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Pereira MF, Shyti R, Testa G. In and out: Benchmarking in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and xenografting approaches for an integrative brain disease modeling pipeline. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:767-795. [PMID: 38865969 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Human cellular models and their neuronal derivatives have afforded unprecedented advances in elucidating pathogenic mechanisms of neuropsychiatric diseases. Notwithstanding their indispensable contribution, animal models remain the benchmark in neurobiological research. In an attempt to harness the best of both worlds, researchers have increasingly relied on human/animal chimeras by xenografting human cells into the animal brain. Despite the unparalleled potential of xenografting approaches in the study of the human brain, literature resources that systematically examine their significance and advantages are surprisingly lacking. We fill this gap by providing a comprehensive account of brain diseases that were thus far subjected to all three modeling approaches (transgenic rodents, in vitro human lineages, human-animal xenografting) and provide a critical appraisal of the impact of xenografting approaches for advancing our understanding of those diseases and brain development. Next, we give our perspective on integrating xenografting modeling pipeline with recent cutting-edge technological advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene F Pereira
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20122 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
| | - Reinald Shyti
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Via Santa Sofia 9, 20122 Milan, Italy; Neurogenomics Centre, Human Technopole, Viale Rita Levi-Montalcini 1, 20157 Milan, Italy.
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Llambrich S, Tielemans B, Saliën E, Atzori M, Wouters K, Van Bulck V, Platt M, Vanherp L, Gallego Fernandez N, Grau de la Fuente L, Poptani H, Verlinden L, Himmelreich U, Croitor A, Attanasio C, Callaerts-Vegh Z, Gsell W, Martínez-Abadías N, Vande Velde G. Pleiotropic effects of trisomy and pharmacologic modulation on structural, functional, molecular, and genetic systems in a Down syndrome mouse model. eLife 2024; 12:RP89763. [PMID: 38497812 PMCID: PMC10948151 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by skeletal and brain structural malformations, cognitive impairment, altered hippocampal metabolite concentration and gene expression imbalance. These alterations were usually investigated separately, and the potential rescuing effects of green tea extracts enriched in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (GTE-EGCG) provided disparate results due to different experimental conditions. We overcame these limitations by conducting the first longitudinal controlled experiment evaluating genotype and GTE-EGCG prenatal chronic treatment effects before and after treatment discontinuation. Our findings revealed that the Ts65Dn mouse model reflected the pleiotropic nature of DS, exhibiting brachycephalic skull, ventriculomegaly, neurodevelopmental delay, hyperactivity, and impaired memory robustness with altered hippocampal metabolite concentration and gene expression. GTE-EGCG treatment modulated most systems simultaneously but did not rescue DS phenotypes. On the contrary, the treatment exacerbated trisomic phenotypes including body weight, tibia microarchitecture, neurodevelopment, adult cognition, and metabolite concentration, not supporting the therapeutic use of GTE-EGCG as a prenatal chronic treatment. Our results highlight the importance of longitudinal experiments assessing the co-modulation of multiple systems throughout development when characterizing preclinical models in complex disorders and evaluating the pleiotropic effects and general safety of pharmacological treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Llambrich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Birger Tielemans
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Ellen Saliën
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Marta Atzori
- Department of Human Genetics, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Kaat Wouters
- Laboratory of Biological Psychology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | - Mark Platt
- Centre for Preclinical Imaging, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Laure Vanherp
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Nuria Gallego Fernandez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Laura Grau de la Fuente
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Harish Poptani
- Centre for Preclinical Imaging, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Lieve Verlinden
- Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Anca Croitor
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | | | | | - Willy Gsell
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Neus Martínez-Abadías
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
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DiFilippo A, Jonaitis E, Makuch R, Gambetti B, Fleming V, Ennis G, Barnhart T, Engle J, Bendlin B, Johnson S, Handen B, Krinsky-McHale S, Hartley S, Christian B. Measurement of synaptic density in Down syndrome using PET imaging: a pilot study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4676. [PMID: 38409349 PMCID: PMC10897336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54669-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most prevalent genetic cause of intellectual disability, resulting from trisomy 21. Recently, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has been used to image synapses in vivo. The motivation for this pilot study was to investigate whether synaptic density in low functioning adults with DS can be evaluated using the PET radiotracer [11C]UCB-J. Data were acquired from low functioning adults with DS (n = 4) and older neurotypical (NT) adults (n = 37). Motion during the scans required the use of a 10-minute acquisition window for the calculation of synaptic density using SUVR50-60,CS which was determined to be a suitable approximation for specific binding in this analysis using dynamic data from the NT group. Of the regions analyzed a large effect was observed when comparing DS and NT hippocampus and cerebral cortex synaptic density as well as hippocampus and cerebellum volumes. In this pilot study, PET imaging of [11C]UCB-J was successfully completed and synaptic density measured in low functioning DS adults. This work provides the basis for studies where synaptic density may be compared between larger groups of NT adults and adults with DS who have varying degrees of baseline cognitive status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra DiFilippo
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Erin Jonaitis
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Renee Makuch
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brianna Gambetti
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Victoria Fleming
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gilda Ennis
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Todd Barnhart
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan Engle
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Barbara Bendlin
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Sterling Johnson
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Benjamin Handen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sharon Krinsky-McHale
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Sigan Hartley
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bradley Christian
- Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center, Madison, WI, USA
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Tarui T, Gimovsky AC, Madan N. Fetal neuroimaging applications for diagnosis and counseling of brain anomalies: Current practice and future diagnostic strategies. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med 2024; 29:101525. [PMID: 38632010 PMCID: PMC11156536 DOI: 10.1016/j.siny.2024.101525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Advances in fetal brain neuroimaging, especially fetal neurosonography and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allow safe and accurate anatomical assessments of fetal brain structures that serve as a foundation for prenatal diagnosis and counseling regarding fetal brain anomalies. Fetal neurosonography strategically assesses fetal brain anomalies suspected by screening ultrasound. Fetal brain MRI has unique technological features that overcome the anatomical limits of smaller fetal brain size and the unpredictable variable of intrauterine motion artifact. Recent studies of fetal brain MRI provide evidence of improved diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, beginning with prenatal diagnosis. Despite technological advances over the last several decades, the combined use of different qualitative structural biomarkers has limitations in providing an accurate prognosis. Quantitative analyses of fetal brain MRIs offer measurable imaging biomarkers that will more accurately associate with clinical outcomes. First-trimester ultrasound opens new opportunities for risk assessment and fetal brain anomaly diagnosis at the earliest time in pregnancy. This review includes a case vignette to illustrate how fetal brain MRI results interpreted by the fetal neurologist can improve diagnostic perspectives. The strength and limitations of conventional ultrasound and fetal brain MRI will be compared with recent research advances in quantitative methods to better correlate fetal neuroimaging biomarkers of neuropathology to predict functional childhood deficits. Discussion of these fetal sonogram and brain MRI advances will highlight the need for further interdisciplinary collaboration using complementary skills to continue improving clinical decision-making following precision medicine principles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomo Tarui
- Pediatric Neurology, Pediatrics, Hasbro Children's Hospital, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Alexis C Gimovsky
- Maternal Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Neel Madan
