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Mucellini AB, Miguel PM, Dalle Molle R, Rodrigues DM, Machado TD, Reis RS, Toazza R, Salum GA, Bortoluzzi A, Franco AR, Buchweitz A, Barth B, Agranonik M, Nassim M, Meaney MJ, Manfro GG, Silveira PP. Diminished insulin sensitivity is associated with altered brain activation to food cues and with risk for obesity - Implications for individuals born small for gestational age. Appetite 2021; 169:105799. [PMID: 34767841 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105799] [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: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
While classically linked to memory, the hippocampus is also a feeding behavior modulator due to its multiple interconnected pathways with other brain regions and expression of receptors for metabolic hormones. Here we tested whether variations in insulin sensitivity would be correlated with differential brain activation following exposure to palatable food cues, as well as with variations in implicit food memory in a cohort of healthy adolescents, some of whom were born small for gestational age (SGA). Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was positively correlated with activation in the cuneus, and negatively correlated with activation in the middle frontal lobe, superior frontal gyrus and precuneus when presented with palatable food images versus non-food images in healthy adolescents. Additionally, HOMA-IR and insulinemia were higher in participants with impaired food memory. SGA individuals had higher snack caloric density and greater chance for impaired food memory. There was also an interaction between the HOMA-IR and birth weight ratio influencing external eating behavior. We suggest that diminished insulin sensitivity correlates with activation in visual attention areas and inactivation in inhibitory control areas in healthy adolescents. Insulin resistance also associated with less consistency in implicit memory for a consumed meal, which may suggest lower ability to establish a dietary pattern, and can contribute to obesity. Differences in feeding behavior in SGA individuals were associated with insulin sensitivity and hippocampal alterations, suggesting that cognition and hormonal regulation are important components involved in their food intake modifications throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda B Mucellini
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrícia M Miguel
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Roberta Dalle Molle
- Graduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Danitsa M Rodrigues
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tania D Machado
- Graduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Roberta S Reis
- Graduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Rudinéia Toazza
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Giovanni A Salum
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Andressa Bortoluzzi
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alexandre R Franco
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Augusto Buchweitz
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Barbara Barth
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neurosciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marilyn Agranonik
- Fundação de Economia e Estatística Siegfried Emanuel Heuser, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marouane Nassim
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gisele G Manfro
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrícia P Silveira
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Aanes S, Bjuland KJ, Sripada K, Sølsnes AE, Grunewaldt KH, Håberg A, Løhaugen GC, Skranes J. Reduced hippocampal subfield volumes and memory function in school-aged children born preterm with very low birthweight (VLBW). Neuroimage Clin 2019; 23:101857. [PMID: 31136968 PMCID: PMC6536855 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus, an essential structure for learning and memory, has a reduced volume in preterm born (gestational age < 37 weeks) individuals with very low birth weight (VLBW: birth weight < 1500 g), which may affect memory function. However, the hippocampus is a complex structure with distinct subfields related to specific memory functions. These subfields are differentially affected by a variety of neuropathological conditions, but it remains unclear how these subfields may be affected by medical complications following preterm birth which may cause aberrant brain development, and the consequences of this on learning and memory function in children with VLBW. METHODS Children born preterm with VLBW (n = 34) and term-born controls from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) (n = 104) underwent structural MRI and a neuropsychological assessment of memory function at primary school age. FreeSurfer 6.0 was used to analyze the volumes of hippocampal subfields which were compared between groups, as was memory performance. Correlations between abnormal hippocampal subfields and memory performance were explored in the VLBW group. RESULTS All absolute hippocampal subfield volumes were lower in the children with VLBW compared to MoBa term-born controls, and the volumes of the left and right dentate gyrus and the right subiculum remained significantly lower after correcting for total intracranial volume. The VLBW group had inferior working memory performance and the score on the subtest Spatial Span backwards was positively correlated to the volume of the right dentate gyrus. CONCLUSIONS Hippocampal subfield volumes seem to be differently affected by early brain development related to preterm birth. The dentate gyrus appears particularly susceptible to adverse effects of preterm birth. Reduced working memory function among children with VLBW was associated with smaller volume of right dentate gyrus. This finding demonstrates alterations in hippocampal structure-function relationships associated with early brain development related to preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Synne Aanes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | | | - Kam Sripada
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anne Elisabeth Sølsnes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kristine H Grunewaldt
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, St Olav University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asta Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gro C Løhaugen
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
| | - Jon Skranes
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science & Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway
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Intrauterine growth restriction and development of the hippocampus: implications for learning and memory in children and adolescents. THE LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH 2018; 2:755-764. [PMID: 30236384 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-4642(18)30245-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is often the result of compromised placental function and suboptimal uteroplacental blood flow. Children born with IUGR have impaired cognitive functioning and specific memory deficits, indicating long-lasting impairments in hippocampal functioning; indeed, hippocampal volume is reduced in infants with IUGR. Animal studies have provided valuable insight into the nature of deficits in hippocampal-dependent functions observed in children born with IUGR; outcomes of experimental IUGR reveal reduced neuron numbers and morphological alterations in the cornu ammonis fields 1 and 3 and dentate gyrus subregions of the hippocampus. However, whether such early and ongoing structural changes in the hippocampus could account for deficits in spatial memory reported in adolescent rats with IUGR is yet to be established. Understanding the association between hippocampal structural and functional alterations in IUGR will aid in the development of interventions to minimise the effect of IUGR on the hippocampus and long-term cognitive outcomes.
