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Wang Y, Yu S, Li M. Corrigendum: Neurovascular crosstalk and cerebrovascular alterations: an underestimated therapeutic target in autism spectrum disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1435981. [PMID: 39040849 PMCID: PMC11261734 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1435981] [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: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1226580.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Wang
- Queen Mary School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Shunyu Yu
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Mengqian Li
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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Yin JB, Wang GY, Duan GQ, Nie WH, Zhao MF, Jin TT. [Neurodevelopment and cerebral blood flow in children aged 2-6 years with autism spectrum disorder]. ZHONGGUO DANG DAI ER KE ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY PEDIATRICS 2024; 26:599-604. [PMID: 38926376 DOI: 10.7499/j.issn.1008-8830.2401048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the neurodevelopmental characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), analyze the correlation between neurodevelopmental indicators and cerebral blood flow (CBF), and explore the potential mechanisms of neurodevelopment in ASD children. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on 145 children aged 2-6 years with newly-diagnosed ASD. Scores from the Gesell Developmental Diagnosis Scale and the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and CBF results were collected to compare gender differences in the development of children with ASD and analyze the correlation between CBF and neurodevelopmental indicators. RESULTS Fine motor and personal-social development quotient in boys with ASD were lower than those in girls with ASD (P<0.05). Gross motor development quotient in ASD children was negatively correlated with CBF in the left frontal lobe (r=-0.200, P=0.016), right frontal lobe (r=-0.279, P=0.001), left parietal lobe (r=-0.208, P=0.012), and right parietal lobe (r=-0.187, P=0.025). The total ABC score was positively correlated with CBF in the left amygdala (r=0.295, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Early intervention training should pay attention to gender and developmental structural characteristics for precise intervention in ASD children. CBF has the potential to become a biological marker for assessing the severity of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Bao Yin
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Gan-Yu Wang
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Gui-Qin Duan
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Wen-Hao Nie
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Ming-Fang Zhao
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Ting-Ting Jin
- Department of Child Health Care/Child Psychology and Behavior Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
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Du L, Ye F, Gao W, Yang A, Luan J, Xu M, Lv K, Hu P, Liu B, Yu H, Wang Y, Huang W, Shu N, Ouyang G, Yin Q, Shmuel A, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Xu P, Ma G. Decreased brain iron deposition based on quantitative susceptibility mapping correlates with reduced neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:63-71. [PMID: 38696609 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae081] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
To investigate potential correlations between the susceptibility values of certain brain regions and the severity of disease or neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 18 ASD children and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The neurodevelopmental status was assessed by the Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) and the severity of the disease was evaluated by the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Eleven brain regions were selected as regions of interest and the susceptibility values were measured by quantitative susceptibility mapping. To evaluate the diagnostic capacity of susceptibility values in distinguishing ASD and HC, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Pearson and Spearman partial correlation analysis were used to depict the correlations between the susceptibility values, the ABC scores, and the GDS scores in the ASD group. ROC curves showed that the susceptibility values of the left and right frontal white matter had a larger area under the curve in the ASD group. The susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus was positively correlated with the GDS-fine motor scale score. These findings indicated that the susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus might be a viable imaging biomarker for evaluating the neurodevelopmental status of ASD children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Du
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Radiology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Fang Ye
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wenwen Gao
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Radiology, the Sixth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 6 Fucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Aocai Yang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jixin Luan
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Manxi Xu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Kuan Lv
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Pianpian Hu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hongwei Yu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Weijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ni Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Gaoxiang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qian Yin
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Amir Shmuel
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 45 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Physiology, and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 45 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yunfeng Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Guolin Ma
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
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Collignon A, Dion-Albert L, Ménard C, Coelho-Santos V. Sex, hormones and cerebrovascular function: from development to disorder. Fluids Barriers CNS 2024; 21:2. [PMID: 38178239 PMCID: PMC10768274 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-023-00496-3] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Proper cerebrovascular development and neurogliovascular unit assembly are essential for brain growth and function throughout life, ensuring the continuous supply of nutrients and oxygen. This involves crucial events during pre- and postnatal stages through key pathways, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Wnt signaling. These pathways are pivotal for brain vascular growth, expansion, and blood-brain barrier (BBB) maturation. Interestingly, during fetal and neonatal life, cerebrovascular formation coincides with the early peak activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, supporting the idea of sex hormonal influence on cerebrovascular development and barriergenesis.Sex hormonal dysregulation in early development has been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders with highly sexually dimorphic features, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Both disorders show higher prevalence in men, with varying symptoms between sexes, with boys exhibiting more externalizing behaviors, such as aggressivity or hyperactivity, and girls displaying higher internalizing behaviors, including anxiety, depression, or attention disorders. Indeed, ASD and ADHD are linked to high prenatal testosterone exposure and reduced aromatase expression, potentially explaining sex differences in prevalence and symptomatology. In line with this, high estrogen levels seem to attenuate ADHD symptoms. At the cerebrovascular level, sex- and region-specific variations of cerebral blood flow perfusion have been reported in both conditions, indicating an impact of gonadal hormones on the brain vascular system, disrupting its ability to respond to neuronal demands.This review aims to provide an overview of the existing knowledge concerning the impact of sex hormones on cerebrovascular formation and maturation, as well as the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we explore the concept of gonadal hormone interactions with brain vascular and BBB development to function, with a particular focus on the modulation of VEGF and Wnt signaling. We outline how these pathways may be involved in the underpinnings of ASD and ADHD. Outstanding questions and potential avenues for future research are highlighted, as uncovering sex-specific physiological and pathological aspects of brain vascular development might lead to innovative therapeutic approaches in the context of ASD, ADHD and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeline Collignon
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience and CERVO Brain Research Center, Universite Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Laurence Dion-Albert
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience and CERVO Brain Research Center, Universite Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Caroline Ménard
- Department of Psychiatry & Neuroscience and CERVO Brain Research Center, Universite Laval, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Vanessa Coelho-Santos
- Institute for Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
- University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), Coimbra, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Institute of Physiology, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Nenadić I, Meller T, Evermann U, Pfarr JK, Federspiel A, Walther S, Grezellschak S, Abu-Akel A. Modelling the overlap and divergence of autistic and schizotypal traits on hippocampal subfield volumes and regional cerebral blood flow. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:74-84. [PMID: 37891246 PMCID: PMC11078729 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02302-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders show high co-morbidity, including co-morbid expressions of subclinical psychopathology across multiple disease spectra. Given the limitations of classical case-control designs in elucidating this overlap, new approaches are needed to identify biological underpinnings of spectra and their interaction. We assessed autistic-like traits (using the Autism Quotient, AQ) and schizotypy - as models of subclinical expressions of disease phenotypes and examined their association with volumes and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of anterior, mid- and posterior hippocampus segments from structural MRI scans in 318 and arterial spin labelling (ASL) in 346 nonclinical subjects, which overlapped with the structural imaging sample (N = 298). We demonstrate significant interactive effects of positive schizotypy and AQ social skills as well as of positive schizotypy and AQ imagination on hippocampal subfield volume variation. Moreover, we show that AQ attention switching modulated hippocampal head rCBF, while positive schizotypy by AQ attention to detail interactions modulated hippocampal tail rCBF. In addition, we show significant correlation of hippocampal volume and rCBF in both region-of-interest and voxel-wise analyses, which were robust after removal of variance related to schizotypy and autistic traits. These findings provide empirical evidence for both the modulation of hippocampal subfield structure and function through subclinical traits, and in particular how only the interaction of phenotype facets leads to significant reductions or variations in these parameters. This makes a case for considering the synergistic impact of different (subclinical) disease spectra on transdiagnostic biological parameters in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Nenadić
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany.
