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Chu M, Jiang D, Liu L, Nie B, Rosa-Neto P, Chen K, Wu L. Clinical relevance of disrupted topological organization of anatomical connectivity in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 124:29-38. [PMID: 36724600 PMCID: PMC11102657 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Graph theory is a novel approach used to examine the balance of brain connectomes. However, the clinical relevance of white matter (WM) connectome changes in the behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is not well understood. We aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of WM topological alterations in bvFTD. Thirty patients with probable bvFTD and 30 healthy controls underwent diffusion tensor imaging, structural MRI, and neuropsychological assessment. WM connectivity between 90 brain regions was calculated and the graph approach was applied to capture the individual characteristics of the anatomical network. Voxel-based morphometry and tract-based spatial statistics were used to present the gray matter atrophy and disrupted WM integrity. The topological organization was disrupted in patients with bvFTD both globally and locally. Compared to controls, bvFTD data showed a different pattern of hub region distributions. Notably, the nodal efficiency of the right superior orbital frontal gyrus was associated with apathy and disinhibition. Topological measures may be potential image markers for early diagnosis and disease severity monitoring of bvFTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Deming Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Binbin Nie
- Beijing Engineering Research Center of Radiographic Techniques and Equipment, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit, Montreal, Canada
| | - Kewei Chen
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA; College of Medicine-Phoenix, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; School of Mathematics and Statistics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Liyong Wu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
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Chen Y, Yang X, Zhang X, Cao H, Gong Q. Altered single-subject gray matter structural networks in social anxiety disorder. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:3311-3317. [PMID: 36562992 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous fMRI studies have reported more random brain functional graph configurations in social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, it is still unclear whether the same configurations would occur in gray matter (GM) graphs. Structural MRI was performed on 49 patients with SAD and on 51 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC). Single-subject GM networks were obtained based on the areal similarities of GM, and network topological properties were analyzed using graph theory. Group differences in each topological metric were compared, and the structure-function coupling was examined. These network measures were further correlated with the clinical characteristics in the SAD group. Compared with controls, the SAD patients demonstrated globally decreased clustering coefficient and characteristic path length. Altered topological properties were found in the fronto-limbic and sensory processing systems. Altered metrics were associated with the illness duration of SAD. Compared with the HC group, the SAD group exhibited significantly decreased structural-functional decoupling. Furthermore, structural-functional decoupling was negatively correlated with the symptom severity in SAD. These findings highlight less-optimized topological configuration of the brain structural networks in SAD, which may provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying the excessive fear and avoidance of social interactions in SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 640041, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan 640041, China
| | - Xun Yang
- School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Xun Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 640041, China
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 640041, China
| | - Hengyi Cao
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, United States
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 640041, China
- Department of Radiology, West China Xiamen Hospital of Sichuan University, Xiamen, Fujian 361000, China
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Nigro S, Filardi M, Tafuri B, De Blasi R, Cedola A, Gigli G, Logroscino G. The Role of Graph Theory in Evaluating Brain Network Alterations in Frontotemporal Dementia. Front Neurol 2022; 13:910054. [PMID: 35837233 PMCID: PMC9275562 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.910054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a spectrum of clinical syndromes that affects personality, behavior, language, and cognition. The current diagnostic criteria recognize three main clinical subtypes: the behavioral variant of FTD (bvFTD), the semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), and the non-fluent/agrammatic variant of PPA (nfvPPA). Patients with FTD display heterogeneous clinical and neuropsychological features that highly overlap with those presented by psychiatric syndromes and other types of dementia. Moreover, up to now there are no reliable disease biomarkers, which makes the diagnosis of FTD particularly challenging. To overcome this issue, different studies have adopted metrics derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to characterize structural and functional brain abnormalities. Within this field, a growing body of scientific literature has shown that graph theory analysis applied to MRI data displays unique potentialities in unveiling brain network abnormalities of FTD subtypes. Here, we provide a critical overview of studies that adopted graph theory to examine the topological changes of large-scale brain networks in FTD. Moreover, we also discuss the possible role of information arising from brain network organization in the diagnostic algorithm of FTD-spectrum disorders and in investigating the neural correlates of clinical symptoms and cognitive deficits experienced by patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Nigro
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Italy
- Salvatore Nigro
| | - Marco Filardi
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Italy
- Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Benedetta Tafuri
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Italy
- Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto De Blasi
- Department of Radiology, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, Lecce, Italy
- Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, Tricase, Italy
- Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giancarlo Logroscino