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Lo JO, Roberts VHJ, Schabel MC, Wang X, Morgan TK, Liu Z, Studholme C, Kroenke CD, Frias AE. Novel Detection of Placental Insufficiency by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Nonhuman Primate. Reprod Sci 2018; 25:64-73. [PMID: 28330415 PMCID: PMC5993076 DOI: 10.1177/1933719117699704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The placenta is a vital organ necessary for healthy fetal development. Placental insufficiency creates an in utero environment where the fetus is at risk of insufficient oxygen or nutrient exchange. This is primarily caused by impairment of either maternal or fetal circulation or vascular thrombosis such as placental infarction. As a result of placental dysfunction, affected fetuses may be growth restricted, neurologically impaired, and at risk of increased morbidity and mortality. In a cohort of 4 pregnant Rhesus macaques, we describe antenatal detection of naturally occurring intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and aberrant fetal neurodevelopment in 1 animal. Abnormal growth parameters were detected by Doppler ultrasound, and vascular insufficiency in the intervillous space was characterized by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Furthermore, placental oxygen reserve was shown to be reduced compared to control animals by measurements of placental water T2*. To characterize the effects of IUGR on fetal brain development, T2 and diffusion anisotropy images of the fetal brain were acquired in utero. Reduced brain volume and cerebral cortical surface area were apparent macroscopically. Microstructural abnormalities within the developing white matter and cerebral cortex were also observed through analysis of water diffusion anisotropy. After delivery by cesarean section, pathological examination confirmed placental insufficiency with hypoxia. These findings exemplify how DCE-MRI and T2*-based measurements of blood oxygenation within the placenta can provide noninvasive imaging methods for assessing in vivo placental health to potentially identify pregnancies affected by placental insufficiency and abnormal fetal neurodevelopment prior to the onset of fetal and neonatal distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie O. Lo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Victoria H. J. Roberts
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
| | - Matthias C. Schabel
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Terry K. Morgan
- Department of Pathology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Zheng Liu
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Colin Studholme
- Division of Neonatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christopher D. Kroenke
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Antonio E. Frias
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
- Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, USA
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5
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Detection and assessment of brain injury in the growth-restricted fetus and neonate. Pediatr Res 2017; 82:184-193. [PMID: 28234891 DOI: 10.1038/pr.2017.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common complication of pregnancy and, in severe cases, is associated with elevated rates of perinatal mortality, neonatal morbidity, and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. The leading cause of FGR is placental insufficiency, with the placenta failing to adequately meet the increasing oxygen and nutritional needs of the growing fetus with advancing gestation. The resultant chronic fetal hypoxia induces a decrease in fetal growth, and a redistribution of blood flow preferentially to the brain. However, this adaptation does not ensure normal brain development. Early detection of brain injury in FGR, allowing for the prediction of short- and long-term neurodevelopmental consequences, remains a significant challenge. Furthermore, in FGR infants the detection and diagnosis of neuropathology is complicated by preterm birth, the etiological heterogeneity of FGR, timing of onset of growth restriction, its severity, and coexisting complications. In this review, we examine existing and emerging diagnostic tools from human and preclinical studies for the detection and assessment of brain injury in FGR fetuses and neonates. Increased detection rates, and early detection of brain injury associated with FGR, will offer opportunities for developing and assessing interventions to improve long-term outcomes.
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6
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Cerebellar Changes in Guinea Pig Offspring Following Suppression of Neurosteroid Synthesis During Late Gestation. THE CEREBELLUM 2016; 16:306-313. [DOI: 10.1007/s12311-016-0802-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Seth S, Lewis AJ, Saffery R, Lappas M, Galbally M. Maternal Prenatal Mental Health and Placental 11β-HSD2 Gene Expression: Initial Findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:27482-96. [PMID: 26593902 PMCID: PMC4661892 DOI: 10.3390/ijms161126034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2015] [Revised: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
High intrauterine cortisol exposure can inhibit fetal growth and have programming effects for the child's subsequent stress reactivity. Placental 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD2) limits the amount of maternal cortisol transferred to the fetus. However, the relationship between maternal psychopathology and 11β-HSD2 remains poorly defined. This study examined the effect of maternal depressive disorder, antidepressant use and symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnancy on placental 11β-HSD2 gene (HSD11B2) expression. Drawing on data from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, placental HSD11B2 expression was compared among 33 pregnant women, who were selected based on membership of three groups; depressed (untreated), taking antidepressants and controls. Furthermore, associations between placental HSD11B2 and scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during 12-18 and 28-34 weeks gestation were examined. Findings revealed negative correlations between HSD11B2 and both the EPDS and STAI (r = -0.11 to -0.28), with associations being particularly prominent during late gestation. Depressed and antidepressant exposed groups also displayed markedly lower placental HSD11B2 expression levels than controls. These findings suggest that maternal depression and anxiety may impact on fetal programming by down-regulating HSD11B2, and antidepressant treatment alone is unlikely to protect against this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunaina Seth
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.
| | - Andrew James Lewis
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.
- Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Melbourne 3125, Australia.
| | - Richard Saffery
- Cancer and Disease Epigenetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Martha Lappas
- Mercy Perinatal Research Centre, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, Australia.
- Obstetrics, Nutrition and Endocrinology Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia.
| | - Megan Galbally
- Department of Perinatal Mental Health, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne 3084, Australia.
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Development of the human fetal hippocampal formation during early second trimester. Neuroimage 2015; 119:33-43. [PMID: 26123377 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of the fetal hippocampal formation has been difficult to fully describe because of rapid changes in its shape during the fetal period. The aims of this study were to: (1) segment the fetal hippocampal formation using 7.0 T MR images from 41 specimens with gestational ages ranging from 14 to 22 weeks and (2) reveal the developmental course of the fetal hippocampal formation using volume and shape analyses. Differences in hemispheric volume were observed, with the right hippocampi being larger than the left. Absolute volume changes showed a linear increase, while relative volume changes demonstrated an inverted-U shape trend during this period. Together these exhibited a variable developmental rate among different regions of the fetal brain. Different sub-regional growth of the fetal hippocampal formation was specifically observed using shape analysis. The fetal hippocampal formation possessed a prominent medial-lateral bidirectional shape growth pattern during its rotation process. Our results provide additional insight into 3D hippocampal morphology in the assessment of fetal brain development and can be used as a reference for future hippocampal studies.
