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Fenske SJ, Liu J, Chen H, Diniz MA, Stephens RL, Cornea E, Gilmore JH, Gao W. Sex differences in brain-behavior relationships in the first two years of life. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.31.578147. [PMID: 38352542 PMCID: PMC10862872 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.578147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Background Evidence for sex differences in cognition in childhood is established, but less is known about the underlying neural mechanisms for these differences. Recent findings suggest the existence of brain-behavior relationship heterogeneities during infancy; however, it remains unclear whether sex underlies these heterogeneities during this critical period when sex-related behavioral differences arise. Methods A sample of 316 infants was included with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at neonate (3 weeks), 1, and 2 years of age. We used multiple linear regression to test interactions between sex and resting-state functional connectivity on behavioral scores of working memory, inhibitory self-control, intelligence, and anxiety collected at 4 years of age. Results We found six age-specific, intra-hemispheric connections showing significant and robust sex differences in functional connectivity-behavior relationships. All connections are either with the prefrontal cortex or the temporal pole, which has direct anatomical pathways to the prefrontal cortex. Sex differences in functional connectivity only emerge when associated with behavior, and not in functional connectivity alone. Furthermore, at neonate and 2 years of age, these age-specific connections displayed greater connectivity in males and lower connectivity in females in association with better behavioral scores. Conclusions Taken together, we critically capture robust and conserved brain mechanisms that are distinct to sex and are defined by their relationship to behavioral outcomes. Our results establish brain-behavior mechanisms as an important feature in the search for sex differences during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja J Fenske
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Janelle Liu
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Haitao Chen
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90025
| | - Marcio A Diniz
- The Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Research Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Rebecca L Stephens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599
| | - Emil Cornea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599
| | - Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90025
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2
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Foster SL, Breukelaar IA, Ekanayake K, Lewis S, Korgaonkar MS. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Amygdala and Subregions at 3 Tesla: A Scoping Review. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:361-375. [PMID: 37352130 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28836] [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: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdalae are a pair of small brain structures, each of which is composed of three main subregions and whose function is implicated in neuropsychiatric conditions. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has been utilized extensively in investigation of amygdala activation and functional connectivity (FC) with most clinical research sites now utilizing 3 Tesla (3T) MR systems. However, accurate imaging and analysis remains challenging not just due to the small size of the amygdala, but also its location deep in the temporal lobe. Selection of imaging parameters can significantly impact data quality with implications for the accuracy of study results and validity of conclusions. Wide variation exists in acquisition protocols with spatial resolution of some protocols suboptimal for accurate assessment of the amygdala as a whole, and for measuring activation and FC of the three main subregions, each of which contains multiple nuclei with specialized roles. The primary objective of this scoping review is to provide a broad overview of 3T fMRI protocols in use to image the activation and FC of the amygdala with particular reference to spatial resolution. The secondary objective is to provide context for a discussion culminating in recommendations for a standardized protocol for imaging activation of the amygdala and its subregions. As the advantages of big data and protocol harmonization in imaging become more apparent so, too, do the disadvantages of data heterogeneity. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheryl L Foster
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Radiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Isabella A Breukelaar
- Brain Dynamics Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kanchana Ekanayake
- University Library, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Lewis
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mayuresh S Korgaonkar
- Brain Dynamics Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Hu Y, Chen H, Li X, Larsen RJ, Sutton BP, Gao W, McElwain NL. Associations between infant amygdala functional connectivity and social engagement following a stressor: A preliminary investigation. Dev Sci 2024; 27:e13418. [PMID: 37340633 PMCID: PMC10730773 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13418] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Functional architecture of the infant brain, especially functional connectivity (FC) within the amygdala network and between the amygdala and other networks (i.e., default-mode [DMN] and salience [SAL] networks), provides a neural basis for infant socioemotional functioning. Yet, little is known about the extent to which early within- and between-network amygdala FC are related to infant stress recovery across the first year of life. In this study, we examined associations between amygdala FC (i.e., within-network amygdala connectivity, and between-network amygdala connectivity with the DMN and SAL) at 3 months and infant recovery from a mild social stressor at 3, 6 and 9 months. At 3 months, thirty-five infants (13 girls) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging during natural sleep. Infants and their mothers completed the still-face paradigm at 3, 6, and 9 months, and infant stress recovery was assessed at each time point as the proportion of infant social engagement during the reunion episode. Bivariate correlations indicated that greater positive within-network amygdala FC and greater positive amygdala-SAL FC, but not amygdala-DMN FC, at 3 months predicted lower levels of stress recovery at 3 and 6 months, but were nonsignificant at 9 months. These findings provide preliminary evidence that early functional synchronization within the amygdala network, as well as segregation between the amygdala and the SAL, may contribute to infant stress recovery in the context of infant-mother interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannan Hu
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Haitao Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Xiaomei Li
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Ryan J. Larsen
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Bradley P. Sutton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nancy L. McElwain
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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4