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Tina Meller
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrika Evermann
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
| | - Julia-Katharina Pfarr
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Walther
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Grezellschak
- Cognitive Neuropsychiatry Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
- Marburg University Hospital - UKGM, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ahmad Abu-Akel
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
- The Haifa Brain and Behavior Hub, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel
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Wang M, Xu D, Zhang L, Jiang H. Application of Multimodal MRI in the Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3027. [PMID: 37835770 PMCID: PMC10571992 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13193027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Early diagnosis and intervention can remodel the neural structure of the brain and improve quality of life but may be inaccurate if based solely on clinical symptoms and assessment scales. Therefore, we aimed to analyze multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the existing literature and review the abnormal changes in brain structural-functional networks, perfusion, neuronal metabolism, and the glymphatic system in children with ASD, which could help in early diagnosis and precise intervention. Structural MRI revealed morphological differences, abnormal developmental trajectories, and network connectivity changes in the brain at different ages. Functional MRI revealed disruption of functional networks, abnormal perfusion, and neurovascular decoupling associated with core ASD symptoms. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed abnormal changes in the neuronal metabolites during different periods. Decreased diffusion tensor imaging signals along the perivascular space index reflected impaired glymphatic system function in children with ASD. Differences in age, subtype, degree of brain damage, and remodeling in children with ASD led to heterogeneity in research results. Multimodal MRI is expected to further assist in early and accurate clinical diagnosis of ASD through deep learning combined with genomics and artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaoyan Wang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
| | - Dandan Xu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
| | - Lili Zhang
- Department of Child Health Care, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Haoxiang Jiang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Children’s Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214000, China; (M.W.); (D.X.)
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Wang Y, Yu S, Li M. Neurovascular crosstalk and cerebrovascular alterations: an underestimated therapeutic target in autism spectrum disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1226580. [PMID: 37692552 PMCID: PMC10491023 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1226580] [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: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal brain development, function, and aging critically depend on unique characteristics of the cerebrovascular system. Growing evidence indicated that cerebrovascular defects can have irreversible effects on the brain, and these defects have been implicated in various neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with heterogeneous clinical manifestations and anatomical changes. While extensive research has focused on the neural abnormalities underlying ASD, the role of brain vasculature in this disorder remains poorly understood. Indeed, the significance of cerebrovascular contributions to ASD has been consistently underestimated. In this work, we discuss the neurovascular crosstalk during embryonic development and highlight recent findings on cerebrovascular alterations in individuals with ASD. We also discuss the potential of vascular-based therapy for ASD. Collectively, these investigations demonstrate that ASD can be considered a neurovascular disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Wang
- Queen Mary School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Shunyu Yu
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Mengqian Li
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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Bansal R, Peterson BS. Geometry-derived statistical significance: A probabilistic framework for detecting true positive findings in MRI data. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2865. [PMID: 36869597 PMCID: PMC10097156 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2865] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The false discovery rate (FDR) procedure does not incorporate the geometry of the random field and requires high statistical power at each voxel, a requirement not satisfied by the limited number of participants in imaging studies. Topological FDR, threshold free cluster enhancement (TFCE), and probabilistic TFCE improve statistical power by incorporating local geometry. However, topological FDR requires specifying a cluster defining threshold and TFCE requires specifying transformation weights. METHODS Geometry-derived statistical significance (GDSS) procedure overcomes these limitations by combining voxelwise p-values for the test statistic with the probabilities computed from the local geometry for the random field, thereby providing substantially greater statistical power than the procedures currently used to control for multiple comparisons. We use synthetic data and real-world data to compare its performance against the performance of these other, previously developed procedures. RESULTS GDSS provided substantially greater statistical power relative to the comparator procedures, which was less variable to the number of participants. GDSS was more conservative than TFCE: that is, it rejected null hypotheses at voxels with much higher effect sizes than TFCE. Our experiments also showed that the Cohen's D effect size decreases as the number of participants increases. Therefore, sample size calculations from small studies may underestimate the participants required in larger studies. Our findings also suggest effect size maps should be presented along with p-value maps for correct interpretation of findings. CONCLUSIONS GDSS compared with the other procedures provides considerably greater statistical power for detecting true positives while limiting false positives, especially in small sized (<40 participants) imaging cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Bansal
- Institute for the Developing MindChildren's Hospital Los AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Pediatrics and PsychiatryKeck School of Medicine at the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Institute for the Developing MindChildren's Hospital Los AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PsychiatryKeck School of Medicine at the University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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Ghaffar A, Nyholt DR. Genome-wide imputed differential expression enrichment analysis identifies trait-relevant tissues. Front Genet 2023; 13:1008511. [PMID: 36699451 PMCID: PMC9870027 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1008511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification of pathogenically-relevant genes and tissues for complex traits can be a difficult task. We developed an approach named genome-wide imputed differential expression enrichment (GIDEE), to prioritise trait-relevant tissues by combining genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistic data with tissue-specific expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data from 49 GTEx tissues. Our GIDEE approach analyses robustly imputed gene expression and tests for enrichment of differentially expressed genes in each tissue. Two tests (mean squared z-score and empirical Brown's method) utilise the full distribution of differential expression p-values across all genes, while two binomial tests assess the proportion of genes with tissue-wide significant differential expression. GIDEE was applied to nine training datasets with known trait-relevant tissues and ranked 49 GTEx tissues using the individual and combined enrichment tests. The best-performing enrichment test produced an average rank of 1.55 out of 49 for the known trait-relevant tissue across the nine training datasets-ranking the correct tissue first five times, second three times, and third once. Subsequent application of the GIDEE approach to 20 test datasets-whose pathogenic tissues or cell types are uncertain or unknown-provided important prioritisation of tissues relevant to the trait's regulatory architecture. GIDEE prioritisation may thus help identify both pathogenic tissues and suitable proxy tissue/cell models (e.g., using enriched tissues/cells that are more easily accessible). The application of our GIDEE approach to GWAS datasets will facilitate follow-up in silico and in vitro research to determine the functional consequence(s) of their risk loci.
