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Kostović I. Development of the basic architecture of neocortical circuitry in the human fetus as revealed by the coupling spatiotemporal pattern of synaptogenesis along with microstructure and macroscale in vivo MR imaging. Brain Struct Funct 2024:10.1007/s00429-024-02838-9. [PMID: 39102068 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02838-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
In humans, a quantifiable number of cortical synapses appears early in fetal life. In this paper, we present a bridge across different scales of resolution and the distribution of synapses across the transient cytoarchitectonic compartments: marginal zone (MZ), cortical plate (CP), subplate (SP), and in vivo MR images. The tissue of somatosensory cortex (7-26 postconceptional weeks (PCW)) was prepared for electron microscopy, and classified synapses with a determined subpial depth were used for creating histograms matched to the histological sections immunoreacted for synaptic markers and aligned to in vivo MR images (1.5 T) of corresponding fetal ages (maternal indication). Two time periods and laminar patterns of synaptogenesis were identified: an early and midfetal two-compartmental distribution (MZ and SP) and a late fetal three-compartmental distribution (CP synaptogenesis). During both periods, a voluminous, synapse-rich SP was visualized on the in vivo MR. Another novel finding concerns the phase of secondary expansion of the SP (13 PCW), where a quantifiable number of synapses appears in the upper SP. This lamina shows a T2 intermediate signal intensity below the low signal CP. In conclusion, the early fetal appearance of synapses shows early differentiation of putative genetic mechanisms underlying the synthesis, transport and assembly of synaptic proteins. "Pioneering" synapses are likely to play a morphogenetic role in constructing of fundamental circuitry architecture due to interaction between neurons. They underlie spontaneous, evoked, and resting state activity prior to ex utero experience. Synapses can also mediate genetic and environmental triggers, adversely altering the development of cortical circuitry and leading to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivica Kostović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
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Calixto C, Taymourtash A, Karimi D, Snoussi H, Velasco-Annis C, Jaimes C, Gholipour A. Advances in Fetal Brain Imaging. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2024; 32:459-478. [PMID: 38944434 PMCID: PMC11216711 DOI: 10.1016/j.mric.2024.03.004] [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: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, there have been remarkable developments in fetal brain MR imaging analysis methods. This article delves into the specifics of structural imaging, diffusion imaging, functional MR imaging, and spectroscopy, highlighting the latest advancements in motion correction, fetal brain development atlases, and the challenges and innovations. Furthermore, this article explores the clinical applications of these advanced imaging techniques in comprehending and diagnosing fetal brain development and abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Calixto
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr, 7th Floor West, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Athena Taymourtash
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, Wien 1090, Austria
| | - Davood Karimi
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr, 7th Floor West, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Haykel Snoussi
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr, 7th Floor West, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Clemente Velasco-Annis
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr, 7th Floor West, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Camilo Jaimes
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ali Gholipour
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr, 7th Floor West, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Suleri A, Gaiser C, Cecil CAM, Dijkzeul A, Neumann A, Labrecque JA, White T, Bergink V, Muetzel RL. Examining longitudinal associations between prenatal exposure to infections and child brain morphology. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:965-977. [PMID: 38750701 PMCID: PMC7616133 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.014] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal infection during pregnancy has been identified as a prenatal risk factor for the later development of psychopathology in exposed offspring. Neuroimaging data collected during childhood has suggested a link between prenatal exposure to maternal infection and child brain structure and function, potentially offering a neurobiological explanation for the emergence of psychopathology. Additionally, preclinical studies utilizing repeated measures of neuroimaging data suggest that effects of prenatal maternal infection on the offspring's brain may normalize over time (i.e., catch-up growth). However, it remains unclear whether exposure to prenatal maternal infection in humans is related to long-term differential neurodevelopmental trajectories. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association between prenatal exposure to infections on child brain development over time using repeated measures MRI data. METHODS We leveraged data from a population-based cohort, Generation R, in which we examined prospectively assessed self-reported infections at each trimester of pregnancy (N = 2,155). We further used three neuroimaging assessments (at mean ages 8, 10 and 14) to obtain cortical and subcortical measures of the offspring's brain morphology with MRI. Hereafter, we applied linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for several confounding factors, to estimate the association of prenatal maternal infection with child brain development over time. RESULTS We found that prenatal exposure to infection in the third trimester was associated with a slower decrease in volumes of the pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and a faster increase in the middle temporal gyrus. In the temporal pole we observed a divergent pattern, specifically showing an increase in volume in offspring exposed to more infections compared to a decrease in volume in offspring exposed to fewer infections. We further observed associations in other frontal and temporal lobe structures after exposure to infections in any trimester, though these did not survive multiple testing correction. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that prenatal exposure to infections in the third trimester may be associated with slower age-related growth in the regions: pars orbitalis, rostral anterior cingulate and superior frontal gyrus, and faster age-related growth in the middle temporal gyrus across childhood, suggesting a potential sensitive period. Our results might be interpreted as an extension of longitudinal findings from preclinical studies, indicating that children exposed to prenatal infections could exhibit catch-up growth. However, given the lack of differences in brain volume between various infection groups at baseline, there may instead be either a longitudinal deviation or a subtle temporal deviation. Subsequent well-powered studies that extend into the period of full brain development (∼25 years) are needed to confirm whether the observed phenomenon is indeed catch-up growth, a longitudinal deviation, or a subtle temporal deviation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Suleri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carolin Gaiser
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Annet Dijkzeul
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jeremy A Labrecque
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Section on Social and Cognitive Developmental Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Veerle Bergink
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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Sethi S, Friesen-Waldner LJ, Regnault TRH, McKenzie CA. Quantifying Brain Myelin Water Fraction in a Guinea Pig Model of Spontaneous Intrauterine Growth Restriction. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024. [PMID: 38445838 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.29332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an obstetrical condition where a fetus has not achieved its genetic potential. A consequence of IUGR is a decrease in brain myelin content. Myelin water imaging (MWI) has been used to assess fetal myelin water fraction (MWF) and might potentially assess myelination changes associated with IUGR. PURPOSE To quantify and compare the MWF of non-IUGR and IUGR fetal guinea pigs (GPs) in late gestation. STUDY TYPE Prospective animal model. ANIMAL MODEL Dunkin-Hartley GP model of spontaneous IUGR (mean ± SD: 60 ± 1.2 days gestation; 19 IUGR, 52 control). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Eight spoiled gradient-recalled (SPGR) gradient echo volumes (flip angles [α]: 2°-16°), and two sets of eight balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) gradient echo volumes (α: 8° - 64°), at 0° and 180° phase increments, at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT MWF maps were generated for each fetal GP brain using multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 /T2 (mcDESPOT). MWF was quantified in the fetal corpus callosum (CC), fornix (FOR), parasagittal white matter (PSW), and whole fetal brain. STATISTICAL TESTS Linear regression was performed between five fetal IUGR markers (body volume, body-to-pregnancy volume ratio, brain-to-liver volume ratio, brain-to-placenta volume ratio, and brain-to-body volume ratio) and MWF (coefficient of determination, R2 ). A t-test with a linear mixed model compared the MWF of non-IUGR and IUGR fetal GPs (significance was determined at α < 0.05). RESULTS The MWF of the control fetuses are (mean ± SD): 0.23 ± 0.02 (CC), 0.31 ± 0.02 (FOR), 0.28 ± 0.02 (PSW), and 0.20 ± 0.01 (whole brain). The MWF of the IUGR fetuses are (mean ± SD): 0.19 ± 0.02 (CC), 0.27 ± 0.01 (FOR), 0.24 ± 0.03 (PSW), and 0.16 ± 0.01 (whole brain). Significant differences in MWF were found between the non-IUGR and IUGR fetuses in every comparison. DATA CONCLUSION The mean MWF of IUGR fetal GPs is significantly lower than non-IUGR fetal GPs. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Sethi
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Timothy R H Regnault
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health, Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles A McKenzie
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health, Children's Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Mufti N, Aertsen M, Thomson D, De Vloo P, Demaerel P, Deprest J, Melbourne A, David AL. Longitudinal MRI in the context of in utero surgery for open spina bifida: A descriptive study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2024; 103:322-333. [PMID: 37984808 PMCID: PMC10823411 DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14711] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fetal surgery for open spina bifida (OSB) requires comprehensive preoperative assessment using imaging for appropriate patient selection and to evaluate postoperative efficacy and complications. We explored patient access and conduct of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for prenatal assessment of OSB patients eligible for fetal surgery. We compared imaging acquisition and reporting to the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology MRI performance guidelines. MATERIAL AND METHODS We surveyed access to fetal MRI for OSB in referring fetal medicine units (FMUs) in the UK and Ireland, and two NHS England specialist commissioned fetal surgery centers (FSCs) at University College London Hospital, and University Hospitals KU Leuven Belgium. To study MRI acquisition protocols, we retrospectively analyzed fetal MRI images before and after fetal surgery for OSB. RESULTS MRI for fetal OSB was accessible with appropriate specialists available to supervise, perform, and report scans. The average time to arrange a fetal MRI appointment from request was 4 ± 3 days (range, 0-10), the average scan time available was 37 ± 16 min (range, 20-80 min), with 15 ± 11 min (range, 0-30 min) extra time to repeat sequences as required. Specific MRI acquisition protocols, and MRI reporting templates were available in only 32% and 18% of units, respectively. Satisfactory T2-weighted (T2W) brain imaging acquired in three orthogonal planes was achieved preoperatively in all centers, and 6 weeks postoperatively in 96% of FSCs and 78% of referring FMUs. However, for T2W spine image acquisition referring FMUs were less able to provide three orthogonal planes presurgery (98% FSC vs. 50% FMU, p < 0.001), and 6 weeks post-surgery (100% FSC vs. 48% FMU, p < 0.001). Other standard imaging recommendations such as T1-weighted (T1W), gradient echo (GE) or echoplanar fetal brain and spine imaging in one or two orthogonal planes were more likely available in FSCs compared to FMUs pre- and post-surgery (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There was timely access to supervised MRI for OSB fetal surgery assessment. However, the provision of images of the fetal brain and spine in sufficient orthogonal planes, which are required for determining eligibility and to determine the reversal of hindbrain herniation after fetal surgery, were less frequently acquired. Our evidence suggests the need for specific guidance in relation to fetal MRI for OSB. We propose an example guidance for MRI acquisition and reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Mufti
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Michael Aertsen
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Dominic Thomson
- Pediatric Neurosurgery DepartmentGreat Ormond Street Hospital for ChildrenLondonUK
| | - Phillippe De Vloo
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Philippe Demaerel
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Jan Deprest
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Andrew Melbourne
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (BMEIS)King's College LondonLondonUK
- Medical Physics and Biomedical EngineeringUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Anna L. David
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's HealthUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyUniversity Hospitals Katholieke Universiteit (KU)LeuvenBelgium
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Matsuzawa N, Poon LC, Machida M, Nakamura T, Uenishi K, Wah YM, Moungmaithong S, Itakura A, Chiyo H, Pooh RK. Cat-Ear-Line: A Sonographic Sign of Cortical Development? JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2023; 42:1445-1457. [PMID: 36534508 DOI: 10.1002/jum.16153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Diagonal echogenic lines outside the lateral ventricle have often been observed in the anterior coronal planes of the normal fetal brain by neurosonography. We have observed abnormal shapes of these echogenic lines in cases of malformation of cortical development (MCD). We named the ultrasound finding "cat-ear-line" (CEL). This study aimed to examine how and when CEL develops in normal cases compared with MCD cases. METHODS We retrospectively examined the fetal brain volume dataset acquired through transvaginal 3D neurosonography of 575 control cases and 39 MCD cases from 2014 to 2020. We defined CEL as the hyperechogenic continuous lines through subplate (SP) and intermediate zone (IZ), pre-CEL as the lines that existed only within the SP, and abnormal CEL as a mass-like or mosaic shadow-like structure that existed across the SP and IZ. All fetuses in the MCD group had some neurosonographic abnormalities and were ultimately diagnosed with MCD. RESULTS The CEL was detected in 97.9% (369/377) of the control group from 19 to 30 weeks. The CEL visualization rate of the MCD group in the same period was 40.0% (14/35) which was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS From this study, it appears that the CEL is an ultrasound finding observed at and beyond 19 weeks in a normally developing fetus. In some MCD cases, pre-CEL at and beyond 19 weeks or abnormal CEL was observed. Maldeveloped CEL at mid-trimester may help identify cases at-risk of subsequent MCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Matsuzawa
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Liona C Poon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Megumi Machida
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takako Nakamura
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kohtaro Uenishi
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yi Man Wah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Sakita Moungmaithong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Atsuo Itakura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideaki Chiyo
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ritsuko K Pooh
- Fetal Brain Center, CRIFM Prenatal Medical Clinic, Osaka, Japan
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Van Essen DC. Biomechanical models and mechanisms of cellular morphogenesis and cerebral cortical expansion and folding. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 140:90-104. [PMID: 35840524 PMCID: PMC9942585 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenesis of the nervous system involves a highly complex spatio-temporal pattern of physical forces (mainly tension and pressure) acting on cells and tissues that are pliable but have an intricately organized cytoskeletal infrastructure. This review begins by covering basic principles of biomechanics and the core cytoskeletal toolkit used to regulate the shapes of cells and tissues during embryogenesis and neural development. It illustrates how the principle of 'tensegrity' provides a useful conceptual framework for understanding how cells dynamically respond to forces that are generated internally or applied externally. The latter part of the review builds on this foundation in considering the development of mammalian cerebral cortex. The main focus is on cortical expansion and folding - processes that take place over an extended period of prenatal and postnatal development. Cortical expansion and folding are likely to involve many complementary mechanisms, some related to regulating cell proliferation and migration and others related to specific types and patterns of mechanical tension and pressure. Three distinct multi-mechanism models are evaluated in relation to a set of 18 key experimental observations and findings. The Composite Tension Plus (CT+) model is introduced as an updated version of a previous multi-component Differential Expansion Sandwich Plus (DES+) model (Van Essen, 2020); the new CT+ model includes 10 distinct mechanisms and has the greatest explanatory power among published models to date. Much needs to be done in order to validate specific mechanistic components and to assess their relative importance in different species, and important directions for future research are suggested.
