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Verschuur AS, King R, Tax CMW, Boomsma MF, van Wezel-Meijler G, Leemans A, Leijser LM. Methodological considerations on diffusion MRI tractography in infants aged 0-2 years: a scoping review. Pediatr Res 2024:10.1038/s41390-024-03463-2. [PMID: 39143201 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-024-03463-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Diffusion MRI (dMRI) enables studying the complex architectural organization of the brain's white matter (WM) through virtual reconstruction of WM fiber tracts (tractography). Despite the anticipated clinical importance of applying tractography to study structural connectivity and tract development during the critical period of rapid infant brain maturation, detailed descriptions on how to approach tractography in young infants are limited. Over the past two decades, tractography from infant dMRI has mainly been applied in research settings and focused on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Only few studies used techniques superior to DTI in terms of disentangling information on the brain's organizational complexity, including crossing fibers. While more advanced techniques may enhance our understanding of the intricate processes of normal and abnormal brain development and extensive knowledge has been gained from application on adult scans, their applicability in infants has remained underexplored. This may partially be due to the higher technical requirements versus the need to limit scan time in young infants. We review various previously described methodological practices for tractography in the infant brain (0-2 years-of-age) and provide recommendations to optimize advanced tractography approaches to enable more accurate reconstructions of the brain WM's complexity. IMPACT: Diffusion tensor imaging is the technique most frequently used for fiber tracking in the developing infant brain but is limited in capability to disentangle the complex white matter organization. Advanced tractography techniques allow for reconstruction of crossing fiber bundles to better reflect the brain's complex organization. Yet, they pose practical and technical challenges in the fast developing young infant's brain. Methods on how to approach advanced tractography in the young infant's brain have hardly been described. Based on a literature review, recommendations are provided to optimize tractography for the developing infant brain, aiming to advance early diagnosis and neuroprotective strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk S Verschuur
- Department of Radiology, Isala Hospital Zwolle, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Newborn Critical Care, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Regan King
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Newborn Critical Care, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Chantal M W Tax
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- CUBRIC, School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Martijn F Boomsma
- Department of Radiology, Isala Hospital Zwolle, Zwolle, The Netherlands
- Division of Imaging and Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Gerda van Wezel-Meijler
- Department of Neonatology, Isala Women and Children's Hospital Zwolle, Zwolle, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Leemans
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lara M Leijser
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Newborn Critical Care, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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Bjork J, Kenley JK, Gardner C, Latham A, Smyser TA, Miller JP, Shimony JJ, Neil JJ, Warner B, Luby J, Barch DM, Rogers CE, Smyser CD, Lean RE. Associations between prenatal adversity and neonatal white matter microstructure on language outcomes at age 2 years. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.08.02.24311434. [PMID: 39211873 PMCID: PMC11361255 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.02.24311434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Background Early life adversity is associated with microstructural alterations in white matter regions that subserve language. However, the mediating and moderating pathways between adversities experienced in utero and key neonatal white matter tracts including the corpus callosum (CC), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), arcuate fasciculus (AF), inferior fronto- occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and uncinate on early language outcomes remains unknown. Methods This longitudinal study includes 160 neonates, oversampled for prenatal exposure to adversity, who underwent diffusion MRI (dMRI) in the first weeks of life. dMRI parameters were obtained using probabilistic tractography in FSL. Maternal Social Disadvantage and Psychosocial Stress was assessed throughout pregnancy. At age 2 years, the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III evaluated language outcomes. Linear regression, mediation, and moderation assessed associations between prenatal adversities and neonatal white matter on language outcomes. Results Prenatal exposure to Social Disadvantage (p<.001) and Maternal Psychosocial Stress (p<.001) were correlated with poorer language outcomes. When Social Disadvantage and maternal Psychosocial Stress were modeled simultaneously in relation to language outcomes, only Social Disadvantage was significant (p<.001). Independent of Social Disadvantage (p<.001), lower neonatal CC fractional anisotropy (FA) was related to poorer global (p=.02) and receptive (p=.02) language outcomes. CC FA did not mediate the association between Social Disadvantage and language outcomes (indirect effect 95% CIs -0.96-0.15), and there was no interaction between Social Disadvantage and CC FA on language outcomes (p>.05). Bilateral SLF/AF, IFOF, and uncinate were not significant (p>.05). Conclusions Prenatal exposure to Social Disadvantage and neonatal CC FA were independently related to language problems by age 2, with no evidence of mediating or moderating associations with language outcomes. These findings elucidate the early neural underpinnings of language development and suggest that the prenatal period may be an important time to provide poverty- reducing support to expectant mothers to promote offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes.
