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Chang X, Zhang H, Chen S. Neural circuits regulating visceral pain. Commun Biol 2024; 7:457. [PMID: 38615103 PMCID: PMC11016080 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06148-y] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Visceral hypersensitivity, a common clinical manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome, may contribute to the development of chronic visceral pain, which is a major challenge for both patients and health providers. Neural circuits in the brain encode, store, and transfer pain information across brain regions. In this review, we focus on the anterior cingulate cortex and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to highlight the progress in identifying the neural circuits involved in visceral pain. We also discuss several neural circuit mechanisms and emphasize the importance of cross-species, multiangle approaches and the identification of specific neurons in determining the neural circuits that control visceral pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoli Chang
- College of Acupuncture and Massage, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
- Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China
| | - Shaozong Chen
- Research Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
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2
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Maturana-Quijada P, Chavarría-Elizondo P, Del Cerro I, Martínez-Zalacaín I, Juaneda-Seguí A, Guinea-Izquierdo A, Gascón-Bayarri J, Reñé R, Urretavizcaya M, Menchón JM, Ferrer I, Soria V, Soriano-Mas C. Effective connectivity of the locus coeruleus in patients with late-life Major Depressive Disorder or mild cognitive impairment. SPANISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL HEALTH 2024:S2950-2853(24)00015-2. [PMID: 38453029 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjpmh.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We compared effective connectivity from the locus coeruleus (LC) during the resting-state in patients with late-life Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), individuals with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), and Healthy Controls (HCs). PARTICIPANTS 23 patients with late-life MDD, 22 patients with aMCI, and 28 HCs. MATERIAL AND METHODS Participants were assessed in two time-points, 2 years apart. They underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and a high-resolution anatomical acquisition, as well as clinical assessments. Functional imaging data were analyzed with dynamic causal modeling, and parametric empirical Bayes model was used to map effective connectivity between 7 distinct nodes: 4 from the locus coeruleus and 3 regions displaying gray matter decreases during the two-year follow-up period. RESULTS Longitudinal analysis of structural data identified three clusters of larger over-time gray matter volume reduction in patients (MDD+aMCI vs. HCs): the right precuneus, and the visual association and parahippocampal cortices. aMCI patients showed decreased effective connectivity from the left rostral to caudal portions of the LC, while connectivity from the left rostral LC to the parahippocampal cortex increased. In MDD, there was a decline in effective connectivity across LC caudal seeds, and increased connectivity from the left rostral to the left caudal LC seed over time. Connectivity alterations with cortical regions involved cross-hemisphere increases and same-hemisphere decreases. CONCLUSIONS Our discoveries provide insight into the dynamic changes in effective connectivity in individuals with late-life MDD and aMCI, also shedding light on the mechanisms potentially contributing to the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Maturana-Quijada
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pamela Chavarría-Elizondo
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Inés Del Cerro
- Department of Psychology, Medical School, Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ignacio Martínez-Zalacaín
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Radiology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Asier Juaneda-Seguí
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrés Guinea-Izquierdo
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Gascón-Bayarri
- Dementia Diagnostic and Treatment Unit, Department of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramón Reñé
- Dementia Diagnostic and Treatment Unit, Department of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mikel Urretavizcaya
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
| | - José M Menchón
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL, Department of Pathologic Anatomy, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Virginia Soria
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Mental Health, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Soriano-Mas