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Morin EC, Schleger F, Preissl H, Braendle J, Eswaran H, Abele H, Brucker S, Kiefer-Schmidt I. Functional brain development in growth-restricted and constitutionally small fetuses: a fetal magnetoencephalography case-control study. BJOG 2015; 122:1184-90. [DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- EC Morin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
- fMEG-Center; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
| | - F Schleger
- fMEG-Center; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
| | - H Preissl
- fMEG-Center; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
| | - J Braendle
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
- fMEG-Center; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
| | - H Eswaran
- SARA Research Center; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Little Rock AR USA
| | - H Abele
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
| | - S Brucker
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
- University Women's Hospital and Research Institute for Women's Health; Tuebingen Germany
| | - I Kiefer-Schmidt
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
- fMEG-Center; University of Tuebingen; Tuebingen Germany
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Chang YP. Evidence for adverse effect of perinatal glucocorticoid use on the developing brain. KOREAN JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS 2014; 57:101-9. [PMID: 24778691 PMCID: PMC4000755 DOI: 10.3345/kjp.2014.57.3.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The use of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the perinatal period is suspected of being associated with adverse effects on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm infants. Repeated administration of antenatal GCs to mothers at risk of preterm birth may adversely affect fetal growth and head circumference. Fetal exposure to excess GCs during critical periods of brain development may profoundly modify the limbic system (primarily the hippocampus), resulting in long-term effects on cognition, behavior, memory, co-ordination of the autonomic nervous system, and regulation of the endocrine system later in adult life. Postnatal GC treatment for chronic lung disease in premature infants, particularly involving the use of dexamethasone, has been shown to induce neurodevelopmental impairment and increases the risk of cerebral palsy. In contrast to studies involving postnatal dexamethasone, long-term follow-up studies for hydrocortisone therapy have not revealed adverse effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes. In experimental studies on animals, GCs has been shown to impair neurogenesis, and induce neuronal apoptosis in the immature brains of newborn animals. A recent study has demonstrated that dexamethasone-induced hypomyelination may result from the apoptotic degeneration of oligodendrocyte progenitors in the immature brain. Thus, based on clinical and experimental studies, there is enough evidence to advice caution regarding the use of GCs in the perinatal period; and moreover, the potential long-term effects of GCs on brain development need to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Pyo Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea
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11
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Omizzolo C, Thompson DK, Scratch SE, Stargatt R, Lee KJ, Cheong J, Roberts G, Doyle LW, Anderson PJ. Hippocampal volume and memory and learning outcomes at 7 years in children born very preterm. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2013; 19:1065-75. [PMID: 23947431 PMCID: PMC3964592 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617713000891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Using magnetic resonance imaging, this study compared hippocampal volume between 145 very preterm children and 34 children born full-term at 7 years of age. The relationship between hippocampal volume and memory and learning impairments at 7 years was also investigated. Manual hippocampal segmentation and subsequent three-dimensional volumetric analysis revealed reduced hippocampal volumes in very preterm children compared with term peers. However, this relationship did not remain after correcting for whole brain volume and neonatal brain abnormality. Contrary to expectations, hippocampal volume in the very preterm cohort was not related to memory and learning outcomes. Further research investigating the effects of very preterm birth on more extensive networks in the brain that support memory and learning in middle childhood is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Omizzolo
- 1 Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Abstract
The present review describes brain imaging technologies that can be used to assess the effects of nutritional interventions in human subjects. Specifically, we summarise the biological relevance of their outcome measures, practical use and feasibility, and recommended use in short- and long-term nutritional studies. The brain imaging technologies described consist of MRI, including diffusion tensor imaging, magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional MRI, as well as electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography, near-IR spectroscopy, positron emission tomography and single-photon emission computerised tomography. In nutritional interventions and across the lifespan, brain imaging can detect macro- and microstructural, functional, electrophysiological and metabolic changes linked to broader functional outcomes, such as cognition. Imaging markers can be considered as specific for one or several brain processes and as surrogate instrumental endpoints that may provide sensitive measures of short- and long-term effects. For the majority of imaging measures, little information is available regarding their correlation with functional endpoints in healthy subjects; therefore, imaging markers generally cannot replace clinical endpoints that reflect the overall capacity of the brain to behaviourally respond to specific situations and stimuli. The principal added value of brain imaging measures for human nutritional intervention studies is their ability to provide unique in vivo information on the working mechanism of an intervention in hypothesis-driven research. Selection of brain imaging techniques and target markers within a given technique should mainly depend on the hypothesis regarding the mechanism of action of the intervention, level (structural, metabolic or functional) and anticipated timescale of the intervention's effects, target population, availability and costs of the techniques.
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13
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Isaacs EB. Neuroimaging, a new tool for investigating the effects of early diet on cognitive and brain development. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:445. [PMID: 23964224 PMCID: PMC3734354 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrition is crucial to the initial development of the central nervous system (CNS), and then to its maintenance, because both depend on dietary intake to supply the elements required to develop and fuel the system. Diet in early life is often seen in the context of "programming" where a stimulus occurring during a vulnerable period can have long-lasting or even lifetime effects on some aspect of the organism's structure or function. Nutrition was first shown to be a programming stimulus for growth, and then for cognitive behavior, in animal studies that were able to employ methods that allowed the demonstration of neural effects of early nutrition. Such research raised the question of whether nutrition could also programme cognition/brain structure in humans. Initial studies of cognitive effects were observational, usually conducted in developing countries where the presence of confounding factors made it difficult to interpret the role of nutrition in the cognitive deficits that were seen. Attributing causality to nutrition required randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and these, often in developed countries, started to appear around 30 years ago. Most demonstrated convincingly that early nutrition could affect subsequent cognition. Until the advent of neuroimaging techniques that allowed in vivo examination of the brain, however, we could determine very little about the neural effects of early diet in humans. The combination of well-designed trials with neuroimaging tools means that we are now able to pose and answer questions that would have seemed impossible only recently. This review discusses various neuroimaging methods that are suitable for use in nutrition studies, while pointing out some of the limitations that they may have. The existing literature is small, but examples of studies that have used these methods are presented. Finally, some considerations that have arisen from previous studies, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B. Isaacs
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Institute of Child HealthLondon, UK
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McAnulty G, Duffy FH, Kosta S, Weisenfeld NI, Warfield SK, Butler SC, Alidoost M, Bernstein JH, Robertson R, Zurakowski D, Als H. School-age effects of the newborn individualized developmental care and assessment program for preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction: preliminary findings. BMC Pediatr 2013; 13:25. [PMID: 23421857 PMCID: PMC3600990 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-13-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The experience in the newborn intensive care nursery results in premature infants' neurobehavioral and neurophysiological dysfunction and poorer brain structure. Preterms with severe intrauterine growth restriction are doubly jeopardized given their compromised brains. The Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program improved outcome at early school-age for preterms with appropriate intrauterine growth. It also showed effectiveness to nine months for preterms with intrauterine growth restriction. The current study tested effectiveness into school-age for preterms with intrauterine growth restriction regarding executive function (EF), electrophysiology (EEG) and neurostructure (MRI). METHODS Twenty-three 9-year-old former growth-restricted preterms, randomized at birth to standard care (14 controls) or to the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (9 experimentals) were assessed with standardized measures of cognition, achievement, executive function, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The participating children were comparable to those lost to follow-up, and the controls to the experimentals, in terms of newborn background health and demographics. All outcome measures were corrected for mother's intelligence. Analysis techniques included two-group analysis of variance and stepwise discriminate analysis for the outcome measures, Wilks' lambda and jackknifed classification to ascertain two-group classification success per and across domains; canonical correlation analysis to explore relationships among neuropsychological, electrophysiological and neurostructural domains at school-age, and from the newborn period to school-age. RESULTS Controls and experimentals were comparable in age at testing, anthropometric and health parameters, and in cognitive and achievement scores. Experimentals scored better in executive function, spectral coherence, and cerebellar volumes. Furthermore, executive function, spectral coherence and brain structural measures discriminated controls from experimentals. Executive function correlated with coherence and brain structure measures, and with newborn-period neurobehavioral assessment. CONCLUSION The intervention in the intensive care nursery improved executive function as well as spectral coherence between occipital and frontal as well as parietal regions. The experimentals' cerebella were significantly larger than the controls'. These results, while preliminary, point to the possibility of long-term brain improvement even of intrauterine growth compromised preterms if individualized intervention begins with admission to the NICU and extends throughout transition home. Larger sample replications are required in order to confirm these results. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The study is registered as a clinical trial. The trial registration number is NCT00914108.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria McAnulty
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frank H Duffy
- Department of Neurology, Developmental Neurophysiology Laboratory, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-109-110, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sandra Kosta
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Neil I Weisenfeld
- Department of Radiology, Computational Radiology Laboratory, Main 2, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Computational Radiology Laboratory, Main 2, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samantha C Butler
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Moona Alidoost
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jane Holmes Bernstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard Robertson
- Department of Radiology, Main South 1, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David Zurakowski
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Pavilion 121, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidelise Als
- Department of Psychiatry, Neurobehavioral Infant and Child Studies, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN-107, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, 320 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, MA, USA
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15
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Dangat K, Kilari A, Mehendale S, Lalwani S, Joshi S. Higher levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor but similar nerve growth factor in human milk in women with preeclampsia. Int J Dev Neurosci 2013; 31:209-13. [PMID: 23337827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2012.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 12/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Children born to mothers with preeclampsia have consistently been suggested to be at risk for cognitive and behavioral disorders in later life. Breastfeeding is said to be associated with better neurodevelopment outcomes. Our earlier studies indicated higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in human milk in women with preeclampsia. DHA is known to regulate the expression of neurotrophins and together they play a vital role in neurodevelopment and cognitive performance. The present study examines the levels of maternal plasma and milk neurotrophins [(nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)] in women with preeclampsia and compares them with normotensive women who served as controls. Singleton pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia (n=72) and controls (n=102) were recruited for this study from Bharati Hospital, Pune. Plasma and milk samples were analyzed for NGF and BDNF levels using the Emax Immuno Assay System using promega kits. Maternal plasma NGF and BDNF levels were lower (p<0.01 for both) in women with preeclampsia as compared to the control women. Milk NGF levels were similar while milk BDNF levels were higher (p<0.05) in the preeclampsia group as compared to controls. Plasma NGF levels were positively correlated with milk NGF levels in the control group. Our results indicate the differential regulation of milk NGF and BDNF levels in women with preeclampsia. The present study suggests a role for both NGF and BDNF in human milk for postnatal brain development. Further studies need to examine the associations of DHA and BDNF in human milk with cognition at later ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamini Dangat
- Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India
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16
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Lepomäki V, Matomäki J, Lapinleimu H, Lehtonen L, Haataja L, Komu M, Parkkola R. Effect of antenatal growth on brain white matter maturation in preterm infants at term using tract-based spatial statistics. Pediatr Radiol 2013; 43:80-5. [PMID: 23160647 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-012-2509-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2012] [Revised: 06/26/2012] [Accepted: 06/29/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND White matter maturation of infants can be studied using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI of the white matter of the infant brain provides the best available clinical measures of brain tissue organisation and integrity. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare white matter maturation between preterm infants born small for gestational age (SGA) and preterms with weight appropriate for gestational age (AGA) at birth. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 36 preterm infants were enrolled in the study (SGA, n = 9). A rater-independent method called tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was used to assess white matter maturation. RESULTS When measured by TBSS, the AGA infants showed higher fractional anisotrophy values in several white matter tracts than the SGA infants. Areas with significant differences included anterior thalamic radiation, corticospinal tract, forceps major and minor, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and superior longitudinal fasciculus (temporal part). No significant difference was found for mean diffusivity. CONCLUSION As an objective and user-independent method, TBSS confirmed that preterm infants with impaired antenatal growth have impaired white matter maturation compared to preterm infants with normal antenatal growth. The differences were mainly detected in radiations that are myelinated first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virva Lepomäki
- Medical Imaging Centre of Southwest Finland, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
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17
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Choi H, Wang L, Lin X, Spengler JD, Perera FP. Fetal window of vulnerability to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on proportional intrauterine growth restriction. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35464. [PMID: 22545107 PMCID: PMC3335852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/19/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although the entire duration of fetal development is generally considered a highly susceptible period, it is of public health interest to determine a narrower window of heightened vulnerability to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in humans. We posited that exposure to PAHs during the first trimester impairs fetal growth more severely than a similar level of exposure during the subsequent trimesters. Methods In a group of healthy, non-smoking pregnant women with no known risks of adverse birth outcomes, personal exposure to eight airborne PAHs was monitored once during the second trimester for the entire cohort (n = 344), and once each trimester within a subset (n = 77). Both air monitoring and self-reported PAH exposure data were used in order to statistically estimate PAH exposure during the entire gestational period for each individual newborn. Results One natural-log unit increase in prenatal exposure to the eight summed PAHs during the first trimester was associated with the largest decrement in the Fetal Growth Ratio (FGR) (−3%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), −5 to −0%), birthweight (−105 g, 95% CI, −188 to −22 g), and birth length (−0.78 cm, 95% CI, −1.30 to −0.26 cm), compared to the unit effects of PAHs during the subsequent trimesters, after accounting for confounders. Furthermore, a unit exposure during the first trimester was associated with the largest elevation in Cephalization Index (head to weight ratio) (3 μm/g, 95% CI, 1 to 5 μm/g). PAH exposure was not associated with evidence of asymmetric growth restriction in this cohort. Conclusion PAH exposure appears to exert the greatest adverse effect on fetal growth during the first trimester. The present data support the need for the protection of pregnant women and the embryo/fetus, particularly during the earliest stage of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunok Choi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
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18
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to perform volumetry of foetuses with and without growth restriction, and identify deviations in organ growth. STUDY DESIGN 20 growth restricted and 19 normal foetuses were scanned once during pregnancy at gestational age 20.53-36.57 weeks. MRI scans were performed on a 1.5T system using ssFSE sequences. Manual segmentation of whole body, brain, heart, lung, liver, thymus and kidney volume was performed. Data on the severity of foetal growth restriction and pregnancy outcome was collected. RESULTS There was a significant reduction in foetal whole body volume and volume of all internal organs except the brain in growth restricted foetuses. A brain:liver ratio above 3.0 was associated with a 3.3 fold increase in risk of perinatal mortality (95% CI=1.68-6.47). CONCLUSION MRI provides an accurate assessment of foetal organ growth. It may have a role to play in monitoring disease severity and the effect of future interventions.
