1
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Fjell AM. Aging Brain from a Lifespan Perspective. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38797799 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Research during the last two decades has shown that the brain undergoes continuous changes throughout life, with substantial heterogeneity in age trajectories between regions. Especially, temporal and prefrontal cortices show large changes, and these correlate modestly with changes in the corresponding cognitive abilities such as episodic memory and executive function. Changes seen in normal aging overlap with changes seen in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease; differences between what reflects normal aging vs. a disease-related change are often blurry. This calls for a dimensional view on cognitive decline in aging, where clear-cut distinctions between normality and pathology cannot be always drawn. Although much progress has been made in describing typical patterns of age-related changes in the brain, identifying risk and protective factors, and mapping cognitive correlates, there are still limits to our knowledge that should be addressed by future research. We need more longitudinal studies following the same participants over longer time intervals with cognitive testing and brain imaging, and an increased focus on the representativeness vs. selection bias in neuroimaging research of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Martin Fjell
- Department of Psychology, Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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2
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Polk SE, Kleemeyer MM, Köhncke Y, Brandmaier AM, Bodammer NC, Misgeld C, Porst J, Wolfarth B, Kühn S, Lindenberger U, Wenger E, Düzel S. Change in Latent Gray-Matter Structural Integrity Is Associated With Change in Cardiovascular Fitness in Older Adults Who Engage in At-Home Aerobic Exercise. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:852737. [PMID: 35655926 PMCID: PMC9152142 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.852737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In aging humans, aerobic exercise interventions have been found to be associated with more positive or less negative changes in frontal and temporal brain areas, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus, relative to no-exercise control conditions. However, individual measures such as gray-matter (GM) probability may afford less reliable and valid conclusions about maintenance or losses in structural brain integrity than a latent construct based on multiple indicators. Here, we established a latent factor of GM structural integrity based on GM probability assessed by voxel-based morphometry, magnetization transfer saturation, and mean diffusivity. Based on this latent factor, we investigated changes in structural brain integrity during a six-month exercise intervention in brain regions previously reported in studies using volumetric approaches. Seventy-five healthy, previously sedentary older adults aged 63–76 years completed an at-home intervention study in either an exercise group (EG; n = 40) or in an active control group (ACG; n = 35). Measures of peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) taken before and after the intervention revealed a time-by-group interaction, with positive average change in the EG and no reliable mean change in the ACG. Significant group differences in structural brain integrity changes were observed in the right and left ACC, right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and left juxtapositional lobule cortex (JLC). In all instances, average changes in the EG did not differ reliably from zero, whereas average changes in the ACG were negative, pointing to maintenance of structural brain integrity in the EG, and to losses in the ACG. Significant individual differences in change were observed for right ACC and left JLC. Following up on these differences, we found that exercising participants with greater fitness gains also showed more positive changes in structural integrity. We discuss the benefits and limitations of a latent-factor approach to changes in structural brain integrity, and conclude that aerobic fitness interventions are likely to contribute to brain maintenance in old age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Polk
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Sarah E. Polk,
| | - Maike M. Kleemeyer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ylva Köhncke
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas M. Brandmaier
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychology, MSB Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils C. Bodammer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carola Misgeld
- Department of Sports Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johanna Porst
- Department of Sports Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Wolfarth
- Department of Sports Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Wenger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
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3