- Psychiatry and Mental Health Group, Neuroscience Program, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain; Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Hallock HL, Adiraju SS, Miranda-Barrientos J, McInerney JM, Oh S, DeBrosse AC, Li Y, Carr GV, Martinowich K. Electrophysiological correlates of attention in the locus coeruleus-prelimbic cortex circuit during the rodent continuous performance test. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:521-531. [PMID: 37563281 PMCID: PMC10789747 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01692-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Sustained attention, the ability to focus on an activity or stimulus over time, is significantly impaired in many psychiatric disorders, and there remains a major unmet need in treating impaired attention. Continuous performance tests (CPTs) were developed to measure sustained attention in humans, non-human primates, rats, and mice, and similar neural circuits are engaged across species during CPT performance, supporting their use in translational studies to identify novel therapeutics. Here, we identified electrophysiological correlates of attentional performance in a touchscreen-based rodent CPT (rCPT) in the locus coeruleus (LC) and prelimbic cortex (PrL), two inter-connected regions that are implicated in attentional processes. We used viral labeling and molecular techniques to demonstrate that neural activity is recruited in LC-PrL projections during the rCPT, and that this recruitment increases with cognitive demand. We implanted male mice with depth electrodes within the LC and PrL for local field potential (LFP) recordings during rCPT training, and identified an increase in PrL delta and theta power, and an increase in LC delta power during correct responses in the rCPT. We also found that the LC leads the PrL in theta frequencies during correct responses while the PrL leads the LC in gamma frequencies during incorrect responses. These findings may represent translational biomarkers that can be used to screen novel therapeutics for drug discovery in attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry L Hallock
- Neuroscience Program, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, 18042, USA
| | - Suhaas S Adiraju
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Jessica M McInerney
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Seyun Oh
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Adrienne C DeBrosse
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ye Li
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory V Carr
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- The Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Veréb D, Mijalkov M, Canal-Garcia A, Chang YW, Gomez-Ruiz E, Gerboles BZ, Kivipelto M, Svenningsson P, Zetterberg H, Volpe G, Betts M, Jacobs HIL, Pereira JB. Age-related differences in the functional topography of the locus coeruleus and their implications for cognitive and affective functions. eLife 2023; 12:RP87188. [PMID: 37650882 PMCID: PMC10471162 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is an important noradrenergic nucleus that has recently attracted a lot of attention because of its emerging role in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Although previous histological studies have shown that the LC has heterogeneous connections and cellular features, no studies have yet assessed its functional topography in vivo, how this heterogeneity changes over aging, and whether it is associated with cognition and mood. Here, we employ a gradient-based approach to characterize the functional heterogeneity in the organization of the LC over aging using 3T resting-state fMRI in a population-based cohort aged from 18 to 88 years of age (Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort, n=618). We show that the LC exhibits a rostro-caudal functional gradient along its longitudinal axis, which was replicated in an independent dataset (Human Connectome Project [HCP] 7T dataset, n=184). Although the main rostro-caudal direction of this gradient was consistent across age groups, its spatial features varied with increasing age, emotional memory, and emotion regulation. More specifically, a loss of rostral-like connectivity, more clustered functional topography, and greater asymmetry between right and left LC gradients was associated with higher age and worse behavioral performance. Furthermore, participants with higher-than-normal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ratings exhibited alterations in the gradient as well, which manifested in greater asymmetry. These results provide an in vivo account of how the functional topography of the LC changes over aging, and imply that spatial features of this organization are relevant markers of LC-related behavioral measures and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Veréb
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Mite Mijalkov
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Anna Canal-Garcia
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Yu-Wei Chang
- Department of Physics, Goteborg UniversityGoteborgSweden
| | | | - Blanca Zufiria Gerboles
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- University of Eastern FinlandKuopioFinland
| | - Per Svenningsson
- University of Eastern FinlandKuopioFinland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCLLondonUnited Kingdom
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water BayHong KongChina
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, Goteborg UniversityGoteborgSweden
| | - Matthew Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
| | - Heidi IL Jacobs
- Maastricht UniversityMaastrichtNetherlands
- Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Joana B Pereira
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund UniversityLundSweden
