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Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness ( VO 2 max ) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024; 240:e14191. [PMID: 38895950 PMCID: PMC11250687 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14191] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
AIM Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greaterVo 2 max - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). METHODS We hypothesized that greaterVo 2 max would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. In a sample of 41 healthy subjects, we performed Voxel-Based Morphometry analyses, then repeated for the other neuromodulators as a control procedure (Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine). RESULTS As hypothesized, greaterVo 2 max related to greater LC signal intensity, and weaker associations emerged for the other neuromodulators. CONCLUSION This newly established link betweenVo 2 max and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the NA system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provides ground for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration viaVo 2 max enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele R G Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Sandra B Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Sultana OF, Bandaru M, Islam MA, Reddy PH. Unraveling the complexity of human brain: Structure, function in healthy and disease states. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 100:102414. [PMID: 39002647 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The human brain stands as an intricate organ, embodying a nexus of structure, function, development, and diversity. This review delves into the multifaceted landscape of the brain, spanning its anatomical intricacies, diverse functional capacities, dynamic developmental trajectories, and inherent variability across individuals. The dynamic process of brain development, from early embryonic stages to adulthood, highlights the nuanced changes that occur throughout the lifespan. The brain, a remarkably complex organ, is composed of various anatomical regions, each contributing uniquely to its overall functionality. Through an exploration of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and electrophysiology, this review elucidates how different brain structures interact to support a wide array of cognitive processes, sensory perception, motor control, and emotional regulation. Moreover, it addresses the impact of age, sex, and ethnic background on brain structure and function, and gender differences profoundly influence the onset, progression, and manifestation of brain disorders shaped by genetic, hormonal, environmental, and social factors. Delving into the complexities of the human brain, it investigates how variations in anatomical configuration correspond to diverse functional capacities across individuals. Furthermore, it examines the impact of neurodegenerative diseases on the structural and functional integrity of the brain. Specifically, our article explores the pathological processes underlying neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, shedding light on the structural alterations and functional impairments that accompany these conditions. We will also explore the current research trends in neurodegenerative diseases and identify the existing gaps in the literature. Overall, this article deepens our understanding of the fundamental principles governing brain structure and function and paves the way for a deeper understanding of individual differences and tailored approaches in neuroscience and clinical practice-additionally, a comprehensive understanding of structural and functional changes that manifest in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omme Fatema Sultana
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Madhuri Bandaru
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Md Ariful Islam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA 5. Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
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3
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Engels-Domínguez N, Riphagen JM, Van Egroo M, Koops EA, Smegal LF, Becker JA, Prokopiou PC, Bueichekú E, Kwong KK, Rentz DM, Salat DH, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Lower Locus Coeruleus Integrity Signals Elevated Entorhinal Tau and Clinical Progression in Asymptomatic Older Individuals. Ann Neurol 2024. [PMID: 39007398 DOI: 10.1002/ana.27022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Elevated entorhinal cortex (EC) tau in low beta-amyloid individuals can predict accumulation of pathology and cognitive decline. We compared the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived locus coeruleus integrity, neocortical beta-amyloid burden by positron emission tomography (PET), and hippocampal volume in identifying elevated entorhinal tau signal in asymptomatic individuals who are considered beta-amyloid PET-negative. METHODS We included 188 asymptomatic individuals (70.78 ± 11.51 years, 58% female) who underwent 3T-MRI of the locus coeruleus, Pittsburgh compound-B (PiB), and Flortaucipir (FTP) PET. Associations between elevated EC tau and neocortical PiB, hippocampal volume, or locus coeruleus integrity were evaluated and compared using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses in the PiB- sample with a clinical dementia rating (CDR) of 0. Associations with clinical progression (CDR-sum-of-boxes) over a time span of 6 years were evaluated with Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS We identified 26 (21%) individuals with high EC FTP in the CDR = 0/PiB- sample. Locus coeruleus integrity was a significantly more sensitive and specific predictor of elevated EC FTP (area under the curve [AUC] = 85%) compared with PiB (AUC = 77%) or hippocampal volume (AUC = 76%). Based on the Youden-index, locus coeruleus integrity obtained a sensitivity of 77% and 85% specificity. Using the resulting locus coeruleus Youden cut-off, lower locus coeruleus integrity was associated with a two-fold increase in clinical progression, including mild cognitive impairment. INTERPRETATION Locus coeruleus integrity has promise as a low-cost, non-invasive screening instrument to detect early cortical tau deposition and associated clinical progression in asymptomatic, low beta-amyloid individuals. ANN NEUROL 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Engels-Domínguez
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joost M Riphagen
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elouise A Koops
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lindsay F Smegal
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - J Alex Becker
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elisenda Bueichekú
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth K Kwong
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dorene M Rentz
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David H Salat
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reisa A Sperling
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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Bennett IJ, Langley J, Sun A, Solis K, Seitz AR, Hu XP. Locus coeruleus contrast and diffusivity metrics differentially relate to age and memory performance. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15372. [PMID: 38965363 PMCID: PMC11224383 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66238-z] [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: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurocognitive aging researchers are increasingly focused on the locus coeruleus, a neuromodulatory brainstem structure that degrades with age. With this rapid growth, the field will benefit from consensus regarding which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics of locus coeruleus structure are most sensitive to age and cognition. To address this need, the current study acquired magnetization transfer- and diffusion-weighted MRI images in younger and older adults who also completed a free recall memory task. Results revealed significantly larger differences between younger and older adults for maximum than average magnetization transfer-weighted contrast (MTC), axial than mean or radial single-tensor diffusivity (DTI), and free than restricted multi-compartment diffusion (NODDI) metrics in the locus coeruleus; with maximum MTC being the best predictor of age group. Age effects for all imaging modalities interacted with sex, with larger age group differences in males than females for MTC and NODDI metrics. Age group differences also varied across locus coeruleus subdivision for DTI and NODDI metrics, and across locus coeruleus hemispheres for MTC. Within older adults, however, there were no significant effects of age on MTC or DTI metrics, only an interaction between age and sex for free diffusion. Finally, independent of age and sex, higher restricted diffusion in the locus coeruleus was significantly related to better (lower) recall variability, but not mean recall. Whereas MTC has been widely used in the literature, our comparison between the average and maximum MTC metrics, inclusion of DTI and NODDI metrics, and breakdowns by locus coeruleus subdivision and hemisphere make important and novel contributions to our understanding of the aging of locus coeruleus structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana J Bennett
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 900 University Avenue, 2127 Psychology Building, Riverside, CA, 92521-0426, USA.
