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Abstract
While many studies have examined the auditory abilities of musicians, this study uniquely asks whether dance training, a similar yet understudied type of early-life training, also benefits auditory abilities. We focused this investigation on temporal resolution, given the importance of subtle temporal cues in synchronizing movement. We found that, compared to untrained controls, novice adult dancers who have trained continuously since childhood had enhanced temporal resolution, measured with a gap detection task. In an analysis involving current and former dancers, total years of training was a significant predictor of temporal resolution thresholds. The association between dance experience and improved auditory skills has implications for current theories of experience-dependent auditory plasticity and the design of sound-based educational and rehabilitation activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Skoe
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States
| | - Erica V Scarpati
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States
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2
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A genetic window to auditory-verbal problems in bipolar disorder. Psychiatr Genet 2020; 30:169-173. [PMID: 33165203 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a high prevalent psychiatric condition entailing recurrent episodes of elevated mood and depression, but also diverse cognitive problems. One deficit observed in patients concerns to auditory-verbal processing. Being a hereditary condition with a complex genetic architecture, it is not clear which genes contribute to this deficit. We show that candidates for bipolar disorder significantly overlap with candidates for clinical conditions resulting from a deficit in the phonological loop of working memory, particularly, developmental dyslexia and specific language impairment. The overlapping genes are involved in aspects of brain development and function (particularly, brain oscillations) potentially underlying phonological processing and accordingly, emerge as promising candidates for auditory-verbal deficits in bipolar disorder.
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Marshall J, Szmydynger-Chodobska J, Rioult-Pedotti MS, Lau K, Chin AT, Kotla SKR, Tiwari RK, Parang K, Threlkeld SW, Chodobski A. TrkB-enhancer facilitates functional recovery after traumatic brain injury. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10995. [PMID: 28887487 PMCID: PMC5591207 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11316-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key player in regulating synaptic strength and learning, is dysregulated following traumatic brain injury (TBI), suggesting that stimulation of BDNF signaling pathways may facilitate functional recovery. This study investigates whether CN2097, a peptidomimetic ligand which targets the synaptic scaffold protein, postsynaptic density protein 95, to enhance downstream signaling of tropomyosin-related kinase B, a receptor for BDNF, can improve neurological function after TBI. Moderate to severe TBI elicits neuroinflammation and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation, which is associated with memory deficits. Here we demonstrate that CN2097 significantly reduces the post-traumatic synthesis of proinflammatory mediators and inhibits the post-traumatic activation of JNK in a rodent model of TBI. The recordings of field excitatory post-synaptic potentials in the hippocampal CA1 subfield demonstrate that TBI inhibits the expression of long-term potentiation (LTP) evoked by high-frequency stimulation of Schaffer collaterals, and that CN2097 attenuates this LTP impairment. Lastly, we demonstrate that CN2097 significantly improves the complex auditory processing deficits, which are impaired after injury. The multifunctionality of CN2097 strongly suggests that CN2097 could be highly efficacious in targeting complex secondary injury processes resulting from neurotrauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Marshall
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
| | - Joanna Szmydynger-Chodobska
- Neurotrauma and Brain Barriers Research Laboratory, Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Mengia S Rioult-Pedotti
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Kara Lau
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biotechnology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Andrea T Chin
- Neurotrauma and Brain Barriers Research Laboratory, Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - Siva K Reddy Kotla
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Rakesh Kumar Tiwari
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Keykavous Parang
- Center for Targeted Drug Delivery, Department of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | | | - Adam Chodobski
- Neurotrauma and Brain Barriers Research Laboratory, Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
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An oscillopathic approach to developmental dyslexia: From genes to speech processing. Behav Brain Res 2017; 329:84-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.03.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Therapeutic effect of sildenafil on blast-induced tinnitus and auditory impairment. Neuroscience 2014; 269:367-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 02/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Steinbrink C, Zimmer K, Lachmann T, Dirichs M, Kammer T. Development of Rapid Temporal Processing and Its Impact on Literacy Skills in Primary School Children. Child Dev 2013; 85:1711-26. [PMID: 24359600 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Karin Zimmer
- German Institute for International Educational Research, Frankfurt/Main
