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Davidson TL, Stevenson RJ. Vulnerability of the Hippocampus to Insults: Links to Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1991. [PMID: 38396670 PMCID: PMC10888241 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25041991] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a critical brain substrate for learning and memory; events that harm the hippocampus can seriously impair mental and behavioral functioning. Hippocampal pathophysiologies have been identified as potential causes and effects of a remarkably diverse array of medical diseases, psychological disorders, and environmental sources of damage. It may be that the hippocampus is more vulnerable than other brain areas to insults that are related to these conditions. One purpose of this review is to assess the vulnerability of the hippocampus to the most prevalent types of insults in multiple biomedical domains (i.e., neuroactive pathogens, neurotoxins, neurological conditions, trauma, aging, neurodegenerative disease, acquired brain injury, mental health conditions, endocrine disorders, developmental disabilities, nutrition) and to evaluate whether these insults affect the hippocampus first and more prominently compared to other brain loci. A second purpose is to consider the role of hippocampal blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown in either causing or worsening the harmful effects of each insult. Recent research suggests that the hippocampal BBB is more fragile compared to other brain areas and may also be more prone to the disruption of the transport mechanisms that act to maintain the internal milieu. Moreover, a compromised BBB could be a factor that is common to many different types of insults. Our analysis indicates that the hippocampus is more vulnerable to insults compared to other parts of the brain, and that developing interventions that protect the hippocampal BBB may help to prevent or ameliorate the harmful effects of many insults on memory and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry L. Davidson
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA
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2
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Tan J, Zhang G, Hao J, Cai H, Wu D, Su Z, Liu B, Wu M. Progress in the application of molecular imaging in psychiatric disorders. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad020. [PMID: 38666107 PMCID: PMC10917387 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders have always attracted a lot of attention from researchers due to the difficulties in their diagnoses and treatments. Molecular imaging, as an emerging technology, has played an important role in the researchers of various diseases. In recent years, molecular imaging techniques including magnetic resonance spectroscopy, nuclear medicine imaging, and fluorescence imaging have been widely used in the study of psychiatric disorders. This review will briefly summarize the progression of molecular imaging in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Tan
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Guangying Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Banan People's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400037, China
| | - Jiaqi Hao
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Huawei Cai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Laboratory of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dingping Wu
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhuoxiao Su
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Beibei Liu
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Radiology and Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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3
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Xie X, Shi Y, Ma L, Yang W, Pu J, Shen Y, Liu Y, Zhang H, Lv F, Hu L. Altered neurometabolite levels in the brains of patients with depression: A systematic analysis of magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies. J Affect Disord 2023; 328:95-102. [PMID: 36521666 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies have reported metabolic abnormalities in the brains of patients with depression, although inconsistent results have been reported. The aim of this study was to explore changes in neurometabolite levels in patients with depression across large-scale MRS studies. METHOD A total of 307 differential metabolite entries associated with depression were retrieved from 180 MRS studies retrieved from the Metabolite Network of Depression Database. The vote-counting method was used to identify consistently altered metabolites in the whole brain and specific brain regions of patients with depression. RESULTS Only few differential neurometabolites showed a stable change trend. The levels of total choline (tCho) and the tCho/N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) ratio were consistently higher in the brains of patients with depression, and that the levels of NAA, glutamate and glutamine (Glx), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were lower. For specific brain regions, we found lower Glx levels in the prefrontal cortex and lower GABA concentrations in the occipital cortex. We also found lower concentrations of NAA in the anterior cingulate cortex and prefrontal cortex. The levels of tCho were higher in the prefrontal cortex and putamen. CONCLUSION Our results revealed that most altered neurometabolites in previous studies lack of adequate reproducibility. Through vote-counting method with large-scale studies, downregulation of glutamatergic neurometabolites, impaired neuronal integrity, and disturbed membrane metabolism were found in the pathobiology of depression, which contribute to existing knowledge of neurometabolic changes in depression. Further studies based on a larger dataset are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiongfei Xie
- Department of Radiology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Shi
- Department of Radiology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Department of Radiology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenqin Yang
- Department of Radiology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Juncai Pu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiqing Shen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yiyun Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hanping Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment on Brain Functional Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Fajin Lv
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Liangbo Hu
- Department of Radiology, Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
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4
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Valkenborghs SR, Hillman CH, Al‐Iedani O, Nilsson M, Smith JJ, Leahy AA, Harries SK, Ramadan S, Lubans DR. Effect of high-intensity interval training on hippocampal metabolism in older adolescents. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14090. [PMID: 35599295 PMCID: PMC9787522 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although well-evidenced in older adults, the effects of exercise on the hippocampus in youth are relatively unknown. This study examined the impact of a 6-month school-based physical activity intervention on hippocampal metabolism in adolescents using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A subset of lower fit older adolescents [N = 56, 61% female, 16.1 ± 0.4 years] was included from four secondary schools (10 classes) in New South Wales, Australia, who were participating in a larger cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to the Burn 2 Learn (B2L) intervention (five classes, 30 participants) or a control group (five classes, 26 participants). Changes in hippocampal metabolism were assessed using linear mixed models adjusted for clustering at the class level. We observed group-by-time effects for the B2L intervention on N-acetylaspartate (NAA) (+2.66 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.20 to 5.11, d = 0.66) and glutamate+glutamine (Glx) (+3.38 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.34 to 6.42, d = 0.67) in the left hippocampus. Increases in left hippocampal NAA and Glx concentrations were associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (NAA: rs = 0.52, p = .016; Glx: rs = 0.57, p = .007), lower body muscular fitness (NAA: rs = 0.49, p = .018; Glx: rs = 0.59, p = .003), and working memory (NAA: rs = 0.42, p = .032; Glx: rs = 0.43, p = .028) in the intervention group. Our findings suggest physical activity may improve hippocampal metabolism in lower fit older adolescents with implications for working memory. Further studies involving larger samples are needed to replicate our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ruth Valkenborghs
- School of Biomedical Sciences and PharmacyThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Charles H. Hillman
- Center for Cognitive & Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation SciencesNortheastern UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Oun Al‐Iedani
- School of Health SciencesThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Michael Nilsson
- Centre for Rehab InnovationsThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain InjuryThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of Medicine and Public HealthThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jordan J. Smith
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Angus Aaron Leahy
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Simon K. Harries
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Saadallah Ramadan
- School of Health SciencesThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David Revalds Lubans
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
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5
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Swanberg KM, Campos L, Abdallah CG, Juchem C. Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2022; 6:24705470221128004. [PMID: 36237981 PMCID: PMC9551353 DOI: 10.1177/24705470221128004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
A stressor-related disorder wherein traumatic experience precipitates protracted
disruptions to mood and cognition, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is
associated with wide-ranging abnormalities across the body. While various
methods have investigated these deviations, only proton magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (1H MRS) enables noninvasive measurement of
small-molecule metabolites in the living human. 1H MRS has
correspondingly been employed to test hypotheses about the composition and
function of multiple brain regions putatively involved in PTSD. Here we
systematically review methodological considerations and reported findings, both
positive and negative, of the current 1H-MRS literature in PTSD
(N = 32 studies) to communicate the brain regional metabolite alterations
heretofore observed, providing random-effects model meta-analyses for those most
extensively studied. Our review suggests significant PTSD-associated decreases
in N-acetyl aspartate in bilateral hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex
with less evident effect in other metabolites and regions. Model heterogeneities
diverged widely by analysis (I2 < 0.01% to 90.1%) and suggested
regional dependence on quantification reference (creatine or otherwise). While
observed variabilities in methods and reported findings suggest that
1H-MRS explorations of PTSD could benefit from methodological
standardization, informing this standardization by quantitative assessment of
the existing literature is currently hampered by its small size and limited
scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelley M. Swanberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Columbia
University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied
Science, New York, NY, USA
- Kelley M. Swanberg, Department of
Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University Fu Foundation School of Engineering
and Applied Science, 351 Engineering Terrace, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York,
NY 10027, USA.