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Dai M, Guo Z, Chen J, Liu H, Li J, Zhu M, Liu J, Wei F, Wang L, Liu X. Altered functional connectivity of the locus coeruleus in Alzheimer's disease patients with depression symptoms. Exp Gerontol 2023; 179:112252. [PMID: 37414196 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112252] [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: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies have shown that functional abnormalities in the locus coeruleus (LC) are strongly associated with depressive symptoms, but the pattern of LC functional connectivity in Alzheimer's disease patients with depressive symptoms (D-AD) remains unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the characteristics of LC functional connectivity (FC) in D-AD using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). We obtained rsfMRI data in 24 D-AD patients (aged 66-76 years), 14 non-depressive AD patients (nD-AD) (aged 69-79 years) and 20 normal controls (aged 67-74 years) using a 3 T scanner. We used the FC approach to investigate abnormalities in the LC brain network of D-AD patients. One-way ANCOVA and post-hoc two-sample t-tests were performed to compare the strength of functional connectivity from the LC among the three groups. Our results showed that, compared with normal controls, D-AD showed decreased left LC FC with the right caudate and left fusiform gyrus, whereas nD-AD showed decreased left LC FC with the right caudate, right middle frontal gyrus and left fusiform gyrus. Compared to nD-AD, D-AD showed increased left LC FC with right superior frontal gyrus and right precentral gyrus. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms of D-AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Dai
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Zhongwei Guo
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China
| | - Jinming Chen
- Department of Neurology of the Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050050, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China
| | - Jiapeng Li
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China
| | - Mengxiao Zhu
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Zhejiang 310000, China
| | - Jian Liu
- The Seventh Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, China; Clinical Institute of Mental Health in Hangzhou, Anhui Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310013, China
| | - Fuquan Wei
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310012, China.
| | - Xiaozheng Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
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Berger A, Koshmanova E, Beckers E, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Balda F, Yi YJ, Lamalle L, Dricot L, Phillips C, Jacobs HIL, Talwar P, El Tahry R, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. Structural and functional characterization of the locus coeruleus in young and late middle-aged individuals. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1207844. [PMID: 37554637 PMCID: PMC10406214 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1207844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The brainstem locus coeruleus (LC) influences a broad range of brain processes, including cognition. The so-called LC contrast is an accepted marker of the integrity of the LC that consists of a local hyperintensity on specific Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) structural images. The small size of the LC has, however, rendered its functional characterization difficult in humans, including in aging. A full characterization of the structural and functional characteristics of the LC in healthy young and late middle-aged individuals is needed to determine the potential roles of the LC in different medical conditions. Here, we wanted to determine whether the activation of the LC in a mismatch negativity task changes in aging and whether the LC functional response was associated to the LC contrast. METHODS We used Ultra-High Field (UHF) 7-Tesla functional MRI (fMRI) to record brain response during an auditory oddball task in 53 healthy volunteers, including 34 younger (age: 22.15y ± 3.27; 29 women) and 19 late middle-aged (age: 61.05y ± 5.3; 14 women) individuals. RESULTS Whole-brain analyses confirmed brain responses in the typical cortical and subcortical regions previously associated with mismatch negativity. When focusing on the brainstem, we found a significant response in the rostral part of the LC probability mask generated based on individual LC images. Although bilateral, the activation was more extensive in the left LC. Individual LC activity was not significantly different between young and late middle-aged individuals. Importantly, while the LC contrast was higher in older individuals, the functional response of the LC was not significantly associated with its contrast. DISCUSSION These findings may suggest that the age-related alterations of the LC structural integrity may not be related to changes in its functional response. The results further suggest that LC responses may remain stable in healthy individuals aged 20 to 70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Berger
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | - Ekaterina Koshmanova
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Elise Beckers
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Roya Sharifpour
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilenia Paparella
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Islay Campbell
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nasrin Mortazavi
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fermin Balda
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Laurent Lamalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe Phillips
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Puneet Talwar
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Riëm El Tahry
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Refractory Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO) Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Siya Sherif