- Neuroradiology, Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Adams AD, Lin J, Bianchi DW, Bishop L, Sato T, Baxter LL, Hoffmann V, Koehly L, Guedj F. Embryonic statistical analyses reveal 2 growth phenotypes in mouse models of Down syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:258.e1-258.e11. [PMID: 37544351 PMCID: PMC10841273 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.07.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Down syndrome is associated with several comorbidities, including intellectual disability, growth restriction, and congenital heart defects. The prevalence of Down syndrome-associated comorbidities is highly variable, and intellectual disability, although fully penetrant, ranges from mild to severe. Understanding the basis of this interindividual variability might identify predictive biomarkers of in utero and postnatal outcomes that could be used as endpoints to test the efficacy of future therapeutic interventions. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to examine if antenatal interindividual variability exists in mouse models of Down syndrome and whether applying statistical approaches to clinically relevant measurements (ie, the weights of the embryo, placenta, and brain) could define cutoffs that discriminate between subgroups of trisomic embryos. STUDY DESIGN Three commonly used mouse models of Down syndrome (Dp(16)1/Yey, Ts65Dn, and Ts1Cje) and a new model (Ts66Yah) were used in this study. Trisomic and euploid littermate embryos were used from each model with total numbers of 102 for Ts66Yah, 118 for Dp(16)1/Yey, 92 for Ts65Dn, and 126 for Ts1Cje. Placental, embryonic, and brain weights and volumes at embryonic day 18.5 were compared between genotypes in each model. K-mean clustering analysis was applied to embryonic and brain weights to identify severity classes in trisomic embryos, and brain and placental volumetric measurements were compared between genotypes and classes for each strain. In addition, Ts66Yah embryos were examined for malformations because embryonic phenotypes have never been examined in this model. RESULTS Reduced body and brain weights were present in Ts66Yah, Dp(16)1/Yey, and Ts65Dn embyos. Cluster analysis identified 2 severity classes in trisomic embryos-mild and severe-in all 4 models that were distinguishable using a putative embryonic weight cutoff of <0.5 standard deviation below the mean. Ts66Yah trisomic embryos develop congenital anomalies that are also found in humans with Down syndrome, including congenital heart defects and renal pelvis dilation. CONCLUSION Statistical approaches applied to clinically relevant measurements revealed 2 classes of phenotypic severity in trisomic mouse models of Down syndrome. Analysis of severely affected trisomic animals may facilitate the identification of biomarkers and endpoints that can be used to prenatally predict outcomes and the efficacy of treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- April D Adams
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Jielu Lin
- Section on Social Network Methods, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Diana W Bianchi
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
| | - Lauren Bishop
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Taisuke Sato
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Laura L Baxter
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Victoria Hoffmann
- Division of Veterinary Resources, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Laura Koehly
- Section on Social Network Methods, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Faycal Guedj
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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6
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Martinez JL, Piciw JG, Crockett M, Sorci IA, Makwana N, Sirois CL, Giffin-Rao Y, Bhattacharyya A. Transcriptional consequences of trisomy 21 on neural induction. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1341141. [PMID: 38357436 PMCID: PMC10865501 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1341141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Down syndrome, caused by trisomy 21, is a complex developmental disorder associated with intellectual disability and reduced growth of multiple organs. Structural pathologies are present at birth, reflecting embryonic origins. A fundamental unanswered question is how an extra copy of human chromosome 21 contributes to organ-specific pathologies that characterize individuals with Down syndrome, and, relevant to the hallmark intellectual disability in Down syndrome, how trisomy 21 affects neural development. We tested the hypothesis that trisomy 21 exerts effects on human neural development as early as neural induction. Methods Bulk RNA sequencing was performed on isogenic trisomy 21 and euploid human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) at successive stages of neural induction: embryoid bodies at Day 6, early neuroectoderm at Day 10, and differentiated neuroectoderm at Day 17. Results Gene expression analysis revealed over 1,300 differentially expressed genes in trisomy 21 cells along the differentiation pathway compared to euploid controls. Less than 5% of the gene expression changes included upregulated chromosome 21 encoded genes at every timepoint. Genes involved in specific growth factor signaling pathways (WNT and Notch), metabolism (including oxidative stress), and extracellular matrix were altered in trisomy 21 cells. Further analysis uncovered heterochronic expression of genes. Conclusion Trisomy 21 impacts discrete developmental pathways at the earliest stages of neural development. The results suggest that metabolic dysfunction arises early in embryogenesis in trisomy 21 and may affect development and function more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L. Martinez
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jennifer G. Piciw
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Madeline Crockett
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Isabella A. Sorci
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nikunj Makwana
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Carissa L. Sirois
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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El Feil NS, Elmahdy HS, Elmahdy RA, Aboelezz AAE, Dawoud HS, Al-Beltagi M. Brain metabolic profile assessed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in children with Down syndrome: Relation to intelligence quotient. World J Clin Pediatr 2023; 12:310-318. [PMID: 38178937 PMCID: PMC10762600 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v12.i5.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common causes of intellectual disability. Children with DS have varying intelligence quotient (IQ) that can predict their learning abilities. AIM To assess the brain metabolic profiles of children with DS and compare them to standard controls, using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and correlating the results with IQ. METHODS This case-control study included 40 children with DS aged 6-15 years and 40 age and sex-matched healthy children as controls. MRS was used to evaluate ratios of choline/creatine (Cho/Cr), N-acetyl aspartic acid/creatine (NAA/Cr), and myoinositol/creatine (MI/Cr (in the frontal, temporal, and occipital lobes and basal ganglia and compared to controls and correlated with IQ. RESULTS Children with DS showed significant reductions in NAA/Cr and MI/Cr and a non-significant reduction in Cho/Cr in frontal lobes compared to controls. Additionally, we observed significant decreases in NAA/Cr, MI/Cr, and Cho/Cr in the temporal and occipital lobes and basal ganglia in children with DS compared to controls. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between IQ and metabolic ratios in the brains of children with DS. CONCLUSION Brain metabolic profile could be a good predictor of IQ in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesreen Safwat El Feil
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
| | - Heba S Elmahdy
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
| | - Rasha Ahmed Elmahdy
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Center, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
| | | | - Heba S Dawoud
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
| | - Mohammed Al-Beltagi
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Al Gharbia, Egypt
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, King Abdulla Medical City, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center, Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group, Manama 26671, Manama, Bahrain
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Hamadelseed O, Skutella T. Correlating MRI-based brain volumetry and cognitive assessment in people with Down syndrome. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3186. [PMID: 37496380 PMCID: PMC10570489 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability. Children and adults with DS show deficits in language performance and explicit memory. Here, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on children and adults with DS to characterize changes in the volume of specific brain structures involved in memory and language and their relationship to features of cognitive-behavioral phenotypes. METHODS Thirteen children and adults with the DS phenotype and 12 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (age range 4-25) underwent an assessment by MRI and a psychological evaluation for language and cognitive abilities. RESULTS The cognitive profile of people with DS showed deficits in different cognition and language domains correlating with reduced volumes of specific regional and subregional brain structures, confirming previous related studies. Interestingly, in our study, people with DS also showed more significant parahippocampal gyrus volumes, in agreement with the results found in earlier reports. CONCLUSIONS The memory functions and language skills affected in studied individuals with DS correlate significantly with the reduced volume of specific brain regions, allowing us to understand DS's cognitive-behavioral phenotype. Our results provide an essential basis for early intervention and the design of rehabilitation management protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama Hamadelseed
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell BiologyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Thomas Skutella
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell BiologyUniversity of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
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Kitano R, Madan N, Mikami T, Madankumar R, Skotko BG, Santoro S, Ralston SJ, Bianchi DW, Tarui T. Biometric magnetic resonance imaging analysis of fetal brain development in Down syndrome. Prenat Diagn 2023; 43:1450-1458. [PMID: 37698481 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess brain development in living fetuses with Down syndrome (DS) by biometric measurements on fetal brain magnetic resonance images (MRI). METHODS We scanned 10 MRIs of fetuses with confirmed trisomy 21 at birth and 12 control fetal MRIs without any detected anomalies. Fetal brain MRIs were analyzed using 14 fetal brain and skull biometric parameters. We compared measures between DS and controls in both raw MRIs and motion-corrected and anterior-posterior commissure-aligned images. RESULTS In the reconstructed images, the measured values of the height of the cerebellar vermis (HV) and anteroposterior diameter of the cerebellar vermis (APDV) were significantly smaller, and the anteroposterior diameter of the fourth ventricle (APDF) was significantly larger in fetuses with DS than controls. In the raw MRIs, the measured values of the right lateral ventricle were significantly larger in fetuses with DS than in controls. Logistic regression analyses revealed that a new parameter, the cerebellar-to-fourth-ventricle ratio (i.e., (APDV * Height of the vermis)/APDF), was significantly smaller in fetuses with DS than controls and was the most predictive to distinguish between fetuses with DS and controls. CONCLUSIONS The study revealed that fetuses with DS have smaller cerebellums and larger fourth ventricles compared to the controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Kitano
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital, Tsuchiura, Japan
| | - Neel Madan
- Radiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Takahisa Mikami
- Department of Neurology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rajeevi Madankumar
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, USA
| | - Brian G Skotko
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stephanie Santoro
- Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Steven J Ralston
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Diana W Bianchi
- Section on Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy, Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Tomo Tarui
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Pediatric Neurology, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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10
