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Zelionkaitė I, Gaižauskaitė R, Uusberg H, Uusberg A, Ambrasė A, Derntl B, Grikšienė R. The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device is related to early emotional reactivity: An ERP study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 162:106954. [PMID: 38241970 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Despite the evidence of altered emotion processing in oral contraceptive (OC) users, the impact of hormonal intrauterine devices (IUD) on emotional processing remains unexplored. Our study aimed to investigate how behavioural performance and event-related potentials (ERPs) linked with emotion reactivity and its regulation are associated with hormonal profiles of women using different types of hormonal contraception and naturally cycling women. Women using OCs (n = 25), hormonal IUDs (n = 33), and naturally cycling women in their early follicular (NCF, n = 33) or mid-luteal (NCL, n = 28) phase of the menstrual cycle were instructed to view emotional pictures (neutral, low and high negativity) and use cognitive reappraisal to up- or down-regulate negative emotions, while their electroencephalogram was recorded. Participants rated perceived negativity after each picture and their emotional arousal throughout the task. Saliva samples were collected to assess levels of 17β-estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. As expected, emotional arousal increased throughout the task and correlated positively with perceived negativity. Perceived negativity and the amplitudes of the middle (N2/P3) and later (LPP) latency ERP components increased with increasing stimuli negativity. Emotion regulation modulated perceived negativity and the amplitudes of very late ERP components (parietal and frontal LPP). Moreover, IUD-users showed a higher negative amplitude of the frontal N2 in comparison to all three other groups, with the most consistent differences during up-regulation. Finally, testosterone correlated positively with the N2 peak in IUD-users and NCL women. Overall, our findings suggest that IUD-use and testosterone might be related to altered preconscious processing during the emotion regulation task requiring attention to the stimulus. The study underscores the need for additional research into how different hormonal contraceptives are linked to socio-emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrida Zelionkaitė
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio ave. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Rimantė Gaižauskaitė
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio ave. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Helen Uusberg
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18, 50090, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andero Uusberg
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18, 50090, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Aistė Ambrasė
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women's Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72016, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women's Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72016, Tübingen, Germany; DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), Partner site Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ramunė Grikšienė
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio ave. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Boerma T, Ter Haar S, Ganga R, Wijnen F, Blom E, Wierenga CJ. What risk factors for Developmental Language Disorder can tell us about the neurobiological mechanisms of language development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 154:105398. [PMID: 37741516 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Language is a complex multidimensional cognitive system that is connected to many neurocognitive capacities. The development of language is therefore strongly intertwined with the development of these capacities and their neurobiological substrates. Consequently, language problems, for example those of children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), are explained by a variety of etiological pathways and each of these pathways will be associated with specific risk factors. In this review, we attempt to link previously described factors that may interfere with language development to putative underlying neurobiological mechanisms of language development, hoping to uncover openings for future therapeutical approaches or interventions that can help children to optimally develop their language skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessel Boerma
- Institute for Language Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sita Ter Haar
- Institute for Language Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Cognitive Neurobiology and Helmholtz Institute, Department of Psychology, Utrecht University/Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rachida Ganga
- Institute for Language Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Frank Wijnen
- Institute for Language Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Elma Blom
- Department of Development and Education of youth in Diverse Societies (DEEDS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Language and Culture, The Arctic University of Norway UiT, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Reed MB, Handschuh PA, Klöbl M, Konadu ME, Kaufmann U, Hahn A, Kranz GS, Spies M, Lanzenberger R. The influence of sex steroid treatment on insular connectivity in gender dysphoria. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 155:106336. [PMID: 37499299 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex-specific differences in brain connectivity were found in various neuroimaging studies, though little is known about sex steroid effects on insular functioning. Based on well-characterized sex differences in emotion regulation, interoception and higher-level cognition, gender-dysphoric individuals receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy represent an interesting cohort to investigate how sex hormones might influence insular connectivity and related brain functions. METHODS To analyze the potential effect of sex steroids on insular connectivity at rest, 11 transgender women, 14 transgender men, 20 cisgender women, and 11 cisgender men were recruited. All participants underwent two magnetic resonance imaging sessions involving resting-state acquisitions separated by a median time period of 4.5 months and also completed the Bermond-Vorst alexithymia questionnaire at the initial and final examination. Between scans, transgender subjects received gender-affirming hormone therapy. RESULTS A seed based functional connectivity analysis revealed a significant 2-way interaction effect of group-by-time between right insula, cingulum, left middle frontal gyrus and left angular gyrus. Post-hoc tests demonstrated an increase in connectivity for transgender women when compared to cisgender men. Furthermore, spectral dynamic causal modelling showed reduced effective connectivity from the posterior cingulum and left angular gyrus to the left middle frontal gyrus as well as from the right insula to the left middle frontal gyrus. Alexithymia changes were found after gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender women in both fantasizing and identifying. CONCLUSION These findings suggest a considerable influence of estrogen administration and androgen suppression on brain networks implicated in interoception, own-body perception and higher-level cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murray B Reed
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Patricia A Handschuh
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Manfred Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Melisande E Konadu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Kaufmann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg S Kranz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Marie Spies
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
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Zhang S, Cai H, Wang C, Zhu J, Yu Y. Sex-dependent gut microbiota-brain-cognition associations: a multimodal MRI study. BMC Neurol 2023; 23:169. [PMID: 37106317 PMCID: PMC10134644 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-023-03217-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is bidirectional communication between the gut microbiota and the brain. Empirical evidence has demonstrated sex differences in both the gut microbiome and the brain. However, the effects of sex on the gut microbiota-brain associations have yet to be determined. We aim to elucidate the sex-specific effects of gut microbiota on brain and cognition. METHODS One hundred fifty-seven healthy young adults underwent brain structural, perfusion, functional and diffusion MRIs to measure gray matter volume (GMV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), functional connectivity strength (FCS) and white matter integrity, respectively. Fecal samples were collected and 16S amplicon sequencing was utilized to assess gut microbial diversity. Correlation analyses were conducted to test for sex-dependent associations between microbial diversity and brain imaging parameters, and mediation analysis was performed to further characterize the gut microbiota-brain-cognition relationship. RESULTS We found that higher gut microbial diversity was associated with higher GMV in the right cerebellum VI, higher CBF in the bilateral calcarine sulcus yet lower CBF in the left superior frontal gyrus, higher FCS in the bilateral paracentral lobule, and lower diffusivity in widespread white matter regions in males. However, these associations were absent in females. Of more importance, these neuroimaging biomarkers significantly mediated the association between gut microbial diversity and behavioral inhibition in males. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight sex as a potential influential factor underlying the gut microbiota-brain-cognition relationship, and expose the gut microbiota as a biomarker-driven and sex-sensitive intervention target for mental disorders with abnormal behavioral inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining, 272007, China
| | - Huanhuan Cai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 218, Jixi Road, Shushan District, Hefei, 230022, China
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Chunli Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 218, Jixi Road, Shushan District, Hefei, 230022, China.
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, 230032, China.
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 218, Jixi Road, Shushan District, Hefei, 230022, China.
- Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei, 230032, China.
- Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei, 230032, China.
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Sefik E, Boamah M, Addington J, Bearden CE, Cadenhead KS, Cornblatt BA, Keshavan MS, Mathalon DH, Perkins DO, Stone WS, Tsuang MT, Woods SW, Cannon TD, Walker EF. Sex- and Age-Specific Deviations in Cerebellar Structure and Their Link With Symptom Dimensions and Clinical Outcome in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:350-363. [PMID: 36394426 PMCID: PMC10016422 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The clinical high-risk (CHR) period offers a temporal window into neurobiological deviations preceding psychosis onset, but little attention has been given to regions outside the cerebrum in large-scale studies of CHR. Recently, the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS)-2 revealed altered functional connectivity of the cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuitry among individuals at CHR; however, cerebellar morphology remains underinvestigated in this at-risk population, despite growing evidence of its involvement in psychosis. STUDY DESIGN In this multisite study, we analyzed T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans obtained from N = 469 CHR individuals (61% male, ages = 12-36 years) and N = 212 healthy controls (52% male, ages = 12-34 years) from NAPLS-2, with a focus on cerebellar cortex and white matter volumes separately. Symptoms were rated by the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS). The outcome by two-year follow-up was categorized as in-remission, symptomatic, prodromal-progression, or psychotic. General linear models were used for case-control comparisons and tests for volumetric associations with baseline SIPS ratings and clinical outcomes. STUDY RESULTS Cerebellar cortex and white matter volumes differed between the CHR and healthy control groups at baseline, with sex moderating the difference in cortical volumes, and both sex and age moderating the difference in white matter volumes. Baseline ratings for major psychosis-risk dimensions as well as a clinical outcome at follow-up had tissue-specific associations with cerebellar volumes. CONCLUSIONS These findings point to clinically relevant deviations in cerebellar cortex and white matter structures among CHR individuals and highlight the importance of considering the complex interplay between sex and age when studying the neuromaturational substrates of psychosis risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Sefik
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michelle Boamah
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jean Addington
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carrie E Bearden
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristin S Cadenhead
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Matcheri S Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel H Mathalon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Mental Health Service, San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Diana O Perkins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William S Stone
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ming T Tsuang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Scott W Woods
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tyrone D Cannon
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Elaine F Walker
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Niu PP, Wang X, Xu YM. Causal effects of serum testosterone levels on brain volume: a sex-stratified Mendelian randomization study. J Endocrinol Invest 2023:10.1007/s40618-023-02028-0. [PMID: 36780066 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-023-02028-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the causal effects of serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin levels on brain volumetric measurements in women and men. METHODS We performed a sex-stratified two-sample Mendelian randomization study using the random-effects inverse variance-weighted method as the primary analysis method. Sex-specific genetic instruments were obtained from a study with up to 194,453 men and 230,454 women. For testosterone, variants with dominant effects on both total and bioavailable testosterone but no aggregate effect on sex hormone-binding globulin were used as the main genetic instruments. Sex-specific summary-level data for magnetic resonance imaging brain volumetric measurements were obtained from a study with 11,624 women and 10,514 men. RESULTS Analyses showed per standard deviation (approximately 3.7 nmol/L) higher testosterone levels in men were suggestively associated with larger gray matter volume (beta = 0.208, 95% confidence interval = 0.067 to 0.349, p = 0.004). The association remained in sensitivity analyses and multivariable analyses. Further analyses showed the effect was mainly act on peripheral cortical gray matter, but not on subcortical gray matter. Testosterone in men was not associated with hippocampal volume. Testosterone in women and sex hormone binding globulin in both sexes had no effect on all outcomes. CONCLUSION Our findings overall support previous evidence that testosterone might have neuroprotective properties in elderly men. Future larger trials with long duration of intervention are warranted to assess the efficacy of testosterone for elderly men with cognitive impairment, especially in those with hypoandrogenism.