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Fitch RH, Alexander ML, Threlkeld SW. Early neural disruption and auditory processing outcomes in rodent models: implications for developmental language disability. Front Syst Neurosci 2013; 7:58. [PMID: 24155699 PMCID: PMC3800847 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2013.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Most researchers in the field of neural plasticity are familiar with the "Kennard Principle," which purports a positive relationship between age at brain injury and severity of subsequent deficits (plateauing in adulthood). As an example, a child with left hemispherectomy can recover seemingly normal language, while an adult with focal injury to sub-regions of left temporal and/or frontal cortex can suffer dramatic and permanent language loss. Here we present data regarding the impact of early brain injury in rat models as a function of type and timing, measuring long-term behavioral outcomes via auditory discrimination tasks varying in temporal demand. These tasks were created to model (in rodents) aspects of human sensory processing that may correlate-both developmentally and functionally-with typical and atypical language. We found that bilateral focal lesions to the cortical plate in rats during active neuronal migration led to worse auditory outcomes than comparable lesions induced after cortical migration was complete. Conversely, unilateral hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injuries (similar to those seen in premature infants and term infants with birth complications) led to permanent auditory processing deficits when induced at a neurodevelopmental point comparable to human "term," but only transient deficits (undetectable in adulthood) when induced in a "preterm" window. Convergent evidence suggests that regardless of when or how disruption of early neural development occurs, the consequences may be particularly deleterious to rapid auditory processing (RAP) outcomes when they trigger developmental alterations that extend into subcortical structures (i.e., lower sensory processing stations). Collective findings hold implications for the study of behavioral outcomes following early brain injury as well as genetic/environmental disruption, and are relevant to our understanding of the neurologic risk factors underlying developmental language disability in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Holy Fitch
- 1Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Storrs, CT, USA
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Bartlett EL. The organization and physiology of the auditory thalamus and its role in processing acoustic features important for speech perception. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2013; 126:29-48. [PMID: 23725661 PMCID: PMC3707394 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2013.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2012] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The auditory thalamus, or medial geniculate body (MGB), is the primary sensory input to auditory cortex. Therefore, it plays a critical role in the complex auditory processing necessary for robust speech perception. This review will describe the functional organization of the thalamus as it relates to processing acoustic features important for speech perception, focusing on thalamic nuclei that relate to auditory representations of language sounds. The MGB can be divided into three main subdivisions, the ventral, dorsal, and medial subdivisions, each with different connectivity, auditory response properties, neuronal properties, and synaptic properties. Together, the MGB subdivisions actively and dynamically shape complex auditory processing and form ongoing communication loops with auditory cortex and subcortical structures.
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Boscariol M, Guimarães CA, Hage SRDV, Cendes F, Guerreiro MM. Temporal auditory processing: correlation with developmental dyslexia and cortical malformation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 22:537-42. [PMID: 21271113 DOI: 10.1590/s0104-56872010000400030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2009] [Accepted: 11/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Temporal auditory processing and developmental dyslexia. AIM To characterize the temporal auditory processing in children with developmental dyslexia and to correlate findings with cortical malformations. METHOD Twenty school-aged children, ranging in age from 8 to 14 years were evaluated. These children were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) was composed by 11 children (eight were male) with developmental dyslexia and the control group (CG) was composed by nine normal children (six were male). After neurological assessment and verification of the intellectual level, language, reading and writing skills in order to determine the diagnosis, children underwent a peripheral audiological evaluation and Random Gap Detection Test and/or Random Gap Detection Test Expanded. RESULTS A statistically significant difference between children in the EG and CG were observed, with children in the EG presenting worst performances. Most of the children in the EG presented perisylvian polymicrogyria. CONCLUSION Children with developmental dyslexia may present temporal auditory processing disorders with deficits in phonological processing. Cortical malformations may be the anatomical substrate of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirela Boscariol
- Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
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10
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Szalkowski CE, Hinman JR, Threlkeld SW, Wang Y, LePack A, Rosen GD, Chrobak JJ, LoTurco JJ, Fitch RH. Persistent spatial working memory deficits in rats following in utero RNAi of Dyx1c1. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 10:244-52. [PMID: 20977651 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00662.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Disruptions in the development of the neocortex are associated with cognitive deficits in humans and other mammals. Several genes contribute to neocortical development, and research into the behavioral phenotype associated with specific gene manipulations is advancing rapidly. Findings include evidence that variants in the human gene DYX1C1 may be associated with an increased risk of developmental dyslexia. Concurrent research has shown that the rat homolog for this gene modulates critical parameters of early cortical development, including neuronal migration. Moreover, recent studies have shown auditory processing and spatial learning deficits in rats following in utero transfection of an RNA interference (RNAi) vector of the rat homolog Dyx1c1 gene. The current study examined the effects of in utero RNAi of Dyx1c1 on working memory performance in Sprague-Dawley rats. This task was chosen based on the evidence of short-term memory deficits in dyslexic populations, as well as more recent evidence of an association between memory deficits and DYX1C1 anomalies in humans. Working memory performance was assessed using a novel match-to-place radial water maze task that allows the evaluation of memory for a single brief (∼4-10 seconds) swim to a new goal location each day. A 10-min retention interval was used, followed by a test trial. Histology revealed migrational abnormalities and laminar disruption in Dyx1c1 RNAi-treated rats. Dyx1c1 RNAi-treated rats exhibited a subtle, but significant and persistent impairment in working memory as compared to Shams. These results provide further support for the role of Dyx1c1 in neuronal migration and working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Szalkowski
