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Tixier F, Rodriguez D, Jones J, Martin L, Yassall A, Selvaraj B, Islam M, Ostendorf A, Hester M, Ho ML. Radiomic detection of abnormal brain regions in tuberous sclerosis complex. Med Phys 2024. [PMID: 39312593 DOI: 10.1002/mp.17400] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiomics refers to the extraction of quantitative information from medical images and is most commonly utilized in oncology to provide ancillary information for solid tumor diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. The traditional radiomic pipeline involves segmentation of volumes of interest with comparison to normal brain. In other neurologic disorders, such as epilepsy, lesion delineation may be difficult or impossible due to poor anatomic definition, small size, and multifocal or diffuse distribution. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disease in which brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates multifocal abnormalities with variable imaging and epileptogenic features. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to develop a radiomic workflow for identification of abnormal brain regions in TSC, using a whole-brain atlas-based approach with generation of heatmaps based on signal deviation from normal controls. METHODS This was a retrospective pilot study utilizing high-resolution whole-brain 3D FLAIR MRI datasets from retrospective enrollment of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients and normal controls. Subjects underwent MRI including high-resolution 3D FLAIR sequences. Preprocessing included skull stripping, coregistration, and intensity normalization. Using the Brainnetome and Harvard-Oxford atlases, brain regions were parcellated into 318 discrete regions. Expert neuroradiologists spatially labeled all tubers in TSC patients using ITK-SNAP. The pyradiomics toolbox was used to extract 88 radiomic features based on IBSI guidelines, comparing tuber-affected and non-tuber-affected parenchyma in TSC patients, as well as normal brain tissue in control patients. For model training and validation, regions with tubers from 20 TSC patients and 30 normal control subjects were randomly divided into two training sets (80%) and two validation sets (20%). Additional model testing was performed on a separate group of 20 healthy controls. LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) was used to perform variable selection and regularization to identify regions containing tubers. Relevant radiomic features selected by LASSO were combined to produce a radiomic score ω, defined as the sum of squared differences from average control group values. Region-specific ω scores were converted to heat maps and spatially coregistered with brain MRI to reflect overall radiomic deviation from normal. RESULTS The proposed radiomic workflow allows for quantification of deviation from normal in 318 regions of the brain with the use of a summative radiomic score ω. This score can be used to generate spatially registered heatmaps to identify brain regions with radiomic abnormalities. The pilot study of TSC showed radiomic scores ω that were statistically different in regions containing tubers from regions without tubers/normal brain (p < 0.0001). Our model exhibits an AUC of 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.78-0.84) on the testing set, and the best threshold obtained on the training set, when applied to the testing set, allows us to identify regions with tubers with a specificity of 0.91 and a sensitivity of 0.60. CONCLUSION We describe a whole-brain atlas-based radiomic approach to identify abnormal brain regions in TSC patients. This approach may be helpful for identifying specific regions of interest based on relatively greater signal deviation, particularly in clinical scenarios with numerous or poorly defined anatomic lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florent Tixier
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Diana Rodriguez
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Jeremy Jones
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lisa Martin
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Anthony Yassall
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Bhavani Selvaraj
- Department of Radiology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Monica Islam
- Department of Neurology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Adam Ostendorf
- Department of Neurology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mark Hester
- The Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mai-Lan Ho
- Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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Ahtam B, Yun HJ, Vyas R, Pienaar R, Wilson JH, Goswami CP, Berto LF, Warfield SK, Sahin M, Grant PE, Peters JM, Im K. Morphological Features of Language Regions in Individuals with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:3155-3175. [PMID: 37222965 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06004-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
A significant number of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) exhibit language difficulties. Here, we examined the language-related brain morphometry in 59 participants (7 participants with TSC and comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (TSC + ASD), 13 with TSC but no ASD (TSC-ASD), 10 with ASD-only (ASD), and 29 typically developing (TD) controls). A hemispheric asymmetry was noted in surface area and gray matter volume of several cortical language areas in TD, ASD, and TSC-ASD groups, but not in TSC + ASD group. TSC + ASD group demonstrated increased cortical thickness and curvature values in multiple language regions for both hemispheres, compared to other groups. After controlling for tuber load in the TSC groups, within-group differences stayed the same but the differences between TSC-ASD and TSC + ASD were no longer statistically significant. These preliminary findings suggest that comorbid ASD in TSC as well as tuber load in TSC is associated with changes in the morphometry of language regions. Future studies with larger sample sizes will be needed to confirm these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Hyuk Jin Yun
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rutvi Vyas
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rudolph Pienaar
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Josephine H Wilson
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Caroline P Goswami
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Laura F Berto
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Calixto C, Machado-Rivas F, Karimi D, Velasco C, Cortes-Albornoz MC, Afacan O, Warfield SK, Gholipour A, Jaimes C. Population Atlas Analysis of Emerging Brain Structural Connections in the Human Fetus. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 60:152-160. [PMID: 37842932 PMCID: PMC11018715 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A lack of in utero imaging data hampers our understanding of the connections in the human fetal brain. Generalizing observations from postmortem subjects and premature newborns is inaccurate due to technical and biological differences. PURPOSE To evaluate changes in fetal brain structural connectivity between 23 and 35 weeks postconceptional age using a spatiotemporal atlas of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). STUDY TYPE Retrospective. POPULATION Publicly available diffusion atlases, based on 60 healthy women (age 18-45 years) with normal prenatal care, from 23 and 35 weeks of gestation. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3.0 Tesla/DTI acquired with diffusion-weighted echo planar imaging (EPI). ASSESSMENT We performed whole-brain fiber tractography from DTI images. The cortical plate of each diffusion atlas was segmented and parcellated into 78 regions derived from the Edinburgh Neonatal Atlas (ENA33). Connectivity matrices were computed, representing normalized fiber connections between nodes. We examined the relationship between global efficiency (GE), local efficiency (LE), small-worldness (SW), nodal efficiency (NE), and betweenness centrality (BC) with gestational age (GA) and with laterality. STATISTICAL TESTS Linear regression was used to analyze changes in GE, LE, NE, and BC throughout gestation, and to assess changes in laterality. The t-tests were used to assess SW. P-values were corrected using Holm-Bonferroni method. A corrected P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS Network analysis revealed a significant weekly increase in GE (5.83%/week, 95% CI 4.32-7.37), LE (5.43%/week, 95% CI 3.63-7.25), and presence of SW across GA. No significant hemisphere differences were found in GE (P = 0.971) or LE (P = 0.458). Increasing GA was significantly associated with increasing NE in 41 nodes, increasing BC in 3 nodes, and decreasing BC in 2 nodes. DATA CONCLUSION Extensive network development and refinement occur in the second and third trimesters, marked by a rapid increase in global integration and local segregation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Calixto
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | - Fedel Machado-Rivas
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston, MA
| | - Davood Karimi
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | - Clemente Velasco
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | | | - Onur Afacan
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | - Simon K. Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | - Ali Gholipour
- Computational Radiology Laboratory. Department of Radiology. Boston Children’s Hospital. Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
| | - Camilo Jaimes
- Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital. Boston, MA
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Clements CC, Engelstad AM, Wilkinson CL, Hyde C, Hartney M, Simmons A, Tager-Flusberg H, Jeste S, Nelson CA. Resting state EEG in young children with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4543112. [PMID: 38978564 PMCID: PMC11230505 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4543112/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Background Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) manifests behaviorally with features of autism, epilepsy, and intellectual disability. Resting state electroencephalography (EEG) offers a window into neural oscillatory activity and may serve as an intermediate biomarker between gene expression and behavioral manifestations. Such a biomarker could be useful in clinical trials as an endpoint or predictor of treatment response. However, seizures and antiepileptic medications also affect resting neural oscillatory activity and could undermine the utility of resting state EEG features as biomarkers in neurodevelopmental disorders such as TSC. Methods This paper compares resting state EEG features in a cross-sectional cohort of young children with TSC (n=49, ages 12-37 months) to 49 age- and sex-matched typically developing controls. Within children with TSC, associations were examined between resting state EEG features, seizure severity composite score, and use of GABA agonists. Results Compared to matched typically developing controls, children with TSC showed significantly greater alpha and beta power in permutation cluster analyses iterated across a broad frequency range (2-50Hz). Children with TSC also showed significantly greater aperiodic offset after power spectra were parameterized using SpecParam into aperiodic and periodic components. Within children with TSC, greater seizure severity was significantly related to increased periodic peak beta power. Use of GABA agonists was also independently and significantly associated with increased periodic peak beta power; the interaction between seizure severity and GABA agonist use had no significant effect on peak beta power. Conclusions The elevated peak beta power observed in children with TSC compared to matched typically developing controls may be driven by both seizures and GABA agonist use. It is recommended to collect seizure and mediation data alongside EEG data for clinical trials. These results highlight the challenge of using resting state EEG features as biomarkers in trials with neurodevelopmental disabilities when epilepsy and anti-epileptic medication are common.
