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Nigri A, Stanziano M, Fedeli D, Manera U, Ferraro S, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Lequio L, Denegri F, Agosta F, Spinelli EG, Filippi M, Grisoli M, Valentini MC, De Mattei F, Canosa A, Calvo A, Chiò A, Bruzzone MG, Moglia C. Distinct neural signatures of pulvinar in C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers and noncarriers. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16266. [PMID: 38469975 PMCID: PMC11235848 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16266] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Thalamic alterations have been reported as a major feature in presymptomatic and symptomatic patients carrying the C9orf72 mutation across the frontotemporal dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spectrum. Specifically, the pulvinar, a high-order thalamic nucleus and timekeeper for large-scale cortical networks, has been hypothesized to be involved in C9orf72-related neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated whether pulvinar volume can be useful for differential diagnosis in ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers and noncarriers and how underlying functional connectivity changes affect this region. METHODS We studied 19 ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers (ALSC9+) accurately matched with wild-type ALS (ALSC9-) and ALS mimic (ALSmimic) patients using structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Pulvinar volume was computed using automatic segmentation. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analyses were performed using seeds from a pulvinar functional parcellation. RESULTS Pulvinar structural integrity had high discriminative values for ALSC9+ patients compared to ALSmimic (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.86) and ALSC9- (AUC = 0.77) patients, yielding a volume cutpoint of approximately 0.23%. Compared to ALSmimic, ALSC9- showed increased anterior, inferior, and lateral pulvinar connections with bilateral occipital-temporal-parietal regions, whereas ALSC9+ showed no differences. ALSC9+ patients when compared to ALSC9- patients showed reduced pulvinar-occipital connectivity for anterior and inferior pulvinar seeds. CONCLUSIONS Pulvinar volume could be a differential biomarker closely related to the C9orf72 mutation. A pulvinar-cortical circuit dysfunction might play a critical role in disease progression and development, in both the genetic phenotype and ALS wild-type patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroinformationUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Laura Lequio
- Neuroradiology UnitCTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Federica Denegri
- Neuroradiology UnitCTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurophysiology ServiceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Marina Grisoli
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | | | - Filippo De Mattei
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and TechnologiesNational Council of ResearchRomeItaly
| | | | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
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2
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Stanziano M, Fedeli D, Manera U, Ferraro S, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Sciortino P, Cogoni M, Agosta F, Basaia S, Filippi M, Grisoli M, Valentini MC, De Mattei F, Canosa A, Calvo A, Bruzzone MG, Chiò A, Nigri A, Moglia C. Resting-state fMRI functional connectome of C9orf72 mutation status. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:686-697. [PMID: 38234062 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The resting-state functional connectome has not been extensively investigated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spectrum disease, in particular in relationship with patients' genetic status. METHODS Here we studied the network-to-network connectivity of 19 ALS patients carrying the C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion (C9orf72+), 19 ALS patients not affected by C9orf72 mutation (C9orf72-), and 19 ALS-mimic patients (ALSm) well-matched for demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS When compared with ALSm, we observed greater connectivity of the default mode and frontoparietal networks with the visual network for C9orf72+ patients (P = 0.001). Moreover, the whole-connectome showed greater node degree (P < 0.001), while sensorimotor cortices resulted isolated in C9orf72+. INTERPRETATION Our results suggest a crucial involvement of extra-motor functions in ALS spectrum disease. In particular, alterations of the visual cortex may have a pathogenic role in C9orf72-related ALS. The prominent feature of these patients would be increased visual system connectivity with the networks responsible of the functional balance between internal and external attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jean P Medina Carrion
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Sciortino
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Cogoni
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Basaia
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Grisoli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria C Valentini
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Filippo De Mattei
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria G Bruzzone
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