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Kojima K, Kline JE, Altaye M, Kline-Fath BM, Parikh NA. Corpus Callosum Abnormalities at Term-Equivalent Age Are Associated with Language Development at 2 Years' Corrected Age in Infants Born Very Preterm. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS. CLINICAL PRACTICE 2024; 11:200101. [PMID: 38827483 PMCID: PMC11138257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedcp.2024.200101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
We studied the effect of microstructural abnormalities in the corpus callosum on language development in 348 infants born very prematurely. We discovered that the fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum anterior midbody was a significant predictor of standardized language scores at 2 years, independent of clinical and social risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuaki Kojima
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Julia E. Kline
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Beth M. Kline-Fath
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Nehal A. Parikh
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
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Dubner SE, Rickerich L, Bruckert L, Poblaciones RV, Sproul D, Scala M, Feldman HM, Travis KE. Early, low-dose hydrocortisone and near-term brain connectivity in extremely preterm infants. Pediatr Res 2024; 95:1028-1034. [PMID: 38030826 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02903-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postnatal steroids are used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in extremely preterm infants but may have adverse effects on brain development. We assessed connectivity metrics of major cerebral and cerebellar white matter pathways at near-term gestational age among infants who did or did not receive a standardized regimen of hydrocortisone during the first 10 days of life. METHODS Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS Infants born <28 weeks: Protocol group (n = 33) received at least 50% and not more than 150% of an intended standard dose of 0.5 mg/kg hydrocortisone twice daily for 7 days, then 0.5 mg/kg per day for 3 days; Non-Protocol group (n = 22), did not receive protocol hydrocortisone or completed <50% of the protocol dose. We assessed group differences in near-term diffusion MRI mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) across the corticospinal tract, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, corpus callosum and superior cerebellar peduncle. RESULTS Groups were comparable in gestational age, post-menstrual age at scan, medical complications, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. No significant large effect group differences were identified in mean FA or MD in any cerebral or cerebellar tract. CONCLUSION(S) Low dose, early, postnatal hydrocortisone was not associated with significant differences in white matter tract microstructure at near-term gestational age. IMPACT This study compared brain microstructural connectivity as a primary outcome among extremely preterm infants who did or did not receive early postnatal hydrocortisone. Low dose hydrocortisone in the first 10 days of life was not associated with significant differences in white matter microstructure in major cerebral and cerebellar pathways. Hydrocortisone did not have a significant effect on early brain white matter circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Dubner
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lucy Rickerich
- Program in Human Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lisa Bruckert
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Rocío Velasco Poblaciones
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Dawson Sproul
- Program in Human Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Scala
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Heidi M Feldman
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Katherine E Travis
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Kojima K, Kline JE, Altaye M, Kline-Fath BM, Parikh NA. Corpus callosum abnormalities at term-equivalent age are associated with language development at two years corrected age in infants born very preterm. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.20.23295848. [PMID: 37790343 PMCID: PMC10543245 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.20.23295848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
We studied the impact of microstructural abnormalities in the corpus callosum on language development in 348 infants born very prematurely. We discovered that the fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum anterior midbody was a significant predictor of standardized language scores at two years, independent of clinical and social risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuaki Kojima
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267
| | - Julia E Kline
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
| | - Mekibib Altaye
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
| | - Beth M Kline-Fath
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267
| | - Nehal A Parikh
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders Prevention Center, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267