| | - Leonardo Campos
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Columbia
University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied
Science, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chadi G. Abdallah
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of
Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience Division, Department of Veterans Affairs
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Veterans Affairs Connecticut
Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
Baylor College
of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christoph Juchem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Columbia
University Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied
Science, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
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6
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Shyu C, Elsaid S, Truong P, Chavez S, Le Foll B. MR Spectroscopy of the Insula: Within- and between-Session Reproducibility of MEGA-PRESS Measurements of GABA+ and Other Metabolites. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11111538. [PMID: 34827537 PMCID: PMC8615582 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The insula plays a critical role in many neuropsychological disorders. Research investigating its neurochemistry with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been limited compared with cortical regions. Here, we investigate the within-session and between-session reproducibility of metabolite measurements in the insula on a 3T scanner. We measure N-acetylaspartate + N-acetylaspartylglutamate (tNAA), creatine + phosphocreatine (tCr), glycerophosphocholine + phosphocholine (tCho), myo-inositol (Ins), glutamate + glutamine (Glx), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in one cohort using a j-edited MEGA-PRESS sequence. We measure tNAA, tCr, tCho, Ins, and Glx in another cohort with a standard short-TE PRESS sequence as a reference for the reproducibility metrics. All participants were scanned 4 times identically: 2 back-to-back scans each day, on 2 days. Preprocessing was done using LCModel and Gannet. Reproducibility was determined using Pearson’s r, intraclass-correlation coefficients (ICC), coefficients of variation (CV%), and Bland–Altman plots. A MEGA-PRESS protocol requiring averaged results over two 6:45-min scans yielded reproducible GABA measurements (CV% = 7.15%). This averaging also yielded reproducibility metrics comparable to those from PRESS for the other metabolites. Voxel placement inconsistencies did not affect reproducibility, and no sex differences were found. The data suggest that MEGA-PRESS can reliably measure standard metabolites and GABA in the insula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Shyu
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (C.S.); (S.E.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (P.T.); (S.C.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sonja Elsaid
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (C.S.); (S.E.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (P.T.); (S.C.)
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Peter Truong
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (P.T.); (S.C.)
| | - Sofia Chavez
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada; (P.T.); (S.C.)
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Brain and Therapeutics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (C.S.); (S.E.)
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Brain and Therapeutics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Concurrent Outpatient Medical & Psychosocial Addiction Support Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada
- Acute Care Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M6J 1H3, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-416-535-8501
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7
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Karanikas E. Psychologically Traumatic Oxidative Stress; A Comprehensive Review of Redox Mechanisms and Related Inflammatory Implications. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY BULLETIN 2021; 51:65-86. [PMID: 34887600 PMCID: PMC8601764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The organism's energy requirements for homeostatic balance are covered by the redox mechanisms. Yet in case of psychologically traumatic stress, allostatic regulations activate both pro-oxidant and antioxidant molecules as well as respective components of the inflammatory system. Thus a new setpoint of dynamic interactions among redox elements is reached. Similarly, a multifaceted interplay between redox and inflammatory fields is activated with the mediation of major effector systems such as the immune system, Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis, kynurenine, and the glycaemic regulatory one. In case of sustained and/or intense traumatic stress the prophylactic antioxidant components are inadequate to provide the organism with neuroprotection finally culminating in Oxidative Stress and subsequently to cellular apoptosis. In parallel multiple inflammatory systems trigger and/or are triggered by the redox systems in tight fashion so that the causation sequence appears obscure. This exhaustive review aims at the comprehension of the interaction among components of the redox system as well as to the collection of disperse findings relative to the redox-inflammatory interplay in the context of traumatic stress so that new research strategies could be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelos Karanikas
- Karanikas, Department of Psychiatry, General Military Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
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8
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Merz EC, Monk C, Bansal R, Sawardekar S, Lee S, Feng T, Spann M, Foss S, McDonough L, Werner E, Peterson BS. Neonatal brain metabolite concentrations: Associations with age, sex, and developmental outcomes. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243255. [PMID: 33332379 PMCID: PMC7746171 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Age and sex differences in brain metabolite concentrations in early life are not well understood. We examined the associations of age and sex with brain metabolite levels in healthy neonates, and investigated the associations between neonatal brain metabolite concentrations and developmental outcomes. Forty-one infants (36–42 gestational weeks at birth; 39% female) of predominantly Hispanic/Latina mothers (mean 18 years of age) underwent MRI scanning approximately two weeks after birth. Multiplanar chemical shift imaging was used to obtain voxel-wise maps of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine, and choline concentrations across the brain. The Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, a measure of cognitive, language, and motor skills, and mobile conjugate reinforcement paradigm, a measure of learning and memory, were administered at 4 months of age. Findings indicated that postmenstrual age correlated positively with NAA concentrations in multiple subcortical and white matter regions. Creatine and choline concentrations showed similar but less pronounced age related increases. Females compared with males had higher metabolite levels in white matter and subcortical gray matter. Neonatal NAA concentrations were positively associated with learning and negatively associated with memory at 4 months. Age-related increases in NAA, creatine, and choline suggest rapid development of neuronal viability, cellular energy metabolism, and cell membrane turnover, respectively, during early life. Females may undergo earlier and more rapid regional developmental increases in the density of viable neurons compared to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Merz
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Catherine Monk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Ravi Bansal
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Siddhant Sawardekar
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Tianshu Feng
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Marisa Spann
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Sophie Foss
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Laraine McDonough
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, New York, New York, United States of America
- City University of New York Graduate Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Werner
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
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9
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Harnett NG, Goodman AM, Knight DC. PTSD-related neuroimaging abnormalities in brain function, structure, and biochemistry. Exp Neurol 2020; 330:113331. [PMID: 32343956 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Although approximately 90% of the U.S. population will experience a traumatic event within their lifetime, only a fraction of those traumatized individuals will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, approximately 7 out of 100 people in the U.S. will be afflicted by this debilitating condition, which suggests there is substantial inter-individual variability in susceptibility to PTSD. This uncertainty regarding who is susceptible to PTSD necessitates a thorough understanding of the neurobiological processes that underlie PTSD development in order to build effective predictive models for the disorder. In turn, these predictive models may lead to the development of improved diagnostic markers, early intervention techniques, and targeted treatment approaches for PTSD. Prior research has characterized a fear learning and memory network, centered on the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala, that plays a key role in the pathology of PTSD. Importantly, changes in the function, structure, and biochemistry of this network appear to underlie the cognitive-affective dysfunction observed in PTSD. The current review discusses prior research that has demonstrated alterations in brain function, structure, and biochemistry associated with PTSD. Further, the potential for future research to address current gaps in our understanding of the neural processes that underlie the development of PTSD is discussed. Specifically, this review emphasizes the need for multimodal neuroimaging research and investigations into the acute effects of posttraumatic stress. The present review provides a framework to move the field towards a comprehensive neurobiological model of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel G Harnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Adam M Goodman
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - David C Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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10