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Richard MA, Lupo PJ, Ehli EA, Sahin M, Krueger DA, Wu JY, Bebin EM, Au KS, Northrup H, Farach LS. Common epilepsy variants from the general population are not associated with epilepsy among individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex. Am J Med Genet A 2024; 194:e63569. [PMID: 38366765 PMCID: PMC11060940 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Common genetic variants identified in the general population have been found to increase phenotypic risks among individuals with certain genetic conditions. Up to 90% of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are affected by some type of epilepsy, yet the common variants contributing to epilepsy risk in the general population have not been evaluated in the context of TSC-associated epilepsy. Such knowledge is important to help uncover the underlying pathogenesis of epilepsy in TSC which is not fully understood, and critical as uncontrolled epilepsy is a major problem in this population. To evaluate common genetic modifiers of epilepsy, our study pooled phenotypic and genotypic data from 369 individuals with TSC to evaluate known and novel epilepsy common variants. We did not find evidence of enhanced genetic penetrance for known epilepsy variants identified across the largest genome-wide association studies of epilepsy in the general population, but identified support for novel common epilepsy variants in the context of TSC. Specifically, we have identified a novel signal in SLC7A1 that may be functionally involved in pathways relevant to TSC and epilepsy. Our study highlights the need for further evaluation of genetic modifiers in TSC to aid in further understanding of epilepsy in TSC and improve outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Richard
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Philip J Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Erik A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Epilepsy Center, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Kit Sing Au
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Laura S Farach
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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Srivastava S, Yang F, Prohl AK, Davis PE, Capal JK, Filip-Dhima R, Bebin EM, Krueger DA, Northrup H, Wu JY, Warfield SK, Sahin M, Zhang B. Abnormality of Early White Matter Development in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Longitudinal Analysis of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Measures. J Child Neurol 2024; 39:178-189. [PMID: 38751192 PMCID: PMC11220686 DOI: 10.1177/08830738241248685] [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] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Background: Abnormalities in white matter development may influence development of autism spectrum disorder in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Our goals for this study were as follows: (1) use data from a longitudinal neuroimaging study of tuberous sclerosis complex (TACERN) to develop optimized linear mixed effects models for analyzing longitudinal, repeated diffusion tensor imaging metrics (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity) pertaining to select white matter tracts, in relation to positive Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition classification at 36 months, and (2) perform an exploratory analysis using optimized models applied to all white matter tracts from these data. Methods: Eligible participants (3-12 months) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at repeated time points from ages 3 to 36 months. Positive Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition classification at 36 months was used. Linear mixed effects models were fine-tuned separately for fractional anisotropy values (using fractional anisotropy corpus callosum as test outcome) and mean diffusivity values (using mean diffusivity right posterior limb internal capsule as test outcome). Fixed effects included participant age, within-participant longitudinal age, and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Results: Analysis included data from n = 78. After selecting separate optimal models for fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values, we applied these models to fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity of all 27 white matter tracts. Fractional anisotropy corpus callosum was related to positive Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition classification (coefficient = 0.0093, P = .0612), and mean diffusivity right inferior cerebellar peduncle was related to positive Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition classification (coefficient = -0.00002071, P = .0445), though these findings were not statistically significant after multiple comparisons correction. Conclusion: These optimized linear mixed effects models possibly implicate corpus callosum and cerebellar pathology in development of autism spectrum disorder in tuberous sclerosis complex, but future studies are needed to replicate these findings and explore contributors of heterogeneity in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth Srivastava
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fanghan Yang
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna K. Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter E. Davis
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jamie K. Capal
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, Carrboro, NC, USA
| | - Rajna Filip-Dhima
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E. Martina Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Darcy A. Krueger
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joyce Y. Wu
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Simon K. Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Neurology and ICCTR Biostatistics and Research Design Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Karalis V, Wood D, Teaney NA, Sahin M. The role of TSC1 and TSC2 proteins in neuronal axons. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1165-1178. [PMID: 38212374 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02402-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 1 and 2 proteins, TSC1 and TSC2 respectively, participate in a multiprotein complex with a crucial role for the proper development and function of the nervous system. This complex primarily acts as an inhibitor of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase, and mutations in either TSC1 or TSC2 cause a neurodevelopmental disorder called Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). Neurological manifestations of TSC include brain lesions, epilepsy, autism, and intellectual disability. On the cellular level, the TSC/mTOR signaling axis regulates multiple anabolic and catabolic processes, but it is not clear how these processes contribute to specific neurologic phenotypes. Hence, several studies have aimed to elucidate the role of this signaling pathway in neurons. Of particular interest are axons, as axonal defects are associated with severe neurocognitive impairments. Here, we review findings regarding the role of the TSC1/2 protein complex in axons. Specifically, we will discuss how TSC1/2 canonical and non-canonical functions contribute to the formation and integrity of axonal structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Karalis
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Delaney Wood
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Human Neuron Core, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nicole A Teaney
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Human Neuron Core, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Dias PB, Linhares ACB, Urzedo ABDL, Preti RC, Zacharias LC, Cunha LP, Monteiro MLR, Hokazono K. Optical coherence tomography detection of retinal neural loss in patients with tuberous sclerosis. Int J Retina Vitreous 2024; 10:15. [PMID: 38311784 PMCID: PMC10840160 DOI: 10.1186/s40942-024-00535-7] [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: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Tuberous Sclerosis (TS) is a rare, multisystem genetic disease caused by mutations in the TSC1 and TSC2 genes, leading to abnormalities in cell differentiation and proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the neural integrity of individuals with TS by using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to examine the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and the macular thickness in patients with TS and to compare with healthy controls. METHODS Peripapillary and macular OCT scans (Optopol Revo NX SD OCT) were performed on 41 eyes from 22 TS patients, divided into two groups based on the presence of retinal hamartomas, and compared to 20 eyes from a control group. The average peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured for each quadrant. The macular total thickness and ganglion cell layer (GCL) + inner plexiform layer (IPL) thickness were measured based on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) map. All measurements were then compared between the groups and controls. RESULTS The TS group showed significantly reduced RNFL thickness and macular thickness when compared to the control group. Specifically, patients with retinal hamartomas exhibited an even more pronounced thinning of both RNFL and macular thickness. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that TS patients undergo significant changes in retinal neurodevelopment and experience axonal loss. This finding may have significant prognostic utility regarding central nervous system degeneration in TS, particularly among patients with retinal hamartomas. OCT may serve as a valuable tool for assessing axonal structural abnormalities in TS patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Basso Dias
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná (HC UFPR), R. da Paz, 195 (123), Curitiba, Paraná, 80060-160, Brazil
| | - Anna Carolina Badotti Linhares
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná (HC UFPR), R. da Paz, 195 (123), Curitiba, Paraná, 80060-160, Brazil
| | - Ana Barbara Dias Lopes Urzedo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná (HC UFPR), R. da Paz, 195 (123), Curitiba, Paraná, 80060-160, Brazil
| | - Rony Carlos Preti
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leandro Cabral Zacharias
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Provetti Cunha
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Kenzo Hokazono
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná (HC UFPR), R. da Paz, 195 (123), Curitiba, Paraná, 80060-160, Brazil.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo, Brazil.
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Di Stasi M, Cocozza S, Buccino S, Paolella C, Di Napoli L, D'Amico A, Melis D, Ugga L, Villano G, Ruocco M, Scala I, Brunetti A, Elefante A. The role of unidentified bright objects in the neurocognitive profile of neurofibromatosis type 1 children: a volumetric MRI analysis. Acta Neurol Belg 2024; 124:223-230. [PMID: 37733157 PMCID: PMC10874314 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-023-02381-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cognitive impairment is described in 80% of Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Brain focal areas of T2w increased signal intensity on MRI, the so-called Unidentified Bright Objects (UBOs) have been hypothesized to be related to cognitive dysfunction, although conflicting results are available in literature. Here, we investigated the possible relation between UBOs' volume, cognitive impairment, and language disability in NF1 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this retrospective study, clinical and MRI data of 21 NF1 patients (M/F = 12/9; mean age 10.1 ± 4.5) were evaluated. Brain intellectual functioning and language abilities were assessed with specific scales, while the analyzed MRI sequences included axial 2D-T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences. These images were used independently for UBOs segmentation with a semiautomatic approach and obtained volumes were normalized for biparietal diameters to take into account for brain volume. Possible differences in terms of normalized UBOs volumes were probed between cognitively affected and preserved patients, as well as between subjects with or without language impairment. RESULTS Patients cognitively affected were not different in terms of UBOs volume compared to those preserved (p = 0.35 and p = 0.30, for T2-weighted and FLAIR images, respectively). Similarly, no differences were found between patients with and without language impairment (p = 0.47 and p = 0.40, for the two sequences). CONCLUSIONS The relation between UBOs and cognition in children with NF1 has been already investigated in literature, although leading to conflicting results. Our study expands the current knowledge, showing a lack of correlation between UBOs volume and both cognitive impairment and language disability in NF1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Di Stasi
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi di Aragona", Salerno, Italy
| | - Sirio Cocozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - Sara Buccino
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Chiara Paolella
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Linda Di Napoli
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Daniela Melis
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Ugga
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianmichele Villano
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Manuel Ruocco
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Iris Scala
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, Federico II University Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Arturo Brunetti
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Elefante
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
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10
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Hsieh CCJ, Lo YC, Wang HH, Shen HY, Chen YY, Lee YC. Amelioration of the brain structural connectivity is accompanied with changes of gut microbiota in a tuberous sclerosis complex mouse model. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:68. [PMID: 38296969 PMCID: PMC10830571 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02752-y] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease that causes benign tumors and dysfunctions in many organs, including the brain. Aside from the brain malformations, many individuals with TSC exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms. Among these symptoms, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common co-morbidities, affecting up to 60% of the population. Past neuroimaging studies strongly suggested that the impairments in brain connectivity contribute to ASD, whether or not TSC-related. Specifically, the tract-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis provides information on the fiber integrity and has been used to study the neuropathological changes in the white matter of TSC patients with ASD symptoms. In our previous study, curcumin, a diet-derived mTOR inhibitor has been shown to effectively mitigate learning and memory deficits and anxiety-like behavior in Tsc2+/- mice via inhibiting astroglial proliferation. Recently, gut microbiota, which is greatly influenced by the diet, has been considered to play an important role in regulating several components of the central nervous system, including glial functions. In this study, we showed that the abnormal social behavior in the Tsc2+/- mice can be ameliorated by the dietary curcumin treatment. Second, using tract-based DTI analysis, we found that the Tsc2+/- mice exhibited altered fractional anisotropy, axial and radial diffusivities of axonal bundles connecting the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, and amygdala, indicating a decreased brain network. Third, the dietary curcumin treatment improved the DTI metrics, in accordance with changes in the gut microbiota composition. At the bacterial phylum level, we showed that the abundances of Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Tenericutes were significantly correlated with the DTI metrics FA, AD, and RD, respectively. Finally, we revealed that the expression of myelin-associated proteins, myelin bassic protein (MBP) and proteolipid protein (PLP) was increased after the treatment. Overall, we showed a strong correlation between structural connectivity alterations and social behavioral deficits, as well as the diet-dependent changes in gut microbiota composition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hui Wang
- Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Ying Shen
- Biomedical Translation Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - You-Yin Chen
- Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Chao Lee
- Ph.D. Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Neuroscience Research Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- International Master Program in Medical Neuroscience, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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11
