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Yuan JP, Coury SM, Ho TC, Gotlib IH. Early life stress moderates the relation between systemic inflammation and neural activation to reward in adolescents both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:532-540. [PMID: 37673968 PMCID: PMC10789786 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01708-y] [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: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Elevated levels of systemic inflammation are associated with altered reward-related brain function in ventral striatal areas of the brain like the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). In adolescents, cross-sectional research indicates that exposure to early life stress (ELS) can moderate the relation between inflammation and neural activation, which may contribute to atypical reward function; however, no studies have tested whether this moderation by ELS of neuroimmune associations persists over time. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis and the first exploratory longitudinal analysis testing whether cumulative severity of ELS moderates the association of systemic inflammation with reward-related processing in the NAcc in adolescents (n = 104; 58F/46M; M[SD] age = 16.00[1.45] years; range = 13.07-19.86 years). For the cross-sectional analysis, we modeled a statistical interaction between ELS and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) predicting NAcc activation during the anticipation and outcome phases of a monetary reward task. We found that higher CRP was associated with blunted NAcc activation during the outcome of reward in youth who experienced higher levels of ELS (β = -0.31; p = 0.006). For the longitudinal analysis, we modeled an interaction between ELS and change in CRP predicting change in NAcc activation across 2 years. This analysis similarly showed that increasing CRP over time was associated with decreasing NAcc during reward outcomes in youth who experienced higher levels of ELS (β = -0.47; p = 0.022). Both findings support contemporary theoretical frameworks involving associations among inflammation, reward-related brain function, and ELS exposure, and suggest that experiencing ELS can have significant and enduring effects on neuroimmune function and adolescent neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin P Yuan
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Saché M Coury
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany C Ho
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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2
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Borchers LR, Yuan JP, Leong JK, Jo B, Chahal R, Ryu J, Nam A, Coury SM, Gotlib IH. Sex-Specific Vulnerability to Externalizing Problems: Sensitivity to Early Stress and Nucleus Accumbens Activation Over Adolescence. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)00038-6. [PMID: 38272286 PMCID: PMC11266527 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure and sensitivity to early-life stress (ELS) are related to increased risk for psychopathology in adolescence. While cross-sectional studies have reported blunted nucleus accumbens (NAcc) activation in the context of these associations, researchers have not yet assessed the effects of ELS on developmental trajectories of activation. We examined whether trajectories are affected by stress and the moderating role of biological sex in predicting vulnerability to symptoms of psychopathology. METHODS Adolescents (n = 173) completed 3 assessments at 2-year intervals across puberty (ages 9-18 years). At baseline, we assessed objective ELS and stress sensitivity using the Traumatic Events Screening Inventory for Children. At all time points, we assessed NAcc activation using the Monetary Incentive Delay task and externalizing, internalizing, and total problems using the Youth Self-Report. We examined correlations between NAcc trajectories (extracted using linear mixed-effects models) with ELS and stress sensitivity and conducted multivariate regression analysis to examine the interaction of NAcc trajectories and biological sex in predicting symptoms of psychopathology. RESULTS Symptoms increased over adolescence. Stress sensitivity, but not objective ELS, was associated with decreasing trajectories of NAcc activation. Biological sex interacted with NAcc trajectories to predict psychopathology; boys, but not girls, with decreasing NAcc activation had more severe externalizing problems in adolescence. These findings were replicated in the putamen and caudate but not in the medial prefrontal cortex or control brain regions. CONCLUSIONS NAcc activation may be a sex-specific marker of externalizing problems in adolescence. Efforts to reduce stress sensitivity may help to decrease symptoms of psychopathology in adolescent boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren R Borchers
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
| | - Justin P Yuan
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Josiah K Leong
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas
| | - Booil Jo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Rajpreet Chahal
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Joshua Ryu
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Andrew Nam
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Saché M Coury
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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Wilhelm RA, Spechler PA, Demuth MJ, Gonzalez M, Kemp C, Walls M, Aupperle RL, Paulus MP, Stewart JL, White EJ. Striatal hypoactivation during monetary loss anticipation in individuals with substance use disorders in a heterogenous urban American Indian sample. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 246:109852. [PMID: 37003108 PMCID: PMC10614574 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.109852] [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: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Research suggests that disproportionate exposure to risk factors places American Indian (AI) peoples at higher risk for substance use disorders (SUD). Although SUD is linked to striatal prioritization of drug rewards over other appetitive stimuli, there are gaps in the literature related to the investigation of aversive valuation processing, and inclusion of AI samples. To address these gaps, this study compared striatal anticipatory gain and loss processing between AI-identified with SUD (SUD+; n = 52) and without SUD (SUD-; n = 35) groups from the Tulsa 1000 study who completed a monetary incentive delay (MID) task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results indicated that striatal activations in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), caudate, and putamen were greatest for anticipating gains (ps < 0.001) but showed no group differences. In contrast to gains, the SUD+ exhibited lower NAcc (p = .01, d =0.53) and putamen (p = .04, d =0.40) activation to anticipating large losses than the comparison group. Within SUD+ , lower striatal responses during loss anticipations were associated with slower MID reaction times (NAcc: r = -0.43; putamen: r = -0.35) during loss trials. This is among the first imaging studies to examine underlying neural mechanisms associated with SUD within AIs. Attenuated loss processing provides initial evidence of a potential mechanism wherein blunted prediction of aversive consequences may be a defining feature of SUD that can inform future prevention and intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mara J Demuth