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Churchill NW, Hutchison MG, Graham SJ, Schweizer TA. Neurometabolites and sport-related concussion: From acute injury to one year after medical clearance. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 27:102258. [PMID: 32388345 PMCID: PMC7215245 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Sport-related concussion is associated with acute disturbances in neurometabolic function, with effects that may last weeks to months after injury. However, is presently unknown whether these disturbances resolve at medical clearance to return to play (RTP) or continue to evolve over longer time intervals. Moreover, little is known about how these neurometabolic changes correlate with other measures of brain physiology. In this study, these gaps were addressed by evaluating ninety-nine (99) university-level athletes, including 33 with sport-related concussion and 66 without recent injury, using multi-parameter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which included single-voxel spectroscopy (SVS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). The concussed athletes were scanned at the acute phase of injury (27/33 imaged), medical clearance to RTP (25/33 imaged), one month post-RTP (25/33 imaged) and one year post-RTP (13/33 imaged). We measured longitudinal changes in N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) and myo-inositol (Ins), over the course of concussion recovery. Concussed athletes showed no significant abnormalities or longitudinal change in NAA values, whereas Ins was significantly elevated at RTP and one month later. Interestingly, Ins response was attenuated by a prior history of concussion. Subsequent analyses identified significant associations between Ins values, DTI measures of white matter microstructure and fMRI measures of functional connectivity. These associations varied over the course of concussion recovery, suggesting that elevated Ins values at RTP and beyond reflect distinct changes in brain physiology, compared to acute injury. These findings provide novel information about neurometabolic recovery after a sport-related concussion, with evidence of disturbances that persist beyond medical clearance to RTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Churchill
- Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Michael G Hutchison
- Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Simon J Graham
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Physical Sciences Platform, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tom A Schweizer
- Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Faculty of Medicine (Neurosurgery) University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) at the University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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11
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Han D, Han F, Shi Y, Zheng S, Wen L. Mechanisms of Memory Impairment Induced by Orexin-A via Orexin 1 and Orexin 2 Receptors in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Rats. Neuroscience 2020; 432:126-136. [PMID: 32112915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients exhibit abnormal learning and memory. Axons from orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus innervate the hippocampus, modulating learning and memory via the orexin 1 and 2 receptors (OX1R and OX2R). However, the role of the orexin system in the learning and memory dysfunction observed in PTSD is unknown. This was investigated in the present study using PTSD animal model-single prolonged stress (SPS) rats. Spatial learning and memory in the rats were evaluated with the Morris water maze (MWM) test; changes in body weight and food intake were recorded to assess changes in appetite; and the expression of orexin-A and its receptors in the hypothalamus and hippocampus was examined and quantified by immunohistochemistry, western blotting and real-time PCR. The results showed that spatial memory was impaired and food intake was decreased in SPS rats; this was accompanied by downregulation of orexin-A in the hypothalamus and upregulation of OX1R and OX2R in the hippocampus and of OX1R in the hypothalamus. Intracerebroventricular administration of orexin-A improved spatial memory and enhanced appetite in SPS rats and partly reversed the increases in OX1R and OX2R levels in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. These results suggest that the orexin system plays a critical role in the memory and appetite dysfunction observed in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Han
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Sciences College, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, PR China; Department of Neonatology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing North Street, Heping Area, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Fang Han
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Sciences College, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, PR China
| | - Yuxiu Shi
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Sciences College, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, PR China.
| | - Shilei Zheng
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Sciences College, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, PR China
| | - Lili Wen
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical Sciences College, China Medical University, No. 77 Puhe Road, Shenyang North New Area, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, PR China
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12
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Inflammation in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Review of Potential Correlates of PTSD with a Neurological Perspective. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9020107. [PMID: 31991875 PMCID: PMC7070581 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9020107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic condition characterized by symptoms of physiological and psychosocial burden. While growing research demonstrated signs of inflammation in PTSD, specific biomarkers that may be representative of PTSD such as the detailed neural correlates underlying the inflammatory responses in relation to trauma exposure are seldom discussed. Here, we review recent studies that explored alterations in key inflammatory markers in PTSD, as well as neuroimaging-based studies that further investigated signs of inflammation within the brain in PTSD, as to provide a comprehensive summary of recent literature with a neurological perspective. A search was conducted on studies published from 2009 through 2019 in PubMed and Web of Science. Fifty original articles were selected. Major findings included elevated levels of serum proinflammatory cytokines in individuals with PTSD across various trauma types, as compared with those without PTSD. Furthermore, neuroimaging-based studies demonstrated that altered inflammatory markers are associated with structural and functional alterations in brain regions that are responsible for the regulation of stress and emotion, including the amygdala, hippocampus, and frontal cortex. Future studies that utilize both central and peripheral inflammatory markers are warranted to elucidate the underlying neurological pathway of the pathophysiology of PTSD.
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13
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Wang W, Sun H, Su X, Tan Q, Zhang S, Xia C, Li L, Kemp GJ, Yue Q, Gong Q. Increased right amygdala metabolite concentrations in the absence of atrophy in children and adolescents with PTSD. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 28:807-817. [PMID: 30392119 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-018-1241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with dysfunction of the limbic system, in which the amygdala plays an important role. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the neurochemical concentrations assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the amygdala are abnormal in children and adolescents with PTSD. Twenty-eight pediatric PTSD patients (11 boys, 17 girls) and 24 matched trauma-exposed control subjects (9 boys, 15 girls) underwent magnetic resonance brain imaging and 1H-MRS of the bilateral amygdalae. The concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI), total creatine (tCr) and total choline (tCho) in the right amygdala were significantly increased in PTSD patients compared with trauma-exposed control subjects. There were significant group-by-age interactions in the left amygdala NAA and right amygdala mI concentrations: older pediatric patients with PTSD had higher left amygdala NAA concentration and younger patients had higher right amygdala mI concentration than trauma-exposed control subjects. There was also a significant correlation between right mI concentration and time since trauma in PTSD patients. Finally, there was significant group-by-age interaction in the left amygdala volume; intragroup analysis revealed that the right amygdala volume was significantly lower than the left in the PTSD group, but not in the control group. These neurochemical abnormalities of the amygdala may indicate that dysfunctions of both neurons and glial cells are involved in the pathology of pediatric PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huaiqiang Sun
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaorui Su
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiaoyue Tan
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Simin Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunchao Xia
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingjiang Li
- Mental Health Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Graham J Kemp
- Liverpool Magnetic Resonance Imaging Centre (LiMRIC) and Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Qiang Yue
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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14
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Rousseau P, El Khoury-Malhame M, Reynaud E, Zendjidjian X, Samuelian J, Khalfa S. Neurobiological correlates of EMDR therapy effect in PTSD. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TRAUMA & DISSOCIATION 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejtd.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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15
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Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder is a serious and often disabling syndrome that develops in response to a traumatic event. Many individuals who initially develop the disorder go on to experience a chronic form of the condition that in some cases can last for many years. Among these patients, psychiatric and medical comorbidities are common, including early onset of age-related conditions such as chronic pain, cardiometabolic disease, neurocognitive disorders, and dementia. The hallmark symptoms of posttraumatic stress-recurrent sensory-memory reexperiencing of the trauma(s)-are associated with concomitant activations of threat- and stress-related neurobiological pathways that occur against a tonic backdrop of sleep disturbance and heightened physiological arousal. Emerging evidence suggests that the molecular consequences of this stress-perpetuating syndrome include elevated systemic levels of oxidative stress and inflammation. In this article we review evidence for the involvement of oxidative stress and inflammation in chronic PTSD and the neurobiological consequences of these processes, including accelerated cellular aging and neuroprogression. Our aim is to update and expand upon previous reviews of this rapidly developing literature and to discuss magnetic resonance spectroscopy as an imaging technology uniquely suited to measuring oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in vivo. Finally, we highlight future directions for research and avenues for the development of novel therapeutics targeting oxidative stress and inflammation in patients with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark W Miller
- From the Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine (Drs. M. W. Miller, Wolf, and D. R. Miller); National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA (Drs. M. W. Miller, Wolf, and D. R. Miller); Harvard Medical School and Department of Radiology, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA (Dr. Lin)
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16