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Tang S, Liu X, Nie L, Qian F, Chen W, He L. Three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling perfusion imaging shows cerebral blood flow perfusion decline in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder children. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1064647. [PMID: 36741108 PMCID: PMC9889924 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1064647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate the feasibility of three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D-pcASL) perfusion imaging in the brain of children with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS A total of 78 ADHD children aged 5-13 years were prospectively selected as the study group, and 89 healthy children matched in age and sex were selected as the control group. All children underwent MRI conventional sequence, 3D-pcASL, and 3D-T1 sequence scans. The brain gray and white matter volume and cerebral blood flow (CBF) perfusion values were obtained by software post-processing, and were compared and analyzed in the two groups to find out their characteristics in the brain of ADHD children. RESULTS The total brain volume and total CBF values were lower in ADHD children than in healthy children (P < 0.05); the gray and white matter volumes in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus and other brain regions were lower in ADHD children than in healthy children (P < 0.05); the gray matter CBF values in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus and other brain regions were lower in ADHD children than in healthy children (P < 0.05); the differences between the white matter CBF values of white matter in the said brain regions of ADHD children and healthy children were not statistically significant (P > 0.05); and the CBF values in frontal lobe and caudate nuclei could distinguish ADHD children (AUC > 0.05, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The 3D-pcASL technique showed reduced cerebral perfusion in some brain regions of ADHD children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilong Tang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Xianfan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Lisha Nie
- GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, China
| | - Fangfang Qian
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Wushang Chen
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
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Berger PK, Bansal R, Sawardekar S, Yonemitsu C, Furst A, Hampson HE, Schmidt KA, Alderete TL, Bode L, Goran MI, Peterson BS. Associations of Human Milk Oligosaccharides with Infant Brain Tissue Organization and Regional Blood Flow at 1 Month of Age. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14183820. [PMID: 36145194 PMCID: PMC9501015 DOI: 10.3390/nu14183820] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies have shown that human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are important in early brain development, yet their roles have not been assessed in humans. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations of HMOs with MRI indices of tissue microstructure and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in infants. Mother–infant pairs (N = 20) were recruited at 1 month postpartum. Milk was assayed for the concentrations of the HMOs 2′-fucosyllactose (2′FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3FL), 3′-sialyllactose (3′SL), and 6′-sialyllactose (6′SL). Diffusion and arterial spin labeling measures were acquired using a 3.0-Tesla MRI scanner. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the voxel-wise associations of HMOs with fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and rCBF values across the brain. After adjusting for pre-pregnancy BMI, sex, birthweight, and postmenstrual age at time of scan, a higher 2′FL concentration was associated with reduced FA, increased MD, and reduced rCBF in similar locations within the cortical mantle. Higher 3FL and 3′SL concentrations were associated with increased FA, reduced MD, and increased rCBF in similar regions within the developing white matter. The concentration of 6′SL was not associated with MRI indices. Our data reveal that fucosylated and sialylated HMOs differentially associate with indices of tissue microstructure and rCBF, suggesting specific roles for 2′FL, 3FL, and 3′SL in early brain maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige K. Berger
- Department of Pediatric Newborn Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ravi Bansal
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Siddhant Sawardekar
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Chloe Yonemitsu
- Department of Pediatrics and Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Annalee Furst
- Department of Pediatrics and Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hailey E. Hampson
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Kelsey A. Schmidt
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Tanya L. Alderete
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Lars Bode
- Department of Pediatrics and Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael I. Goran
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-323-361-3654
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Kato Y, Yokokura M, Iwabuchi T, Murayama C, Harada T, Goto T, Tamayama T, Kameno Y, Wakuda T, Kuwabara H, Benner S, Senju A, Tsukada H, Nishizawa S, Ouchi Y, Yamasue H. Lower Availability of Mitochondrial Complex I in Anterior Cingulate Cortex in Autism: A Positron Emission Tomography Study. Am J Psychiatry 2022; 180:277-284. [PMID: 36069020 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.22010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in previous studies of postmortem brain or peripheral samples. The authors investigated whether and where mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in the living brains of individuals with ASD and to identify the clinical correlates of detected mitochondrial dysfunction. METHODS This case-control study used positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-tert-butyl-4-chloro-5-{6-[2-(2-[18F]fluoroethoxy)-ethoxy]-pyridin-3-ylmethoxy}-2H-pyridazin-3-one ([18F]BCPP-EF), a radioligand that binds to the mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I, to examine the topographical distribution of mitochondrial dysfunction in living brains of individuals with ASD. Twenty-three adult males with high-functioning ASD, with no psychiatric comorbidities and free of psychotropic medication, and 24 typically developed males with no psychiatric diagnoses, matched with the ASD group on age, parental socioeconomic background, and IQ, underwent [18F]BCPP-EF PET measurements. Individuals with mitochondrial disease were excluded by clinical evaluation and blood tests for abnormalities in lactate and pyruvate levels. RESULTS Among the brain regions in which mitochondrial dysfunction has been reported in postmortem studies of autistic brains, participants with ASD had significantly decreased [18F]BCPP-EF availability specifically in the anterior cingulate cortex compared with typically developed participants. The regional specificity was revealed by a significant interaction between diagnosis and brain regions. Moreover, the lower [18F]BCPP-EF availability in the anterior cingulate cortex was significantly correlated with the more severe ASD core symptom of social communication deficits. CONCLUSIONS This study provides direct evidence to link in vivo brain mitochondrial dysfunction with ASD pathophysiology and its communicational deficits. The findings support the possibility that mitochondrial electron transport chain complex I is a novel therapeutic target for ASD core symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Masamichi Yokokura
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Toshiki Iwabuchi
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Chihiro Murayama
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Taeko Harada
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Takafumi Goto
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Taishi Tamayama