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Proshchina A, Kharlamova A, Krivova Y, Godovalova O, Otlyga D, Gulimova V, Otlyga E, Junemann O, Sonin G, Saveliev S. Neuromorphological Atlas of Human Prenatal Brain Development: White Paper. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13051182. [PMID: 37240827 DOI: 10.3390/life13051182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent morphological data on human brain development are quite fragmentary. However, they are highly requested for a number of medical practices, educational programs, and fundamental research in the fields of embryology, cytology and histology, neurology, physiology, path anatomy, neonatology, and others. This paper provides the initial information on the new online Human Prenatal Brain Development Atlas (HBDA). The Atlas will start with forebrain annotated hemisphere maps, based on human fetal brain serial sections at the different stages of prenatal ontogenesis. Spatiotemporal changes in the regional-specific immunophenotype profiles will also be demonstrated on virtual serial sections. The HBDA can serve as a reference database for the neurological research, which provides opportunity to compare the data obtained by noninvasive techniques, such as neurosonography, X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, 3D high-resolution phase-contrast computed tomography visualization techniques, as well as spatial transcriptomics data. It could also become a database for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual variability in the human brain. Systemized data on the mechanisms and pathways of prenatal human glio- and neurogenesis could also contribute to the search for new therapy methods for a large spectrum of neurological pathologies, including neurodegenerative and cancer diseases. The preliminary data are now accessible on the special HBDA website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Proshchina
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia Kharlamova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuliya Krivova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Godovalova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitriy Otlyga
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria Gulimova
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Otlyga
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga Junemann
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Gleb Sonin
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergey Saveliev
- Avtsyn Research Institute of Human Morphology of Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery", Tsurupi Street, 3, 117418 Moscow, Russia
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Hawkins-Villarreal A, Moreno-Espinosa AL, Castillo K, Hahner N, Picone O, Mandelbrot L, Simon I, Gratacós E, Goncé A, Eixarch E. Brain cortical maturation assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in unaffected or mildly affected fetuses with cytomegalovirus infection. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2023; 61:566-576. [PMID: 36349881 DOI: 10.1002/uog.26110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the cortical maturation pattern in fetuses with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with mild or no abnormalities on ultrasound (US) and MRI, and to establish possible differences compared with healthy controls. METHODS This was a retrospective case-control study of consecutive pregnancies with a CMV-infected fetus undergoing prenatal MRI as a complementary diagnostic tool in two centers, and a control group of singleton low-risk pregnancies without fetal structural abnormalities, with normal fetal growth and with healthy newborns. CMV infection was confirmed by extraction of CMV-DNA from fetal and neonatal samples. Only fetuses with mild (mildly affected) or no (unaffected) neuroimaging abnormalities on US and MRI were included. MRI measurements of fetal parieto-occipital sulcus, cingulate sulcus and calcarine sulcus depth, Sylvian fissure depth and Sylvian fissure angles were performed and cortical development grading of specific cortical areas and sulci were assessed by one operator who was blinded to CMV infection status. Data were compared between controls and fetuses with CMV infection, using linear regression and non-parametric trend analysis. RESULTS Twenty-four CMV-infected fetuses (seven unaffected and 17 mildly affected) and 24 healthy controls that underwent fetal MRI between 27 and 36 weeks' gestation were included. Compared with controls, CMV-infected fetuses showed significantly larger median lateral ventricular width (right side, 7.8 (interquartile range (IQR), 5.9-9.9) mm vs 3.9 (IQR, 2.6-5.3) mm; left side, 7.5 (IQR, 6.0-10.9) mm vs 4.2 (IQR, 3.2-5.3) mm), significantly decreased parieto-occipital sulcus depth (right side, 12.6 (IQR, 11.3-13.5) mm vs 15.9 (IQR, 13.5-17.3) mm; left side, 12.3 (IQR, 10.6-13.5) mm vs 16.0 (IQR, 13.3-17.5) mm) and calcarine sulcus depth (right side, 15.4 (IQR, 14.4-16.3) mm vs 17.5 (IQR, 16.1-18.7) mm; left side, 14.6 (IQR, 14.1-15.6) mm vs 16.7 (IQR, 15.6-18.9) mm) (P < 0.001 for all). Compared with controls, CMV-infected fetuses also had significantly smaller upper (right side, 42.8° (IQR, 35.8-45.8°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 38.4-64.7°); left side, 40.9° (IQR, 34.2-45.8°) vs 48.2° (IQR, 41.9-60.7°)) and lower (right side, 41.6° (IQR, 34.4-49.2°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 40.6-60.9°); left side, 42.2° (IQR, 38.8-46.9°) vs 48.9° (IQR, 39.5-57.5°)) Sylvian fissure angles (P < 0.05 for all). In addition, the mildly affected CMV-infected fetuses had a significantly lower cortical development grading in the temporal and parietal areas, and the parieto-occipital and calcarine sulci compared with healthy fetuses (P < 0.05). These differences persisted when adjusting for gestational age, ipsilateral atrium width, fetal gender and when considering small-for-gestational age as a confounding factor. CONCLUSIONS Unaffected and mildly affected CMV-infected fetuses showed delayed cortical maturation compared with healthy controls. These results suggest that congenital CMV infection, even in non-severely affected fetuses that are typically considered of good prognosis, could be associated with altered brain cortical structure. Further research is warranted to better elucidate the correlation of these findings with neurodevelopmental outcomes. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hawkins-Villarreal
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Fetal Medicine Service, Obstetrics Department, Hospital 'Santo Tomás', University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
- Iberoamerican Research Network in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Translational Medicine
| | - A L Moreno-Espinosa
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Fetal Medicine Service, Obstetrics Department, Hospital 'Santo Tomás', University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
- Iberoamerican Research Network in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Translational Medicine
| | - K Castillo
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Hahner
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - O Picone
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Féderation Hospitalo-Universitaire PREMA, Colombes, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Inserm IAME UMR1137, Paris, France
| | - L Mandelbrot
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Féderation Hospitalo-Universitaire PREMA, Colombes, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Inserm IAME UMR1137, Paris, France
| | - I Simon
- Department of Radiology, Hôpital Louis-Mourier, AP-HP, Colombes, France
| | - E Gratacós
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Goncé
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Eixarch
- BCNatal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
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Deprest T, Fidon L, De Keyzer F, Ebner M, Deprest J, Demaerel P, De Catte L, Vercauteren T, Ourselin S, Dymarkowski S, Aertsen M. Application of Automatic Segmentation on Super-Resolution Reconstruction MR Images of the Abnormal Fetal Brain. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2023; 44:486-491. [PMID: 36863845 PMCID: PMC10084897 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Fetal brain MR imaging is clinically used to characterize fetal brain abnormalities. Recently, algorithms have been proposed to reconstruct high-resolution 3D fetal brain volumes from 2D slices. By means of these reconstructions, convolutional neural networks have been developed for automatic image segmentation to avoid labor-intensive manual annotations, usually trained on data of normal fetal brains. Herein, we tested the performance of an algorithm specifically developed for segmentation of abnormal fetal brains. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a single-center retrospective study on MR images of 16 fetuses with severe CNS anomalies (gestation, 21-39 weeks). T2-weighted 2D slices were converted to 3D volumes using a super-resolution reconstruction algorithm. The acquired volumetric data were then processed by a novel convolutional neural network to perform segmentations of white matter and the ventricular system and cerebellum. These were compared with manual segmentation using the Dice coefficient, Hausdorff distance (95th percentile), and volume difference. Using interquartile ranges, we identified outliers of these metrics and further analyzed them in detail. RESULTS The mean Dice coefficient was 96.2%, 93.7%, and 94.7% for white matter and the ventricular system and cerebellum, respectively. The Hausdorff distance was 1.1, 2.3, and 1.6 mm, respectively. The volume difference was 1.6, 1.4, and 0.3 mL, respectively. Of the 126 measurements, there were 16 outliers among 5 fetuses, discussed on a case-by-case basis. CONCLUSIONS Our novel segmentation algorithm obtained excellent results on MR images of fetuses with severe brain abnormalities. Analysis of the outliers shows the need to include pathologies underrepresented in the current data set. Quality control to prevent occasional errors is still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Deprest
- From the Department of Radiology (T.D., F.D.K., P.D., S.D., M.A.)
| | - L Fidon
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (L.F., M.E., T.V., S.O.), King's College London, London, UK
| | - F De Keyzer
- From the Department of Radiology (T.D., F.D.K., P.D., S.D., M.A.)
| | - M Ebner
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (L.F., M.E., T.V., S.O.), King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering (M.E., T.V.), University College London, London, UK
| | - J Deprest
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics (J.D., L.D.C., T.V.), University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
- Institute for Women's Health (J.D.)
| | - P Demaerel
- From the Department of Radiology (T.D., F.D.K., P.D., S.D., M.A.)
| | - L De Catte
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics (J.D., L.D.C., T.V.), University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | - T Vercauteren
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics (J.D., L.D.C., T.V.), University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (L.F., M.E., T.V., S.O.), King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering (M.E., T.V.), University College London, London, UK
| | - S Ourselin
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences (L.F., M.E., T.V., S.O.), King's College London, London, UK
| | - S Dymarkowski
- From the Department of Radiology (T.D., F.D.K., P.D., S.D., M.A.)
| | - M Aertsen
- From the Department of Radiology (T.D., F.D.K., P.D., S.D., M.A.)