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Mulc D, Smilović D, Krsnik Ž, Junaković-Munjas A, Kopić J, Kostović I, Šimić G, Vukšić M. Fetal development of the human amygdala. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25580. [PMID: 38289194 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25580] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The intricate development of the human amygdala involves a complex interplay of diverse processes, varying in speed and duration. In humans, transient cytoarchitectural structures deliquesce, leading to the formation of functionally distinct nuclei as a result of multiple interdependent developmental events. This study compares the amygdala's cytoarchitectural development in conjunction with specific antibody reactivity for neuronal, glial, neuropil, and radial glial fibers, synaptic, extracellular matrix, and myelin components in 39 fetal human brains. We recognized that the early fetal period, as a continuation of the embryonic period, is still dominated by relatively uniform histogenetic processes. The typical appearance of ovoid cell clusters in the lateral nucleus during midfetal period is most likely associated with the cell migration and axonal growth processes in the developing human brain. Notably, synaptic markers are firstly detected in the corticomedial group of nuclei, while immunoreactivity for the panaxonal neurofilament marker SMI 312 is found dorsally. The late fetal period is characterized by a protracted migration process evidenced by the presence of doublecortin and SOX-2 immunoreactivity ventrally, in the prospective paralaminar nucleus, reinforced by vimentin immunoreactivity in the last remaining radial glial fibers. Nearing the term period, SMI 99 immunoreactivity indicates that perinatal myelination becomes prominent primarily along major axonal pathways, laying the foundation for more pronounced functional maturation. This study comprehensively elucidates the rate and sequence of maturational events in the amygdala, highlighting the key role of prenatal development in its behavioral, autonomic, and endocrine regulation, with subsequent implications for both normal functioning and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damir Mulc
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
- Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dinko Smilović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Željka Krsnik
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alisa Junaković-Munjas
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Janja Kopić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivica Kostović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Goran Šimić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mario Vukšić
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Dreisbach C, Maki K. A Comparison of Hypothesis-Driven and Data-Driven Research: A Case Study in Multimodal Data Science in Gut-Brain Axis Research. Comput Inform Nurs 2023; 41:497-506. [PMID: 36730994 PMCID: PMC10102251 DOI: 10.1097/cin.0000000000000954] [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] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Data science, bioinformatics, and machine learning are the advent and progression of the fourth paradigm of exploratory science. The need for human-supported algorithms to capture patterns in big data is at the center of personalized healthcare and directly related to translational research. This paper argues that hypothesis-driven and data-driven research work together to inform the research process. At the core of these approaches are theoretical underpinnings that drive progress in the field. Here, we present several exemplars of research on the gut-brain axis that outline the innate values and challenges of these approaches. As nurses are trained to integrate multiple body systems to inform holistic human health promotion and disease prevention, nurses and nurse scientists serve an important role as mediators between this advancing technology and the patients. At the center of person-knowing, nurses need to be aware of the data revolution and use their unique skills to supplement the data science cycle from data to knowledge to insight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine Maki
- Translational Biobehavioral and Health Disparities Branch, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Delavari F, Rafi H, Sandini C, Murray RJ, Latrèche C, Van De Ville D, Eliez S. Amygdala subdivisions exhibit aberrant whole-brain functional connectivity in relation to stress intolerance and psychotic symptoms in 22q11.2DS. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:145. [PMID: 37142582 PMCID: PMC10160125 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02458-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is a key region in emotional regulation, which is often impaired in psychosis. However, it is unclear if amygdala dysfunction directly contributes to psychosis, or whether it contributes to psychosis through symptoms of emotional dysregulation. We studied the functional connectivity of amygdala subdivisions in patients with 22q11.2DS, a known genetic model for psychosis susceptibility. We investigated how dysmaturation of each subdivision's connectivity contributes to positive psychotic symptoms and impaired tolerance to stress in deletion carriers. Longitudinally-repeated MRI scans from 105 patients with 22q11.2DS (64 at high-risk for psychosis and 37 with impaired tolerance to stress) and 120 healthy controls between the ages of 5 to 30 years were included. We calculated seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity for amygdalar subdivisions and employed a longitudinal multivariate approach to evaluate the developmental trajectory of functional connectivity across groups. Patients with 22q11.2DS presented a multivariate pattern of decreased basolateral amygdala (BLA)-frontal connectivity alongside increased BLA-hippocampal connectivity. Moreover, associations between developmental drops in centro-medial amygdala (CMA)-frontal connectivity to both impaired tolerance to stress and positive psychotic symptoms in deletion carriers were detected. Superficial amygdala hyperconnectivity to the striatum was revealed as a specific pattern arising in patients who develop mild to moderate positive psychotic symptoms. Overall, CMA-frontal dysconnectivity was found as a mutual neurobiological substrate in both impaired tolerance to stress and psychosis, suggesting a role in prodromal dysregulation of emotions in psychosis. While BLA dysconnectivity was found to be an early finding in patients with 22q11.2DS, which contributes to impaired tolerance to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Delavari
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Halima Rafi
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Sandini
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ryan J Murray
- Psychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Caren Latrèche
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Van De Ville
- Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Eliez
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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7