| | - Jason Langley
- Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Sun
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kitzia Solis
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 900 University Avenue, 2127 Psychology Building, Riverside, CA, 92521-0426, USA
| | - Aaron R Seitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 900 University Avenue, 2127 Psychology Building, Riverside, CA, 92521-0426, USA
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoping P Hu
- Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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5
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Dahl MJ, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. Neuromodulatory systems in aging and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105647. [PMID: 38574783 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin 14195, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany; Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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Kang Y, Toyoda H, Saito M. Search for unknown neural link between the masticatory and cognitive brain systems to clarify the involvement of its impairment in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1425645. [PMID: 38994328 PMCID: PMC11236757 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1425645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain degenerations in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) are observed earliest in the locus coeruleus (LC), a population of noradrenergic neurons, in which hyperphosphorylated tau protein expression and β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation begin. Along with this, similar changes occur in the basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, such as the nucleus basalis of Meynert. Neuronal degeneration of the two neuronal nuclei leads to a decrease in neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, which results in the accumulation of Aβ and hyperphosphorylated tau protein and ultimately causes neuronal cell death in those cortices. On the other hand, a large number of epidemiological studies have shown that tooth loss or masticatory dysfunction is a risk factor for dementia including AD, and numerous studies using experimental animals have also shown that masticatory dysfunction causes brain degeneration in the basal forebrain, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex similar to those observed in human AD, and that learning and memory functions are impaired accordingly. However, it remains unclear how masticatory dysfunction can induce such brain degeneration similar to AD, and the neural mechanism linking the trigeminal nervous system responsible for mastication and the cognitive and memory brain system remains unknown. In this review paper, we provide clues to the search for such "missing link" by discussing the embryological, anatomical, and physiological relationship between LC and its laterally adjoining mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus which plays a central role in the masticatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngnam Kang
- Department of Behavioral Physiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroki Toyoda
- Department of Oral Physiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Saito
- Department of Oral Physiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Ludwig M, Yi YJ, Lüsebrink F, Callaghan MF, Betts MJ, Yakupov R, Weiskopf N, Dolan RJ, Düzel E, Hämmerer D. Functional locus coeruleus imaging to investigate an ageing noradrenergic system. Commun Biol 2024; 7:777. [PMID: 38937535 PMCID: PMC11211439 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06446-5] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), our main source of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, declines with age and is a potential epicentre of protein pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases (ND). In vivo measurements of LC integrity and function are potentially important biomarkers for healthy ageing and early ND onset. In the present study, high-resolution functional MRI (fMRI), a reversal reinforcement learning task, and dedicated post-processing approaches were used to visualise age differences in LC function (N = 50). Increased LC responses were observed during emotionally and task-related salient events, with subsequent accelerations and decelerations in reaction times, respectively, indicating context-specific adaptive engagement of the LC. Moreover, older adults exhibited increased LC activation compared to younger adults, indicating possible compensatory overactivation of a structurally declining LC in ageing. Our study shows that assessment of LC function is a promising biomarker of cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Ludwig
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Falk Lüsebrink
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- NMR Methods Development Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martina F Callaghan
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew J Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Renat Yakupov
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Raymond J Dolan
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
| | - Emrah Düzel
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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8
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Ohta H, Nozawa T, Nakano T, Morimoto Y, Ishizuka T. Nonlinear age-related differences in probabilistic learning in mice: A 5-armed bandit task study. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 142:8-16. [PMID: 39029360 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.06.004] [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: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
This study explores the impact of aging on reinforcement learning in mice, focusing on changes in learning rates and behavioral strategies. A 5-armed bandit task (5-ABT) and a computational Q-learning model were used to evaluate the positive and negative learning rates and the inverse temperature across three age groups (3, 12, and 18 months). Results showed a significant decline in the negative learning rate of 18-month-old mice, which was not observed for the positive learning rate. This suggests that older mice maintain the ability to learn from successful experiences while decreasing the ability to learn from negative outcomes. We also observed a significant age-dependent variation in inverse temperature, reflecting a shift in action selection policy. Middle-aged mice (12 months) exhibited higher inverse temperature, indicating a higher reliance on previous rewarding experiences and reduced exploratory behaviors, when compared to both younger and older mice. This study provides new insights into aging research by demonstrating that there are age-related differences in specific components of reinforcement learning, which exhibit a non-linear pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Ohta
- Department of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan.