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Yosuke Kameno
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Tomoyasu Wakuda
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Hitoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Seico Benner
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Atsushi Senju
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Hideo Tsukada
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Sadahiko Nishizawa
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Yasuomi Ouchi
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry (Kato, Yokokura, Murayama, Goto, Tamayama, Kameno, Wakuda, Kuwabara, Benner, Yamasue), United Graduate School of Child Development (Yokokura, Iwabuchi, Harada, Kameno, Kuwabara, Senju, Yamasue), Research Center for Child Mental Development (Iwabuchi, Harada, Senju), and Department of Biofunctional Imaging (Ouchi), Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; Central Research Laboratory, Hamamatsu Photonics K.K., Hamamatsu, Japan (Tsukada); Hamamatsu Medical Imaging Center, Hamamatsu Medical Photonics Foundation, Hamamatsu, Japan (Nishizawa, Ouchi)
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Peterson BS, Liu J, Dantec L, Newman C, Sawardekar S, Goh S, Bansal R. Using tissue microstructure and multimodal MRI to parse the phenotypic heterogeneity and cellular basis of autism spectrum disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:855-870. [PMID: 34762311 PMCID: PMC9091058 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying the brain bases for phenotypic heterogeneity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will advance understanding of its pathogenesis and improve its clinical management. METHODS We compared Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) indices and connectome measures between 77 ASD and 88 Typically Developing (TD) control participants. We also assessed voxel-wise associations of DTI indices with measures of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) to understand how tissue microstructure associates with cellular metabolism and neuronal density, respectively. RESULTS Autism Spectrum Disorder participants had significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher diffusivity values in deep white matter tracts, likely representing ether reduced myelination by oligodendrocytes or a reduced density of myelinated axons. Greater abnormalities in these measures and regions were associated with higher ASD symptom scores. Participant age, sex and IQ significantly moderated these group differences. Path analyses showed that reduced NAA levels accounted significantly for higher diffusivity and higher rCBF values in ASD compared with TD participants. CONCLUSIONS Reduced neuronal density (reduced NAA) likely underlies abnormalities in DTI indices of white matter microstructure in ASD, which in turn are major determinants of elevated blood flow. Together, these findings suggest the presence of reduced axonal density and axonal pathology in ASD white matter. Greater pathology in turn accounts for more severe symptoms, lower intellectual ability, and reduced global efficiency for measures of white matter connectivity in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Peterson
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027;,Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027
| | - Louis Dantec
- École Polytechnique Universitaire de Marseille, France
| | | | - Siddhant Sawardekar
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027
| | | | - Ravi Bansal
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90027;,Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033
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Martínez-Álvarez R, Torres-Diaz C. Surgery of autism: Is it possible? PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 272:73-84. [PMID: 35667807 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability of the brain that can be associated to severe conductual alterations, such as self or heteroaggression and obsessive and compulsive behavior. Many of these patients do not improve with any pharmacological or behavioral therapy and represent a major social problem. We describe the outcome of patients with ASD, treated with radiofrequency brain lesions combined with Gamma Knife radiosurgery for therapy-resistant aggressiveness, obsessive thoughts, and compulsions. The ASD adapted YBOCS, PCQ and EAE scales assessed the therapeutic effect on symptoms. All patients had a significant reduction of their symptoms (YBOCS:34 and 22 PCQ 42 and 35, EAE 11 and 5.5, respectively), although all needed more than one treatment to maintain this improvement. The treatments resulted very safe for the patients and their neurological status has not change. We conclude that in these patients after surgery, there is a marked improvement in behavior, quality of life and relationship with the environment, with no evidence of secondary damage. Changes in connectivity might mediate the clinical improvement, although it is necessary to confirm these results with further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Martínez-Álvarez
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery and Radiosurgery, Ruber International Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Cristina Torres-Diaz
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery and Radiosurgery, Ruber International Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Department of Neurosurgery, La Princesa Hospital, Madrid, Spain
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15
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Tang S, Nie L, Liu X, Chen Z, Zhou Y, Pan Z, He L. Application of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Autism in Children. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:818404. [PMID: 35646984 PMCID: PMC9133426 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.818404] [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: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the application of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of autism in children. Methods Sixty autistic children aged 2–3 years and 60 age- and sex-matched healthy children participated in the study. All the children were scanned using head MRI conventional sequences, 3D-T1, diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), enhanced T2*- weighted magnetic resonance angiography (ESWAN) and 3D-pseudo continuous Arterial Spin-Labeled (3D-pcASL) sequences. The quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and brain microstructure of each brain area were compared between the groups, and correlations were analyzed. Results The iron content and cerebral blood flow in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, substantia nigra, and red nucleus of the study group were lower than those in the corresponding brain areas of the control group (P < 0.05). The mean kurtosis (MK), radial kurtosis (RK), and axial kurtosis (AK) values of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, putamen, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, substantia nigra, and red nucleus in the study group were lower than those of the corresponding brain areas in the control group (P < 0.05). The mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy of kurtosis (FAK) values of the frontal lobe, temporal lobe and hippocampus in the control group were lower than those in the corresponding brain areas in the study group (P < 0.05). The values of CBF, QSM, and DKI in frontal lobe, temporal lobe and hippocampus could distinguish ASD children (AUC > 0.5, P < 0.05), among which multimodal technology (QSM, CBF, DKI) had the highest AUC (0.917) and DKI had the lowest AUC (0.642). Conclusion Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (including QSM, 3D-pcASL, and DKI) can detect abnormalities in the iron content, cerebral blood flow and brain microstructure in young autistic children, multimodal technology (QSM, CBF, DKI) could be considered as the first choice of imaging diagnostic technology. Clinical Trial Registration [http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchprojen.aspx], identifier [ChiCTR2000029699].