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Zwick BF, Safdar S, Bourantas GC, Joldes GR, Hyde DE, Warfield SK, Wittek A, Miller K. Image data and computational grids for computing brain shift and solving the electrocorticography forward problem. Data Brief 2023; 48:109122. [PMID: 37128587 PMCID: PMC10147975 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109122] [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: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This article describes the dataset applied in the research reported in NeuroImage article "Patient-specific solution of the electrocorticography forward problem in deforming brain" [1] that is available for download from the Zenodo data repository (https://zenodo.org/record/7687631) [2]. Preoperative structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) and postoperative computed tomography (CT) images of a 12-year-old female epilepsy patient under evaluation for surgical intervention were obtained retrospectively from Boston Children's Hospital. We used these images to conduct the analysis at The University of Western Australia's Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory using SlicerCBM [3], our open-source software extension for the 3D Slicer medical imaging platform. As part of the analysis, we processed the images to extract the patient-specific brain geometry; created computational grids, including a tetrahedral grid for the meshless solution of the biomechanical model and a regular hexahedral grid for the finite element solution of the electrocorticography forward problem; predicted the postoperative MRI and DTI that correspond to the brain configuration deformed by the placement of subdural electrodes using biomechanics-based image warping; and solved the patient-specific electrocorticography forward problem to compute the electric potential distribution within the patient's head using the original preoperative and predicted postoperative image data. The well-established and open-source file formats used in this dataset, including Nearly Raw Raster Data (NRRD) files for images, STL files for surface geometry, and Visualization Toolkit (VTK) files for computational grids, allow other research groups to easily reuse the data presented herein to solve the electrocorticography forward problem accounting for the brain shift caused by implantation of subdural grid electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin F. Zwick
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Saima Safdar
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - George C. Bourantas
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Grand R. Joldes
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Damon E. Hyde
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon K. Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam Wittek
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Karol Miller
- Intelligent Systems for Medicine Laboratory, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, Australia
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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12
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Dedeoğlu Ö, Çetinkaya M, Emine Derinkuyu B, Aksoy E, Öztoprak Ü, Genç Sel Ç, Nursun Özcan H, Aksoy A, Yüksel D. Aspects of autism spectrum disorder and correlation with neuroimaging findings in tuberous sclerosis complex. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2022; 224:107550. [PMID: 36502649 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2022.107550] [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: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) patients may have different specific neuropsychological deficits related to the location of the tubers. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common in TSC patients but the relationship between these diagnoses has not been formally explored. In this study we sought to examine brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings in TSC patients with ASD. METHODS We evaluated 34 TSC patients on the basis of DSM-V diagnostic criteria for ASD, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R), psychiatrist's examination and also structured parent interviews. The number and localization of the tubers, postcontrast signal characteristics of the tubers, SWI findings, DWI findings on brain MRI were recorded. Demographic features, epilepsy histories, number of antiseizure medications, cognitive status were eveluated also. Patients were divided into two groups: ASD group, which represented group 1 and group 2 consisting of patients without any ASD symptoms. RESULTS In our study, the mean number of tuber count was 21.8 in patients with ASD patients (Group 1, n = 13) and 12.4 in other TSC patients without ASD (Group 2, n = 21). Rate of tubers in prefrontal cortex/whole tubers (0.51) in patients with ASD was determined to be higher in group 1 (p = 0.003). Also a significant difference was detected between generalize epileptiform activities on EEG and the rate of DRE (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) between groups. Cognitive disturbances and infantile spasm history were similar between groups. TSC2 mutations have been identified in 29 (86%) patients. CONCLUSION The mean of total tuber count and the rate of the location in the prefrontal cortex were determined to be higher in TSC patients with ASD. Specific areas on brain MRI may help understanding the development of ASD in TSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özge Dedeoğlu
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Miray Çetinkaya
- Child and adolescent Physciatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Physciatry, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Betül Emine Derinkuyu
- Pediatric Radiology, Department of Pediatric Radiology, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Erhan Aksoy
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ülkühan Öztoprak
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Çiğdem Genç Sel
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hatice Nursun Özcan
- Pediatric Radiology, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Aksoy
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, 19 May University Hospital, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Deniz Yüksel
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Health Sciences, Sami Ulus Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
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13
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Mitchell RA, Mitchell M, Williams K. The autism spectrum disorder phenotype in children with tuberous sclerosis complex: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Dev Med Child Neurol 2022; 64:1214-1229. [PMID: 35724267 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.15307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
AIM To investigate the phenotype in autistic children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), specifically autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity and characteristics, intellectual ability, adaptive and executive function, language skills, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder features, and internalizing and externalizing behaviours. METHOD MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to March 2021. Studies that investigated predefined phenotypic factors in children with TSC-ASD were included according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. Two authors independently reviewed titles, abstracts, full texts, and extracted the data. Risk of bias and GRADE assessments were completed. RESULTS Thirty-four studies with 3160 children with TSC, 30% with ASD, were included. Meta-analysis found that 90% (95% confidence interval 86%-94%) of children with TSC-ASD have an intellectual disability. There was some evidence to suggest that young children with TSC-ASD and idiopathic ASD have a similar pattern of severity and behaviour. Overall, data about phenotypic characteristics were limited. INTERPRETATION A greater proportion of children with TSC-ASD are reported to have an intellectual disability than children with idiopathic ASD. Early intervention should consider the needs of children with a high likelihood of intellectual disability. Research is needed to better understand the impacts of intellectual disability and other co-occurring difficulties on adaptive function, participation, and quality of life in TSC-ASD. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Most children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an intellectual disability. TSC-ASD early intervention planning should consider the high likelihood of intellectual disability. Quality of life and the functional impact of intellectual disability in TSC-ASD are not understood. Little is known about co-occurring difficulties in TSC-ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Mitchell
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Marijke Mitchell
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Katrina Williams
- The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
- Monash Health, Monash Children's Hospital, Clayton, Australia
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14
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Patient-specific solution of the electrocorticography forward problem in deforming brain. Neuroimage 2022; 263:119649. [PMID: 36167268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG), or electrocorticography (ECoG), measures electric potential directly on the surface of the brain and can be used to inform treatment planning for epilepsy surgery. Combined with numerical modeling it can further improve accuracy of epilepsy surgery planning. Accurate solution of the iEEG forward problem, which is a crucial prerequisite for solving the iEEG inverse problemin epilepsy seizure onset zone localization, requires accurate representation of the patient's brain geometry and tissue electrical conductivity after implantation of electrodes. However, implantation of subdural grid electrodes causes the brain to deform, which invalidates preoperatively acquired image data. Moreover, postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is incompatible with implanted electrodes and computed tomography (CT) has insufficient range of soft tissue contrast, which precludes both MRI and CT from being used to obtain the deformed postoperative geometry. In this paper, we present a biomechanics-based image warping procedure using preoperative MRI for tissue classification and postoperative CT for locating implanted electrodes to perform non-rigid registration of the preoperative image data to the postoperative configuration. We solve the iEEG forward problem on the predicted postoperative geometry using the finite element method (FEM) which accounts for patient-specific inhomogeneity and anisotropy of tissue conductivity. Results for the simulation of a current source in the brain show large differences in electric potential predicted by the models based on the original images and the deformed images corresponding to the brain geometry deformed by placement of invasive electrodes. Computation of the lead field matrix (useful for solution of the iEEG inverse problem) also showed significant differences between the different models. The results suggest that rapid and accurate solution of the forward problem in a deformed brain for a given patient is achievable.
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15
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Neal A, Bouet R, Lagarde S, Ostrowsky‐Coste K, Maillard L, Kahane P, Touraine R, Catenoix H, Montavont A, Isnard J, Arzimanoglou A, Hermier M, Guenot M, Bartolomei F, Rheims S, Jung J. Epileptic spasms are associated with increased stereo-electroencephalography derived functional connectivity in tuberous sclerosis complex. Epilepsia 2022; 63:2359-2370. [PMID: 35775943 PMCID: PMC9796462 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epileptic spasms (ES) are common in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). However, the underlying network alterations and relationship with epileptogenic tubers are poorly understood. We examined interictal functional connectivity (FC) using stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) in patients with TSC to investigate the relationship between tubers, epileptogenicity, and ES. METHODS We analyzed 18 patients with TSC who underwent SEEG (mean age = 11.5 years). The dominant tuber (DT) was defined as the most epileptogenic tuber using the epileptogenicity index. Epileptogenic zone (EZ) organization was quantitatively separated into focal (isolated DT) and complex (all other patterns). Using a 20-min interictal recording, FC was estimated with nonlinear regression, h2 . We calculated (1) intrazone FC within all sampled tubers and normal-appearing cortical zones, respectively; and (2) interzone FC involving connections between DT, other tubers, and normal cortex. The relationship between FC and (1) presence of ES as a current seizure type at the time of SEEG, (2) EZ organization, and (3) epileptogenicity was analyzed using a mixed generalized linear model. Spike rate and distance between zones were considered in the model as covariates. RESULTS Six patients had ES as a current seizure type at time of SEEG. ES patients had a greater number of tubers with a fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hypointense center (p < .001), and none had TSC1 mutations. The presence of ES was independently associated with increased FC within both intrazone (p = .033) and interzone (p = .011) networks. Post hoc analyses identified that increased FC was associated with ES across tuber and nontuber networks. EZ organization and epileptogenicity biomarkers were not associated with FC. SIGNIFICANCE Increased cortical synchrony among both tuber and nontuber networks is characteristic of patients with ES and independent of both EZ organization and tuber epileptogenicity. This further supports the prospect of FC biomarkers aiding treatment paradigms in TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Neal
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health SciencesCentral Clinical School, Monash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Romain Bouet
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance
| | - Stanislas Lagarde
- Epileptology Department, Timone HospitalPublic Assistance Hospitals of Marseille, member of the ERN EpiCAREMarseilleFrance,Institute of Systems Neurosciences, National Institute of Health and Medical ResearchAix‐Marseille UniversityMarseilleFrance
| | - Karine Ostrowsky‐Coste
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Pediatric Clinical Epileptology, Sleep Disorders, and Functional NeurologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARELyonFrance
| | - Louis Maillard
- Neurology DepartmentUniversity Hospital of Nancy, member of the ERN EpiCARENancyFrance
| | - Philippe Kahane
- Grenoble‐Alpes University Hospital Center, collaborating partner of the ERN EpiCAREGrenoble‐Alpes University, Grenoble Institute of Neuroscience, National Institute of Health and Medical ResearchGrenobleFrance
| | - Renaud Touraine
- Department of GeneticsSaint Etienne University Hospital Center–North HospitalSaint‐Priest‐en‐JarezFrance
| | - Helene Catenoix
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance
| | - Alexandra Montavont
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance
| | - Jean Isnard
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance
| | - Alexis Arzimanoglou
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Pediatric Clinical Epileptology, Sleep Disorders, and Functional NeurologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARELyonFrance
| | - Marc Hermier
- Department of NeuroradiologyLyon Civil HospicesLyonFrance
| | - Marc Guenot
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional NeurosurgeryLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance
| | - Fabrice Bartolomei
- Epileptology Department, Timone HospitalPublic Assistance Hospitals of Marseille, member of the ERN EpiCAREMarseilleFrance,Institute of Systems Neurosciences, National Institute of Health and Medical ResearchAix‐Marseille UniversityMarseilleFrance
| | - Sylvain Rheims
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance,Epilepsy InstituteLyonFrance
| | - Julien Jung
- Eduwell team, Inserm U1028, CNRS UMR5292, UCBL1, UJMLyon Neuroscience Research CenterLyonFrance,Department of Functional Neurology and EpileptologyLyon Civil Hospices, member of the ERN EpiCARE, and Lyon 1 UniversityLyonFrance
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16
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Vanes LD, Tye C, Tournier JD, Combes AJE, Shephard E, Liang H, Barker GJ, Nosarti C, Bolton P. White matter disruptions related to inattention and autism spectrum symptoms in tuberous sclerosis complex. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103163. [PMID: 36037661 PMCID: PMC9434133 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex is a rare genetic multisystem condition that is associated with a high prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The underlying neural mechanisms of the emergence of these symptom domains in tuberous sclerosis complex remain unclear. Here, we use fixel-based analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging, which allows for the differentiation between multiple fibre populations within a voxel, to compare white matter properties in 16 participants with tuberous sclerosis complex (aged 11-19) and 12 age and sex matched control participants. We further tested associations between white matter alterations and autism and inattention symptoms as well as cognitive ability in participants with tuberous sclerosis complex. Compared to controls, participants with tuberous sclerosis complex showed reduced fibre density cross-section (FDC) in the dorsal branch of right superior longitudinal fasciculus and bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, reduced fibre density (FD) in bilateral tapetum, and reduced fibre cross-section (FC) in the ventral branch of right superior longitudinal fasciculus. In participants with tuberous sclerosis complex, the extent of FDC reductions in right superior longitudinal fasciculus was significantly associated with autism traits (social communication difficulties and restricted, repetitive behaviours), whereas FDC reductions in right inferior longitudinal fasciculus were associated with inattention. The observed white matter alterations were unrelated to cognitive ability. Our findings shed light on the fibre-specific biophysical properties of white matter alterations in tuberous sclerosis complex and suggest that these regional changes are selectively associated with the severity of neurodevelopmental symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy D Vanes
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK.