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Veréb D, Mijalkov M, Canal-Garcia A, Chang YW, Gomez-Ruis E, Gerboles BZ, Kivipelto M, Svenningsson P, Zetterberg H, Volpe G, Betts MJ, Jacobs H, Pereira JB. Age-related differences in the functional topography of the locus coeruleus: implications for cognitive and affective functions. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.25.23286442. [PMID: 37333117 PMCID: PMC10274957 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.25.23286442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is an important noradrenergic nucleus that has recently attracted a lot of attention because of its emerging role in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Although previous histological studies have shown that the LC has heterogeneous connections and cellular features, no studies have yet assessed its functional topography in vivo, how this heterogeneity changes over aging and whether it is associated with cognition and mood. Here we employ a gradient-based approach to characterize the functional heterogeneity in the organization of the LC over aging using 3T resting-state fMRI in a population-based cohort aged from 18 to 88 years old (Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort, n=618). We show that the LC exhibits a rostro-caudal functional gradient along its longitudinal axis, which was replicated in an independent dataset (Human Connectome Project 7T dataset, n=184). Although the main rostro-caudal direction of this gradient was consistent across age groups, its spatial features varied with increasing age, emotional memory and emotion regulation. More specifically, a loss of rostral-like connectivity, more clustered functional topography and greater asymmetry between right and left LC gradients was associated with higher age and worse behavioral performance. Furthermore, participants with higher-than-normal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ratings exhibited alterations in the gradient as well, which manifested in greater asymmetry. These results provide an in vivo account of how the functional topography of the LC changes over aging, and imply that spatial features of this organization are relevant markers of LC-related behavioral measures and psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Veréb
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mite Mijalkov
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Canal-Garcia
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yu-Wei Chang
- Department of Physics, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Blanca Zufiria Gerboles
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Per Svenningsson
- University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden
| | - Mathew J. Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Heidi Jacobs
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Joana B. Pereira
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Hallock HL, Adiraju S, Miranda-Barrientos J, McInerney JM, Oh S, DeBrosse AC, Li Y, Carr GV, Martinowich K. Electrophysiological correlates of attention in the locus coeruleus - anterior cingulate cortex circuit during the rodent continuous performance test. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.19.537406. [PMID: 37131757 PMCID: PMC10153204 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.19.537406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sustained attention, the ability to focus on an activity or stimulus over time, is significantly impaired in many psychiatric disorders, and there remains a major unmet need in treating impaired attention. Continuous performance tests (CPTs) were developed to measure sustained attention in humans, non-human primates, rats, and mice, and similar neural circuits are engaged across species during CPT performance, supporting their use in translational studies to identify novel therapeutics. Here, we identified electrophysiological correlates of attentional performance in a touchscreen-based rodent CPT (rCPT) in the locus coeruleus (LC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), two inter-connected regions that are implicated in attentional processes. We used viral labeling and molecular techniques to demonstrate that neural activity is recruited in LC-ACC projections during the rCPT, and that this recruitment increases with cognitive demand. We implanted male mice with depth electrodes within the LC and ACC for local field potential (LFP) recordings during rCPT training, and identified an increase in ACC delta and theta power, and an increase in LC delta power during correct responses in the rCPT. We also found that the LC leads the ACC in theta frequencies during correct responses while the ACC leads the LC in gamma frequencies during incorrect responses. These findings may represent translational biomarkers that can be used to screen novel therapeutics for drug discovery in attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suhaas Adiraju
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Jessica M. McInerney
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Seyun Oh
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Adrienne C. DeBrosse
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ye Li
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory V. Carr
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- The Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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9