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Quadrelli S, Tosh N, Urquhart A, Trickey K, Tremewan R, Galloway G, Rich L, Lea R, Malycha P, Mountford C. Post-traumatic stress disorder affects fucose-α(1-2)-glycans in the human brain: preliminary findings of neuro deregulation using in vivo two-dimensional neuro MR spectroscopy. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:27. [PMID: 30659168 PMCID: PMC6338732 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0365-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is triggered by experiencing terrifying event(s) for which there is currently no objective test for a definitive diagnosis. We report a pilot study where two-dimensional (2D) neuro magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), collected at 3 T in a clinical scanner with a 64-channel head coil, identifies neuro deregulation in the PTSD cohort. The control subjects (n = 10) were compared with PTSD participants with minimal co-morbidities (n = 10). The 2D MRS identified statistically significant increases in the total spectral region containing both free substrate fucose and fucosylated glycans of 31% (P = 0.0013), two of multiple fucosylated glycans (Fuc IV and VI) were elevated by 48% (P = 0.002), and 41% (P = 0.02), respectively, imidazole was increased by 12% (P = 0.002), and lipid saturation was increased by 12.5% (P = 0.009). This is the first evidence of fucosylated glycans, reported in animals to be involved in learning and memory, to be affected in humans with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Quadrelli
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia ,0000 0000 8831 109Xgrid.266842.cCenter for MR in Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308 Australia ,0000000089150953grid.1024.7Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000 Australia ,0000 0004 0380 2017grid.412744.0Radiology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Nathan Tosh
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia ,0000000089150953grid.1024.7Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000 Australia
| | - Aaron Urquhart
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Katie Trickey
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Rosanna Tremewan
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Graham Galloway
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Lisa Rich
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Rodney Lea
- 0000000089150953grid.1024.7Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000 Australia
| | - Peter Malycha
- 0000000406180938grid.489335.0Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024 Australia
| | - Carolyn Mountford
- Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4024, Australia. .,Center for MR in Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2308, Australia.
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17
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Prasad A, Chaichi A, Kelley DP, Francis J, Gartia MR. Current and future functional imaging techniques for post-traumatic stress disorder. RSC Adv 2019; 9:24568-24594. [PMID: 35527877 PMCID: PMC9069787 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra03562a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stressor related psychiatric disorder associated with structural, metabolic, and molecular alternations in several brain regions including diverse cortical areas, neuroendocrine regions, the striatum, dopaminergic, adrenergic and serotonergic pathways, and the limbic system. We are in critical need of novel therapeutics and biomarkers for PTSD and a deep understanding of cutting edge imaging and spectroscopy methods is necessary for the development of promising new approaches to better diagnose and treat the disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criterion, all forms of traumatic stress-induced disorder are considered acute stress disorder for the first month following the stressor. Only after symptoms do not remit for one month can the disorder be deemed PTSD. It would be particularly useful to differentiate between acute stress disorder and PTSD during the one month waiting period so that more intensive treatments can be applied early on to patients with a high likelihood of developing PTSD. This would potentially enhance treatment outcomes and/or prevent the development of PTSD. Comprehension of the qualities and limitations of currently applied methods as well as the novel emerging techniques provide invaluable knowledge for fast paced development. Conventional methods of studying PTSD have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis, measurement of treatment efficacy, and monitoring disease progression. As the field currently stands, there is no diagnostic biomarker available for any psychiatric disease, PTSD included. Currently, emerging and available technologies are not utilized to their full capacity and in appropriate experimental designs for the most fruitful possible studies in this area. Therefore, there is an apparent need for improved methods in PTSD research. This review demonstrates the current state of the literature in PTSD, including molecular, cellular, and behavioral indicators, possible biomarkers and clinical and pre-clinical imaging techniques relevant to PTSD, and through this, elucidate the void of current practical imaging and spectroscopy methods that provide true biomarkers for the disorder and the significance of devising new techniques for future investigations. We are unlikely to develop a single biomarker for any psychiatric disorder however. As psychiatric disorders are incomparably complex compared to other medical diagnoses, its most likely that transcriptomic, metabolomic and structural and connectomic imaging data will have to be analyzed in concert in order to produce a dependable non-behavioral marker of PTSD. This can explain the necessity of bridging conventional approaches to novel technologies in order to create a framework for further discoveries in the treatment of PTSD. Conventional methods of studying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis. We have reviewed clinical and preclinical imaging techniques as well as molecular, cellular, and behavioral indicators for PTSD.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisha Prasad
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Ardalan Chaichi
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - D. Parker Kelley
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences
- School of Veterinary Medicine
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Joseph Francis
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences
- School of Veterinary Medicine
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Manas Ranjan Gartia
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
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18
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Quadrelli S, Mountford C, Ramadan S. Systematic review of in-vivo neuro magnetic resonance spectroscopy for the assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2018; 282:110-125. [PMID: 30097168 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stressor-related disorder that results in complex somatic, cognitive, affective and behavioural effects, after exposure to traumatic event(s). Conventional imaging (T1 and T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging) has little to offer in the way of diagnosis of mental health conditions such as PTSD and there is currently no objective diagnostic test available. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows for non-invasive measurement of metabolites and neurochemicals in the brain using a conventional MRI scanner and offers the potential to predict, diagnose and monitor PTSD. This systematic review summarises the results of 24 MRS studies, performed between 1998 and 2017, to measure neurochemical differences, occurring as a consequence of PTSD. The most consistent finding in subjects with PTSD is lower N-acetylaspartate levels in the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex, with and without atrophic change. More recent studies, using more advanced techniques and modern hardware, have shown evidence of glutamatergic dysfunction and differences in gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in the brain of patients with PTSD. Conflicting results have been reported in choline-containing metabolites and there is emerging evidence of glutathione being affected. Myo-inositol and creatine are unchanged in the majority of studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Quadrelli
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Department of Radiology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, 199 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024, Australia; The Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024, Australia; The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Carolyn Mountford
- The Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, QLD 4024, Australia
| | - Saadallah Ramadan
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
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19
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Milani ACC, Foerster B, Cogo-Moreira H, Farias TMDB, Salido F, Carrete H, Mello MF, Jackowski AP. A Longitudinal 1H-MRS Study of the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus in Child and Adolescent Victims of Multiple Forms of Violence. CHRONIC STRESS 2018; 2:2470547018763359. [PMID: 32440581 PMCID: PMC7219876 DOI: 10.1177/2470547018763359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background The anterior cingulate gyrus is involved in the extinction of conditioned fear responses and is implicated in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder. The expression of N-acetylaspartate and choline may be altered in the anterior cingulate gyri of children and adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder. Methods We conducted a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study, longitudinally investigating N-acetylaspartate/creatine and choline/creatine ratios in the anterior cingulate gyri of children and adolescents, aged from 8 to 12 years, who had been exposed to various forms of violence or were non-trauma control. Based on baseline posttraumatic stress symptoms ("sub-clinical"), participants were divided into two groups: posttraumatic stress (n = 19) and control (n = 19). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans were repeated a year later in trauma exposed participants. Trauma assessments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Results Exploratory analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between follow-up anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine and Childhood Trauma Questionnaire scores in posttraumatic stress (r = -0.62, p = 0.01) but not control group (r = 0.16, p = 0.66). However, we found no significant differences in anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine or choline/creatine between posttraumatic stress and control. In addition, there were no significant effects of time, group, or time-by-group interactions. Conclusions In this pediatric population, anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine and choline/creatine were not affected by posttraumatic stress and on average these metabolites remained stable over time. However, the study provided intriguing preliminary evidence revealing that participants suffering from posttraumatic stress at baseline have shown, a year later, reduced anterior cingulate gyrus N-acetylaspartate/creatine among those with high trauma severity. This pilot evidence warrants replication in future studies to confirm these findings and to determine the longitudinal effects and interactions between childhood posttraumatic stress and trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernd Foerster