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Bede P, Lulé D, Müller HP, Tan EL, Dorst J, Ludolph AC, Kassubek J. Presymptomatic grey matter alterations in ALS kindreds: a computational neuroimaging study of asymptomatic C9orf72 and SOD1 mutation carriers. J Neurol 2023; 270:4235-4247. [PMID: 37178170 PMCID: PMC10421803 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11764-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The characterisation of presymptomatic disease-burden patterns in asymptomatic mutation carriers has a dual academic and clinical relevance. The understanding of disease propagation mechanisms is of considerable conceptual interests, and defining the optimal time of pharmacological intervention is essential for improved clinical trial outcomes. METHODS In a prospective, multimodal neuroimaging study, 22 asymptomatic C9orf72 GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat carriers, 13 asymptomatic subjects with SOD1, and 54 "gene-negative" ALS kindreds were enrolled. Cortical and subcortical grey matter alterations were systematically appraised using volumetric, morphometric, vertex, and cortical thickness analyses. Using a Bayesian approach, the thalamus and amygdala were further parcellated into specific nuclei and the hippocampus was segmented into anatomically defined subfields. RESULTS Asymptomatic GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat carriers in C9orf72 exhibited early subcortical changes with the preferential involvement of the pulvinar and mediodorsal regions of the thalamus, as well as the lateral aspect of the hippocampus. Volumetric approaches, morphometric methods, and vertex analyses were anatomically consistent in capturing focal subcortical changes in asymptomatic C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion carriers. SOD1 mutation carriers did not exhibit significant subcortical grey matter alterations. In our study, none of the two asymptomatic cohorts exhibited cortical grey matter alterations on either cortical thickness or morphometric analyses. DISCUSSION The presymptomatic radiological signature of C9orf72 is associated with selective thalamic and focal hippocampal degeneration which may be readily detectable before cortical grey matter changes ensue. Our findings confirm selective subcortical grey matter involvement early in the course of C9orf72-associated neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 RS90, Ireland.
- Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Dorothée Lulé
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Ee Ling Tan
- Computational Neuroimaging Group (CNG), School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, D02 RS90, Ireland
| | - Johannes Dorst
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Albert C Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- German Centre of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- German Centre of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
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4
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Tregidgo HFJ, Soskic S, Althonayan J, Maffei C, Van Leemput K, Golland P, Insausti R, Lerma-Usabiaga G, Caballero-Gaudes C, Paz-Alonso PM, Yendiki A, Alexander DC, Bocchetta M, Rohrer JD, Iglesias JE. Accurate Bayesian segmentation of thalamic nuclei using diffusion MRI and an improved histological atlas. Neuroimage 2023; 274:120129. [PMID: 37088323 PMCID: PMC10636587 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120129] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The human thalamus is a highly connected brain structure, which is key for the control of numerous functions and is involved in several neurological disorders. Recently, neuroimaging studies have increasingly focused on the volume and connectivity of the specific nuclei comprising this structure, rather than looking at the thalamus as a whole. However, accurate identification of cytoarchitectonically designed histological nuclei on standard in vivo structural MRI is hampered by the lack of image contrast that can be used to distinguish nuclei from each other and from surrounding white matter tracts. While diffusion MRI may offer such contrast, it has lower resolution and lacks some boundaries visible in structural imaging. In this work, we present a Bayesian segmentation algorithm for the thalamus. This algorithm combines prior information from a probabilistic atlas with likelihood models for both structural and diffusion MRI, allowing segmentation of 25 thalamic labels per hemisphere informed by both modalities. We present an improved probabilistic atlas, incorporating thalamic nuclei identified from histology and 45 white matter tracts surrounding the thalamus identified in ultra-high gradient strength diffusion imaging. We present a family of likelihood models for diffusion tensor imaging, ensuring compatibility with the vast majority of neuroimaging datasets that include diffusion MRI data. The use of these diffusion likelihood models greatly improves identification of nuclear groups versus segmentation based solely on structural MRI. Dice comparison of 5 manually identifiable groups of nuclei to ground truth segmentations show improvements of up to 10 percentage points. Additionally, our chosen model shows a high degree of reliability, with median test-retest Dice scores above 0.85 for four out of five nuclei groups, whilst also offering improved detection of differential thalamic involvement in Alzheimer's disease (AUROC 81.98%). The probabilistic atlas and segmentation tool will be made publicly available as part of the neuroimaging package FreeSurfer (https://freesurfer.net/fswiki/ThalamicNucleiDTI).