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11
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Rial RV, Akaârir M, Canellas F, Barceló P, Rubiño JA, Martín-Reina A, Gamundí A, Nicolau MC. Mammalian NREM and REM sleep: Why, when and how. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105041. [PMID: 36646258 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This report proposes that fish use the spinal-rhombencephalic regions of their brain to support their activities while awake. Instead, the brainstem-diencephalic regions support the wakefulness in amphibians and reptiles. Lastly, mammals developed the telencephalic cortex to attain the highest degree of wakefulness, the cortical wakefulness. However, a paralyzed form of spinal-rhombencephalic wakefulness remains in mammals in the form of REMS, whose phasic signs are highly efficient in promoting maternal care to mammalian litter. Therefore, the phasic REMS is highly adaptive. However, their importance is low for singletons, in which it is a neutral trait, devoid of adaptive value for adults, and is mal-adaptive for marine mammals. Therefore, they lost it. The spinal-rhombencephalic and cortical wakeful states disregard the homeostasis: animals only attend their most immediate needs: foraging defense and reproduction. However, these activities generate allostatic loads that must be recovered during NREMS, that is a paralyzed form of the amphibian-reptilian subcortical wakefulness. Regarding the regulation of tonic REMS, it depends on a hypothalamic switch. Instead, the phasic REMS depends on an independent proportional pontine control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén V Rial
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Mourad Akaârir
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Francesca Canellas
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut; Hospital Son Espases, 07120, Palma de Mallorca (España).
| | - Pere Barceló
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - José A Rubiño
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut; Hospital Son Espases, 07120, Palma de Mallorca (España).
| | - Aida Martín-Reina
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - Antoni Gamundí
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
| | - M Cristina Nicolau
- Laboratori de Fisiologia del son i els ritmes biologics. Universitat de les Illes Balears, Ctra. Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca (España); IDISBA. Institut d'Investigació Sanitaria de les Illes Balears; IUNICS Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut.
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12
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Boots A, Wiegersma AM, Vali Y, van den Hof M, Langendam MW, Limpens J, Backhouse EV, Shenkin SD, Wardlaw JM, Roseboom TJ, de Rooij SR. Shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease: A systematic review on prenatal risk factors for Alzheimer's disease-related volumetric brain biomarkers. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105019. [PMID: 36608918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposures including toxins and nutrition may hamper the developing brain in utero, limiting the brain's reserve capacity and increasing the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize all currently available evidence for the association between prenatal exposures and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers. We systematically searched MEDLINE and Embase for studies in humans reporting on associations between prenatal exposure(s) and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers, including whole brain volume (WBV), hippocampal volume (HV) and/or temporal lobe volume (TLV) measured with structural magnetic resonance imaging (PROSPERO; CRD42020169317). Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. We identified 79 eligible studies (search date: August 30th, 2020; Ntotal=24,784; median age 10.7 years) reporting on WBV (N = 38), HV (N = 63) and/or TLV (N = 5) in exposure categories alcohol (N = 30), smoking (N = 7), illicit drugs (N = 14), mental health problems (N = 7), diet (N = 8), disease, treatment and physiology (N = 10), infections (N = 6) and environmental exposures (N = 3). Overall risk of bias was low. Prenatal exposure to alcohol, opioids, cocaine, nutrient shortage, placental dysfunction and maternal anemia was associated with smaller brain volumes. We conclude that the prenatal environment is important in shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Boots
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - A M Wiegersma
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Y Vali
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M van den Hof
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M W Langendam
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J Limpens
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Library, Meibergdreef 9, the Netherlands
| | - E V Backhouse
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S D Shenkin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Ageing and Health Research Group and Advanced Care Research Centre, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK
| | - J M Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Centre at the University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - T J Roseboom
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S R de Rooij
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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13
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Nedel F, Ferrúa CP, do Amaral CC, Corrêa GP, Silveira RG, Trettim JP, da Cunha GK, Klug AB, Ardais AP, Fogaça TB, Pinheiro KA, Bast RK, Ghisleni G, de M Souza LD, de Matos MB, Quevedo LDA, Pinheiro RT. Maternal expression of miR-let-7d-3p and miR-451a during gestation influences the neuropsychomotor development of 90 days old babies: "Pregnancy care, healthy baby" study. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 158:185-191. [PMID: 36587497 PMCID: PMC9907453 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies on maternal microRNA expression have emerged to better understand regulatory mechanisms during the gestational period, since microRNA expression has been associated with pregnancy disorders. OBJECTIVES This study aims to investigate the association between the expression of the maternal microRNAs miR-let-7d-3p and miR-451a during the second gestational trimester and neuropsychomotor development at 90 days of life of infants. METHODS This is a case-control study nested within a cohort, with the groups being divided into dyads in which pregnant women presented Major Depressive Episode (MDE) (n = 64), these being the cases, and their respective controls (no MDE; n = 64). The Bayley Scale III was used to assess the outcome of child development, and MDE was assessed through the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Plus. The analysis of miR-let-7d-3p and miR-451a was done via serum from the pregnant women, utilizing the qRT-PCR (n = 128). RESULTS The results indicated a negative association between expression levels of miR-451a (β -3.3 CI95% -6.4;-0.3) and a positive associated of the miR-let-7d-3p with the cognitive development domain (β 1.7 CI95% 0.1; 3.0), and a positive association between expression of miR-let-7d-3p with motor development of the infants (β 1.6 CI95% 0.3; 2.9). CONCLUSION This is a pioneering study on the topic that indicates a biological interrelationship between the miRNAs miR-let-7d-3p and miR-451a evaluated during the pregnancy and the motor and cognitive domains of infant development at 90 days postpartum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Tatiane B. Fogaça
- San Francisco de Paula University Hospital – Fetal Medicine Service, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Karen A.T. Pinheiro
- University of Rio Grande Foundation (FURG), FAMED, Department of Specialized Surgery, Rio Grande/RS, Brazil
| | - Rachel K.S.S. Bast
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Ricardo T. Pinheiro
- Catholic University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil,Corresponding author. Post-Graduate Program in Health and Behavior, Catholic University of Pelotas, Gonçalves Chaves, 373, Centro – Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, 96015-560, Brazil.
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14
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Huang X, Liu Y, Li Y, Qi K, Gao A, Zheng B, Liang D, Long X. Deep Learning-Based Multiclass Brain Tissue Segmentation in Fetal MRIs. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:655. [PMID: 36679449 PMCID: PMC9862805 DOI: 10.3390/s23020655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Fetal brain tissue segmentation is essential for quantifying the presence of congenital disorders in the developing fetus. Manual segmentation of fetal brain tissue is cumbersome and time-consuming, so using an automatic segmentation method can greatly simplify the process. In addition, the fetal brain undergoes a variety of changes throughout pregnancy, such as increased brain volume, neuronal migration, and synaptogenesis. In this case, the contrast between tissues, especially between gray matter and white matter, constantly changes throughout pregnancy, increasing the complexity and difficulty of our segmentation. To reduce the burden of manual refinement of segmentation, we proposed a new deep learning-based segmentation method. Our approach utilized a novel attentional structural block, the contextual transformer block (CoT-Block), which was applied in the backbone network model of the encoder-decoder to guide the learning of dynamic attentional matrices and enhance image feature extraction. Additionally, in the last layer of the decoder, we introduced a hybrid dilated convolution module, which can expand the receptive field and retain detailed spatial information, effectively extracting the global contextual information in fetal brain MRI. We quantitatively evaluated our method according to several performance measures: dice, precision, sensitivity, and specificity. In 80 fetal brain MRI scans with gestational ages ranging from 20 to 35 weeks, we obtained an average Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 83.79%, an average Volume Similarity (VS) of 84.84%, and an average Hausdorff95 Distance (HD95) of 35.66 mm. We also used several advanced deep learning segmentation models for comparison under equivalent conditions, and the results showed that our method was superior to other methods and exhibited an excellent segmentation performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaona Huang
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen 518027, China
| | - Yuhan Li
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Keying Qi
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ang Gao
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bowen Zheng
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Dong Liang
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaojing Long
- Research Center for Medical AI, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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15
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Moerdijk AS, Claessens NH, van Ooijen IM, van Ooij P, Alderliesten T, Grotenhuis HB, Benders MJNL, Bohte AE, Breur JMPJ, Charisopoulou D, Clur SA, Cornette JMJ, Fejzic Z, Franssen MTM, Frerich S, Geerdink LM, Go ATJI, Gommers S, Helbing WA, Hirsch A, Holtackers RJ, Klein WM, Krings GJ, Lamb HJ, Nijman M, Pajkrt E, Planken RN, Schrauben EM, Steenhuis TJ, ter Heide H, Vanagt WYR, van Beynum IM, van Gaalen MD, van Iperen GG, van Schuppen J, Willems TP, Witters I. Fetal MRI of the heart and brain in congenital heart disease. THE LANCET. CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2023; 7:59-68. [PMID: 36343660 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(22)00249-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Antenatal assessment of congenital heart disease and associated anomalies by ultrasound has improved perinatal care. Fetal cardiovascular MRI and fetal brain MRI are rapidly evolving for fetal diagnostic testing of congenital heart disease. We give an overview on the use of fetal cardiovascular MRI and fetal brain MRI in congenital heart disease, focusing on the current applications and diagnostic yield of structural and functional imaging during pregnancy. Fetal cardiovascular MRI in congenital heart disease is a promising supplementary imaging method to echocardiography for the diagnosis of antenatal congenital heart disease in weeks 30-40 of pregnancy. Concomitant fetal brain MRI is superior to brain ultrasound to show the complex relationship between fetal haemodynamics in congenital heart disease and brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk S Moerdijk
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nathalie Hp Claessens
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Neonatology, Division of Woman and Baby, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Inge M van Ooijen
- Department of Neonatology, Division of Woman and Baby, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Pim van Ooij
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Thomas Alderliesten
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; Department of Neonatology, Division of Woman and Baby, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Heynric B Grotenhuis
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Division of Pediatrics, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.
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Ma Q, Wang H, Rolls ET, Xiang S, Li J, Li Y, Zhou Q, Cheng W, Li F. Lower gestational age is associated with lower cortical volume and cognitive and educational performance in adolescence. BMC Med 2022; 20:424. [PMID: 36329481 PMCID: PMC9635194 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02627-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational age (GA) is associated with later cognition and behavior. However, it is unclear how specific cognitive domains and brain structural development varies with the stepwise change of gestational duration. METHODS This large-scale longitudinal cohort study analyzed 11,878 early adolescents' brain volume maps at 9-10 years (baseline) and 5685 at 11-12 years (a 2-year follow-up) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. According to gestational age, adolescents were divided into five categorical groups: ≤ 33 weeks, 34-35 weeks, 36 weeks, 37-39 weeks, and ≥ 40 weeks. The NIH Toolbox was used to estimate neurocognitive performance, including crystallized and fluid intelligence, which was measured for 11,878 adolescents at baseline with crystallized intelligence and relevant subscales obtained at 2-year follow-up (with participant numbers ranging from 6185 to 6310 depending on the cognitive domain). An additional large population-based cohort of 618,070 middle adolescents at ninth-grade (15-16 years) from the Danish national register was utilized to validate the association between gestational age and academic achievements. A linear mixed model was used to examine the group differences between gestational age and neurocognitive performance, school achievements, and grey matter volume. A mediation analysis was performed to examine whether brain structural volumes mediated the association between GA and neurocognition, followed with a longitudinal analysis to track the changes. RESULTS Significant group differences were found in all neurocognitive scores, school achievements, and twenty-five cortical regional volumes (P < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected). Specifically, lower gestational ages were associated with graded lower cognition and school achievements and with smaller brain volumes of the fronto-parieto-temporal, fusiform, cingulate, insula, postcentral, hippocampal, thalamic, and pallidal regions. These lower brain volumes mediated the association between gestational age and cognitive function (P = 1 × 10-8, β = 0.017, 95% CI: 0.007-0.028). Longitudinal analysis showed that compared to full term adolescents, preterm adolescents still had smaller brain volumes and crystallized intelligence scores at 11-12 years. CONCLUSIONS These results emphasize the relationships between gestational age at birth and adolescents' lower brain volume, and lower cognitive and educational performance, measured many years later when 9-10 and 11-12 years old. The study indicates the importance of early screening and close follow-up for neurocognitive and behavioral development for children and adolescents born with gestational ages that are even a little lower than full term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Ma
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care/MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, China
| | - Edmund T Rolls
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.,Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, Conventry, UK.,Oxford Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Oxford, UK
| | - Shitong Xiang
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jiong Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, 8000, Denmark
| | - Yuzhu Li
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qiongjie Zhou
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China. .,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 200433, China. .,Fudan ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China. .,Shanghai Medical College and Zhongshan Hospital Immunotherapy Technology Transfer Center, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric & Child Primary Care/MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, China.