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Affiliation(s)
- P-P Niu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Jian She Road 1#, Zhengzhou, 450000, China.
| | - X Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Jian She Road 1#, Zhengzhou, 450000, China
| | - Y-M Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Jian She Road 1#, Zhengzhou, 450000, China
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Bi Y, Abrol A, Fu Z, Chen J, Liu J, Calhoun V. Prediction of gender from longitudinal MRI data via deep learning on adolescent data reveals unique patterns associated with brain structure and change over a two-year period. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 384:109744. [PMID: 36400261 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Deep learning algorithms for predicting neuroimaging data have shown considerable promise in various applications. Prior work has demonstrated that deep learning models that take advantage of the data's 3D structure can outperform standard machine learning on several learning tasks. However, most prior research in this area has focused on neuroimaging data from adults. Within the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) dataset, a large longitudinal development study, we examine structural MRI data to predict gender and identify gender-related changes in brain structure. Results demonstrate that gender prediction accuracy is exceptionally high (>97%) with training epochs > 200 and that this accuracy increases with age. Brain regions identified as the most discriminative in the task under study include predominantly frontal areas and the temporal lobe. When evaluating gender predictive changes specific to a two-year increase in age, a broader set of visual, cingulate, and insular regions are revealed. Our findings show a robust gender-related structural brain change pattern, even over a small age range. This suggests that it might be possible to study how the brain changes during adolescence by looking at how these changes are related to different behavioral and environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuda Bi
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia.
| | - Anees Abrol
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia
| | - Zening Fu
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia
| | - Jiayu Chen
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia
| | - Jingyu Liu
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia
| | - Vince Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, Georgia State 30303, Georgia
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Keresztes L, Szögi E, Varga B, Grolmusz V. Discovering sex and age implicator edges in the human connectome. Neurosci Lett 2022; 791:136913. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Griksiene R, Monciunskaite R, Ruksenas O. What is there to know about the effects of progestins on the human brain and cognition? Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101032. [PMID: 36029852 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Progestins are an important component of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) and hormone replacement therapies (HRTs). Despite an increasing number of studies elucidating the effects of HCs and HRTs, little is known about the effects of different types of progestins included in these medications on the brain. Animal studies suggest that various progestins interact differently with sex steroid, mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors and have specific modulatory effects on neurotransmitter systems and on the expression of neuropeptides, suggesting differential impacts on cognition and behavior. This review focuses on the currently available knowledge from human behavioral and neuroimaging studies pooled with evidence from animal research regarding the effects of progestins on the brain. The reviewed information is highly relevant for improving women's mental health and making informed choices regarding specific types of contraception or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramune Griksiene
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Rasa Monciunskaite
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Osvaldas Ruksenas
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
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The Impact of Gender-affirming Hormone Therapy on Anatomic Structures of the Brain Among Transgender Individuals. J Psychiatr Pract 2022; 28:328-334. [PMID: 35797690 DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite the growing numbers of individuals who identify as transgender, this population continues to face worse mental health outcomes compared with the general population. Transgender individuals attempt suicide at a rate that is almost 9 times that of the general population. Few studies have reported on the positive effect of gender-affirming hormone therapy on mental health outcomes in transgender individuals. It is likely that this effect is due in part to the physiological responses that occur as a result of hormone therapy that mitigate incongruencies between one's gender identity and assigned sex. To our knowledge, only limited studies have shown a connection between gender-affirming hormone therapy, its effect on the brain's structure, and long-term effects that this may have on mental health outcomes. The authors propose that, in addition to the physiological responses that occur as a direct result of hormone therapy and the validation that results from receiving gender-affirming medical care, mental health outcomes in transgender individuals may also improve due to the role that hormone therapy plays in altering the brain's structure, possibly shaping the brain to become more like that of the gender with which an individual identifies. In this article, the authors review the current literature on the effects that gender-affirming hormone therapy has on mental health outcomes and anatomic structures of the brain in transgender individuals.
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11
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Fung MH, Rahman RL, Taylor BK, Frenzel MR, Eastman JA, Wang Y, Calhoun VD, Stephen JM, Wilson TW. The impact of pubertal DHEA on the development of visuospatial oscillatory dynamics. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:5154-5166. [PMID: 35778797 PMCID: PMC9812248 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The adolescent brain undergoes tremendous structural and functional changes throughout puberty. Previous research has demonstrated that pubertal hormones can modulate sexually dimorphic changes in cortical development, as well as age-related maturation of the neural activity underlying cognitive processes. However, the precise impact of pubertal hormones on these functional changes in the developing human brain remains poorly understood. In the current study, we quantified the neural oscillatory activity serving visuospatial processing using magnetoencephalography, and utilized measures of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as an index of development during the transition from childhood to adolescence (i.e., puberty). Within a sample of typically developing youth (ages 9-15), a novel association between pubertal DHEA and theta oscillatory activity indicated that less mature children exhibited stronger neural responses in higher-order prefrontal cortices during the visuospatial task. Theta coherence between bilateral prefrontal regions also increased with increasing DHEA, such that network-level theta activity became more distributed with more maturity. Additionally, significant DHEA-by-sex interactions in the gamma range were centered on cortical regions relevant for attention processing. These findings suggest that pubertal DHEA may modulate the development of neural oscillatory activity serving visuospatial processing and attention functions during the pubertal period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison H. Fung
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA,Institute of Child DevelopmentUniversity of Minnesota‐Twin CitiesMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Raeef L. Rahman
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Brittany K. Taylor
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Michaela R. Frenzel
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Jacob A. Eastman
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA
| | - Yu‐Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringTulane UniversityNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- Tri‐institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | | | - Tony W. Wilson
- Institute for Human NeuroscienceBoys Town National Research HospitalOmahaNebraskaUSA
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12
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Schuster V, Jansen A. 'That Time of the Month' - Investigating the Influence of the Menstrual Cycle and Oral Contraceptives on the Brain Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2022; 130:303-312. [PMID: 35605601 DOI: 10.1055/a-1816-8203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The stereotypic and oversimplified relationship between female sex hormones and undesirable behavior dates to the earliest days of human society, as already the ancient Greek word for the uterus, "hystera" indicated an aversive connection. Remaining and evolving throughout the centuries, transcending across cultures and various aspects of everyday life, its perception was only recently reframed. Contemporarily, the complex interaction of hormonal phases (i. e., the menstrual cycle), hormonal medication (i. e., oral contraceptives), women's psychological well-being, and behavior is the subject of multifaceted and more reflected discussions. A driving force of this ongoing paradigm shift was the introduction of this highly interesting and important topic into the realm of scientific research. This refers to neuroscientific research as it enables a multimodal approach combining aspects of physiology, medicine, and psychology. Here a growing body of literature points towards significant alterations of both brain function, such as lateralization of cognitive functions, and structure, such as gray matter concentrations, due to fluctuations and changes in hormonal levels. This especially concerns female sex hormones. However, the more research is conducted within this field, the less reliable these observations and derived insights appear. This may be due to two particular factors: measurement inconsistencies and diverse hormonal phases accompanied by interindividual differences. The first factor refers to the prominent unreliability of one of the primarily utilized neuroscientific research instruments: functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This unreliability is seemingly present in paradigms and analyses, and their interplay, and is additionally affected by the second factor. In more detail, hormonal phases and levels further influence neuroscientific results obtained through fMRI as outcomes vary drastically across different cycle phases and medication. This resulting vast uncertainty thus tremendously hinders the further advancement of our understanding of how female sex hormones might alter brain structure and function and, ultimately, behavior.This review summarizes parts of the current state of research and outlines the essential requirements to further investigate and understand the female brain's underlying physiological and anatomical features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Schuster
- Laboratory for Multimodal Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Jansen
- Laboratory for Multimodal Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Marburg, Germany.,Core-Unit Brainimaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Marburg, Germany
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Balmori A, Macías A, de la Puente MP. Hormonal Differences Between Women and Men, Their Consequences on Addiction to Substances and Considerations on the Therapeutic Approach. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40429-022-00409-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Zhu J, Wang C, Qian Y, Cai H, Zhang S, Zhang C, Zhao W, Zhang T, Zhang B, Chen J, Liu S, Yu Y. Multimodal neuroimaging fusion biomarkers mediate the association between gut microbiota and cognition. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 113:110468. [PMID: 34736997 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Background The field of microbiota-gut-brain research in animals has progressed, while the exact nature of gut microbiota-brain-cognition relationship in humans is not completely elucidated, likely due to small sample sizes and single neuroimaging modality utilized to delineate limited aspects of the brain. We aimed to comprehensively investigate such association in a large sample using multimodal MRI. Methods Fecal samples were collected from 157 healthy young adults and 16S sequencing was used to assess gut microbial diversity and enterotypes. Five brain imaging measures, including regional homogeneity (ReHo) and functional connectivity density (FCD) from resting-state functional MRI, cerebral blood flow (CBF) from arterial spin labeling, gray matter volume (GMV) from structural MRI, and fractional anisotropy (FA) from diffusion tensor imaging, were jointly analyzed with a data-driven multivariate fusion method. Cognition was evaluated by 3-back and digit span tasks. Results We found significant associations of gut microbial diversity with ReHo, FCD, CBF, and GMV within the frontoparietal, default mode and visual networks, as well as with FA in a distributed set of juxtacortical white matter regions. In addition, there were FCD, CBF, GMV, and FA differences between Prevotella- versus Bacteroides-enterotypes in females and between Prevotella- versus Ruminococcaceae-enterotypes in males. Moreover, the identified neuroimaging fusion biomarkers could mediate the associations between microbial diversity and cognition. Conclusions Our findings not only expand existing knowledge of the microbiota-gut-brain axis, but also have potential clinical and translational implications by exposing the gut microbiota as a promising treatment and prevention target for cognitive impairment and related brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Chunli Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yinfeng Qian