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry F J Tregidgo
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, UK.
| | - Sonja Soskic
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, UK
| | - Juri Althonayan
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, UK
| | - Chiara Maffei
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Koen Van Leemput
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA; Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Polina Golland
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Ricardo Insausti
- Human Neuroanatomy Laboratory, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
| | - Garikoitz Lerma-Usabiaga
- BCBL. Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | | | - Pedro M Paz-Alonso
- BCBL. Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Anastasia Yendiki
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Daniel C Alexander
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK
| | - Martina Bocchetta
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK; Centre for Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, UK
| | - Jonathan D Rohrer
- Dementia Research Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Juan Eugenio Iglesias
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, UK; Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA; Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
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5
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Nigri A, Umberto M, Stanziano M, Ferraro S, Fedeli D, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Lequio L, Denegri F, Agosta F, Filippi M, Valentini MC, Canosa A, Calvo A, Chiò A, Bruzzone MG, Moglia C. C9orf72 ALS mutation carriers show extensive cortical and subcortical damage compared to matched wild-type ALS patients. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 38:103400. [PMID: 37068310 PMCID: PMC10130353 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE C9orf72 mutation carriers with different neurological phenotypes show cortical and subcortical atrophy in multiple different brain regions, even in pre-symptomatic phases. Despite there is a substantial amount of knowledge, small sample sizes, clinical heterogeneity, as well as different choices of image analysis may hide anatomical abnormalities that are unique to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with this genotype or that are indicative of the C9orf72-specific trait overlain in fronto-temporal dementia patients. METHODS Brain structural and resting state functional magnetic imaging was obtained in 24 C9orf72 positive (ALSC9+) ALS patients paired for burden disease with 24 C9orf72 negative (ALSC9-) ALS patients. A comprehensive structural evaluation of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes between ALSC9+ and ALSC9- patients was performed while a region of interest (ROI)-ROI analysis of functional connectivity was implemented to assess functional alterations among abnormal cortical and subcortical regions. Results were corrected for multiple comparisons. RESULTS Compared to ALSC9- patients, ALSC9+ patients exhibited extensive disease-specific patterns of thalamo-cortico-striatal atrophy, supported by functional alterations of the identified abnormal regions. Cortical thinning was most pronounced in posterior areas and extended to frontal regions. Bilateral atrophy of the mediodorsal and pulvinar nuclei was observed, emphasizing a focal rather than global thalamus atrophy. Volume loss in a large portion of bilateral caudate and left putamen was reported. The marked reduction of functional connectivity observed between the left posterior thalamus and almost all the atrophic cortical regions support the central role of the thalamus in the pathogenic mechanism of C9orf72-mediated disease. CONCLUSIONS These findings constitute a coherent and robust picture of ALS patients with C9orf72-mediated disease, unveiling a specific structural and functional characterization of thalamo-cortico-striatal circuit alteration. Our study introduces new evidence in the characterization of the pathogenic mechanisms of C9orf72 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Manera Umberto
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy; School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Lequio
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Denegri
- Neuroradiology Unit, CTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Italy; Neurology Unit, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Italy; Neurology Unit, Italy; Neurorehabilitation Unit, Italy; Neurophysiology Service, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Council of Research, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Neuroradiology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1U, Turin, Italy
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6