| | - Charlotte Tye
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Jacques-Donald Tournier
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK
| | - Anna J E Combes
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Elizabeth Shephard
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK; Department of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Holan Liang
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Gareth J Barker
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, UK; Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
| | - Patrick Bolton
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK
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Genetic pathogenesis of the epileptogenic lesions in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: Therapeutic targeting of the mTOR pathway. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:107713. [PMID: 33431351 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.107713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic multisystem disease due to the mutation in one of the two genes TSC1 and TSC2, affecting several organs and systems and carrying a significant risk of early onset and refractory seizures. The pathogenesis of this complex disorder is now well known, with most of TSC-related manifestations being a consequence of the overactivation of the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) complex. The discovery of this underlying mechanism paved the way for the use of a class of drugs called mTOR inhibitors including rapamycin and everolimus and specifically targeting this pathway. Rapamycin has been widely used in different animal models of TSC-related epilepsy and proved to be able not only to suppress seizures but also to prevent the development of epilepsy, thus demonstrating an antiepileptogenic potential. In some models, it also showed some benefit on neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with TSC. Everolimus has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medical Agency for the treatment of refractory seizures associated with TSC starting from the age of 2 years. It demonstrated a clear benefit when compared to placebo on reducing the frequency of different seizure types and exerting a higher effect in younger children. In conclusion, mTOR cascade can be a potentially major cause of TSC-associated epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disability, and additional research should investigate if early suppression of abnormal mTOR signal with mTOR inhibitors before seizure onset can be a more efficient approach and an effective antiepileptogenic and disease-modifying strategy in infants with TSC.
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Tsai JD, Ho MC, Shen CY, Weng JC. Assessment of disrupted brain functional connectome in tuberous sclerosis complex using resting-state fMRI. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e29024. [PMID: 35356911 PMCID: PMC10684191 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000029024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder with multisystem involvement. TSC is characterized by benign hamartomas in multiple organs, including the brain, and its clinical phenotypes may be associated with abnormal functional connections. We aimed to use resting-state functional connectivity to provide findings of disrupted functional brain networks in TSC patients using graph theoretical analysis (GTA) and network-based statistic (NBS) analysis.Forty TSC patients (age = 24.11+/-11.44 years old) and 18 age-matched (25.13+/- 10.01 years old) healthy controls were recruited; they underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging using a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. After image preprocessing and removing physiological noises, GTA was used to calculate the topological parameters of the brain network. NBS analysis was then used to determine the differences in cerebrum functional connectivity between the 2 groups.In GTA, several topological parameters, including the clustering coefficient, local efficiency, transitivity, and modularity, were better in controls than in TSC patients (P < .05). In NBS analysis, the edges of the brain networks between the groups were compared. One subnetwork showed more edges in controls than in TSC patients (P < .05), including the connections from the frontal lobe to the temporal and parietal lobe.The study results provide the findings on disrupted functional connectivity and organization in TSC patients compared with controls. The findings may help better understand the underlying physiological mechanisms of brain connection in TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jun-Cheng Weng
- Correspondence: Jun-Cheng Weng, Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Dist.,Taoyuan City 33302, Taiwan (e-mail: mail: ).
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Sato A, Tominaga K, Iwatani Y, Kato Y, Wataya-Kaneda M, Makita K, Nemoto K, Taniike M, Kagitani-Shimono K. Abnormal White Matter Microstructure in the Limbic System Is Associated With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex-Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neurol 2022; 13:782479. [PMID: 35359647 PMCID: PMC8963953 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.782479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveTuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disease that arises from TSC1 or TSC2 abnormalities and induces the overactivation of the mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathways. The neurological symptoms of TSC include epilepsy and tuberous sclerosis complex-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND). Although TAND affects TSC patients' quality of life, the specific region in the brain associated with TAND remains unknown. We examined the association between white matter microstructural abnormalities and TAND, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).MethodsA total of 19 subjects with TSC and 24 age-matched control subjects were enrolled. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were performed to assess group differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) between the TSC and control groups. Atlas-based association analysis was performed to reveal TAND-related white matter in subjects with TSC. Multiple linear regression was performed to evaluate the association between TAND and the DTI parameters; FA and mean diffusivity in seven target regions and projection fibers.ResultsThe TBSS showed significantly reduced FA in the right hemisphere and particularly in the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus (IFOF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and genu of corpus callosum (CC) in the TSC group relative to the control group. In the association analysis, intellectual disability was widely associated with all target regions. In contrast, behavioral problems and autistic features were associated with the limbic system white matter and anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC) and CC.ConclusionThe disruption of white matter integrity may induce underconnectivity between cortical and subcortical regions. These findings suggest that TANDs are not the result of an abnormality in a specific brain region, but rather caused by connectivity dysfunction as a network disorder. This study indicates that abnormal white matter connectivity including the limbic system is relevant to TAND. The analysis of brain and behavior relationship is a feasible approach to reveal TAND related white matter and neural networks. TAND should be carefully assessed and treated at an early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akemi Sato
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koji Tominaga
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Iwatani
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoko Kato
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mari Wataya-Kaneda
- Division of Health Science, Department of Neurocutaneous Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kai Makita
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Nemoto
- Division of Clinical Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masako Taniike
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Pediatrics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Kuriko Kagitani-Shimono
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20
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Anaby D, Shrot S, Belenky E, Ben-Zeev B, Tzadok M. Neurite density of white matter significantly correlates with tuberous sclerosis complex disease severity. NEUROIMAGE: CLINICAL 2022; 35:103085. [PMID: 35780663 PMCID: PMC9421460 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-brain white matter neurite density significantly reduces with TSC severity. A white matter quantification may be important for the evaluation of TSC patients. Low neurite density clusters are larger in severe TSC patients. Neurite density is an accurate MRI metric for the evaluation of TSC white-matter.
Objective To assess whether white matter (WM) diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) derived measures correlate with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) disease severity. Cohort and methods A multi-shell diffusion protocol was added to the clinical MRI brain scans of thirteen patients including 6 males and 7 females with a mean ± std age of 17.2 ± 5.8 years. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were generated from DTI and neurite density index (NDI), orientation dispersion index (ODI) and free water index (fiso) were generated from NODDI. A clinical score was determined for each patient according to the existence of epilepsy, developmental delay, autism or psychiatric disorders. Whole-brain segmented WM was averaged for each parametric map and 3 group k-means clustering was performed on the NDI and FA maps. MRI quantitative parameters were correlated with the clinical scores. Results Segmented whole brain WM averages of MD and NDI values showed significant negative (p = 0.0058) and positive (p = 0.0092) correlations with the clinical scores, respectively. Additionally, the contribution of the low and high NDI-based clusters to the whole brain WM significantly correlated with the clinical scores (p = 0.03 and p = 0.00047, respectively). No correlation was found when the clusters were based on the FA maps. Conclusion Advanced diffusion MRI of TSC patients revealed widespread WM alterations. Neurite density showed significant correlations with disease severity and is therefore suggested to reflect an underlying biological process in TSC WM. The quantification of WM alterations by advanced diffusion MRI may be an additional biomarker for TSC and may be advantageous as a complementary MR protocol for the evaluation of TSC patients.
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21
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Shirazi Y, Oghabian MA, Batouli SAH. Along-tract analysis of the white matter is more informative about brain ageing, compared to whole-tract analysis. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021; 211:107048. [PMID: 34826755 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2021.107048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) enabled the investigation of brain White Matter (WM), both qualitatively to study the macrostructure, and quantitatively to study the microstructure. The quantitative analyses are mostly performed at the whole-tract level, i.e., providing one measure of interest per tract; however, along-tract approaches may provide finer details of the quality of the WM tracts. In this study, using the DWI data collected from 40 young and 40 old individuals, we compared the DTI measures of FA, MD, AD, and RD, estimated by both whole-tract and along-tract approaches in 18 WM bundles, between the two groups. The results of the whole-tract quantitative analysis showed a statistically significant (p-FWER < 0.05) difference between the old and young groups in 6 tracts for FA, 8 tracts for MD, 1 tract for AD, and 7 tracts for RD. On the contrary, the along-tract approach showed differences between the two groups in 10 tracts for FA, 14 tracts for MD, 8 tracts for AD, and 11 tracts for RD. All the differences between the along-tract measures of the two groups had a large effect size (Cohen'd > 0.80). This study showed that the along-tract approach for the analysis of brain WM reveals changes in some WM tracts which had not shown any changes in the whole-tract approach, and therefore this finding emphasizes the utilization of the along-tract approach along with the whole-tract method for a more accurate study of the brain WM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasin Shirazi
- Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oghabian
- Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Neuroimaging and Analysis Group, Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Amir Hossein Batouli
- Neuroimaging and Analysis Group, Research Center for Molecular and Cellular Imaging, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Neuroscience and addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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22
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Scherrer B, Prohl AK, Taquet M, Kapur K, Peters JM, Tomas-Fernandez X, Davis PE, M Bebin E, Krueger DA, Northrup H, Y Wu J, Sahin M, Warfield SK. The Connectivity Fingerprint of the Fusiform Gyrus Captures the Risk of Developing Autism in Infants with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:2199-2214. [PMID: 31812987 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz233] [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: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by benign tumors throughout the body; it is generally diagnosed early in life and has a high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making it uniquely valuable in studying the early development of autism, before neuropsychiatric symptoms become apparent. One well-documented deficit in ASD is an impairment in face processing. In this work, we assessed whether anatomical connectivity patterns of the fusiform gyrus, a central structure in face processing, capture the risk of developing autism early in life. We longitudinally imaged TSC patients at 1, 2, and 3 years of age with diffusion compartment imaging. We evaluated whether the anatomical connectivity fingerprint of the fusiform gyrus was associated with the risk of developing autism measured by the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). Our findings suggest that the fusiform gyrus connectivity captures the risk of developing autism as early as 1 year of age and provides evidence that abnormal fusiform gyrus connectivity increases with age. Moreover, the identified connections that best capture the risk of developing autism involved the fusiform gyrus and limbic and paralimbic regions that were consistent with the ASD phenotype, involving an increased number of left-lateralized structures with increasing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Anna K Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Maxime Taquet
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Kush Kapur
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Xavier Tomas-Fernandez
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Peter E Davis
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Elizabeth M Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233 USA
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Department of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229 USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030 USA
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115 USA
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Lobanov OV, Shimony JS, Kenley J, Kaplan S, Alexopoulos D, Roland JL, Smyth MD, Smyser CD. Alterations in resting-state functional connectivity in pediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. Epilepsia Open 2021; 6:579-587. [PMID: 34268913 PMCID: PMC8408601 DOI: 10.1002/epi4.12523] [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: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate resting‐state functional connectivity (FC) in pediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex and intractable epilepsy requiring surgery. Methods Resting‐state functional MRI was utilized to investigate functional connectivity in 13 pediatric patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and intractable epilepsy requiring surgery. Results The majority of patients demonstrated a resting‐state network architecture similar to those reported in healthy individuals. However, preoperative differences were evident between patients with high versus low tuber burden, as well as those with good versus poor neurodevelopmental outcomes, most notably in the cingulo‐opercular and visual resting‐state networks. One patient with high tuber burden and poor preoperative development and seizure control had nearly normal development and seizure resolution after surgery. This was accompanied by significant improvement in resting‐state network architecture just one day postoperatively. Significance Although many patients with tuberous sclerosis complex and medically refractory epilepsy demonstrate functional connectivity patterns similar to healthy children, relationships within and between RSNs demonstrate clear differences in patients with higher tuber burden and worse outcomes. Improvements in resting‐state network organization postoperatively may be related to epilepsy surgery outcomes, providing candidate biomarkers for clinical management in this high‐risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V Lobanov