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Scheinost D, Chang J, Lacadie C, Brennan-Wydra E, Foster R, Boxberger A, Macari S, Vernetti A, Constable RT, Ment LR, Chawarska K. Hypoconnectivity between anterior insula and amygdala associates with future vulnerabilities in social development in a neurodiverse sample of neonates. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16230. [PMID: 36171268 PMCID: PMC9517994 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered resting state functional connectivity (FC) involving the anterior insula (aINS), a key node in the salience network, has been reported consistently in autism. Here we examined, for the first time, FC between the aINS and the whole brain in a sample of full-term, postmenstrual age (PMA) matched neonates (mean 44.0 weeks, SD = 1.5) who due to family history have high likelihood (HL) for developing autism (n = 12) and in controls (n = 41) without family history of autism (low likelihood, LL). Behaviors associated with autism were evaluated between 12 and 18 months (M = 17.3 months, SD = 2.5) in a subsample (25/53) of participants using the First Year Inventory (FYI). Compared to LL controls, HL neonates showed hypoconnectivity between left aINS and left amygdala. Lower connectivity between the two nodes was associated with higher FYI risk scores in the social domain (r(25) = -0.561, p = .003) and this association remained robust when maternal mental health factors were considered. Considering that a subsample of LL participants (n = 14/41) underwent brain imaging during the fetal period at PMA 31 and 34 weeks, in an exploratory analysis, we evaluated prospectively development of the LaINS-Lamy connectivity and found that the two areas strongly coactivate throughout the third trimester of pregnancy. The study identifies left lateralized anterior insula-amygdala connectivity as a potential target of further investigation into neural circuitry that enhances likelihood of future onset of social behaviors associated with autism during neonatal and potentially prenatal periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Joseph Chang
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Cheryl Lacadie
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | | | - Rachel Foster
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | | | - Suzanne Macari
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Angelina Vernetti
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - R Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Laura R Ment
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Katarzyna Chawarska
- Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 900, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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8
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Bowman LC, McCormick SA, Kane-Grade F, Xie W, Enlow MB, Nelson CA. Infants' neural responses to emotional faces are related to maternal anxiety. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2022; 63:152-164. [PMID: 33993507 PMCID: PMC9644832 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postnatal maternal anxiety is common (estimates as high as 40% prevalence) and is associated with altered mother-infant interactions (e.g., reduced maternal emotional expression and engagement). Neural circuitry supporting infants' face and emotion processing develops in their first year. Thus, early exposure to maternal anxiety may impact infants' developing understanding of emotional displays. We examine whether maternal anxiety is associated with individual differences in typically developing infants' neural responses to emotional faces. METHODS One hundred and forty two mother-infant dyads were assessed when infants were 5, 7, or 12 months old. Infants' electroencephalographic (EEG) data were recorded while passively viewing female happy, fearful, and angry faces. Three event-related potential (ERP) components, each linked to face and emotion processing, were evaluated: NC, N290, and P400. Infant ERP amplitude was related to concurrent maternal-report anxiety assessed with the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Trait form). RESULTS Greater maternal anxiety predicted more negative NC amplitude for happy and fearful faces in left and mid-central scalp regions, beyond covarying influences of maternal depression symptoms, infant negative emotionality, and infant age. CONCLUSIONS Postnatal maternal anxiety is related to infants' neural processing of emotional expressions. Infants of mothers endorsing high trait anxiety may need additional attentional resources to process happy and fearful faces (expressions less likely experienced in mother-infant interactions). Future research should investigate mechanisms underlying this association, given possibilities include experiential, genetic, and prenatal factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay C. Bowman
- Center for Mind and Brain and Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA,Correspondence to: Lindsay C. Bowman, Center for Mind and Brain at UC Davis, 267 Cousteau Place, Davis, CA, USA, 95616
| | - Sarah A. McCormick
- Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Finola Kane-Grade
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Wanze Xie
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Michelle Bosquet Enlow
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Charles A. Nelson
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA,Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
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Chernikova MA, Flores GD, Kilroy E, Labus JS, Mayer EA, Aziz-Zadeh L. The Brain-Gut-Microbiome System: Pathways and Implications for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13124497. [PMID: 34960049 PMCID: PMC8704412 DOI: 10.3390/nu13124497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal dysfunction is one of the most prevalent physiological symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A growing body of largely preclinical research suggests that dysbiotic gut microbiota may modulate brain function and social behavior, yet little is known about the mechanisms that underlie these relationships and how they may influence the pathogenesis or severity of ASD. While various genetic and environmental risk factors have been implicated in ASD, this review aims to provide an overview of studies elucidating the mechanisms by which gut microbiota, associated metabolites, and the brain interact to influence behavior and ASD development, in at least a subgroup of individuals with gastrointestinal problems. Specifically, we review the brain-gut-microbiome system and discuss findings from current animal and human studies as they relate to social-behavioral and neurological impairments in ASD, microbiota-targeted therapies (i.e., probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation) in ASD, and how microbiota may influence the brain at molecular, structural, and functional levels, with a particular interest in social and emotion-related brain networks. A deeper understanding of microbiome-brain-behavior interactions has the potential to inform new therapies aimed at modulating this system and alleviating both behavioral and physiological symptomatology in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A. Chernikova
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Psychology Department, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA
| | - Genesis D. Flores
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Psychology Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768, USA
| | - Emily Kilroy
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jennifer S. Labus
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Gonda (Goldschmied) Neuroscience and Genetics Research Center, Brain Research Institute UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emeran A. Mayer
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: (E.A.M.); (L.A.-Z.)
| | - Lisa Aziz-Zadeh
- USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; (M.A.C.); (G.D.F.); (E.K.)