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Engels-Domínguez N, Koops EA, Prokopiou PC, Van Egroo M, Schneider C, Riphagen JM, Singhal T, Jacobs HIL. State-of-the-art imaging of neuromodulatory subcortical systems in aging and Alzheimer's disease: Challenges and opportunities. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104998. [PMID: 36526031 PMCID: PMC9805533 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104998] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Primary prevention trials have shifted their focus to the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Autopsy data indicates that the neuromodulatory subcortical systems' (NSS) nuclei are specifically vulnerable to initial tau pathology, indicating that these nuclei hold great promise for early detection of AD in the context of the aging brain. The increasing availability of new imaging methods, ultra-high field scanners, new radioligands, and routine deep brain stimulation implants has led to a growing number of NSS neuroimaging studies on aging and neurodegeneration. Here, we review findings of current state-of-the-art imaging studies assessing the structure, function, and molecular changes of these nuclei during aging and AD. Furthermore, we identify the challenges associated with these imaging methods, important pathophysiologic gaps to fill for the AD NSS neuroimaging field, and provide future directions to improve our assessment, understanding, and clinical use of in vivo imaging of the NSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Engels-Domínguez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Elouise A Koops
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Christoph Schneider
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joost M Riphagen
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tarun Singhal
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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10
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Lower novelty-related locus coeruleus function is associated with Aβ-related cognitive decline in clinically healthy individuals. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1571. [PMID: 35322012 PMCID: PMC8943159 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28986-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal and human imaging research reported that the presence of cortical Alzheimer’s Disease’s (AD) neuropathology, beta-amyloid and neurofibrillary tau, is associated with altered neuronal activity and circuitry failure, together facilitating clinical progression. The locus coeruleus (LC), one of the initial subcortical regions harboring pretangle hyperphosphorylated tau, has widespread connections to the cortex modulating cognition. Here we investigate whether LC’s in-vivo neuronal activity and functional connectivity (FC) are associated with cognitive decline in conjunction with beta-amyloid. We combined functional MRI of a novel versus repeated face-name paradigm, beta-amyloid-PET and longitudinal cognitive data of 128 cognitively unimpaired older individuals. We show that LC activity and LC-FC with amygdala and hippocampus was higher during novelty. We also demonstrated that lower novelty-related LC activity and LC-FC with hippocampus and parahippocampus were associated with steeper beta-amyloid-related cognitive decline. Our results demonstrate the potential of LC’s functional properties as a gauge to identify individuals at-risk for AD-related cognitive decline. Older individuals exhibiting diminished function of the locus coeruleus while learning new information show faster cognitive decline that is typical for Alzheimer’s disease.
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11
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Kelberman MA, Anderson CR, Chlan E, Rorabaugh JM, McCann KE, Weinshenker D. Consequences of Hyperphosphorylated Tau in the Locus Coeruleus on Behavior and Cognition in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 86:1037-1059. [PMID: 35147547 PMCID: PMC9007891 DOI: 10.3233/jad-215546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The locus coeruleus (LC) is one of the earliest brain regions to accumulate hyperphosphorylated tau, but a lack of animal models that recapitulate this pathology has hampered our understanding of its contributions to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology. OBJECTIVE We previously reported that TgF344-AD rats, which overexpress mutant human amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1, accumulate early endogenous hyperphosphorylated tau in the LC. Here, we used TgF344-AD rats and a wild-type (WT) human tau virus to interrogate the effects of endogenous hyperphosphorylated rat tau and human tau in the LC on AD-related neuropathology and behavior. METHODS Two-month-old TgF344-AD and WT rats received bilateral LC infusions of full-length WT human tau or mCherry control virus driven by the noradrenergic-specific PRSx8 promoter. Rats were subsequently assessed at 6 and 12 months for arousal (sleep latency), anxiety-like behavior (open field, elevated plus maze, novelty-suppressed feeding), passive coping (forced swim task), and learning and memory (Morris water maze and fear conditioning). Hippocampal microglia, astrocyte, and AD pathology were evaluated using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS In general, the effects of age were more pronounced than genotype or treatment; older rats displayed greater hippocampal pathology, took longer to fall asleep, had reduced locomotor activity, floated more, and had impaired cognition compared to younger animals. TgF344-AD rats showed increased anxiety-like behavior and impaired learning and memory. The tau virus had negligible influence on most measures. CONCLUSION Effects of hyperphosphorylated tau on AD-like neuropathology and behavioral symptoms were subtle. Further investigation of different forms of tau is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Kelberman