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilong Tang
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Lisha Nie
- GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, China
| | - Xianfan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengxia Pan
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhengxia Pan,
| | - Ling He
- Department of Radiology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
- Ling He,
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Tang S, Liu X, Ran Q, Nie L, Wu L, Pan Z, He L. Application of Three-Dimensional Pseudocontinuous Arterial Spin Labeling Perfusion Imaging in the Brains of Children With Autism. Front Neurol 2022; 13:851430. [PMID: 35280268 PMCID: PMC8905523 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.851430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the application of three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (3D-PCASL) perfusion imaging in the brains of children with autism and to understand the characteristics of cerebral blood perfusion in children with autism. Methods A total of 320 children with autism (160 men and 160 women) aged between 2 and 18 years and 320 age- and sex-matched healthy children participated in the study. All children were scanned by 3.0 T magnetic resonance axial T1 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), T2 FLAIR, 3D-T1, and 3D-PCASL sequences. After postprocessing, cerebral blood flow (CBF) values in each brain region of children with autism and healthy children at the same age were compared and analyzed. Furthermore, CBF characteristics in each brain region of autistic children at various ages were determined. Results The CBF values of the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and caudate nucleus of children with autism are lower than those of healthy children (P < 0.05). Additionally, as the ages of children with autism increase, the number of brain regions with decreased CBF values gradually increases. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis results show that the CBF values of the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and caudate nucleus can distinguish children with autism [area under the ROC curve (AUC) > 0.05, P < 0.05]. Conclusion The 3D-PCASL shows lower brain CBF values in children with autism. Clinical Trial Registration www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: ChiCTR2000034356.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilong Tang
- Department of Radiology Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Xianfan Liu
- Department of Radiology Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiying Ran
- Department of Radiology Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Lisha Nie
- GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Wu
- Department of Radiology Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhengxia Pan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Radiology Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China
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Ouellette J, Lacoste B. From Neurodevelopmental to Neurodegenerative Disorders: The Vascular Continuum. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:749026. [PMID: 34744690 PMCID: PMC8570842 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.749026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional integrity of the cerebral vasculature ensures proper brain development and function, as well as healthy aging. The inability of the brain to store energy makes it exceptionally dependent on an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients from the blood stream for matching colossal demands of neural and glial cells. Key vascular features including a dense vasculature, a tightly controlled environment, and the regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) all take part in brain health throughout life. As such, healthy brain development and aging are both ensured by the anatomical and functional interaction between the vascular and nervous systems that are established during brain development and maintained throughout the lifespan. During critical periods of brain development, vascular networks remodel until they can actively respond to increases in neural activity through neurovascular coupling, which makes the brain particularly vulnerable to neurovascular alterations. The brain vasculature has been strongly associated with the onset and/or progression of conditions associated with aging, and more recently with neurodevelopmental disorders. Our understanding of cerebrovascular contributions to neurological disorders is rapidly evolving, and increasing evidence shows that deficits in angiogenesis, CBF and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are causally linked to cognitive impairment. Moreover, it is of utmost curiosity that although neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders express different clinical features at different stages of life, they share similar vascular abnormalities. In this review, we present an overview of vascular dysfunctions associated with neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, Down Syndrome) and neurodegenerative (multiple sclerosis, Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases) disorders, with a focus on impairments in angiogenesis, CBF and the BBB. Finally, we discuss the impact of early vascular impairments on the expression of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ouellette
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Neuroscience Program, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Baptiste Lacoste
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Neuroscience Program, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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18
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Mo K, Sadoway T, Bonato S, Ameis SH, Anagnostou E, Lerch JP, Taylor MJ, Lai MC. Sex/gender differences in the human autistic brains: A systematic review of 20 years of neuroimaging research. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102811. [PMID: 34509922 PMCID: PMC8436080 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Our current understanding of autism is largely based on clinical experiences and research involving male individuals given the male-predominance in prevalence and the under-inclusion of female individuals due to small samples, co-occurring conditions, or simply being missed for diagnosis. There is a significantly biased 'male lens' in this field with autistic females insufficiently understood. We therefore conducted a systematic review to examine how sex and gender modulate brain structure and function in autistic individuals. Findings from the past 20 years are yet to converge on specific brain regions/networks with consistent sex/gender-modulating effects. Despite at least three well-powered studies identifying specific patterns of significant sex/gender-modulation of autism-control differences, many other studies are likely underpowered, suggesting a critical need for future investigation into sex/gender-based heterogeneity with better-powered designs. Future research should also formally investigate the effects of gender, beyond biological sex, which is mostly absent in the current literature. Understanding the roles of sex and gender in the development of autism is an imperative step to extend beyond the 'male lens' in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Mo
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Tara Sadoway
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah Bonato
- Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Department of Paediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Margot J Taylor