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Hamadelseed O, Chan MKS, Wong MBF, Skutella T. Distinct neuroanatomical and neuropsychological features of Down syndrome compared to related neurodevelopmental disorders: a systematic review. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1225228. [PMID: 37600012 PMCID: PMC10436105 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1225228] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives We critically review research findings on the unique changes in brain structure and cognitive function characteristic of Down syndrome (DS) and summarize the similarities and differences with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as Williams syndrome, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis and systematic literature review of 84 studies identified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science from 1977 to October 2022. This review focuses on the following issues: (1) specific neuroanatomic and histopathological features of DS as revealed by autopsy and modern neuroimaging modalities, (2) language and memory deficits in DS, (3) the relationships between these neuroanatomical and neuropsychological features, and (4) neuroanatomic and neuropsychological differences between DS and related neurodevelopmental syndromes. Results Numerous post-mortem and morphometric neuroimaging investigations of individuals with DS have reported complex changes in regional brain volumes, most notably in the hippocampal formation, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and cerebellum. Moreover, neuropsychological assessments have revealed deficits in language development, emotional regulation, and memory that reflect these structural changes and are more severe than expected from general cognitive dysfunction. Individuals with DS also show relative preservation of multiple cognitive, linguistic, and social domains compared to normally developed controls and individuals with other neurodevelopmental disorders. However, all these neurodevelopment disorders exhibit substantial heterogeneity among individuals. Conclusion People with Down syndrome demonstrate unique neurodevelopmental abnormalities but cannot be regarded as a homogenous group. A comprehensive evaluation of individual intellectual skills is essential for all individuals with neurodevelopment disorders to develop personalized care programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama Hamadelseed
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mike K. S. Chan
- EW European Wellness Academy GmbH, Edenkoben, Germany
- Baden R&D Laboratories GmbH, Edenkoben, Germany
| | - Michelle B. F. Wong
- EW European Wellness Academy GmbH, Edenkoben, Germany
- Baden R&D Laboratories GmbH, Edenkoben, Germany
- Stellar Biomolecular Research GmbH, Edenkoben, Germany
| | - Thomas Skutella
- Department of Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Fukami-Gartner A, Baburamani AA, Dimitrova R, Patkee PA, Ojinaga-Alfageme O, Bonthrone AF, Cromb D, Uus AU, Counsell SJ, Hajnal JV, O’Muircheartaigh J, Rutherford MA. Comprehensive volumetric phenotyping of the neonatal brain in Down syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8921-8941. [PMID: 37254801 PMCID: PMC10350827 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability with a wide range of neurodevelopmental outcomes. To date, there have been very few in vivo neuroimaging studies of the neonatal brain in DS. In this study we used a cross-sectional sample of 493 preterm- to term-born control neonates from the developing Human Connectome Project to perform normative modeling of regional brain tissue volumes from 32 to 46 weeks postmenstrual age, accounting for sex and age variables. Deviation from the normative mean was quantified in 25 neonates with DS with postnatally confirmed karyotypes from the Early Brain Imaging in DS study. Here, we provide the first comprehensive volumetric phenotyping of the neonatal brain in DS, which is characterized by significantly reduced whole brain, cerebral white matter, and cerebellar volumes; reduced relative frontal and occipital lobar volumes, in contrast with enlarged relative temporal and parietal lobar volumes; enlarged relative deep gray matter volume (particularly the lentiform nuclei); and enlargement of the lateral ventricles, amongst other features. In future, the ability to assess phenotypic severity at the neonatal stage may help guide early interventions and, ultimately, help improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abi Fukami-Gartner
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Ana A Baburamani
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Ralica Dimitrova
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Prachi A Patkee
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Olatz Ojinaga-Alfageme
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra F Bonthrone
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Cromb
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Alena U Uus
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Serena J Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan O’Muircheartaigh
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
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12
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Watson LA, Meharena HS. From neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration: utilizing human stem cell models to gain insight into Down syndrome. Front Genet 2023; 14:1198129. [PMID: 37323671 PMCID: PMC10267712 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1198129] [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: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), caused by triplication of chromosome 21, is the most frequent aneuploidy observed in the human population and represents the most common genetic form of intellectual disability and early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). Individuals with DS exhibit a wide spectrum of clinical presentation, with a number of organs implicated including the neurological, immune, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and gastrointestinal systems. Decades of DS research have illuminated our understanding of the disorder, however many of the features that limit quality of life and independence of individuals with DS, including intellectual disability and early-onset dementia, remain poorly understood. This lack of knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms leading to neurological features of DS has caused significant roadblocks in developing effective therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life for individuals with DS. Recent technological advances in human stem cell culture methods, genome editing approaches, and single-cell transcriptomics have provided paradigm-shifting insights into complex neurological diseases such as DS. Here, we review novel neurological disease modeling approaches, how they have been used to study DS, and what questions might be addressed in the future using these innovative tools.
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13
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Brozzetti L, Scambi I, Bertoldi L, Zanini A, Malacrida G, Sacchetto L, Baldassa L, Benvenuto G, Mariotti R, Zanusso G, Cecchini MP. RNAseq analysis of olfactory neuroepithelium cytological samples in individuals with Down syndrome compared to euploid controls: a pilot study. Neurol Sci 2023; 44:919-930. [PMID: 36394661 PMCID: PMC9925603 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-022-06500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome is a common genetic disorder caused by partial or complete triplication of chromosome 21. This syndrome shows an overall and progressive impairment of olfactory function, detected early in adulthood. The olfactory neuronal cells are located in the nasal olfactory mucosa and represent the first sensory neurons of the olfactory pathway. Herein, we applied the olfactory swabbing procedure to allow a gentle collection of olfactory epithelial cells in seven individuals with Down syndrome and in ten euploid controls. The aim of this research was to investigate the peripheral gene expression pattern in olfactory epithelial cells through RNAseq analysis. Validated tests (Sniffin' Sticks Extended test) were used to assess olfactory function. Olfactory scores were correlated with RNAseq results and cognitive scores (Vineland II and Leiter scales). All Down syndrome individuals showed both olfactory deficit and intellectual disability. Down syndrome individuals and euploid controls exhibited clear expression differences in genes located in and outside the chromosome 21. In addition, a significant correlation was found between olfactory test scores and gene expression, while a non-significant correlation emerged between olfactory and cognitive scores. This first preliminary step gives new insights into the Down syndrome olfactory system research, starting from the olfactory neuroepithelium, the first cellular step on the olfactory way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Brozzetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Ilaria Scambi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Alice Zanini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Luca Sacchetto
- Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, Otolaryngology Section, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lucia Baldassa
- AGBD, Associazione Sindrome di Down, Onlus, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Mariotti
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Zanusso
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Maria Paola Cecchini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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14
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Czerminski JT, King OD, Lawrence JB. Large-scale organoid study suggests effects of trisomy 21 on early fetal neurodevelopment are more subtle than variability between isogenic lines and experiments. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:972201. [PMID: 36817096 PMCID: PMC9935940 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.972201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examines cortical organoids generated from a panel of isogenic trisomic and disomic iPSC lines (subclones) as a model of early fetal brain development in Down syndrome (DS). An initial experiment comparing organoids from one trisomic and one disomic line showed many genome-wide transcriptomic differences and modest differences in cell-type proportions, suggesting there may be a neurodevelopmental phenotype that is due to trisomy of chr21. To better control for multiple sources of variation, we undertook a highly robust study of ∼1,200 organoids using an expanded panel of six all-isogenic lines, three disomic, and three trisomic. The power of this experimental design was indicated by strong detection of the ∼1.5-fold difference in chr21 genes. However, the numerous expression differences in non-chr21 genes seen in the smaller experiment fell away, and the differences in cell-type representation between lines did not correlate with trisomy 21. Results suggest that the initial smaller experiment picked up differences between small organoid samples and individual isogenic lines, which "averaged out" in the larger panel of isogenic lines. Our results indicate that even when organoid and batch variability are better controlled for, variation between isogenic cell lines (even subclones) may obscure, or be conflated with, subtle neurodevelopmental phenotypes that may be present in ∼2nd trimester DS brain development. Interestingly, despite this variability between organoid batches and lines, and the "fetal stage" of these organoids, an increase in secreted Aβ40 peptide levels-an Alzheimer-related cellular phenotype-was more strongly associated with trisomy 21 status than were neurodevelopmental shifts in cell-type composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan T. Czerminski