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19
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Mustoe AC, Birnie AK, Korgan AC, Santo JB, French JA. Natural variation in gestational cortisol is associated with patterns of growth in marmoset monkeys (Callithrix geoffroyi). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 175:519-26. [PMID: 22212825 PMCID: PMC3268124 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2011.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 12/10/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
High levels of prenatal cortisol have been previously reported to retard fetal growth. Although cortisol plays a pivotal role in prenatal maturation, heightened exposure to cortisol can result in lower body weights at birth, which have been shown to be associated with adult diseases like hypertension and cardiovascular disease. This study examines the relationship between natural variation in gestational cortisol and fetal and postnatal growth in marmoset monkeys. Urinary samples obtained during the mother's gestation were analyzed for cortisol. Marmoset body mass index (BMI) was measured from birth through 540 days in 30- or 60-day intervals. Multi-level modeling was used to test if marmoset growth over time was predicted by changes in gestational cortisol controlling for time, sex, litter, and litter size. The results show that offspring exposed to intra-uterine environments with elevated levels of cortisol had lower linear BMI rates of change shortly after birth than did offspring exposed to lower levels of cortisol, but exhibited a higher curvilinear growth rate during adolescence. Average daily change in gestational cortisol during the first trimester had a stronger relationship with postnatal growth than change during the third trimester. Higher exposure to cortisol during gestation does alter developmental trajectories, however there appears to be a catch-up period during later post-natal growth. These observations contribute to a larger discussion about the relationship of maternal glucocorticoids on offspring development and the possibility of an earlier vulnerable developmental window.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaryn C Mustoe
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, USA.
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20
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Bazer FW, Spencer TE, Thatcher WW. Growth and development of the ovine conceptus1. J Anim Sci 2012; 90:159-70. [DOI: 10.2527/jas.2011-4180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- F. W. Bazer
- Department of Animal Science and Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-2471
| | - T. E. Spencer
- Department of Animal Science and Center for Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-2471
| | - W. W. Thatcher
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0991
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21
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De Bie HMA, Oostrom KJ, Boersma M, Veltman DJ, Barkhof F, Delemarre-van de Waal HA, van den Heuvel MP. Global and regional differences in brain anatomy of young children born small for gestational age. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24116. [PMID: 21931650 PMCID: PMC3172224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2011] [Accepted: 08/01/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In children who are born small for gestational age (SGA), an adverse intrauterine environment has led to underdevelopment of both the body and the brain. The delay in body growth is (partially) restored during the first two years in a majority of these children. In addition to a negative influence on these physical parameters, decreased levels of intelligence and cognitive impairments have been described in children born SGA. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain anatomy in 4- to 7-year-old SGA children with and without complete bodily catch-up growth and compared them to healthy children born appropriate for gestational age. Our findings demonstrate that these children strongly differ on brain organisation when compared with healthy controls relating to both global and regional anatomical differences. Children born SGA displayed reduced cerebral and cerebellar grey and white matter volumes, smaller volumes of subcortical structures and reduced cortical surface area. Regional differences in prefrontal cortical thickness suggest a different development of the cerebral cortex. SGA children with bodily catch-up growth constitute an intermediate between those children without catch-up growth and healthy controls. Therefore, bodily catch-up growth in children born SGA does not implicate full catch-up growth of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrica M A De Bie
- Department of Pediatrics, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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22
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Asiaei M, Solati J, Salari AA. Prenatal exposure to lps leads to long-lasting physiological consequences in male offspring. Dev Psychobiol 2011; 53:828-38. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/25/2011] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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23
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Jacob FD, Habas PA, Kim K, Corbett-Detig J, Xu D, Studholme C, Glenn OA. Fetal hippocampal development: analysis by magnetic resonance imaging volumetry. Pediatr Res 2011; 69:425-9. [PMID: 21270675 PMCID: PMC3132078 DOI: 10.1203/pdr.0b013e318211dd7f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampal formation plays an important role in learning and memory; however, data on its development in utero in humans are limited. This study was performed to evaluate hippocampal development in healthy fetuses using 3D reconstructed MRI. A cohort of 20 healthy pregnant women underwent prenatal MRI at a median GA of 24.9 wk (range, 21.3-31.9 wk); six of the women also had a second fetal MRI performed at a 6-wk interval. Routine 2D ultrafast T2-weighted images were used to reconstruct a 3D volume image, which was then used to manually segment the right and left hippocampi. Total hippocampal volume was calculated for each subject and compared against GA. There was a linear increase in total hippocampal volume with increasing GA (p < 0.001). For subjects scanned twice, there was an increase in hippocampal size on the second fetal MRI (p = 0.0004). This represents the first volumetric study of fetal hippocampal development in vivo. This normative volumetric data will be helpful for future comparison studies of suspected developmental abnormalities of hippocampal structure and function.
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24
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Als H, Duffy FH, McAnulty GB, Fischer CB, Kosta S, Butler SC, Parad RB, Blickman JG, Zurakowski D, Ringer SA. Is the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) effective for preterm infants with intrauterine growth restriction? J Perinatol 2011; 31:130-6. [PMID: 20651694 PMCID: PMC4059409 DOI: 10.1038/jp.2010.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2010] [Revised: 05/27/2010] [Accepted: 06/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study investigates the effectiveness of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) on neurobehavioral and electrophysiological functioning of preterm infants with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). STUDY DESIGN Thirty IUGR infants, 28 to 33 weeks gestational age, randomized to standard care (control/C=18), or NIDCAP (experimental/E=12), were assessed at 2 weeks corrected age (2wCA) and 9 months corrected age (9mCA) in regard to health, anthropometrics, and neurobehavior, and additionally at 2wCA in regard to electrophysiology (EEG). RESULT The two groups were comparable in health and anthropometrics at 2wCA and 9mCA. The E-group at 2wCA showed significantly better autonomic, motor, and self-regulation functioning, improved motility, intensity and response thresholds, and reduced EEG connectivity among several adjacent brain regions. At 9mCA, the E-group showed significantly better mental performance. CONCLUSION This is the first study to show NIDCAP effectiveness for IUGR preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Als
- Department of Psychiatry, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
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25
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Esteban FJ, Padilla N, Sanz-Cortés M, de Miras JR, Bargalló N, Villoslada P, Gratacós E. Fractal-dimension analysis detects cerebral changes in preterm infants with and without intrauterine growth restriction. Neuroimage 2010; 53:1225-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2010] [Revised: 06/21/2010] [Accepted: 07/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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26
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Padilla N, Perapoch J, Carrascosa A, Acosta-Rojas R, Botet F, Gratacós E. Twelve-month neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants with and without intrauterine growth restriction. Acta Paediatr 2010; 99:1498-503. [PMID: 20456274 DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2010.01848.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcome at 12 months' corrected age in preterm infants with and without severe intrauterine growth restriction. METHODS This prospective follow-up study included 37 infants with severe intrauterine growth restriction and 36 appropriate-for-gestational-age infants born between 26 and 34 weeks. Neonatal and infant data were prospectively recorded. Infants were assessed at 12 ± 2 months' corrected age with the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination and the Bayley Scale for Infant Development version-II. RESULTS Both groups were similar in demographic characteristics and perinatal status. No significant differences in neurodevelopmental performance were found. The mental development index was 98.8 (SD 9.0) vs 98.4 (SD 13.1) (p = 0.9) and the psychomotor development index was 91.7 (SD 9.9) vs 95.5 (SD 13.4) (p = 0.2) for the study and reference groups respectively. Neurological assessment showed no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION Although the study group showed a non-significant trend towards a lower score in the psychomotor development index than the reference group, significant differences at 12 months could not be demonstrated. IUGR infants continued to have significantly lower weight, length and head circumference at 1 year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelly Padilla
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, ICGON, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain.