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Hugo Cogo-Moreira
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Francisco Salido
- 2Department of Radiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henrique Carrete
- 2Department of Radiology, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Feijo Mello
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
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20
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Shin JE, Choi CH, Lee JM, Kwon JS, Lee SH, Kim HC, Han NY, Choi SH, Yoo SY. Association between memory impairment and brain metabolite concentrations in North Korean refugees with posttraumatic stress disorder. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188953. [PMID: 29216235 PMCID: PMC5720673 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had experiences of enormous psychological stress that can result in neurocognitive and neurochemical changes. To date, the causal relationship between them remains unclear. The present study is to investigate the association between neurocognitive characteristics and neural metabolite concentrations in North Korean refugees with PTSD. A total of 53 North Korean refugees with or without PTSD underwent neurocognitive function tests. For neural metabolite scanning, magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been conducted. We assessed between-group differences in neurocognitive test scores and metabolite levels. Additionally, a multiple regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the association between neurocognitive function and metabolite levels in patients with PTSD. Memory function, but not other neurocognitive functions, was significantly lower in the PTSD group compared with the non-PTSD group. Hippocampal N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels were not different between groups; however, NAA levels were significantly lower in the ACC of the PTSD group than the non-PTSD group (t = 2.424, p = 0.019). The multiple regression analysis showed a negative association between hippocampal NAA levels and delayed recall score on the auditory verbal learning test (β = -1.744, p = 0.011) in the non-PTSD group, but not in the PTSD group. We identified specific memory impairment and the role of NAA levels in PTSD. Our findings suggest that hippocampal NAA has a protective role in memory impairment and development of PTSD after exposure to traumatic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Eun Shin
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chi-Hoon Choi
- Department of Radiology, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Min Lee
- Computational NeuroImage Analysis Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine in SNU-MRC, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Hee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Chung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Na Young Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Hee Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine in SNU-MRC, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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21
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Souza RR, Noble LJ, McIntyre CK. Using the Single Prolonged Stress Model to Examine the Pathophysiology of PTSD. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:615. [PMID: 28955225 PMCID: PMC5600994 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The endurance of memories of emotionally arousing events serves the adaptive role of minimizing future exposure to danger and reinforcing rewarding behaviors. However, following a traumatic event, a subset of individuals suffers from persistent pathological symptoms such as those seen in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the availability of pharmacological treatments and evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy, a considerable number of PTSD patients do not respond to the treatment, or show partial remission and relapse of the symptoms. In controlled laboratory studies, PTSD patients show deficient ability to extinguish conditioned fear. Failure to extinguish learned fear could be responsible for the persistence of PTSD symptoms such as elevated anxiety, arousal, and avoidance. It may also explain the high non-response and dropout rates seen during treatment. Animal models are useful for understanding the pathophysiology of the disorder and the development of new treatments. This review examines studies in a rodent model of PTSD with the goal of identifying behavioral and physiological factors that predispose individuals to PTSD symptoms. Single prolonged stress (SPS) is a frequently used rat model of PTSD that involves exposure to several successive stressors. SPS rats show PTSD-like symptoms, including impaired extinction of conditioned fear. Since its development by the Liberzon lab in 1997, the SPS model has been referred to by more than 200 published papers. Here we consider the findings of these studies and unresolved questions that may be investigated using the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rimenez R Souza
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States
| | - Lindsey J Noble
- Texas Biomedical Device Center, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States.,Cognition and Neuroscience Program, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States
| | - Christa K McIntyre
- Cognition and Neuroscience Program, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States
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22
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Hippocampus Glutamate and N-Acetyl Aspartate Markers of Excitotoxic Neuronal Compromise in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1698-1705. [PMID: 28195577 PMCID: PMC5518902 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampus atrophy is implicated in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and may partly reflect stress-induced glutamate excitotoxicity that culminates in neuron injury and manifests as re-experiencing symptoms and other memory abnormalities. This study used high-field proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to determine whether PTSD is associated with lower hippocampus levels of the neuron marker N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), along with higher levels of glutamate (Glu) and Glu/NAA. We also predicted that metabolite levels would correlate with re-experiencing symptoms and lifetime trauma load. Twenty-four adult PTSD patients and 23 trauma-exposed normal controls (TENC) underwent 4T MRS of the left and right hippocampus. Participants received psychiatric interviews, and completed the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire to define lifetime trauma load. Relative to TENC participants, PTSD patients exhibited significantly lower NAA in right and left hippocampi, and significantly higher Glu and Glu/NAA in the right hippocampus. Re-experiencing symptoms were negatively correlated with left and right NAA, and positively correlated with right Glu and right Glu/NAA. Trauma load was positively correlated with right Glu/NAA in PTSD patients. When re-experiencing symptoms and trauma load were examined together in relation to right Glu/NAA, only re-experiencing symptoms remained a significant correlate. This represents the first report that PTSD is associated with MRS markers of hippocampus Glu excess, together with indices of compromised neuron integrity. Their robust associations with re-experiencing symptoms affirm that MRS indices of hippocampus neuron integrity and glutamate metabolism may reflect biomarkers of clinically significant disease variation in PTSD.
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Im JJ, Namgung E, Choi Y, Kim JY, Rhie SJ, Yoon S. Molecular Neuroimaging in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Exp Neurobiol 2016; 25:277-295. [PMID: 28035179 PMCID: PMC5195814 DOI: 10.5607/en.2016.25.6.277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 11/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, an increasing number of neuroimaging studies have provided insight into the neurobiological mechanisms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD). In particular, molecular neuroimaging techniques have been employed in examining metabolic and neurochemical processes in PTSD. This article reviews molecular neuroimaging studies in PTSD and focuses on findings using three imaging modalities including positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Although there were some inconsistences in the findings, patients with PTSD showed altered cerebral metabolism and perfusion, receptor bindings, and metabolite profiles in the limbic regions, medial prefrontal cortex, and temporal cortex. Studies that have investigated brain correlates of treatment response are also reviewed. Lastly, the limitations of the molecular neuroimaging studies and potential future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jooyeon Jamie Im
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Eun Namgung
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Yejee Choi
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Jung Yoon Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Sandy Jeong Rhie
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; College of Pharmacy and Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Sujung Yoon
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea.; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Korea
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Schneider BL, Ghoddoussi F, Charlton JL, Kohler RJ, Galloway MP, Perrine SA, Conti AC. Increased Cortical Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Precedes Incomplete Extinction of Conditioned Fear and Increased Hippocampal Excitatory Tone in a Mouse Model of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2016; 33:1614-24. [DOI: 10.1089/neu.2015.4190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brandy L. Schneider
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Farhad Ghoddoussi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Magnetic Resonance Core (MRC), Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Jennifer L. Charlton
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Robert J. Kohler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Matthew P. Galloway
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Shane A. Perrine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Alana C. Conti
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) administered as an adjunct to talk therapy influences patient speech content and increases improvement in treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data came from the recordings of Mithoefer et al. (2011). In the third therapeutic session studied, patients were assigned, double blind, to an MDMA or a placebo group. Condition-blind scorers listened to therapy recordings and scored utterances where patients initiated topics that were empathic (regarding others' emotions), entactic (requesting or appreciating physical touch), or ensuic (describing a change in their sense of themselves). Patients who received MDMA produced high levels of ensuic, empathic, and entactic utterances compared with those who received the placebo. Interrater discourse scoring was reliable. The relationship between the number of scored utterances and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale scores measuring PTSD severity after the treatment was significant, and reanalysis grouped bimodally into "many" or "few" such utterances remained significant. MDMA assisted these patients in having meaningful and disorder-resolving thoughts and discourse in talk therapy.