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Oliver D. King
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Jeanne B. Lawrence
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States,Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Jeanne B. Lawrence,
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15
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Patt E, Singhania A, Roberts AE, Morton SU. The Genetics of Neurodevelopment in Congenital Heart Disease. Can J Cardiol 2023; 39:97-114. [PMID: 36183910 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2022.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth anomaly, affecting almost 1% of infants. Neurodevelopmental delay is the most common extracardiac feature in people with CHD. Many factors may contribute to neurodevelopmental risk, including genetic factors, CHD physiology, and the prenatal/postnatal environment. Damaging variants are most highly enriched among individuals with extracardiac anomalies or neurodevelopmental delay in addition to CHD, indicating that genetic factors have an impact beyond cardiac tissues in people with CHD. Potential sources of genetic risk include large deletions or duplications that affect multiple genes, such as 22q11 deletion syndrome, single genes that alter both heart and brain development, such as CHD7, and common variants that affect neurodevelopmental resiliency, such as APOE. Increased use of genome-sequencing technologies in studies of neurodevelopmental outcomes in people with CHD will improve our ability to detect relevant genes and variants. Ultimately, such knowledge can lead to improved and more timely intervention of learning support for affected children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Patt
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Asmita Singhania
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Amy E Roberts
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah U Morton
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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16
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Zhao HH, Haddad GG. Alzheimer's disease like neuropathology in Down syndrome cortical organoids. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1050432. [PMID: 36568886 PMCID: PMC9773144 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1050432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder with an extra copy of chromosome 21 and DS remains one of the most common causes of intellectual disabilities in humans. All DS patients have Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like neuropathological changes including accumulation of plaques and tangles by their 40s, much earlier than the onset of such neuropathological changes in AD patients. Due to the lack of human samples and appropriate techniques, our understanding of DS neuropathology during brain development or before the clinical onset of the disease remains largely unexplored at the cellular and molecular levels. Methods: We used induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and iPSC-derived 3D cortical organoids to model Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome and explore the earliest cellular and molecular changes during DS fetal brain development. Results: We report that DS iPSCs have a decreased growth rate than control iPSCs due to a decreased cell proliferation. DS iPSC-derived cortical organoids have a much higher immunoreactivity of amyloid beta (Aß) antibodies and a significantly higher amount of amyloid plaques than control organoids. Although Elisa results did not detect a difference of Aß40 and Aß42 level between the two groups, the ratio of Aß42/Aß40 in the detergent-insoluble fraction of DS organoids was significantly higher than control organoids. Furthermore, an increased Tau phosphorylation (pTau S396) in DS organoids was confirmed by immunostaining and Western blot. Elisa data demonstrated that the ratio of insoluble Tau/total Tau in DS organoids was significantly higher than control organoids. Conclusion: DS iPSC-derived cortical organoids mimic AD-like pathophysiologyical phenotype in vitro, including abnormal Aß and insoluble Tau accumulation. The molecular neuropathologic signature of AD is present in DS much earlier than predicted, even in early fetal brain development, illustrating the notion that brain organoids maybe a good model to study early neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen H. Zhao
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Gabriel G. Haddad
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States,The Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Gabriel G. Haddad
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17
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De Asis-Cruz J, Limperopoulos C. Harnessing the Power of Advanced Fetal Neuroimaging to Understand In Utero Footprints for Later Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 93:867-879. [PMID: 36804195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.019] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine events may profoundly impact fetal risk for future adult diseases. The mechanisms underlying this increased vulnerability are complex and remain poorly understood. Contemporary advances in fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have provided clinicians and scientists with unprecedented access to in vivo human fetal brain development to begin to identify emerging endophenotypes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss salient findings of normal fetal neurodevelopment from studies using advanced, multimodal MRI that have provided unparalleled characterization of in utero prenatal brain morphology, metabolism, microstructure, and functional connectivity. We appraise the clinical utility of these normative data in identifying high-risk fetuses before birth. We highlight available studies that have investigated the predictive validity of advanced prenatal brain MRI findings and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. We then discuss how ex utero quantitative MRI findings can inform in utero investigations toward the pursuit of early biomarkers of risk. Lastly, we explore future opportunities to advance our understanding of the prenatal origins of neuropsychiatric disorders using precision fetal imaging.
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18
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Farley SJ, Grishok A, Zeldich E. Shaking up the silence: consequences of HMGN1 antagonizing PRC2 in the Down syndrome brain. Epigenetics Chromatin 2022; 15:39. [PMID: 36463299 PMCID: PMC9719135 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00471-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Intellectual disability is a well-known hallmark of Down Syndrome (DS) that results from the triplication of the critical region of human chromosome 21 (HSA21). Major studies were conducted in recent years to gain an understanding about the contribution of individual triplicated genes to DS-related brain pathology. Global transcriptomic alterations and widespread changes in the establishment of neural lineages, as well as their differentiation and functional maturity, suggest genome-wide chromatin organization alterations in trisomy. High Mobility Group Nucleosome Binding Domain 1 (HMGN1), expressed from HSA21, is a chromatin remodeling protein that facilitates chromatin decompaction and is associated with acetylated lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27ac), a mark correlated with active transcription. Recent studies causatively linked overexpression of HMGN1 in trisomy and the development of DS-associated B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). HMGN1 has been shown to antagonize the activity of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and prevent the deposition of histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation mark (H3K27me3), which is associated with transcriptional repression and gene silencing. However, the possible ramifications of the increased levels of HMGN1 through the derepression of PRC2 target genes on brain cell pathology have not gained attention. In this review, we discuss the functional significance of HMGN1 in brain development and summarize accumulating reports about the essential role of PRC2 in the development of the neural system. Mechanistic understanding of how overexpression of HMGN1 may contribute to aberrant brain cell phenotypes in DS, such as altered proliferation of neural progenitors, abnormal cortical architecture, diminished myelination, neurodegeneration, and Alzheimer's disease-related pathology in trisomy 21, will facilitate the development of DS therapeutic approaches targeting chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean J. Farley
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
| | - Alla Grishok
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Biochemistry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA ,grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Boston University Genome Science Institute, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
| | - Ella Zeldich
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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19
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Altered spontaneous brain activity in Down syndrome and its relation with cognitive outcome. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15410. [PMID: 36104362 PMCID: PMC9474876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19627-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAlthough Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of neurodevelopmental delay, few neuroimaging studies have explored this population. This investigation aimed to study whole-brain resting-state spontaneous brain activity using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) strategies to find differences in spontaneous brain activity among young people with DS and controls and to correlate these results with cognitive outcomes. The sample comprised 18 persons with DS (age mean = 28.67, standard deviation = 4.18) and 18 controls (age mean = 28.56, standard deviation = 4.26). fALFF and ReHo analyses were performed, and the results were correlated with other cognitive variables also collected (KBIT-2 and verbal fluency test). Increased activity was found in DS using fALFF in areas involving the frontal and temporal lobes and left cerebellum anterior lobe. Decreased activity in DS was found in the left parietal and occipital lobe, the left limbic lobe and the left cerebellum posterior lobe. ReHo analysis showed increased activity in certain DS areas of the left frontal lobe and left rectus, as well as the inferior temporal lobe. The areas with decreased activity in the DS participants were regions of the frontal lobe and the right limbic lobe. Altered fALFF and ReHo were found in the DS population, and this alteration could predict the cognitive abilities of the participants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore regional spontaneous brain activity in a population with DS. Moreover, this study suggests the possibility of using fALFF and ReHo as biomarkers of cognitive function, which is highly important given the difficulties in cognitively evaluating this population to assess dementia. More research is needed, however, to demonstrate its utility.
