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Charisis S, Short MI, Bernal R, Kautz TF, Treviño HA, Mathews J, Dediós AGV, Muhammad JAS, Luckey AM, Aslam A, Himali JJ, Shipp EL, Habes M, Beiser AS, DeCarli C, Scarmeas N, Ramachandran VS, Seshadri S, Maillard P, Satizabal CL. Leptin bioavailability and markers of brain atrophy and vascular injury in the middle age. Alzheimers Dement 2024. [PMID: 39132759 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We investigated the associations of leptin markers with cognitive function and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of brain atrophy and vascular injury in healthy middle-aged adults. METHODS We included 2262 cognitively healthy participants from the Framingham Heart Study with neuropsychological evaluation; of these, 2028 also had available brain MRI. Concentrations of leptin, soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R), and their ratio (free leptin index [FLI]), indicating leptin bioavailability, were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Cognitive and MRI measures were derived using standardized protocols. RESULTS Higher sOB-R was associated with lower fractional anisotropy (FA, β = -0.114 ± 0.02, p < 0.001), and higher free water (FW, β = 0.091 ± 0.022, p < 0.001) and peak-width skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD, β = 0.078 ± 0.021, p < 0.001). Correspondingly, higher FLI was associated with higher FA (β = 0.115 ± 0.027, p < 0.001) and lower FW (β = -0.096 ± 0.029, p = 0.001) and PSMD (β = -0.085 ± 0.028, p = 0.002). DISCUSSION Higher leptin bioavailability was associated with better white matter (WM) integrity in healthy middle-aged adults, supporting the putative neuroprotective role of leptin in late-life dementia risk. HIGHLIGHTS Higher leptin bioavailability was related to better preservation of white matter microstructure. Higher leptin bioavailability during midlife might confer protection against dementia. Potential benefits might be even stronger for individuals with visceral obesity. DTI measures might be sensitive surrogate markers of subclinical neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sokratis Charisis
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Meghan I Short
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca Bernal
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Tiffany F Kautz
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Hector A Treviño
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Julia Mathews
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Angel Gabriel Velarde Dediós
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jazmyn A S Muhammad
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Alison M Luckey
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Asra Aslam
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jayandra J Himali
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric L Shipp
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Mohamad Habes
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Alexa S Beiser
- The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charles DeCarli
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Nikolaos Scarmeas
- 1st Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vasan S Ramachandran
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pauline Maillard
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Claudia L Satizabal
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
- The Framingham Heart Study, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Wronski ML, Bernardoni F, Bahnsen K, Seidel M, Arold D, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Borucki K, Breithaupt L, Lawson EA, Holsen LM, Weidner K, Roessner V, King JA, Plessow F, Ehrlich S. Dynamic Amygdala Nuclei Alterations in Relation to Weight Status in Anorexia Nervosa Are Mediated by Leptin. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024; 63:624-639. [PMID: 37797814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The amygdaloid complex is a subcortical limbic group of distinct nuclei. In a previous patient-control study, differential amygdala nuclei alterations were found in acute anorexia nervosa (AN); rostral-medial nuclei involved in fear and reward processing were substantially reduced in volume and associated with hypoleptinemia, a key neuroendocrine characteristic of AN. Here, longitudinal amygdala nuclei alterations in AN were investigated in relation to weight status and their associations with leptin levels. METHOD T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were longitudinally processed with FreeSurfer. Amygdala nuclei volumes in young female patients with acute AN before and after short-term weight restoration (n = 110, >14% body mass index increase over 3 months) and female participants with a history of AN (n = 79, long-term [mean 5 years] weight recovered) were compared with female healthy control participants (n = 271) using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei volumes, accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, and corticoamygdaloid transition, increased during short-term weight restoration (Cohen's d range 0.18-0.30). However, volumetric normalization across nuclei was heterogeneous. Right cortical, medial nuclei, bilateral corticoamygdaloid transitions, and anterior amygdaloid areas were only partially normalized following short-term weight restoration. Right anterior amygdaloid area remained reduced after long-term weight recovery compared with control participants (d = 0.36). Leptin increase, accompanying short-term weight restoration, mediated the effect of weight gain on volumetric increase in left corticoamygdaloid transition and bilateral medial nuclei. CONCLUSION Rostral-medially clustered amygdala nuclei show pronounced volumetric increase but incomplete normalization in AN during and after short-term weight restoration. Leptin increase may be relevant for the recovery of specific amygdala nuclei in addition to nutritional rehabilitation, indicating links between amygdala substructure and leptin dynamics of potential pathophysiological and clinical relevance in AN. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY The amygdala plays a critical role in processing fearful and rewarding stimuli, and alterations in the amygdala are associated with anorexia nervosa. In this study, the authors measured amygdala nuclei volumes in female patients with acute anorexia nervosa undergoing weight-restoration treatment (n = 110), long-term weight-recovered individuals with anorexia (n = 79), and healthy control participants (n = 271). Structural magnetic resonance imaging revealed that volumes of specific nuclei, clustered in the rostral-medial amygdala, were substantially reduced in acute anorexia nervosa and only partially normalized following weight restoration treatment. Residual reductions in volume persisted even after long-term weight-recovery, compared to healthy control participants. Short-term weight restoration was associated with increases in the neurohormone leptin, and increasing leptin levels were found to mediate the positive impact of weight gain on increased amygdala volume over the treatment course. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STATEMENT We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper received support from a program designed to increase minority representation in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dominic Arold
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Katrin Borucki
- Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Joseph A King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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Lee S, Byun MS, Yi D, Ahn H, Jung G, Jung JH, Chang YY, Kim K, Choi H, Choi J, Lee JY, Kang KM, Sohn CH, Lee YS, Kim YK, Lee DY. Plasma Leptin and Alzheimer Protein Pathologies Among Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e249539. [PMID: 38700863 PMCID: PMC11069086 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.9539] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Many epidemiologic studies have suggested that low levels of plasma leptin, a major adipokine, are associated with increased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia and cognitive decline. Nevertheless, the mechanistic pathway linking plasma leptin and AD-related cognitive decline is not yet fully understood. Objective To examine the association of plasma leptin levels with in vivo AD pathologies, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau deposition, through both cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches among cognitively unimpaired older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a longitudinal cohort study from the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer Disease. Data were collected from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2020, and data were analyzed from July 11 to September 6, 2022. The study included a total of 208 cognitively unimpaired participants who underwent baseline positron emission tomography (PET) scans for brain Aβ deposition. For longitudinal analyses, 192 participants who completed both baseline and 2-year follow-up PET scans for brain Aβ deposition were included. Exposure Plasma leptin levels as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Main Outcomes and Measures Baseline levels and longitudinal changes of global Aβ and AD-signature region tau deposition measured by PET scans. Results Among the 208 participants, the mean (SD) age was 66.0 (11.3) years, 114 were women (54.8%), and 37 were apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers (17.8%). Lower plasma leptin levels had a significant cross-sectional association with greater brain Aβ deposition (β = -0.04; 95% CI, -0.09 to 0.00; P = .046), while there was no significant association between plasma leptin levels and tau deposition (β = -0.02; 95% CI, -0.05 to 0.02; P = .41). In contrast, longitudinal analyses revealed that there was a significant association between lower baseline leptin levels and greater increase of tau deposition over 2 years (β = -0.06; 95% CI, -0.11 to -0.01; P = .03), whereas plasma leptin levels did not have a significant association with longitudinal change of Aβ deposition (β = 0.006; 95% CI, 0.00-0.02; P = .27). Conclusions and Relevance The present findings suggest that plasma leptin may be protective for the development or progression of AD pathology, including both Aβ and tau deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seunghoon Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Myongji Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Soo Byun
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahyun Yi
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyejin Ahn
- Interdisciplinary Program of Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Humanities, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Gijung Jung
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Hyung Jung
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Young Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, Inje University, Sanggye Paik Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungtae Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeji Choi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongmin Choi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Young Lee
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Koung Mi Kang
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Ho Sohn
- Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Sang Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Kyeong Kim
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Young Lee