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Wang R, Li T, Diao S, Chen C. Inhibition of the proteoglycan receptor PTPσ promotes functional recovery on a rodent model of preterm hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2023; 370:114564. [PMID: 37806512 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2023.114564] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preterm white matter injury (WMI) is the most common brain injury in preterm infants and is associated with long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Protein tyrosine phosphatase sigma (PTPσ) was discovered as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) receptor that played roles in inhibiting myelin regeneration in spinal injury, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and stroke models. However, the role of PTPσ in perinatal WMI is not well understood. AIMS This study examines the effect of PTPσ inhibition on neurodevelopmental outcomes, myelination, and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of preterm WMI. MATERIALS AND METHODS Modified Rice-Vannucci model was performed on postnatal day 3 (P3) C57BL/6 mice. Intracellular Sigma Peptide (ISP) or vehicle was administrated subcutaneously one hour after injury for an additional 14 consecutive days. A battery of behavioral tests was performed to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of ISP on neurobehavioral deficit. Real time qPCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, and transmission electron microscopy were performed to assess white matter development. qPCR and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate neuroinflammation and microglia/macrophage phenotype. RESULTS The expression of PTPσ was increased after preterm WMI. ISP improved short-term neurological outcomes and ameliorated long-term motor and cognitive function of mice after preterm WMI. ISP promoted oligodendrocyte differentiation, maturation, myelination, and improved microstructure of myelin after preterm WMI. Furthermore, ISP administration fostered a beneficial inflammatory response in the acute phase after preterm WMI, inhibited the infiltration of peripheral macrophages, and promoted anti-inflammatory phenotype of microglia/macrophages. CONCLUSION PTPσ inhibition can ameliorate neurofunctional deficit, promote white matter development, modulate neuroinflammation and microglia/macrophage phenotype after preterm WMI. Thus, ISP administration may be a potential therapeutic strategy to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes of perinatal WMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Wang
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, National Health Commission, China; Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tiantian Li
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, National Health Commission, China
| | - Sihao Diao
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, National Health Commission, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, National Health Commission, China.
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Marchman VA, Ashland MD, Loi EC, Munévar M, Shannon KA, Fernald A, Feldman HM. Associations between early efficiency in language processing and language and cognitive outcomes in children born full term and preterm: similarities and differences. Child Neuropsychol 2023; 29:886-905. [PMID: 36324057 PMCID: PMC10151433 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2022.2138304] [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: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Associations between children's early language processing efficiency and later verbal and non-verbal outcomes shed light on the extent to which early information processing skills support later learning across different domains of function. Examining whether the strengths of associations are similar in typically developing and at-risk populations provides an additional lens into the varying routes to learning that children may take across development. In this follow-up study, children born full-term (FT, n = 49) and preterm (PT, n = 45, ≤32 weeks gestational age, birth weight <1800 g) were assessed in the Looking While Listening (LWL) task at 18 months (corrected for degree of prematurity in PT group). This eye-tracking task assesses efficiency of real-time spoken language comprehension as accuracy and speed (RT) of processing. At 4 ½ years, children were assessed on standardized tests of receptive vocabulary, expressive language, and non-verbal IQ. Language processing efficiency was associated with both language outcomes (r2-change: 7.0-19.7%, p < 0.01), after covariates. Birth group did not moderate these effects, suggesting similar mechanisms of learning in these domains for PT and FT children. However, birth group moderated the association between speed and non-verbal IQ (r2-change: 4.5%, p < 0.05), such that an association was found in the PT but not the FT group. This finding suggests that information processing skills reflected in efficiency of real-time language processing may be recruited to support learning in a broader range of verbal and non-verbal domains in the PT compared to the FT group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia A. Marchman
- Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3145 Porter Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Melanie D. Ashland
- Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elizabeth C. Loi