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joshua S Shimony
- Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jeanette Kenley
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sydney Kaplan
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Jarod L Roland
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Matthew D Smyth
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
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24
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Mitchell RA, Barton SM, Harvey AS, Ure AM, Williams K. Factors associated with autism spectrum disorder in children with tuberous sclerosis complex: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dev Med Child Neurol 2021; 63:791-801. [PMID: 33432576 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM To investigate associations between clinical factors and the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), specifically seizures, electroencephalogram abnormalities, tubers and other neurostructural abnormalities, and genetic factors. METHOD MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched until January 2019. Studies that considered the predefined factors for development of ASD in children with TSC were included, following PRISMA-P guidelines. Two authors independently reviewed titles, abstracts, and full texts, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. RESULTS Forty-two studies with 3542 children with TSC were included. ASD was associated with a history of seizures (odds ratio [OR] 3.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.77-8.14), infantile spasms compared with other seizure types (OR 3.04, 95% CI 2.17-4.27), onset of any seizure type during infancy (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.08-6.54), and male sex (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.23-2.14). There was no association with tuber number, tuber location, or genotype. INTERPRETATION While a causal link between seizures and ASD in children with TSC cannot be inferred, a strong association between seizures and ASD in children with TSC, particularly with seizure onset during infancy and specifically infantile spasms, is present. Children with TSC and infant-onset seizures should be monitored for emerging features of ASD. What this paper adds Seizures and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) strongly associate in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Infant-onset seizures and infantile spasms are particularly strongly associated with ASD in TSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Mitchell
- Department of Neurodevelopment and Disability, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah M Barton
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Neurology, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - A Simon Harvey
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Neurology, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Alexandra M Ure
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Mental Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Paediatrics and Education Research, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Katrina Williams
- Department of Neurodevelopment and Disability, The Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Paediatrics and Education Research, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Monash Health, Monash Children's Hospital, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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25
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Taquet M, Smith SM, Prohl AK, Peters JM, Warfield SK, Scherrer B, Harrison PJ. A structural brain network of genetic vulnerability to psychiatric illness. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2089-2100. [PMID: 32372008 PMCID: PMC7644622 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0723-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatry is undergoing a paradigm shift from the acceptance of distinct diagnoses to a representation of psychiatric illness that crosses diagnostic boundaries. How this transition is supported by a shared neurobiology remains largely unknown. In this study, we first identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with psychiatric disorders based on 136 genome-wide association studies. We then conduct a joint analysis of these SNPs and brain structural connectomes in 678 healthy children in the PING study. We discovered a strong, robust, and transdiagnostic mode of genome-connectome covariation which is positively and specifically correlated with genetic risk for psychiatric illness at the level of individual SNPs. Similarly, this mode is also significantly positively correlated with polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia, alcohol use disorder, major depressive disorder, a combined bipolar disorder-schizophrenia phenotype, and a broader cross-disorder phenotype, and significantly negatively correlated with a polygenic risk score for educational attainment. The resulting "vulnerability network" is shown to mediate the influence of genetic risks onto behaviors related to psychiatric vulnerability (e.g., marijuana, alcohol, and caffeine misuse, perceived stress, and impulsive behavior). Its anatomy overlaps with the default-mode network, with a network of cognitive control, and with the occipital cortex. These findings suggest that the brain vulnerability network represents an endophenotype funneling genetic risks for various psychiatric illnesses through a common neurobiological root. It may form part of the neural underpinning of the well-recognized but poorly explained overlap and comorbidity between psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Taquet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Stephen M Smith
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN FMRIB), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anna K Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Paul J Harrison
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN FMRIB), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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26
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Lovato I, Pini A, Stamm A, Taquet M, Vantini S. Multiscale null hypothesis testing for network‐valued data: Analysis of brain networks of patients with autism. J R Stat Soc Ser C Appl Stat 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/rssc.12463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Lovato
- Department of Mathematics Università di Pavia Pavia MI Italy
| | - Alessia Pini
- Department of Statistical Sciences Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Milan MI Italy
| | - Aymeric Stamm
- Laboratoire de Mathématiques Jean Leray, CNRS UMR 6629 Nantes Pays de la Loire France
| | - Maxime Taquet
- Department of Psychiatry University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Simone Vantini
- Department of Mathematics Politecnico di Milano Milan MI Italy
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27
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Farach LS, Richard MA, Lupo PJ, Sahin M, Krueger DA, Wu JY, Bebin EM, Au KS, Northrup H. Epilepsy Risk Prediction Model for Patients With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Pediatr Neurol 2020; 113:46-50. [PMID: 33011641 PMCID: PMC10461434 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex are at increased risk of epilepsy. Early seizure control improves developmental outcomes, making identifying at-risk patients critically important. Despite several identified risk factors, it remains difficult to predict. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the combined risk prediction of previously identified risk factors for epilepsy in individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex. METHODS The study group (n = 333) consisted of individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex who were enrolled in the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Autism Center of Excellence Research Network and UT TSC Biobank. The outcome was defined as having an epilepsy diagnosis. Potential risk factors included sex, TSC genotype, and tuber presence. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio and P value for the association between each variable and epilepsy. A clinical risk prediction model incorporating all risk factors was built. Area under the curve was calculated to characterize the full model's ability to discriminate individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex with and without epilepsy. RESULTS The strongest risk for epilepsy was presence of tubers (95% confidence interval: 2.39 to 10.89). Individuals with pathogenic TSC2 variants were three times more likely (95% confidence interval: 1.55 to 6.36) to develop seizures compared with those with tuberous sclerosis complex from other causes. The combination of risk factors resulted in an area under the curve 0.73. CONCLUSIONS Simple characteristics of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex can be combined to successfully predict epilepsy risk. A risk assessment model that incorporates sex, TSC genotype, protective TSC2 missense variant, and tuber presence correctly predicts epilepsy in 73% of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Farach
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas.
| | - Melissa A Richard
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Philip J Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology-Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital and David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | | | - Kit Sing Au
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Hope Northrup
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
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De Ridder J, Lavanga M, Verhelle B, Vervisch J, Lemmens K, Kotulska K, Moavero R, Curatolo P, Weschke B, Riney K, Feucht M, Krsek P, Nabbout R, Jansen AC, Wojdan K, Domanska-Pakieła D, Kaczorowska-Frontczak M, Hertzberg C, Ferrier CH, Samueli S, Benova B, Aronica E, Kwiatkowski DJ, Jansen FE, Jóźwiak S, Van Huffel S, Lagae L. Prediction of Neurodevelopment in Infants With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Using Early EEG Characteristics. Front Neurol 2020; 11:582891. [PMID: 33178126 PMCID: PMC7596378 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.582891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a multisystem genetic disorder with a high risk of early-onset epilepsy and a high prevalence of neurodevelopmental comorbidities, including intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therefore, TSC is an interesting disease model to investigate early biomarkers of neurodevelopmental comorbidities when interventions are favourable. We investigated whether early EEG characteristics can be used to predict neurodevelopment in infants with TSC. The first recorded EEG of 64 infants with TSC, enrolled in the international prospective EPISTOP trial (recorded at a median gestational age 42 4/7 weeks) was first visually assessed. EEG characteristics were correlated with ASD risk based on the ADOS-2 score, and cognitive, language, and motor developmental quotients (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III) at the age of 24 months. Quantitative EEG analysis was used to validate the relationship between EEG background abnormalities and ASD risk. An abnormal first EEG (OR = 4.1, p-value = 0.027) and more specifically a dysmature EEG background (OR = 4.6, p-value = 0.017) was associated with a higher probability of ASD traits at the age of 24 months. This association between an early abnormal EEG and ASD risk remained significant in a multivariable model, adjusting for mutation and treatment (adjusted OR = 4.2, p-value = 0.029). A dysmature EEG background was also associated with lower cognitive (p-value = 0.029), language (p-value = 0.001), and motor (p-value = 0.017) developmental quotients at the age of 24 months. Our findings suggest that early EEG characteristics in newborns and infants with TSC can be used to predict neurodevelopmental comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie De Ridder
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mario Lavanga
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), STADIUS Centre for Dynamical Systems, Signal Processing and Data Analytics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgit Verhelle
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Vervisch
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Lemmens
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katarzyna Kotulska
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Romina Moavero
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.,Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Department, "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Bernhard Weschke
- Department of Child Neurology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kate Riney
- Neuroscience Unit, Queensland Children's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,University of Queensland School of Clinical Medicine, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Martha Feucht
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pavel Krsek
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine, Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
| | - Rima Nabbout
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Reference Centre for Rare Epilepsies, Imagine Institute, Necker- Enfants Malades Hospital, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Anna C Jansen
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Konrad Wojdan
- Transition Technologies, Warsaw, Poland.,Institute of Heat Engineering, Warsaw University and Technology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Domanska-Pakieła
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Christoph Hertzberg
- Diagnose und Behandlungszentrum für Kinder und Jugendliche, Vivantes Klinikum Neuköln, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cyrille H Ferrier
- Department of Child Neurology, Brain Centre, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Sharon Samueli
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbora Benova
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Charles University, Second Faculty of Medicine, Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Universitair Medisch Centrum, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Heemstede, Netherlands
| | - David J Kwiatkowski
- Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Floor E Jansen
- Department of Child Neurology, Brain Centre, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Sergiusz Jóźwiak
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.,Department of Child Neurology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sabine Van Huffel
- Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), STADIUS Centre for Dynamical Systems, Signal Processing and Data Analytics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Lagae
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Russo C, Nastro A, Cicala D, De Liso M, Covelli EM, Cinalli G. Neuroimaging in tuberous sclerosis complex. Childs Nerv Syst 2020; 36:2497-2509. [PMID: 32519125 DOI: 10.1007/s00381-020-04705-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder affecting multiple systems, due to inactivating mutations of TSC1 or TSC2 mTOR pathway genes. Neurological manifestations are observed in about 95% cases, representing the most frequent cause of morbidity and one of the most common causes of mortality. BACKGROUND Neuroimaging is crucial for early diagnosis, monitoring, and management of these patients. While computed tomography is generally used as first-line investigation at emergency department, magnetic resonance imaging is the reference method to define central nervous system involvement and investigate subtle pathophysiological alterations in TSC patients. PURPOSE Here, we review the state-of-the-art knowledge in TSC brain imaging, describing conventional findings and depicting the role of advanced techniques in providing new insights on the disease, also offering an overview on future perspectives of neuroimaging applications for a better understanding of disease pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Russo
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neuroradiology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (DIETI), University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Nastro
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neuroradiology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Domenico Cicala
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neuroradiology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria De Liso
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neuroradiology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Eugenio Maria Covelli
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neuroradiology Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cinalli
- Department of Pediatric Neurosciences, Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit, Santobono-Pausilipon Children's Hospital, Via Mario Fiore n. 6, 80129, Naples, Italy.
