1
|
Marawi T, Ainsworth NJ, Zhukovsky P, Rashidi-Ranjbar N, Rajji TK, Tartaglia MC, Voineskos AN, Mulsant BH. Brain-cognition relationships in late-life depression: a systematic review of structural magnetic resonance imaging studies. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:284. [PMID: 37598228 PMCID: PMC10439902 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02584-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most patients with late-life depression (LLD) have cognitive impairment, and at least one-third meet diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a prodrome to Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, the mechanisms linking LLD and MCI, and brain alterations underlying impaired cognition in LLD and LLD + MCI remain poorly understood. METHODS To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review of studies of brain-cognition relationships in LLD or LLD + MCI to identify circuits underlying impaired cognition in LLD or LLD + MCI. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception through February 13, 2023. We included studies that assessed cognition in patients with LLD or LLD + MCI and acquired: (1) T1-weighted imaging (T1) measuring gray matter volumes or thickness; or (2) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) assessing white matter integrity. Due to the heterogeneity in studies, we only conducted a descriptive synthesis. RESULTS Our search identified 51 articles, resulting in 33 T1 studies, 17 DWI studies, and 1 study analyzing both T1 and DWI. Despite limitations, reviewed studies suggest that lower thickness or volume in the frontal and temporal regions and widespread lower white matter integrity are associated with impaired cognition in LLD. Lower white matter integrity in the posterior cingulate region (precuneus and corpus callosum sub-regions) was more associated with impairment executive function and processing speed than with memory. CONCLUSION Future studies should analyze larger samples of participants with various degrees of cognitive impairment and go beyond univariate statistical models to assess reliable brain-cognition relationships in LLD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tulip Marawi
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas J Ainsworth
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Zhukovsky
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Neda Rashidi-Ranjbar
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tarek K Rajji
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Benoit H Mulsant
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Toronto Dementia Research Alliance, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jellinger KA. The heterogeneity of late-life depression and its pathobiology: a brain network dysfunction disorder. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023:10.1007/s00702-023-02648-z. [PMID: 37145167 PMCID: PMC10162005 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02648-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Depression is frequent in older individuals and is often associated with cognitive impairment and increasing risk of subsequent dementia. Late-life depression (LLD) has a negative impact on quality of life, yet the underlying pathobiology is still poorly understood. It is characterized by considerable heterogeneity in clinical manifestation, genetics, brain morphology, and function. Although its diagnosis is based on standard criteria, due to overlap with other age-related pathologies, the relationship between depression and dementia and the relevant structural and functional cerebral lesions are still controversial. LLD has been related to a variety of pathogenic mechanisms associated with the underlying age-related neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular processes. In addition to biochemical abnormalities, involving serotonergic and GABAergic systems, widespread disturbances of cortico-limbic, cortico-subcortical, and other essential brain networks, with disruption in the topological organization of mood- and cognition-related or other global connections are involved. Most recent lesion mapping has identified an altered network architecture with "depressive circuits" and "resilience tracts", thus confirming that depression is a brain network dysfunction disorder. Further pathogenic mechanisms including neuroinflammation, neuroimmune dysregulation, oxidative stress, neurotrophic and other pathogenic factors, such as β-amyloid (and tau) deposition are in discussion. Antidepressant therapies induce various changes in brain structure and function. Better insights into the complex pathobiology of LLD and new biomarkers will allow earlier and better diagnosis of this frequent and disabling psychopathological disorder, and further elucidation of its complex pathobiological basis is warranted in order to provide better prevention and treatment of depression in older individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kurt A Jellinger
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, Alberichgasse 5/13, 1150, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xu EP, Nguyen L, Leibenluft E, Stange JP, Linke JO. A meta-analysis on the uncinate fasciculus in depression. Psychol Med 2023; 53:2721-2731. [PMID: 37051913 PMCID: PMC10235669 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723000107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant microstructure of the uncinate fasciculus (UNC), a white matter (WM) tract implicated in emotion regulation, has been hypothesized as a neurobiological mechanism of depression. However, studies testing this hypothesis have yielded inconsistent results. The present meta-analysis consolidates evidence from 44 studies comparing fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD), two metrics characterizing WM microstructure, of the UNC in individuals with depression (n = 5016) to healthy individuals (n = 18 425). We conduct meta-regressions to identify demographic and clinical characteristics that contribute to cross-study heterogeneity in UNC findings. UNC FA was reduced in individuals with depression compared to healthy individuals. UNC RD was comparable between individuals with depression and healthy individuals. Comorbid anxiety explained inter-study heterogeneity in UNC findings. Depression is associated with perturbations in UNC microstructure, specifically with respect to UNC FA and not UNC RD. The association between depression and UNC microstructure appears to be moderated by anxiety. Future work should unravel the cellular mechanisms contributing to aberrant UNC microstructure in depression; clarify the relationship between UNC microstructure, depression, and anxiety; and link UNC microstructure to psychological processes, such as emotion regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellie P. Xu