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence: (E.A.M.); (L.A.-Z.)
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10
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Filippi CA, Ravi S, Bracy M, Winkler A, Sylvester CM, Pine DS, Fox NA. Amygdala Functional Connectivity and Negative Reactive Temperament at Age 4 Months. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 60:1137-1146. [PMID: 33385507 PMCID: PMC8239057 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Infant amygdala connectivity correlates with maternal reports of infant temperament characterized by novelty-evoked distress and avoidance. However, no studies have examined how human infant amygdala connectivity relates to direct observations of novelty-evoked distress. This study examined the link between amygdala connectivity and infant novelty-evoked distress using direct observation of temperament. METHOD Novelty-evoked distress was assessed at 4 months of age (N = 90) using a standardized reactivity assessment and parent report. Within 3 weeks of assessment, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was collected in a subset of infants (n = 34). Using a whole-brain voxelwise approach, amygdala connectivity associated with positive and negative affect during the reactivity assessment was examined. Regions where the association of amygdala connectivity with negative affect was higher than with positive affect were then examined. Associations between amygdala connectivity and parent report of temperament were also examined. RESULTS Greater amygdala-cingulate and amygdala-superior frontal gyrus connectivity was associated with lower positive affect during the reactivity assessment. Further, the association between amygdala-cingulate connectivity was greater for negative affect compared with positive affect. There were no significant associations between latency to approach novelty (as measured by parent report) and amygdala connectivity. Validation analyses conducted using a large independent longitudinal sample (N = 323) demonstrated that negative reactivity was associated with increased child-reported anxiety symptoms in adolescence. CONCLUSION These results provide novel insight into the developmental pathophysiology of novelty-evoked distress. This is consistent with research linking an altered cognitive control mechanism to temperamental risk for anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney A Filippi
- University of Maryland, College Park; National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, Maryland.
| | | | | | | | | | - Daniel S Pine
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Bethesda, Maryland
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11
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Phillips ML, Schmithorst VJ, Banihashemi L, Taylor M, Samolyk A, Northrup JB, English GE, Versace A, Stiffler RS, Aslam HA, Bonar L, Panigrahy A, Hipwell AE. Patterns of Infant Amygdala Connectivity Mediate the Impact of High Caregiver Affect on Reducing Infant Smiling: Discovery and Replication. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:342-352. [PMID: 34130856 PMCID: PMC8364485 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Behavioral research indicates that caregiver mood disorders and emotional instability in the early months following childbirth are associated with lower positive emotionality and higher negative emotionality in infants, but the neural mechanisms remain understudied. METHODS Using resting-state functional connectivity as a measure of the functional architecture of the early infant brain, we aimed to determine the extent to which connectivity between the amygdala, a key region supporting emotional learning and perception, and large-scale neural networks mediated the association between caregiver affect and anxiety and early infant negative emotionality and positive emotionality. Two samples of infants (first sample: n = 58; second sample: n = 31) 3 months of age underwent magnetic resonance imaging during natural sleep. RESULTS During infancy, greater resting-state functional connectivity between the amygdala and the salience network and, to a lesser extent, lower amygdala and executive control network resting-state functional connectivity mediated the effect of greater caregiver postpartum depression and trait anxiety on reducing infant smiling (familywise error-corrected p < .05). Furthermore, results from the first sample were replicated in the second, independent sample, to a greater extent for caregiver depression than for caregiver anxiety. CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence of early objective neural markers that can help identify infants who are more likely to be at risk from, versus those who might be protected against, the deleterious effects of caregiver depression and anxiety and reduced positive emotionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary L. Phillips
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Vincent J. Schmithorst
- UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Layla Banihashemi
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | | | - Jessie B. Northrup
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - Amelia Versace
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | | | - Lisa Bonar
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Ashok Panigrahy
- UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Alison E. Hipwell
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA
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12