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Fjell AM, Grydeland H, Wang Y, Amlien IK, Bartres-Faz D, Brandmaier AM, Düzel S, Elman J, Franz CE, Håberg AK, Kietzmann TC, Kievit RA, Kremen WS, Krogsrud SK, Kühn S, Lindenberger U, Macía D, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Panizzon MS, Solé-Padullés C, Sørensen Ø, Westerhausen R, Walhovd KB. The genetic organization of longitudinal subcortical volumetric change is stable throughout the lifespan. eLife 2021; 10:66466. [PMID: 34180395 PMCID: PMC8260220 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Development and aging of the cerebral cortex show similar topographic organization and are governed by the same genes. It is unclear whether the same is true for subcortical regions, which follow fundamentally different ontogenetic and phylogenetic principles. We tested the hypothesis that genetically governed neurodevelopmental processes can be traced throughout life by assessing to which degree brain regions that develop together continue to change together through life. Analyzing over 6000 longitudinal MRIs of the brain, we used graph theory to identify five clusters of coordinated development, indexed as patterns of correlated volumetric change in brain structures. The clusters tended to follow placement along the cranial axis in embryonic brain development, suggesting continuity from prenatal stages, and correlated with cognition. Across independent longitudinal datasets, we demonstrated that developmental clusters were conserved through life. Twin-based genetic correlations revealed distinct sets of genes governing change in each cluster. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms-based analyses of 38,127 cross-sectional MRIs showed a similar pattern of genetic volume–volume correlations. In conclusion, coordination of subcortical change adheres to fundamental principles of lifespan continuity and genetic organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Martin Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hakon Grydeland
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Inge K Amlien
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - David Bartres-Faz
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreas M Brandmaier
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jeremy Elman
- Center for Behavioral Genomics Twin Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Carol E Franz
- Center for Behavioral Genomics Twin Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Asta K Håberg
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tim C Kietzmann
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rogier Andrew Kievit
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - William S Kremen
- Center for Behavioral Genomics Twin Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States.,Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, United States
| | - Stine K Krogsrud
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Simone Kühn
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Didac Macía
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Athanasia Monika Mowinckel
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Nyberg
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthew S Panizzon
- Center for Behavioral Genomics Twin Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Cristina Solé-Padullés
- Departament de Medicina, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, and Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Øystein Sørensen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rene Westerhausen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine Beate Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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4
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Groot C, Grothe MJ, Mukherjee S, Jelistratova I, Jansen I, van Loenhoud AC, Risacher SL, Saykin AJ, Mac Donald CL, Mez J, Trittschuh EH, Gryglewski G, Lanzenberger R, Pijnenburg YAL, Barkhof F, Scheltens P, van der Flier WM, Crane PK, Ossenkoppele R. Differential patterns of gray matter volumes and associated gene expression profiles in cognitively-defined Alzheimer's disease subgroups. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 30:102660. [PMID: 33895633 PMCID: PMC8186562 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The clinical presentation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) varies widely across individuals but the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity are largely unknown. Here, we compared regional gray matter (GM) volumes and associated gene expression profiles between cognitively-defined subgroups of amyloid-β positive individuals clinically diagnosed with AD dementia (age: 66 ± 7, 47% male, MMSE: 21 ± 5). All participants underwent neuropsychological assessment with tests covering memory, executive-functioning, language and visuospatial-functioning domains. Subgroup classification was achieved using a psychometric framework that assesses which cognitive domain shows substantial relative impairment compared to the intra-individual average across domains, which yielded the following subgroups in our sample; AD-Memory (n = 41), AD-Executive (n = 117), AD-Language (n = 33), AD-Visuospatial (n = 171). We performed voxel-wise contrasts of GM volumes derived from 3Tesla structural MRI between subgroups and controls (n = 127, age 58 ± 9, 42% male, MMSE 29 ± 1), and observed that differences in regional GM volumes compared to controls closely matched the respective cognitive profiles. Specifically, we detected lower medial temporal lobe GM volumes in AD-Memory, lower fronto-parietal GM volumes in AD-Executive, asymmetric GM volumes in the temporal lobe (left < right) in AD-Language, and lower GM volumes in posterior areas in AD-Visuospatial. In order to examine possible biological drivers of these differences in regional GM volumes, we correlated subgroup-specific regional GM volumes to brain-wide gene expression profiles based on a stereotactic characterization of the transcriptional architecture of the human brain as provided by the Allen human brain atlas. Gene-set enrichment analyses revealed that variations in regional expression of genes involved in processes like mitochondrial respiration and metabolism of proteins were associated with patterns of regional GM volume across multiple subgroups. Other gene expression vs GM volume-associations were only detected in particular subgroups, e.g., genes involved in the cell cycle for AD-Memory, specific sets of genes related to protein metabolism in AD-Language, and genes associated with modification of gene expression in AD-Visuospatial. We conclude that cognitively-defined AD subgroups show neurobiological differences, and distinct biological pathways may be involved in the emergence of these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Groot
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Michel J Grothe
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany.