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Huanhuan Cai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Shujun Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Cun Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Wenming Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Biao Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jingyao Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Siyu Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
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Salminen LE, Tubi MA, Bright J, Thomopoulos SI, Wieand A, Thompson PM. Sex is a defining feature of neuroimaging phenotypes in major brain disorders. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:500-542. [PMID: 33949018 PMCID: PMC8805690 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex is a biological variable that contributes to individual variability in brain structure and behavior. Neuroimaging studies of population-based samples have identified normative differences in brain structure between males and females, many of which are exacerbated in psychiatric and neurological conditions. Still, sex differences in MRI outcomes are understudied, particularly in clinical samples with known sex differences in disease risk, prevalence, and expression of clinical symptoms. Here we review the existing literature on sex differences in adult brain structure in normative samples and in 14 distinct psychiatric and neurological disorders. We discuss commonalities and sources of variance in study designs, analysis procedures, disease subtype effects, and the impact of these factors on MRI interpretation. Lastly, we identify key problems in the neuroimaging literature on sex differences and offer potential recommendations to address current barriers and optimize rigor and reproducibility. In particular, we emphasize the importance of large-scale neuroimaging initiatives such as the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analyses consortium, the UK Biobank, Human Connectome Project, and others to provide unprecedented power to evaluate sex-specific phenotypes in major brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. Salminen
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Meral A. Tubi
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joanna Bright
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sophia I. Thomopoulos
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Alyssa Wieand
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Imaging Genetics CenterMark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of USCMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
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16
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De Filippi E, Uribe C, Avila-Varela DS, Martínez-Molina N, Gashaj V, Pritschet L, Santander T, Jacobs EG, Kringelbach ML, Sanz Perl Y, Deco G, Escrichs A. The Menstrual Cycle Modulates Whole-Brain Turbulent Dynamics. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:753820. [PMID: 34955718 PMCID: PMC8695489 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.753820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain dynamics have recently been shown to be modulated by rhythmic changes in female sex hormone concentrations across an entire menstrual cycle. However, many questions remain regarding the specific differences in information processing across spacetime between the two main follicular and luteal phases in the menstrual cycle. Using a novel turbulent dynamic framework, we studied whole-brain information processing across spacetime scales (i.e., across long and short distances in the brain) in two open-source, dense-sampled resting-state datasets. A healthy naturally cycling woman in her early twenties was scanned over 30 consecutive days during a naturally occurring menstrual cycle and under a hormonal contraceptive regime. Our results indicated that the luteal phase is characterized by significantly higher information transmission across spatial scales than the follicular phase. Furthermore, we found significant differences in turbulence levels between the two phases in brain regions belonging to the default mode, salience/ventral attention, somatomotor, control, and dorsal attention networks. Finally, we found that changes in estradiol and progesterone concentrations modulate whole-brain turbulent dynamics in long distances. In contrast, we reported no significant differences in information processing measures between the active and placebo phases in the hormonal contraceptive study. Overall, the results demonstrate that the turbulence framework is able to capture differences in whole-brain turbulent dynamics related to ovarian hormones and menstrual cycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora De Filippi
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Uribe
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniela S. Avila-Varela
- Speech Acquisition and Perception Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Noelia Martínez-Molina
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Venera Gashaj
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Pritschet
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Tyler Santander
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Emily G. Jacobs
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Morten L. Kringelbach
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Center for Music in the Brain, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yonatan Sanz Perl
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anira Escrichs
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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17
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Alper J, Seifert AC, Verma G, Huang KH, Jacob Y, Al Qadi A, Rutland JW, Patel S, Bederson J, Shrivastava RK, Delman BN, Balchandani P. Leveraging high-resolution 7-tesla MRI to derive quantitative metrics for the trigeminal nerve and subnuclei of limbic structures in trigeminal neuralgia. J Headache Pain 2021; 22:112. [PMID: 34556025 PMCID: PMC8461944 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-021-01325-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a chronic neurological disease that is strongly associated with neurovascular compression (NVC) of the trigeminal nerve near its root entry zone. The trigeminal nerve at the site of NVC has been extensively studied but limbic structures that are potentially involved in TN have not been adequately characterized. Specifically, the hippocampus is a stress-sensitive region which may be structurally impacted by chronic TN pain. As the center of the emotion-related network, the amygdala is closely related to stress regulation and may be associated with TN pain as well. The thalamus, which is involved in the trigeminal sensory pathway and nociception, may play a role in pain processing of TN. The objective of this study was to assess structural alterations in the trigeminal nerve and subregions of the hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus in TN patients using ultra-high field MRI and examine quantitative differences in these structures compared with healthy controls. METHODS Thirteen TN patients and 13 matched controls were scanned at 7-Tesla MRI with high resolution, T1-weighted imaging. Nerve cross sectional area (CSA) was measured and an automated algorithm was used to segment hippocampal, amygdaloid, and thalamic subregions. Nerve CSA and limbic structure subnuclei volumes were compared between TN patients and controls. RESULTS CSA of the posterior cisternal nerve on the symptomatic side was smaller in patients (3.75 mm2) compared with side-matched controls (5.77 mm2, p = 0.006). In TN patients, basal subnucleus amygdala volume (0.347 mm3) was reduced on the symptomatic side compared with controls (0.401 mm3, p = 0.025) and the paralaminar subnucleus volume (0.04 mm3) was also reduced on the symptomatic side compared with controls (0.05 mm3, p = 0.009). The central lateral thalamic subnucleus was larger in TN patients on both the symptomatic side (0.033 mm3) and asymptomatic side (0.035 mm3), compared with the corresponding sides in controls (0.025 mm3 on both sides, p = 0.048 and p = 0.003 respectively). The inferior and lateral pulvinar thalamic subnuclei were both reduced in TN patients on the symptomatic side (0.2 mm3 and 0.17 mm3 respectively) compared to controls (0.23 mm3, p = 0.04 and 0.18 mm3, p = 0.04 respectively). No significant findings were found in the hippocampal subfields analyzed. CONCLUSIONS These findings, generated through a highly sensitive 7 T MRI protocol, provide compelling support for the theory that TN neurobiology is a complex amalgamation of local structural changes within the trigeminal nerve and structural alterations in subnuclei of limbic structures directly and indirectly involved in nociception and pain processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy Alper
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Alan C Seifert
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Gaurav Verma
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Kuang-Han Huang
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Yael Jacob
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Ameen Al Qadi
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - John W Rutland
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sheetal Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joshua Bederson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Bradley N Delman
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular, and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Priti Balchandani
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue; Floor 1, New York, NY, 10029, USA
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Brain reactivity during aggressive response in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder treated with a selective progesterone receptor modulator. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1460-1467. [PMID: 33927343 PMCID: PMC8209206 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01010-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by late luteal phase affective, cognitive, and physical impairment. The disorder causes significant suffering in about 5% of women in their reproductive age. Altered sensitivity of cognitive-affective brain circuits to progesterone and its downstream metabolite allopregnanolone is suggested to underlie PMDD symptomatology. Core mood symptoms include irritability and anger, with aggression being the behavioral outcome of these symptoms. The present study sought to investigate the neural correlates of reactive aggression during the premenstrual phase in women with PMDD, randomized to a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRM) or placebo. Self-reports on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems were used to assess PMDD symptoms and gonadal hormone levels were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 30 women with PMDD, while performing the point subtraction aggression paradigm. Overall, a high SPRM treatment response rate was attained (93%), in comparison with placebo (53.3%). Women with PMDD randomized to SPRM treatment had enhanced brain reactivity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex during the aggressive response condition. The fronto-cingulate reactivity during aggressive responses depended on treatment, with a negative relationship between brain reactivity and task-related aggressiveness found in the placebo but not the SPRM group. The findings contribute to define the role of progesterone in PMDD symptomatology, suggesting a beneficial effect of progesterone receptor antagonism, and consequent anovulation, on top-down emotion regulation, i.e., greater fronto-cingulate activity in response to provocation stimuli.
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Estimating Gender and Age from Brain Structural MRI of Children and Adolescents: A 3D Convolutional Neural Network Multitask Learning Model. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 2021:5550914. [PMID: 34122531 PMCID: PMC8172319 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5550914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite recent advances, assessing biological measurements for neuropsychiatric disorders is still a challenge, where confounding variables such as gender and age (as a proxy for neurodevelopment) play an important role. This study explores brain structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) from two public data sets (ABIDE-II and ADHD-200) with healthy control (HC, N = 894), autism spectrum disorder (ASD, N = 251), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, N = 357) individuals. We used gray and white matter preprocessed via voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to train a 3D convolutional neural network with a multitask learning strategy to estimate gender, age, and mental health status from structural brain differences. Gradient-based methods were employed to generate attention maps, providing clinically relevant identification of most representative brain regions for models' decision-making. This approach resulted in satisfactory predictions for gender and age. ADHD-200-trained models, evaluated in 10-fold cross-validation procedures on test set, obtained a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.43 years (±0.22 SD) for age prediction and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 (±0.04 SD) for gender classification. In out-of-sample validation, the best-performing ADHD-200 models satisfactorily predicted age (MAE = 1.57 years) and gender (AUC = 0.89) in the ABIDE-II data set. The models' accuracy was in line with the current state-of-the-art machine learning applications in neuroimaging. Key regions for models' accuracy were presented as a meaningful graphical output. New implementations, such as the use of VBM along with a 3D convolutional neural network multitask learning model and a brain imaging graphical output, reinforce the relevance of the proposed workflow.