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Dufford AJ, Salzwedel AP, Gilmore JH, Gao W, Kim P. Maternal trait anxiety symptoms, frontolimbic resting-state functional connectivity, and cognitive development in infancy. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22166. [PMID: 34292595 PMCID: PMC10775911 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to maternal anxiety symptoms during infancy has been associated with difficulties in development and greater risk for developing anxiety later in life. Although previous studies have examined associations between prenatal maternal distress, infant brain development, and developmental outcomes, it is still largely unclear if there are associations between postnatal anxiety, infant brain development, and cognitive development in infancy. In this study, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the association between maternal anxiety symptoms and resting-state functional connectivity in the first year of life. We also examine the association between frontolimbic functional connectivity and infant cognitive development. The sample consisted of 21 infants (mean age = 24.15 months, SD = 4.17) that were scanned during their natural sleep using. We test the associations between maternal trait anxiety symptoms and amygdala-anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) functional connectivity, a neural circuit implicated in early life stress exposure. We also test the associations between amygdala-ACC connectivity and cognitive development. We found a significant negative association between maternal trait anxiety symptoms and left amygdala-right ACC functional connectivity (p < .05, false discovery rate corrected). We found a significant negative association between left amygdala-right ACC functional connectivity and infant cognitive development (p < .05). These findings have potential implications for understanding the role of postpartum maternal anxiety symptoms in functional brain and cognitive development in infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew P. Salzwedel
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - John H. Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Pilyoung Kim
- Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
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13
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Liu J, Chen Y, Stephens R, Cornea E, Goldman B, Gilmore JH, Gao W. Hippocampal functional connectivity development during the first two years indexes 4-year working memory performance. Cortex 2021; 138:165-177. [PMID: 33691225 PMCID: PMC8058274 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus is a key limbic region involved in higher-order cognitive processes including learning and memory. Although both typical and atypical functional connectivity patterns of the hippocampus have been well-studied in adults, the developmental trajectory of hippocampal connectivity during infancy and how it relates to later working memory performance remains to be elucidated. Here we used resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) during natural sleep to examine the longitudinal development of hippocampal functional connectivity using a large cohort (N = 202) of infants at 3 weeks (neonate), 1 year, and 2 years of age. Next, we used multivariate modeling to investigate the relationship between both cross-sectional and longitudinal growth in hippocampal connectivity and 4-year working memory outcome. Results showed robust local functional connectivity of the hippocampus in neonates with nearby limbic and subcortical regions, with dramatic maturation and increasing connectivity with key default mode network (DMN) regions resulting in adult-like topology of the hippocampal functional connectivity by the end of the first year. This pattern was stabilized and further consolidated by 2 years of age. Importantly, cross-sectional and longitudinal measures of hippocampal connectivity in the first year predicted subsequent behavioral measures of working memory at 4 years of age. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the development of hippocampal functional circuits underlying working memory during this early critical period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle Liu
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Rebecca Stephens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Emil Cornea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Barbara Goldman
- FPG Child Development Institute and Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Wei Gao
- Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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14
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Emerging Evidence for Putative Neural Networks and Antecedents of Pediatric Anxiety in the Fetal, Neonatal, and Infant Periods. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:672-680. [PMID: 33518264 PMCID: PMC8087150 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in youth and are associated with profound individual impairment and public health costs. Research shows that clinically significant anxiety symptoms manifest in preschool-aged children, and correlates of anxiety symptoms are observable in infancy. Yet, predicting who is at risk for developing anxiety remains an enduring challenge. Predictive biomarkers of anxiety are needed before school age when anxiety symptoms typically consolidate into diagnostic profiles. Increasing evidence indicates that early neural measures implicated in anxiety and anxious temperament may be incorporated with traditional measures of behavioral risk (i.e., behavioral inhibition) to provide more robust classification of pediatric anxiety problems. This review examines the phenomenology of anxiety disorders in early life, highlighting developmental research that interrogates the putative neurocircuitry of pediatric anxiety. First, we discuss enduring challenges in identifying and predicting risk for pediatric anxiety. Second, we summarize emerging evidence for putative neural antecedents and networks underlying risk for pediatric anxiety in the fetal, neonatal, and infant periods that represent novel potential avenues for risk identification and prediction. We focus on evidence examining the importance of early amygdala and extended amygdala circuitry development to the emergence of anxiety. Finally, we discuss the utility of integrating developmental psychopathology and neuroscience to facilitate future research and clinical work.