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27
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Kilari A, Mehendale S, Pisal H, Panchanadikar T, Kale A, Joshi S. Nerve growth factor, birth outcome and pre-eclampsia. Int J Dev Neurosci 2010; 29:71-5. [PMID: 20863878 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2010.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2010] [Revised: 09/14/2010] [Accepted: 09/14/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study compares nerve growth factor (NGF) levels between preeclamptic (PE) (n=86) and normotensive (NT) women (n=105) and their associations with blood pressure and infant size. Maternal plasma NGF levels were reduced (p<0.05) in the PE group as compared to the NT group. Furthermore, NGF levels were reduced in PE mothers delivering low birth weight babies (LBW) as compared to NT mothers delivering LBW babies. Maternal NGF levels were negatively (p=0.029) associated with blood pressure in preeclamptic mothers. Cord NGF levels were negatively associated (p=0.026) with birth weight in the normotensive group. NGF levels are differently regulated in preeclamptic and normotensive mothers delivering LBW babies. Future studies need to investigate mechanisms underlying this pathophysiology and follow-up of these babies to better understand the role of NGF in brain development in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anitha Kilari
- Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India
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28
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Abstract
UNLABELLED Recent brain imaging and outcome studies of infants born at very early gestation have cast new light on brain development at a vulnerable stage. Some of these new developments are reviewed in this editorial. CONCLUSION The anatomical differences between the brains of babies born extremely prematurely and those born at term appear to translate into disturbances of function. The challenge for paediatricians is to discover the causes, with the aim of promoting normal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Weindling
- School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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29
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Furness DLF, Dekker GA, Hague WM, Khong TY, Fenech MF. Increased lymphocyte micronucleus frequency in early pregnancy is associated prospectively with pre-eclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction. Mutagenesis 2010; 25:489-98. [PMID: 20581221 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/geq032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome stability is essential for normal foetal growth and development. To date, genome stability in human lymphocytes has not been studied in relation to late pregnancy diseases, such as pre-eclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which can be life-threatening to mother and baby and together affect >10% of pregnancies. We performed a prospective cohort study investigating the association of maternal chromosomal damage in mid-pregnancy (20 weeks gestation) with pregnancy outcomes. Chromosome damage was measured using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMNcyt) assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The odds ratio for PE and/or IUGR in a mixed cohort of low- and high-risk pregnancies (N = 136) and a cohort of only high-risk pregnancies (N = 91) was 15.97 (P = 0.001) and 17.85 (P = 0.007), respectively, if the frequency of lymphocytes with micronuclei (MN) at 20 weeks gestation was greater than the mean + 2 SDs of the cohort. These results suggest that the presence of lymphocyte MN is significantly increased in women who develop PE and/or IUGR before the clinical signs or symptoms appear relative to women with normal pregnancy outcomes. The CBMNcyt assay may provide a new approach for the early detection of women at risk of developing these late pregnancy diseases and for biomonitoring the efficacy of interventions to reduce DNA damage, which may in turn ameliorate pregnancy outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L F Furness
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Robinson Institute, Research Centre for Reproductive Health, The Medical School, Frome Road, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.
