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Ottenhoff MJ, Dijkhuizen S, Ypelaar ACH, de Oude NL, Koekkoek SKE, Wang SSH, De Zeeuw CI, Elgersma Y, Boele HJ. Cerebellum-dependent associative learning is not impaired in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19041. [PMID: 36351971 PMCID: PMC9646701 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21429-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) experience a high degree of motor problems. The cerebellum plays a pivotal role in motor functioning and the NF1 gene is highly expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells. However, it is not well understood to what extent NF1 affects cerebellar functioning and how this relates to NF1 motor functioning. Therefore, we subjected global Nf1+/- mice to a cerebellum-dependent associative learning task, called Pavlovian eyeblink conditioning. Additionally, we assessed general motor function and muscle strength in Nf1+/- mice. To our surprise, we found that Nf1+/- mice showed a moderately increased learning rate of conditioned eyeblink responses, as well as improved accuracy in the adaptive timing of the eyeblink responses. Locomotion, balance, general motor function, and muscle strength were not affected in Nf1+/- mice. Together, our results support the view that cerebellar function in Nf1+/- mice is unimpaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Ottenhoff
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015GD, The Netherlands
| | - S Dijkhuizen
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A C H Ypelaar
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - N L de Oude
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S K E Koekkoek
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S S-H Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - C I De Zeeuw
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Y Elgersma
- The ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015GD, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H J Boele
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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Payne JM, Hearps SJC, Walsh KS, Paltin I, Barton B, Ullrich NJ, Haebich KM, Coghill D, Gioia GA, Cantor A, Cutter G, Tonsgard JH, Viskochil D, Rey-Casserly C, Schorry EK, Ackerson JD, Klesse L, Fisher MJ, Gutmann DH, Rosser T, Packer RJ, Korf B, Acosta MT, North KN. Reproducibility of cognitive endpoints in clinical trials: lessons from neurofibromatosis type 1. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:2555-2565. [PMID: 31797581 PMCID: PMC6917317 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Rapid developments in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders have increased expectations for targeted, mechanism‐based treatments. However, translation from preclinical models to human clinical trials has proven challenging. Poor reproducibility of cognitive endpoints may provide one explanation for this finding. We examined the suitability of cognitive outcomes for clinical trials in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) by examining test‐retest reliability of the measures and the application of data reduction techniques to improve reproducibility. Methods Data were analyzed from the STARS clinical trial (n = 146), a multi‐center double‐blind placebo‐controlled phase II trial of lovastatin, conducted by the NF Clinical Trials Consortium. Intra‐class correlation coefficients were generated between pre‐ and post‐performances (16‐week interval) on neuropsychological endpoints in the placebo group to determine test‐retest reliabilities. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to reduce data into cognitive domains and account for measurement error. Results Test‐retest reliabilities were highly variable, with most endpoints demonstrating unacceptably low reproducibility. Data reduction confirmed four distinct neuropsychological domains: executive functioning/attention, visuospatial ability, memory, and behavior. Test‐retest reliabilities of latent factors improved to acceptable levels for clinical trials. Applicability and utility of our model was demonstrated by homogeneous effect sizes in the reanalyzed efficacy data. Interpretation These data demonstrate that single observed endpoints are not appropriate to determine efficacy, partly accounting for the poor test‐retest reliability of cognitive outcomes in clinical trials in neurodevelopmental disorders. Recommendations to improve reproducibility are outlined to guide future trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Payne
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen J C Hearps
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karin S Walsh
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Iris Paltin
- Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Belinda Barton
- Kids Neuroscience Centre, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Children's Hospital Education Research Institute, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,The University of Sydney Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicole J Ullrich
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kristina M Haebich
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Coghill
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gerard A Gioia
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Alan Cantor
- Department of Preventative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Gary Cutter
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - James H Tonsgard
- Division of Neurology, The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
| | - David Viskochil
- Department of Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | | | - Elizabeth K Schorry
- Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Joseph D Ackerson
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Laura Klesse
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Michael J Fisher
- Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David H Gutmann
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri
| | - Tena Rosser
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Roger J Packer
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC
| | - Bruce Korf
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Maria T Acosta
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC.,National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kathryn N North
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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