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17
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Tsujimura K, Shiohama T, Takahashi E. microRNA Biology on Brain Development and Neuroimaging Approach. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101366. [PMID: 36291300 PMCID: PMC9599180 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper brain development requires the precise coordination and orchestration of various molecular and cellular processes and dysregulation of these processes can lead to neurological diseases. In the past decades, post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression has been shown to contribute to various aspects of brain development and function in the central nervous system. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNAs, are emerging as crucial players in post-transcriptional gene regulation in a variety of tissues, such as the nervous system. In recent years, miRNAs have been implicated in multiple aspects of brain development, including neurogenesis, migration, axon and dendrite formation, and synaptogenesis. Moreover, altered expression and dysregulation of miRNAs have been linked to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful imaging technology to obtain high-quality, detailed structural and functional information from the brains of human and animal models in a non-invasive manner. Because the spatial expression patterns of miRNAs in the brain, unlike those of DNA and RNA, remain largely unknown, a whole-brain imaging approach using MRI may be useful in revealing biological and pathological information about the brain affected by miRNAs. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in the research of miRNA-mediated modulation of neuronal processes that are important for brain development and their involvement in disease pathogenesis. Also, we overview each MRI technique, and its technological considerations, and discuss the applications of MRI techniques in miRNA research. This review aims to link miRNA biological study with MRI analytical technology and deepen our understanding of how miRNAs impact brain development and pathology of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Tsujimura
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Group of Brain Function and Development, Nagoya University Neuroscience Institute of the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya 4648602, Japan
- Research Unit for Developmental Disorders, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya 4648602, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.T.); (E.T.)
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba 2608677, Japan
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Correspondence: (K.T.); (E.T.)
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18
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Guimaraes CVA, Dahmoush HM. Fetal Brain Anatomy. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 2022; 32:663-681. [PMID: 35843668 DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
"Fetal brain development has been well studied, allowing for an ample knowledge of the normal changes that occur during gestation. Imaging modalities used to evaluate the fetal central nervous system (CNS) include ultrasound and MRI. MRI is the most accurate imaging modality for parenchymal evaluation and depiction of developmental CNS anomalies. The depiction of CNS abnormalities in a fetus can only be accurately made when there is an understanding of its normal development. This article reviews the expected normal fetal brain anatomy and development during gestation. Additional anatomic structures seen on brain imaging sequences are also reviewed."
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina V A Guimaraes
- Division Chief of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, 2006 Old Clinic Building, CB# 7510, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510, USA.
| | - Hisham M Dahmoush
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94304, USA
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19
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Aertsen M, Dymarkowski S, Vander Mijnsbrugge W, Cockmartin L, Demaerel P, De Catte L. Anatomical and diffusion-weighted imaging of brain abnormalities in third-trimester fetuses with cytomegalovirus infection. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2022; 60:68-75. [PMID: 35018680 DOI: 10.1002/uog.24856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected fetuses with first-trimester seroconversion, we aimed to evaluate the detection of brain abnormalities using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurosonography (NSG) in the third trimester, and compare the grading systems of the two modalities. We also evaluated the feasibility of routine use of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) fetal MRI and compared the regional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values between CMV-infected fetuses and presumed normal, non-infected fetuses in the third trimester. METHODS This was a retrospective review of MRI and NSG scans in fetuses with confirmed first-trimester CMV infection performed between September 2015 and August 2019. Brain abnormalities were recorded and graded using fetal MRI and NSG grading systems to compare the two modalities. To investigate feasibility of DWI, a four-point rating scale (poor, suboptimal, good, excellent) was applied to assess the quality of the images. Quantitative assessment was performed by placing a freehand drawn region of interest in the white matter of the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes and the basal ganglia, pons and cerebellum to calculate ADC values. Regional ADC measurements were obtained similarly in a control group of fetuses with negative maternal CMV serology in the first trimester, normal brain findings on fetal MRI and normal genetic testing. RESULTS Fifty-three MRI examinations of 46 fetuses with confirmed first-trimester CMV infection were included. NSG detected 24 of 27 temporal cysts seen on MRI scans, with a sensitivity of 78% and an accuracy of 83%. NSG did not detect abnormal gyration visible on two (4%) MRI scans. Periventricular calcifications were detected on two MRI scans compared with 10 NSG scans. While lenticulostriate vasculopathy was detected on 11 (21%) NSG scans, no fetus demonstrated this finding on MRI. MRI grading correlated significantly with NSG grading of brain abnormalities (P < 0.0001). Eight (15%) of the DWI scans in the CMV cohort were excluded from further analysis because of insufficient quality. The ADC values of CMV-infected fetuses were significantly increased in the frontal (both sides, P < 0.0001), temporal (both sides, P < 0.0001), parietal (left side, P = 0.0378 and right side, P = 0.0014) and occipital (left side, P = 0.0002 and right side, P < 0.0001) lobes and decreased in the pons (P = 0.0085) when compared with non-infected fetuses. The ADC values in the basal ganglia and the cerebellum were not significantly different in CMV-infected fetuses compared with normal controls (all P > 0.05). Temporal and frontal ADC values were higher in CMV-infected fetuses with more severe brain abnormalities compared to fetuses with mild abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound and MRI are complementary during the third trimester in the assessment of brain abnormalities in CMV-infected fetuses, with a significant correlation between the grading systems of the two modalities. On DWI in the third trimester, the ADC values in several brain regions are abnormal in CMV-infected fetuses compared with normal controls. Furthermore, they seem to correlate in the temporal area and, to a lesser extent, frontal area with the severity of brain abnormalities associated with CMV infection. Larger prospective studies are needed for further investigation of the microscopic nature of diffusion abnormalities and correlation of different imaging findings with postnatal outcome. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Aertsen
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S Dymarkowski
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - L Cockmartin
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - P Demaerel
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - L De Catte
- Division Woman and Child, Fetal Medicine Unit, Clinical Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium
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20
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Moser F, Huang R, Papież BW, Namburete AIL. BEAN: Brain Extraction and Alignment Network for 3D Fetal Neurosonography. Neuroimage 2022; 258:119341. [PMID: 35654376 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain extraction (masking of extra-cerebral tissues) and alignment are fundamental first steps of most neuroimage analysis pipelines. The lack of automated solutions for 3D ultrasound (US) has therefore limited its potential as a neuroimaging modality for studying fetal brain development using routinely acquired scans. In this work, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN) that accurately and consistently aligns and extracts the fetal brain from minimally pre-processed 3D US scans. Our multi-task CNN, Brain Extraction and Alignment Network (BEAN), consists of two independent branches: 1) a fully-convolutional encoder-decoder branch for brain extraction of unaligned scans, and 2) a two-step regression-based branch for similarity alignment of the brain to a common coordinate space. BEAN was tested on 356 fetal head 3D scans spanning the gestational range of 14 to 30 weeks, significantly outperforming all current alternatives for fetal brain extraction and alignment. BEAN achieved state-of-the-art performance for both tasks, with a mean Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) of 0.94 for the brain extraction masks, and a mean DSC of 0.93 for the alignment of the target brain masks. The presented experimental results show that brain structures such as the thalamus, choroid plexus, cavum septum pellucidum, and Sylvian fissure, are consistently aligned throughout the dataset and remain clearly visible when the scans are averaged together. The BEAN implementation and related code can be found under www.github.com/felipemoser/kelluwen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Moser
- Oxford Machine Learning in Neuroimaging laboratory, OMNI, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Ruobing Huang
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Bartłomiej W Papież
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ana I L Namburete
- Oxford Machine Learning in Neuroimaging laboratory, OMNI, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
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21
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Sobotka D, Ebner M, Schwartz E, Nenning KH, Taymourtash A, Vercauteren T, Ourselin S, Kasprian G, Prayer D, Langs G, Licandro R. Motion correction and volumetric reconstruction for fetal functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Neuroimage 2022; 255:119213. [PMID: 35430359 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Motion correction is an essential preprocessing step in functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) of the fetal brain with the aim to remove artifacts caused by fetal movement and maternal breathing and consequently to suppress erroneous signal correlations. Current motion correction approaches for fetal fMRI choose a single 3D volume from a specific acquisition timepoint with least motion artefacts as reference volume, and perform interpolation for the reconstruction of the motion corrected time series. The results can suffer, if no low-motion frame is available, and if reconstruction does not exploit any assumptions about the continuity of the fMRI signal. Here, we propose a novel framework, which estimates a high-resolution reference volume by using outlier-robust motion correction, and by utilizing Huber L2 regularization for intra-stack volumetric reconstruction of the motion-corrected fetal brain fMRI. We performed an extensive parameter study to investigate the effectiveness of motion estimation and present in this work benchmark metrics to quantify the effect of motion correction and regularised volumetric reconstruction approaches on functional connectivity computations. We demonstrate the proposed framework's ability to improve functional connectivity estimates, reproducibility and signal interpretability, which is clinically highly desirable for the establishment of prognostic noninvasive imaging biomarkers. The motion correction and volumetric reconstruction framework is made available as an open-source package of NiftyMIC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sobotka
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Ebner
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ernst Schwartz
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Karl-Heinz Nenning
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Athena Taymourtash
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tom Vercauteren
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastien Ourselin
- School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Roxane Licandro
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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22
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Ducloyer M, Carballeira-Alvarez A, Tuchtan L, Delteil C, Piercecchi-Marti MD, Gorincour G, Prodhomme O. Normal Post-mortem Imaging Findings in Foetuses and Children. FORENSIC IMAGING 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-83352-7_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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23
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Pogledic I, Schwartz E, Bobić-Rasonja M, Mitter C, Baltzer P, Gruber GM, Milković-Periša M, Haberler C, Bettelheim D, Kasprian G, Judaš M, Prayer D, Jovanov-Milošević N. 3T MRI signal intensity profiles and thicknesses of transient zones in human fetal brain at mid-gestation. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2021; 35:67-73. [PMID: 34653829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2021.09.014] [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: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In this study we compare temporal lobe (TL) signal intensity (SI) profiles, along with the average thicknesses of the transient zones obtained from postmortem MRI (pMRI) scans and corresponding histological slices, to the frontal lobe (FL) SI and zone thicknesses, in normal fetal brains. The purpose was to assess the synchronization of the corticogenetic processes in different brain lobes. Nine postmortem human fetal brains without cerebral pathologies, from 19 to 24 weeks of gestation (GW) were analyzed on T2-weighted 3T pMRI, at the coronal level of the thalamus and basal ganglia. The SI profiles of the transient zones in the TL correlate well spatially and temporally to the signal intensity profile of the FL. During the examined period, in the TL, the intermediate and subventricular zone are about the size of the subplate zone (SP), while the superficial SP demonstrates the highest signal intensity. The correlation of the SI profiles and the distributions of the transient zones in the two brain lobes, indicates a time-aligned histogenesis during this narrow time window. The 3TpMRI enables an assessment of the regularity of lamination patterns in the fetal telencephalic wall, upon comparative evaluation of sizes of the transient developmental zones and the SI profiles of different cortical regions. A knowledge of normal vs. abnormal transient lamination patterns and the SI profiles is a prerequisite for further advancement of the MR diagnostic tools needed for early detection of developmental brain pathologies prenatally, especially mild white matter injuries such as lesions of TL due to prenatal cytomegalovirus infections, or cortical malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Pogledic
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Schwartz
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mihaela Bobić-Rasonja
- University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Section for Developmental Neuroscience, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Biology, Šalata 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Christian Mitter
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pascal Baltzer
- Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde Maria Gruber
- Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, 3500, Krems, Austria
| | - Marija Milković-Periša
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Pathology and Cytology, Petrova 13, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Šalata 10, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Christine Haberler
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dieter Bettelheim
- Division of Obstetrics and Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Miloš Judaš
- University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Section for Developmental Neuroscience, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milošević
- University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Section for Developmental Neuroscience, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Department of Biology, Šalata 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
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24
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Rajagopalan V, Deoni S, Panigrahy A, Thomason ME. Is fetal MRI ready for neuroimaging prime time? An examination of progress and remaining areas for development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 51:100999. [PMID: 34391003 PMCID: PMC8365463 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A major challenge in designing large-scale, multi-site studies is developing a core, scalable protocol that retains the innovation of scientific advances while also lending itself to the variability in experience and resources across sites. In the development of a common Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) protocol, one of the chief questions is "is fetal MRI ready for prime-time?" While there is agreement about the value of prenatal data obtained non-invasively through MRI, questions about practicality abound. There has been rapid progress over the past years in fetal and placental MRI methodology but there is uncertainty about whether the gains afforded outweigh the challenges in supporting fetal MRI protocols at scale. Here, we will define challenges inherent in building a common protocol across sites with variable expertise and will propose a tentative framework for evaluation of design decisions. We will compare and contrast various design considerations for both normative and high-risk populations, in the setting of the post-COVID era. We will conclude with articulation of the benefits of overcoming these challenges and would lend to the primary questions articulated in the HBCD initiative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Rajagopalan
- Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, United States.