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Bergman K, Sarkar P, Glover V, O'Connor TG. Maternal prenatal cortisol and infant cognitive development: moderation by infant-mother attachment. Biol Psychiatry 2010; 67:1026-32. [PMID: 20188350 PMCID: PMC2872196 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2009] [Revised: 11/09/2009] [Accepted: 01/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental animal studies suggest that early glucocorticoid exposure may have lasting effects on the neurodevelopment of the offspring; animal studies also suggest that this effect may be eliminated by positive postnatal rearing. The relevance of these findings to humans is not known. METHODS We prospectively followed 125 mothers and their normally developing children from pregnancy through 17 months postnatal. Amniotic fluid was obtained at, on average, 17.2 weeks gestation; infants were assessed at an average age of 17 months with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and ratings of infant-mother attachment classification were made from the standard Ainsworth Strange Situation assessment. RESULTS Prenatal cortisol exposure, indexed by amniotic fluid levels, negatively predicted cognitive ability in the infant, independent of prenatal, obstetric, and socioeconomic factors. This association was moderated by child-mother attachment: in children with an insecure attachment, the correlation was [r(54) = -.47, p < .001]; in contrast, the association was nonexistent in children who had a secure attachment [r(70) = -.05, ns]. CONCLUSIONS These findings mimic experimental animal findings and provide the first direct human evidence that increased cortisol in utero is associated with impaired cognitive development, and that its impact is dependent on the quality of the mother-infant relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bergman
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology Imperial College London Hammersmith Campus Du Cane Road London W12 0NN UK
| | - Pampa Sarkar
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology Imperial College London Hammersmith Campus Du Cane Road London W12 0NN UK
| | - Vivette Glover
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology Imperial College London Hammersmith Campus Du Cane Road London W12 0NN UK
| | - Thomas G O'Connor
- Wynne Center for Family Research Department of Psychiatry University of Rochester Medical Center 300 Crittenden Blvd, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
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31
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Damodaram M, Story L, Eixarch E, Patel A, McGuinness A, Allsop J, Wyatt-Ashmead J, Kumar S, Rutherford M. Placental MRI in intrauterine fetal growth restriction. Placenta 2010; 31:491-8. [PMID: 20347139 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2010.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2009] [Revised: 02/11/2010] [Accepted: 03/01/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Our objectives were to determine if MR imaging of the placenta could demonstrate a specific placental phenotype in small for gestational age fetuses with increasing severity of fetal growth restriction, and if MRI findings at the time of scan could be used to predict fetal or neonatal mortality. METHOD We included singleton growth restricted fetuses with increasing severity of fetal growth restriction secondary to placental insufficiency. 20 growth restricted fetuses and 28 normal fetuses were scanned once during pregnancy at varying gestations. MRI scans were performed on a 1.5T system using ssFSE sequences through the uterus. Data was collected on the severity of fetal growth restriction and pregnancy outcome, including clinical neonatal details, perinatal mortality, and birthweight and centile. Placental volume, maximal placental thickness, the placental thickness to volume ratio, the placenta to amniotic fluid signal intensity ratio, and the presence of abnormal signal intensity consistent with placental pathology were noted. In a subset of patients, histopathological diagnosis was compared with the MRI appearance of the placenta. RESULTS There was a significant increase in the placental volume affected by pathology in growth restricted fetuses (p < 0.001). The placental appearance was also thickened and globular, with an increase in the placental thickness to volume ratio (p < 0.001). Although placental volume increased with increasing gestation, it remained reduced in the growth restricted fetuses (p = 0.003). There was a significant correlation between the severity of fetal growth restriction and the placental volume affected by pathology, the placental thickness to volume ratio, and the placental volume. ROC analysis showed that fetal or neonatal death was predicted by the percentage of abnormal signal intensity consistent with placental pathology (p = 0.002). The presence of a thickened, globular placenta and a maximal placental thickness to volume ratio above the 95% confidence limit for gestation was significantly associated with an increased incidence of fetal or neonatal mortality (relative risk = 1.615, p = 0.001 and relative risk = 7, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The MRI appearance of the placenta provides an indication of the severity and underlying disease process in fetal growth restriction. In units where MRI imaging of the growth restricted fetus occurs, we suggest that the assessment of the placenta should also occur as it may contribute to management decisions in cases at the threshold of viability. It may have a role to play in monitoring disease severity, and the effect of future interventions designed to improve placental function.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Damodaram
- Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, London, UK.
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32
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Fukumoto K, Morita T, Mayanagi T, Tanokashira D, Yoshida T, Sakai A, Sobue K. Detrimental effects of glucocorticoids on neuronal migration during brain development. Mol Psychiatry 2009; 14:1119-31. [PMID: 19564873 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2009.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids, the most downstream effectors of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, are one of main mediators of the stress reaction. Indeed, exposure to high levels of stress-triggered glucocorticoids is detrimental to brain development associated with abnormal behaviors in experimental animals and the risk of psychiatric disorders in humans. Despite the wealth of this knowledge, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of glucocorticoids on brain development remain unclear. Here, we show that excess glucocorticoids retard the radial migration of post-mitotic neurons during the development of the cerebral cortex, and identify an actin regulatory protein, caldesmon, as the glucocorticoids' main target. The upregulation of caldesmon expression is mediated by glucocorticoid receptor-dependent transcription of the CALD1 gene encoding caldesmon. This upregulated caldesmon negatively controls the function of myosin II, leading to changes in cell shape and migration. The depletion of caldesmon in vivo impairs radial migration. The overexpression of caldesmon also causes delayed radial migration during cortical development, mimicking the excessive glucocorticoid-induced retardation of radial migration. We conclude that an appropriate range of caldesmon expression is critical for radial migration, and that its overexpression induced by excess glucocorticoid retards radial migration during cortical development. Thus, this study provides a novel insight into the underlying mechanism of glucocorticoid-related neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Fukumoto
- Department of Neuroscience (D13), Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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Sliwa E, Dobrowolski P, Piersiak T. Bone development of suckling piglets after prenatal, neonatal or perinatal treatment with dexamethasone. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2009; 94:293-306. [PMID: 19663986 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2008.00909.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the release from growth-inhibiting conditions results in catch-up growth. To investigate animal evidence for whether prenatal dexamethasone (DEX) treatment leads to the development of growth restriction especially reduced mineralization of skeleton, and release from it leads to the phenomenon of catch-up, piglets were prenatally exposed to DEX (3.0 mg/sow per day(-2)) during the last 24 days of prenatal life and tested further in two different ways: discontinued at birth and continued administration of DEX (0.5 mg/kg day(-2)) to piglets through 30 days of neonatal life. Using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry methods, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were measured. The three-point bending test was applied to determine the mechanical properties of the bones. Furthermore, geometric properties of the bones were assessed. Serum concentration of osteocalcin (OC) was determined. Histomorphological analysis of the ribs was also performed. The consequences of neonate DEX treatment and in utero DEX exposure were reflected in a dramatic decrease of BMD, BMC and blood serum OC concentration and geometric parameters of piglets' bones. Prenatal action of DEX during the last 24 days of pregnancy resulted in continued neonatal modification of bone tissues, thus diminishing bone quality, and negatively influenced structural development and mechanical properties, finally increasing the risk of fractures of ribs and limb bones. Prenatal DEX treatment limited to the last 24 days of foetal life did not reduce the term birth weight and the growth of suckling piglets followed up to 30 days of neonatal life, and catch-up in bone mineralization did not occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Sliwa
- Department of Biochemistry and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
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Sliwa E, Dobrowolski P, Tatara MR, Piersiak T, Siwicki A, Rokita E, Pierzynowski SG. Alpha-ketoglutarate protects the liver of piglets exposed during prenatal life to chronic excess of dexamethasone from metabolic and structural changes. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2009; 93:192-202. [PMID: 19320932 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2007.00805.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids play a role in the origin of the features of the metabolic diseases. Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is defined as glutamine homologue and derivative, conditionally an essential amino acid. In the liver, glutamine serves as a precursor for ureagenesis, gluconeogenesis and acute phase protein synthesis The aim of the study was to determine the effect of AKG administered to piglets prenatally exposed to dexamethasone, on the structure of the liver and its metabolic function. Sows were administered with dexamethasone (3 mg/sow/48 h) from day 70 of pregnancy to the parturition, and then after the birth, the piglets were divided into the group administered with AKG (0.4 g/kg body weight) or physiological saline. Biochemical markers, lysozyme and ceruloplasmin serum activities, concentrations of selected free amino acids, macro- and microelements and histomorphometry of the liver tissue were determined. The total cholesterol concentrations in the sows and their newborns from the Dex groups were higher by 72% and 64%, respectively, compared with the control groups. Triacylglycerol concentration was higher by 50% in sows from the Dex group and 55% in the new-born piglets. Alpha-ketoglutarate administered to the piglets after prenatal influence of dexamethasone lowered the total cholesterol concentration by 40%, and enhanced aspartate by 41%, serine by 76%, glutamate by 105%, glutamine by 36%, glycine by 53% and arginine by 105%, as well as methionine and cystathionine, but increased the sulphur concentration compared with the control (p < 0.01). Intracellular space D decreased after AKG administration in comparison with the piglets from Dex/Control group not treated with AKG. Postnatal administration of AKG had a protective effect on liver structure, and lowered the total cholesterol concentration in piglets prenatally exposed to dexamethasone, and also influenced selected macro- and microelement serum concentrations and amino acids plasma concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Sliwa
- Department of Animal Physiology, Agricultural University, Lublin, Poland.