| | - Takashi Nozawa
- Mejiro University, 4-31-1 Naka-Ochiai, Shinjuku, Tokyo 161-8539, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakano
- Department of Computational Biology, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan; International Center for Brain Science (ICBS), Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Yuji Morimoto
- Department of Physiology, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Ishizuka
- Department of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical College, 3-2 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan
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9
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Lee YT, Chang YH, Tsai HJ, Chao SP, Chen DYT, Chen JT, Cherng YG, Wang CA. Altered pupil light and darkness reflex and eye-blink responses in late-life depression. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:545. [PMID: 38914987 PMCID: PMC11194921 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05034-w] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Late-life depression (LLD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder in the older population. While LLD exhibits high mortality rates, depressive symptoms in older adults are often masked by physical health conditions. In younger adults, depression is associated with deficits in pupil light reflex and eye blink rate, suggesting the potential use of these responses as biomarkers for LLD. METHODS We conducted a study using video-based eye-tracking to investigate pupil and blink responses in LLD patients (n = 25), older (OLD) healthy controls (n = 29), and younger (YOUNG) healthy controls (n = 25). The aim was to determine whether there were alterations in pupil and blink responses in LLD compared to both OLD and YOUNG groups. RESULTS LLD patients displayed significantly higher blink rates and dampened pupil constriction responses compared to OLD and YOUNG controls. While tonic pupil size in YOUNG differed from that of OLD, LLD patients did not exhibit a significant difference compared to OLD and YOUNG controls. GDS-15 scores in older adults correlated with light and darkness reflex response variability and blink rates. PHQ-15 scores showed a correlation with blink rates, while MoCA scores correlated with tonic pupil sizes. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate that LLD patients display altered pupil and blink behavior compared to OLD and YOUNG controls. These altered responses correlated differently with the severity of depressive, somatic, and cognitive symptoms, indicating their potential as objective biomarkers for LLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao-Tung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsuan Chang
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, College of Health Science and Technology, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Hsu-Jung Tsai
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Ping Chao
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Dementia Center, Department of Neurology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - David Yen-Ting Chen
- Department of Medical Image, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Tai Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Yih-Giun Cherng
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chin-An Wang
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
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Engels-Domínguez N, Koops EA, Hsieh S, Wiklund EE, Schultz AP, Riphagen JM, Prokopiou PC, Hanseeuw BJ, Rentz DM, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Lower in vivo locus coeruleus integrity is associated with lower cortical thickness in older individuals with elevated Alzheimer's pathology: a cohort study. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:129. [PMID: 38886798 PMCID: PMC11181564 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01500-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autopsy work indicates that the widely-projecting noradrenergic pontine locus coeruleus (LC) is among the earliest regions to accumulate hyperphosphorylated tau, a neuropathological Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmark. This early tau deposition is accompanied by a reduced density of LC projections and a reduction of norepinephrine's neuroprotective effects, potentially compromising the neuronal integrity of LC's cortical targets. Previous studies suggest that lower magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived LC integrity may signal cortical tissue degeneration in cognitively healthy, older individuals. However, whether these observations are driven by underlying AD pathology remains unknown. To that end, we examined potential effect modifications by cortical beta-amyloid and tau pathology on the association between in vivo LC integrity, as quantified by LC MRI signal intensity, and cortical neurodegeneration, as indexed by cortical thickness. METHODS A total of 165 older individuals (74.24 ± 9.72 years, ~ 60% female, 10% cognitively impaired) underwent whole-brain and dedicated LC 3T-MRI, Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB, beta-amyloid) and Flortaucipir (FTP, tau) positron emission tomography. Linear regression analyses with bootstrapped standard errors (n = 2000) assessed associations between bilateral cortical thickness and i) LC MRI signal intensity and, ii) LC MRI signal intensity interacted with cortical FTP or PiB (i.e., EC FTP, IT FTP, neocortical PiB) in the entire sample and a low beta-amyloid subsample. RESULTS Across the entire sample, we found a direct effect, where lower LC MRI signal intensity was associated with lower mediolateral temporal cortical thickness. Evaluation of potential effect modifications by FTP or PiB revealed that lower LC MRI signal intensity was related to lower cortical thickness, particularly in individuals with elevated (EC, IT) FTP or (neocortical) PiB. The latter result was present starting from subthreshold PiB values. In low PiB individuals, lower LC MRI signal intensity was related to lower EC cortical thickness in the context of elevated EC FTP. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that LC-related cortical neurodegeneration patterns in older individuals correspond to regions representing early Braak stages and may reflect a combination of LC projection density loss and emergence of cortical AD pathology. This provides a novel understanding that LC-related cortical neurodegeneration may signal downstream consequences of AD-related pathology, rather than being exclusively a result of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Engels-Domínguez
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, 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
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Stephanie Hsieh
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Emma E Wiklund
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Aaron P Schultz
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joost M Riphagen
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Bernard J Hanseeuw
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dorene M Rentz
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reisa A Sperling
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129, 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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Beckers E, Van Egroo M, Ashton NJ, Blennow K, Vandewalle G, Zetterberg H, Poser BA, Jacobs HIL. Microstructural associations between locus coeruleus, cortical, and subcortical regions are modulated by astrocyte reactivity: a 7T MRI adult lifespan study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae261. [PMID: 38904081 PMCID: PMC11190376 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system plays a key role in supporting brain health along the lifespan, notably through its modulatory effects on neuroinflammation. Using ultra-high field diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, we examined whether microstructural properties (neurite density index and orientation dispersion index) in the locus coeruleus were related to those in cortical and subcortical regions, and whether this was modulated by plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein levels, as a proxy of astrocyte reactivity. In our cohort of 60 healthy individuals (30 to 85 yr, 50% female), higher glial fibrillary acidic protein correlated with lower neurite density index in frontal cortical regions, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. Furthermore, under higher levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (above ~ 150 pg/mL for cortical and ~ 145 pg/mL for subcortical regions), lower locus coeruleus orientation dispersion index was associated with lower orientation dispersion index in frontotemporal cortical regions and in subcortical regions. Interestingly, individuals with higher locus coeruleus orientation dispersion index exhibited higher orientation dispersion index in these (sub)cortical regions, despite having higher glial fibrillary acidic protein levels. Together, these results suggest that the interaction between locus coeruleus-norepinephrine cells and astrocytes can signal a detrimental or neuroprotective pathway for brain integrity and support the importance of maintaining locus coeruleus neuronal health in aging and in the prevention of age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Beckers
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, 6229 ET Maastricht, The Netherlands
- GIGA-CRC Human Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, 6229 ET Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nicholas J Ashton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden
- King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9RT, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health and Biomedical Research Unit for Dementia at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, London SE5 8AF, UK
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, 4011 Stavanger, Norway
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden
- Paris Brain Institute, ICM, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Sorbonne University, 75013 Paris, France
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, and Department of Neurology, Institute on Aging and Brain Disorders, University of Science and Technology of China and First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei 230036, China
| | | | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, 431 41 Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London W1T 7NF, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, 6229 ET Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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12
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Arif Y, Son JJ, Okelberry HJ, Johnson HJ, Willett MP, Wiesman AI, Wilson TW. Modulation of movement-related oscillatory signatures by cognitive interference in healthy aging. GeroScience 2024; 46:3021-3034. [PMID: 38175521 PMCID: PMC11009213 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-01057-0] [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: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related changes in the neurophysiology underlying motor control are well documented, but whether these changes are specific to motor function or more broadly reflect age-related alterations in fronto-parietal circuitry serving attention and other higher-level processes remains unknown. Herein, we collected high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 72 healthy adults (age 28-63 years) as they completed an adapted version of the multi-source interference task that involved two subtypes of cognitive interference (i.e., flanker and Simon) and their integration (i.e., multi-source). All MEG data were examined for age-related changes in neural oscillatory activity using a whole-brain beamforming approach. Our primary findings indicated robust behavioral differences in task performance based on the type of interference, as well as stronger beta oscillations with increasing age in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (flanker and multi-source conditions), left parietal (flanker and Simon), and medial parietal regions (multi-source). Overall, these data indicate that healthy aging is associated with alterations in higher-order association cortices that are critical for attention and motor control in the context of cognitive interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasra Arif
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA.