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20
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Risgaard KA, Sorci IA, Mohan S, Bhattacharyya A. Meta-Analysis of Down Syndrome Cortical Development Reveals Underdeveloped State of the Science. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:915272. [PMID: 35769326 PMCID: PMC9234119 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.915272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental impairment contributes to the hallmark cognitive disability in individuals with Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21, T21). The appearance of cognitive deficits in infancy suggests that alterations emerge during the earliest stages of neural development and continue throughout the lifespan in DS. Neural correlates of intellectual and language function include cortical structures, specifically temporal and frontal lobes that are smaller in DS. Yet, despite increased understanding of the DS cognitive-behavioral phenotype in childhood, there is very little structural and histological information to help explain the deficits. Consequently, attempts to effectively design therapeutic targets or interventions are limited. We present a systematic review of published research on cortical development in DS that reveals a paucity of studies that rigorously identify cellular features that may underlie the gross morphological deficits of the developing DS brain. We assessed 115 published reports retrieved through PubMed and other sources and found that only 23 reported histological and/or immunohistochemical data to define cell composition affected in DS post-mortem brain. Further, our analysis reveals that many reports have limited samples sizes and few DS samples, making it difficult to draw conclusions that are generally applicable to the DS population. Thus, the lack of replication and limited number of studies indicate that more developmentally focused research, ideally using equal numbers of age-matched samples in analyses, is needed to elucidate the cellular nature of smaller brain size in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabella A. Sorci
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Sruti Mohan
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Anita Bhattacharyya
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Pubic Health, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Anita Bhattacharyya
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21
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Utagawa EC, Moreno DG, Schafernak KT, Arva NC, Malek-Ahmadi MH, Mufson EJ, Perez SE. Neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation in the postnatal frontal cortex in Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:86. [PMID: 35676735 PMCID: PMC9175369 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01385-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Down syndrome (DS), the most common developmental genetic cause of intellectual disability, displays proliferation and migration deficits in the prenatal frontal cortex (FC), a knowledge gap exists on the effects of trisomy 21 upon postnatal cortical development. Here, we examined cortical neurogenesis and differentiation in the FC supragranular (SG, II/III) and infragranular (IG, V/VI) layers applying antibodies to doublecortin (DCX), non-phosphorylated heavy-molecular neurofilament protein (NHF, SMI-32), calbindin D-28K (Calb), calretinin (Calr), and parvalbumin (Parv), as well as β-amyloid (APP/Aβ and Aβ1-42) and phospho-tau (CP13 and PHF-1) in autopsy tissue from age-matched DS and neurotypical (NTD) subjects ranging from 28-weeks (wk)-gestation to 3 years of age. Thionin, which stains Nissl substance, revealed disorganized cortical cellular lamination including a delayed appearance of pyramidal cells until 44 wk of age in DS compared to 28 wk in NTD. SG and IG DCX-immunoreactive (-ir) cells were only visualized in the youngest cases until 83 wk in NTD and 57 wk DS. Strong SMI-32 immunoreactivity was observed in layers III and V pyramidal cells in the oldest NTD and DS cases with few appearing as early as 28 wk of age in layer V in NTD. Small Calb-ir interneurons were seen in younger NTD and DS cases compared to Calb-ir pyramidal cells in older subjects. Overall, a greater number of Calb-ir cells were detected in NTD, however, the number of Calr-ir cells were comparable between groups. Diffuse APP/Aβ immunoreactivity was found at all ages in both groups. Few young cases from both groups presented non-neuronal granular CP13 immunoreactivity in layer I. Stronger correlations between brain weight, age, thionin, DCX, and SMI-32 counts were found in NTD. These findings suggest that trisomy 21 affects postnatal FC lamination, neuronal migration/neurogenesis and differentiation of projection neurons and interneurons that likely contribute to cognitive impairment in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Utagawa
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - David G Moreno
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Kristian T Schafernak
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85016, USA
| | - Nicoleta C Arva
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | | | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Sylvia E Perez
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
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22
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Stagni F, Bartesaghi R. The Challenging Pathway of Treatment for Neurogenesis Impairment in Down Syndrome: Achievements and Perspectives. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:903729. [PMID: 35634470 PMCID: PMC9130961 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.903729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by triplication of Chromosome 21. Gene triplication may compromise different body functions but invariably impairs intellectual abilities starting from infancy. Moreover, after the fourth decade of life people with DS are likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Neurogenesis impairment during fetal life stages and dendritic pathology emerging in early infancy are thought to be key determinants of alterations in brain functioning in DS. Although the progressive improvement in medical care has led to a notable increase in life expectancy for people with DS, there are currently no treatments for intellectual disability. Increasing evidence in mouse models of DS reveals that pharmacological interventions in the embryonic and neonatal periods may greatly benefit brain development and cognitive performance. The most striking results have been obtained with pharmacotherapies during embryonic life stages, indicating that it is possible to pharmacologically rescue the severe neurodevelopmental defects linked to the trisomic condition. These findings provide hope that similar benefits may be possible for people with DS. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding (i) the scope and timeline of neurogenesis (and dendritic) alterations in DS, in order to delineate suitable windows for treatment; (ii) the role of triplicated genes that are most likely to be the key determinants of these alterations, in order to highlight possible therapeutic targets; and (iii) prenatal and neonatal treatments that have proved to be effective in mouse models, in order to rationalize the choice of treatment for human application. Based on this body of evidence we will discuss prospects and challenges for fetal therapy in individuals with DS as a potential means of drastically counteracting the deleterious effects of gene triplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiorenza Stagni
- Department for Life Quality Studies, University of Bologna, Rimini, Italy
| | - Renata Bartesaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- *Correspondence: Renata Bartesaghi,
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23
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Stone WS, Phillips MR, Yang LH, Kegeles LS, Susser ES, Lieberman JA. Neurodegenerative model of schizophrenia: Growing evidence to support a revisit. Schizophr Res 2022; 243:154-162. [PMID: 35344853 PMCID: PMC9189010 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Multidimensional progressive declines in the absence of standard biomarkers for neurodegeneration are observed commonly in the development of schizophrenia, and are accepted as consistent with neurodevelopmental etiological hypotheses to explain the origins of the disorder. Far less accepted is the possibility that neurodegenerative processes are involved as well, or even that key dimensions of function, such as cognition and aspects of biological integrity, such as white matter function, decline in chronic schizophrenia beyond levels associated with normal aging. We propose that recent research germane to these issues warrants a current look at the question of neurodegeneration. We propose the view that a neurodegenerative hypothesis provides a better explanation of some features of chronic schizophrenia, including accelerated aging, than is provided by neurodevelopmental hypotheses. Moreover, we suggest that neurodevelopmental influences in early life, including those that may extend to later life, do not preclude the development of neurodegenerative processes in later life, including some declines in cognitive and biological integrity. We evaluate these views by integrating recent findings in representative domains such as cognition and white and gray matter integrity with results from studies on accelerated aging, together with functional implications of neurodegeneration for our understanding of chronic schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S. Stone
- Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts,Corresponding Author: William S. Stone, Ph.D., Massachusetts Mental Health Center, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,
| | - Michael R. Phillips
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, Shanghai, China,Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Lawrence H. Yang
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York,New York University College of Global Public Health, New York, New York
| | - Lawrence S. Kegeles
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Ezra S. Susser
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York
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24
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Boato E, Melo G, Filho M, Moresi E, Lourenço C, Tristão R. The Use of Virtual and Computational Technologies in the Psychomotor and Cognitive Development of Children with Down Syndrome: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052955. [PMID: 35270648 PMCID: PMC8910279 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have numerous comorbidities due to trisomy 21. However, virtual reality-based therapy (VRT) has been used nowadays as a learning and visual motor tool in order to facilitate the development and learning process of this group. The aim of this article was to carry out an integrative review of the literature on the use of virtual and computational technologies in the stimulation of children with DS. A search was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) through single key words or their combinations using AND or OR operators: “Down syndrome” AND (“development” OR “cognition” OR “visomotor” OR “digital game” OR “virtual reality”). Eventually, 18 articles were included in our review. The games used in the research were able to stimulate, through the visual field, global motor skills, balance, body scheme and spatial organization, in addition to the learning of mathematical concepts, in order to directly influence the autonomous life activities, language skills, social skills and educational aspects of people with DS. Electronic games contribute to the teaching-learning relationship and stimulate neuropsychomotor and cognitive functions and development in children with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvio Boato
- Department of Physical Education, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasilia 71966-700, Brazil; (E.B.); (G.M.)