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Lebois LAM, Wolff JD, Ressler KJ. Neuroimaging genetic approaches to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Exp Neurol 2016; 284:141-152. [PMID: 27109180 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging genetic studies that associate genetic and epigenetic variation with neural activity or structure provide an opportunity to link genes to psychiatric disorders, often before psychopathology is discernable in behavior. Here we review neuroimaging genetics studies with participants who have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Results show that genes related to the physiological stress response (e.g., glucocorticoid receptor and activity, neuroendocrine release), learning and memory (e.g., plasticity), mood, and pain perception are tied to neural intermediate phenotypes associated with PTSD. These genes are associated with and sometimes predict neural structure and function in areas involved in attention, executive function, memory, decision-making, emotion regulation, salience of potential threats, and pain perception. Evidence suggests these risk polymorphisms and neural intermediate phenotypes are vulnerabilities toward developing PTSD in the aftermath of trauma, or vulnerabilities toward particular symptoms once PTSD has developed. Work distinguishing between the re-experiencing and dissociative sub-types of PTSD, and examining other PTSD symptom clusters in addition to the re-experiencing and hyperarousal symptoms, will further clarify neurobiological mechanisms and inconsistent findings. Furthermore, an exciting possibility is that genetic associations with PTSD may eventually be understood through differential intermediate phenotypes of neural circuit structure and function, possibly underlying the different symptom clusters seen within PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A M Lebois
- Department of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jonathan D Wolff
- Department of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
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Han F, Xiao B, Wen L, Shi Y. Effects of fluoxetine on the amygdala and the hippocampus after administration of a single prolonged stress to male Wistar rates: In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings. Psychiatry Res 2015; 232:154-61. [PMID: 25841890 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety- and memory-based disorder. The hippocampus and amygdala are key areas in mood regulation. Fluoxetine was found to improve the anxiety-related symptoms of PTSD patients. However, little work has directly examined the effects of fluoxetine on the hippocampus and the amygdala. In the present study, male Wistar rats received fluoxetine or vehicle after exposure to a single prolonged stress (SPS), an animal model of PTSD. In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) was performed -1, 1, 4, 7 and 14 days after SPS to examine the effects of fluoxetine on neurometabolite changes in amygdala, hippocampus and thalamus. SPS increased the N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline moieties (Cho)/Cr ratios in the bilateral amygdala on day 4, decreased the NAA/Cr ratio in the left hippocampus on day 1, and increased both ratios in the right hippocampus on day 14. But no significant change was found in the thalamus. Fluoxetine treatment corrected the SPS increases in the NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr levels in the amygdala on day 4 and in the hippocampus on day 14, but it failed to normalise SPS-associated decreases in NAA/Cr levels in the left hippocampus on day 1. These results suggested that metabolic abnormalities in the amygdala and the hippocampus were involved in SPS, and different effects of fluoxetine in correcting SPS-induced neurometabolite changes among the three areas. These findings have implications for fluoxetine treatment in PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Han
- PTSD laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Pathology and Pathophysiology, China Medical University, No. 92 BeiEr Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001 PR China.
| | - Bing Xiao
- PTSD laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Pathology and Pathophysiology, China Medical University, No. 92 BeiEr Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001 PR China
| | - Lili Wen
- PTSD laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Pathology and Pathophysiology, China Medical University, No. 92 BeiEr Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001 PR China
| | - Yuxiu Shi
- PTSD laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Pathology and Pathophysiology, China Medical University, No. 92 BeiEr Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001 PR China
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Han F, Xiao B, Wen L. Loss of Glial Cells of the Hippocampus in a Rat Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Neurochem Res 2015; 40:942-51. [PMID: 25749890 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-015-1549-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Single prolonged stress (SPS) rats is a rodent model of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Abnormal hippocampal morphology and function were found in the PTSD patients. Our previous study has shown that SPS induce loss of hippocampal neurons. But the effects of SPS on glial cells in the hippocampus have not been evaluated. In the present study, wistar male rats were examined at 1, 4, 7, or 14 days after SPS. The morris water maze were performed to examine hippocampal-dependent cognition. The neurometabolite and morphological change in the hippocampal neurons and glial cells were investigated using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence histochemistry and western blotting for Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was used to evaluate change of astrocytes. SPS rats showed increased escape latency. The significant reductions in N-acetylaspartate, creatine, and choline-containing compounds in the hippocampus of SPS rats were found. Moreover, abnormal morphological characteristics in glial cells of the SPS group were observed. The number of GFAP-positive cells, intensity of GFAP-ir and GFAP-protein within the hippocampus increased after SPS at 1 day, and then decreased. The findings suggested that SPS induced loss/impairment of glial cell in the hippocampus; also loss of glial cells may due to the astrocytes reduction within the hippocampus of SPS rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Han
- PTSD Laboratory, Department of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Pathology and Pathophysiology, China Medical University, No. 92 BeiEr Road, Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, People's Republic of China,
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Pennington DL, Abé C, Batki SL, Meyerhoff DJ. A preliminary examination of cortical neurotransmitter levels associated with heavy drinking in posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychiatry Res 2014; 224:281-7. [PMID: 25444536 PMCID: PMC4254450 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2014] [Revised: 08/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients have low cortical concentrations of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and elevated glutamate (Glu) as measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS). Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is highly comorbid with PTSD, but the neurobiological underpinnings are largely unknown. We wanted to determine if PTSD patients with AUD have normalized cortical GABA and Glu levels in addition to metabolite alterations common to AUD. We compared brain metabolite concentrations in 10 PTSD patients with comorbid AUD (PAUD) with concentrtations in 28 PTSD patients without AUD and in 20 trauma-exposed controls (CON) without PTSD symptoms. We measured concentrations of GABA, Glu, N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine- (Cr) and choline-containing metabolites (Cho), and myo-Inositol (mI) in three cortical brain regions using (1)H MRS and correlated them with measures of neurocognition, insomnia, PTSD symptoms, and drinking severity. In contrast to PTSD, PAUD exhibited normal GABA and Glu concentrations in the parieto-occipital and temporal cortices, respectively, but lower Glu and trends toward higher GABA levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Temporal NAA and Cho as well as mI in the ACC were lower in PAUD than in both PTSD and CON. Within PAUD, more cortical GABA and Glu correlated with better neurocognition. Heavy drinking in PTSD is associated with partially neutralized neurotransmitter imbalance, but also with neuronal injury commonly observed in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Louis Pennington
- Addiction Research Program, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; Northern California Institute for Research and Education, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Christoph Abé
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet,
Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Steven Laszlo Batki
- Addiction Research Program, Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San
Francisco, CA, USA,Northern California Institute for Research and Education,
San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dieter Johannes Meyerhoff
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Veterans
Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University
of California, San Francisco, CA, USA,Northern California Institute for Research and Education,
San Francisco, CA, USA
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30
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Aoki Y, Inokuchi R, Suwa H. Reduced N-acetylaspartate in the hippocampus in patients with fibromyalgia: a meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res 2013; 213:242-8. [PMID: 23835064 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2012] [Revised: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a stress-associated syndrome with chronic, widespread pain. Patients with FM also present disturbances of cognition and memory. As the hippocampus is vulnerable to stress exposure and involved in cognition, memory and pain perception, we hypothesize that the abnormal function of the hippocampus is implicated in the pathophysiology of FM. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a metabolite that can be measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS), is recognized as a marker of neuronal structure and function. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 1H MRS studies investigating NAA levels in patients with FM. A comprehensive literature search through MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science yielded nine studies; among these nine, four studies met our criteria for inclusion. A random effect model with 51 patients with FM and 38 controls revealed a significant NAA reduction in the hippocampus. The current meta-analysis suggested a neuronal abnormality in the hippocampus in patients with FM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Aoki
- Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Treatment Corporation, Ebara Hospital, Ota, Tokyo 145-0065, Japan.