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20
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Mielke MM. Consideration of Sex Differences in the Measurement and Interpretation of Alzheimer Disease-Related Biofluid-Based Biomarkers. J Appl Lab Med 2021; 5:158-169. [PMID: 31811073 DOI: 10.1373/jalm.2019.030023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of cerebrospinal fluid and blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer disease (AD) and related disorders is rapidly progressing. Such biomarkers may be used clinically to screen the population, to enhance diagnosis, or to help determine prognosis. Although the use of precision medicine methods has contributed to enhanced understanding of the AD pathophysiological changes and development of assays, one aspect not commonly considered is sex differences. CONTENT There are several ways in which sex can affect the concentration or interpretation of biofluid biomarkers. For some markers, concentrations will vary by sex. For others, the concentrations might not vary by sex, but the impact or interpretation may vary by sex depending on the context of use (e.g., diagnostic vs prognostic). Finally, for others, there will be no sex differences in concentrations or their interpretation. This review will first provide a basis for sex differences, including differences in brain structure and function, and the means by which these differences could contribute to sex differences in biomarker concentrations. Next, the current state of sex differences in AD-related biofluid markers (i.e., amyloid-β, phosphorylated τ, total τ, neurofilament light chain, and neurogranin) will be reviewed. Lastly, factors that can lead to the misinterpretation of observed sex differences in biomarkers (either providing evidence for or against) will be considered. SUMMARY This review is intended to provide an impetus to consider sex differences in the measurement and interpretation of AD-related biofluid-based biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Mielke
- Departments of Health Sciences Research and Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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21
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Chen KX, Worley S, Foster H, Edasery D, Roknsharifi S, Ifrah C, Lipton ML. Oral contraceptive use is associated with smaller hypothalamic and pituitary gland volumes in healthy women: A structural MRI study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249482. [PMID: 33882080 PMCID: PMC8059834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of hormonal contraceptives on structural features of the hypothalamus and pituitary are incompletely understood. One prior study reported microstructural changes in the hypothalamus with oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use. However, effects on hypothalamic volume have not been reported. One prior study reported volumetric changes in the pituitary. However, this study was limited by including participants evaluated for neurological symptoms. We sought to determine if OCP use is associated with alteration of hypothalamic or pituitary volume. High-resolution 3T MRI was performed for a prospective cohort of 50 healthy women from 2016 to 2018, which comprised 21 OCP users (age, 19-29) and 29 naturally cycling women (age, 18-36). Participants were excluded if they were pregnant or had significant medical conditions including neurological, psychiatric, and endocrine disorders. After confirming reliability of the image analysis techniques, 5 raters independently performed manual segmentation of the hypothalamus and semi-automated intensity threshold-based segmentation of the pituitary using ITK-SNAP. Total intracranial volume was estimated using FreeSurfer. A general linear model tested the association of OCP use with hypothalamic and pituitary volumes. Hypothalamic (B = -81.2 ± 24.9, p = 0.002) and pituitary (B = -81.2 ± 38.7, p = 0.04) volumes in OCP users were smaller than in naturally cycling women. These findings may be related to interference with known trophic effects of sex hormones and suggest a structural correlate of central OCP effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Xun Chen
- Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Sandie Worley
- Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Henry Foster
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - David Edasery
- Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Shima Roknsharifi
- Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Chloe Ifrah
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
| | - Michael L. Lipton
- Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health, Bronx, NY, United States of America
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22
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Rehbein E, Hornung J, Sundström Poromaa I, Derntl B. Shaping of the Female Human Brain by Sex Hormones: A Review. Neuroendocrinology 2021; 111:183-206. [PMID: 32155633 DOI: 10.1159/000507083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Traditionally sex hormones have been associated with reproductive and developmental processes only. Since the 1950s we know that hormones can have organizational effects on the developing brain and initiate hormonal transition periods such as puberty. However, recent evidence shows that sex hormones additionally structure the brain during important hormonal transition periods across a woman's life including short-term fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. However, a comprehensive review focusing on structural changes during all hormonal transition phases of women is still missing. Therefore, in this review structural changes across hormonal transition periods (i.e., puberty, menstrual cycle, oral contraceptive intake, pregnancy and menopause) were investigated in a structured way and correlations with sex hormones evaluated. Results show an overall reduction in grey matter and region-specific decreases in prefrontal, parietal and middle temporal areas during puberty. Across the menstrual cycle grey matter plasticity in the hippocampus, the amygdala as well as temporal and parietal regions were most consistently reported. Studies reporting on pre- and post-pregnancy measurements revealed volume reductions in midline structures as well as prefrontal and temporal cortices. During perimenopause, the decline in sex hormones was paralleled with a reduction in hippocampal and parietal cortex volume. Brain volume changes were significantly correlated with estradiol, testosterone and progesterone levels in some studies, but directionality remains inconclusive between studies. These results indicate that sex hormones play an important role in shaping women's brain structure during different transition periods and are not restricted to specific developmental periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rehbein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany,
| | - Jonas Hornung
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Innovative Neuroimaging, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Lead Graduate School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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23
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Tan GCY, Chu C, Lee YT, Tan CCK, Ashburner J, Wood NW, Frackowiak RS. The influence of microsatellite polymorphisms in sex steroid receptor genes ESR1, ESR2 and AR on sex differences in brain structure. Neuroimage 2020; 221:117087. [PMID: 32593802 PMCID: PMC8960998 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR), oestrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and oestrogen receptor beta (ESR2) play essential roles in mediating the effect of sex hormones on sex differences in the brain. Using Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and gene sizing in two independent samples (discovery n = 173, replication = 61), we determine the common and unique influences on brain sex differences in grey (GM) and white matter (WM) volume between repeat lengths (n) of microsatellite polymorphisms AR(CAG)n, ESR1(TA)n and ESR2(CA)n. In the hypothalamus, temporal lobes, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior insula and prefrontal cortex, we find increased GM volume with increasing AR(CAG)n across sexes, decreasing ESR1(TA)n across sexes and decreasing ESR2(CA)n in females. Uniquely, AR(CAG)n was positively associated with dorsolateral prefrontal and orbitofrontal GM volume and the anterior corona radiata, left superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, thalamus and internal capsule WM volume. ESR1(TA)n was negatively associated with the left superior corona radiata, left cingulum and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus WM volume uniquely. ESR2(CA)n was negatively associated with right fusiform and posterior cingulate cortex uniquely. We thus describe the neuroanatomical correlates of three microsatellite polymorphisms of steroid hormone receptors and their relationship to sex differences. Microsatellite polymorphisms in sex hormone receptor genes influence volume in regions of brain sex difference AR(CAG)n repeat length is positively associated with grey and white matter volume across males and females ESR1(TA)n repeat length is negatively associated with grey and white matter volume across males and females ESR2(CA)n repeat length is negatively associated with grey matter volume in females but not in males Repeat length was associated with volume in the hypothalamus, insula, temporal cortices, prefrontal cortices, inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi in the three genes. These regions were largely replicated in an independent cohort acquired on a separate scanner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey Chern-Yee Tan
- Institute of Mental Health, National Healthcare Group, Singapore; Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A(∗)STAR), Singapore.
| | - Carlton Chu
- DeepMind Technologies Limited, United Kingdom, UK
| | - Yu Teng Lee
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - John Ashburner
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London (UCL), United Kingdom, UK
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24
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Tobiansky DJ, Fuxjager MJ. Sex Steroids as Regulators of Gestural Communication. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5822602. [PMID: 32307535 PMCID: PMC7316366 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gestural communication is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom, occurring in species that range from humans to arthropods. Individuals produce gestural signals when their nervous system triggers the production of limb and body movement, which in turn functions to help mediate communication between or among individuals. Like many stereotyped motor patterns, the probability of a gestural display in a given social context can be modulated by sex steroid hormones. Here, we review how steroid hormones mediate the neural mechanisms that underly gestural communication in humans and nonhumans alike. This is a growing area of research, and thus we explore how sex steroids mediate brain areas involved in language production, social behavior, and motor performance. We also examine the way that sex steroids can regulate behavioral output by acting in the periphery via skeletal muscle. Altogether, we outline a new avenue of behavioral endocrinology research that aims to uncover the hormonal basis for one of the most common modes of communication among animals on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Correspondence: Daniel J. Tobiansky, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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25
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Fung MH, Taylor BK, Frenzel MR, Eastman JA, Wang YP, Calhoun VD, Stephen JM, Wilson TW. Pubertal Testosterone Tracks the Developmental Trajectory of Neural Oscillatory Activity Serving Visuospatial Processing. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5960-5971. [PMID: 32577718 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Puberty is a period of substantial hormonal fluctuations that induce dramatic physical, neurological, and behavioral changes. Previous research has demonstrated that pubertal hormones modulate cortical development, as well as sex- and age-specific patterns of cognitive development during childhood and adolescence. However, the influence of pubertal hormones on the brain's functional development, specifically neural oscillatory dynamics, has yet to be fully examined. Thus, in the current study, we used magnetoencephalography to investigate the oscillatory dynamics serving visuospatial perception and attention, and testosterone levels and chronological age as measures of development. Within a sample of typically developing youth, age was associated with changes in alpha, theta, and gamma oscillatory activity. Novel testosterone-by-sex interactions in the gamma range were identified in critical areas of the visual and attention networks. Females had increased gamma activity with increasing testosterone in the right temporal-parietal junction and occipital cortices, while males showed increased gamma activity in the right insula with increasing testosterone. These findings reveal robust developmental alterations in the oscillatory dynamics serving visuospatial processing during childhood and adolescence and provide novel insight into the hormonal basis of sexually dimorphic patterns of functional brain development during the pubertal transition that is at least partially mediated by endogenous testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison H Fung
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Brittany K Taylor
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Michaela R Frenzel
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Jacob A Eastman
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Yu-Ping Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA.,Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | | | - Tony W Wilson
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Center for Magnetoencephalography, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA.,Cognitive Neuroscience of Development & Aging (CoNDA) Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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26