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McKenna MC, Lope J, Bede P, Tan EL. Thalamic pathology in frontotemporal dementia: Predilection for specific nuclei, phenotype-specific signatures, clinical correlates, and practical relevance. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e2881. [PMID: 36609810 PMCID: PMC9927864 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2881] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) phenotypes are classically associated with distinctive cortical atrophy patterns and regional hypometabolism. However, the spectrum of cognitive and behavioral manifestations in FTD arises from multisynaptic network dysfunction. The thalamus is a key hub of several corticobasal and corticocortical circuits. The main circuits relayed via the thalamic nuclei include the dorsolateral prefrontal circuit, the anterior cingulate circuit, and the orbitofrontal circuit. METHODS In this paper, we have reviewed evidence for thalamic pathology in FTD based on radiological and postmortem studies. Original research papers were systematically reviewed for preferential involvement of specific thalamic regions, for phenotype-associated thalamic disease burden patterns, characteristic longitudinal changes, and genotype-associated thalamic signatures. Moreover, evidence for presymptomatic thalamic pathology was also reviewed. Identified papers were systematically scrutinized for imaging methods, cohort sizes, clinical profiles, clinicoradiological associations, and main anatomical findings. The findings of individual research papers were amalgamated for consensus observations and their study designs further evaluated for stereotyped shortcomings. Based on the limitations of existing studies and conflicting reports in low-incidence FTD variants, we sought to outline future research directions and pressing research priorities. RESULTS FTD is associated with focal thalamic degeneration. Phenotype-specific thalamic traits mirror established cortical vulnerability patterns. Thalamic nuclei mediating behavioral and language functions are preferentially involved. Given the compelling evidence for considerable thalamic disease burden early in the course of most FTD subtypes, we also reflect on the practical relevance, diagnostic role, prognostic significance, and monitoring potential of thalamic metrics in FTD. CONCLUSIONS Cardinal manifestations of FTD phenotypes are likely to stem from thalamocortical circuitry dysfunction and are not exclusively driven by focal cortical changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Clare McKenna
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jasmin Lope
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.,Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ee Ling Tan
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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7
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Bonham LW, Geier EG, Sirkis DW, Leong JK, Ramos EM, Wang Q, Karydas A, Lee SE, Sturm VE, Sawyer RP, Friedberg A, Ichida JK, Gitler AD, Sugrue L, Cordingley M, Bee W, Weber E, Kramer JH, Rankin KP, Rosen HJ, Boxer AL, Seeley WW, Ravits J, Miller BL, Yokoyama JS. Radiogenomics of C9orf72 Expansion Carriers Reveals Global Transposable Element Derepression and Enables Prediction of Thalamic Atrophy and Clinical Impairment. J Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 36446586 DOI: 10.1101/2022.04.29.490104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) within C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Thalamic atrophy occurs in both sporadic and familial FTD but is thought to distinctly affect HRE carriers. Separately, emerging evidence suggests widespread derepression of transposable elements (TEs) in the brain in several neurodegenerative diseases, including C9orf72 HRE-mediated FTD (C9-FTD). Whether TE activation can be measured in peripheral blood and how the reduction in peripheral C9orf72 expression observed in HRE carriers relates to atrophy and clinical impairment remain unknown. We used FreeSurfer software to assess the effects of C9orf72 HRE and clinical diagnosis (n = 78 individuals, male and female) on atrophy of thalamic nuclei. We also generated a novel, human, whole-blood RNA-sequencing dataset to determine the relationships among peripheral C9orf72 expression, TE activation, thalamic atrophy, and clinical severity (n = 114 individuals, male and female). We confirmed global thalamic atrophy and reduced C9orf72 expression in HRE carriers. Moreover, we identified disproportionate atrophy of the right mediodorsal lateral nucleus in HRE carriers and showed that C9orf72 expression associated with clinical severity, independent of thalamic atrophy. Strikingly, we found global peripheral activation of TEs, including the human endogenous LINE-1 element L1HS L1HS levels were associated with atrophy of multiple pulvinar nuclei, a thalamic region implicated in C9-FTD. Integration of peripheral transcriptomic and neuroimaging data from human HRE carriers revealed atrophy of specific thalamic nuclei, demonstrated that C9orf72 levels relate to clinical severity, and identified marked derepression of TEs, including L1HS, which predicted atrophy of FTD-relevant thalamic nuclei.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Pathogenic repeat expansion in C9orf72 is the most frequent genetic cause of FTD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; C9-FTD/ALS). The clinical, neuroimaging, and pathologic features of C9-FTD/ALS are well characterized, whereas the intersections of transcriptomic dysregulation and brain structure remain largely unexplored. Herein, we used a novel radiogenomic approach to examine the relationship between peripheral blood transcriptomics and thalamic atrophy, a neuroimaging feature disproportionately impacted in C9-FTD/ALS. We confirmed reduction of C9orf72 in blood and found broad dysregulation of transposable elements-genetic elements typically repressed in the human genome-in symptomatic C9orf72 expansion carriers, which associated with atrophy of thalamic nuclei relevant to FTD. C9orf72 expression was also associated with clinical severity, suggesting that peripheral C9orf72 levels capture disease-relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke W Bonham