| | - Jake J Son
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Hannah J Okelberry
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA
| | - Hallie J Johnson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA
| | - Madelyn P Willett
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA
| | - Alex I Wiesman
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tony W Wilson
- Institute for Human Neuroscience, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, 68010, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA
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Schneider C, Prokopiou PC, Papp KV, Engels‐Domínguez N, Hsieh S, Juneau TA, Schultz AP, Rentz DM, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Atrophy links lower novelty-related locus coeruleus connectivity to cognitive decline in preclinical AD. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:3958-3971. [PMID: 38676563 PMCID: PMC11180940 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13839] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Animal research has shown that tau pathology in the locus coeruleus (LC) is associated with reduced norepinephrine signaling, lower projection density to the medial temporal lobe (MTL), atrophy, and cognitive impairment. We investigated the contribution of LC-MTL functional connectivity (FCLC-MTL) on cortical atrophy across Braak stage regions and its impact on cognition. METHODS We analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging and amyloid beta (Aβ) positron emission tomography data from 128 cognitively normal participants, associating novelty-related FCLC-MTL with longitudinal atrophy and cognition with and without Aβ moderation. RESULTS Cross-sectionally, lower FCLC-MTL was associated with atrophy in Braak stage II regions. Longitudinally, atrophy in Braak stage 2 to 4 regions related to lower baseline FCLC-MTL at elevated levels of Aβ, but not to other regions. Atrophy in Braak stage 2 regions mediated the relation between FCLC-MTL and subsequent cognitive decline. DISCUSSION FCLC-MTL is implicated in Aβ-related cortical atrophy, suggesting that LC-MTL connectivity could confer neuroprotective effects in preclinical AD. HIGHLIGHTS Novelty-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) LC-medial temporal lobe (MTL) connectivity links to longitudinal Aβ-dependent atrophy. This relationship extended to higher Braak stage regions with increasing Aβ burden. Longitudinal MTL atrophy mediated the LC-MTL connectivity-cognition relationship. Our findings mirror the animal data on MTL atrophy following NE signal dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Schneider
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Prokopis C. Prokopiou
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kathryn V. Papp
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and TreatmentDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Nina Engels‐Domínguez
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Faculty of HealthMedicine and Life SciencesSchool for Mental Health and NeuroscienceAlzheimer Centre LimburgMaastricht University, MDMaastrichtThe Netherlands
| | - Stephanie Hsieh
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
| | - Truley A. Juneau
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Aaron P. Schultz
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Dorene M. Rentz
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and TreatmentDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Reisa A. Sperling
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and TreatmentDepartment of NeurologyBrigham and Women's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Keith A. Johnson
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
- Gordon Center for Medical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Faculty of HealthMedicine and Life SciencesSchool for Mental Health and NeuroscienceAlzheimer Centre LimburgMaastricht University, MDMaastrichtThe Netherlands
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingDepartment of RadiologyMassachusetts General HospitalCharlestownMassachusettsUSA
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14
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Pahl J, Prokopiou PC, Bueichekú E, Schultz AP, Papp KV, Farrell ME, Rentz DM, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Locus coeruleus integrity and left frontoparietal connectivity provide resilience against attentional decline in preclinical alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:119. [PMID: 38822365 PMCID: PMC11140954 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01485-w] [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: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autopsy work reported that neuronal density in the locus coeruleus (LC) provides neural reserve against cognitive decline in dementia. Recent neuroimaging and pharmacological studies reported that left frontoparietal network functional connectivity (LFPN-FC) confers resilience against beta-amyloid (Aβ)-related cognitive decline in preclinical sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as against LC-related cognitive changes. Given that the LFPN and the LC play important roles in attention, and attention deficits have been observed early in the disease process, we examined whether LFPN-FC and LC structural health attenuate attentional decline in the context of AD pathology. METHODS 142 participants from the Harvard Aging Brain Study who underwent resting-state functional MRI, LC structural imaging, PiB(Aβ)-PET, and up to 5 years of cognitive follow-ups were included (mean age = 74.5 ± 9.9 years, 89 women). Cross-sectional robust linear regression associated LC integrity (measured as the average of five continuous voxels with the highest intensities in the structural LC images) or LFPN-FC with Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) performance at baseline. Longitudinal robust mixed effect analyses examined associations between DSST decline and (i) two-way interactions of baseline LC integrity (or LFPN-FC) and PiB or (ii) the three-way interaction of baseline LC integrity, LFPN-FC, and PiB. Baseline age, sex, and years of education were included as covariates. RESULTS At baseline, lower LFPN-FC, but not LC integrity, was related to worse DSST performance. Longitudinally, lower baseline LC integrity was associated with a faster DSST decline, especially at PiB > 10.38 CL. Lower baseline LFPN-FC was associated with a steeper decline on the DSST but independent of PiB. At elevated PiB levels (> 46 CL), higher baseline LFPN-FC was associated with an attenuated decline on the DSST, despite the presence of lower LC integrity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that the LC can provide resilience against Aβ-related attention decline. However, when Aβ accumulates and the LC's resources may be depleted, the functioning of cortical target regions of the LC, such as the LFPN-FC, can provide additional resilience to sustain attentional performance in preclinical AD. These results provide critical insights into the neural correlates contributing to individual variability at risk versus resilience against Aβ-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pahl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elisenda Bueichekú
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aaron P Schultz
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn V Papp
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle E Farrell
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dorene M Rentz
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reisa A Sperling
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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15