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Samanta D. An Updated Review of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex-Associated Autism Spectrum Disorder. Pediatr Neurol 2020; 109:4-11. [PMID: 32563542 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous disorder caused by mutations of either the TSC1 or TSC2 gene. Various neuropsychiatric features, including autism, are prevalent in TSC. Recently, significant progress has been possible with the prospective calculation of the prevalence of autism in TSC, identification of early clinical and neurophysiological biomarkers to predict autism, and investigation of different therapies to prevent autism in this high-risk population. The author provides a narrative review of recent findings related to biomarkers for diagnosis of autism in TSC, as well as recent studies related to the management of TSC-associated autism. Further sophisticated modeling and analysis are required to understand the role of different models-tuber models, seizures and related neurophysiological factors models, genotype models, and brain connectivity models-to unravel the neurobiological basis of autism in TSC. Early neuropsychologic assessments may be beneficial in this high-risk group. Targeted intervention to improve visual skill, cognition, and fine motor skills with later addition of social skill training can be helpful. Multicenter, prospective studies are ongoing to identify if presymptomatic treatment with vigabatrin in patients with TSC can improve outcomes, including autism. Several studies indicated reasonable safety of everolimus in young children, and its potential application in high-risk infants with TSC, before the closure of the temporal window of permanent changes, maybe undertaken shortly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debopam Samanta
- Child Neurology Section, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas.
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31
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Tsai JD, Ho MC, Lee HY, Shen CY, Li JY, Weng JC. Disrupted white matter connectivity and organization of brain structural connectomes in tuberous sclerosis complex patients with neuropsychiatric disorders using diffusion tensor imaging. MAGNETIC RESONANCE MATERIALS IN PHYSICS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2020; 34:189-200. [PMID: 32715372 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-020-00870-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic neurocutaneous syndrome with variable and unpredictable neurological comorbidity that includes epilepsy, intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorder, and neurobehavioral abnormalities. The degree of white matter involvement is believed to be associated with the severity of neurological impairment. The goal of the present study was to evaluate diffusion characteristics of tubers, white matter lesions, and brain structural network alterations in TSC patients using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), graph theoretical analysis (GTA), and network-based statistical (NBS) analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-two patients with a definitive diagnosis of TSC were recruited for this study. All patients underwent brain DTI examination using a 3 T magnetic resonance imaging system. Mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) values, and fractional anisotropy (FA) mapping in 52 tubers and white matter lesions were measured and compared with those of contralateral normal regions. GTA was performed on the inter-regional connectivity matrix, and NBS analysis was used to identify the significance of any connected subnetworks evident in the set of altered connections. For neurological severity subgrouping, a neurological severity score was assigned to TSC patients including those with ID, seizure, autism, and other neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs). RESULTS Significantly higher MD, AD, and RD, and lower FA values, were found in TSC lesions compared with those measured in contralateral normal regions for tubers (P < 0.05). GTA and NBS analysis provided better local segregation but worse global integration of the structural network (regular-like network) in TSC patients with ID, seizure, and higher Neurological Severity Score. Disrupted subnetworks in TSC patients with severe status included connections from the frontal lobe to the parietal lobe, temporal lobe to the caudate, and temporal lobe to the insula. DISCUSSION DTI has the potential to provide valuable information about cytoarchitectural changes in TSC lesions beyond morphological MRI findings alone. Using GTA and NBS, current results provide the information of disrupted white matter connectivity and organization in TSC patients with different neuropsychological impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeng-Dau Tsai
- School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chou Ho
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Clinical Psychological Room, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hom-Yi Lee
- Department of Psychology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Yu Shen
- Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jheng-Yan Li
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City, 33302, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Cheng Weng
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, No. 259, Wenhua 1st Rd., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City, 33302, Taiwan.
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital At Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
- Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
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32
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Moavero R, Curatolo P. Long-term use of mTORC1 inhibitors in tuberous sclerosis complex associated neurological aspects. Expert Opin Orphan Drugs 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/21678707.2020.1789862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Romina Moavero
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Child Neurology Unit, Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Department, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Curatolo
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Systems Medicine Department, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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33
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Modeling Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex with Stem Cell Derived Neural Precursors and Neurons. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 32578142 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-45493-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by mutations in TSC1 or TSC2. TSC is a multi-organ disorder characterized by development of non-malignant cellular overgrowths, called hamartomas, in different organs of the body. TSC is also characterized as a neurodevelopmental disorder presenting with epilepsy and autism, and formation of cortical malformations ("tubers"), subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs), and subependymal nodules (SENs) in the patient's brain. In this chapter, we are going to give an overview of neural stem cell and neuronal development in TSC. In addition, we will also describe previously developed animal models of TSC that display seizures, autistic-like behaviors, and neuronal cell abnormalities in vivo, and we will compare them to disease phenotypes detected with human stem cell derived neuronal cells in vitro. We will describe the effects of TSC-mutations in different neural cell subtypes, and discuss the mitochondrial function, autophagy, and synaptic development and functional deficits in the neurons. Finally, we will review utilization of these human TSC-patient derived neuronal models for drug screening to develop new treatment options for the neurological phenotypes seen in TSC patients.
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34
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Hsieh CCJ, Lo YC, Li SJ, Lin TC, Chang CW, Chen TC, Yang SH, Lee YC, Chen YY. Detection of endophenotypes associated with neuropsychiatric deficiencies in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex using diffusion tensor imaging. Brain Pathol 2020; 31:4-19. [PMID: 32530070 PMCID: PMC8018051 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare hereditary disease, which results from the mutation of either TSC1 or TSC2, and its clinical features include benign tumors and dysfunctions in numerous organs, including the brain. Many individuals with TSC manifest neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as learning impairments, cognitive deficits and anxiety. Current pharmacological treatment for TSC is the use of mTOR inhibitors. However, they are not effective in treating neuropsychiatric symptoms. We previously used curcumin, a diet-derived mTOR inhibitor, which possesses both anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative properties, to improve learning and memory deficits in Tsc2+/- mice. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides microstructural information in brain tissue and has been used to study the neuropathological changes in TSC. In this study, we confirmed that the impaired recognition memory and increased anxiety-like behavior in Tsc2+/- mice can be reversed by curcumin treatment. Second, we found altered fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity in the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus of the Tsc2+/- mice, which may indicate altered circuitry. Finally, the mTOR complex 1 hyperactivity was found in the cortex and hippocampus, coinciding with abnormal cortical myelination and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein expression in the hippocampal CA1 of Tsc2+/- mice, both of which can be rescued with curcumin treatment. Overall, DTI is sensitive to the subtle alterations that cannot be detected by conventional imaging, suggesting that noninvasive DTI may be suitable for longitudinally monitoring the in vivo neuropathology associated with the neuropsychiatric symptoms in TSC, thereby facilitating future clinical trials of pharmacological treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Chin-Jung Hsieh
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11574, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lo
- PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ssu-Ju Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Chun Lin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Wen Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Chieh Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Hung Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chao Lee
- PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - You-Yin Chen
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11574, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan.,PhD Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
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Bassell J, Srivastava S, Prohl AK, Scherrer B, Kapur K, Filip-Dhima R, Berry-Kravis E, Soorya L, Thurm A, Powell CM, Bernstein JA, Buxbaum JD, Kolevzon A, Warfield SK, Sahin M. Diffusion Tensor Imaging Abnormalities in the Uncinate Fasciculus and Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus in Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. Pediatr Neurol 2020; 106:24-31. [PMID: 32107139 PMCID: PMC7190002 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2020.01.006] [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] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This cohort study utilized diffusion tensor imaging tractography to compare the uncinate fasciculus and inferior longitudinal fasciculus in children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome with age-matched controls and investigated trends between autism spectrum diagnosis and the integrity of the uncinate fasciculus and inferior longitudinal fasciculus white matter tracts. METHODS This research was conducted under a longitudinal study that aims to map the genotype, phenotype, and natural history of Phelan-McDermid syndrome and identify biomarkers using neuroimaging (ClinicalTrial NCT02461420). Patients were aged three to 21 years and underwent longitudinal neuropsychologic assessment over 24 months. MRI processing and analyses were completed using previously validated image analysis software distributed as the Computational Radiology Kit (http://crl.med.harvard.edu/). Whole-brain connectivity was generated for each subject using a stochastic streamline tractography algorithm, and automatically defined regions of interest were used to map the uncinate fasciculus and inferior longitudinal fasciculus. RESULTS There were 10 participants (50% male; mean age 11.17 years) with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (n = 8 with autism). Age-matched controls, enrolled in a separate longitudinal study (NIH R01 NS079788), underwent the same neuroimaging protocol. There was a statistically significant decrease in the uncinate fasciculus fractional anisotropy measure and a statistically significant increase in uncinate fasciculus mean diffusivity measure, in the patient group versus controls in both right and left tracts (P ≤ 0.024). CONCLUSION Because the uncinate fasciculus plays a critical role in social and emotional interaction, this tract may underlie some deficits seen in the Phelan-McDermid syndrome population. These findings need to be replicated in a larger cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Bassell
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Siddharth Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anna K. Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kush Kapur
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rajna Filip-Dhima
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth Berry-Kravis
- Department of Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois,Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois,Department of Biochemistry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Latha Soorya
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Audrey Thurm
- Pediatrics and Developmental Neuroscience Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Craig M. Powell
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama,Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Jonathan A. Bernstein
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Joseph D. Buxbaum
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York,Department of Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Alexander Kolevzon
- Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Simon K. Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Jung M, Takiguchi S, Hamamura S, Mizuno Y, Kosaka H, Tomoda A. Thalamic Volume Is Related to Increased Anterior Thalamic Radiations in Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:4238-4245. [PMID: 32147718 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD) is associated with childhood maltreatment and affects approximately 1% of the general population. Recent data suggest that childhood maltreatment is associated with brain alterations in white and gray matter. However, the neural mechanisms of RAD-related brain alterations remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated the white matter pathways and gray matter volumes in 31 and 41 age-matched children with RAD and typical development (TD), respectively, by analyzing T1- and diffusion-weighted images. An increased fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity in the anterior thalamic radiations (ATR) and an increased volume in the bilateral pallidum and right thalamus were observed in children with RAD compared with those with TD. Moreover, the volume of the thalamus was associated with increased ATR FA in children with RAD. Our study confirmed the existence of atypical neurodevelopment processes in the thalamus, pallidum, and ATR in children with RAD and highlighted an interdependent relationship between the alterations in the thalamus and ATR. These findings may help to improve our understanding of the comprehensive neural mechanisms of RAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minyoung Jung
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Biomedical Imaging Research Center, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Takiguchi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
| | - Shoko Hamamura
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Mizuno
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Hirotaka Kosaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
| | - Akemi Tomoda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychological Medicine, University of Fukui Hospital, Eiheiji, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
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White matter microstructural changes in tuberous sclerosis: Evaluation by neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and diffusion tensor images. Sci Rep 2020; 10:436. [PMID: 31949187 PMCID: PMC6965630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57306-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) is a novel diffusion method for evaluating tissue microstructure, and may provide additional information over conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We evaluated NODDI and DTI parameters in cases of tuberous sclerosis (TS) to assess microstructural changes in the white matter. Eleven cases of tuberous sclerosis and eight age-matched controls underwent NODDI and DTI. We performed qualitative analysis and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysis of the NODDI parameters (Ficv: intracellular volume fraction, Fiso: isotropic fraction, ODI: orientation dispersion index) as well as DTI parameters (MD: mean diffusivity, FA: fractional anisotropy). We also performed a correlation analysis between clinical symptoms and parameters. The qualitative analysis indicated that the Ficv had a lower value in TS cases particularly in the tubers adjacent to the white matter. The TBSS analysis showed that the TS cases had decreased Ficv in a greater area compared to the other parameters including MD. In particular, the Ficv was decreased in deep white matter, such as the superior longitudinal fascicles (SLF). The application of NODDI to TS cases revealed tissue microstructural changes, and particularly the Ficv could detect more widespread abnormalities in white matter structure compared to DTI parameters.