| | - Sean Deoni
- Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, United States
| | - Ashok Panigrahy
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical School and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Moriah E Thomason
- Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Population Health, Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone, United States
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Levendosky AA, Bogat GA, Lonstein J, Muzik M, Nuttall AK. Longitudinal prospective study examining the effects of the timing of prenatal stress on infant and child regulatory functioning: the Michigan Prenatal Stress Study protocol. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e054964. [PMID: 34535489 PMCID: PMC8451297 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A considerable literature implicates prenatal stress as a critical determinant of poor psychological functioning in childhood and beyond. However, knowledge about whether the timing of prenatal stress differentially influences the development of child outcomes, including psychopathology, is virtually unknown. The primary aim of our study is to examine how the timing of prenatal stress differentially affects early childhood regulatory functioning as a marker of psychopathology. Our second aim is to examine the mediating effects of maternal physiological and psychological factors during pregnancy. Our third aim is to examine the moderating effects of postnatal factors on child regulatory functioning. Our project is the first longitudinal, prospective, multimethod study addressing these questions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Our ongoing study recruits pregnant women, oversampled for intimate partner violence (a common event-based stressor allowing examination of timing effects), with data collection starting at pregnancy week 15 and concluding 4 years post partum. We aim to have n=335 mother-child dyads. We conduct a granular assessment of pregnancy stress (measured weekly by maternal report) in order to reveal sensitive periods during fetal life when stress particularly derails later functioning. Pattern-based statistical analyses will be used to identify subgroups of women who differ in the timing of their stress during pregnancy and then test whether these patterns of stress differentially predict early childhood self-regulatory outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Due to the high-risk nature of our sample, care is taken to ensure protection of their well-being, including a safety plan for suicidal ideation and a safety mechanism (exit button in the online weekly survey) to protect participant data privacy. This study was approved by Michigan State University Institutional Review Board. Dissemination will be handled by data sharing through National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), as well as through publishing the findings in journals spanning behavioural neuroendocrinology to clinical and developmental psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - G Anne Bogat
- Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Joseph Lonstein
- Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Maria Muzik
- Psychiatry, University of Michigan-Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Amy K Nuttall
- Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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26
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Schmidbauer VU, Dovjak GO, Yildirim MS, Mayr-Geisl G, Weber M, Diogo MC, Gruber GM, Prayer F, Milos RI, Stuempflen M, Ulm B, Binder J, Bettelheim D, Kiss H, Prayer D, Kasprian G. Mapping Human Fetal Brain Maturation In Vivo Using Quantitative MRI. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2021; 42:2086-2093. [PMID: 34503947 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE On the basis of a single multidynamic multiecho sequence acquisition, SyMRI generates a variety of quantitative image data that can characterize tissue-specific properties. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the feasibility of SyMRI for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of fetal brain maturation. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 52 fetuses, multidynamic multiecho sequence acquisitions were available. SyMRI was used to perform multidynamic multiecho-based postprocessing. Fetal brain maturity was scored qualitatively on the basis of SyMRI-generated MR imaging data. The results were compared with conventionally acquired T1-weighted/T2-weighted contrasts as a standard of reference. Myelin-related changes in T1-/T2-relaxation time/relaxation rate, proton density, and MR imaging signal intensity of the developing fetal brain stem were measured. A Pearson correlation analysis was used to detect correlations between the following: 1) the gestational age at MR imaging and the fetal brain maturity score, and 2) the gestational age at MR imaging and the quantitative measurements. RESULTS SyMRI provided images of sufficient quality in 12/52 (23.08%) (range, 23 + 6-34 + 0) fetal multidynamic multiecho sequence acquisitions. The fetal brain maturity score positively correlated with gestational age at MR imaging (SyMRI: r = 0.915, P < .001/standard of reference: r = 0.966, P < .001). Myelination-related changes in the T2 relaxation time/T2 relaxation rate of the medulla oblongata significantly correlated with gestational age at MR imaging (T2-relaxation time: r = -0.739, P = .006/T2-relaxation rate: r = 0.790, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Fetal motion limits the applicability of multidynamic multiecho-based postprocessing. However, SyMRI-generated image data of sufficient quality enable the qualitative assessment of maturity-related changes of the fetal brain. In addition, quantitative T2 relaxation time/T2 relaxation rate mapping characterizes myelin-related changes of the brain stem prenatally. This approach, if successful, opens novel possibilities for the evaluation of structural and biochemical aspects of fetal brain maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- V U Schmidbauer
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - G O Dovjak
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - M S Yildirim
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | | | - M Weber
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - M C Diogo
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - G M Gruber
- Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics (G.M.G.), Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems an der Donau, Austria
| | - F Prayer
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - R-I Milos
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - M Stuempflen
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - B Ulm
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (B.U., J.B., D.B., H.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Binder
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (B.U., J.B., D.B., H.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Bettelheim
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (B.U., J.B., D.B., H.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - H Kiss
- Obstetrics and Gynecology (B.U., J.B., D.B., H.K.), Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - D Prayer
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
| | - G Kasprian
- From the Departments of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy (V.U.S., G.O.D., M.S.Y., M.W., M.C.D., F.P., R.-I.M., M.S., D.P. G.K)
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27
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Askin Incebacak NC, Sui Y, Gui Levy L, Merlini L, Sa de Almeida J, Courvoisier S, Wallace TE, Klauser A, Afacan O, Warfield SK, Hüppi P, Lazeyras F. Super-resolution reconstruction of T2-weighted thick-slice neonatal brain MRI scans. J Neuroimaging 2021; 32:68-79. [PMID: 34506677 PMCID: PMC8752487 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Super‐resolutionreconstruction (SRR) can be used to reconstruct 3‐dimensional (3D) high‐resolution (HR) volume from several 2‐dimensional (2D) low‐resolution (LR) stacks of MRI slices. The purpose is to compare lengthy 2D T2‐weighted HR image acquisition of neonatal subjects with 3D SRR from several LR stacks in terms of image quality for clinical and morphometric assessments. Methods LR brain images were acquired from neonatal subjects to reconstruct isotropic 3D HR volumes by using SRR algorithm. Quality assessments were done by an experienced pediatric radiologist using scoring criteria adapted to newborn anatomical landmarks. The Wilcoxon signed‐rank test was used to compare scoring results between HR and SRR images. For quantitative assessments, morphology‐based segmentation was performed on both HR and SRR images and Dice coefficients between the results were computed. Additionally, simple linear regression was performed to compare the tissue volumes. Results No statistical difference was found between HR and SRR structural scores using Wilcoxon signed‐rank test (p = .63, Z = .48). Regarding segmentation results, R2 values for the volumes of gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and total brain volume including brain stem ranged between .95 and .99. Dice coefficients between the segmented regions from HR and SRR ranged between .83 ± .04 and .96 ± .01. Conclusion Qualitative and quantitative assessments showed that 3D SRR of several LR images produces images that are of comparable quality to standard 2D HR image acquisition for healthy neonatal imaging without loss of anatomical details with similar edge definition allowing the detection of fine anatomical structures and permitting comparable morphometric measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yao Sui
- CRL, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laura Gui Levy
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laura Merlini
- Pediatric Radiology Unit, Division of Radiology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joana Sa de Almeida
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sebastien Courvoisier
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,CIBM, Center of Biomedical Imaging, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tess E Wallace
- CRL, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Antoine Klauser
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,CIBM, Center of Biomedical Imaging, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Onur Afacan
- CRL, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- CRL, Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Petra Hüppi
- Division of Development and Growth, Department of Woman, Child and Adolescent, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francois Lazeyras
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,CIBM, Center of Biomedical Imaging, Geneva, Switzerland
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Maternal Mid-Gestation Cytokine Dysregulation in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:3919-3932. [PMID: 34505185 PMCID: PMC9349096 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05271-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by deficits in social interactions and communication, with stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that maternal immune dysregulation may predispose offspring to ASD. Independent samples t-tests revealed downregulation of IL-17A concentrations in cases, when compared to controls, at both 15 weeks (p = 0.02), and 20 weeks (p = 0.02), which persisted at 20 weeks following adjustment for confounding variables. This adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal immune regulation may play a role in foetal neurodevelopment.