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Turner GR, Hewan P, Wearn A, van Dooren R, Wyatt L, Leppert IR, Baracchini G, Hughes C, Williams KM, Sylvain E, Tremblay-Mercier J, Poirier J, Villeneuve S, Tardif C, Spreng RN. Locus coeruleus integrity is related to an exploitation-based decision-making bias in older adulthood. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322617121. [PMID: 38771873 PMCID: PMC11145298 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322617121] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimal decision-making balances exploration for new information against exploitation of known rewards, a process mediated by the locus coeruleus and its norepinephrine projections. We predicted that an exploitation-bias that emerges in older adulthood would be associated with lower microstructural integrity of the locus coeruleus. Leveraging in vivo histological methods from quantitative MRI-magnetic transfer saturation-we provide evidence that older age is associated with lower locus coeruleus integrity. Critically, we demonstrate that an exploitation bias in older adulthood, assessed with a foraging task, is sensitive and specific to lower locus coeruleus integrity. Because the locus coeruleus is uniquely vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease pathology, our findings suggest that aging, and a presymptomatic trajectory of Alzheimer's related decline, may fundamentally alter decision-making abilities in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ONM3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Patrick Hewan
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ONM3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Alfie Wearn
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Roel van Dooren
- Institutes of Psychology & Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden2300 RC, The Netherlands
| | - Lindsay Wyatt
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ONM3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Ilana R. Leppert
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QCH2A 2B4, Canada
| | - Giulia Baracchini
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Colleen Hughes
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Kayla M. Williams
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Elisabeth Sylvain
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QCH4H 1R3, Canada
| | | | - Judes Poirier
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QCH4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Sylvia Villeneuve
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QCH2A 2B4, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QCH4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Christine Tardif
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QCH2A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 2B4, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QCH2A 2B4, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QCH4H 1R3, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 1A1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QCH3A 1G1, Canada
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16
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Kim AJ, Nguyen K, Mather M. Eye movements reveal age differences in how arousal modulates saliency priority but not attention processing speed. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.06.592619. [PMID: 38766110 PMCID: PMC11100628 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.06.592619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The arousal-biased competition theory posits that inducing arousal increases attentional priority of salient stimuli while reducing priority of non-pertinent stimuli. However, unlike in young adults, older adults rarely exhibit shifts in priority under increased arousal, and prior studies have proposed different neural mechanisms to explain how arousal differentially modulates selective attention in older adults. Therefore, we investigated how the threat of unpredictable shock differentially modulates attentional control mechanisms in young and older adults by observing eye movements. Participants completed two oculomotor search tasks in which the salient distractor was typically captured by attention (singleton search) or proactively suppressed (feature search). We found that arousal did not modulate attentional priority for any stimulus among older adults nor affect the speed of attention processing in either age group. Furthermore, we observed that arousal modulated pupil sizes and found a correlation between evoked pupil responses and oculomotor function. Our findings suggest age differences in how the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system interacts with neural networks of attention and oculomotor function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Jeesu Kim
- University of Southern California, School of Gerontology
| | | | - Mara Mather
- University of Southern California, School of Gerontology
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17
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Evans AK, Saw NL, Woods CE, Vidano LM, Blumenfeld SE, Lam RK, Chu EK, Reading C, Shamloo M. Impact of high-fat diet on cognitive behavior and central and systemic inflammation with aging and sex differences in mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:334-354. [PMID: 38408498 PMCID: PMC11019935 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.025] [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: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging and age-related diseases are associated with cellular stress, metabolic imbalance, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, accompanied by cognitive impairment. Lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep fragmentation, and stress can potentiate damaging cellular cascades and lead to an acceleration of brain aging and cognitive impairment. High-fat diet (HFD) has been associated with obesity, metabolic disorders like diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. HFD also induces neuroinflammation, impairs learning and memory, and may increase anxiety-like behavior. Effects of a HFD may also vary between sexes. The interaction between Age- and Sex- and Diet-related changes in neuroinflammation and cognitive function is an important and poorly understood area of research. This study was designed to examine the effects of HFD on neuroinflammation, behavior, and neurodegeneration in mice in the context of aging or sex differences. In a series of studies, young (2-3 months) or old (12-13 months) C57BL/6J male mice or young male and female C57Bl/6J mice were fed either a standard diet (SD) or a HFD for 5-6 months. Behavior was assessed in Activity Chamber, Y-maze, Novel Place Recognition, Novel Object Recognition, Elevated Plus Maze, Open Field, Morris Water Maze, and Fear Conditioning. Post-mortem analyses assessed a panel of inflammatory markers in the plasma and hippocampus. Additionally, proteomic analysis of the hypothalamus, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation in the locus coeruleus, and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus were assessed in a subset of young and aged male mice. We show that HFD increased body weight and decreased locomotor activity across groups compared to control mice fed a SD. HFD altered anxiety-related exploratory behavior. HFD impaired spatial learning and recall in young male mice and impaired recall in cued fear conditioning in young and aged male mice, with no effects on spatial learning or fear conditioning in young female mice. Effects of Age and Sex were observed on neuroinflammatory cytokines, with only limited effects of HFD. HFD had a more significant impact on systemic inflammation in plasma across age and sex. Aged male mice had induction of microglial immunoreactivity in both the locus coeruleus (LC) and hippocampus an effect that HFD exacerbated in the hippocampal CA1 region. Proteomic analysis of the hypothalamus revealed changes in pathways related to metabolism and neurodegeneration with both aging and HFD in male mice. Our findings suggest that HFD induces widespread systemic inflammation and limited neuroinflammation. In addition, HFD alters exploratory behavior in male and female mice, and impairs learning and memory in male mice. These results provide valuable insight into the impact of diet on cognition and aging pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K Evans
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Nay L Saw
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Claire E Woods
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Laura M Vidano
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Sarah E Blumenfeld
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Rachel K Lam
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | - Emily K Chu
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
| | | | - Mehrdad Shamloo
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, 1050 Arastradero Road, Building A, Palo Alto, CA 94304.