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Biomarkers in posttraumatic stress disorder: overview and implications for future research. DISEASE MARKERS 2013; 35:43-54. [PMID: 24167348 PMCID: PMC3774961 DOI: 10.1155/2013/835876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
PTSD can develop in the aftermath of traumatic incidents like combat, sexual abuse, or life threatening accidents. Unfortunately, there are still no biomarkers for this debilitating anxiety disorder in clinical use. Anyhow, there are numerous studies describing potential PTSD biomarkers, some of which might progress to the point of practical use in the future. Here, we outline and comment on some of the most prominent findings on potential imaging, psychological, endocrine, and molecular PTSD biomarkers and classify them into risk, disease, and therapy markers. Since for most of these potential PTSD markers a causal role in PTSD has been demonstrated or at least postulated, this review also gives an overview on the current state of research on PTSD pathobiology.
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32
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Elvsåshagen T, Westlye LT, Bøen E, Hol PK, Andersson S, Andreassen OA, Boye B, Malt UF. Evidence for reduced dentate gyrus and fimbria volume in bipolar II disorder. Bipolar Disord 2013; 15:167-76. [PMID: 23317454 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.12046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dentate gyrus (DG)-dependent inhibition of the stress response might play an important role in mood disorders. During stress, hippocampal projections traversing the fimbria, a white matter bundle on the hippocampal surface, inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The aim of the present study was to measure the volumes of the DG-cornu ammonis 4 (DG-CA4) and fimbria in patients with bipolar II disorder (BD-II) and healthy controls using a recently developed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based technique. METHODS Thirty-seven individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BD-II and 42 healthy controls underwent 3-Tesla MRI. Hippocampal subfield volumes were estimated using a novel segmentation algorithm implemented in FreeSurfer. RESULTS In patients with BD-II there was a significant reduction in the volume of the left [analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), F = 7.84, p = 0.006] and total (left + right) (F = 4.01, p = 0.047) DG-CA4 and left (F = 4.38, p = 0.040) and total (F = 4.15, p = 0.045) fimbria compared to healthy controls. Explorative analyses indicated a smaller left CA2-3 volume in subjects with BD-II compared to healthy controls, and a reduced left fimbria volume in unmedicated patients compared to medicated patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide evidence for the involvement of the DG and fimbria in BD-II. Longitudinal studies of the DG and fimbria with assessments of the HPA axis in BD-II are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torbjørn Elvsåshagen
- Department of Neuropsychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Zhou IY, Ding AY, Li Q, McAlonan GM, Wu EX. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals N-acetylaspartate reduction in hippocampus and cingulate cortex after fear conditioning. Psychiatry Res 2012; 204:178-83. [PMID: 23137804 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2012] [Revised: 06/22/2012] [Accepted: 09/28/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The fear conditioning in rodents provides a valuable translational tool to investigate the neural basis of learning and memory and potentially the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Neurobiological changes induced by fear conditioning have largely been examined ex vivo while progressive 'real-time' changes in vivo remain under-explored. Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) of the hippocampus, cingulate cortex and thalamus of adult male C57BL/6N mice (N=12) was performed at 1 day before, 1 day and 1 week after, fear conditioning training using a 7T scanner. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a marker for neuronal integrity and viability, significantly decreased in the hippocampus at 1 day and 1 week post-conditioning. Significant NAA reduction was also observed in the cingulate cortex at 1 day post-conditioning. These findings of hippocampal NAA decrease indicate reduced neuronal dysfunction and/or neuronal integrity, contributing to the trauma-related PTSD-like symptoms. The neurochemical changes characterized by 1H MRS can shed light on the biochemical mechanisms of learning and memory. Moreover, such information can potentially facilitate prompt intervention for patients with psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Y Zhou
- Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging and Signal Processing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
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Pitman RK, Rasmusson AM, Koenen KC, Shin LM, Orr SP, Gilbertson MW, Milad MR, Liberzon I. Biological studies of post-traumatic stress disorder. Nat Rev Neurosci 2012; 13:769-87. [PMID: 23047775 PMCID: PMC4951157 DOI: 10.1038/nrn3339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 977] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the only major mental disorder for which a cause is considered to be known: that is, an event that involves threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others and induces a response of intense fear, helplessness or horror. Although PTSD is still largely regarded as a psychological phenomenon, over the past three decades the growth of the biological PTSD literature has been explosive, and thousands of references now exist. Ultimately, the impact of an environmental event, such as a psychological trauma, must be understood at organic, cellular and molecular levels. This Review attempts to present the current state of this understanding on the basis of psychophysiological, structural and functional neuroimaging, and endocrinological, genetic and molecular biological studies in humans and in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger K Pitman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. roger_pitman@hms. harvard.edu
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McLean J, Krishnadas R, Batty GD, Burns H, Deans KA, Ford I, McConnachie A, McGinty A, McLean JS, Millar K, Sattar N, Shiels PG, Tannahill C, Velupillai YN, Packard CJ, Condon BR, Hadley DM, Cavanagh J. Early life socioeconomic status, chronic physiological stress and hippocampal N-acetyl aspartate concentrations. Behav Brain Res 2012; 235:225-30. [PMID: 22917526 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2012.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Early life socioeconomic deprivation has been associated with cognitive and behavioural changes that persist through towards adulthood. In this study, we investigated whether early life socioeconomic status is associated with changes in the hippocampus N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), using the non-invasive technique of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). METHODS We performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) of the hippocampus at 3T in 30 adult males, selected from the PSOBID cohort. We conducted multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between early socioeconomic status (SES) and concentration of N-acetyl-aspartate in the hippocampus. We also examined whether the relationship between these variables was mediated by markers of chronic physiological stress. RESULTS Greater socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower hippocampal NAA concentrations bilaterally. The relationship between early life SES and hippocampal NAA concentrations was mediated by allostatic load index - a marker of chronic physiological stress. CONCLUSIONS Greater early life socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower concentrations of NAA reflecting lesser neuronal integrity. This relationship was mediated by greater physiological stress. Further work, to better understand the biological processes underlying the effects of poverty, physiological stress on hippocampal metabolites is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- John McLean