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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Sun W, Tang L, Allman BL. Environmental noise affects auditory temporal processing development and NMDA-2B receptor expression in auditory cortex. Behav Brain Res 2010; 218:15-20. [PMID: 21094188 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2010] [Revised: 11/06/2010] [Accepted: 11/11/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Auditory temporal processing is essential for sound discrimination and speech comprehension. Under normal developmental conditions, temporal processing acuity improves with age. As recent animal studies have shown that the functional development of the auditory cortex (AC) is impaired by early life exposure to environmental noise (i.e., continuous, moderate-level, white noise), here we investigated whether the normal age-related improvement in temporal processing acuity is sensitive to delayed development of the AC. We used a behavioral paradigm, the gap-induced prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex, to assess the gap detection threshold, and provide a comparison of temporal processing acuity between environmental noise-reared rats and age-matched controls. Moreover, because age-related changes normally occur in the relative expression of different N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits, we assessed the level of protein expression of NMDA-2A and 2B receptors (NR2A and NR2B respectively) in the AC after environmental noise-rearing. As hypothesized, rats reared in environmental noise showed (1) poor temporal processing acuity as adults (i.e., gap detection threshold remained elevated at a juvenile-like level), and (2) an increased level of NR2B protein expression compared to age-matched controls. This poor temporal processing acuity represented delayed development rather than permanent impairment, as moving these environmental noise-reared rats to normal acoustic conditions improved their gap detection threshold to an age-appropriate level. Furthermore, housing normally reared, adult rats in environmental noise for two months did not affect their already-mature gap detection threshold. Thus, masking normal sound inputs with environmental noise during early life, but not adulthood, impairs temporal processing acuity as assessed with the gap detection threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, The State University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.
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12
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Leppänen PHT, Hämäläinen JA, Salminen HK, Eklund KM, Guttorm TK, Lohvansuu K, Puolakanaho A, Lyytinen H. Newborn brain event-related potentials revealing atypical processing of sound frequency and the subsequent association with later literacy skills in children with familial dyslexia. Cortex 2010; 46:1362-76. [PMID: 20656284 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2010.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2008] [Revised: 07/16/2009] [Accepted: 09/25/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
This study investigated the temporal stability and longitudinal replicability of visual and auditory sensory processes found to be poor in children with dyslexia. Seventy children with dyslexia and 52 normal readers were tested twice, 9 months apart, on measures of visual and auditory sensory processing and on phonological and orthographic skills. About 30% of children with dyslexia were found to have sensory deficits. Associations were found between sensory and cognitive skills. Based on analyses of agreement, the temporal stability of the sensory tasks was poor. Future research should develop sensory measures with high temporal stability that can control for maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig M Wright
- School of Psychology, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
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14
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Developmental learning impairments in a rodent model of nodular heterotopia. J Neurodev Disord 2009; 1:237-50. [PMID: 21547717 PMCID: PMC3196316 DOI: 10.1007/s11689-009-9026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2009] [Accepted: 06/30/2009] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Developmental malformations of neocortex—including microgyria, ectopias, and periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH)—have been associated with language learning impairments in humans. Studies also show that developmental language impairments are frequently associated with deficits in processing rapid acoustic stimuli, and rodent models have linked cortical developmental disruption (microgyria, ectopia) with rapid auditory processing deficits. We sought to extend this neurodevelopmental model to evaluate the effects of embryonic (E) day 15 exposure to the anti-mitotic teratogen methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) on auditory processing and maze learning in rats. Extensive cortical anomalies were confirmed in MAM-treated rats post mortem. These included evidence of laminar disruption, PNH, and hippocampal dysplasia. Juvenile auditory testing (P21–42) revealed comparable silent gap detection performance for MAM-treated and control subjects, indicating normal hearing and basic auditory temporal processing in MAM subjects. Juvenile testing on a more complex two-tone oddball task, however, revealed