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3145 Porter Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Mónica Munévar
- Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Katherine A. Shannon
- Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anne Fernald
- Department of Psychology, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Heidi M. Feldman
- Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 3145 Porter Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
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Kelly KJ, Hutton JS, Parikh NA, Barnes-Davis ME. Neuroimaging of brain connectivity related to reading outcomes in children born preterm: A critical narrative review. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1083364. [PMID: 36937974 PMCID: PMC10014573 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1083364] [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: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Premature children are at high risk for delays in language and reading, which can lead to poor school achievement. Neuroimaging studies have assessed structural and functional connectivity by diffusion MRI, functional MRI, and magnetoencephalography, in order to better define the "reading network" in children born preterm. Findings point to differences in structural and functional connectivity compared to children born at term. It is not entirely clear whether this discrepancy is due to delayed development or alternative mechanisms for reading, which may have developed to compensate for brain injury in the perinatal period. This narrative review critically appraises the existing literature evaluating the neural basis of reading in preterm children, summarizes the current findings, and suggests future directions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn J. Kelly
- Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - John S. Hutton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of General & Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nehal A. Parikh
- Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Maria E. Barnes-Davis
- Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity and white matter integrity moderated by in-scanner head motion. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:434. [PMID: 36202807 PMCID: PMC9537185 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02117-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder associated with various negative life impacts. The manifestation of ADHD is very heterogeneous, and previous investigations on neuroanatomical alterations in ADHD have yielded inconsistent results. We investigated the mediating effect of in-scanner head motion and ADHD hyperactivity severity on motion-corrected fractional anisotropy (FA) using diffusion tensor imaging in the currently largest sample (n = 739) of medication-naïve children and adolescents (age range 5-22 years). We used automated tractography to examine whole-brain and mean FA of the tracts most frequently reported in ADHD; corpus callosum forceps major and forceps minor, left and right superior-longitudinal fasciculus, and left and right corticospinal tract (CST). Associations between FA and hyperactivity severity appeared when in-scanner head motion was not accounted for as mediator. However, causal mediation analysis revealed that these effects are fully mediated through in-scanner head motion for whole-brain FA, the corpus callosum forceps minor, and left superior-longitudinal fasciculus. Direct effect of hyperactivity severity on FA was only found for the left CST. This study illustrates the crucial role of in-scanner head motion in the identification of white matter integrity alterations in ADHD and shows how neglecting irremediable motion artifacts causes spurious findings. When the mediating effect of in-scanner head motion on FA is accounted for, an association between hyperactivity severity and FA is only present for the left CST; this may play a crucial role in the manifestation of hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms in ADHD.
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White matter myelination during early infancy is linked to spatial gradients and myelin content at birth. Nat Commun 2022; 13:997. [PMID: 35194018 PMCID: PMC8863985 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28326-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of myelin, a fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers, is critical for brain function. Myelination during infancy has been studied with histology, but postmortem data cannot evaluate the longitudinal trajectory of white matter development. Here, we obtained longitudinal diffusion MRI and quantitative MRI measures of longitudinal relaxation rate (R1) of white matter in 0, 3 and 6 months-old human infants, and developed an automated method to identify white matter bundles and quantify their properties in each infant's brain. We find that R1 increases from newborns to 6-months-olds in all bundles. R1 development is nonuniform: there is faster development in white matter that is less mature in newborns, and development rate increases along inferior-to-superior as well as anterior-to-posterior spatial gradients. As R1 is linearly related to myelin fraction in white matter bundles, these findings open new avenues to elucidate typical and atypical white matter myelination in early infancy.