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Neuroscience Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Eli Chlan
- Neuroscience Program, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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12
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Gong L, Shi M, Wang J, Xu R, Yu S, Liu D, Ding X, Zhang B, Zhang X, Xi C. The Abnormal Functional Connectivity in the Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine System Associated With Anxiety Symptom in Chronic Insomnia Disorder. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:678465. [PMID: 34093121 PMCID: PMC8175797 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.678465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mental syndromes such as anxiety and depression are common comorbidities in patients with chronic insomnia disorder (CID). The locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) system is considered to be crucial for modulation of emotion and sleep/wake cycle. LC-NE system is also a critical mediator of the stress-induced anxiety. However, whether the LC-NE system contributes to the underlying mechanism linking insomnia and these comorbidities remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the LC-NE system alterations in patients with insomnia and its relationship with depression and anxiety symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventy patients with CID and 63 matched good sleep control (GSC) subjects were recruited and underwent resting-state functional MRI scan. LC-NE functional network was constructed by using seed-based functional connectivity (FC) analysis. The alterations in LC-NE FC network in patients with CID and their clinical significance was explored. RESULTS Compared with GSC group, the CID group showed decreased left LC-NE FC in the left inferior frontal gyrus, while they had increased LC-NE FC in the left supramarginal gyrus and the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG). For the right LC-NE FC network, decreased FC was found in left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Interesting, the increased LC-NE FC was located in sensory cortex, while decreased LC-NE FC was located in frontal control cortex. In addition, the FC between the left LC and left MOG was associated with the duration of the disease, while abnormal FC between right LC and left dACC was associated with the anxiety scores in patients with CID. CONCLUSION The present study found abnormal LC-NE functional network in patients with CID, and the altered LC-NE function in dACC was associated with anxiety symptoms in CID. The present study substantially extended our understanding of the neuropathological basis of CID and provided the potential treatment target for CID patients who also had anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Gong
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Min Shi
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Heifei, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ronghua Xu
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Siyi Yu
- Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Duan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Ding
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xingping Zhang
- Department of General Practice, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunhua Xi
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Heifei, China
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13
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Hansen N. Locus Coeruleus Malfunction Is Linked to Psychopathology in Prodromal Dementia With Lewy Bodies. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:641101. [PMID: 33732141 PMCID: PMC7956945 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.641101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The locus coeruleus (LC) is a nucleus in the human brainstem with a variety of noradrenaline-driven functions involved in cognition, emotions, and perception. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) constitutes a neurodegenerative disease involving deposits of alpha-synuclein, first appearing in the brainstem. The goal of this narrative review is to delineate the relationship between the expression of psychiatric symptoms as an early-onset of DLB and the degeneration of the LC's noradrenaline system. Methods: We searched in PubMed for relevant articles concerning LC degeneration and psychiatric symptoms in prodromal DLB in this narrative review. We rely on the McKeith criteria for prodromal psychiatric DLB. Results: We found four studies that document neuronal loss, deposits of Lewy bodies and other hints for neurodegeneration in the LC in patients with DLB. Furthermore, we reviewed theories and studies on how the degenerated noradrenaline LC system contributes to psychiatric DLB's phenotype. We hypothesized how anxiety, hallucinations, delusions, and depressive symptoms might occur in DLB patients due to degenerated noradrenergic neurons entailing consecutive altered noradrenergic transmission in the LC's projection areas. Conclusions: LC degeneration in prodromal DLB might cause psychiatric symptoms as the first and non-motor manifestation of DLB, as the LC is affected earlier by degeneration than are dopaminergic structures such as the substantia nigra, which are impaired later in the disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Hansen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
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