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29
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Pei Y, Chen L, Zhao F, Wu Z, Zhong T, Wang Y, Chen C, Wang L, Zhang H, Wang L, Li G. Learning Spatiotemporal Probabilistic Atlas of Fetal Brains with Anatomically Constrained Registration Network. MEDICAL IMAGE COMPUTING AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED INTERVENTION : MICCAI ... INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDICAL IMAGE COMPUTING AND COMPUTER-ASSISTED INTERVENTION 2021; 12907:239-248. [PMID: 35128549 PMCID: PMC8816449 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-87234-2_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Brain atlases are of fundamental importance for analyzing the dynamic neurodevelopment in fetal brain studies. Since the brain size, shape, and anatomical structures change rapidly during the prenatal period, it is essential to construct a spatiotemporal (4D) atlas equipped with tissue probability maps, which can preserve sharper early brain folding patterns for accurately characterizing dynamic changes in fetal brains and provide tissue prior informations for related tasks, e.g., segmentation, registration, and parcellation. In this work, we propose a novel unsupervised age-conditional learning framework to build temporally continuous fetal brain atlases by incorporating tissue segmentation maps, which outperforms previous traditional atlas construction methods in three aspects. First, our framework enables learning age-conditional deformable templates by leveraging the entire collection. Second, we leverage reliable brain tissue segmentation maps in addition to the low-contrast noisy intensity images to enhance the alignment of individual images. Third, a novel loss function is designed to enforce the similarity between the learned tissue probability map on the atlas and each subject tissue segmentation map after registration, thereby providing extra anatomical consistency supervision for atlas building. Our 4D temporally-continuous fetal brain atlases are constructed based on 82 healthy fetuses from 22 to 32 gestational weeks. Compared with the atlases built by the state-of-the-art algorithms, our atlases preserve more structural details and sharper folding patterns. Together with the learned tissue probability maps, our 4D fetal atlases provide a valuable reference for spatial normalization and analysis of fetal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Pei
- Institute of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition, Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Liangjun Chen
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Fenqiang Zhao
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Zhengwang Wu
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Tao Zhong
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Ya Wang
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Changan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lisheng Wang
- Institute of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition, Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
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30
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Ducloyer M, David A, Dautreme B, Tournel G, Vincent F, Clement R, Tuchtan L, Delteil C, Gorincour G, Dedouit F. Pictorial review of the postmortem computed tomography in neonaticide cases. Int J Legal Med 2021; 135:2395-2408. [PMID: 34383117 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-021-02677-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Neonaticide is defined by the deliberate killing or homicide of a child within 24 h of its birth. In this context, three fundamental questions are generally asked of the forensic pathologist: what is the cause of death of the neonate? Was the child viable (i.e., what is the gestational age of the neonate)? Finally, was the neonate stillborn or liveborn?Postmortem imaging can help answer these questions by conducting (1) a complete lesional analysis of the body and the placenta, (2) an estimation of the gestational age by measuring the lengths of the diaphyseal long bones, and (3) an analysis of the aeration of the lungs and intestines. Using the details of 18 cases, we illustrate aspects of neonaticide cases in postmortem computed tomography (PMCT), offering detailed examples of notable postmortem changes and abnormalities, especially in the analysis of the pulmonary parenchyma. This article presents a useful iconography for the radiologist confronted with this rare yet complex forensic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Ducloyer
- Forensic Department, University Hospital, 30 Boulevard Jean Monnet, 44000, Nantes, France. .,Department of Radiology, Hotel Dieu, University Hospital, Nantes, France. .,GRAVIT, Groupe de Recherche en Autopsie Virtuelle Et Imagerie Thanatologique, Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
| | - Arthur David
- Department of Radiology, Hotel Dieu, University Hospital, Nantes, France
| | - Bérengère Dautreme
- Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rouen, France.,UTMLA 7367, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Gilles Tournel
- Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rouen, France.,EA 4651 ABTE, University of Rouen, Rouen, France
| | | | - Renaud Clement
- Forensic Department, University Hospital, 30 Boulevard Jean Monnet, 44000, Nantes, France
| | - Lucile Tuchtan
- CNRS, EFS, ADES, Aix Marseille Univ, 27 Avenue Jean Moulin, 13385, Marseille, France.,Forensic Department, APHM, La Timone, 264 Rue St Pierre, 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France
| | - Clémence Delteil
- Forensic Department, APHM, La Timone, 264 Rue St Pierre, 13385, Marseille Cedex 05, France
| | - Guillaume Gorincour
- GRAVIT, Groupe de Recherche en Autopsie Virtuelle Et Imagerie Thanatologique, Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rangueil, Toulouse, France.,Elsan, Clinique Bouchard, Marseille, France
| | - Fabrice Dedouit
- GRAVIT, Groupe de Recherche en Autopsie Virtuelle Et Imagerie Thanatologique, Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rangueil, Toulouse, France.,Forensic Department, University Hospital, Rangueil, Toulouse, France
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31
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Payette K, de Dumast P, Kebiri H, Ezhov I, Paetzold JC, Shit S, Iqbal A, Khan R, Kottke R, Grehten P, Ji H, Lanczi L, Nagy M, Beresova M, Nguyen TD, Natalucci G, Karayannis T, Menze B, Bach Cuadra M, Jakab A. An automatic multi-tissue human fetal brain segmentation benchmark using the Fetal Tissue Annotation Dataset. Sci Data 2021; 8:167. [PMID: 34230489 PMCID: PMC8260784 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00946-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
It is critical to quantitatively analyse the developing human fetal brain in order to fully understand neurodevelopment in both normal fetuses and those with congenital disorders. To facilitate this analysis, automatic multi-tissue fetal brain segmentation algorithms are needed, which in turn requires open datasets of segmented fetal brains. Here we introduce a publicly available dataset of 50 manually segmented pathological and non-pathological fetal magnetic resonance brain volume reconstructions across a range of gestational ages (20 to 33 weeks) into 7 different tissue categories (external cerebrospinal fluid, grey matter, white matter, ventricles, cerebellum, deep grey matter, brainstem/spinal cord). In addition, we quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of several automatic multi-tissue segmentation algorithms of the developing human fetal brain. Four research groups participated, submitting a total of 10 algorithms, demonstrating the benefits the dataset for the development of automatic algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Payette
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Priscille de Dumast
- CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Medical Image Analysis Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hamza Kebiri
- CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Medical Image Analysis Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Ezhov
- Image-Based Biomedical Imaging Group, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany
| | - Johannes C Paetzold
- Image-Based Biomedical Imaging Group, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany
| | - Suprosanna Shit
- Image-Based Biomedical Imaging Group, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany
| | - Asim Iqbal
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Intelligent Systems & Brain Mind Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Romesa Khan
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, UZH/ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raimund Kottke
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrice Grehten
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hui Ji
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Levente Lanczi
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar, Hungary
| | - Marianna Nagy
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar, Hungary
| | - Monika Beresova
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Imaging, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hajdú-Bihar, Hungary
| | - Thi Dao Nguyen
- Newborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giancarlo Natalucci
- Newborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Larsson-Rosenquist Center for Neurodevelopment, Growth and Nutrition of the Newborn, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Bjoern Menze
- Image-Based Biomedical Imaging Group, Technical University of Munich, München, Germany
| | - Meritxell Bach Cuadra
- CIBM, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Medical Image Analysis Laboratory, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andras Jakab
- Center for MR Research, University Children's Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich/ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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32
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Diogo MC, Glatter S, Prayer D, Gruber GM, Bettelheim D, Weber M, Dovjak G, Seidl R, Kasprian G. Improved neurodevelopmental prognostication in isolated corpus callosal agenesis: fetal magnetic resonance imaging-based scoring system. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2021; 58:34-41. [PMID: 32484578 PMCID: PMC8362015 DOI: 10.1002/uog.22102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Corpus callosal agenesis (CCA) is one of the most common brain malformations and is generally associated with a good outcome when isolated. However, up to 25% of patients are at risk of neurodevelopmental delay, which currently available clinical and imaging parameters are inadequate to predict. The objectives of this study were to apply and validate a fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) anatomical scoring system in a cohort of fetuses with isolated CCA and to evaluate the correlation with postnatal neurodevelopmental outcome. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of cases of prenatally diagnosed isolated CCA (as determined on ultrasound and MRI), with normal karyotype and with known postnatal neurodevelopmental outcome assessed by standardized testing. A fetal brain MRI anatomical scoring system based on seven categories (gyration, opercularization, temporal lobe symmetry, lamination, hippocampal position, basal ganglia and ventricular size) was developed and applied to the cohort; a total score of 0-11 points could be given, with a score of 0 representing normal anatomy. Images were scored independently by two neuroradiologists blinded to the outcome. For the purpose of assessing the correlation between fetal MRI score and neurodevelopmental outcome, neurodevelopmental test results were scored as follows: 0, 'below average' (poor outcome); 1, 'average'; and 2, 'above average' (good outcome). Spearman's rank coefficient was used to assess correlation, and inter-rater agreement in the assessment of fetal MRI score was calculated. RESULTS Twenty-one children (nine females (42.9%)) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Thirty-seven fetal MRI examinations were evaluated. Mean gestational age was 28.3 ± 4.7 weeks (range, 20-38 weeks). All fetuses were delivered after 35 weeks' gestation with no perinatal complications. Fetal MRI scores ranged from 0 to 6 points, with a median of 3 points. Inter-rater agreement in fetal MRI score assessment was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.959 (95% CI, 0.921-0.979)). Neurodevelopmental evaluation was performed on average at 2.6 ± 1.46 years (range, 0.5-5.8 years). There was a significant negative correlation between fetal MRI score and neurodevelopmental outcome score in the three areas tested: cognitive (ρ = -0.559, P < 0.0001); motor (ρ = -0.414, P = 0.012) and language (ρ = -0.565, P < 0.0001) skills. Using fetal MRI score cut-offs of ≤ 3 (good outcome) and ≥ 4 points (high risk for poor outcome), the correct prognosis could be determined in 20/21 (95.2% (95% CI, 77.3-99.2%)) cases. CONCLUSION By assessing structural features of the fetal brain on MRI, it may be possible to better stratify prenatally the risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcome in CCA patients. © 2020 Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. C. Diogo
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Neuroradiology DepartmentHospital Garcia de OrtaAlmadaPortugal
| | - S. Glatter
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric NeurologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - D. Prayer
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - G. M. Gruber
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of Anatomy and BiomechanicsKarl Landsteiner University of Health SciencesKremsAustria
| | - D. Bettelheim
- Department of Gynecology and ObstetricsMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - M. Weber
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - G. Dovjak
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - R. Seidl
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric NeurologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - G. Kasprian
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuro‐ and Musculoskeletal RadiologyMedical University of ViennaViennaAustria
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Deep learning model for predicting gestational age after the first trimester using fetal MRI. Eur Radiol 2021; 31:3775-3782. [PMID: 33852048 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-021-07915-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate a deep learning model for predicting gestational age from fetal brain MRI acquired after the first trimester in comparison to biparietal diameter (BPD). MATERIALS AND METHODS Our Institutional Review Board approved this retrospective study, and a total of 184 T2-weighted MRI acquisitions from 184 fetuses (mean gestational age: 29.4 weeks) who underwent MRI between January 2014 and June 2019 were included. The reference standard gestational age was based on the last menstruation and ultrasonography measurements in the first trimester. The deep learning model was trained with T2-weighted images from 126 training cases and 29 validation cases. The remaining 29 cases were used as test data, with fetal age estimated by both the model and BPD measurement. The relationship between the estimated gestational age and the reference standard was evaluated with Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (ρc) and a Bland-Altman plot. The ρc was assessed with McBride's definition. RESULTS The ρc of the model prediction was substantial (ρc = 0.964), but the ρc of the BPD prediction was moderate (ρc = 0.920). Both the model and BPD predictions had greater differences from the reference standard at increasing gestational age. However, the upper limit of the model's prediction (2.45 weeks) was significantly shorter than that of BPD (5.62 weeks). CONCLUSIONS Deep learning can accurately predict gestational age from fetal brain MR acquired after the first trimester. KEY POINTS • The prediction of gestational age using ultrasound is accurate in the first trimester but becomes inaccurate as gestational age increases. • Deep learning can accurately predict gestational age from fetal brain MRI acquired in the second and third trimester. • Prediction of gestational age by deep learning may have benefits for prenatal care in pregnancies that are underserved during the first trimester.
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Bobić-Rasonja M, Pogledić I, Mitter C, Štajduhar A, Milković-Periša M, Trnski S, Bettelheim D, Hainfellner JA, Judaš M, Prayer D, Jovanov-Milošević N. Developmental Differences Between the Limbic and Neocortical Telencephalic Wall: An Intrasubject Slice-Matched 3 T MRI-Histological Correlative Study in Humans. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3536-3550. [PMID: 33704445 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the interrelation of the signal intensities and thicknesses of the transient developmental zones in the cingulate and neocortical telencephalic wall, using T2-weighted 3 T-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological scans from the same brain hemisphere. The study encompassed 24 postmortem fetal brains (15-35 postconceptional weeks, PCW). The measurements were performed using Fiji and NDP.view2. We found that T2w MR signal-intensity curves show a specific regional and developmental stage profile already at 15 PCW. The MRI-histological correlation reveals that the subventricular-intermediate zone (SVZ-IZ) contributes the most to the regional differences in the MRI-profile and zone thicknesses, growing by a factor of 2.01 in the cingulate, and 1.78 in the neocortical wall. The interrelations of zone or wall thicknesses, obtained by both methods, disclose a different rate and extent of shrinkage per region (highest in neocortical subplate and SVZ-IZ) and stage (highest in the early second half of fetal development), distorting the zones' proportion in histological sections. This intrasubject, slice-matched, 3 T correlative MRI-histological study provides important information about regional development of the cortical wall, critical for the design of MRI criteria for prenatal brain monitoring and early detection of cortical or other brain pathologies in human fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Bobić-Rasonja
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.,Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Pogledić
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Mitter
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrija Štajduhar
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.,Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marija Milković-Periša
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Department of Pathology and Cytology, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sara Trnski
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dieter Bettelheim
- Division of Obstetrics and Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes A Hainfellner
- Division of Neuropathology and Neurochemistry, Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Miloš Judaš
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milošević
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.,Department of Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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A Sparse Volume Reconstruction Method for Fetal Brain MRI Using Adaptive Kernel Regression. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6685943. [PMID: 33748279 PMCID: PMC7960018 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6685943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Slice-to-volume reconstruction (SVR) method can deal well with motion artifacts and provide high-quality 3D image data for fetal brain MRI. However, the problem of sparse sampling is not well addressed in the SVR method. In this paper, we mainly focus on the sparse volume reconstruction of fetal brain MRI from multiple stacks corrupted with motion artifacts. Based on the SVR framework, our approach includes the slice-to-volume 2D/3D registration, the point spread function- (PSF-) based volume update, and the adaptive kernel regression-based volume update. The adaptive kernel regression can deal well with the sparse sampling data and enhance the detailed preservation by capturing the local structure through covariance matrix. Experimental results performed on clinical data show that kernel regression results in statistical improvement of image quality for sparse sampling data with the parameter setting of the structure sensitivity 0.4, the steering kernel size of 7 × 7 × 7 and steering smoothing bandwidth of 0.5. The computational performance of the proposed GPU-based method can be over 90 times faster than that on CPU.