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Neurosciences & Mental Health Program, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Canada; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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19
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Papaioannou AG, Kalantzi E, Papageorgiou CC, Korombili K, Βokou A, Pehlivanidis A, Papageorgiou CC, Papaioannou G. Complexity analysis of the brain activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to cognitive loads/demands induced by Aristotle's type of syllogism/reasoning. A Power Spectral Density and multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07984. [PMID: 34611558 PMCID: PMC8477216 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aim to investigate whether EEG dynamics differ in adults with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders), ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), compared with healthy subjects during the performance of an innovative cognitive task: Aristotle's valid and invalid syllogisms. We follow the Neuroanatomical differences type of criterion in assessing the results of our study in supporting or not the dual-process theory of Kahneman, 2011) (Systems I & II of thinking). METHOD We recorded EEGs from 14 scalp electrodes in 30 adults with ADHD, 30 with ASD and 24 healthy, normal subjects. The subjects were exposed in a set of innovative cognitive tasks (inducing varying cognitive loads), the Aristotle's four types of syllogism mentioned above. The multiscale entropy (MSE), a nonlinear information-theoretic measure or tool was computed to extract features that quantify the complexity of the EEG. RESULTS The dynamics of the curves of the grand average of MSE values of the ADHD and ASD participants was significantly in higher levels for the majority of time scales, than the healthy subjects over a number of brain regions (electrodes locations), during the performance of both valid and invalid types of syllogism. This result is seemingly not in accordance of the broadly accepted 'theory' of complexity loss in 'pathological' subjects, but actually this is not the case as explained in the text. ADHD subjects are engaged in System II of thinking, for both Valid and Invalid syllogism, ASD and Control in System I for valid and invalid syllogism, respectively. A surprising and 'provocative' result of this paper, as shown in the next sections, is that the Complexity-variability of ASD and ADHD subjects, when they face Aristotle's types of syllogisms, is higher than that of the control subjects. An explanation is suggested as described in the text. Also, in the case of invalid type of Aristotelian syllogisms, the linguistic and visuo-spatial systems are both engaged ONLY in the temporal and occipital regions of the brain, respectively, of ADHD subjects. In the case of valid type, both above systems are engaged in the temporal and occipital regions of the brain, respectively, of both ASD and ADHD subjects, while in the control subjects only the visuo-spatial type is engaged (Goel et al., 2000; Knauff, 2007). CONCLUSION Based on the results of the analysis described in this work, the differences in the EEG complexity between the three groups of participants lead to the conclusion that cortical information processing is changed in ASD and ADHD adults, therefore their level of cortical activation may be insufficient to meet the peculiar cognitive demand of Aristotle's reasoning. SIGNIFICANCE The present paper suggest that MSE, is a powerful and efficient nonlinear measure in detecting neural dysfunctions in adults with ASD and ADHD characteristics, when they are called on to perform in a very demanding as well as innovative set of cognitive tasks, that can be considered as a new diagnostic 'benchmark' in helping detecting more effectively such type of disorders. A linear measure alone, as the typical PSD, is not capable in making such a distinction. The work contributes in shedding light on the neural mechanisms of syllogism/reasoning of Aristotelian type, as well as toward understanding how humans reason logically and why 'pathological' subjects deviate from the norms of formal logic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia G. Papaioannou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS”, (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
| | - Eva Kalantzi
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Kalliopi Korombili
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Βokou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Artemios Pehlivanidis
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Charalabos C. Papageorgiou
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, National University of Athens, Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS”, (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
| | - George Papaioannou
- Center for Research of Nonlinear Systems (CRANS), Department of Mathematics, University of Patras, Patra, Greece
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Walsh MJM, Wallace GL, Gallegos SM, Braden BB. Brain-based sex differences in autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan: A systematic review of structural MRI, fMRI, and DTI findings. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 31:102719. [PMID: 34153690 PMCID: PMC8233229 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been long overlooked in neuroscience research, but emerging evidence suggests they show distinct phenotypic trajectories and age-related brain differences. Sex-related biological factors (e.g., hormones, genes) may play a role in ASD etiology and have been shown to influence neurodevelopmental trajectories. Thus, a lifespan approach is warranted to understand brain-based sex differences in ASD. This systematic review on MRI-based sex differences in ASD was conducted to elucidate variations across the lifespan and inform biomarker discovery of ASD in females We identified articles through two database searches. Fifty studies met criteria and underwent integrative review. We found that regions expressing replicable sex-by-diagnosis differences across studies overlapped with regions showing sex differences in neurotypical cohorts. Furthermore, studies investigating age-related brain differences across a broad age-span suggest distinct neurodevelopmental patterns in females with ASD. Qualitative comparison across youth and adult studies also supported this hypothesis. However, many studies collapsed across age, which may mask differences. Furthermore, accumulating evidence supports the female protective effect in ASD, although only one study examined brain circuits implicated in "protection." When synthesized with the broader literature, brain-based sex differences in ASD may come from various sources, including genetic and endocrine processes involved in brain "masculinization" and "feminization" across early development, puberty, and other lifespan windows of hormonal transition. Furthermore, sex-related biology may interact with peripheral processes, in particular the stress axis and brain arousal system, to produce distinct neurodevelopmental patterns in males and females with ASD. Future research on neuroimaging-based sex differences in ASD would benefit from a lifespan approach in well-controlled and multivariate studies. Possible relationships between behavior, sex hormones, and brain development in ASD remain largely unexamined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J M Walsh
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Gregory L Wallace
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The George Washington University, 2115 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Stephen M Gallegos
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - B Blair Braden
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA.