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18
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Li H, Han Y, Niu H. Greater up-modulation of intra-individual brain signal variability makes a high-load cognitive task more arduous for older adults. Neuroimage 2024; 290:120577. [PMID: 38490585 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120577] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The extent to which brain responses are less distinctive across varying cognitive loads in older adults is referred to as neural dedifferentiation. Moment-to-moment brain signal variability, an emerging indicator, reveals not only the adaptability of an individual's brain as an inter-individual trait, but also the allocation of neural resources within an individual due to ever-changing task demands, thus shedding novel insight into the process of neural dedifferentiation. However, how the modulation of intra-individual brain signal variability reflects behavioral differences related to cognitively demanding tasks remains unclear. In this study, we employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging to capture the variability of brain signals, which was quantified by the standard deviation, during both the resting state and an n-back task (n = 1, 2, 3) in 57 healthy older adults. Using multivariate Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis, we found that fNIRS signal variability increased from the resting state to the task and increased with working memory load in older adults. We further confirmed that greater fNIRS signal variability generally supported faster and more stable response time in the 2- and 3-back conditions. However, the intra-individual level analysis showed that the greater the up-modulation in fNIRS signal variability with cognitive loads, the more its accuracy decreases and mean response time increases, suggesting that a greater intra-individual brain signal variability up-modulation may reflect decreased efficiency in neural information processing. Taken together, our findings offer new insights into the nature of brain signal variability, suggesting that inter- and intra-individual brain signal variability may index distinct theoretical constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 China
| | - Ying Han
- Department of Neurology, XuanWu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China; Center of Alzheimer's Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, 100053, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Beijing, 100053, China; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518132, China.
| | - Haijing Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 China.
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19
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Lee TH, Kim SH, Neal J, Katz B, Kim IH. A collection of 157 individual neuromelanin-sensitive images accompanied by non-linear neuromelanin-sensitive atlas and a probabilistic locus coeruleus atlas. Data Brief 2024; 53:110140. [PMID: 38357452 PMCID: PMC10864836 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2024.110140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The current dataset aims to support and enhance the research reliability of neuromelanin regions in the brainstem, such as locus coeruleus (LC), by offering raw neuromelanin-sensitive images. The dataset includes raw neuromelanin-sensitive images from 157 healthy individuals (8-64 years old). In addition, leveraging individual neuromelanin-sensitive images, a non-linear neuromelanin-sensitive atlas, generated through an iterative warping process, is included to tackle the common challenge of a limited field of view in neuromelanin-sensitive images. Finally, the dataset encompasses a probabilistic LC atlas generated through a majority voting approach with pre-existing multiple atlas-based segmentations. This process entails warping pre-existing atlases onto individual spaces and identifying voxels with a majority consensus of over 50 % across the atlases. This LC probabilistic atlas can minimize uncertainty variance associated with choosing a specific single atlas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae-Ho Lee
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, USA
| | - Sun Hyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Joshua Neal
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech, USA
| | - Benjamin Katz
- Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech, USA
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, USA
| | - Il Hwan Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA
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20
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Terrier C, Greco-Vuilloud J, Cavelius M, Thevenet M, Mandairon N, Didier A, Richard M. Long-term olfactory enrichment promotes non-olfactory cognition, noradrenergic plasticity and remodeling of brain functional connectivity in older mice. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 136:133-156. [PMID: 38364691 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.01.011] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Brain functional and structural changes lead to cognitive decline during aging, but a high level of cognitive stimulation during life can improve cognitive performances in the older adults, forming the cognitive reserve. Noradrenaline has been proposed as a molecular link between environmental stimulation and constitution of the cognitive reserve. Taking advantage of the ability of olfactory stimulation to activate noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus, we used repeated olfactory enrichment sessions over the mouse lifespan to enable the cognitive reserve buildup. Mice submitted to olfactory enrichment, whether started in early or late adulthood, displayed improved olfactory discrimination at late ages and interestingly, improved spatial memory and cognitive flexibility. Moreover, olfactory and non-olfactory cognitive performances correlated with increased noradrenergic innervation in the olfactory bulb and dorsal hippocampus. Finally, c-Fos mapping and connectivity analysis revealed task-specific remodeling of functional neural networks in enriched older mice. Long-term olfactory enrichment thus triggers structural noradrenergic plasticity and network remodeling associated with better cognitive aging and thereby forms a promising mouse model of the cognitive reserve buildup.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Terrier
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Juliette Greco-Vuilloud
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Matthias Cavelius
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Marc Thevenet
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Nathalie Mandairon
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Anne Didier
- Institut universitaire de France (IUF), France
| | - Marion Richard
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, NEUROPOP, F-69500, Bron, France.