| | | | | | - Iris Jansen
- Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Anna Catharina van Loenhoud
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Andrew J Saykin
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | | | - Jesse Mez
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Alzheimer's Disease Center, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.
| | - Emily H Trittschuh
- Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Geriatric Research, Education, & Clinical Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Gregor Gryglewski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Yolande A L Pijnenburg
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Frederik Barkhof
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; University College London, Institutes of Neurology & Healthcare Engineering, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Philip Scheltens
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Wiesje M van der Flier
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Paul K Crane
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Rik Ossenkoppele
- Department of Neurology & Alzheimer Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center - Location VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Lund University, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund, Sweden.
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5
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Walhovd KB, Bråthen ACS, Panizzon MS, Mowinckel AM, Sørensen Ø, de Lange AMG, Krogsrud SK, Håberg A, Franz CE, Kremen WS, Fjell AM. Within-session verbal learning slope is predictive of lifespan delayed recall, hippocampal volume, and memory training benefit, and is heritable. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21158. [PMID: 33273630 PMCID: PMC7713377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78225-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory performance results from plasticity, the ability to change with experience. We show that benefit from practice over a few trials, learning slope, is predictive of long-term recall and hippocampal volume across a broad age range and a long period of time, relates to memory training benefit, and is heritable. First, in a healthy lifespan sample (n = 1825, age 4-93 years), comprising 3483 occasions of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and memory tests over a period of up to 11 years, learning slope across 5 trials was uniquely related to performance on a delayed free recall test, as well as hippocampal volume, independent from first trial memory or total memory performance across the five learning trials. Second, learning slope was predictive of benefit from memory training across ten weeks in an experimental subsample of adults (n = 155). Finally, in an independent sample of male twins (n = 1240, age 51-50 years), learning slope showed significant heritability. Within-session learning slope may be a useful marker beyond performance per se, being heritable and having unique predictive value for long-term memory function, hippocampal volume and training benefit across the human lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine B Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway.
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Norway.
| | - Anne Cecilie Sjøli Bråthen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Matthew S Panizzon
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Athanasia M Mowinckel
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein Sørensen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stine Kleppe Krogsrud
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Asta Håberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Carol E Franz
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - William S Kremen
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Behavior Genetics of Aging, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, POB 1094, 0317, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Norway
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6
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Casimo K, Madhyastha TM, Ko AL, Brown AB, Grassia F, Ojemann JG, Weaver KE. Spontaneous Variation in Electrocorticographic Resting-State Connectivity. Brain Connect 2019; 9:488-499. [PMID: 31002014 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2018.0596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, and magnetoencephalography have observed both structured patterns in resting-state functional connectivity and spontaneous longitudinal variation in connectivity patterns independent of a task. In this first study using electrocorticography (ECoG), we characterized spontaneous, intersession variation in resting-state functional connectivity not linked to a task. We evaluated pairwise connectivity between electrodes using three measures (phase locking value [PLV], amplitude correlation, and coherence) for six canonical frequency bands, capturing different characteristics of time-evolving signals. We grouped electrodes into 10 functional regions and used intraclass correlation (ICC) to estimate pairwise longitudinal stability. We found that stronger PLV (PLV ≥0.4) in theta through gamma bands and strong correlation in all bands (R2's ≥0.6) are linked to substantial stability (ICC ≥0.6), but that stability does not imply strong phase locking or amplitude correlation. There was no notable link between strong coherence and high ICC. All within-region PLVs are markedly stable across frequencies. In addition, we highlight interaction patterns across several regions: parahippocampal/entorhinal cortex is characterized by stable, weak functional connectivity except self-connections. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex connectivity is weak and unstable, except self-connections. Inferior parietal lobule has little stability despite narrow connectivity bounds. We confirm prior studies linking functional connectivity strength and intersession variability, extending into higher frequencies than other modalities, with greater spatial specificity than scalp electrophysiology. We suggest further studies quantitatively compare ECoG to other modalities and/or use these findings as a baseline to capture functional connectivity and dynamics linked to perturbations with a task or disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Casimo