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Boitor-Borza D, Turcu F, Farcasanu S, Crivii C. Early development of human ganglionic eminences assessed in vitro by using 7.04 Tesla micro-MRI - a pilot study. Med Pharm Rep 2021; 94:35-42. [PMID: 33629046 PMCID: PMC7880059 DOI: 10.15386/mpr-1715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aims Ganglionic eminences are temporary structures which appear during the 5th week post-fertilization on the floor of telencephalic vesicles and disappear until the 35th week of gestation. The aim of this descriptive study of morphological research is to depict the ganglionic eminences within the embryonic and early fetal brains by using micro-MRI. Methods Six human embryos and fetuses ranging from 21 mm crown-rump length CRL (9 gestational week GW) to 85 mm CRL (14 GW) were examined in vitro by micro-MRI. The investigation was performed with a Bruker BioSpec 70/16USR scanner (Bruker BioSpin MRI GmbH, Ettlingen, Germany) operating at 7.04 Tesla. Results We describe the morphological characteristics of the ganglionic eminences at different gestational ages. The acquisition parameters were modified for each subject in order to obtain an increased spatial resolution. The remarkable spatial resolution of 27 μm/voxel allows visualization of millimetric structures of the developing brain on high quality micro-MR images. Conclusion In our study we give the description of the ganglionic eminences within the embryonic and early fetal brains by using micro-MRI, which, to the best of our knowledge, have not been previously documented in literature. Micro-MRI provides accurate images, which are comparable with the histological slices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Boitor-Borza
- Department of Anatomy, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Flavius Turcu
- Faculty of Physics, National Centre of Magnetic Resonance, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Stefan Farcasanu
- Faculty of Physics, National Centre of Magnetic Resonance, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Carmen Crivii
- Department of Anatomy, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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van der Knoop BJ, Zonnenberg IA, Verbeke JIML, de Vries LS, Pistorius LR, van Weissenbruch MM, Vermeulen RJ, de Vries JIP. Additional value of advanced neurosonography and magnetic resonance imaging in fetuses at risk for brain damage. ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY 2020; 56:348-358. [PMID: 31828836 PMCID: PMC7496149 DOI: 10.1002/uog.21943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the additional value of fetal multiplanar (axial, coronal and sagittal) neurosonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to that of the standard axial ultrasound planes in diagnosing brain damage in fetuses at high risk. METHODS This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study. Women were eligible for participation if their fetus was at risk for acquired brain anomalies. Risk factors were congenital infection, alloimmune thrombocytopenia, fetal growth restriction, trauma during pregnancy, fetal hydrops, monochorionic twins and prior ultrasound finding suggestive of an acquired brain anomaly. Examinations of the fetal brain before birth comprised axial ultrasound and advanced neurosonography biweekly and MRI once. After birth, neonatal cranial ultrasound was performed at < 24 h and at term-equivalent age. Neonatal brain MRI was performed once at term-equivalent age. An expert panel blinded to medical information, including imaging findings by the other methods, evaluated the presence of periventricular echogenicity (PVE) changes, peri- and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and changes in basal ganglia and/or thalami echogenicity (BGTE) on ultrasound, and the equivalent signal intensity (SI) changes on MRI. Conclusions on imaging findings were generated by consensus. The children were followed up with examinations for psychomotor development at 1 year of age, using the Touwen examination and Alberta Infant Motor Scale, and at 2 years of age using Bayley Scale of Infant Development-III (BSID-III) and behavioral, sensory profile and linguistic questionnaires; scores > 1 SD below the mean were considered suspicious for neurodevelopmental sequelae. RESULTS Fifty-six fetuses were examined, and in 39/56 fetuses, all fetal-imaging modalities were available. PVE/SI changes were observed in 6/39, 21/39 and 2/39 fetuses on axial ultrasound planes, multiplanar neurosonography and MRI, respectively. IVH was found in 3/39, 11/39 and 1/39 fetuses, and BGTE/SI changes in 0/39, 12/39 and 0/39 fetuses, respectively. Outcome was suspicious for neurodevelopmental sequelae in 13/46 infants at 1 year, and at 2 years, 41/41 children had scores within 1 SD of the mean on BSID-III and 20 had scores > 1 SD below the mean on the behavioral (5/38), sensory profile (17/37) and/or linguistic (6/39) questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort of fetuses at risk for brain damage, the severity of acquired brain anomalies was limited. Nevertheless, multiplanar neurosonography detected more fetal PVE changes, IVH and/or BGTE changes compared to the standard axial ultrasound planes and MRI. Fetal MRI did not demonstrate any anomalies that were not seen on neurosonography. Neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age showed no or mild impairment in most cases. © 2019 Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. J. van der Knoop
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyAmsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Research Institute Amsterdam Movement SciencesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Research Institute Neuroscience Campus AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - I. A. Zonnenberg
- Department of NeonatologyEmma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - J. I. M. L. Verbeke
- Department of RadiologyAmsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - L. S. de Vries
- Department of NeonatologyUniversity Medical Centre UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - L. R. Pistorius
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of Stellenbosch/Tygerberg HospitalTygerbergSouth Africa
| | - M. M. van Weissenbruch
- Department of NeonatologyEmma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - R. J. Vermeulen
- Amsterdam UMC, Research Institute Neuroscience Campus AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Child NeurologyMUMC+MaastrichtThe Netherlands
| | - J. I. P. de Vries
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyAmsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Research Institute Amsterdam Movement SciencesAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam UMC, Research Institute Neuroscience Campus AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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Kostović I. The enigmatic fetal subplate compartment forms an early tangential cortical nexus and provides the framework for construction of cortical connectivity. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 194:101883. [PMID: 32659318 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The most prominent transient compartment of the primate fetal cortex is the deep, cell-sparse, synapse-containing subplate compartment (SPC). The developmental role of the SPC and its extraordinary size in humans remain enigmatic. This paper evaluates evidence on the development and connectivity of the SPC and discusses its role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. A synthesis of data shows that the subplate becomes a prominent compartment by its expansion from the deep cortical plate (CP), appearing well-delineated on MR scans and forming a tangential nexus across the hemisphere, consisting of an extracellular matrix, randomly distributed postmigratory neurons, multiple branches of thalamic and long corticocortical axons. The SPC generates early spontaneous non-synaptic and synaptic activity and mediates cortical response upon thalamic stimulation. The subplate nexus provides large-scale interareal connectivity possibly underlying fMR resting-state activity, before corticocortical pathways are established. In late fetal phase, when synapses appear within the CP, transient the SPC coexists with permanent circuitry. The histogenetic role of the SPC is to provide interactive milieu and capacity for guidance, sorting, "waiting" and target selection of thalamocortical and corticocortical pathways. The new evolutionary role of the SPC and its remnant white matter neurons is linked to the increasing number of associative pathways in the human neocortex. These roles attributed to the SPC are regulated using a spatiotemporal gene expression during critical periods, when pathogenic factors may disturb vulnerable circuitry of the SPC, causing neurodevelopmental cognitive circuitry disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivica Kostović
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Scientific Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Salata 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
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39
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Thomason ME. Development of Brain Networks In Utero: Relevance for Common Neural Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:40-50. [PMID: 32305217 PMCID: PMC7808399 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging, histological, and gene analysis approaches in living and nonliving human fetuses and in prematurely born neonates have provided insight into the staged processes of prenatal brain development. Increased understanding of micro- and macroscale brain network development before birth has spurred interest in understanding the relevance of prenatal brain development to common neurological diseases. Questions abound as to the sensitivity of the intrauterine brain to environmental programming, to windows of plasticity, and to the prenatal origin of disorders of childhood that involve disruptions in large-scale network connectivity. Much of the available literature on human prenatal neural development comes from cross-sectional or case studies that are not able to resolve the longitudinal consequences of individual variation in brain development before birth. This review will 1) detail specific methodologies for studying the human prenatal brain, 2) summarize large-scale human prenatal neural network development, integrating findings from across a variety of experimental approaches, 3) explore the plasticity of the early developing brain as well as potential sex differences in prenatal susceptibility, and 4) evaluate opportunities to link specific prenatal brain developmental processes to the forms of aberrant neural connectivity that underlie common neurological disorders of childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah E Thomason
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Population Health, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York.