| | - Geiziane Melo
- Department of Physical Education, Catholic University of Brasília, Brasilia 71966-700, Brazil; (E.B.); (G.M.)
| | - Mário Filho
- Center for Science and Technology-CogniAction Lab, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasilia 71966-700, Brazil; (M.F.); (E.M.)
| | - Eduardo Moresi
- Center for Science and Technology-CogniAction Lab, Catholic University of Brasilia, Brasilia 71966-700, Brazil; (M.F.); (E.M.)
| | - Carla Lourenço
- Department of Sport of Science, Universidade da Beira Interior, 3510-774 Covilhan, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Rosana Tristão
- Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital of University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70297-400, Brazil;
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25
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Llambrich S, González R, Albaigès J, Wouters J, Marain F, Himmelreich U, Sharpe J, Dierssen M, Gsell W, Martínez-Abadías N, Vande Velde G. Multimodal in vivo Imaging of the Integrated Postnatal Development of Brain and Skull and Its Co-modulation With Neurodevelopment in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:815739. [PMID: 35223915 PMCID: PMC8874331 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.815739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain and skeletal systems are intimately integrated during development through common molecular pathways. This is evidenced by genetic disorders where brain and skull dysmorphologies are associated. However, the mechanisms underlying neural and skeletal interactions are poorly understood. Using the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome (DS) as a case example, we performed the first longitudinal assessment of brain, skull and neurobehavioral development to determine alterations in the coordinated morphogenesis of brain and skull. We optimized a multimodal protocol combining in vivo micro-computed tomography (μCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (μMRI) with morphometric analyses and neurodevelopmental tests to longitudinally monitor the different systems' development trajectories during the first postnatal weeks. We also explored the impact of a perinatal treatment with green tea extracts enriched in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (GTE-EGCG), which can modulate cognition, brain and craniofacial development in DS. Our analyses quantified alterations associated with DS, with skull dysmorphologies appearing before brain anomalies, reduced integration and delayed acquisition of neurodevelopmental traits. Perinatal GTE-EGCG induced disparate effects and disrupted the magnitude of integration and covariation patterns between brain and skull. Our results exemplify how a longitudinal research approach evaluating the development of multiple systems can reveal the effect of morphological integration modulating the response of pathological phenotypes to treatment, furthering our understanding of complex genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Llambrich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Rubèn González
- Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biológica (GREAB), Department of Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julia Albaigès
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jens Wouters
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Fopke Marain
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - James Sharpe
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mara Dierssen
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Willy Gsell
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Neus Martínez-Abadías
- Grup de Recerca en Antropologia Biológica (GREAB), Department of Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Barcelona, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Barcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Neus Martínez-Abadías
| | - Greetje Vande Velde
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
- Greetje Vande Velde
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Wegiel J, Flory M, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Wegiel J, Ma SY, Zhong N, Bobrowicz TW, de Leon M, Lai F, Silverman WP, Wisniewski T. Developmental deficits and staging of dynamics of age associated Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration and neuronal loss in subjects with Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:2. [PMID: 34983655 PMCID: PMC8728914 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-021-01300-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is associated with increased prevalence of trisomy 21-linked early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD) and dementia. The aims of this study of 14 brain regions including the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and cerebellum in 33 adults with DS 26-72 years of age were to identify the magnitude of brain region-specific developmental neuronal deficits contributing to intellectual deficits, to apply this baseline to identification of the topography and magnitude of neurodegeneration and neuronal and volume losses caused by EOAD, and to establish age-based staging of the pattern of genetically driven neuropathology in DS. Both DS subject age and stage of dementia, themselves very strongly correlated, were strong predictors of an AD-associated decrease of the number of neurons, considered a major contributor to dementia. The DS cohort was subclassified by age as pre-AD stage, with 26-41-year-old subjects with a full spectrum of developmental deficit but with very limited incipient AD pathology, and 43-49, 51-59, and 61-72-year-old groups with predominant prevalence of mild, moderately severe, and severe dementia respectively. This multiregional study revealed a 28.1% developmental neuronal deficit in DS subjects 26-41 years of age and 11.9% AD-associated neuronal loss in DS subjects 43-49 years of age; a 28.0% maximum neuronal loss at 51-59 years of age; and a 11.0% minimum neuronal loss at 61-72 years of age. A total developmental neuronal deficit of 40.8 million neurons and AD-associated neuronal loss of 41.6 million neurons reflect a comparable magnitude of developmental neuronal deficit contributing to intellectual deficits, and AD-associated neuronal loss contributing to dementia. This highly predictable pattern of pathology indicates that successful treatment of DS subjects in the fourth decade of life may prevent AD pathology and functional decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Michael Flory
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), Staten Island, NY USA
| | - Izabela Kuchna
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Krzysztof Nowicki
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Jarek Wegiel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Shuang Yong Ma
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, NY 10314 USA
| | - Nanbert Zhong
- New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), Staten Island, NY USA
| | | | - Mony de Leon
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY USA
| | - Florence Lai
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Wayne P. Silverman
- Department of Pediatrics, Irvine Medical Center, University of California, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Center for Cognitive Neurology, Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016 USA
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Sacco S, Bouis C, Gallard J, Pichot A, Blondiaux E, Marey I, Dorison N, Sturtz F, Cieuta-Walti C, Ravel A, Mircher C. Psychomotor development in infants and young children with Down syndrome-A prospective, repeated measure, post-hoc analysis. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 188:818-827. [PMID: 34863019 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62587] [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: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Children with Down syndrome (DS) show delayed acquisition of cognitive and functional skills compared to typically developing children. The objective of this study was to accurately describe early development of infants and young children (children hereafter) with DS based on a large recent sample. We carried out repeated measure analysis of the global development quotient (GDQ) and developmental age using data from the Assessment of Systematic Treatment with Folinic Acid and Thyroid Hormone on Psychomotor Development of Down Syndrome Young Children (ACTHYF) study (NCT01576705). Because there was no statistically significant difference in the primary endpoint between active treatment and placebo, data from all treatment groups were pooled for post-hoc analysis. Data of 141 children with DS aged 6-18 months at inclusion were analyzed. Mean GDQ decreased over the study period, especially in the youngest age classes ([6-9] and [9-12] months), indicating that acquisition of skills occurred at a slower pace compared to typically developing children. Strongest deficits were observed for motor and hearing and language skills. Only GDQ at baseline correlated significantly with evolution of GDQ. Future studies should aim at elucidating the mechanisms underlying motor and language development. Early pharmacological interventions together with early childhood therapies might be necessary to improve the developmental trajectory of children with DS.