a significant impairment in MAM-treated as compared to control subjects. Post hoc analysis also revealed a significant effect of PNH severity for MAM subjects, with more severe disruption associated with greater processing impairments. In adulthood (P60–100), only MAM subjects with the most severe PNH condition showed deficits in oddball two-tone processing as compared to controls. However, when presented with a more complex and novel FM sweep detection task, all MAM subjects showed significant processing deficits as compared to controls. Moreover, post hoc analysis revealed a significant effect of PNH severity on FM sweep processing. Water Maze testing results also showed a significant impairment for spatial but not non-spatial learning in MAM rats as compared to controls. Results lend further support to the notions that: (1) generalized cortical developmental disruption (stemming from injury, genetic or teratogenic insults) leads to auditory processing deficits, which in turn have been suggested to play a causal role in language impairment; (2) severity of cortical disruption is related to the severity of processing impairments; (3) juvenile auditory processing deficits appear to ameliorate with maturation, but can still be elicited in adulthood using increasingly complex acoustic stimuli; and (4) malformations induced with MAM are also associated with generalized spatial learning deficits. These cumulative findings contribute to our understanding of the behavioral consequences of cortical developmental pathology, which may in turn elucidate mechanisms contributing to developmental language learning impairment in humans.
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Threlkeld SW, Hill CA, Rosen GD, Fitch RH. Early acoustic discrimination experience ameliorates auditory processing deficits in male rats with cortical developmental disruption. Int J Dev Neurosci 2009; 27:321-8. [PMID: 19460626 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2009.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2008] [Revised: 03/20/2009] [Accepted: 03/24/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory temporal processing deficits have been suggested to play a causal role in language learning impairments, and evidence of cortical developmental anomalies (microgyria (MG), ectopia) has been reported for language-impaired populations. Rodent models have linked these features, by showing deficits in auditory temporal discrimination for rats with neuronal migration anomalies (MG, ectopia). Since evidence from human studies suggests that training with both speech and non-speech acoustic stimuli may improve language performance in developmentally language-disabled populations, we were interested in whether/how maturation and early experience might influence auditory processing deficits seen in male rats with induced focal cortical MG. Results showed that for both simple (Normal single tone), as well as increasingly complex auditory discrimination tasks (silent gap in white noise and FM sweep), prior experience significantly improved acoustic discrimination performance--in fact, beyond improvements seen with maturation only. Further, we replicated evidence that young adult rats with MG were significantly impaired at discriminating FM sweeps compared to shams. However, these MG effects were no longer seen when experienced subjects were retested in adulthood (even though deficits in short duration FM sweep detection were seen for adult MG rats with no early experience). Thus while some improvements in auditory processing were seen with normal maturation, the effects of early experience were even more profound, in fact resulting in amelioration of MG effects seen at earlier ages. These findings support the clinical view that early training intervention with appropriate acoustic stimuli could similarly ameliorate long-term processing impairments seen in some language-impaired children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W Threlkeld
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, 806 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269-1020, USA
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Fitch RH, Breslawski H, Rosen GD, Chrobak JJ. Persistent spatial working memory deficits in rats with bilateral cortical microgyria. Behav Brain Funct 2008; 4:45. [PMID: 18828918 PMCID: PMC2572615 DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-4-45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2008] [Accepted: 10/01/2008] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anomalies of cortical neuronal migration (e.g., microgyria (MG) and/or ectopias) are associated with a variety of language and cognitive deficits in human populations. In rodents, postnatal focal freezing lesions lead to the formation of cortical microgyria similar to those seen in human dyslexic brains, and also cause subsequent deficits in rapid auditory processing similar to those reported in human language impaired populations. Thus convergent findings support the ongoing study of disruptions in neuronal migration in rats as a putative model to provide insight on human language disability. Since deficits in working memory using both verbal and non-verbal tasks also characterize dyslexic populations, the present study examined the effects of neonatally induced bilateral cortical microgyria (MG) on working memory in adult male rats. Methods A delayed match-to-sample radial water maze task, in which the goal arm was altered among eight locations on a daily basis, was used to assess working memory performance in MG (n = 8) and sham (n = 10) littermates. Results Over a period of 60 sessions of testing (each session comprising one pre-delay sample trial, and one post-delay test trial), all rats showed learning as evidenced by a significant decrease in overall test errors. However, MG rats made significantly more errors than shams during initial testing, and this memory deficit was still evident after 60 days (12 weeks) of testing. Analyses performed on daily error patterns showed that over the course of testing, MG rats utilized a strategy similar to shams (but with less effectiveness, as indicated by more errors). Conclusion These results indicate persistent abnormalities in the spatial working memory system in rats with induced disruptions of neocortical neuronal migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA.