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40
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Pogledic I, Schwartz E, Mitter C, Baltzer P, Milos RI, Gruber GM, Brugger PC, Hainfellner J, Bettelheim D, Langs G, Kasprian G, Prayer D. The Subplate Layers: The Superficial and Deep Subplate Can be Discriminated on 3 Tesla Human Fetal Postmortem MRI. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5038-5048. [PMID: 32377685 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The subplate (SP) is a transient structure of the human fetal brain that becomes the most prominent layer of the developing pallium during the late second trimester. It is important in the formation of thalamocortical and cortico-cortical connections. The SP is vulnerable in perinatal brain injury and may play a role in complex neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism. Nine postmortem fetal human brains (19-24 GW) were imaged on a 3 Tesla MR scanner and the T2-w images in the frontal and temporal lobes were compared, in each case, with the histological slices of the same brain. The brains were confirmed to be without any brain pathology. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the superficial SP (sSP) and deep SP (dSP) can be discriminated on postmortem MR images. More specifically, we aimed to clarify that the observable, thin, hyperintense layer below the cortical plate in the upper SP portion on T2-weighted MR images has an anatomical correspondence to the histologically established sSP. Therefore, the distinction between the sSP and dSP layers, using clinically available MR imaging methodology, is possible in postmortem MRI and can help in the imaging interpretation of the fetal cerebral layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Pogledic
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Schwartz
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Mitter
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Pascal Baltzer
- Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruxandra-Iulia Milos
- Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde Maria Gruber
- Department of Anatomy and Biomechanics, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, 3500 Krems, Austria
| | - Peter C Brugger
- Division of Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Dieter Bettelheim
- Division of Obstetrics and Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Langs
- Computational Imaging Research Lab, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Division of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Milos RI, Jovanov-Milošević N, Mitter C, Bobić-Rasonja M, Pogledic I, Gruber GM, Kasprian G, Brugger PC, Weber M, Judaš M, Prayer D. Developmental dynamics of the periventricular parietal crossroads of growing cortical pathways in the fetal brain - In vivo fetal MRI with histological correlation. Neuroimage 2020; 210:116553. [PMID: 31972277 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The periventricular crossroads have been described as transient structures of the fetal brain where major systems of developing fibers intersect. The triangular parietal crossroad constitutes one major crossroad region. By combining in vivo and post-mortem fetal MRI with histological and immunohistochemical methods, we aimed to characterize these structures. Data from 529 in vivo and 66 post-mortem MRI examinations of fetal brains between gestational weeks (GW) 18-39 were retrospectively reviewed. In each fetus, the area adjacent to the trigone of the lateral ventricles at the exit of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) was assessed with respect to signal intensity, size, and shape on T2-weighted images. In addition, by using in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), the main fiber pathways that intersect in these areas were identified. In order to explain the in vivo features of the parietal crossroads (signal intensity and developmental profile), we analyzed 23 post-mortem fetal human brains, between 16 and 40 GW of age, processed by histological and immunohistochemical methods. The parietal crossroads were triangular-shaped areas with the base in the continuity of the PLIC, adjacent to the germinal matrix and the trigone of the lateral ventricles, with the tip pointing toward the subplate. These areas appeared hyperintense to the subplate, and corresponded to a convergence zone of the developing external capsule, the PLIC, and the fronto-occipital association fibers. They were best detected between GW 25-26, and, at term, they became isointense to the adjacent structures. The immunohistochemical results showed a distinct cellular, fibrillar, and extracellular matrix arrangement in the parietal crossroads, depending on the stage of development, which influenced the MRI features. The parietal crossroads are transient, but important structures in white matter maturation and their damage may be indicative of a poor prognosis for a fetus with regard to neurological development. In addition, impairment of this region may explain the complex neurodevelopmental deficits in preterm infants with periventricular hypoxic/ischemic or inflammatory lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxandra-Iulia Milos
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nataša Jovanov-Milošević
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Christian Mitter
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mihaela Bobić-Rasonja
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Pogledic
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerlinde M Gruber
- Division of Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor Kasprian
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter C Brugger
- Division of Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Weber
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Miloš Judaš
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Aertsen M, Diogo MC, Dymarkowski S, Deprest J, Prayer D. Fetal MRI for dummies: what the fetal medicine specialist should know about acquisitions and sequences. Prenat Diagn 2019; 40:6-17. [PMID: 31618472 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Fetal MRI is an increasingly used tool in the field of prenatal diagnosis. While US remains the first line screening tool, as an adjuvant imaging tool, MRI has been proven to increase diagnostic accuracy and change patient counseling. Further, there are instances when US may not be sufficient for diagnosis. As a multidisciplinary field, it is important that every person involved in the referral, diagnosis, counseling and treatment of the patients is familiar with the basic principles, indications and findings of fetal MRI. The purpose of the current paper is to equip radiologists and non-radiologists with basic MRI principles and essential topics in patient preparation and provide illustrative examples of when fetal MRI may be used. This aims to aid the referring clinician in better selecting and improve patient counseling prior to arrival in the radiology department and, ultimately, patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Aertsen
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Clinical Department of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mariana C Diogo
- Department of Image Guided Therapy, University Clinic for Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven Dymarkowski
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Clinical Department of Radiology, University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Deprest
- Academic Department of Development and Regeneration, Cluster Woman and Child, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniela Prayer
- Department of Image Guided Therapy, University Clinic for Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Vasung L, Charvet CJ, Shiohama T, Gagoski B, Levman J, Takahashi E. Ex vivo fetal brain MRI: Recent advances, challenges, and future directions. Neuroimage 2019; 195:23-37. [PMID: 30905833 PMCID: PMC6617515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During early development, the fetal brain undergoes dynamic morphological changes. These changes result from neurogenic events, such as neuronal proliferation, migration, axonal elongation, retraction, and myelination. The duration and intensity of these events vary across species. Comparative assessments of these neurogenic events give us insight into evolutionary changes and the complexity of human brain development. Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially ex vivo MRI, permit characterizing and comparing fetal brain development across species. Comparative ex vivo MRI studies support the detection of species-specific differences that occur during early brain development. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of ex vivo MRI studies that characterize early brain development in humans, monkeys, cats, as well as rats/mice. Finally, we discuss the current advantages and limitations of ex vivo fetal brain MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Christine J Charvet
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, 526 Campus Rd, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA; Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital, Inohana 1-8-1, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 2608670, Japan
| | - Borjan Gagoski
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jacob Levman
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Vasung L, Abaci Turk E, Ferradal SL, Sutin J, Stout JN, Ahtam B, Lin PY, Grant PE. Exploring early human brain development with structural and physiological neuroimaging. Neuroimage 2019; 187:226-254. [PMID: 30041061 PMCID: PMC6537870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early brain development, from the embryonic period to infancy, is characterized by rapid structural and functional changes. These changes can be studied using structural and physiological neuroimaging methods. In order to optimally acquire and accurately interpret this data, concepts from adult neuroimaging cannot be directly transferred. Instead, one must have a basic understanding of fetal and neonatal structural and physiological brain development, and the important modulators of this process. Here, we first review the major developmental milestones of transient cerebral structures and structural connectivity (axonal connectivity) followed by a summary of the contributions from ex vivo and in vivo MRI. Next, we discuss the basic biology of neuronal circuitry development (synaptic connectivity, i.e. ensemble of direct chemical and electrical connections between neurons), physiology of neurovascular coupling, baseline metabolic needs of the fetus and the infant, and functional connectivity (defined as statistical dependence of low-frequency spontaneous fluctuations seen with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)). The complementary roles of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are discussed. We include a section on modulators of brain development where we focus on the placenta and emerging placental MRI approaches. In each section we discuss key technical limitations of the imaging modalities and some of the limitations arising due to the biology of the system. Although neuroimaging approaches have contributed significantly to our understanding of early brain development, there is much yet to be done and a dire need for technical innovations and scientific discoveries to realize the future potential of early fetal and infant interventions to avert long term disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Esra Abaci Turk
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Silvina L Ferradal
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Jason Sutin
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Jeffrey N Stout
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Banu Ahtam
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Pei-Yi Lin
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Ardell S, Daspal S, Holt T, Hansen G. Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter for Preterm Infants: A Pilot Study. Neonatology 2019; 116:1-5. [PMID: 30889584 DOI: 10.1159/000497163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In preterm infants, early diagnosis and management of a raised intracranial pressure (ICP) may be important to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes. While invasive ICP monitoring is not recommended, ultrasonography of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) could provide a noninvasive alternative to evaluate ICP. The objective of this pilot study was to document ranges of ONSD in preterm infants. METHODS This prospective cohort pilot evaluated preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit without suspected raised ICP. Three images per eye were obtained from a 20-5 MHz linear array ultrasound transducer placed on the patient's superior eyelid. The OSND was measured 3 mm behind the globe. A second ultrasonographer duplicated half of the scans. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted for both right and left ONSD with corrected gestational age, weight, and head circumference as predictors. Lin's concordance assessed interrater reliability. RESULTS In 12 preterm infants 114 scans were performed on both eyes. The median age was 33 weeks (corrected gestational age) with a range of 29-36 weeks. Corrected gestational age was the strongest predictor for ONSD, and preliminary measurements at each gestational age were established. Interrater reliability demonstrated substantial agreement (Qc = 0.97). CONCLUSION In preterm infants, ONSD strongly correlates with corrected gestational age. These data should be validated with other imaging modalities before abnormal ranges can be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ardell
- College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Sibasis Daspal
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Tanya Holt
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Gregory Hansen
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada,
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Kostović I, Sedmak G, Judaš M. Neural histology and neurogenesis of the human fetal and infant brain. Neuroimage 2018; 188:743-773. [PMID: 30594683 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain develops slowly and over a long period of time which lasts for almost three decades. This enables good spatio-temporal resolution of histogenetic and neurogenetic events as well as an appropriate and clinically relevant timing of these events. In order to successfully apply in vivo neuroimaging data, in analyzing both the normal brain development and the neurodevelopmental origin of major neurological and mental disorders, it is important to correlate these neuroimaging data with the existing data on morphogenetic, histogenetic and neurogenetic events. Furthermore, when performing such correlation, the genetic, genomic, and molecular biology data on phenotypic specification of developing brain regions, areas and neurons should also be included. In this review, we focus on early developmental periods (form 8 postconceptional weeks to the second postnatal year) and describe the microstructural organization and neural circuitry elements of the fetal and early postnatal human cerebrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Kostović
- University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - G Sedmak
- University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - M Judaš
- University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain Research, Centre of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Šalata 12, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
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Dysplastic megalencephaly phenotype presenting with prenatal high-output cardiac failure. Pediatr Radiol 2018; 48:1172-1177. [PMID: 29594439 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-018-4121-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Dysplastic megalencephaly, also known as bilateral hemimegalencephaly, is a rare cerebral malformation characterized by bilateral cerebral hemisphere overgrowth and extensive malformation of cortical development. Affected patients present clinically with intractable seizures, severe neurological impairment and global developmental delay. There is a small body of literature reporting megalencephaly's association with neonatal high-output cardiac failure and a lack of literature describing prenatal findings. We report a case of dysplastic megalencephaly presenting with progressive high-output cardiac failure during fetal life. Prenatal and postnatal imaging findings as well as neonatal course are described. A companion case with similar imaging findings will help illustrate the prenatal imaging characteristics of this association. Knowledge of this potential complication related to dysplastic megalencephaly may help guide parental counseling and obstetric management.
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Hayat TTA, Rutherford MA. Neuroimaging perspectives on fetal motor behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 92:390-401. [PMID: 29886176 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We are entering a new era of understanding human development with the ability to perform studies at the earliest time points possible. There is a substantial body of evidence to support the concept that early motor behaviour originates from supraspinal motor centres, reflects neurological integrity, and that altered patterns of behaviour precede clinical manifestation of disease. Cine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (cineMRI) has established its value as a novel method to visualise motor behaviour in the human fetus, building on the wealth of knowledge gleaned from ultrasound based studies. This paper presents a state of the art review incorporating findings from human and preclinical models, the insights from which, we propose, can proceed a reconceptualisation of fetal motor behaviour using advanced imaging techniques. Foremost is the need to better understand the role of the intrauterine environment, and its inherent unique set of stimuli that activate sensorimotor pathways and shape early brain development. Finally, an improved model of early motor development, combined with multimodal imaging, will provide a novel source of in utero biomarkers predictive of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayyib T A Hayat
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging & Health, Imaging Sciences & Biomedical Engineering Division, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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The use of antenatal fetal magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of patients at high risk of preterm birth. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2018; 222:134-141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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50
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Razavi MJ, Zhang T, Chen H, Li Y, Platt S, Zhao Y, Guo L, Hu X, Wang X, Liu T. Radial Structure Scaffolds Convolution Patterns of Developing Cerebral Cortex. Front Comput Neurosci 2017; 11:76. [PMID: 28860983 PMCID: PMC5559440 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2017.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Commonly-preserved radial convolution is a prominent characteristic of the mammalian cerebral cortex. Endeavors from multiple disciplines have been devoted for decades to explore the causes for this enigmatic structure. However, the underlying mechanisms that lead to consistent cortical convolution patterns still remain poorly understood. In this work, inspired by prior studies, we propose and evaluate a plausible theory that radial convolution during the early development of the brain is sculptured by radial structures consisting of radial glial cells (RGCs) and maturing axons. Specifically, the regionally heterogeneous development and distribution of RGCs controlled by Trnp1 regulate the convex and concave convolution patterns (gyri and sulci) in the radial direction, while the interplay of RGCs' effects on convolution and axons regulates the convex (gyral) convolution patterns. This theory is assessed by observations and measurements in literature from multiple disciplines such as neurobiology, genetics, biomechanics, etc., at multiple scales to date. Particularly, this theory is further validated by multimodal imaging data analysis and computational simulations in this study. We offer a versatile and descriptive study model that can provide reasonable explanations of observations, experiments, and simulations of the characteristic mammalian cortical folding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mir Jalil Razavi
- School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States.,School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnic UniversityXi'an, China
| | - Hanbo Chen
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Yujie Li
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Simon Platt
- Department of Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Yu Zhao
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Lei Guo
- School of Automation, Northwestern Polytechnic UniversityXi'an, China
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Biomedical Imaging Technology Center, Emory UniversityAtlanta, GA, United States
| | - Xianqiao Wang
- School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
| | - Tianming Liu
- Cortical Architecture Imaging and Discovery Lab, Department of Computer Science and Bioimaging Research Center, University of GeorgiaAthens, GA, United States
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