- 1 Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurotechnology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Tara M Madhyastha
- 2 Integrated Brain Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Andrew L Ko
- 3 Department of Neurological Surgery, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Alainna B Brown
- 4 Graduate Program in Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Fabio Grassia
- 5 Department of Neurosurgery, University of Milan, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
| | - Jeffrey G Ojemann
- 6 Division of Neurosurgery, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington.,7 Department of Neurological Surgery, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurotechnology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kurt E Weaver
- 1 Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Center for Neurotechnology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,2 Integrated Brain Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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7
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Grothe MJ, Sepulcre J, Gonzalez-Escamilla G, Jelistratova I, Schöll M, Hansson O, Teipel SJ. Molecular properties underlying regional vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease pathology. Brain 2018; 141:2755-2771. [PMID: 30016411 PMCID: PMC6113636 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid deposition and neurofibrillary degeneration in Alzheimer's disease specifically affect discrete neuronal systems, but the underlying mechanisms that render some brain regions more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease pathology than others remain largely unknown. Here we studied molecular properties underlying these distinct regional vulnerabilities by analysing Alzheimer's disease-typical neuroimaging patterns of amyloid deposition and neurodegeneration in relation to regional gene expression profiles of the human brain. Graded patterns of brain-wide vulnerability to amyloid deposition and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease were estimated by contrasting multimodal amyloid-sensitive PET and structural MRI data between patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia (n = 76) and healthy controls (n = 126) enrolled in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Regional gene expression profiles were derived from brain-wide microarray measurements provided by the Allen brain atlas of the adult human brain transcriptome. In a hypothesis-driven analysis focusing on the genes coding for the amyloid precursor (APP) and tau proteins (MAPT), regional expression levels of APP were positively correlated with the severity of regional amyloid deposition (r = 0.44, P = 0.009), but not neurodegeneration (r = 0.01, P = 0.96), whereas the opposite pattern was observed for MAPT (neurodegeneration: r = 0.46, P = 0.006; amyloid: r = 0.08, P = 0.65). Using explorative gene set enrichment analysis, amyloid-vulnerable regions were found to be characterized by relatively low expression levels of gene sets implicated in protein synthesis and mitochondrial respiration. By contrast, neurodegeneration-vulnerable regions were characterized by relatively high expression levels of gene sets broadly implicated in neural plasticity, with biological functions ranging from neurite outgrowth and synaptic contact over intracellular signalling cascades to proteoglycan metabolism. At the individual gene level this data-driven analysis further corroborated the association between neurodegeneration and MAPT expression, and additionally identified associations with known tau kinases (CDK5, MAPK1/ERK2) alongside components of their intracellular (Ras-ERK) activation pathways. Sensitivity analyses showed that these pathology-specific imaging-genetic associations were largely robust against changes in some of the methodological parameters, including variation in the brain donor sample used for estimating regional gene expression profiles, and local variations in the Alzheimer's disease-typical imaging patterns when these were derived from an independent patient cohort (BioFINDER study). These findings highlight that the regionally selective vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease pathology relates to specific molecular-functional properties of the affected neural systems, and that the implicated biochemical pathways largely differ for amyloid accumulation versus neurodegeneration. The data provide novel insights into the complex pathophysiological mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease and point to pathology-specific treatment targets that warrant further exploration in independent studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel J Grothe
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany
| | - Jorge Sepulcre
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Gabriel Gonzalez-Escamilla
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Michael Schöll
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, Sweden
| | - Stefan J Teipel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
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8