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Studholme C, Kroenke CD, Dighe M. Motion corrected MRI differentiates male and female human brain growth trajectories from mid-gestation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3038. [PMID: 32546755 PMCID: PMC7297991 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16763-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It is of considerable scientific, medical, and societal interest to understand the developmental origins of differences between male and female brains. Here we report the use of advances in MR imaging and analysis to accurately measure global, lobe and millimetre scale growth trajectory patterns over 18 gestational weeks in normal pregnancies with repeated measures. Statistical modelling of absolute growth trajectories revealed underlying differences in many measures, potentially reflecting overall body size differences. However, models of relative growth accounting for global measures revealed a complex temporal form, with strikingly similar cortical development in males and females at lobe scales. In contrast, local cortical growth patterns and larger scale white matter volume and surface measures differed significantly between male and female. Many proportional differences were maintained during neurogenesis and over 18 weeks of growth. These indicate sex related sculpting of neuroanatomy begins early in development, before cortical folding, potentially influencing postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Studholme
- Biomedical Image Computing Group, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Box 356320, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Advanced Imaging Research Center and Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, 97239, OR, USA
| | - Manjiri Dighe
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA
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27
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Lany J, Shoaib A. Individual differences in non-adjacent statistical dependency learning in infants. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2020; 47:483-507. [PMID: 31190666 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000919000230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable controversy over the factors that shape infants' developing knowledge of grammar. Work with artificial languages suggests that infants' ability to track statistical regularities within the speech they hear could, in principle, support grammatical development. However, little work has tested whether infants' performance on laboratory tasks reflects factors that are relevant in real-world language learning. Here we tested whether the language that infants hear at home, and their receptive language skills, predict their performance on tasks assessing the ability to learn non-adjacent statistical dependencies (NADs) at 15 months, and whether that in turn predicts sensitivity to native-language NADs at 18 months. We found evidence for some (though not all) of these relations, and primarily for females. The results suggest that performance on the artificial language-learning task reveals something about the mechanisms of grammatical development, and that females and males may be learning NADs differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Lany
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, USA
| | - Amber Shoaib
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, USA
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28
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Stoica T, Knight LK, Naaz F, Ramic M, Depue BE. Cortical morphometry and structural connectivity relate to executive function and estradiol level in healthy adolescents. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01413. [PMID: 31568680 PMCID: PMC6908880 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emotional and behavioral control is necessary self-regulatory processes to maintain stable goal-driven behavior. Studies indicate that variance in these executive function (EF) processes is related to morphological features of the brain and white matter (WM) differences. Furthermore, sex hormone level may modulate circuits in the brain important for cognitive function. METHODS We aimed to investigate the structural neural correlates of EF behavior in gray matter (GM) and WM while taking into account estradiol level, in an adolescent population. The present study obtained neuroimaging behavioral and physiological data from the National Institute of Health's Pediatric Database (NIHPD). We analyzed the relationship between cortical morphometry and structural connectivity (N = 55), using a parent-administered behavioral monitoring instrument (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-BRIEF), estradiol level, as well as their interaction. RESULTS Executive function behavior and estradiol level related to bidirectional associations with cortical morphometry in the right posterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (pDLPFC) and primary motor cortex (PMC), as well as fractional anisotropy (FA) in the forceps major and minor. Lastly, the interaction of EF behavior and estradiol level related to decreased volume in the right PMC and was linked to altered FA in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (iFOF). CONCLUSIONS The study provides evidence that the relationship between EF behavior and estradiol level related to bidirectional GM and WM differences, implying estradiol level has an influence on the putative structural regions underlying EF behavior. The findings represent a crucial link between EF behavior and hormonal influence on brain structure in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodora Stoica
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Lindsay Kathleen Knight
- Interdisciplinary Program in Translational Neuroscience, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Farah Naaz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melina Ramic
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Brendan E Depue
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Anatomical Sciences and Neurobiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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29
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Does Video Gaming Have Impacts on the Brain: Evidence from a Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9100251. [PMID: 31557907 PMCID: PMC6826942 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9100251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Video gaming, the experience of playing electronic games, has shown several benefits for human health. Recently, numerous video gaming studies showed beneficial effects on cognition and the brain. A systematic review of video gaming has been published. However, the previous systematic review has several differences to this systematic review. This systematic review evaluates the beneficial effects of video gaming on neuroplasticity specifically on intervention studies. Literature research was conducted from randomized controlled trials in PubMed and Google Scholar published after 2000. A systematic review was written instead of a meta-analytic review because of variations among participants, video games, and outcomes. Nine scientific articles were eligible for the review. Overall, the eligible articles showed fair quality according to Delphi Criteria. Video gaming affects the brain structure and function depending on how the game is played. The game genres examined were 3D adventure, first-person shooting (FPS), puzzle, rhythm dance, and strategy. The total training durations were 16–90 h. Results of this systematic review demonstrated that video gaming can be beneficial to the brain. However, the beneficial effects vary among video game types.
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30
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Wong APY, French L, Leonard G, Perron M, Pike GB, Richer L, Veillette S, Pausova Z, Paus T. Inter-Regional Variations in Gene Expression and Age-Related Cortical Thinning in the Adolescent Brain. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:1272-1281. [PMID: 28334178 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related decreases in cortical thickness observed during adolescence may be related to fluctuations in sex and stress hormones. We examine this possibility by relating inter-regional variations in age-related cortical thinning (data from the Saguenay Youth Study) to inter-regional variations in expression levels of relevant genes (data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas); we focus on genes coding for glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), androgen receptor (AR), progesterone receptor (PGR), and estrogen receptors (ESR1 and ESR2). Across 34 cortical regions (Desikan-Killiany parcellation), age-related cortical thinning varied as a function of mRNA expression levels of NR3C1 in males (R2 = 0.46) and females (R2 = 0.30) and AR in males only (R2 = 0.25). Cortical thinning did not vary as a function of expression levels of PGR, ESR1, or ESR2 in either sex; this might be due to the observed low consistency of expression profiles of these 3 genes across donors. Inter-regional levels of the NR3C1 and AR expression interacted with each other vis-à-vis cortical thinning: age-related cortical thinning varied as a function of NR3C1 mRNA expression in brain regions with low (males: R2 = 0.64; females: R2 = 0.58) but not high (males: R2 = 0.0045; females: R2 = 0.15) levels of AR mRNA expression. These results suggest that glucocorticoid and androgen receptors contribute to cortical maturation during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelita Pui-Yee Wong
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G3, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto M6A 2E1, Canada
| | - Leon French
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto M5T 1R8, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Gabriel Leonard
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Michel Perron
- ECOBES, Cégep de Jonquière, Jonquière G7X 7W2, Canada.,University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - G Bruce Pike
- Department of Radiology and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Louis Richer
- University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Suzanne Veillette
- ECOBES, Cégep de Jonquière, Jonquière G7X 7W2, Canada.,University of Quebec in Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Zdenka Pausova
- The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Tomáš Paus
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3G3, Canada.,Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto M6A 2E1, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto M5T 1R8, Canada.,Child Mind Institute, New York, NY 10022, USA
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31
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Pergher V, Tournoy J, Schoenmakers B, Van Hulle MM. P300, Gray Matter Volume and Individual Characteristics Correlates in Healthy Elderly. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:104. [PMID: 31130855 PMCID: PMC6510164 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether P300-ERP and cognitive test performance differ for age, sex, and education in two groups of healthy elderly, and verified whether any correlations exist between P300 amplitude and latency and gray matter volume using whole brain voxel-by-voxel-based mapping, controlling for age, education, sex and Total Intracranial Volume (TIV). We used 32 channel electroencephalograms (EEG) to record the P300 responses and 3T Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to determine gray matter volume. We recruited 36 native-Dutch speaking healthy older subjects, equally divided in two sub-groups of 52-64 and 65-76 years old, administered a battery of cognitive tests and recorded their demographics, EEGs and task performance; additionally, 16 adults from the second sub-group underwent an MRI scan. We found significant differences between age groups in their cognitive tests performance, P300 amplitudes for the frontal and parietal electrodes for the most difficult task, and P300 latencies for frontal, central and parietal electrodes for all three tasks difficulty levels. Interesting, sex and education affected cognitive and P300 results. Higher education was related to higher accuracy, and P300 amplitudes and shorter latencies. Moreover, females exhibited higher P300 amplitudes and shorter latencies, and better cognitive tasks performance compared to males. Additionally, for the 16 adults underwent to MRI scan, we found positive correlations between P300 characteristics in frontal, central and parietal areas and gray matter volume, controlling for demographic variables and TIV, but also showing that age, sex, and education correlate with gray matter volume. These findings provide support that age, sex, and education affect an individual's cognitive, neurophysiological and structural characteristics, and therefore motivate the need to further investigate these in relation to P300 responses and gray matter volume in healthy elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pergher
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jos Tournoy
- Department of Chronic Disease, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgitte Schoenmakers
- Academic Centre of General Practice, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marc M Van Hulle
- Laboratory for Neuro- and Psychophysiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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32
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Manzouri A, Savic I. Possible Neurobiological Underpinnings of Homosexuality and Gender Dysphoria. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:2084-2101. [PMID: 30084980 PMCID: PMC6677918 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although frequently discussed in terms of sex dimorphism, the neurobiology of sexual orientation and identity is unknown. We report multimodal magnetic resonance imaging data, including cortical thickness (Cth), subcortical volumes, and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging, from 27 transgender women (TrW), 40 transgender men (TrM), and 80 heterosexual (40 men) and 60 homosexual cisgender controls (30 men). These data show that whereas homosexuality is linked to cerebral sex dimorphism, gender dysphoria primarily involves cerebral networks mediating self-body perception. Among the homosexual cisgender controls, weaker sex dimorphism was found in white matter connections and a partly reversed sex dimorphism in Cth. Similar patterns were detected in transgender persons compared with heterosexual cisgender controls, but the significant clusters disappeared when adding homosexual controls, and correcting for sexual orientation. Instead, both TrW and TrM displayed singular features, showing greater Cth as well as weaker structural and functional connections in the anterior cingulate-precuneus and right occipito-parietal cortex, regions known to process own body perception in the context of self.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Manzouri
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - I Savic