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15
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Eskola E, Kataja EL, Hyönä J, Häikiö T, Pelto J, Karlsson H, Karlsson L, Korja R. Behavioral Regulatory Problems Are Associated With a Lower Attentional Bias to Fearful Faces During Infancy. Child Dev 2021; 92:1539-1553. [PMID: 33474751 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the role of early regulatory problems (RP), such as problems in feeding, sleeping, and calming down during later development, the association between parent-reported RP at 3 months (no-RP, n = 110; RP, n = 66) and attention to emotional faces at 8 months was studied. Eight-month-old infants had a strong tendency to look at faces and to specifically fearful faces, and the individual variance in this tendency was assessed with eye tracking using a face-distractor paradigm. The early RPs were related to a lower attention bias to fearful faces compared to happy and neutral faces after controlling for temperamental negative affectivity. This suggests that early RPs are related to the processing of emotional information later during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eeva Eskola
- University of Turku.,Turku University Hospital
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16
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Gao W, Chen Y, Cornea E, Goldman BD, Gilmore JH. Neonatal brain connectivity outliers identify over forty percent of IQ outliers at 4 years of age. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01846. [PMID: 32945129 PMCID: PMC7749582 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Defining reliable brain markers for the prediction of abnormal behavioral outcomes remains an urgent but extremely challenging task in neuroscience research. This is particularly important for infant studies given the most dramatic brain and behavioral growth during infancy. METHODS In this study, we proposed a novel prediction scheme through abstracting individual newborn's whole-brain functional connectivity pattern to three outlier measures (Triple O) and tested the hypothesis that neonates identified as "brain outliers" based on Triple O were more likely to develop as IQ outliers at 4 years of age. Without need for training with behavioral data, Triple O represents a novel proof-of-concept approach to predict later IQ outcomes based on neonatal brain data. RESULTS Triple O correctly identified 42.1% true IQ outliers among a mixed cohort of 175 newborns with different term, twin, and maternal disorder statuses. Triple O also reached a high level of specificity (96.2%) and overall accuracy (90.3%). Further incorporating a demographic information indicator, the enhanced Triple O+ could further differentiate between high and low 4YR IQ outliers. Validation tests against seven independent reference samples revealed highly consistent results and a minimum sample size of ~50 for robust performance. CONCLUSIONS Considering that postnatal brain growth and various environmental factors likely also contribute to 4YR IQ, the fact that Triple O, based purely on neonatal functional connectivity data, could identify >40% of 4YR IQ outliers is striking. Together with the very high level of specificity, each outlier predicted by Triple O represents a meaningful risk but future efforts are needed to explore ways to identify the rest of outliers. Overall, with no need for training, a high level of robustness, and a minimal requirement on sample size, the proposed Triple O approach demonstrates great potential to predict later outlying IQ performances using neonatal functional connectivity data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emil Cornea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Barbara D Goldman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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17
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Howell AL, Osher DE, Li J, Saygin ZM. The intrinsic neonatal hippocampal network: rsfMRI findings. J Neurophysiol 2020; 124:1458-1468. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00362.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although both animal data and human data suggest that the hippocampus is immature at birth, to date, there are no direct assessments of human hippocampal functional connectivity (FC) very early in life. Our study explores the FC of the hippocampus to the cortex at birth, allowing insight into the development of human memory systems. In particular, we find that adults and neonates exhibit vastly different hippocampal connectivity profiles—a finding that likely has large developmental implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena L. Howell
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - David E. Osher
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Zeynep M. Saygin
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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18
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Hansen HA, Li J, Saygin ZM. Adults vs. neonates: Differentiation of functional connectivity between the basolateral amygdala and occipitotemporal cortex. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237204. [PMID: 33075046 PMCID: PMC7571669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala, a subcortical structure known for social and emotional processing, consists of multiple subnuclei with unique functions and connectivity patterns. Tracer studies in adult macaques have shown that the basolateral subnuclei differentially connect to parts of visual cortex, with stronger connections to anterior regions and weaker connections to posterior regions; infant macaques show robust connectivity even with posterior visual regions. Do these developmental differences also exist in the human amygdala, and are there specific functional regions that undergo the most pronounced developmental changes in their connections with the amygdala? To address these questions, we explored the functional connectivity (from resting-state fMRI data) of the basolateral amygdala to occipitotemporal cortex in human neonates scanned within one week of life and compared the connectivity patterns to those observed in young adults. Specifically, we calculated amygdala connectivity to anterior-posterior gradients of the anatomically-defined occipitotemporal cortex, and also to putative occipitotemporal functional parcels, including primary and high-level visual and auditory cortices (V1, A1, face, scene, object, body, high-level auditory regions). Results showed a decreasing gradient of functional connectivity to the occipitotemporal cortex in adults-similar to the gradient seen in macaque tracer studies-but no such gradient was observed in neonates. Further, adults had stronger connections to high-level functional regions associated with face, body, and object processing, and weaker connections to primary sensory regions (i.e., A1, V1), whereas neonates showed the same amount of connectivity to primary and high-level sensory regions. Overall, these results show that functional connectivity between the amygdala and occipitotemporal cortex is not yet differentiated in neonates, suggesting a role of maturation and experience in shaping these connections later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather A. Hansen
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jin Li
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Zeynep M. Saygin
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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19