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lynn Nguyen
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ellen Leibenluft
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan P. Stange
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julia O. Linke
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hadaya L, Dimitrakopoulou K, Vanes LD, Kanel D, Fenn-Moltu S, Gale-Grant O, Counsell SJ, Edwards AD, Saqi M, Batalle D, Nosarti C. Parsing brain-behavior heterogeneity in very preterm born children using integrated similarity networks. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:108. [PMID: 37012252 PMCID: PMC10070645 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02401-w] [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] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Very preterm birth (VPT; ≤32 weeks' gestation) is associated with altered brain development and cognitive and behavioral difficulties across the lifespan. However, heterogeneity in outcomes among individuals born VPT makes it challenging to identify those most vulnerable to neurodevelopmental sequelae. Here, we aimed to stratify VPT children into distinct behavioral subgroups and explore between-subgroup differences in neonatal brain structure and function. 198 VPT children (98 females) previously enrolled in the Evaluation of Preterm Imaging Study (EudraCT 2009-011602-42) underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging at term-equivalent age and neuropsychological assessments at 4-7 years. Using an integrative clustering approach, we combined neonatal socio-demographic, clinical factors and childhood socio-emotional and executive function outcomes, to identify distinct subgroups of children based on their similarity profiles in a multidimensional space. We characterized resultant subgroups using domain-specific outcomes (temperament, psychopathology, IQ and cognitively stimulating home environment) and explored between-subgroup differences in neonatal brain volumes (voxel-wise Tensor-Based-Morphometry), functional connectivity (voxel-wise degree centrality) and structural connectivity (Tract-Based-Spatial-Statistics). Results showed two- and three-cluster data-driven solutions. The two-cluster solution comprised a 'resilient' subgroup (lower psychopathology and higher IQ, executive function and socio-emotional scores) and an 'at-risk' subgroup (poorer behavioral and cognitive outcomes). No neuroimaging differences between the resilient and at-risk subgroups were found. The three-cluster solution showed an additional third 'intermediate' subgroup, displaying behavioral and cognitive outcomes intermediate between the resilient and at-risk subgroups. The resilient subgroup had the most cognitively stimulating home environment and the at-risk subgroup showed the highest neonatal clinical risk, while the intermediate subgroup showed the lowest clinical, but the highest socio-demographic risk. Compared to the intermediate subgroup, the resilient subgroup displayed larger neonatal insular and orbitofrontal volumes and stronger orbitofrontal functional connectivity, while the at-risk group showed widespread white matter microstructural alterations. These findings suggest that risk stratification following VPT birth is feasible and could be used translationally to guide personalized interventions aimed at promoting children's resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laila Hadaya
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Konstantina Dimitrakopoulou
- Translational Bioinformatics Platform, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucy D Vanes
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dana Kanel
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sunniva Fenn-Moltu
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver Gale-Grant
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mansoor Saqi
- Translational Bioinformatics Platform, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Chiara Nosarti
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Department of Perinatal Imaging and Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Victoria LW, Gunning FM, Bress JN, Jackson D, Alexopoulos GS. Reward learning impairment and avoidance and rumination responses at the end of Engage therapy of late-life depression. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2018; 33:948-955. [PMID: 29573471 PMCID: PMC6168950 DOI: 10.1002/gps.4877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined the association between reward processing, as measured by performance on the probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task and avoidance/rumination in depressed older adults treated with Engage, a psychotherapy that uses "reward exposure" to increase behavioral activation. METHODS Thirty older adults with major depression received 9 weeks of Engage treatment. At baseline and treatment end, the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to assess depression severity and the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) to assess behavioral activation and avoidance/rumination. Participants completed the PRL task at baseline and at treatment end. The PRL requires participants to learn stimulus-reward contingencies through trial and error, and switch strategies when the contingencies unexpectedly change. RESULTS At the end of Engage treatment, the severity of depression was lower (HAM-D: t(19) = -7.67, P < .001) and behavioral activation was higher (BADS: t(19) = 2.23, P = .02) compared to baseline. Response time following all switches (r(19) = -0.63, P = .003) and error switches (r(19) = -0.57, P = .01) at baseline was negatively associated with the BADS avoidance/rumination subscale score at the end of Engage treatment. CONCLUSIONS Impaired reward learning, evidenced by slower response following all switches and error switches, contributes to avoidant, ruminative behavior at the end of Engage therapy even when depression improves. Understanding reward processing abnormalities of avoidance and rumination may improve the timing and targeting of interventions for these symptoms, whose persistence compromises quality of life and increases the risk of depression relapse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay W. Victoria
- Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; White Plains NY USA
| | - Faith M. Gunning
- Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; White Plains NY USA
| | - Jennifer N. Bress
- Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; White Plains NY USA
| | - Danielle Jackson
- Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; White Plains NY USA
| | - George S. Alexopoulos
- Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry; Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine; White Plains NY USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tatham EL, Hall GBC, Clark D, Foster J, Ramasubbu R. The 5-HTTLPR and BDNF polymorphisms moderate the association between uncinate fasciculus connectivity and antidepressants treatment response in major depression. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 267:135-147. [PMID: 27277475 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-016-0702-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Symptom improvement in depression due to antidepressant treatment is highly variable and clinically unpredictable. Linking neuronal connectivity and genetic risk factors in predicting antidepressant response has clinical implications. Our investigation assessed whether indices of white matter integrity, serotonin transporter-linked polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met polymorphism predicted magnitude of depression symptom change following antidepressant treatment. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was used as an indicator of white matter integrity and was assessed in the uncinate fasciculus and superior longitudinal fasciculus using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography. Forty-six medication-free patients with major depressive disorder participated in a diffusion tensor imaging scan prior to completing an 8-week treatment regime with citalopram or quetiapine XR. Indexed improvements in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score from baseline to 8-week endpoint were used as an indicator of depression improvement. Carriers of the BDNF met allele exhibited lower FA values in the left uncinate fasciculus relative to val/val individuals [F(1, 40) = 7.314, p = 0.009]. Probabilistic tractography identified that higher FA in the left uncinate fasciculus predicted percent change in depression severity, with BDNF moderating this association [F(3, 30) = 3.923, p = 0.018]. An interaction between FA in the right uncinate fasciculus and 5-HTTLPR also predicted percent change in depression severity [F(5, 25) = 5.315, p = 0.002]. Uncorrected TBSS results revealed significantly higher FA in hippocampal portions of the cingulum bundle in responders compared to non-responders (p = 0.016). The predictive value of prefrontal and amygdala/hippocampal WM connectivity on antidepressant treatment response may be influenced by 5-HTTLPR and BDNF polymorphisms in MDD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Tatham
- McMaster Integrative Neuroscience Discovery and Study, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Geoff B C Hall
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Darren Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, TRW Building, Room 4D64, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N4Z6, Canada
| | - Jane Foster
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Rajamannar Ramasubbu
- Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, TRW Building, Room 4D64, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N4Z6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Intact alternation performance in high lethality suicide attempters. Psychiatry Res 2014; 219:129-36. [PMID: 24878299 PMCID: PMC4410782 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.04.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Revised: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Suicide attempters often perform poorly on tasks linked to ventral prefrontal cortical (VPFC) function. Object Alternation (OA) - a VPFC probe - has not been used in these studies. In this study, currently depressed medication-free past suicide attempters whose most severe attempt was of high (n=31) vs. low (n=64) lethality, 114 medication-free depressed non-attempters, and 86 non-patients completed a computerized OA task. Participants also completed comparison tasks assessing the discriminant validity of OA (Wisconsin Card Sort), its concurrent validity relative to tasks associated with past attempt status (computerized Stroop task, Buschke Selective Reminding Test), and its construct validity as a VPFC measure (Go-No Go and Iowa Gambling Task). Against expectations, high lethality suicide attempters - the majority of whom used non-violent methods in their attempts with some planning - outperformed other depressed groups on OA, with no group differences observed on Wisconsin Card Sort. Despite intact performance on OA, past attempters exhibited deficits on the Stroop and Buschke. OA performance was associated with performance on Go-No Go and Iowa Gambling, confirming that OA measures a similar construct. VPFC dysfunction may not be a characteristic of all suicide attempters, especially those who make more carefully planned, non-violent - though potentially lethal - attempts.