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21
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Li X, Zhang K, He X, Zhou J, Jin C, Shen L, Gao Y, Tian M, Zhang H. Structural, Functional, and Molecular Imaging of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:1051-1071. [PMID: 33779890 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00673-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder associated with both genetic and environmental risks. Neuroimaging approaches have been widely employed to parse the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ASD, and provide critical insights into the anatomical, functional, and neurochemical changes. We reviewed recent advances in neuroimaging studies that focused on ASD by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), or single-positron emission tomography (SPECT). Longitudinal structural MRI has delineated an abnormal developmental trajectory of ASD that is associated with cascading neurobiological processes, and functional MRI has pointed to disrupted functional neural networks. Meanwhile, PET and SPECT imaging have revealed that metabolic and neurotransmitter abnormalities may contribute to shaping the aberrant neural circuits of ASD. Future large-scale, multi-center, multimodal investigations are essential to elucidate the neurophysiological underpinnings of ASD, and facilitate the development of novel diagnostic biomarkers and better-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyi Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Kai Zhang
- Laboratory for Pathophysiological and Health Science, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Xiao He
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Jinyun Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Chentao Jin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Lesang Shen
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Yuanxue Gao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China
| | - Mei Tian
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical PET Center, The Second Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Imaging of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
- Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
- The College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
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Portnova GV, Maslennikova AV, Proskurnina EV. The Relationship between Carotid Doppler Ultrasound and EEG Metrics in Healthy Preschoolers and Adults. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100755. [PMID: 33092107 PMCID: PMC7589929 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite widespread using electroencephalography (EEG) and Doppler ultrasound in pediatric neurology clinical practice, there are still no well-known correlations between these methods that could contribute to a better understanding of brain processes and development of neurological pathology. This study aims to reveal relationship between EEG and Doppler ultrasound methods. We compared two cohorts of adults and preschool children with no history of neurological or mental diseases. The data analysis included investigation of EEG and carotid blood flow indexes, which are significant in neurological diagnosis, as well as calculation of linear and non-linear EEG parameters and ratios between the systolic peak velocities of carotid arteries and carotid blood asymmetry. We have found age-dependent correlations between EEG and power Doppler ultrasound imaging (PDUI) data. Carotid blood flow asymmetry correlated with delta-rhythm power spectral density only in preschoolers. The ratios of blood flow velocities in the internal carotid arteries to those in the common carotid arteries correlated with higher peak alpha frequency and lower fractal dimension; moreover, they were associated with lower Epworth sleepiness scale scores. The study revealed significant correlations between EEG and PDUI imaging indexes, which are different for healthy children and adults. Despite the fact that the correlations were associated with non-clinical states such as overwork or stress, we assumed that the investigated parameters could be applicable for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina V. Portnova
- Laboratory of the Human Higher Nervous Activity, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Aleksandra V. Maslennikova
- Laboratory of the Human Higher Nervous Activity, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117485 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Elena V. Proskurnina
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Research Centre for Medical Genetics, 115522 Moscow, Russia;
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Garcia-Medina JJ, Rubio-Velazquez E, Lopez-Bernal MD, Parraga-Muñoz D, Perez-Martinez A, Pinazo-Duran MD, del-Rio-Vellosillo M. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Macula and Optic Nerve in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9103123. [PMID: 32992534 PMCID: PMC7600045 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9103123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare retinal thicknesses and vascular parameters between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical (NT) individuals. Recruited ASD subjects and age- and sex-matched NT controls underwent 2 optical coherence tomography scans (OCT) (macular cube and optic nerve cube) and 2 OCT angiography (OCTA) scans (macular and optic nerve head (ONH) OCTA) with the device Cirrus 5000 (Zeiss). Concerning OCT, we considered full retina thickness in 9 macular sectors of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) pattern and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness in 4 quadrants and 12 clock-hour sectors. Vessel density and capillary perfusion density in 9 sectors were measured using 6 × 6 mm macular OCTA. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters were also considered. ONH 4.5 × 4.5 mm OCTA estimated perfusion density and flux index in 4 peripapillary quadrants. Comparisons between groups of all these parameters were performed. ASD subjects showed higher ONH perfusion density and lower ONH flux index at the peripapillary inferior quadrant when compared with NT individuals (p < 0.05). Plus, a trend towards higher macular thicknesses, higher pRNFL thickness at inferior clock-hour sectors and higher macular vessel density and perfusion was observed in ASD. No differences were found in FAZ parameters. In conclusion, retinas of ASD subjects may present some structural and vascular differences when compared with retinas of NT individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Javier Garcia-Medina
- Department of Ophthalmology, General University Hospital Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain; (E.R.-V.); (M.D.L.-B.); (D.P.-M.)
- Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, University of Murcia, 30120 Murcia, Spain
- Ophthalmic Research Unit Santiago Grisolia, 46017 Valencia, Spain;
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Patología Ocular (OFTARED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: or
| | - Elena Rubio-Velazquez
- Department of Ophthalmology, General University Hospital Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain; (E.R.-V.); (M.D.L.-B.); (D.P.-M.)
| | - Maria Dolores Lopez-Bernal
- Department of Ophthalmology, General University Hospital Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain; (E.R.-V.); (M.D.L.-B.); (D.P.-M.)
| | - Dolores Parraga-Muñoz
- Department of Ophthalmology, General University Hospital Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain; (E.R.-V.); (M.D.L.-B.); (D.P.-M.)
| | - Alfonso Perez-Martinez
- Department of Clinical Analysis, General University Hospital Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Maria Dolores Pinazo-Duran
- Ophthalmic Research Unit Santiago Grisolia, 46017 Valencia, Spain;
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Patología Ocular (OFTARED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Tang S, Xu Y, Liu X, Chen Z, Zhou Y, Nie L, He L. Quantitative susceptibility mapping shows lower brain iron content in children with autism. Eur Radiol 2020; 31:2073-2083. [PMID: 32945969 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-020-07267-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the application of quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) of brain iron content in children with autism. METHODS For the control group, 40 normal children aged 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 years were prospectively selected from June 2018 to December 2018, with equal numbers of males and females in each age group. For the study group, 40 children with autism aged 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 years were prospectively selected from January 2019 to October 2019; once again, there were equal numbers of males and females in each age group. All children received routine head MRI scans and enhanced T2*-weighted angiography (ESWAN) sequence scans, and the ESWAN sequence images were processed by software to obtain magnetic susceptibility maps. The regions of interest (ROIs) of the frontal white matter, frontal gray matter, thalamus, red nucleus, substantia nigra, dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen nucleus, caudate nucleus, pons, and splenium of the corpus callosum were selected, and the magnetic susceptibility values were measured. The differences in magnetic susceptibility between the two groups were compared in children at the same age. RESULTS For the children aged 2-3 years, the magnetic susceptibility values in the caudate nucleus, dentate nucleus, and splenium of the corpus callosum in the study group were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). For the children aged 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 years, the magnetic susceptibility values in the frontal white matter, caudate nucleus, red nucleus, substantia nigra, dentate nucleus, and splenium of the corpus callosum in the study group were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The brain iron content of children with autism is lower than that of normal children. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study protocol was registered at the Chinese clinical trial registry (registration number: ChiCTR2000029699; http://www.chictr.org.cn/searchprojen.aspx ). KEY POINTS • In this study, the brain iron content of normal children and children with autism was compared to identify the differences, which provided a new objective basis for the early diagnosis of children with autism. • This study examined the iron content values in various brain regions of normal children aged 2-6 years in this region and established a reference range for iron content in various brain regions of normal children in one geographical area, providing a reliable and objective standard for the diagnosis and treatment of some brain diseases in children. • The results of this study indicate that the brain iron content of preschool children with autism is lower than that of normal preschool children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilong Tang
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China
| | - Ye Xu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xianfan Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhuo Chen
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Child Development and Critical Disorders, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lisha Nie
- GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, China
| | - Ling He
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400014, China.