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Vidal-Piñeiro D, Sneve MH, Nyberg LH, Mowinckel AM, Sederevicius D, Walhovd KB, Fjell AM. Maintained Frontal Activity Underlies High Memory Function Over 8 Years in Aging. Cereb Cortex 2018; 29:3111-3123. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractAging is characterized by substantial average decline in memory performance. Yet contradictory explanations have been given for how the brains of high-performing older adults work: either by engagement of compensatory processes such as recruitment of additional networks or by maintaining young adults’ patterns of activity. Distinguishing these components requires large experimental samples and longitudinal follow-up. Here, we investigate which features are key to high memory in aging, directly testing these hypotheses by studying a large sample of adult participants (n > 300) with fMRI during an episodic memory experiment where item-context relationships were implicitly encoded. The analyses revealed that low levels of activity in frontal networks—known to be involved in memory encoding—were associated with low memory performance in the older adults only. Importantly, older participants with low memory performance and low frontal activity exhibited a strong longitudinal memory decline in an independent verbal episodic memory task spanning 8 years back (n = 52). These participants were also characterized by lower hippocampal volumes and steeper rates of cortical atrophy. Altogether, maintenance of frontal brain function during encoding seems to be a primary characteristic of preservation of memory function in aging, likely reflecting intact ability to integrate information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Didac Vidal-Piñeiro
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Markus H Sneve
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars H Nyberg
- Umeå Centre for Functional Brain Imaging, Umeå University, Umeå SE-901 87, Sweden
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Physiology Section and Department of Radiation Sciences, Diagnostic Radiology, Umeå University, Umeå SE-901 87, Sweden
| | - Athanasia M Mowinckel
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Donatas Sederevicius
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine B Walhovd
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Centre for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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9
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de Lange AMG, Bråthen ACS, Rohani DA, Grydeland H, Fjell AM, Walhovd KB. The effects of memory training on behavioral and microstructural plasticity in young and older adults. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:5666-5680. [PMID: 28782901 PMCID: PMC5887978 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Age differences in human brain plasticity are assumed, but have not been systematically investigated. In this longitudinal study, we investigated changes in white matter (WM) microstructure in response to memory training relative to passive and active control conditions in 183 young and older adults. We hypothesized that (i) only the training group would show improved memory performance and microstructural alterations, (ii) the young adults would show larger memory improvement and a higher degree of microstructural alterations as compared to the older adults, and (iii) changes in memory performance would relate to microstructural alterations. The results showed that memory improvement was specific to the training group, and that both the young and older participants improved their performance. The young group improved their memory to a larger extent compared to the older group. In the older sample, the training group showed less age-related decline in WM microstructure compared to the control groups, in areas overlapping the corpus callosum, the cortico-spinal tract, the cingulum bundle, the superior longitudinal fasciculus, and the anterior thalamic radiation. Less microstructural decline was related to a higher degree of memory improvement. Despite individual adaptation securing sufficient task difficulty, no training-related group differences in microstructure were found in the young adults. The observed divergence of behavioral and microstructural responses to memory training with age is discussed within a supply-demand framework. The results demonstrate that plasticity is preserved into older age, and that microstructural alterations may be part of a neurobiological substrate for behavioral improvements in older adults. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5666-5680, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Marie Glasø de Lange
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Cecilie Sjøli Bråthen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Darius A Rohani
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Håkon Grydeland
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of radiology and nuclear medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristine B Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of radiology and nuclear medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Cooper EA, Mackey AP. Sensory and cognitive plasticity: implications for academic interventions. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2016; 10:21-27. [PMID: 27231716 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2016.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Research in neuroscience has great potential for transforming education. However, the brain systems that support academic and cognitive skills are poorly understood in comparison to the systems that support sensory processing. Decades of basic research have examined the role that brain plasticity plays in the genesis and treatment of developmental visual disorders, which may help to inform how cognitive training approaches can be tailored for students who experience environmental disadvantage. In this review, we draw parallels between visual and cognitive intervention approaches, and suggest research avenues that could inform educational practice in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Cooper
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, 6307 Moore Hall Hanover, NH 03755, United States
| | - Allyson P Mackey
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar St. 46-4037D, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
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11
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Johansen-Berg H, Duzel E. Neuroplasticity: Effects of Physical and Cognitive activity on brain structure and function. Neuroimage 2016; 131:1-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.03.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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