Collapse
|
8
|
Weisenbach SL, Kumar A. Current understanding of the neurobiology and longitudinal course of geriatric depression. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2014; 16:463. [PMID: 25023511 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-014-0463-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Late life depression is a complex disease associated with a number of contributing neurobiological factors, including cerebrovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and inflammation, which also contribute to its longitudinal prognosis and course. These factors create a context in which the brain is more vulnerable to the impact of stress, and thus, to depression. At the same time, some individuals are protected from late life depression and its consequences, even in the face of neurobiological vulnerability, through benefitting from one or more attributes associated with resilience, including social support, engagement in physical and cognitive activities, and brain reserve. Enhanced understanding of how neurobiological and environmental factors interact in predicting vulnerability and resilience is needed to predict onset and course of depression in late life and develop more effective interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Weisenbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Suite 155, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA,
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lamar M, Zhou XJ, Charlton RA, Dean D, Little D, Deoni SC. In vivo quantification of white matter microstructure for use in aging: a focus on two emerging techniques. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2014; 22:111-21. [PMID: 24080382 PMCID: PMC3947219 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2013.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Revised: 05/31/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Human brain imaging has seen many advances in the quantification of white matter in vivo. For example, these advances have revealed the association between white matter damage and vascular disease as well as their impact on risk for and development of dementia and depression in an aging population. Current neuroimaging methods to quantify white matter damage provide a foundation for understanding such age-related neuropathology; however, these methods are not as adept at determining the underlying microstructural abnormalities signaling at risk tissue or driving white matter damage in the aging brain. This review will begin with a brief overview of the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in understanding white matter alterations in aging before focusing in more detail on select advances in both diffusion-based methods and multi-component relaxometry techniques for imaging white matter microstructural integrity within myelin sheaths and the axons they encase. Although DTI greatly extended the field of white matter interrogation, these more recent technological advances will add clarity to the underlying microstructural mechanisms that contribute to white matter damage. More specifically, the methods highlighted in this review may prove more sensitive (and specific) for determining the contribution of myelin versus axonal integrity to the aging of white matter in brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Lamar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
| | - Xiaohong Joe Zhou
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Departments of Radiology and Neurosurgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Rebecca A Charlton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Douglas Dean
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Deborah Little
- Scott & White Healthcare and Texas A&M Health Sciences, Temple, TX
| | - Sean C Deoni
- School of Engineering, Brown University, Providence, RI
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Salminen LE, Paul RH. Oxidative stress and genetic markers of suboptimal antioxidant defense in the aging brain: a theoretical review. Rev Neurosci 2014; 25:805-19. [PMID: 25153586 PMCID: PMC6378111 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2014-0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Normal aging involves a gradual breakdown of physiological processes that leads to a decline in cognitive functions and brain integrity, yet the onset and progression of decline are variable among older individuals. While many biological changes may contribute to this degree of variability, oxidative stress is a key mechanism of the aging process that can cause direct damage to cellular architecture within the brain. Oligodendrocytes are at a high risk for oxidative damage due to their role in myelin maintenance and production and limited repair mechanisms, suggesting that white matter may be particularly vulnerable to oxidative activity. Antioxidant defense enzymes within the brain, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), are crucial for breaking down the harmful end products of oxidative phosphorylation. Previous studies have revealed that allele variations of polymorphisms that encode these antioxidants are associated with abnormalities in SOD, CAT, GPx, and GST activity in the central nervous system. This review will focus on the role of oxidative stress in the aging brain and the impact of decreased antioxidant defense on brain integrity and cognitive function. Directions for future research investigations of antioxidant defense genes will also be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Salminen
- Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, 1 University Boulevard, Stadler Hall 442 A, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| | - Robert H Paul
- Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Saint Louis, 1 University Boulevard, Stadler Hall 442 A, St. Louis, MO 63121, USA
| |
Collapse
|