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Fitch RH, Threlkeld SW, McClure MM, Peiffer AM. Use of a modified prepulse inhibition paradigm to assess complex auditory discrimination in rodents. Brain Res Bull 2008; 76:1-7. [PMID: 18395604 PMCID: PMC3888703 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2007.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2007] [Revised: 06/15/2007] [Accepted: 07/12/2007] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI; also termed startle reduction or reflex modification, see Ref. [H.S. Hoffman, J.R. Ison, Reflex modification in the domain of startle: I. Some empirical findings and their implications for how the nervous system processes sensory input, Psychol. Rev. 87 (1980) 175-189]) provides an efficient and accurate method to assess both simple and complex acoustic discrimination in rodents [J.R. Ison, G.R. Hammond, Modification of the startle reflex in the rat by changes in the auditory and visual environments, J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol. 75 (1971) 435-452]. Assessment of acoustic processing using PPI is less time consuming than operant conditioning paradigms, allows for the testing of many subjects simultaneously, and largely eliminates confounds due to motivation and attention [M. Clark, G. Rosen, P. Tallal, R.H. Fitch, Impaired processing of complex auditory stimuli in rats with induced cerebrocortical microgyria, J. Cog. Neurosci. 12 (2000) 828-839]. Moreover, PPI procedures allow for data acquisition from the first day of testing, and can be used on rats as young as P14-15 [J.T. Friedman, A. Peiffer, M. Clark, A. Benasich, R.H. Fitch, Age and experience related improvements in gap detection in the rat, Dev. Brain Res. 152 (2004) 83-91; M. McClure, S. Threlkeld, G. Rosen, R.H. Fitch, Rapid auditory processing and learning deficits in rats with P1 versus P7 neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury, Behav. Brain Res. 172 (2006) 114-121; S.W. Threlkeld, M.M. McClure, G.D. Rosen, R.H. Fitch, Developmental timeframes for the induction of microgyria and rapid auditory processing deficits in the rat, Brain Res. 1109 (2006) 22-31]. For these and additional reasons, the PPI paradigm has more recently been adapted to the assessment of complex acoustic discrimination (tone sequences and FM sweeps), and applied to the study of normally developing as well as neuropathologically affected rodent populations. The purpose of the current review is to provide a background on the PPI paradigm, and to summarize what has been learned more recently using modified versions of PPI with rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychology, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, 406 Babbidge Rd., Box U-1020, Storrs, CT 06269, United States.
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Burbridge TJ, Wang Y, Volz AJ, Peschansky VJ, Lisann L, Galaburda AM, Lo Turco JJ, Rosen GD. Postnatal analysis of the effect of embryonic knockdown and overexpression of candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene homolog Dcdc2 in the rat. Neuroscience 2008; 152:723-33. [PMID: 18313856 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2007] [Revised: 01/03/2008] [Accepted: 01/07/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic knockdown of candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene (CDSG) homologs in cerebral cortical progenitor cells in the rat results in acute disturbances of neocortical migration. In the current report we investigated the effects of embryonic knockdown and overexpression of the homolog of DCDC2, one of the CDSGs, on the postnatal organization of the cerebral cortex. Using a within-litter design, we transfected cells in rat embryo neocortical ventricular zone around embryonic day (E) 15 with either 1) small hairpin RNA (shRNA) vectors targeting Dcdc2, 2) a DCDC2 overexpression construct, 3) Dcdc2 shRNA along with DCDC2 overexpression construct, 4) an overexpression construct composed of the C terminal domain of DCDC2, or 5) an overexpression construct composed of the DCX terminal domain of DCDC2. RNAi of Dcdc2 resulted in pockets