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Chen Y, Liu S, Salzwedel A, Stephens R, Cornea E, Goldman BD, Gilmore JH, Gao W. The Subgrouping Structure of Newborns with Heterogenous Brain-Behavior Relationships. Cereb Cortex 2020; 31:301-311. [PMID: 32946557 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of heterogeneity/subgroups in infants and older populations against single-domain brain or behavioral measures has been previously characterized. However, few attempts have been made to explore heterogeneity at the brain-behavior relationship level. Such a hypothesis posits that different subgroups of infants may possess qualitatively different brain-behavior relationships that could ultimately contribute to divergent developmental outcomes even with relatively similar brain phenotypes. In this study, we aimed to explore such relationship-level heterogeneity and delineate the subgrouping structure of newborns with differential brain-behavior associations based on a typically developing sample of 81 infants with 3-week resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and 4-year intelligence quotient (IQ) measures. Our results not only confirmed the existence of relationship-level heterogeneity in newborns but also revealed divergent developmental outcomes associated with two subgroups showing similar brain functional connectivity but contrasting brain-behavior relationships. Importantly, further analyses unveiled an intriguing pattern that the subgroup with higher 4-year IQ outcomes possessed brain-behavior relationships that were congruent to their functional connectivity pattern in neonates while the subgroup with lower 4-year IQ not, providing potential explanations for the observed IQ differences. The characterization of heterogeneity at the brain-behavior relationship level may not only improve our understanding of the patterned intersubject variability during infancy but could also pave the way for future development of heterogeneity-inspired, personalized, subgroup-specific models for better prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Shuxin Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.,School of Educational Sciences, Minnan Normal University, Zhangzhou, Fujian 36300, China
| | - Andrew Salzwedel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
| | - Rebecca Stephens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Emil Cornea
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Barbara D Goldman
- Department of Psychology, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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20
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Hayward DA, Pomares F, Casey KF, Ismaylova E, Levesque M, Greenlaw K, Vitaro F, Brendgen M, Rénard F, Dionne G, Boivin M, Tremblay RE, Booij L. Birth weight is associated with adolescent brain development: A multimodal imaging study in monozygotic twins. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:5228-5239. [PMID: 32881198 PMCID: PMC7670633 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown that the prenatal environment, commonly indexed by birth weight (BW), is a predictor of morphological brain development. We previously showed in monozygotic (MZ) twins associations between BW and brain morphology that were independent of genetics. In the present study, we employed a longitudinal MZ twin design to investigate whether variations in prenatal environment (as indexed by discordance in BW) are associated with resting‐state functional connectivity (rs‐FC) and with structural connectivity. We focused on the limbic and default mode networks (DMNs), which are key regions for emotion regulation and internally generated thoughts, respectively. One hundred and six healthy adolescent MZ twins (53 pairs; 42% male pairs) followed longitudinally from birth underwent a magnetic resonance imaging session at age 15. Graph theoretical analysis was applied to rs‐FC measures. TrackVis was used to determine track count as an indicator of structural connectivity strength. Lower BW twins had less efficient limbic network connectivity as compared to their higher BW co‐twin, driven by differences in the efficiency of the right hippocampus and right amygdala. Lower BW male twins had fewer tracks connecting the right hippocampus and right amygdala as compared to their higher BW male co‐twin. There were no associations between BW and the DMN. These findings highlight the possible role of unique prenatal environmental influences in the later development of efficient spontaneous limbic network connections within healthy individuals, irrespective of DNA sequence or shared environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana A Hayward
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Florence Pomares
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kevin F Casey
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Elmira Ismaylova
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Keelin Greenlaw
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Frank Vitaro
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,School of Psychoeducation, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mara Brendgen
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Felix Rénard
- Grenoble Hospital, University of Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Ginette Dionne
- Department of Psychology, University Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michel Boivin
- Department of Psychology, University Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Richard E Tremblay
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology and Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.,School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Booij
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
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21
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Camacho MC, King LS, Ojha A, Garcia CM, Sisk LM, Cichocki AC, Humphreys KL, Gotlib IH. Cerebral blood flow in 5- to 8-month-olds: Regional tissue maturity is associated with infant affect. Dev Sci 2020; 23:e12928. [PMID: 31802580 PMCID: PMC8931704 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Infancy is marked by rapid neural and emotional development. The relation between brain function and emotion in infancy, however, is not well understood. Methods for measuring brain function predominantly rely on the BOLD signal; however, interpretation of the BOLD signal in infancy is challenging because the neuronal-hemodynamic relation is immature. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) provides a context for the infant BOLD signal and can yield insight into the developmental maturity of brain regions that may support affective behaviors. This study aims to elucidate the relations among rCBF, age, and emotion in infancy. One hundred and seven mothers reported their infants' (infant age M ± SD = 6.14 ± 0.51 months) temperament. A subsample of infants completed MRI scans, 38 of whom produced usable perfusion MRI during natural sleep to quantify rCBF. Mother-infant dyads completed the repeated Still-Face Paradigm, from which infant affect reactivity and recovery to stress were quantified. We tested associations of infant age at scan, temperament factor scores, and observed affect reactivity and recovery with voxel-wise rCBF. Infant age was positively associated with CBF in nearly all voxels, with peaks located in sensory cortices and the ventral prefrontal cortex, supporting the formulation that rCBF is an indicator of tissue maturity. Temperamental Negative Affect and recovery of positive affect following a stressor were positively associated with rCBF in several cortical and subcortical limbic regions, including the orbitofrontal cortex and inferior frontal gyrus. This finding yields insight into the nature of affective neurodevelopment during infancy. Specifically, infants with relatively increased prefrontal cortex maturity may evidence a disposition toward greater negative affect and negative reactivity in their daily lives yet show better recovery of positive affect following a social stressor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amar Ojha
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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22