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program of Cognitive Science, Seoul National University College of Humanities, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Wronski ML, Geisler D, Bernardoni F, Seidel M, Bahnsen K, Doose A, Steinhäuser JL, Gronow F, Böldt LV, Plessow F, Lawson EA, King JA, Roessner V, Ehrlich S. Differential alterations of amygdala nuclei volumes in acutely ill patients with anorexia nervosa and their associations with leptin levels. Psychol Med 2023; 53:6288-6303. [PMID: 36464660 PMCID: PMC10358440 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a subcortical limbic structure consisting of histologically and functionally distinct subregions. New automated structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) segmentation tools facilitate the in vivo study of individual amygdala nuclei in clinical populations such as patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) who show symptoms indicative of limbic dysregulation. This study is the first to investigate amygdala nuclei volumes in AN, their relationships with leptin, a key indicator of AN-related neuroendocrine alterations, and further clinical measures. METHODS T1-weighted MRI scans were subsegmented and multi-stage quality controlled using FreeSurfer. Left/right hemispheric amygdala nuclei volumes were cross-sectionally compared between females with AN (n = 168, 12-29 years) and age-matched healthy females (n = 168) applying general linear models. Associations with plasma leptin, body mass index (BMI), illness duration, and psychiatric symptoms were analyzed via robust linear regression. RESULTS Globally, most amygdala nuclei volumes in both hemispheres were reduced in AN v. healthy control participants. Importantly, four specific nuclei (accessory basal, cortical, medial nuclei, corticoamygdaloid transition in the rostral-medial amygdala) showed greater volumetric reduction even relative to reductions of whole amygdala and total subcortical gray matter volumes, whereas basal, lateral, and paralaminar nuclei were less reduced. All rostral-medially clustered nuclei were positively associated with leptin in AN independent of BMI. Amygdala nuclei volumes were not associated with illness duration or psychiatric symptom severity in AN. CONCLUSIONS In AN, amygdala nuclei are altered to different degrees. Severe volume loss in rostral-medially clustered nuclei, collectively involved in olfactory/food-related reward processing, may represent a structural correlate of AN-related symptoms. Hypoleptinemia might be linked to rostral-medial amygdala alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Louis Wronski
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Geisler
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Fabio Bernardoni
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maria Seidel
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaas Bahnsen
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Arne Doose
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jonas L. Steinhäuser
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Franziska Gronow
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luisa V. Böldt
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Plessow
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph A. King
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Translational Developmental Neuroscience Section, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Tian J, Wang T, Jia K, Guo L, Swerdlow RH, Du H. Nonobese Male Patients with Alzheimer's Disease Are Vulnerable to Decrease in Plasma Leptin. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 88:1017-1027. [PMID: 35723107 PMCID: PMC9553411 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic dysfunction links to cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Leptin is an anti-obesity hormone that modulates energy homeostasis and memory function. Although leptin deregulation is implicated in mouse models of AD-like brain pathology, clinical studies have shown inconsistent results regarding an association of leptin with the development of this neurodegenerative disorder. OBJECTIVE We investigated the changes of plasma leptin and the correlation of sex-stratified circulating leptin with cognitive performance, AD-related biological markers, and metabolic status in patients with AD and cognitively unimpaired (CU) counterparts. METHODS We used nonobese AD patients and CU controls in a University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) cohort. Plasma leptin levels, circulating AD-related molecules and metabolic profiles were examined and analyzed. RESULTS In contrast to unchanged circulating leptin in females, male patients exhibited decreased plasma leptin levels compared with male CU counterparts. Moreover, plasma leptin showed no correlation with cognitive performance and AD blood biomarkers in patients with either sex. Of note, females but not males demonstrated an association of plasma leptin with body mass index, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and its ratio with total cholesterol and triglycerides. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that leptin deficiency is associated with nonobese male AD patients, supporting systemic dysmetabolism in the development of this neurodegenerative disorder in certain populations. Although plasma leptin may have limited capacity to reflect disease severity or progression, future mechanistic studies on the regulation of leptin in nonobese patients with AD would deepen our understanding of the sex-related disparity of AD etiopathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Tian
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Tienju Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Kun Jia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Lan Guo
- Higuchi Biosciences Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Russell H. Swerdlow
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Heng Du