of heterotopic neurons in the periventricular region. Approximately 25% of the transfected brains had hippocampal pyramidal cell migration anomalies. Dcdc2 shRNA-transfected neurons migrated in a bimodal pattern, with approximately 7% of the neurons migrating a short distance from the ventricular zone, and another 30% migrating past their expected lamina. Rats transfected with Dcdc2 shRNA along with the DCDC2 overexpression construct rescued the periventricular heterotopia phenotype, but did not affect the percentage of transfected neurons that migrate past their expected laminar location. There were no malformations associated with any of the overexpression constructs, nor was there a significant laminar disruption of migration. These results support the claim that knockdown of Dcdc2 expression results in neuronal migration disorders similar to those seen in the brains of dyslexics.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Burbridge
- The Dyslexia Research Laboratory, Division of Behavioral Neurology, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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Samelli AG, Schochat E. Processamento auditivo, resolução temporal e teste de detecção de gap: revisão da literatura. REVISTA CEFAC 2008. [DOI: 10.1590/s1516-18462008000300012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
TEMA: processamento auditivo temporal e resolução temporal. OBJETIVO: realizar revisão teórica sobre processamento auditivo e resolução temporal, bem como sobre os diferentes parâmetros de marcadores utilizados em testes de detecção de gap e como eles podem interferir na determinação dos limiares. CONCLUSÃO: o processamento auditivo e a resolução temporal são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento da linguagem. Em virtude dos diferentes parâmetros que podem ser utilizados no teste em questão, os limiares de detecção de gap podem variar consideravelmente.
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20
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Stefanatos GA, Braitman LE, Madigan S. Fine grain temporal analysis in aphasia: Evidence from auditory gap detection. Neuropsychologia 2007; 45:1127-33. [PMID: 17084421 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2005] [Revised: 09/12/2006] [Accepted: 09/19/2006] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Auditory temporal processing was investigated in individuals with acquired aphasia using a task in which they were asked to detect brief silent gaps inserted between noise segments modeled after formants in speech. To examine within-channel gap detection, gaps of 10, 20, 40, and 80ms duration were inserted between an initial segment (IS) and a trailing segment (TS) centered at the same frequency (1kHz). In a between-channel gap detection condition, gaps of 20, 40, 80, and 100ms duration were inserted between an IS that differed in frequency (4kHz) from the TS (1kHz). The effect of gap onset timing was examined in both conditions by systematically varying the duration of the IS by 10, 20, or 40ms. A combined analysis revealed that for both conditions and all gap and IS durations, individuals with aphasia produced fewer correct responses than age-matched neurologically intact controls. Separate condition analyses revealed that when noise segments were centered at the same frequency, individuals with aphasia demonstrated poorer accuracy in detecting 40 and 80ms gaps relative to normal controls (p<0.001). When gaps were inserted between noise segments differing in frequency, on average, aphasic subjects performed less accurately at durations of 40, 80 and 100ms (p<0.025). Detection in both groups decreased with smaller IS durations. The difficulties with gap detection observed in the aphasic group suggest the existence of fundamental problems in processing the temporal form or microstructure of sounds characterized by rapidly changing onset dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- G A Stefanatos
- Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute, Albert Einstein Medical Center, 1200 W. Tabor Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA.