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28
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Reichard J, Zimmer-Bensch G. The Epigenome in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:776809. [PMID: 34803599 PMCID: PMC8595945 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.776809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental diseases (NDDs), such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, are characterized by diverse facets of neurological and psychiatric symptoms, differing in etiology, onset and severity. Such symptoms include mental delay, cognitive and language impairments, or restrictions to adaptive and social behavior. Nevertheless, all have in common that critical milestones of brain development are disrupted, leading to functional deficits of the central nervous system and clinical manifestation in child- or adulthood. To approach how the different development-associated neuropathologies can occur and which risk factors or critical processes are involved in provoking higher susceptibility for such diseases, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying proper brain formation is required. NDDs rely on deficits in neuronal identity, proportion or function, whereby a defective development of the cerebral cortex, the seat of higher cognitive functions, is implicated in numerous disorders. Such deficits can be provoked by genetic and environmental factors during corticogenesis. Thereby, epigenetic mechanisms can act as an interface between external stimuli and the genome, since they are known to be responsive to external stimuli also in cortical neurons. In line with that, DNA methylation, histone modifications/variants, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling, as well as regulatory non-coding RNAs regulate diverse aspects of neuronal development, and alterations in epigenomic marks have been associated with NDDs of varying phenotypes. Here, we provide an overview of essential steps of mammalian corticogenesis, and discuss the role of epigenetic mechanisms assumed to contribute to pathophysiological aspects of NDDs, when being disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Reichard
- Functional Epigenetics in the Animal Model, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Geraldine Zimmer-Bensch
- Functional Epigenetics in the Animal Model, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Research Training Group 2416 MultiSenses-MultiScales, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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29
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Ponroy Bally B, Murai KK. Astrocytes in Down Syndrome Across the Lifespan. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:702685. [PMID: 34483840 PMCID: PMC8416355 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.702685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability in which delays and impairments in brain development and function lead to neurological and cognitive phenotypes. Traditionally, a neurocentric approach, focusing on neurons and their connectivity, has been applied to understanding the mechanisms involved in DS brain pathophysiology with an emphasis on how triplication of chromosome 21 leads to alterations in neuronal survival and homeostasis, synaptogenesis, brain circuit development, and neurodegeneration. However, recent studies have drawn attention to the role of non-neuronal cells, especially astrocytes, in DS. Astrocytes comprise a large proportion of cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and are critical for brain development, homeostasis, and function. As triplication of chromosome 21 occurs in all cells in DS (with the exception of mosaic DS), a deeper understanding of the impact of trisomy 21 on astrocytes in DS pathophysiology is warranted and will likely be necessary for determining how specific brain alterations and neurological phenotypes emerge and progress in DS. Here, we review the current understanding of the role of astrocytes in DS, and discuss how specific perturbations in this cell type can impact the brain across the lifespan from early brain development to adult stages. Finally, we highlight how targeting, modifying, and/or correcting specific molecular pathways and properties of astrocytes in DS may provide an effective therapeutic direction given the important role of astrocytes in regulating brain development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blandine Ponroy Bally
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Keith K Murai
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
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30
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McCann B, Levman J, Baumer N, Lam MY, Shiohama T, Cogger L, MacDonald A, Ijner P, Takahashi E. Structural magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates volumetric brain abnormalities in down syndrome: Newborns to young adults. Neuroimage Clin 2021; 32:102815. [PMID: 34520978 PMCID: PMC8441087 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21 and characterized by intellectual disability. We hypothesize that performing a retrospective analysis of 73 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of participants with DS (aged 0 to 22 years) and comparing them to a large cohort of 993 brain MRI examinations of neurotypical participants (aged 0 to 32 years), will assist in better understanding what brain differences may explain phenotypic developmental features in DS, as well as to provide valuable confirmation of prospective literature findings clinically. Measurements for both absolute volumes and volumes corrected as a percentage of estimated total intracranial volume (%ETIV) were extracted from each examination. Our results presented novel findings such as volume increases (%ETIV) in the perirhinal cortex, entorhinal cortex, choroid plexus, and Brodmann's areas (BA) 3a, 3b, and 44, as well as volume decreases (%ETIV) in the white matter of the cuneus, the paracentral lobule, the postcentral gyrus, and the supramarginal gyrus. We also confirmed volumetric brain abnormalities previously discussed in the literature. Findings suggest the presence of volumetric brain abnormalities in DS that can be detected clinically with MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette McCann
- Department of Human Kinetics, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Jacob Levman
- Department of Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada.
| | - Nicole Baumer
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melanie Y Lam
- Department of Human Kinetics, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Liam Cogger
- Department of Education, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Allissa MacDonald
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Prahar Ijner
- Department of Computer Science, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 401 Park Dr., Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, 149 Thirteenth Street, Suite 2301, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
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31
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Patkee PA, Baburamani AA, Long KR, Dimitrova R, Ciarrusta J, Allsop J, Hughes E, Kangas J, McAlonan GM, Rutherford MA, De Vita E. Neurometabolite mapping highlights elevated myo-inositol profiles within the developing brain in down syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 153:105316. [PMID: 33711492 PMCID: PMC8039898 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental phenotype in Down Syndrome (DS), or Trisomy 21, is variable including a wide spectrum of cognitive impairment and a high risk of early-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). A key metabolite of interest within the brain in DS is Myo-inositol (mIns). The NA+/mIns co-transporter is located on human chromosome 21 and is overexpressed in DS. In adults with DS, elevated brain mIns was previously associated with cognitive impairment and proposed as a risk marker for progression to AD. However, it is unknown if brain mIns is increased earlier in development. The aim of this study was to estimate mIns concentration levels and key brain metabolites [N-acetylaspartate (NAA), Choline (Cho) and Creatine (Cr)] in the developing brain in DS and aged-matched controls. We used in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in neonates with DS (n = 12) and age-matched controls (n = 26) scanned just after birth (36-45 weeks postmenstrual age). Moreover, we used Mass Spectrometry in early (10-20 weeks post conception) ex vivo fetal brain tissue samples from DS (n = 14) and control (n = 30) cases. Relative to [Cho] and [Cr], we report elevated ratios of [mIns] in vivo in the basal ganglia/thalamus, in neonates with DS, when compared to age-matched typically developing controls. Glycine concentration ratios [Gly]/[Cr] and [Cho]/[Cr] also appear elevated. We observed elevated [mIns] in the ex vivo fetal cortical brain tissue in DS compared with controls. In conclusion, a higher level of brain mIns was evident as early as 10 weeks post conception and was measurable in vivo from 36 weeks post-menstrual age. Future work will determine if this early difference in metabolites is linked to cognitive outcomes in childhood or has utility as a potential treatment biomarker for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachi A Patkee
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Ana A Baburamani
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Katherine R Long
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE1 1UL, UK; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ralica Dimitrova
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Judit Ciarrusta
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Joanna Allsop
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Emer Hughes
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Johanna Kangas
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Grainne M McAlonan
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AB, UK
| | - Mary A Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Enrico De Vita
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
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32
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Wu D, Zhang Y, Cheng B, Mori S, Reeves RH, Gao FJ. Time-dependent diffusion MRI probes cerebellar microstructural alterations in a mouse model of Down syndrome. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab062. [PMID: 33937769 PMCID: PMC8063586 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum is a complex system with distinct cortical laminar organization. Alterations in cerebellar microstructure are common and associated with many factors such as genetics, cancer and ageing. Diffusion MRI (dMRI) provides a non-invasive tool to map the brain structural organization, and the recently proposed diffusion-time (td )-dependent dMRI further improves its capability to probe the cellular and axonal/dendritic microstructures by measuring water diffusion at multiple spatial scales. The td -dependent diffusion profile in the cerebellum and its utility in detecting cerebellar disorders, however, are not yet elucidated. Here, we first deciphered the spatial correspondence between dMRI contrast and cerebellar layers, based on which the cerebellar layer-specific td -dependent dMRI patterns were characterized in both euploid and Ts65Dn mice, a mouse model of Down syndrome. Using oscillating gradient dMRI, which accesses diffusion at short td 's by modulating the oscillating frequency, we detected subtle changes in the apparent diffusivity coefficient of the cerebellar internal granular layer and Purkinje cell layer of Ts65Dn mice that were not detectable by conventional pulsed gradient dMRI. The detection sensitivity of oscillating gradient dMRI increased with the oscillating frequency at both the neonatal and adult stages. The td -dependence, quantified by ΔADC map, was reduced in Ts65Dn mice, likely associated with the reduced granule cell density and abnormal dendritic arborization of Purkinje cells as revealed from histological evidence. Our study demonstrates superior sensitivity of short-td diffusion using oscillating gradient dMRI to detect cerebellar microstructural changes in Down syndrome, suggesting the potential application of this technique in cerebellar disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
| | - Bei Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Susumu Mori
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Roger H Reeves
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Feng J Gao
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Shimizu R, Ishihara K, Kawashita E, Sago H, Yamakawa K, Mizutani KI, Akiba S. Decrease in the T-box1 gene expression in embryonic brain and adult hippocampus of down syndrome mouse models. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 535:87-92. [PMID: 33348080 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.12.026] [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: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS, Trisomy 21) is the most common genetic cause of delayed fetal brain development and postnatal intellectual disability. Although delayed fetal brain development might be involved in intellectual disability, no evidence of an association between these abnormal phenotypes has been shown. To identify molecules differentially expressed in both the prenatal forebrain and adult hippocampus of Ts1Cje mice, a mouse model of DS, we employed a transcriptomic analysis. In the present study, we conducted transcriptomic profiling of the hippocampus of adult Ts1Cje mice and compared the results with the previously obtained transcriptomic profile of the prenatal forebrain at embryonic day 14.5. Results showed that the Tbx1 mRNA expression was decreased at both life stages. In addition, the decreased expression of Tbx1 mRNA was confirmed in other DS mouse models, Dp(16)1Yey/+ and Ts1Rhr mice, which carry longer and shorter trisomic regions, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that Tbx1 may link the delayed fetal brain development and intellectual disability in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Shimizu
- Department of Pathological Biochemistry, Division of Pathological Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
| | - Keiichi Ishihara
- Department of Pathological Biochemistry, Division of Pathological Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan.