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Peyton C, Einspieler C, Fjørtoft T, Adde L, Schreiber MD, Drobyshevsky A, Marks JD. Correlates of Normal and Abnormal General Movements in Infancy and Long-Term Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants: Insights from Functional Connectivity Studies at Term Equivalence. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E834. [PMID: 32204407 PMCID: PMC7141532 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm infants born before 32 weeks gestation have increased risks for neurodevelopmental impairment at two years of age. How brain function differs between preterm infants with normal or impaired development is unknown. However, abnormal spontaneous motor behavior at 12-15 weeks post-term age is associated with neurodevelopmental impairment. We imaged brain blood oxygen level-dependent signals at term-equivalent age in 62 infants born at <32 weeks gestation and explored whether resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) differed with performances on the General Movement Assessment (GMA) at 12-15 weeks, and Bayley III scores at two years of corrected age. Infants with aberrant general movements exhibited decreased rsFC between the basal ganglia and regions in parietal and frontotemporal lobes. Infants with normal Bayley III cognitive scores exhibited increased rsFC between the basal ganglia and association cortices in parietal and occipital lobes compared with cognitively impaired children. Infants with normal motor scores exhibited increased rsFC between the basal ganglia and visual cortices, compared with children with motor impairment. Thus, the presence of abnormal general movements is associated with region-specific differences in rsFC at term. The association of abnormal long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes with decreased rsFC between basal ganglia and sub-score specific cortical regions may provide biomarkers of neurodevelopmental trajectory and outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen Peyton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60422, USA
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Science and the Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Christa Einspieler
- Research Unit IDN, Interdisciplinary Developmental Neuroscience, Division of Phoniatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria;
| | - Toril Fjørtoft
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; (T.F.); (L.A.)
- Clinics of Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Lars Adde
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway; (T.F.); (L.A.)
- Clinics of Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | | | - Jeremy D. Marks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60422, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60422, USA
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Tottenham N. Early Adversity and the Neotenous Human Brain. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 87:350-358. [PMID: 31399257 PMCID: PMC6935437 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human brain development is optimized to learn from environmental cues. The protracted development of the cortex and its connections with subcortical targets has been argued to permit more opportunity for acquiring complex behaviors. This review uses the example of amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex circuitry development to illustrate a principle of human development-namely, that the extension of the brain's developmental timeline allows for the (species-expected) collaboration between child and parent in co-construction of the human brain. The neurobiology underlying affective learning capitalizes on this protracted timeline to develop a rich affective repertoire in adulthood. Humans are afforded this luxuriously slow development in part by the extended period of caregiving provided by parents, and parents aid in scaffolding the process of maturation during childhood. Just as adequate caregiving is a potent effector of brain development, so is adverse caregiving, which is the largest environmental risk factor for adult mental illness. There are large individual differences in neurobiological outcomes following caregiving adversity, indicating that these pathways are probabilistic, rather than deterministic, and prolonged plasticity in human brain development may also allow for subsequent amelioration by positive experiences. The extant research indicates that the development of mental health cannot be considered without consideration of children in the context of their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York.
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24
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Gilmore JH. Maternal Depression and Structural Covariance of the Amygdala in Early Childhood. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:936-937. [PMID: 31699301 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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25
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Nordahl CW, Schumann CM. Early Variations in Amygdala Development May Signal Divergent Behavioral Outcomes. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:3-4. [PMID: 30616748 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Wu Nordahl
- The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California.
| | - Cynthia M Schumann
- The MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
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Gut microbiome and brain functional connectivity in infants-a preliminary study focusing on the amygdala. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1641-1651. [PMID: 30604186 PMCID: PMC6599471 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5161-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recently, there has been a surge of interest in the possibility that microbial communities inhabiting the human gut could affect cognitive development and increase risk for mental illness via the "microbiome-gut-brain axis." Infancy likely represents a critical period for the establishment of these relationships, as it is the most dynamic stage of postnatal brain development and a key period in the maturation of the microbiome. Indeed, recent reports indicate that characteristics of the infant gut microbiome are associated with both temperament and cognitive performance. The neural circuits underlying these relationships have not yet been delineated. To address this gap, resting-state fMRI scans were acquired from 39 1-year-old human infants who had provided fecal samples for identification and relative quantification of bacterial taxa. Measures of alpha diversity were generated and tested for associations with measures of functional connectivity. Primary analyses focused on the amygdala as manipulation of the gut microbiota in animal models alters the structure and neurochemistry of this brain region. Secondary analyses explored functional connectivity of nine canonical resting-state functional networks. Alpha diversity was significantly associated with functional connectivity between the amygdala and thalamus and between the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula. These regions play an important role in processing/responding to threat. Alpha diversity was also associated with functional connectivity between the supplementary motor area (SMA, representing the sensorimotor network) and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Importantly, SMA-IPL connectivity also related to cognitive outcomes at 2 years of age, suggesting a potential pathway linking gut microbiome diversity and cognitive outcomes during infancy. These results provide exciting new insights into the gut-brain axis during early human development and should stimulate further studies into whether microbiome-associated changes in brain circuitry influence later risk for psychopathology.
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