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21
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Chang YH, Chen HJ, Barquero C, Tsai HJ, Liang WK, Hsu CH, Muggleton NG, Wang CA. Linking tonic and phasic pupil responses to P300 amplitude in an emotional face-word Stroop task. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14479. [PMID: 37920144 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14479] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system, which regulates arousal levels, is important for cognitive control, including emotional conflict resolution. Additionally, the LC-NE system is implicated in P300 generation. If the P300 is mediated by the LC-NE system, and considering the established correlations between LC activity and pupil dilation, P300 amplitude should correlate with task-evoked (phasic) pupil dilation on a trial-by-trial basis. However, prior studies, predominantly utilizing oddball-type paradigms, have not demonstrated correlations between concurrently recorded task-evoked pupil dilation and P300 responses. Using a recently developed emotional face-word Stroop task that links pupil dilation to the LC-NE system, here, we examined both intra- and inter-individual correlations between task-evoked pupil dilation and P300 amplitude. We found that lower accuracy, slower reaction times, and larger task-evoked pupil dilation were obtained in the incongruent compared to the congruent condition. Furthermore, we observed intra-individual correlations between task-evoked pupil dilation and P300 amplitude, with larger pupil dilation correlating with a greater P300 amplitude. In contrast, pupil dilation did not exhibit consistent correlations with N450 and N170 amplitudes. Baseline (tonic) pupil size also showed correlations with P300 and N170 amplitudes, with smaller pupil size corresponding to larger amplitude. Moreover, inter-individual differences in task-evoked pupil dilation between the congruent and incongruent conditions correlated with differences in reaction time and P300 amplitude, though these effects only approached significance. To summarize, our study provides evidence for a connection between task-evoked pupil dilation and P300 amplitude at the single-trial level, suggesting the involvement of the LC-NE system in P300 generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsuan Chang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - He-Jun Chen
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Cesar Barquero
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Activity and Sport Science, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | - Hsu Jung Tsai
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Kuang Liang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Cognitive Intelligence and Precision Healthcare Center, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsien Hsu
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Neil G Muggleton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Cognitive Intelligence and Precision Healthcare Center, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Chin-An Wang
- Eye-Tracking Laboratory, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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22
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Ochi S, Yamada K, Saito T, Saido TC, Iinuma M, Azuma K, Kubo KY. Effects of early tooth loss on chronic stress and progression of neuropathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease in adult Alzheimer's model AppNL-G-F mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1361847. [PMID: 38469162 PMCID: PMC10925668 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1361847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common neurodegenerative disease, is characterized by accumulated amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, aggregated phosphorylated tau protein, gliosis-associated neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. Many cohort studies indicate that tooth loss is a risk factor for AD. The detailed mechanisms underlying the association between AD and tooth loss, however, are not yet fully understood. Methods We explored the involvement of early tooth loss in the neuropathogenesis of the adult AppNL-G-F mouse AD model. The maxillary molars were extracted bilaterally in 1-month-old male mice soon after tooth eruption. Results Plasma corticosterone levels were increased and spatial learning memory was impaired in these mice at 6 months of age. The cerebral cortex and hippocampus of AD mice with extracted teeth showed an increased accumulation of Aβ plaques and phosphorylated tau proteins, and increased secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), accompanied by an increased number of microglia and astrocytes, and decreased synaptophysin expression. AD mice with extracted teeth also had a shorter lifespan than the control mice. Discussion These findings revealed that long-term tooth loss is a chronic stressor, activating the recruitment of microglia and astrocytes; exacerbating neuroinflammation, Aβ deposition, phosphorylated tau accumulation, and synaptic dysfunction; and leading to spatial learning and memory impairments in AD model mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzuko Ochi
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho, Japan
| | - Kumiko Yamada
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Nagoya Women's University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takashi Saito
- Department of Neurocognitive Science, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaomi C Saido
- Laboratory for Proteolytic Neuroscience, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Iinuma
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho, Japan
| | - Kagaku Azuma
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Kin-Ya Kubo
- Graduate School of Human Life Science, Nagoya Women's University, Nagoya, Japan
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23
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Zide BS, Donovan NJ, Lee S, Nag S, Bennett DA, Jacobs HIL. Social activity mediates locus coeruleus tangle-related cognition in older adults. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02467-y. [PMID: 38355788 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02467-y] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system regulates brain-wide neural activity involved in cognition and behavior. Integrity of this subcortical neuromodulatory system is proposed to be a substrate of cognitive reserve that may be strengthened by lifetime cognitive and social activity. Conversely, accumulation of tau tangles in the brainstem locus coeruleus nuclei is recently studied as a very early marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and cognitive vulnerability, even among older adults without cognitive impairment or significant cerebral AD pathologies. This clinical-pathologic study examined whether locus coeruleus tangle density was cross-sectionally associated with lower antemortem cognitive performance and social activity among 142 cognitively unimpaired and impaired older adults and whether social activity, a putative reserve factor, mediated the association of tangle density and cognition. We found that greater locus coeruleus tangle density was associated with lower social activity for the whole sample and in the cognitively unimpaired group alone and these associations were independent of age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, and burden of cerebral amyloid and tau. The association of locus coeruleus tangle density with lower cognitive performance was partially mediated by level of social activity. These findings implicate the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system in late-life social function and support that locus coeruleus tangle pathology is associated with lower levels of social activity, independent of cerebral AD pathologies, and specifically among older adults who are cognitively unimpaired. Early brainstem pathology may impact social function, and level of social function, in turn, influences cognition, prior to canonical stages of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S Zide
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nancy J Donovan
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Soyoung Lee
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sukriti Nag
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Department of Pathology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre, Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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24
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Grella SL, Donaldson TN. Contextual memory engrams, and the neuromodulatory influence of the locus coeruleus. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1342622. [PMID: 38375501 PMCID: PMC10875109 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1342622] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Here, we review the basis of contextual memory at a conceptual and cellular level. We begin with an overview of the philosophical foundations of traversing space, followed by theories covering the material bases of contextual representations in the hippocampus (engrams), exploring functional characteristics of the cells and subfields within. Next, we explore various methodological approaches for investigating contextual memory engrams, emphasizing plasticity mechanisms. This leads us to discuss the role of neuromodulatory inputs in governing these dynamic changes. We then outline a recent hypothesis involving noradrenergic and dopaminergic projections from the locus coeruleus (LC) to different subregions of the hippocampus, in sculpting contextual representations, giving a brief description of the neuroanatomical and physiological properties of the LC. Finally, we examine how activity in the LC influences contextual memory processes through synaptic plasticity mechanisms to alter hippocampal engrams. Overall, we find that phasic activation of the LC plays an important role in promoting new learning and altering mnemonic processes at the behavioral and cellular level through the neuromodulatory influence of NE/DA in the hippocampus. These findings may provide insight into mechanisms of hippocampal remapping and memory updating, memory processes that are potentially dysregulated in certain psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L. Grella
- MNEME Lab, Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Tia N. Donaldson
- Systems Neuroscience and Behavior Lab, Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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25