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Higuchi Biosciences Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer’s Disease Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Asch RH, Holmes SE, Jastreboff AM, Potenza MN, Baldassarri SR, Carson RE, Pietrzak RH, Esterlis I. Lower synaptic density is associated with psychiatric and cognitive alterations in obesity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:543-552. [PMID: 34294874 PMCID: PMC8674236 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01111-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is a serious medical condition that often co-occurs with stress-related psychiatric disorders. It is recognized that the brain plays a key role in the (patho)physiology of obesity and that there is a bidirectional relationship between obesity and psychopathology, yet molecular mechanisms altered in obesity have not been fully elucidated. Thus, we investigated relationships between obesity and synaptic density in vivo using the radioligand [11C]UCB-J (which binds to synaptic glycoprotein SV2A) and positron emission tomography in individuals with obesity, and with or without stress-related psychiatric disorders. Regions of interest were the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, ventromedial, amygdala, hippocampus, and cerebellum. Forty individuals with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 (overweight/obese), with (n = 28) or without (n = 12) psychiatric diagnosis, were compared to 30 age- and sex-matched normal weight individuals (BMI < 25), with (n = 14) or without (n = 16) psychiatric diagnosis. Overall, significantly lower synaptic density was observed in overweight/obese relative to normal weight participants (ηp2 = 0.193, F = 2.35, p = 0.042). Importantly, in participants with stress-related psychiatric diagnoses, we found BMI to be negatively correlated with synaptic density in all regions of interest (p ≤ 0.03), but no such relationship observed for mentally healthy controls (p ≥ 0.68). In the stress-related psychiatric groups, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex synaptic density was negatively associated with measures of worry (r = -0.46, p = 0.01), tension/anxiety (r = -0.38, p = 0.04), fatigue (r = -0.44, p = 0.02), and attentional difficulties (r = -0.44, p = 0.02). In summary, the findings of this novel in vivo experiment suggest compounding effects of obesity and stress-related psychopathology on the brain and the associated symptomatology that may impact functioning. This offers a novel biological mechanism for the relationship between overweight/obesity and stress-related psychiatric disorders that may guide future intervention development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H Asch
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sophie E Holmes
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ania M Jastreboff
- Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology & Metabolism) and Department of Pediatrics (Pediatric Endocrinology), Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Richard E Carson
- Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Biomedical Engineering, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Robert H Pietrzak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Irina Esterlis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical Neurosciences Division, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
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Association Between Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment Regardless of APOE ε4 Status. Dement Neurocogn Disord 2022; 21:30-41. [PMID: 35154338 PMCID: PMC8811203 DOI: 10.12779/dnd.2022.21.1.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Dessie G, Ayelign B, Akalu Y, Shibabaw T, Molla MD. Effect of Leptin on Chronic Inflammatory Disorders: Insights to Therapeutic Target to Prevent Further Cardiovascular Complication. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2021; 14:3307-3322. [PMID: 34305402 PMCID: PMC8296717 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s321311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In response to obesity-associated chronic inflammatory disorders, adipose tissue releases a biologically active peptide known as leptin. Leptin activates the secretion of chemical mediators, which contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis. Conversely, adiposity and obesity are the major aggravating risk factors in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome (MetS), including type II diabetes mellitus and obesity-associated hypertension. Elevated level of leptin in obesity-associated hypertension causes an increase in the production of aldosterone, which also results in elevation of arterial blood pressure. Hyperleptinemia is associated with the progress of the atherosclerosis through secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), IL-17, and other cytokines to promote inflammation. The release of those cytokines leads to chronic inflammatory disorders and obesity-associated MetS. Thus, the aberrant leptin level in both MetS and chronic inflammatory disorders also leads to the complication of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Therapeutic target of leptin regarding its pro-inflammatory effect and dysregulated sympathetic nervous system activity may prevent further cardiovascular complication. This review mainly assesses the mechanism of leptin on the pathogenesis and further cardiovascular risk complication of chronic inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gashaw Dessie
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
- Correspondence: Gashaw Dessie Tel +251 975152796 Email
| | - Birhanu Ayelign
- Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Yonas Akalu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tewodros Shibabaw
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Meseret Derbew Molla
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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