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TrkB hyperactivity contributes to brain dysconnectivity, epileptogenesis, and anxiety in zebrafish model of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:2170-2179. [PMID: 31932427 PMCID: PMC6995026 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1910834117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disease that manifests with early symptoms, including cortical malformations, childhood epilepsy, and TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TANDs). Cortical malformations arise during embryonic development and have been linked to childhood epilepsy before, but the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain insufficiently understood. Zebrafish have emerged as a convenient model to study elementary neurodevelopment; however, without in-depth functional analysis, the Tsc2-deficient zebrafish line cannot be used for studies of TANDs or new drug screening. In this study, we found that the lack of Tsc2 in zebrafish resulted in heterotopias and hyperactivation of the mTorC1 pathway in pallial regions, which are homologous to the mammalian cortex. We observed commissural thinning that was responsible for brain dysconnectivity, recapitulating TSC pathology in human patients. The lack of Tsc2 also delayed axonal development and caused aberrant tract fasciculation, corresponding to the abnormal expression of genes involved in axon navigation. The mutants underwent epileptogenesis that resulted in nonmotor seizures and exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior. We further mapped discrete parameters of locomotor activity to epilepsy-like and anxiety-like behaviors, which were rescued by reducing tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) signaling. Moreover, in contrast to treatment with vigabatrin and rapamycin, TrkB inhibition rescued brain dysconnectivity and anxiety-like behavior. These data reveal that commissural thinning results in the aberrant regulation of anxiety, providing a mechanistic link between brain anatomy and human TANDs. Our findings also implicate TrkB signaling in the complex pathology of TSC and reveal a therapeutic target.
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Wong M. The role of glia in epilepsy, intellectual disability, and other neurodevelopmental disorders in tuberous sclerosis complex. J Neurodev Disord 2019; 11:30. [PMID: 31838997 PMCID: PMC6913020 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9289-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder characterized by severe neurological manifestations, including epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism, and a range of other behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, collectively referred to as TSC-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (TAND). Various tumors and hamartomas affecting different organs are the pathological hallmarks of the disease, especially cortical tubers of the brain, but specific cellular and molecular abnormalities, such as involving the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, have been identified that also cause or contribute to neurological manifestations of TSC independent of gross structural lesions. In particular, while neurons are immediate mediators of neurological symptoms, different types of glial cells have been increasingly recognized to play important roles in the phenotypes of TSC. Main body This review summarizes the literature supporting glial dysfunction from both mouse models and clinical studies of TSC. In particular, evidence for the role of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes in the pathophysiology of epilepsy and TAND in TSC is analyzed. Therapeutic implications of targeting glia cells in developing novel treatments for the neurological manifestations of TSC are also considered. Conclusions Different types of glial cells have both cell autonomous effects and interactions with neurons and other cells that are involved in the pathophysiology of the neurological phenotype of TSC. Targeting glial-mediated mechanisms may represent a novel therapeutic approach for epilepsy and TAND in TSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wong
- Department of Neurology and the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Box 8111, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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Prohl AK, Scherrer B, Tomas-Fernandez X, Davis PE, Filip-Dhima R, Prabhu SP, Peters JM, Bebin EM, Krueger DA, Northrup H, Wu JY, Sahin M, Warfield SK. Early white matter development is abnormal in tuberous sclerosis complex patients who develop autism spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2019; 11:36. [PMID: 31838998 PMCID: PMC6912944 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-019-9293-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is prevalent in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), occurring in approximately 50% of patients, and is hypothesized to be caused by disruption of neural circuits early in life. Tubers, or benign hamartomas distributed stochastically throughout the brain, are the most conspicuous of TSC neuropathology, but have not been consistently associated with ASD. Widespread neuropathology of the white matter, including deficits in myelination, neuronal migration, and axon formation, exist and may underlie ASD in TSC. We sought to identify the neural circuits associated with ASD in TSC by identifying white matter microstructural deficits in a prospectively recruited, longitudinally studied cohort of TSC infants. Methods TSC infants were recruited within their first year of life and longitudinally imaged at time of recruitment, 12 months of age, and at 24 months of age. Autism was diagnosed at 24 months of age with the ADOS-2. There were 108 subjects (62 TSC-ASD, 55% male; 46 TSC+ASD, 52% male) with at least one MRI and a 24-month ADOS, for a total of 187 MRI scans analyzed (109 TSC-ASD; 78 TSC+ASD). Diffusion tensor imaging properties of multiple white matter fiber bundles were sampled using a region of interest approach. Linear mixed effects modeling was performed to test the hypothesis that infants who develop ASD exhibit poor white matter microstructural integrity over the first 2 years of life compared to those who do not develop ASD. Results Subjects with TSC and ASD exhibited reduced fractional anisotropy in 9 of 17 white matter regions, sampled from the arcuate fasciculus, cingulum, corpus callosum, anterior limbs of the internal capsule, and the sagittal stratum, over the first 2 years of life compared to TSC subjects without ASD. Mean diffusivity trajectories did not differ between groups. Conclusions Underconnectivity across multiple white matter fiber bundles develops over the first 2 years of life in subjects with TSC and ASD. Future studies examining brain-behavior relationships are needed to determine how variation in the brain structure is associated with ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xavier Tomas-Fernandez
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Peter E Davis
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rajna Filip-Dhima
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sanjay P Prabhu
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - E Martina Bebin
- Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Dickinson A, Varcin KJ, Sahin M, Nelson CA, Jeste SS. Early patterns of functional brain development associated with autism spectrum disorder in tuberous sclerosis complex. Autism Res 2019; 12:1758-1773. [PMID: 31419043 PMCID: PMC6898751 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic disorder that confers a high risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with behavioral predictors of ASD emerging early in life. Deviations in structural and functional neural connectivity are highly implicated in both TSC and ASD. For the first time, we explore whether electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of neural network function precede or predict the emergence of ASD in TSC. We determine whether altered brain function (a) is present in infancy in TSC, (b) differentiates infants with TSC based on ASD diagnostic status, and (c) is associated with later cognitive function. We studied 35 infants with TSC (N = 35), and a group of typically developing infants (N = 20) at 12 and 24 months of age. Infants with TSC were later subdivided into ASD and non-ASD groups based on clinical evaluation. We measured features of spontaneous alpha oscillations (6-12 Hz) that are closely associated with neural network development: alpha power, alpha phase coherence (APC), and peak alpha frequency (PAF). Infants with TSC demonstrated reduced interhemispheric APC compared to controls at 12 months of age, and these differences were found to be most pronounced at 24 months in the infants who later developed ASD. Across all infants, PAF at 24 months was associated with verbal and nonverbal cognition at 36 months. Associations between early network function and later neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes highlight the potential utility of early scalable EEG markers to identify infants with TSC requiring additional targeted intervention initiated very early in life. Autism Res 2019, 12: 1758-1773. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Approximately half of infants with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) develop autism. Here, using EEG, we find that there is a reduction in communication between brain regions during infancy in TSC, and that the infants who show the largest reductions are those who later develop autism. Being able to identify infants who show early signs of disrupted brain development may improve the timing of early prediction and interventions in TSC, and also help us to understand how early brain changes lead to autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Dickinson
- UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kandice J Varcin
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charles A Nelson
- Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Shafali S Jeste
- UCLA Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
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42
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Altered structural brain connectivity involving the dorsal and ventral language pathways in 16p11.2 deletion syndrome. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 13:430-445. [PMID: 29629500 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9859-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Copy number variants at the chromosomal locus 16p11.2 contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and language and articulation disorders. Here, we provide detailed findings on the disrupted structural brain connectivity in 16p11.2 deletion syndrome (patients: N = 21, age range: 8-16 years; typically developing (TD) controls: 18, 9-16 years) using structural and diffusion MRI. We performed global short-, middle-, long-range, and interhemispheric connectivity analysis in the whole brain using gyral topology-based cortical parcellation. Using region of interest analysis, we studied bilateral dorsal (3 segments of arcuate fasciculus (AF)) and ventral (inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), uncinate fasciculus (UF)) language pathways. Our results showed significantly increased axial (AD) and radial (RD) diffusivities in bilateral anterior AF, decreased volume for left long AF, increased mean diffusivity (MD) and RD for right long AF, and increased AD for bilateral UF in the 16p11.2 deletion group in the absence of significant abnormalities in the whole-brain gyral and interhemispheric connectivity. The selective involvement of the language networks may aid in understanding effects of altered white matter connectivity on neurodevelopmental outcomes in 16p11.2 deletion.
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43
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Yilmaz U. [CNS manifestations of neurocutaneous syndromes]. Radiologe 2019; 58:664-667. [PMID: 29947935 DOI: 10.1007/s00117-018-0413-5] [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: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
CLINICAL/METHODICAL ISSUE Phakomatoses refer to a heterogeneous and inconsistently defined group of neurocutaneous disorders. Tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis types 1 and 2, Sturge-Weber syndrome and von Hippel-Lindau disease are entities with typical findings in neuroimaging studies STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS: These findings are usually easily depicted on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, thus, making diagnosis easier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umut Yilmaz
- Klinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Neuroradiologie, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes, Kirrberger Straße, 66424, Homburg-Saar, Deutschland.