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Miigis Gonzalez
- Center for American Indian Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christopher Kemp
- Center for American Indian Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melissa Walls
- Center for American Indian Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robin L Aupperle
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Oxley School of Community Medicine, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | | | - Jennifer L Stewart
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Oxley School of Community Medicine, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Evan J White
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Oxley School of Community Medicine, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
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Lieberman JM, Rabellino D, Densmore M, Frewen PA, Steyrl D, Scharnowski F, Théberge J, Neufeld RWJ, Schmahl C, Jetly R, Narikuzhy S, Lanius RA, Nicholson AA. Posterior cingulate cortex targeted real-time fMRI neurofeedback recalibrates functional connectivity with the amygdala, posterior insula, and default-mode network in PTSD. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2883. [PMID: 36791212 PMCID: PMC10013955 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2883] [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] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations within large-scale brain networks-namely, the default mode (DMN) and salience networks (SN)-are present among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography neurofeedback studies suggest that regulating posterior cingulate cortex (PCC; the primary hub of the posterior DMN) activity may reduce PTSD symptoms and recalibrate altered network dynamics. However, PCC connectivity to the DMN and SN during PCC-targeted fMRI neurofeedback remains unexamined and may help to elucidate neurophysiological mechanisms through which these symptom improvements may occur. METHODS Using a trauma/emotion provocation paradigm, we investigated psychophysiological interactions over a single session of neurofeedback among PTSD (n = 14) and healthy control (n = 15) participants. We compared PCC functional connectivity between regulate (in which participants downregulated PCC activity) and view (in which participants did not exert regulatory control) conditions across the whole-brain as well as in a priori specified regions-of-interest. RESULTS During regulate as compared to view conditions, only the PTSD group showed significant PCC connectivity with anterior DMN (dmPFC, vmPFC) and SN (posterior insula) regions, whereas both groups displayed PCC connectivity with other posterior DMN areas (precuneus/cuneus). Additionally, as compared with controls, the PTSD group showed significantly greater PCC connectivity with the SN (amygdala) during regulate as compared to view conditions. Moreover, linear regression analyses revealed that during regulate as compared to view conditions, PCC connectivity to DMN and SN regions was positively correlated to psychiatric symptoms across all participants. CONCLUSION In summary, observations of PCC connectivity to the DMN and SN provide emerging evidence of neural mechanisms underlying PCC-targeted fMRI neurofeedback among individuals with PTSD. This supports the use of PCC-targeted neurofeedback as a means by which to recalibrate PTSD-associated alterations in neural connectivity within the DMN and SN, which together, may help to facilitate improved emotion regulation abilities in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Lieberman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniela Rabellino
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Maria Densmore
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul A Frewen
- Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Steyrl
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frank Scharnowski
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jean Théberge
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Joseph's Healthcare, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard W J Neufeld
- Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rakesh Jetly
- The Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandhya Narikuzhy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth A Lanius
- Imaging, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew A Nicholson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ontario, Canada.,Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.,Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.,School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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Carey G, Viard R, Lopes R, Kuchcinski G, Defebvre L, Leentjens AF, Dujardin K. Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease Is Associated with Changes in Brain Structural Connectivity. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2023; 13:989-998. [PMID: 37599537 PMCID: PMC10578283 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety in Parkinson's disease (PD) has been associated with grey matter changes and functional changes in anxiety-related neuronal circuits. So far, no study has analyzed white matter (WM) changes in patients with PD and anxiety. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify WM changes by comparing PD patients with and without anxiety, using diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI). METHODS 108 non-demented PD patients with (n = 31) and without (n = 77) anxiety as defined by their score on the Parkinson Anxiety Scale participated. DTI was used to determine the fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in specific tracts within anxiety-related neuronal circuits. Mean FA and MD were compared between groups and correlated with the severity of anxiety adjusted by sex, center, Hoehn & Yahr stage, levodopa equivalent daily dosage, and Hamilton depression rating scale. RESULTS Compared to patients without anxiety, PD patients with anxiety showed lower FA within the striato-orbitofrontal, striato-cingulate, cingulate-limbic, and caudate-thalamic tracts; higher FA within the striato-limbic and accumbens-thalamic tracts; higher MD within the striato-thalamic tract and lower MD within the striato-limbic tract. CONCLUSIONS Anxiety in PD is associated with microstructural alterations in anxiety-related neuronal circuits within the WM. This result reinforces the view that PD-related anxiety is linked to structural alteration within the anxiety-related brain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Carey