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Gao Y, Meng X, Bai Z, Liu X, Zhang M, Li H, Ding G, Liu L, Booth JR. Left and Right Arcuate Fasciculi Are Uniquely Related to Word Reading Skills in Chinese-English Bilingual Children. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 3:109-131. [PMID: 37215330 PMCID: PMC10158580 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Whether reading in different writing systems recruits language-unique or language-universal neural processes is a long-standing debate. Many studies have shown the left arcuate fasciculus (AF) to be involved in phonological and reading processes. In contrast, little is known about the role of the right AF in reading, but some have suggested that it may play a role in visual spatial aspects of reading or the prosodic components of language. The right AF may be more important for reading in Chinese due to its logographic and tonal properties, but this hypothesis has yet to be tested. We recruited a group of Chinese-English bilingual children (8.2 to 12.0 years old) to explore the common and unique relation of reading skill in English and Chinese to fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral AF. We found that both English and Chinese reading skills were positively correlated with FA in the rostral part of the left AF-direct segment. Additionally, English reading skill was positively correlated with FA in the caudal part of the left AF-direct segment, which was also positively correlated with phonological awareness. In contrast, Chinese reading skill was positively correlated with FA in certain segments of the right AF, which was positively correlated with visual spatial ability, but not tone discrimination ability. Our results suggest that there are language universal substrates of reading across languages, but that certain left AF nodes support phonological mechanisms important for reading in English, whereas certain right AF nodes support visual spatial mechanisms important for reading in Chinese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangzhi Meng
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- PekingU-PolyU Center for Child Development and Learning, Beijing, China
| | - Zilin Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Manli Zhang
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Hehui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - James R. Booth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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12
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Guo LM, Zhao M, Cai Y, Li N, Xu XQ, Zhang X, Zhang JL, Xie QL, Li SS, Chen XQ, Cui SD, Lu C. Microstructural changes of white matter assessed with diffusional kurtosis imaging in extremely preterm infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:1054443. [PMID: 36605755 PMCID: PMC9808076 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1054443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a serious neurological complication in premature infants. This study aimed to investigate the white matter impairments and neurodevelopmental outcomes of severe IVH in extremely preterm infants with gestation age less than 28 weeks. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated the extremely preterm infants between 2017 and 2020. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III at 2 years of corrected age. Diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) was employed to evaluate the microstructural changes in white matter tracts. Mean kurtosis (MK) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values of DKI were measured in the brain regions including posterior limbs of the internal capsule (PLIC) and the corpus callosum at term equivalent age. RESULTS Of 32 extremely preterm infants with severe IVH during the follow-up period, 18 cases were identified as neurodevelopmental impairments. The delay rates of motor and language were 58.4% and 52.7%. The cases with neurodevelopmental impairments had lower MK and FA values in both bilateral PLIC and the corpus callosum. The analysis of multivariable regression models predicting motor and language outcomes at 2 years of corrected age, showed that the decreases of MK values in both PLIC and the corpus callosum at the term equivalent age contributed to a significantly increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairments (all p < 0.05). During follow-up period, obvious loss of nerve fiber bundles was observed with DKI tractography. CONCLUSION Motor and language abilities at age 2 years were associated with MK values of DKI at the term equivalent age in both PLIC and the corpus callosum of extremely preterm infants with severe IVH. The evaluation of white matter microstructural changes with MK values might provide feasible indicators of neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants with severe intraventricular hemorrhage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Min Guo
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Meng Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Cai
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiao-Quan Xu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiu-Lou Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qi-Lian Xie
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Anhui Children's Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Si-Si Li
- Clinical Laboratory, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shu-Dong Cui
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chao Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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13
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Bugada MC, Kline JE, Parikh NA. Microstructural Measures of the Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus Predict Later Cognitive and Language Development in Infants Born With Extremely Low Birth Weight. J Child Neurol 2021; 36:981-989. [PMID: 34187223 PMCID: PMC8458222 DOI: 10.1177/08830738211019862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Extremely preterm children are at high risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Identifying predictors of discrete developmental outcomes early in life would allow for targeted neuroprotective therapies when neuroplasticity is at its peak. Our goal was to examine whether diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics of the inferior longitudinal and uncinate fasciculi early in life could predict later cognitive and language outcomes. STUDY DESIGN In this pilot study, 43 extremely low-birth-weight preterm infants were scanned using diffusion MRI at term-equivalent age. White matter tracts were assessed via diffusion tensor imaging metrics of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity. The Language and Cognitive subscale