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Ahtam B, Dehaes M, Sliva DD, Peters JM, Krueger DA, Bebin EM, Northrup H, Wu JY, Warfield SK, Sahin M, Grant PE. Resting-State fMRI Networks in Children with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. J Neuroimaging 2019; 29:750-759. [PMID: 31304656 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There are no published studies examining resting state networks (RSNs) and their relationship with neurodevelopmental metrics in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). We aimed to identify major resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) networks in infants with TSC and correlate network analyses with neurodevelopmental assessments, autism diagnosis, and seizure history. METHODS Rs-fMRI data from 34 infants with TSC, sedated with propofol during the scan, were analyzed to identify auditory, motor, and visual RSNs. We examined the correlations between auditory, motor, and visual RSNs at approximately 11.5 months, neurodevelopmental outcome at approximately 18.5 months, and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders at approximately 36 months of age. RESULTS RSNs were obtained in 76.5% (26/34) of infants. We observed significant negative correlations between auditory RSN and auditory comprehension test scores (p = .038; r = -.435), as well as significant positive correlations between motor RSN and gross motor skills test scores (p = .023; r = .564). Significant positive correlations between motor RSNs and gross motor skills (p = .012; r = .754) were observed in TSC infants without autism, but not in TSC infants with autism, which could suggest altered motor processing. There were no significant differences in RSNs according to seizure history. CONCLUSIONS Negative correlation between auditory RSN, as well as positive correlation between motor RSN and developmental outcome measures might reflect different brain mechanisms and, when identified, may be helpful in predicting later function. A larger study of TSC patients with a healthy control group is needed before auditory and motor RSNs could be considered as neurodevelopmental outcome biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Mathieu Dehaes
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Radiology, Radio-oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Danielle D Sliva
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Darcy A Krueger
- Department of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | | | - Hope Northrup
- Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
| | - Joyce Y Wu
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Patricia Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.,Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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45
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Peters JM, Struyven RR, Prohl AK, Vasung L, Stajduhar A, Taquet M, Bushman JJ, Lidov H, Singh JM, Scherrer B, Madsen JR, Prabhu SP, Sahin M, Afacan O, Warfield SK. White matter mean diffusivity correlates with myelination in tuberous sclerosis complex. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:1178-1190. [PMID: 31353853 PMCID: PMC6649396 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the white matter is a biomarker for neurological disease burden in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). To clarify the basis of abnormal diffusion in TSC, we correlated ex vivo high‐resolution diffusion imaging with histopathology in four tissue types: cortex, tuber, perituber, and white matter. Methods Surgical specimens of three children with TSC were scanned in a 3T or 7T MRI with a structural image isotropic resolution of 137–300 micron, and diffusion image isotropic resolution of 270‐1,000 micron. We stained for myelin (luxol fast blue, LFB), gliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP), and neurons (NeuN) and registered the digitized histopathology slides (0.686 micron resolution) to MRI for visual comparison. We then performed colocalization analysis in four tissue types in each specimen. Finally, we applied a linear mixed model (LMM) for pooled analysis across the three specimens. Results In white matter and perituber regions, LFB optical density measures correlated with fractional anisotropy (FA) and inversely with mean diffusivity (MD). In white matter only, GFAP correlated with MD, and inversely with FA. In tubers and in the cortex, there was little variation in mean LFB and GFAP signal intensity, and no correlation with MRI metrics. Neuronal density correlated with MD. In the analysis of the combined specimens, the most robust correlation was between white matter MD and LFB metrics. Interpretation In TSC, diffusion imaging abnormalities in microscopic tissue types correspond to specific histopathological markers. Across all specimens, white matter diffusivity correlates with myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurriaan M Peters
- Division of Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Robbert R Struyven
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Anna K Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lana Vasung
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrija Stajduhar
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research and Center of Research Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maxime Taquet
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - John J Bushman
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hart Lidov
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jolene M Singh
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Joseph R Madsen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sanjay P Prabhu
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Translational Neuroscience Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Onur Afacan
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Longitudinal Effects of Everolimus on White Matter Diffusion in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Pediatr Neurol 2019; 90:24-30. [PMID: 30424962 PMCID: PMC6314307 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2018.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We studied the longitudinal effects of everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), on callosal white matter diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). METHODS Serial imaging data spanning nine years were used from the open label, Phase I/II trial (NCT00411619) and open-ended extension phase of everolimus for the treatment of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma associated with TSC. From 28 patients treated with everolimus and 25 untreated control patients, 481 MRI scans were available. Rigorous quality control resulted in omission of all scans with diffusion weighted imaging data in less than 15 directions or more than eight artifacted volumes, and all postsurgical scans. We applied a linear mixed-effects model to the remaining 125 scans (17 treated, 24 controls) for longitudinal analysis of each DTI metric of manually drawn callosal regions of interest. RESULTS On a population level, mTOR inhibition was associated with a decrease in mean diffusivity. In addition, in treated patients only, a decrease of radial diffusivity was observed; in untreated patients only, an increase of axial diffusivity was seen. In patients below age 10, effect-sizes were consistently greater, and longer treatment was associated with greater rate of diffusion change. There was no correlation between DTI metrics and reduction of subependymal giant cell astrocytoma volume, or everolimus serum levels. CONCLUSIONS Effects from mTOR overactivity on white matter microstructural integrity in TSC were modified through pharmacologic inhibition of mTOR. These changes sustained over time, were greater with longer treatment and in younger patients during a time of rapid white matter maturation.
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Sundberg M, Tochitsky I, Buchholz DE, Winden K, Kujala V, Kapur K, Cataltepe D, Turner D, Han MJ, Woolf CJ, Hatten ME, Sahin M. Purkinje cells derived from TSC patients display hypoexcitability and synaptic deficits associated with reduced FMRP levels and reversed by rapamycin. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:2167-2183. [PMID: 29449635 PMCID: PMC6093816 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that cerebellar dysfunction early in life is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the molecular mechanisms underlying the cerebellar deficits at the cellular level are unclear. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a neurocutaneous disorder that often presents with ASD. Here, we developed a cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) model of TSC with patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying cerebellar abnormalities in ASD and TSC. Our results show that hiPSC-derived PCs from patients with pathogenic TSC2 mutations displayed mTORC1 pathway hyperactivation, defects in neuronal differentiation and RNA regulation, hypoexcitability and reduced synaptic activity when compared with those derived from controls. Our gene expression analyses revealed downregulation of several components of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) targets in TSC2-deficient hiPSC-PCs. We detected decreased expression of FMRP, glutamate receptor δ2 (GRID2), and pre- and post-synaptic markers such as synaptophysin and PSD95 in the TSC2-deficient hiPSC-PCs. The mTOR inhibitor rapamycin rescued the deficits in differentiation, synaptic dysfunction, and hypoexcitability of TSC2 mutant hiPSC-PCs in vitro. Our findings suggest that these gene expression changes and cellular abnormalities contribute to aberrant PC function during development in TSC affected individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Sundberg
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ivan Tochitsky
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David E Buchholz
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kellen Winden
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ville Kujala
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kush Kapur
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deniz Cataltepe
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daria Turner
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Min-Joon Han
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mary E Hatten
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Qing B, Canovic EP, Mijailovic AS, Jagielska A, Whitfield MJ, Lowe AL, Kelly EH, Turner D, Sahin M, Van Vliet K. PROBING MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BRAIN IN A TUBEROUS SCLEROSIS MODEL OF AUTISM. J Biomech Eng 2018; 141:2709743. [PMID: 30347048 DOI: 10.1115/1.4040945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are understood poorly, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. While many studies have investigated the biochemical and genetic aspects of ASD, whether and how mechanical characteristics of the autistic brain can modulate neuronal connectivity and cognition in ASD are unknown. Previously, it has been shown that ASD brains are characterized by abnormal white matter and disorganized neuronal connectivity; we hypothesized that these significant cellular-level structural changes may translate to changes in the mechanical properties of the autistic brain or regions therein. Here, we focused on tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic disorder with a high penetrance of ASD. We investigated mechanical differences between murine brains obtained from control and TSC cohorts at various deformation length- and time-scales. At the microscale, we conducted creep-compliance and stress relaxation experiments using atomic force microscope-enabled indentation. At the mesoscale, we conducted impact indentation using a pendulum-based instrumented indenter to extract mechanical energy dissipation metrics. At the macroscale, we used oscillatory shear rheology to quantify the frequency-dependent shear moduli. Despite significant changes in the cellular organization of TSC brain tissue, we found no corresponding changes in the quantified mechanical properties at every length- and time-scale explored. This investigation of the mechanical characteristics of the brain has broadened our understanding of causes and markers of TSC/ASD, while raising questions about whether any mechanical differences can be detected in other animal models of ASD or other disease models that also feature abnormal brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Qing
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Anna Jagielska
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Alexis L Lowe
- Department of Neuroscience, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
| | - Elyza H Kelly
- The F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daria Turner
- The F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- The F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Krystyn Van Vliet
- Department of Biological Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Tsai PT, Rudolph S, Guo C, Ellegood J, Gibson JM, Schaeffer SM, Mogavero J, Lerch JP, Regehr W, Sahin M. Sensitive Periods for Cerebellar-Mediated Autistic-like Behaviors. Cell Rep 2018; 25:357-367.e4. [PMID: 30304677 PMCID: PMC6226056 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a prevalence exceeding 1%, mechanisms underlying autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are poorly understood, and targeted therapies and guiding parameters are urgently needed. We recently demonstrated that cerebellar dysfunction is sufficient to generate autistic-like behaviors in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Here, using the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR)-specific inhibitor rapamycin, we define distinct sensitive periods for treatment of autistic-like behaviors with sensitive periods extending into adulthood for social behaviors. We identify cellular and electrophysiological parameters that may contribute to behavioral rescue, with rescue of Purkinje cell survival and excitability corresponding to social behavioral rescue. In addition, using anatomic and diffusion-based MRI, we identify structural changes in cerebellar domains implicated in ASD that correlate with sensitive periods of specific autism-like behaviors. These findings thus not only define treatment parameters into adulthood, but also support a mechanistic basis for the targeted rescue of autism-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter T Tsai
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | | | - Chong Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Kids, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer M Gibson
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Samantha M Schaeffer
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jazmin Mogavero
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Kids, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Wade Regehr
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Baumer FM, Peters JM, Clancy S, Prohl AK, Prabhu SP, Scherrer B, Jansen FE, Braun KPJ, Sahin M, Stamm A, Warfield SK. Corpus Callosum White Matter Diffusivity Reflects Cumulative Neurological Comorbidity in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. Cereb Cortex 2018; 28:3665-3672. [PMID: 29939236 PMCID: PMC6132277 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neurological manifestations in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) are highly variable. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) may reflect the neurological disease burden. We analyzed the association of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID) and epilepsy with callosal DTI metrics in subjects with and without TSC. METHODS 186 children underwent 3T MRI DTI: 51 with TSC (19 with concurrent ASD), 46 with non-syndromic ASD and 89 healthy controls (HC). Subgroups were based on presence of TSC, ASD, ID, and epilepsy. Density-weighted DTI metrics obtained from tractography of the corpus callosum were fitted using a 2-parameter growth model. We estimated distributions using bootstrapping and calculated half-life and asymptote of the fitted curves. RESULTS TSC was associated with a lower callosal fractional anisotropy (FA) than ASD, and ASD with a lower FA than HC. ID, epilepsy and ASD diagnosis were each associated with lower FA values, demonstrating additive effects. In TSC, the largest change in FA was related to a comorbid diagnosis of ASD. Mean diffusivity (MD) showed an inverse relationship to FA. Some subgroups were too small for reliable data fitting. CONCLUSIONS Using a cross-disorder approach, this study demonstrates cumulative abnormality of callosal white matter diffusion with increasing neurological comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona M Baumer
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jurriaan M Peters
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sean Clancy
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna K Prohl
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjay P Prabhu
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benoit Scherrer
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Floor E Jansen
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kees P J Braun
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mustafa Sahin
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aymeric Stamm
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for Modeling and Scientific Computing (MOX), Dipartimento di Matematica, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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