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Nigro S, Tafuri B, Urso D, De Blasi R, Frisullo ME, Barulli MR, Capozzo R, Cedola A, Gigli G, Logroscino G. Brain Structural Covariance Networks in Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11020192. [PMID: 33557411 PMCID: PMC7915789 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11020192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research on behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) has shown that personality changes and executive dysfunctions are accompanied by a disease-specific anatomical pattern of cortical and subcortical atrophy. We investigated the structural topological network changes in patients with bvFTD in comparison to healthy controls. In particular, 25 bvFTD patients and 20 healthy controls underwent structural 3T MRI. Next, bilaterally averaged values of 34 cortical surface areas, 34 cortical thickness values, and six subcortical volumes were used to capture single-subject anatomical connectivity and investigate network organization using a graph theory approach. Relative to controls, bvFTD patients showed altered small-world properties and decreased global efficiency, suggesting a reduced ability to combine specialized information from distributed brain regions. At a local level, patients with bvFTD displayed lower values of local efficiency in the cortical thickness of the caudal and rostral middle frontal gyrus, rostral anterior cingulate, and precuneus, cuneus, and transverse temporal gyrus. A significant correlation was also found between the efficiency of caudal anterior cingulate thickness and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in bvFTD patients. Taken together, these findings confirm the selective disruption in structural brain networks of bvFTD patients, providing new insights on the association between cognitive decline and graph properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Nigro
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Benedetta Tafuri
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Daniele Urso
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Neurosciences, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Roberto De Blasi
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Radiology, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy
| | - Maria Elisa Frisullo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Barulli
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Rosa Capozzo
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology (NANOTEC), National Research Council, 73100 Lecce, Italy; (S.N.); (A.C.); (G.G.)
- Department of Mathematics and Physics “Ennio De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Campus Ecotekne, 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Logroscino
- Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Aging Brain, Department of Clinical Research in Neurology, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro, “Pia Fondazione Cardinale G. Panico”, 73039 Tricase, Italy; (B.T.); (D.U.); (R.D.B.); (M.E.F.); (M.R.B.); (R.C.)
- Department of Basic Medicine, Neuroscience, and Sense Organs, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, 70124 Bari, Italy
- Correspondence: or giancarlo.; Tel.: +39-0833/773904
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Marcori AJ, Okazaki VHA. Motor repertoire and gray matter plasticity: Is there a link? Med Hypotheses 2019; 130:109261. [PMID: 31383345 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
There is a considerable amount of evidence sustaining that aerobic exercise causes positive modifications in gray matter density (GMD), especially in the hippocampus and anterior cingulate cortex. However, recent experimental researches with motor learning paradigms are consistently showing that increasing cardiorespiratory capacity is not the only mechanism able to promote positive outcomes in GMD with exercise. In the present study, we present a theoretical suggestion that expanding one's motor repertoire is another primary mechanism related to the increases in GMD. Motor repertoire can be understood as the number of movement possibilities and motor skills that can be performed by a person. Supporting our suggestion, professional athletes present higher GMD than controls, and experimental protocols repeatedly observes positive changes in GMD following motor learning. The relationship between physical inactivity, amputation, and lower GMD values also gives further support for the hypothesis. Follow-up studies monitoring GMD before and after training programs that stimulate new motor skill learning are essential to confirm this proposition. The brain regions related to sensory processing of the motor tasks and the cortical areas related to motor control (e.g., primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area) are probably the ones most affected by plastic changes. If the hypothesis turns out to be reliable, dancing, gymnastics, and other movement-rich activities are thoroughly encouraged for this purpose. Therefore, this approach might be used to attenuate GMD loss related to aging or another condition, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Jehan Marcori
- Motor Neuroscience Research Group, Londrina State University, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR445, Km 380, Brazil.
| | - Victor Hugo Alves Okazaki
- Motor Neuroscience Research Group, Londrina State University, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, PR445, Km 380, Brazil
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van der Flier WM, Scheltens P. Amsterdam Dementia Cohort: Performing Research to Optimize Care. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 62:1091-1111. [PMID: 29562540 PMCID: PMC5870023 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The Alzheimer center of the VU University Medical Center opened in 2000 and was initiated to combine both patient care and research. Together, to date, all patients forming the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort number almost 6,000 individuals. In this cohort profile, we provide an overview of the results produced based on the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort. We describe the main results over the years in each of these research lines: 1) early diagnosis, 2) heterogeneity, and 3) vascular factors. Among the most important research efforts that have also impacted patients' lives and/or the research field, we count the development of novel, easy to use diagnostic measures such as visual rating scales for MRI and the Amsterdam IADL Questionnaire, insight in different subgroups of AD, and findings on incidence and clinical sequelae of microbleeds. Finally, we describe in the outlook how our research endeavors have improved the lives of our patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiesje M. van der Flier
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Center, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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