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21
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Threlkeld SW, McClure MM, Bai J, Wang Y, LoTurco JJ, Rosen GD, Fitch RH. Developmental disruptions and behavioral impairments in rats following in utero RNAi of Dyx1c1. Brain Res Bull 2006; 71:508-14. [PMID: 17259020 PMCID: PMC1893003 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2006.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2006] [Revised: 11/09/2006] [Accepted: 11/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Developmental malformations of cortex have been shown to co-occur with language, learning, and other cognitive deficits in humans. Rodent models have repeatedly shown that animals with such developmental malformations have deficits related to auditory processing and learning. More specifically, freeze-lesion induced microgyria as well as molecular layer ectopias have been found to impair rapid auditory processing ability in rats and mice. In humans, deficits in rapid auditory processing appear to relate to later impairments of language. Recently, genetic variants of four different genes involved in early brain development have been proposed to associate with an elevated incidence of developmental dyslexia in humans. Three of these, DYX1C1, DCDC2, and KIAA0319, have been shown by in utero RNAi to play a role in neuronal migration in developing neocortex. The present study assessed the effects of in utero RNAi of Dyx1c1 on auditory processing and spatial learning in rats. Results indicate that RNAi of Dyx1c1 is associated with cortical heterotopia and is suggestive of an overall processing deficit of complex auditory stimuli in both juvenile and adult periods (p=.051, one-tail). In contrast, adult data alone reveal a significant processing impairment among RNAi treated subjects compared to shams, indicating an inability for RNAi treated subjects to improve detection of complex auditory stimuli over time (p=.022, one-tail). Further, a subset of RNAi treated rats exhibited hippocampal heterotopia centered in CA1 (in addition to cortical malformations). Malformations of hippocampus were associated with robust spatial learning impairment in this sub-group (p<.01, two-tail). In conclusion, in utero RNAi of Dyx1c1 results in heterogeneous malformations that correspond to distinct behavioral impairments in auditory processing, and spatial learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W. Threlkeld
- Department of Psychology; Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, 806 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269-1020
| | - Melissa M. McClure
- Department of Psychology; Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, 806 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269-1020
| | - Jilin Bai
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Joe J. LoTurco
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Glenn D. Rosen
- Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - R. Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychology; Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, 806 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269-1020
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22
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Galaburda AM, LoTurco J, Ramus F, Fitch RH, Rosen GD. From genes to behavior in developmental dyslexia. Nat Neurosci 2006; 9:1213-7. [PMID: 17001339 DOI: 10.1038/nn1772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
All four genes thus far linked to developmental dyslexia participate in brain development, and abnormalities in brain development are increasingly reported in dyslexia. Comparable abnormalities induced in young rodent brains cause auditory and cognitive deficits, underscoring the potential relevance of these brain changes to dyslexia. Our perspective on dyslexia is that some of the brain changes cause phonological processing abnormalities as well as auditory processing abnormalities; the latter, we speculate, resolve in a proportion of individuals during development, but contribute early on to the phonological disorder in dyslexia. Thus, we propose a tentative pathway between a genetic effect, developmental brain changes, and perceptual and cognitive deficits associated with dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert M Galaburda
- Department of Neurology, Division of Behavioral Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
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23
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Wang Y, Paramasivam M, Thomas A, Bai J, Kaminen-Ahola N, Kere J, Voskuil J, Rosen GD, Galaburda AM, Loturco JJ. DYX1C1 functions in neuronal migration in developing neocortex. Neuroscience 2006; 143:515-22. [PMID: 16989952 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2006] [Revised: 08/02/2006] [Accepted: 08/08/2006] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Rodent homologues of two candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes, Kiaa0319 and Dcdc2, have been shown to play roles in neuronal migration in developing cerebral neocortex. This functional role is consistent with the hypothesis that dyslexia susceptibility is increased by interference with normal neural development. In this study we report that in utero RNA interference against the rat homolog of another candidate dyslexia susceptibility gene, DYX1C1, disrupts neuronal migration in developing neocortex. The disruption of migration can be rescued by concurrent overexpression of DYX1C1, indicating that the impairment is not due to off-target effects. Transfection of C- and N-terminal truncations of DYX1C1 shows that the C-terminal TPR domains determine DYX1C1 intracellular localization to cytoplasm and nucleus. RNAi rescue experiments using truncated versions of DYX1C1 further indicate that the C-terminus of DYX1C1 is necessary and sufficient to DYX1C1's function in migration. In conclusion, DYX1C1, similar to two other candidate dyslexia susceptibility genes, functions in neuronal migration in rat neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Wang
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA
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24