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Derauf C, Kekatpure M, Neyzi N, Lester B, Kosofsky B. Neuroimaging of children following prenatal drug exposure. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2009; 20:441-54. [PMID: 19560049 PMCID: PMC2704485 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2009.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2008] [Revised: 03/02/2009] [Accepted: 03/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in MR-based brain imaging methods have provided unprecedented capabilities to visualize the brain. Application of these methods has allowed identification of brain structures and patterns of functional activation altered in offspring of mothers who used licit (e.g., alcohol and tobacco) and illicit (e.g., cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana) drugs during pregnancy. Here we review that literature, which though somewhat limited by the complexities of separating the specific effects of each drug from other confounding variables, points to sets of interconnected brain structures as being altered following prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse. In particular, dopamine-rich cortical (e.g., frontal cortex) and subcortical (e.g., basal ganglia) fetal brain structures show evidence of vulnerability to intrauterine drug exposure suggesting that during brain development drugs of abuse share a specific profile of developmental neurotoxicity. Such brain malformations may shed light on mechanisms underlying prenatal drug-induced brain injury, may serve as bio-markers of significant intrauterine drug exposure, and may additionally be predictors of subsequent neuro-developmental compromise. Wider clinical use of these research-based non-invasive methods will allow for improved diagnosis and allocation of therapeutic resources for affected infants, children, and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Derauf
- John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
| | - Minal Kekatpure
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Nurunisa Neyzi
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
| | - Barry Lester
- Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants’ Hospital, Providence, RI
| | - Barry Kosofsky
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY
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Choi H, Rauh V, Garfinkel R, Tu Y, Perera FP. Prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and risk of intrauterine growth restriction. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2008; 116:658-65. [PMID: 18470316 PMCID: PMC2367680 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.10958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2007] [Accepted: 01/28/2008] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous air pollutants generated by combustion of organic material, including fossil fuel. OBJECTIVES It has been an open question whether prenatal exposure to air pollution in general and PAHs in particular significantly increases the risk of intrauterine growth restriction, including small size for gestational age (SGA), and preterm delivery. Here, we have examined this hypothesis in a cohort of mothers and newborns in New York City. METHODS Subjects were young, nonsmoking, healthy African-American (n = 224) and Dominican (n = 392) mother-newborn pairs residing in New York City whose prenatal PAH exposures were estimated by personal air monitoring. Questionnaire and medical record data were obtained. RESULTS A 1 natural-log (ln)-unit increase in prenatal PAH exposure was associated with a 2-fold increase in risk of symmetric intrauterine growth restriction (i.e., SGA and fetal growth ratio < 85%) among full-term African Americans (p < 0.05). Preterm delivery risk was 5-fold greater among African Americans per ln-unit increase in prenatal PAH exposure. The same unit increase in exposure significantly increased the ratio of head circumference to birth weight by 0.04% in African Americans. These effects were not observed in Dominicans. CONCLUSION Prenatal PAH exposure is likely to contribute to the occurrence of SGA as well as preterm births among African Americans. The lack of an association in Dominicans might reflect modification of the risk by healthful cultural practices among recent Dominican immigrants. Given that PAHs are globally generated and distributed pollutants, our observations have potential implications for environmental health and energy policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunok Choi
- Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Virginia Rauh
- Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robin Garfinkel
- Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yihsuan Tu
- Department of Statistics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Frederica P. Perera
- Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Address correspondence to F.P. Perera, Columbia University, 100 Haven Ave., #25F, Tower 3, New York, NY 10032 USA. Telephone: (212) 304-7280. Fax: (212) 544-1943. E-mail:
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Slotkin TA, Seidler FJ, Wood CR, Lau C. Development of glucocorticoid receptor regulation in the rat forebrain: implications for adverse effects of glucocorticoids in preterm infants. Brain Res Bull 2008; 76:531-5. [PMID: 18534262 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2008.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2008] [Revised: 02/12/2008] [Accepted: 03/07/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are the consensus treatment to avoid respiratory distress in preterm infants but there is accumulating evidence that these agents evoke long-term neurobehavioral deficits. Earlier, we showed that the developing rat forebrain is far more sensitive to glucocorticoid-induced disruption in the fetus than in the neonate. Feedback regulation of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) is an essential homeostatic mechanism and we therefore examined the development of GR downregulation in the perinatal period. Pregnant rats or newborn pups were given dexamethasone daily (gestational days 17-19, postnatal days 1-3, or postnatal days 7-9), ranging from doses below that recommended for use in preterm infants (0.05 mg/kg) to therapeutic doses (0.2 or 0.8 mg/kg). Twenty-four hours after the last injection, we determined forebrain GR protein by Western blotting. Although postnatal dexamethasone treatment downregulated GRs at all doses, the fetal forebrain failed to show any decrement and instead exhibited slight GR upregulation. In controls, forebrain GR levels also showed a large increment over the course from late gestation through the second postnatal week, despite the fact that circulating glucocorticoid levels increase substantially during this period. Our results suggest that GR homeostasis develops primarily postnatally and that fetal inability to downregulate GRs in the face of exogenous glucocorticoid administration plays a role in the vulnerability of key neural circuits to developmental disruption. Since this developmental phase in the rat corresponds to the critical period in which glucocorticoids are used in preterm infants, adverse effects on brain development may be inescapable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore A Slotkin
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Bibliography. Current world literature. Growth and development. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes 2007; 14:74-89. [PMID: 17940424 DOI: 10.1097/med.0b013e32802e6d87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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