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Ethan G Geier
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Daniel W Sirkis
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Josiah K Leong
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
| | - Eliana Marisa Ramos
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Qing Wang
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Anna Karydas
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Suzee E Lee
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Virginia E Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Russell P Sawyer
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267
| | - Adit Friedberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Justin K Ichida
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Aaron D Gitler
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Leo Sugrue
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | | | - Walter Bee
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Eckard Weber
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Joel H Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katherine P Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Howard J Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Adam L Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - William W Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, ALS Translational Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer S Yokoyama
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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8
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Bonham LW, Geier EG, Sirkis DW, Leong JK, Ramos EM, Wang Q, Karydas A, Lee SE, Sturm VE, Sawyer RP, Friedberg A, Ichida JK, Gitler AD, Sugrue L, Cordingley M, Bee W, Weber E, Kramer JH, Rankin KP, Rosen HJ, Boxer AL, Seeley WW, Ravits J, Miller BL, Yokoyama JS. Radiogenomics of C9orf72 Expansion Carriers Reveals Global Transposable Element Derepression and Enables Prediction of Thalamic Atrophy and Clinical Impairment. J Neurosci 2023; 43:333-345. [PMID: 36446586 PMCID: PMC9838702 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1448-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Hexanucleotide repeat expansion (HRE) within C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Thalamic atrophy occurs in both sporadic and familial FTD but is thought to distinctly affect HRE carriers. Separately, emerging evidence suggests widespread derepression of transposable elements (TEs) in the brain in several neurodegenerative diseases, including C9orf72 HRE-mediated FTD (C9-FTD). Whether TE activation can be measured in peripheral blood and how the reduction in peripheral C9orf72 expression observed in HRE carriers relates to atrophy and clinical impairment remain unknown. We used FreeSurfer software to assess the effects of C9orf72 HRE and clinical diagnosis (n = 78 individuals, male and female) on atrophy of thalamic nuclei. We also generated a novel, human, whole-blood RNA-sequencing dataset to determine the relationships among peripheral C9orf72 expression, TE activation, thalamic atrophy, and clinical severity (n = 114 individuals, male and female). We confirmed global thalamic atrophy and reduced C9orf72 expression in HRE carriers. Moreover, we identified disproportionate atrophy of the right mediodorsal lateral nucleus in HRE carriers and showed that C9orf72 expression associated with clinical severity, independent of thalamic atrophy. Strikingly, we found global peripheral activation of TEs, including the human endogenous LINE-1 element L1HS L1HS levels were associated with atrophy of multiple pulvinar nuclei, a thalamic region implicated in C9-FTD. Integration of peripheral transcriptomic and neuroimaging data from human HRE carriers revealed atrophy of specific thalamic nuclei, demonstrated that C9orf72 levels relate to clinical severity, and identified marked derepression of TEs, including L1HS, which predicted atrophy of FTD-relevant thalamic nuclei.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Pathogenic repeat expansion in C9orf72 is the most frequent genetic cause of FTD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; C9-FTD/ALS). The clinical, neuroimaging, and pathologic features of C9-FTD/ALS are well characterized, whereas the intersections of transcriptomic dysregulation and brain structure remain largely unexplored. Herein, we used a novel radiogenomic approach to examine the relationship between peripheral blood transcriptomics and thalamic atrophy, a neuroimaging feature disproportionately impacted in C9-FTD/ALS. We confirmed reduction of C9orf72 in blood and found broad dysregulation of transposable elements-genetic elements typically repressed in the human genome-in symptomatic C9orf72 expansion carriers, which associated with atrophy of thalamic nuclei relevant to FTD. C9orf72 expression was also associated with clinical severity, suggesting that peripheral C9orf72 levels capture disease-relevant information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke W Bonham
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Ethan G Geier
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Daniel W Sirkis
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Josiah K Leong
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
| | - Eliana Marisa Ramos
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Qing Wang