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Hu Y, LV F, Li Q, Liu R. Effect of post-labeling delay on regional cerebral blood flow in arterial spin-labeling MR imaging. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e20463. [PMID: 32629629 PMCID: PMC7337483 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000020463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Investigating the effect of post-labeling delay (PLD) on regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in adults and optimizing the PLD for arterial spin-labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are important. METHODS Pseudo-continuous ASL imaging with a three PLDs protocol was performed in 90 healthy adult volunteers from January 2018 to February 2019. Healthy subjects were divided into youth group (mean age, 30.63 years; age range, 20-44 years), middle-aged group (mean age, 52.16 years; age range 45-59 years) and elderly group (mean age, 66.07 years; age range, 60-77 years). After preprocessing, analyses of variance (ANOVA) and volume-of-interest (VOI) were conducted to compare the CBF in each brain region. According to the trends of CBF changing with PLD and the results of ANOVA, we optimized the PLD for ASL imaging in different brain regions and age groups. RESULTS The CBF values of 87 VOIs [global gray matter (global GM) and other 86 VOIs] for each subject were obtained. Young people had less statistically significant VOIs than middle-aged and elderly people [Numbers of VOIs which had statistical significance (P < .05) in the analysis of ANOVA: 42 (youth group), 79 (middle-aged group), and 71 (elderly group)]. In youth group, the deep GM, occipital lobe and temporal lobe were more affected by PLDs than limbic system, frontal lobe and parietal lobe [VOIs with statistical significance (P < .05)/total VOIs: 8/8 (deep GM) > 8/12 (occipital lobe) > (8/14) (temporal lobe) > 5/12 (limbic system) > 11/28 (frontal lobe) > (2/12) parietal lobe]. In middle-aged group, the limbic system, deep GM and temporal lobe were more affected by PLDs than parietal lobe, frontal lobe and occipital lobe [VOIs with statistical significance (P < 0.05)/total VOIs: 12/12 (limbic system) = 8/8 (deep GM) > (13/14) (temporal lobe) > (11/12) parietal lobe > 25/28 (frontal lobe) > 9/12 (occipital lobe)]. In elderly group, the temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and frontal lobe were more affected by PLDs than occipital lobe, limbic system, and deep GM [VOIs with statistical significance (P < .05)/total VOIs: 14/14 (temporal lobe) > 12/12 (parietal lobe) > 22/28 (frontal lobe) > 9/12 (occipital lobe) > 8/12 (limbic system) > 5/8 (deep GM)]. The optimal PLD for most VOIs in youth group was 1525 ms. However, for middle-aged and elderly group, the optimal PLD for most VOIs was 2525 ms. CONCLUSION Young people are less affected by PLDs than middle-aged and elderly people. The middle-aged people are most affected by PLDs. In addition, the spatial distributions of PLD effect were different among the three age groups. Optimizing the PLD for ASL imaging according to age and brain regions can obtain more accurate and reliable CBF values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Hu
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan
| | | | - Qi Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Rongbo Liu
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, Sichuan
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Investigating resting brain perfusion abnormalities and disease target-engagement by intranasal oxytocin in women with bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder and healthy controls. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:180. [PMID: 32513936 PMCID: PMC7280271 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00871-w] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder (BN/BED) have been marred by our limited understanding of the underpinning neurobiology. Here we measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to map resting perfusion abnormalities in women with BN/BED compared with healthy controls and investigate whether intranasal oxytocin (OT), proposed as a potential treatment, can restore perfusion in disorder-related brain circuits. Twenty-four women with BN/BED and 23 healthy women participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study. We used arterial spin labelling MRI to measure rCBF and the effects of an acute dose of intranasal OT (40 IU) or placebo over 18-26 min post dosing, as we have previously shown robust OT-induced changes in resting rCBF in men in a similar time-window (15-36 min post dosing). We tested for effects of treatment, diagnosis and their interaction on extracted rCBF values in anatomical regions-of-interest previously implicated in BN/BED by other neuroimaging modalities, and conducted exploratory whole-brain analyses to investigate previously unidentified brain regions. We demonstrated that women with BN/BED presented increased resting rCBF in the medial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, anterior cingulate gyrus, posterior insula and middle/inferior temporal gyri bilaterally. Hyperperfusion in these areas specifically correlated with eating symptoms severity in patients. Our data did not support a normalizing effect of intranasal OT on perfusion abnormalities in these patients, at least for the specific dose (40 IU) and post-dosing interval (18-26 min) examined. Our findings enhance our understanding of resting brain abnormalities in BN/BED and identify resting rCBF as a non-invasive potential biomarker for disease-related changes and treatment monitoring. They also highlight the need for a comprehensive investigation of intranasal OT pharmacodynamics in women before we can fully ascertain its therapeutic value in disorders affecting predominantly this gender, such as BN/BED.
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