [PMID: 33035964 PMCID: PMC7554644 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Preterm infant white matter tracts uniquely predict later toddler language. Neonatal medical history moderates posterior corpus callosum–language relations. Different associations by tract may relate to brain maturation and medical history.
Aim To determine whether variability in diffusion MRI (dMRI) white matter tract metrics, obtained in a cohort of preterm infants prior to neonatal hospital discharge, would be associated with language outcomes at age 2 years, after consideration of age at scan and number of major neonatal complications. Method 30 children, gestational age 28.9 (2.4) weeks, underwent dMRI at mean post menstrual age 36.4 (1.4) weeks and language assessment with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development–III at mean age 22.2 (1.7) months chronological age. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated for 5 white matter tracts. Hierarchical linear regression assessed associations between tract FA, moderating variables, and language outcomes. Results FA of the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus accounted for 17% (p = 0.03) of the variance in composite language and FA of the posterior corpus callosum accounted for 19% (p = 0.02) of the variance in composite language, beyond that accounted for by post-menstrual age at scan and neonatal medical complications. The number of neonatal medical complications moderated the relationship between language and posterior corpus callosum FA but did not moderate the association in the other tract. Conclusion Language at age 2 is associated with white matter metrics in early infancy in preterm children. The different pattern of associations by fiber group may relate to the stage of brain maturation and/or the nature and timing of medical complications related to preterm birth. Future studies should replicate these findings with a larger sample size to assure reliability of the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Dubner
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Jessica Rose
- Division of Pediatric Orthopaedics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Bruckert
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine E Travis
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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17
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Mallott JM, Palacios EM, Maruta J, Ghajar J, Mukherjee P. Disrupted White Matter Microstructure of the Cerebellar Peduncles in Scholastic Athletes After Concussion. Front Neurol 2019; 10:518. [PMID: 31156545 PMCID: PMC6530417 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a major public health concern, linked with persistent post-concussive syndrome, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. At present, standard clinical imaging fails to reliably detect traumatic axonal injury associated with concussion and post-concussive symptoms. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is an MR imaging technique that is sensitive to changes in white matter microstructure. Prior studies using DTI did not jointly investigate white matter microstructure in athletes, a population at high risk for concussive and subconcussive head traumas, with those in typical emergency room (ER) patients. In this study, we determine DTI scalar metrics in both ER patients and scholastic athletes who suffered concussions and compared them to those in age-matched healthy controls. In the early subacute post-concussion period, athletes demonstrated an elevated rate of regional decreases in axial diffusivity (AD) compared to controls. These regional decreases of AD were especially pronounced in the cerebellar peduncles, and were more frequent in athletes compared to the ER patient sample. The group differences may indicate differences in the mechanisms of the concussive impacts as well as possible compound effects of cumulative subconcussive impacts in athletes. The prevalence of white matter abnormality in cerebellar tracts lends credence to the hypothesis that post-concussive symptoms are caused by shearing of axons within an attention network mediated by the cerebellum, and warrant further study of the correlation between cerebellar DTI findings and clinical, neurocognitive, oculomotor, and vestibular outcomes in mTBI patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Mallott
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eva M. Palacios
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jun Maruta
- Departments of Neurology and Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
- Brain Trauma Foundation, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jamshid Ghajar
- Brain Trauma Foundation, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Pratik Mukherjee
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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18
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Bruckert L, Borchers LR, Dodson CK, Marchman VA, Travis KE, Ben-Shachar M, Feldman HM. White Matter Plasticity in Reading-Related Pathways Differs in Children Born Preterm and at Term: A Longitudinal Analysis. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:139. [PMID: 31139064 PMCID: PMC6519445 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Children born preterm (PT) are at risk for white matter injuries based on complications of prematurity. They learn to read but on average perform below peers born full term (FT). Studies have yet to establish whether properties of white matter pathways at the onset of learning to read are associated with individual variation later in reading development in PT children. Here, we asked whether fractional anisotropy (FA) at age 6 years is associated with reading outcome at age 8 years in PT children in the same pathways as previously demonstrated in a sample of FT children. PT (n = 34, mean gestational age = 29.5 weeks) and FT children (n = 37) completed diffusion MRI and standardized measures of non-verbal IQ, language, and phonological awareness at age 6 years. Reading skills were assessed at age 8 years. Mean tract-FA was extracted from pathways that predicted reading outcome in children born FT: left arcuate fasciculus (Arc), bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), and left inferior cerebellar peduncle (ICP). We explored associations in additional pathways in the PT children: bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus. Linear regression models examined whether the prediction of reading outcome at age 8 years based on mean tract-FA at age 6 years was moderated by birth group. Children born PT and FT did not differ significantly in tract-FA at age 6 years or in reading at age 8 years. Sex, socioeconomic status, and non-verbal IQ at age 6 years were associated with reading outcome and were included as covariates in all models. Birth group status significantly moderated associations between reading outcome and mean tract-FA only in the left Arc, right SLF, and left ICP, before and after consideration of pre-literacy skills. Microstructural properties of these cerebral and cerebellar pathways predicted later reading outcome in FT but not in PT children. Children born PT may rely on alternative pathways to achieve fluent reading. These findings have implications for plasticity of neural organization after early white matter injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bruckert
- The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Group, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Lauren R Borchers
- The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Group, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Cory K Dodson
- The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Group, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Virginia A Marchman
- Language Learning Lab, Center for Infant Studies, Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Katherine E Travis
- The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Group, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Michal Ben-Shachar
- The Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- The Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Research Group, Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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