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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33
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Yue JK, Levin HS, Suen CG, Morrissey MR, Runyon SJ, Winkler EA, Puffer RC, Deng H, Robinson CK, Rick JW, Phelps RRL, Sharma S, Taylor SR, Vassar MJ, Cnossen MC, Lingsma HF, Gardner RC, Temkin NR, Barber J, Dikmen SS, Yuh EL, Mukherjee P, Stein MB, Cage TA, Valadka AB, Okonkwo DO, Manley GT. Age and sex-mediated differences in six-month outcomes after mild traumatic brain injury in young adults: a TRACK-TBI study. Neurol Res 2019; 41:609-623. [PMID: 31007155 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2019.1602312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Risk factors for young adults with mTBI are not well understood. Improved understanding of age and sex as risk factors for impaired six-month outcomes in young adults is needed. Methods: Young adult mTBI subjects aged 18-39 years (18-29y; 30-39y) with six-month outcomes were extracted from the Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Pilot (TRACK-TBI Pilot) study. Multivariable regressions were performed for outcomes with age, sex, and the interaction factor age-group*sex as variables of interest, controlling for demographic and injury variables. Mean-differences (B) and 95% CIs are reported. Results: One hundred mTBI subjects (18-29y, 70%; 30-39y, 30%; male, 71%; female, 29%) met inclusion criteria. On multivariable analysis, age-group*sex was associated with six-month post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; PTSD Checklist-Civilian version); compared with female 30-39y, female 18-29y (B= -19.55 [-26.54, -4.45]), male 18-29y (B= -19.70 [-30.07, -9.33]), and male 30-39y (B= -15.49 [-26.54, -4.45]) were associated with decreased PTSD symptomatology. Female sex was associated with decreased six-month functional outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE): B= -0.6 [1.0, -0.1]). Comparatively, 30-39y scored higher on six-month nonverbal processing speed (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Processing Speed Index (WAIS-PSI); B= 11.88, 95% CI [1.66, 22.09]). Conclusions: Following mTBI, young adults aged 18-29y and 30-39y may have different risks for impairment. Sex may interact with age for PTSD symptomatology, with females 30-39y at highest risk. These results may be attributable to cortical maturation, biological response, social modifiers, and/or differential self-report. Confirmation in larger samples is needed; however, prevention and rehabilitation/counseling strategies after mTBI should likely be tailored for age and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- John K Yue
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Harvey S Levin
- c Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery , Baylor College of Medicine , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Catherine G Suen
- d Department of Neurology , University of Utah , Salt Lake City , UT , USA
| | - Molly Rose Morrissey
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Sarah J Runyon
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Ethan A Winkler
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Ross C Puffer
- e Department of Neurological Surgery , Mayo Clinic , Rochester , MN , USA.,f Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
| | - Hansen Deng
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Caitlin K Robinson
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Jonathan W Rick
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Ryan R L Phelps
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Sourabh Sharma
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Sabrina R Taylor
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Mary J Vassar
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Maryse C Cnossen
- g Department of Public Health , Erasmus Medical Center , Rotterdam , The Netherlands
| | - Hester F Lingsma
- g Department of Public Health , Erasmus Medical Center , Rotterdam , The Netherlands
| | - Raquel C Gardner
- h Department of Neurology , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,i Department of Neurology , Veterans Affairs Medical Center , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Nancy R Temkin
- j Departments of Neurological Surgery and Biostatistics , University of Washington , Seattle , WA , USA
| | - Jason Barber
- j Departments of Neurological Surgery and Biostatistics , University of Washington , Seattle , WA , USA
| | - Sureyya S Dikmen
- k Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , University of Washington , Seattle , WA , USA
| | - Esther L Yuh
- b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA.,l Department of Radiology , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Pratik Mukherjee
- b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA.,l Department of Radiology , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- m Departments of Psychiatry and Family Medicine , University of California San Diego , San Diego , CA , USA
| | - Tene A Cage
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Alex B Valadka
- n Department of Neurological Surgery , Virginia Commonwealth University , Richmond , VA , USA
| | - David O Okonkwo
- f Department of Neurological Surgery , University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
| | - Geoffrey T Manley
- a Department of Neurological Surgery , University of California San Francisco , San Francisco , CA , USA.,b Brain and Spinal Injury Center , Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital , San Francisco , CA , USA
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- o TRACK-TBI Investigators are listed below in alphabetical order by last name
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Torre GAA, Eden GF. Relationships between gray matter volume and reading ability in typically developing children, adolescents, and young adults. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 36:100636. [PMID: 30913497 PMCID: PMC6626657 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Reading is explicitly taught and foreshadows academic and vocational success. Studies comparing typical readers to those with developmental dyslexia have identified anatomical brain differences in bilateral temporo-parietal cortex, left temporo-occipital cortex, and bilateral cerebellum. Yet, it is unclear whether linear relationships exist between these brain structures and single real word reading ability in the general population. If dyslexia represents the lower end of the normal continuum, then relationships between gray matter volume (GMV) and reading ability would exist for all reading levels. Our study examined this question using voxel-based morphometry in a large sample (n = 404) of typically developing participants aged 6-22 derived from the NIH normative database. We tested correlations between individual GMV and single word reading and found none. After dividing this sample into groups based on age and on sex, we only found results in the group aged 15-22: positive correlations between GMV in left fusiform gyrus and reading, driven by females; and in right superior temporal gyrus in males. Multiple regressions also yielded no results, demonstrating that there is no general linear relationship between GMV and single real word reading ability. This provides an important context by which to interpret findings of GMV differences in dyslexia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle-Ann A Torre
- Center for the Study of Learning, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Guinevere F Eden
- Center for the Study of Learning, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States.
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35
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Wang B, Zhan Q, Yan T, Imtiaz S, Xiang J, Niu Y, Liu M, Wang G, Cao R, Li D. Hemisphere and Gender Differences in the Rich-Club Organization of Structural Networks. Cereb Cortex 2019; 29:4889-4901. [PMID: 30810159 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractStructural and functional differences in brain hemispheric asymmetry have been well documented between female and male adults. However, potential differences in the connectivity patterns of the rich-club organization of hemispheric structural networks in females and males remain to be determined. In this study, diffusion tensor imaging was used to construct hemispheric structural networks in healthy subjects, and graph theoretical analysis approaches were applied to quantify hemisphere and gender differences in rich-club organization. The results showed that rich-club organization was consistently observed in both hemispheres of female and male adults. Moreover, a reduced level of connectivity was found in the left hemisphere. Notably, rightward asymmetries were mainly observed in feeder and local connections among one hub region and peripheral regions, many of which are implicated in visual processing and spatial attention functions. Additionally, significant gender differences were revealed in the rich-club, feeder, and local connections in rich-club organization. These gender-related hub and peripheral regions are involved in emotional, sensory, and cognitive control functions. The topological changes in rich-club organization provide novel insight into the hemisphere and gender effects on white matter connections and underlie a potential network mechanism of hemisphere- and gender-based differences in visual processing, spatial attention and cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
- Department of Pathology and Shanxi Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research on Esophageal Cancer, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Qionghui Zhan
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Ting Yan
- Department of Pathology and Shanxi Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research on Esophageal Cancer, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Sumaira Imtiaz
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Jie Xiang
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Yan Niu
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Miaomiao Liu
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 1-1-1Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, Japan
| | - Gongshu Wang
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Rui Cao
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Dandan Li
- Department of Information and Computer, Taiyuan University of Technology, No. 79, Yingze West Street, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
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36
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Pergher V, Demaerel P, Soenen O, Saarela C, Tournoy J, Schoenmakers B, Karrasch M, Van Hulle MM. Identifying brain changes related to cognitive aging using VBM and visual rating scales. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 22:101697. [PMID: 30739844 PMCID: PMC6370556 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Aging is often associated with changes in brain structures as well as in cognitive functions. Structural changes can be visualized with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using voxel-based grey matter morphometry (VBM) and visual rating scales to assess atrophy level. Several MRI studies have shown that possible neural correlates of cognitive changes can be seen in normal aging. It is still not fully understood how cognitive function as measured by tests and demographic factors are related to brain changes in the MRI. We recruited 55 healthy elderly subjects aged 50–79 years. A battery of cognitive tests was administered to all subjects prior to MRI scanning. Our aim was to assess correlations between age, sex, education, cognitive test performance, and the said two MRI-based measures. Our results show significant differences in VBM grey matter volume for education level (≤ 12 vs. > 12 years), with a smaller amount of grey matter volume in subjects with lower educational levels, and for age in interaction with education, indicating larger grey matter volume for young, higher educated adults. Also, grey matter volume was found to be correlated with working memory function (Digit Span Backward). Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between visual ratings and both age and education, showing larger atrophy levels with increasing age and decreasing level of education. These findings provide supportive evidence that MRI-VBM detects structural differences for education level, and correlates with educational level and age, and working memory task performance. VBM grey matter volume differences were significant for the interaction of age and education level. Grey matter volume correlated with education level and working memory function (Digit Span Backward). Significant correlations were found between visual rating scales and both age and education. VBM is able to detect structural differences for age and education, and correlates with education and working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pergher
- KU Leuven -University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory for Neuro-& Psychophysiology, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Philippe Demaerel
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivier Soenen
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carina Saarela
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jos Tournoy
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgitte Schoenmakers
- Academic Centre of General Practice, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mira Karrasch
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Marc M Van Hulle
- KU Leuven -University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory for Neuro-& Psychophysiology, Leuven, Belgium
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37
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Chen XY, Du YF, Chen L. Neuropeptides Exert Neuroprotective Effects in Alzheimer's Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 11:493. [PMID: 30687008 PMCID: PMC6336706 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive deficits and neuronal loss. Deposition of beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ) causes neurotoxicity through the formation of plaques in brains of Alzheimer's disease. Numerous studies have indicated that the neuropeptides including ghrelin, neurotensin, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), neuropeptide Y, substance P and orexin are closely related to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. The levels of neuropeptides and their receptors change in Alzheimer's disease. These neuropeptides exert neuroprotective roles mainly through preventing Aβ accumulation, increasing neuronal glucose transport, increasing the production of neurotrophins, inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy, modulating potassium channel activity and hippocampal long-term potentiation. Therefore, the neuropeptides may function as potential drug targets in the prevention and cure of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yi Chen