scores of the Bayley Scales of Infant & Toddler Development-III at 18-22 months corrected age were our outcomes of interest. Multiple linear regression models were created to assess diffusion metrics of the inferior longitudinal and uncinate fasciculi as predictors of Bayley scores. We controlled for brain injury score on structural MRI, maternal education, birth weight, and age at MRI scan. RESULTS Of the 43 infants, 36 infants had high-quality diffusion tensor imaging and returned for developmental testing. The fractional anisotropy of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus was associated with Bayley-III scores in univariate analyses and was an independent predictor of Bayley-III cognitive and language development over and above known predictors in multivariable analyses. CONCLUSIONS Incorporating new biomarkers such as the fractional anisotropy of the inferior longitudinal fasciculus with structural MRI findings could enhance accuracy of neurodevelopment predictive models. Additional research is needed to validate our findings in a larger cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Bugada
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Julia E. Kline
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Nehal A. Parikh
- Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas
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14
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Zuk J, Yu X, Sanfilippo J, Figuccio MJ, Dunstan J, Carruthers C, Sideridis G, Turesky TK, Gagoski B, Grant PE, Gaab N. White matter in infancy is prospectively associated with language outcomes in kindergarten. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 50:100973. [PMID: 34119849 PMCID: PMC8209179 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Language acquisition is of central importance to child development. Although this developmental trajectory is shaped by experience postnatally, the neural basis for language emerges prenatally. Thus, a fundamental question remains: do structural foundations for language in infancy predict long-term language abilities? Longitudinal investigation of 40 children from infancy to kindergarten reveals that white matter in infancy is prospectively associated with subsequent language abilities, specifically between: (i) left arcuate fasciculus and phonological awareness and vocabulary knowledge, (ii) left corticospinal tract and phonological awareness, and bilateral corticospinal tract with phonological memory; controlling for age, cognitive, and environmental factors. Findings link white matter in infancy with school-age language abilities, suggesting that white matter organization in infancy sets a foundation for long-term language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Zuk
- Department of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA; Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Xi Yu
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Joseph Sanfilippo
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Jade Dunstan
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Clarisa Carruthers
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Georgios Sideridis
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ted K Turesky
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Borjan Gagoski
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Patricia Ellen Grant
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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15
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Uus A, Grigorescu I, Pietsch M, Batalle D, Christiaens D, Hughes E, Hutter J, Cordero Grande L, Price AN, Tournier JD, Rutherford MA, Counsell SJ, Hajnal JV, Edwards AD, Deprez M. Multi-Channel 4D Parametrized Atlas of Macro- and Microstructural Neonatal Brain Development. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:661704. [PMID: 34220423 PMCID: PMC8248811 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.661704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural (also known as anatomical) and diffusion MRI provide complimentary anatomical and microstructural characterization of early brain maturation. However, the existing models of the developing brain in time include only either structural or diffusion MRI channels. Furthermore, there is a lack of tools for combined analysis of structural and diffusion MRI in the same reference space. In this work, we propose a methodology to generate a multi-channel (MC) continuous spatio-temporal parametrized atlas of the brain development that combines multiple MRI-derived parameters in the same anatomical space during 37-44 weeks of postmenstrual age range. We co-align structural and diffusion MRI of 170 normal term subjects from the developing Human Connectomme Project using MC registration driven by both T2-weighted and orientation distribution functions channels and fit the Gompertz model to the signals and spatial transformations in time. The resulting atlas consists of 14 spatio-temporal microstructural indices and two parcellation maps delineating white matter tracts and neonatal transient structures. In order to demonstrate applicability of the atlas for quantitative region-specific studies, a comparison analysis of 140 term and 40 preterm subjects scanned at the term-equivalent age is performed using different MRI-derived microstructural indices in the atlas reference space for multiple white matter regions, including the transient compartments. The atlas and software will be available after publication of the article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Uus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Irina Grigorescu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian Pietsch
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dafnis Batalle
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daan Christiaens
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Electrical Engineering, ESAT/PSI, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Emer Hughes
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lucilio Cordero Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicacion, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, CIBER-BBN, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anthony N. Price
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacques-Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mary A. Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Serena J. Counsell
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph V. Hajnal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - A. David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Deprez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St. Thomas Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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