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
- School for Mental Health and Neurosciences (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders, Lille University Medical Centre, Lille, France
| | - Romain Viard
- Univ Lille, UMS 2014 – US 41 – PLBS – Plateformes Lilloises en Biologie & Santé, Lille, France
| | - Renaud Lopes
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
- Univ Lille, UMS 2014 – US 41 – PLBS – Plateformes Lilloises en Biologie & Santé, Lille, France
| | - Gregory Kuchcinski
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
- Univ Lille, UMS 2014 – US 41 – PLBS – Plateformes Lilloises en Biologie & Santé, Lille, France
- Department of Neuroradiology, Lille University Medical Centre, Lille, France
| | - Luc Defebvre
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
- Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders, Lille University Medical Centre, Lille, France
| | - Albert F.G. Leentjens
- School for Mental Health and Neurosciences (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kathy Dujardin
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
- Department of Neurology and Movement Disorders, Lille University Medical Centre, Lille, France
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Bretzke M, Vetter NC, Kohls G, Wahl H, Roessner V, Plichta MM, Buse J. Is loss avoidance differentially rewarding in adolescents versus adults? Differences in ventral striatum and anterior insula activation during the anticipation of potential monetary losses. Cogn Neurosci 2023; 14:36-49. [PMID: 35188088 DOI: 10.1080/17588928.2022.2038555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Avoiding loss is a crucial, adaptive guide to human behavior. While previous developmental research has primarily focused on gaining rewards, less attention has been paid to loss processing and its avoidance. In daily life, it is often unknown how likely an action will result in a loss, making the role of uncertainty in loss processing particularly important. By using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the influence of varying outcome probabilities (12%, 34%, and 67%) on brain regions implicated in loss processing (ventral striatum (VS), anterior insula (AI)) by comparing 28 adolescents (10-18 years) and 24 adults (22-32 years) during the anticipation of potential monetary loss.Overall, results revealed slower RTs in adolescents compared to adults with both groups being faster in the experimental (monetary condition) vs. control trials (verbal condition). Fastest RTs were observed for the 67% outcome probability in both age groups. An age group × outcome probability interaction effect revealed the greatest differences between the groups for the 12% vs. the 67% outcome probability. Neurally, both age groups demonstrated a higher percent signal change in the VS and AI during the anticipation of potential monetary loss versus the verbal condition. However, adults demonstrated an even greater activation of VS and AI than adolescents during the anticipation of potential monetary loss, but not during the verbal condition. This may indicate that adolescents differ from adults regarding their experience of avoiding losing monetary rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bretzke
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nora C Vetter
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gregor Kohls
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannes Wahl
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Neuroradiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael M Plichta
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Judith Buse
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Insula volumes in first-episode and chronic psychosis: A longitudinal MRI study. Schizophr Res 2022; 241:14-23. [PMID: 35074528 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.12.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in insular grey matter (GM) volume has been consistently reported for affective and non-affective psychoses both in chronic and first-episode patients, ultimately suggesting that the insula might represent a good region to study in order to assess the longitudinal course of psychotic disorders. Therefore, in this longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) study, we aimed at further investigating the key role of insular volumes in psychosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS 68 First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) patients, 68 patients with Schizophrenia (SCZ), 47 Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients, and 94 Healthy Controls (HC) were enrolled and underwent a 1.5 T MRI evaluation. A subsample of 99 subjects (10 HC, 23 BD, 29 SCZ, 37 FEP) was rescanned after 2,53 ± 1,68 years. The insular cortex was manually traced and then divided into an anterior and posterior portion. Group and correlation analyses were then performed both at baseline and at follow-up. RESULTS At baseline, greater anterior and lower posterior insular GM volumes were observed in chronic patients. At follow-up, we found that FEP patients had a significant GM volume increase from baseline to follow-up, especially in the posterior insula whereas chronic patients showed a relative stability. Finally, significant negative correlations between illness severity and pharmacological treatment and insular GM volumes were observed in the whole group of psychotic patients. CONCLUSIONS The longitudinal assessment of both chronic and first-episode patients allowed us to detect a complex pattern of GM abnormalities in selective sub-portions of insular volumes, ultimately suggesting that this structure could represent a key biological marker of psychotic disorders.
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