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,Department of Neurology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yi-Feng Du
- Department of Neurology, Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Lei Chen
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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38
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Nostro AD, Müller VI, Reid AT, Eickhoff SB. Correlations Between Personality and Brain Structure: A Crucial Role of Gender. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3698-3712. [PMID: 27390020 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that males and females differ in personality and gender differences have also been reported in brain structure. However, effects of gender on this "personality-brain" relationship are yet unknown. We therefore investigated if the neural correlates of personality differ between males and females. Whole brain voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate the influence of gender on associations between NEO FFI personality traits and gray matter volume (GMV) in a matched sample of 182 males and 182 females. In order to assess associations independent of and dependent on gender, personality-GMV relationships were tested across the entire sample and separately for males and females. There were no significant correlations between any personality scale and GMV in the analyses across the entire sample. In contrast, significant associations with GMV were detected for neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness only in males. Interestingly, GMV in left precuneus/parieto-occipital sulcus correlated with all 3 traits. Thus, our results indicate that brain structure-personality relationships are highly dependent on gender, which might be attributable to hormonal interplays or differences in brain organization between males and females. Our results thus provide possible neural substrates of personality-behavior relationships and underline the important role of gender in these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra D Nostro
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Veronika I Müller
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Andrew T Reid
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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39
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Kim GW, Park K, Jeong GW. Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women. J Sex Med 2018; 15:662-670. [PMID: 29628218 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Investigation of the effect of sex hormones on the brain volume in women provides a unique opportunity to examine menopause-related morphometric alterations. AIM To evaluate brain morphological alterations in post-menopausal women using voxel-based morphometry and its correlations with sex hormone levels. METHODS 20 Pre-menopausal women and 20 post-menopausal women underwent structural MRI. OUTCOMES T1-weighted magnetic resonance data were acquired and serum sex hormones including total estrogen, estriol, estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone, free testosterone, SHBG, and luteinizing hormone were measured. RESULTS Post-menopausal women showed decreased gray matter (GM) in the supplementary motor area (SMA), inferior frontal gyrus, olfactory cortex, and superior temporal gyrus as contrasted with pre-menopausal women using analysis of covariance (P < .05). The GM volume (GMV) values of the SMA, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with the levels of E2 in the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, in which the volume of the SMA was negatively correlated with the duration of time after menopause in post-menopausal women. CLINICAL TRANSLATION This finding is potentially applicable to assess the brain dysfunction with morphological changes in post-menopausal women. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to evaluate a direct relationship between the level of E2 and GMV change. We directly compared pre-menopausal and menopausal women un-matched in age. This study highlights the menopause-related morphological alterations in post-menopausal women, suggesting that the reduced GMV were closely associated with the symptoms of menopause caused by the decreased levels of E2. Kim G-W, Park K, Jeong G-W. Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:662-670.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwang-Won Kim
- Advanced Institute of Aging Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwangsung Park
- Advanced Institute of Aging Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Gwang-Woo Jeong
- Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
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40
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Manzouri A, Savic I. Cerebral sex dimorphism and sexual orientation. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1175-1186. [PMID: 29227002 PMCID: PMC6866632 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurobiology of sexual orientation is frequently discussed in terms of cerebral sex dimorphism (defining both functional and structural sex differences). Yet, the information about possible cerebral differences between sex-matched homo and heterosexual persons is limited, particularly among women. In this multimodal MRI study, we addressed these issues by investigating possible cerebral differences between homo and heterosexual persons, and by asking whether there is any sex difference in this aspect. Measurements of cortical thickness (Cth), subcortical volumes, and functional and structural resting-state connections among 40 heterosexual males (HeM) and 40 heterosexual females (HeF) were compared with those of 30 homosexual males (HoM) and 30 homosexual females (HoF). Congruent with previous reports, sex differences were detected in heterosexual controls with regard to fractional anisotropy (FA), Cth, and several subcortical volumes. Homosexual groups did not display any sex differences in FA values. Furthermore, their functional connectivity was significantly less pronounced in the mesial prefrontal and precuneus regions. In these two particular regions, HoM also displayed thicker cerebral cortex than other groups, whereas HoF did not differ from HeF. In addition, in HoM the parietal Cth showed "sex-reversed" values, not observed in HoF. Homosexual orientation seems associated with a less pronounced sexual differentiation of white matter tracts and a less pronounced functional connectivity of the self-referential networks compared to heterosexual orientation. Analyses of Cth suggest that male and female homosexuality are not simple analogues of each other and that differences from heterosexual controls are more pronounced in HoM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Manzouri
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Neurology ClinicKarolinska Institutet and HospitalStickholmSE‐171 76Sweden
| | - Ivanka Savic
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Neurology ClinicKarolinska Institutet and HospitalStickholmSE‐171 76Sweden
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41
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Yao S, Song J, Gao J, Lin P, Yang M, Zahid KR, Yan Y, Cao C, Ma P, Zhang H, Li Z, Huang C, Ding H, Xu G. Cognitive Function and Serum Hormone Levels Are Associated with Gray Matter Volume Decline in Female Patients with Prolactinomas. Front Neurol 2018; 8:742. [PMID: 29434564 PMCID: PMC5797301 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2017.00742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and objective Cognitive impairments have been reported in patients with hyperprolactinemia; however, there is a lack of knowledge of brain structure alterations relevant to hyperprolactinemia in prolactinomas. Thus, we aimed to identify changes in brain structure in prolactinomas and to determine whether these changes are related to cognitive performance and clinical characteristics. Methods Participants were 32 female patients with prolactinomas and 26 healthy controls (HC) matched for age, sex, education, and handedness. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging brain scans, neuropsychological assessments, and clinical evaluations. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was used to identify changes in gray matter volume (GMV). Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were performed to determine the relationship between GMV, cognition, and clinical characteristics. Results Compared to HC, patients with prolactinomas demonstrated a decrease in GMV in the left hippocampus, left orbitofrontal cortex, right middle frontal cortex (MFC), and right inferior frontal cortex (IFC). In addition, patients performed worse than controls on tests for verbal memory and executive function, and this was significantly related to the GMV of the left hippocampus and right MFC, respectively. Moreover, in the patients, we found a negative relationship between serum prolactin levels and the GMV of the left hippocampus and right IFC, whereas a positive relationship was found between the GMV of the left hippocampus and serum levels of estradiol and luteinizing hormone. Conclusion In patients with prolactinomas, specific brain structure abnormalities have been identified and are associated with cognitive impairments and dysfunctional hormones. This study enhances our understanding of brain structure changes that may occur with prolactinomas and provides novel and fundamental evidence for previous behavioral findings relevant to hyperprolactinemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Junfeng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central of University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science, College of Biomedical Engineering, South-Central of University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Kashif Rafiq Zahid
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, College of Life Science, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Chenglong Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Pan Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhouyue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Huichao Ding
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
| | - Guozheng Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Wuhan General Hospital of PLA, Wuhan, China
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42
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Savic I, Engel J. Reprint of "Structural and functional correlates of epileptogenesis--does gender matter?". Neurobiol Dis 2018; 72 Pt B:131-5. [PMID: 25448763 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the majority of neuropsychiatric conditions, marked gender-based differences have been found in the epidemiology,clinical manifestations, and therapy of disease. One possible reason is that sex differences in cerebral morphology, structural and functional connections, render men and women differentially vulnerable to various disease processes. The present review addresses this issue with respect to the functional and structural correlates to some forms of epilepsy.
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Grey and white matter volumes either in treatment-naïve or hormone-treated transgender women: a voxel-based morphometry study. Sci Rep 2018; 8:736. [PMID: 29335438 PMCID: PMC5768734 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17563-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Many previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have documented sex differences in brain morphology, but the patterns of sexual brain differences in transgender women - male sex assigned at birth - with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria (TW) have been rarely investigated to date. We acquired T1-weighted MRI data for the following four (n = 80) groups: treatment-naïve TW (TNTW), TW treated with cross-sex hormones for at least one year (TTW), cisgender men, and cisgender women (cisgender individuals as controls). Differences in whole-brain and regional white matter volume and grey matter volume (GMV) were assessed using voxel-based morphometry. We found lower global brain volumes and regional GMVs in a large portion of the posterior-superior frontal cortex in the cisgender women group than in the TTW and cisgender men groups. Additionally, both transgender groups exhibited lower bilateral insular GMVs than the cisgender women group. Our results highlight differences in the insula in both transgender groups; such differences may be characteristic of TW. Furthermore, these alterations in the insula could be related to the neural network of body perception and reflect the distress that accompanies gender dysphoria.
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44
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The Sexual Differentiation of the Human Brain: Role of Sex Hormones Versus Sex Chromosomes. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 43:45-67. [PMID: 30599078 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Men and women differ, not only in their anatomy but also in their behavior. Research using animal models has convincingly shown that sex differences in the brain and behavior are induced by sex hormones during a specific, hormone-sensitive period during early development. Thus, male-typical psychosexual characteristics seem to develop under the influence of testosterone, mostly acting during early development. By contrast, female-typical psychosexual characteristics may actually be organized under the influence of estradiol during a specific prepubertal period. The sexual differentiation of the human brain also seems to proceed predominantly under the influence of sex hormones. Recent studies using magnetic resonance imaging have shown that several sexually differentiated aspects of brain structure and function are female-typical in women with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), who have a 46 XY karyotype but a female phenotype due to complete androgen resistance, suggesting that these sex differences most likely reflect androgen action, although feminizing effects of estrogens or female-typical socialization cannot be ruled out. By contrast, some male-typical neural characteristics were also observed in women with CAIS suggesting direct effects of sex chromosome genes in the sexual differentiation of the human brain. In conclusion, the sexual differentiation of the human brain is most likely a multifactorial process including both sex hormone and sex chromosome effects, acting in parallel or in combination.