| | - Eri Kawashita
- Department of Pathological Biochemistry, Division of Pathological Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Sago
- Center for Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, 157-8535, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Yamakawa
- Department of Neurodevelopmental Disorder Genetics, Institute of Brain Sciences, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi, 467-8601, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Mizutani
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Kobe, 650-8586, Japan
| | - Satoshi Akiba
- Department of Pathological Biochemistry, Division of Pathological Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
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Yun HJ, Perez JDR, Sosa P, Valdés JA, Madan N, Kitano R, Akiyama S, Skotko BG, Feldman HA, Bianchi DW, Grant PE, Tarui T, Im K. Regional Alterations in Cortical Sulcal Depth in Living Fetuses with Down Syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:757-767. [PMID: 32940649 PMCID: PMC7786357 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of developmental disabilities. Advanced analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to find brain abnormalities and their relationship to neurocognitive impairments in children and adolescents with DS. Because genetic factors affect brain development in early fetal life, there is a growing interest in analyzing brains from living fetuses with DS. In this study, we investigated regional sulcal folding depth as well as global cortical gyrification from fetal brain MRIs. Nine fetuses with DS (29.1 ± 4.24 gestational weeks [mean ± standard deviation]) were compared with 17 typically developing [TD] fetuses (28.4 ± 3.44). Fetuses with DS showed lower whole-brain average sulcal depths and gyrification index than TD fetuses. Significant decreases in sulcal depth were found in bilateral Sylvian fissures and right central and parieto-occipital sulci. On the other hand, significantly increased sulcal depth was shown in the left superior temporal sulcus, which is related to atypical hemispheric asymmetry of cortical folding. Moreover, these group differences increased as gestation progressed. This study demonstrates that regional sulcal depth is a sensitive marker for detecting alterations of cortical development in DS during fetal life, which may be associated with later neurocognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuk Jin Yun
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Juan David Ruiz Perez
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Patricia Sosa
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - J Alejandro Valdés
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Neel Madan
- Department of Radiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Rie Kitano
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Shizuko Akiyama
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Brian G Skotko
- Down Syndrome Program, Genetics, Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Henry A Feldman
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Diana W Bianchi
- Prenatal Genomics and Fetal Therapy Section, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tomo Tarui
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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35
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Mckinnon K, Kendall GS, Tann CJ, Dyet L, Sokolska M, Baruteau KP, Marlow N, Robertson NJ, Peebles D, Srinivasan L. Biometric assessments of the posterior fossa by fetal MRI: A systematic review. Prenat Diagn 2020; 41:258-270. [PMID: 33251640 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posterior fossa abnormalities (PFAs) are commonly identified within routine screening and are a frequent indication for fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although biometric measurements of the posterior fossa (PF) are established on fetal ultrasound and MRI, qualitative visual assessments are predominantly used to differentiate PFAs. OBJECTIVES This systematic review aimed to assess 2-dimensional (2D) biometric measurements currently in use for assessing the PF on fetal MRI to delineate different PFAs. METHODS The protocol was registered (PROSPERO ID CRD42019142162). Eligible studies included T2-weighted MRI PF measurements in fetuses with and without PFAs, including measurements of the PF, or other brain areas relevant to PFAs. RESULTS 59 studies were included - 6859 fetuses had 62 2D PF and related measurements. These included linear, area and angular measurements, representing measures of PF size, cerebellum/vermis, brainstem, and supratentorial measurements. 11 measurements were used in 10 or more studies and at least 1200 fetuses. These dimensions were used to characterise normal for gestational age, diagnose a range of pathologies, and predict outcome. CONCLUSION A selection of validated 2D biometric measurements of the PF on fetal MRI may be useful for identification of PFA in different clinical settings. Consistent use of these measures, both clinically and for research, is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Mckinnon
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giles S Kendall
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cally J Tann
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,MARCH Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Leigh Dyet
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Magdalena Sokolska
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.,Medical Physics Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Kelly Pegoretti Baruteau
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.,Radiology Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Neil Marlow
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nicola J Robertson
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Donald Peebles
- Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.,Obstetric Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Latha Srinivasan
- Neonatal Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.,Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
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36
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Gestational age is related to symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in late-preterm to full-term children and adolescents with down syndrome. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20345. [PMID: 33230240 PMCID: PMC7683733 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77392-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is frequently reported in individuals with Down syndrome, with considerable variation in the expression and severity of the symptoms. Despite growing evidence that gestational age predicts later symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the euploid population, this has not been studied in down syndrome. The current study is designed to investigate the influence of gestational age in later symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 105 individuals (49 males and 56 females; aged 6–18 years) with Down syndrome who were born at or after 35 weeks gestation. Maternal age at birth, maternal level of education, household income, as well as sex, chronological age, and cognitive level of the participant with Down syndrome were considered in our analysis. Results from this study show that gestational age is related to inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Therefore, gestational age should be addressed when considering symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as it may have implications for early interventions. More attention is needed toward the advancement of care and follow-up for infants with down syndrome who are born even late preterm or early term.
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37
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Baburamani AA, Vontell RT, Uus A, Pietsch M, Patkee PA, Wyatt-Ashmead J, Chin-Smith EC, Supramaniam VG, Donald Tournier J, Deprez M, Rutherford MA. Assessment of radial glia in the frontal lobe of fetuses with Down syndrome. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:141. [PMID: 32819430 PMCID: PMC7441567 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01015-3] [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: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) occurs with triplication of human chromosome 21 and is associated with deviations in cortical development evidenced by simplified gyral appearance and reduced cortical surface area. Radial glia are neuronal and glial progenitors that also create a scaffolding structure essential for migrating neurons to reach cortical targets and therefore play a critical role in cortical development. The aim of this study was to characterise radial glial expression pattern and morphology in the frontal lobe of the developing human fetal brain with DS and age-matched controls. Secondly, we investigated whether microstructural information from in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could reflect histological findings from human brain tissue samples. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin-embedded human post-mortem brain tissue from nine fetuses and neonates with DS (15-39 gestational weeks (GW)) and nine euploid age-matched brains (18-39 GW). Radial glia markers CRYAB, HOPX, SOX2, GFAP and Vimentin were assessed in the Ventricular Zone, Subventricular Zone and Intermediate Zone. In vivo diffusion MRI was used to assess microstructure in these regions in one DS (21 GW) and one control (22 GW) fetal brain. We found a significant reduction in radial glial progenitor SOX2 and subtle deviations in radial glia expression (GFAP and Vimentin) prior to 24 GW in DS. In vivo, fetal MRI demonstrates underlying radial projections consistent with immunohistopathology. Radial glial alterations may contribute to the subsequent simplified gyral patterns and decreased cortical volumes observed in the DS brain. Recent advances in fetal MRI acquisition and analysis could provide non-invasive imaging-based biomarkers of early developmental deviations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana A. Baburamani
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Regina T. Vontell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
- University of Miami Brain Endowment Bank, Miami, FL 33136 USA
| | - Alena Uus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Prachi A. Patkee
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Jo Wyatt-Ashmead
- Neuropathology and Pediatric-Perinatal Pathology Service [NaPPPS], Holly Springs, MS 38635 USA
| | - Evonne C. Chin-Smith
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Veena G. Supramaniam
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - J. Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Maria Deprez
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
| | - Mary A. Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King’s College London, London, SE1 7EH UK
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