- Sackler Institute of Psychobiological Research, Institute of Health and Wellbeing University of Glasgow, Glasgow G51 4TF, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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Chen L, Lui S, Wu QZ, Zhang W, Zhou D, Chen HF, Huang XQ, Kuang WH, Chan RC, Mechelli A, Gong QY. Impact of acute stress on human brain microstructure: An MR diffusion study of earthquake survivors. Hum Brain Mapp 2011; 34:367-73. [PMID: 22042533 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Revised: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 07/27/2011] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A characterization of the impact of natural disasters on the brain of survivors is critical for a better understanding of posttraumatic responses and may inform the development of more effective early interventions. Here we report alterations in white matter microstructure in survivors soon after Wenchuan earthquake in China in 2008. Within 25 days after the Wenchuan earthquake, 44 healthy survivors were recruited and scanned on a 3T MR imaging system. The survivors were divided into two groups according to their self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, including the SAS(+) (SAS > 55 after correction) group and "SAS(-)" (SAS < 55 after correction) group. Thrity-two healthy volunteers were also recruited as control group before earthquake. Individual maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated and voxel-based analysis (VBA) was performed to allow the comparison between survivors and controls using ANCOVAs in SPM2. In addition, a correlation between SAS score and regional FA value was examined using Pearson's correlation analysis in SPSS 11.5. Compared with the healthy cohort, the whole group of 44 survivors showed significantly decreased FA values in the right prefrontal lobe, the parietal lobe, the basal ganglia, and the right parahippocampus. These effects did not appear to depend on self-rating anxiety. For the first time we provide evidence that acute trauma altered cerebral microstructure within the limbic system; furthermore, these alterations are evident shortly after the traumatic event, highlighting the need for early evaluation and intervention for trauma survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Chen
- Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center, Center for Diagnostic Imaging, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, People's Republic of China
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Eckart C, Kaufmann J, Kanowski M, Tempelmann C, Hinrichs H, Elbert T, Heinze HJ, Kolassa IT. Magnetic resonance volumetry and spectroscopy of hippocampus and insula in relation to severe exposure of traumatic stress. Psychophysiology 2011; 49:261-70. [PMID: 22092224 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2011.01303.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2011] [Accepted: 08/08/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Severe and chronic stress affects the hippocampus, especially during development. However, studies concerning structural alterations of the hippocampus yielded a rather inconsistent picture. Moreover, further anxiety-relevant brain regions, such as the insula, might be implicated in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We combined magnetic resonance (MR) volumetric and spectroscopic analyses of hippocampus and insula in highly traumatized refugees without a history of alcohol/substance abuse or other comorbid diseases. No PTSD-related difference was apparent in the volumes or neurometabolite levels of bilateral hippocampus or insula. However, an association between left hippocampal N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and adverse childhood experiences indicated a potential detrimental effect of the early environment on hippocampal integrity. Our results add to increasing evidence that PTSD-related, morphological alterations in the hippocampus are a consequence of early adversity or may result from other factors, such as extensive use of alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Eckart
- Clinical Psychology & Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
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Acheson DT, Gresack JE, Risbrough VB. Hippocampal dysfunction effects on context memory: possible etiology for posttraumatic stress disorder. Neuropharmacology 2011; 62:674-85. [PMID: 21596050 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.04.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2011] [Revised: 03/24/2011] [Accepted: 04/23/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Hippocampal volume reductions and functional impairments are reliable findings in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) imaging studies. However, it is not clear if and how hippocampal dysfunction contributes to the etiology and maintenance of PTSD. Individuals with PTSD are often described as showing fear responses to trauma reminders outside of contexts in which these cues would reasonably predict danger. Animal studies suggest that the hippocampus is required to form and recall associations between contextual stimuli and aversive events. For example, the hippocampus is critical for encoding memories in which a complex configuration of multiple cues is associated with the aversive event. Conversely, the hippocampus is not required for associations with discrete cues. In animal studies, if configural memory is disrupted, learning strategies using discrete cue associations predominate. These data suggest poor hippocampal function could bias the organism toward forming multiple simple cue associations during trauma, thus increasing the chances of fear responses in multiple environments (or contexts) in which these cues may be present. Here we will examine clinical and preclinical literature to support a theory of hippocampal dysfunction as a primary contributory factor to the etiology of PTSD, and discuss future research required to test these hypotheses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean T Acheson
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs VISN22, CA, USA
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2011; 24:78-87. [PMID: 21116133 DOI: 10.1097/yco.0b013e3283423055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Coplan JD, Mathew SJ, Abdallah CG, Mao X, Kral JG, Smith ELP, Rosenblum LA, Perera TD, Dwork AJ, Hof PR, Gorman JM, Shungu DC. Early-life stress and neurometabolites of the hippocampus. Brain Res 2010; 1358:191-9. [PMID: 20713023 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2010.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2010] [Revised: 08/04/2010] [Accepted: 08/08/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that early life stress would persistently compromise neuronal viability of the hippocampus of the grown nonhuman primate. Neuronal viability was assessed through ascertainment of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)-an amino acid considered reflective of neuronal density/functional integrity-using in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). The subjects reported herein represent a re-analysis of a sample of nineteen adult male bonnet macaques that had been reared in infancy under induced stress by maternal variable foraging demand (VFD) (N=10) or control rearing conditions (N=9). The MRSI spectral readings were recorded using a GE 1.5 Tesla machine under anesthesia. Relative NAA values were derived using NAA as numerator and both choline (Cho) or creatine (Cr) as denominators. Left medial temporal lobe (MTL) NAA/Cho but not NAA/Cr was decreased in VFD subjects versus controls. An MTL NAA/Cho ratio deficit remained significant when controlling for multiple confounding variables. Regression analyses suggested that the NAA/Choline finding was due to independently low left NAA and high left choline. Right MTL showed no rearing effects for NAA, but right NAA was positively related to body mass, irrespective of denominator. The current data indicate that decreased left MTL NAA/Cho may reflect low neuronal viability of the hippocampus following early life stress in VFD-reared versus normally-reared subjects. Given the importance of the hippocampus in stress-mediated toxicity, validation of these data using absolute quantification is suggested and correlative neurohistological studies of hippocampus are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D Coplan
- SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Nonhuman Primate Facility, Department of Psychiatry, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
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Knox D, Perrine SA, George SA, Galloway MP, Liberzon I. Single prolonged stress decreases glutamate, glutamine, and creatine concentrations in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Neurosci Lett 2010; 480:16-20. [PMID: 20546834 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.05.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2010] [Revised: 05/13/2010] [Accepted: 05/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Application of single prolonged stress (SPS) in rats induces changes in neuroendocrine function and arousal that are characteristic of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD, in humans, is associated with decreased neural activity in the prefrontal cortex, increased neural activity in the amygdala complex, and reduced neuronal integrity in the hippocampus. However, the extent to which SPS models these aspects of PTSD has not been established. In order to address this, we used high-resolution magic angle spinning proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HR-MAS (1)H MRS) ex vivo to assay levels of neurochemicals critical for energy metabolism (creatine and lactate), excitatory (glutamate and glutamine) and inhibitory (gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)) neurotransmission, and neuronal integrity (N-acetylaspartate (NAA)) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala complex, and hippocampus of SPS and control rats. Glutamate, glutamine, and creatine levels were decreased in the mPFC of SPS rats when compared to controls, which suggests decreased excitatory tone in this region. SPS did not alter the neurochemical profiles of either the hippocampus or amygdala. These data suggest that SPS selectively attenuates excitatory tone, without a disruption of neuronal integrity, in the mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayan Knox
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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