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Anna Karydas
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Suzee E Lee
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Virginia E Sturm
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Russell P Sawyer
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267
| | - Adit Friedberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Justin K Ichida
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| | - Aaron D Gitler
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Leo Sugrue
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | | | - Walter Bee
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Eckard Weber
- Transposon Therapeutics, San Diego, California 92122
| | - Joel H Kramer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katherine P Rankin
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - Howard J Rosen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Adam L Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - William W Seeley
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, ALS Translational Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer S Yokoyama
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Ferreira LK, Lindberg O, Santillo AF, Wahlund LO. Functional connectivity in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2790. [PMID: 36306386 PMCID: PMC9759144 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Functional connectivity (FC)-which reflects relationships between neural activity in different brain regions-has been used to explore the functional architecture of the brain in neurodegenerative disorders. Although an increasing number of studies have explored FC changes in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), there is no focused, in-depth review about FC in bvFTD. METHODS Comprehensive literature search and narrative review to summarize the current field of FC in bvFTD. RESULTS (1) Decreased FC within the salience network (SN) is the most consistent finding in bvFTD; (2) FC changes extend beyond the SN and affect the interplay between networks; (3) results within the Default Mode Network are mixed; (4) the brain as a network is less interconnected and less efficient in bvFTD; (5) symptoms, functional impairment, and cognition are associated with FC; and (6) the functional architecture resembles patterns of neuropathological spread. CONCLUSIONS FC has potential as a biomarker, and future studies are expected to advance the field with multicentric initiatives, longitudinal designs, and methodological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Kobuti Ferreira
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olof Lindberg
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander F Santillo
- Clinical Memory Research Unit and Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Lars-Olof Wahlund
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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McKenna MC, Lope J, Tan EL, Bede P. Pre-symptomatic radiological changes in frontotemporal dementia: propagation characteristics, predictive value and implications for clinical trials. Brain Imaging Behav 2022; 16:2755-2767. [PMID: 35920960 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-022-00711-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Computational imaging and quantitative biomarkers offer invaluable insights in the pre-symptomatic phase of neurodegenerative conditions several years before clinical manifestation. In recent years, there has been a focused effort to characterize pre-symptomatic cerebral changes in familial frontotemporal dementias using computational imaging. Accordingly, a systematic literature review was conducted of original articles investigating pre-symptomatic imaging changes in frontotemporal dementia focusing on study design, imaging modalities, data interpretation, control cohorts and key findings. The review is limited to the most common genotypes: chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), progranulin (GRN), or microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) genotypes. Sixty-eight studies were identified with a median sample size of 15 (3-141) per genotype. Only a minority of studies were longitudinal (28%; 19/68) with a median follow-up of 2 (1-8) years. MRI (97%; 66/68) was the most common imaging modality, and primarily grey matter analyses were conducted (75%; 19/68). Some studies used multimodal analyses 44% (30/68). Genotype-associated imaging signatures are presented, innovative study designs are highlighted, common methodological shortcomings are discussed and lessons for future studies are outlined. Emerging academic observations have potential clinical implications for expediting the diagnosis, tracking disease progression and optimising the timing of pharmaceutical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Clare McKenna
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Room 5.43, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jasmin Lope
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Room 5.43, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Ee Ling Tan
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Room 5.43, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Peter Bede
- Computational Neuroimaging Group, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Room 5.43, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. .,Department of Neurology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
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