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Threlkeld SW, McClure MM, Rosen GD, Fitch RH. Developmental timeframes for induction of microgyria and rapid auditory processing deficits in the rat. Brain Res 2006; 1109:22-31. [PMID: 16904085 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2006] [Revised: 06/03/2006] [Accepted: 06/09/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Induction of a focal freeze lesion to the skullcap of a 1-day-old rat pup leads to the formation of microgyria similar to those identified postmortem in human dyslexics. Rats with microgyria exhibit rapid auditory processing deficits similar to those seen in language-impaired (LI) children, and infants at risk for LI and these effects are particularly marked in juvenile as compared to adult subjects. In the current study, a startle response paradigm was used to investigate gap detection in juvenile and adult rats that received bilateral freezing lesions or sham surgery on postnatal day (P) 1, 3 or 5. Microgyria were confirmed in P1 and 3 lesion rats, but not in the P5 lesion group. We found a significant reduction in brain weight and neocortical volume in P1 and 3 lesioned brains relative to shams. Juvenile (P27-39) behavioral data indicated significant rapid auditory processing deficits in all three lesion groups as compared to sham subjects, while adult (P60+) data revealed a persistent disparity only between P1-lesioned rats and shams. Combined results suggest that generalized pathology affecting neocortical development is responsible for the presence of rapid auditory processing deficits, rather than factors specific to the formation of microgyria per se. Finally, results show that the window for the induction of rapid auditory processing deficits through disruption of neurodevelopment appears to extend beyond the endpoint for cortical neuronal migration, although, the persistent deficits exhibited by P1 lesion subjects suggest a secondary neurodevelopmental window at the time of cortical neuromigration representing a peak period of vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W Threlkeld
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, 806 Babbidge Road, Storrs, CT 06269-4154, USA
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25
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Paterson SJ, Heim S, Friedman JT, Choudhury N, Benasich AA. Development of structure and function in the infant brain: implications for cognition, language and social behaviour. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2006; 30:1087-105. [PMID: 16890291 PMCID: PMC1933387 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2006.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2005] [Revised: 04/28/2006] [Accepted: 05/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in cognitive neuroscience have allowed us to begin investigating the development of both structure and function in the infant brain. However, despite the rapid evolution of technology, surprisingly few studies have examined the intersection between brain and behaviour over the first years of life. Even fewer have done so in the context of a particular research question. This paper aims to provide an overview of four domains that have been studied using techniques amenable to elucidating the brain/behaviour interface: language, face processing, object permanence, and joint attention, with particular emphasis on studies focusing on early development. The importance of the unique role of development and the interplay between structure and function is stressed throughout. It is hoped that this review will serve as a catalyst for further thinking about the substantial gaps in our understanding of the relationship between brain and behaviour across development. Further, our aim is to provide ideas about candidate brain areas that are likely to be implicated in particular behaviours or cognitive domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Paterson
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, 230 South Frontage Rd, New Haven, CT 06520-7900, USA.
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26
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Galaburda AM. Dyslexia--a molecular disorder of neuronal migration: the 2004 Norman Geschwind Memorial Lecture. ANNALS OF DYSLEXIA 2005; 55:151-65. [PMID: 17849191 DOI: 10.1007/s11881-005-0009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2005] [Accepted: 09/12/2005] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
For 25 years now, there has been a serious attempt to get at the fundamental cause(s) of dyslexia in our laboratory. A great deal of research has been carried out on the psychological and brain underpinnings of the linguistic dysfunctions seen in dyslexia, but attempts to get at its cause have been limited. Initially, observations were made on the brains of persons with dyslexia who had died and their brains donated for research. These observations were modeled in animal models in order to better understand the full extent of anatomical and developmental brain characteristics. More recently, models have begun to employ genetic manipulations in order to close the gap between genes, brain, and behavior. In this article based on a lecture given in memory of Dr. Norman Geschwind to the International Dyslexia Association assembly in Philadelphia in 2004, I outline the history of the research leading up to the most recent findings. These findings consist of experiments using methods that interfere with the function of DNA, using as constructs genes that have been implicated in dyslexia, which cause developmental problems of neuronal migration in rats, secondary brain changes in response to the migration problems, and abnormal processing of sounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert M Galaburda
- Harvard Medical School, Division of Behavioral Neurology and Memory Disorders, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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27
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Friedman JT, Peiffer AM, Clark MG, Benasich AA, Fitch RH. Age and experience-related improvements in gap detection in the rat. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 2004; 152:83-91. [PMID: 15351495 DOI: 10.1016/j.devbrainres.2004.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2004] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The ability to accurately process brief, successive acoustic signals rapidly presented to the central nervous system is believed to underlie successful language development. The limits of temporal resolution of the auditory system, often assessed using gap detection tasks, has been widely studied in relation to developing and decoding speech. In the present study, a reflex modification paradigm was used to investigate potential shifts in gap detection thresholds in rats across development, with test sessions beginning on postnatal day (P) 15, P35 and P64. We found that thresholds decreased over the course of development. These thresholds were determined to lie between 10 and 20 ms for the P15 and P35 groups, and between 5 and 10 ms for the P64 group. Moreover, we observed improvements in gap detection thresholds in all age groups over 5 days of testing, including the youngest age group (P15). These later results suggest that experience-dependent plasticity mechanisms at the level of sensory processing are operational and observable both very early in development, and also in adult animals. The present findings also demonstrate maturational improvements in silent gap detection using a pre-pulse inhibition paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer T Friedman
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
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