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Elbejjani M, Schreiner PJ, Siscovick DS, Sidney S, Lewis CE, Bryan NR, Launer LJ. Sex hormones and brain volumes in a longitudinal study of middle-aged men in the CARDIA study. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00765. [PMID: 29075555 PMCID: PMC5651379 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several findings suggest that testosterone (T) is neuroprotective and that declining T levels during aging are associated with cognitive and brain pathologies; however, little is known on T and brain health in middle-age. We examined the relationships of total T, bioavailable T, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels with total and regional gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes in middle-aged men. We also evaluated the association of sex hormone levels with cognitive function. METHODS Analysis included 267 community-dwelling men participating in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) substudy. Total T, bioavailable T, and SHBG levels were measured at three times from the 2nd to 4th decade of life; brain volumes were measured at the ages of 42-56. Associations were estimated using linear regression models, adjusted for several potential confounders. RESULTS Higher SHBG levels were associated with greater total WM volume (+3.15 cm3 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01, 6.28] per one standard deviation higher SHBG). Higher SHBG levels were associated with lower total and regional GM volumes overall and significantly with smaller parietal GM volume (-0.96 cm3 [95%CI = -1.71, -0.21]). T levels were not related to brain volumes. Neither T nor SHBG levels were associated with cognitive function. CONCLUSION Results suggest a role for SHBG in structural brain outcomes in men and emphasize the value of investigating SHBG levels as modulators of sex hormone and metabolic pathways regulating brain and behavioral characteristics in men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Elbejjani
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population ScienceNational Institute on AgingBethesdaMDUSA
| | - Pamela J. Schreiner
- Division of Epidemiology and Community HealthUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMNUSA
| | - David S. Siscovick
- School of Public HealthUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
- The New York Academy of MedicineNew York, NYUSA
| | - Stephen Sidney
- Division of ResearchKaiser Permanente Northern CaliforniaOaklandCAUSA
| | - Cora E. Lewis
- Division of Preventive MedicineUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, ALUSA
| | - Nick R. Bryan
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of Pennsylvania Health SystemPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Lenore J. Launer
- Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population ScienceNational Institute on AgingBethesdaMDUSA
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Yang F, Zhu XH, Zhang Q, Sun NX, Ji YX, Ma JZ, Xiao B, Ding HX, Sun SH, Li W. Genomic Characteristics of Gender Dysphoria Patients and Identification of Rare Mutations in RYR3 Gene. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8339. [PMID: 28827537 PMCID: PMC5567086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08655-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Gender dysphoria (GD) is characterized by an incongruence between the gender assigned at birth and the gender with which one identifies. The biological mechanisms of GD are unclear. While common genetic variants are associated with GD, positive findings have not always been replicated. To explore the role of rare variants in GD susceptibility within the Han Chinese population, whole-genome sequencing of 9 Han female-to-male transsexuals (FtMs) and whole-exome sequencing of 4 Han male-to-female transsexuals (MtFs) were analyzed using a pathway burden analysis in which variants are first collapsed at the gene level and then by Gene Ontology terms. Novel nonsynonymous variants in ion transport genes were significantly enriched in FtMs (P- value, 2.41E-10; Fold enrichment, 2.8) and MtFs (P- value, 1.04E-04; Fold enrichment, 2.3). Gene burden analysis comparing 13 GD cases and 100 controls implicated RYR3, with three heterozygous damaging mutations in unrelated FtMs and zero in controls (P = 0.001). Importantly, protein structure modeling of the RYR3 mutations indicated that the R1518H mutation made a large structural change in the RYR3 protein. Overall, our results provide information about the genetic basis of GD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Xiao-Hai Zhu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Ning-Xia Sun
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Yi-Xuan Ji
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Jin-Zhao Ma
- Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Bang Xiao
- Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Hai-Xia Ding
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China
| | - Shu-Han Sun
- Department of Medical Genetics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Wen Li
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200003, China.
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Clemens B, Junger J, Pauly K, Neulen J, Neuschaefer-Rube C, Frölich D, Mingoia G, Derntl B, Habel U. Male-to-female gender dysphoria: Gender-specific differences in resting-state networks. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00691. [PMID: 28523232 PMCID: PMC5434195 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent research found gender-related differences in resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies examining the differences in rs-FC between men, women, and individuals who report a discrepancy between their anatomical sex and their gender identity, i.e. gender dysphoria (GD). METHODS To address this important issue, we present the first fMRI study systematically investigating the differences in typical resting-state networks (RSNs) and hormonal treatment effects in 26 male-to-female GD individuals (MtFs) compared with 19 men and 20 women. RESULTS Differences between male and female control groups were found only in the auditory RSN, whereas differences between both control groups and MtFs were found in the auditory and fronto-parietal RSNs, including both primary sensory areas (e.g. calcarine gyrus) and higher order cognitive areas such as the middle and posterior cingulate and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. Overall, differences in MtFs compared with men and women were more pronounced before cross-sex hormonal treatment. Interestingly, rs-FC between MtFs and women did not differ significantly after treatment. When comparing hormonally untreated and treated MtFs, we found differences in connectivity of the calcarine gyrus and thalamus in the context of the auditory network, as well as the inferior frontal gyrus in context of the fronto-parietal network. CONCLUSION Our results provide first evidence that MtFs exhibit patterns of rs-FC which are different from both their assigned and their aspired gender, indicating an intermediate position between the two sexes. We suggest that the present study constitutes a starting point for future research designed to clarify whether the brains of individuals with GD are more similar to their assigned or their aspired gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Clemens
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Jessica Junger
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany.,JARA-Translational Brain MedicineJülichGermany
| | - Katharina Pauly
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany.,JARA-Translational Brain MedicineJülichGermany
| | - Josef Neulen
- Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Christiane Neuschaefer-Rube
- Department of Phoniatrics, Pedaudiology and Communication Disorders Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Dirk Frölich
- Department of Phoniatrics, Pedaudiology and Communication Disorders Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Gianluca Mingoia
- JARA-Translational Brain MedicineJülichGermany.,Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research (IZKF) RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany.,Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN) University of Tübingen Tübingen Germany.,LEAD Graduate School and Research Network Tübingen Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical School RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany.,JARA-Translational Brain MedicineJülichGermany
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Kraus C, Castrén E, Kasper S, Lanzenberger R. Serotonin and neuroplasticity - Links between molecular, functional and structural pathophysiology in depression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 77:317-326. [PMID: 28342763 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin modulates neuroplasticity, especially during early life, and dysfunctions in both systems likewise contribute to pathophysiology of depression. Recent findings demonstrate that serotonin reuptake inhibitors trigger reactivation of juvenile-like neuroplasticity. How these findings translate to clinical antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder remains unclear. With this review, we link preclinical with clinical work on serotonin and neuroplasticity to bring two pathophysiologic models in clinical depression closer together. Dysfunctional developmental plasticity impacts on later-life cognitive and emotional functions, changes of synaptic serotonin levels and receptor levels are coupled with altered synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Structural magnetic resonance imaging in patients reveals disease-state-specific reductions of gray matter, a marker of neuroplasticity, and reversibility upon selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Translational evidence from magnetic resonance imaging in animals support that reduced densities and sizes of neurons and reduced hippocampal volumes in depressive patients could be attributable to changes of serotonergic neuroplasticity. Since ketamine, physical exercise or learning enhance neuroplasticity, combinatory paradigms with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors could enhance clinical treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Kraus
- NEUROIMAGING LABs (NIL) - PET & MRI & EEG & Chemical Lab Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Medical University of Vienna
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria(1)
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- NEUROIMAGING LABs (NIL) - PET & MRI & EEG & Chemical Lab Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Medical University of Vienna.
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Nguyen TV, Lew J, Albaugh MD, Botteron KN, Hudziak JJ, Fonov VS, Collins DL, Ducharme S, McCracken JT. Sex-specific associations of testosterone with prefrontal-hippocampal development and executive function. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 76:206-217. [PMID: 27984812 PMCID: PMC5272813 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone is thought to play a crucial role in mediating sexual differentiation of brain structures. Examinations of the cognitive effects of testosterone have also shown beneficial and potentially sex-specific effects on executive function and mnemonic processes. Yet these findings remain limited by an incomplete understanding of the critical timing and brain regions most affected by testosterone, the lack of documented links between testosterone-related structural brain changes and cognition, and the difficulty in distinguishing the effects of testosterone from those of related sex steroids such as of estradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Here we examined associations between testosterone, cortico-hippocampal structural covariance, executive function (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function) and verbal memory (California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version), in a longitudinal sample of typically developing children and adolescents 6-22 yo, controlling for the effects of estradiol, DHEA, pubertal stage, collection time, age, handedness, and total brain volume. We found prefrontal-hippocampal covariance to vary as a function of testosterone levels, but only in boys. Boys also showed a specific association between positive prefrontal-hippocampal covariance (as seen at higher testosterone levels) and lower performance on specific components of executive function (monitoring the action process and flexibly shifting between actions). We also found the association between testosterone and a specific aspect of executive function (monitoring) to be significantly mediated by prefrontal-hippocampal structural covariance. There were no significant associations between testosterone-related cortico-hippocampal covariance and verbal memory. Taken together, these findings highlight the developmental importance of testosterone in supporting sexual differentiation of the brain and sex-specific executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuong-Vi Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, McGill University Health Center (Royal Victoria Hospital at the Glen site), McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4A 3J1.
| | - Jimin Lew
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | | | | | - James J. Hudziak
- University of Vermont, College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Vladimir S. Fonov
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - D. Louis Collins
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Simon Ducharme
- McConnell Brain imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada,McGill University Health Centre, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - James T. McCracken
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of California in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
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Marwha D, Halari M, Eliot L. Meta-analysis reveals a lack of sexual dimorphism in human amygdala volume. Neuroimage 2016; 147:282-294. [PMID: 27956206 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Revised: 11/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays a key role in many affective behaviors and psychiatric disorders that differ between men and women. To test whether human amygdala volume (AV) differs reliably between the sexes, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of AVs reported in MRI studies of age-matched healthy male and female groups. Using four search strategies, we identified 46 total studies (58 matched samples) from which we extracted effect sizes for the sex difference in AV. All data were converted to Hedges g values and pooled effect sizes were calculated using a random-effects model. Each dataset was further meta-regressed against study year and average participant age. We found that uncorrected amygdala volume is about 10% larger in males, with pooled sex difference effect sizes of g=0.581 for right amygdala (κ=28, n=2022), 0.666 for left amygdala (κ=28, n=2006), and 0.876 for bilateral amygdala (κ=16, n=1585) volumes (all p values < 0.001). However, this difference is comparable to the sex differences in intracranial volume (ICV; g=1.186, p<.001, 11.9% larger in males, κ=11) and total brain volume (TBV; g=1.278, p<0.001, 11.5% larger in males, κ=15) reported in subsets of the same studies, suggesting the sex difference in AV is a product of larger brain size in males. Among studies reporting AVs normalized for ICV or TBV, sex difference effect sizes were small and not statistically significant: g=0.171 for the right amygdala (p=0.206, κ=13, n=1560); 0.233 for the left amygdala (p=0.092, κ=12, n=1512); and 0.257 for bilateral volume (p=0.131, κ=5, n=1629). These values correspond to less than 0.1% larger corrected right AV and 2.5% larger corrected left AV in males compared to females. In summary, AV is not selectively enhanced in human males, as often claimed. Although we cannot rule out subtle male-female group differences, it is not accurate to refer to the human amygdala as "sexually dimorphic."
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruv Marwha
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, United States
| | - Meha Halari
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, United States
| | - Lise Eliot
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, United States.
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