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Riley E, Turker H, Wang D, Swallow KM, Anderson AK, De Rosa E. Nonlinear changes in pupillary attentional orienting responses across the lifespan. GeroScience 2024; 46:1017-1033. [PMID: 37318717 PMCID: PMC10828243 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00834-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The cognitive aging process is not necessarily linear. Central task-evoked pupillary responses, representing a brainstem-pupil relationship, may vary across the lifespan. Thus we examined, in 75 adults ranging in age from 19 to 86, whether task-evoked pupillary responses to an attention task may serve in as an index of cognitive aging. This is because the locus coeruleus (LC), located in the brainstem, is not only among the earliest sites of degeneration in pathological aging, but also supports both attentional and pupillary behaviors. We assessed brief, task-evoked phasic attentional orienting to behaviorally relevant and irrelevant auditory tones, stimuli known specifically to recruit the LC in the brainstem and evoke pupillary responses. Due to potential nonlinear changes across the lifespan, we used a novel data-driven analysis on 6 dynamic pupillary behaviors on 10% of the data to reveal cut off points that best characterized the three age bands: young (19-41 years old), middle aged (42-68 years old), and older adults (69 + years old). Follow-up analyses on independent data, the remaining 90%, revealed age-related changes such as monotonic decreases in tonic pupillary diameter and dynamic range, along with curvilinear phasic pupillary responses to the behaviorally relevant target events, increasing in the middle-aged group and then decreasing in the older group. Additionally, the older group showed decreased differentiation of pupillary responses between target and distractor events. This pattern is consistent with potential compensatory LC activity in midlife that is diminished in old age, resulting in decreased adaptive gain. Beyond regulating responses to light, pupillary dynamics reveal a nonlinear capacity for neurally mediated gain across the lifespan, thus providing evidence in support of the LC adaptive gain hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Riley
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Hamid Turker
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Dongliang Wang
- Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Khena M Swallow
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Adam K Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Eve De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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26
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Liu R, Guo Z, Li M, Liu S, Zhi Y, Jiang Z, Liang X, Hu H, Zhu J. Lower fractional dimension in Alzheimer's disease correlates with reduced locus coeruleus signal intensity. Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 106:24-30. [PMID: 37541457 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the pattern of fractional dimension (FD) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and investigate the relationship between FD and the locus coeruleus (LC) signal intensity.A total of 27 patients with AD and 25 healthy controls (HC) were collected to estimate the pattern of fractional dimension (FD) and cortical thickness (CT) using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12), and statistically analyze between groups on a vertex level using statistical parametric mapping 12. In addition, they were examined by neuromelanin sensitive MRI(NM-MRI) technique to calculate the locus coeruleus signal contrast ratios (LC-CRs). Additionally, correlations between the pattern of FD and LC-CRs were further examined.Compared to HC, AD patients showed widespread lower CT and FD Furthermore, significant positive correlation was found between local fractional dimension (LFD) of the left rostral middle frontal cortex and LC-CRs. Results suggest lower cortical LFD is associated with LCCRs that may reflect a reduction due to broader neurodegenerative processes. This finding may highlight the potential utility for advanced measures of cortical complexity in assessing brain health and early identification of neurodegenerative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Zhiwen Guo
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Shanwen Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Yuqi Zhi
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Zhen Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China
| | - Xiaoyun Liang
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Clinical Innovation, Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200241, China; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Hua Hu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China.
| | - Jiangtao Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province 215004, China.
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27
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Weber LM, Divecha HR, Tran MN, Kwon SH, Spangler A, Montgomery KD, Tippani M, Bharadwaj R, Kleinman JE, Page SC, Hyde TM, Collado-Torres L, Maynard KR, Martinowich K, Hicks SC. The gene expression landscape of the human locus coeruleus revealed by single-nucleus and spatially-resolved transcriptomics. eLife 2024; 12:RP84628. [PMID: 38266073 PMCID: PMC10945708 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84628] [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: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Norepinephrine (NE) neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) make long-range projections throughout the central nervous system, playing critical roles in arousal and mood, as well as various components of cognition including attention, learning, and memory. The LC-NE system is also implicated in multiple neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Importantly, LC-NE neurons are highly sensitive to degeneration in both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Despite the clinical importance of the brain region and the prominent role of LC-NE neurons in a variety of brain and behavioral functions, a detailed molecular characterization of the LC is lacking. Here, we used a combination of spatially-resolved transcriptomics and single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to characterize the molecular landscape of the LC region and the transcriptomic profile of LC-NE neurons in the human brain. We provide a freely accessible resource of these data in web-accessible and downloadable formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas M Weber
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Heena R Divecha
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Matthew N Tran
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Sang Ho Kwon
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Abby Spangler
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Kelsey D Montgomery
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Madhavi Tippani
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Rahul Bharadwaj
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Joel E Kleinman
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Stephanie C Page
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Thomas M Hyde
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | | | - Kristen R Maynard
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical CampusBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- The Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Stephanie C Hicks
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreUnited States
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Wyatt LE, Hewan PA, Hogeveen J, Spreng RN, Turner GR. Exploration versus exploitation decisions in the human brain: A systematic review of functional neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies. Neuropsychologia 2024; 192:108740. [PMID: 38036246 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108740] [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: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Thoughts and actions are often driven by a decision to either explore new avenues with unknown outcomes, or to exploit known options with predictable outcomes. Yet, the neural mechanisms underlying this exploration-exploitation trade-off in humans remain poorly understood. This is attributable to variability in the operationalization of exploration and exploitation as psychological constructs, as well as the heterogeneity of experimental protocols and paradigms used to study these choice behaviours. To address this gap, here we present a comprehensive review of the literature to investigate the neural basis of explore-exploit decision-making in humans. We first conducted a systematic review of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of exploration-versus exploitation-based decision-making in healthy adult humans during foraging, reinforcement learning, and information search. Eleven fMRI studies met inclusion criterion for this review. Adopting a network neuroscience framework, synthesis of the findings across these studies revealed that exploration-based choice was associated with the engagement of attentional, control, and salience networks. In contrast, exploitation-based choice was associated with engagement of default network brain regions. We interpret these results in the context of a network architecture that supports the flexible switching between externally and internally directed cognitive processes, necessary for adaptive, goal-directed behaviour. To further investigate potential neural mechanisms underlying the exploration-exploitation trade-off we next surveyed studies involving neurodevelopmental, neuropsychological, and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as lifespan development, and neurodegenerative diseases. We observed striking differences in patterns of explore-exploit decision-making across these populations, again suggesting that these two decision-making modes are supported by independent neural circuits. Taken together, our review highlights the need for precision-mapping of the neural circuitry and behavioural correlates associated with exploration and exploitation in humans. Characterizing exploration versus exploitation decision-making biases may offer a novel, trans-diagnostic approach to assessment, surveillance, and intervention for cognitive decline and dysfunction in normal development and clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay E Wyatt
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick A Hewan
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeremy Hogeveen
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Montréal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
| | - Gary R Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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29
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Papp KV, Maruff P, Rentz DM, Donohue MC, Liu A, Aisen PS, Sperling RA. Change in Digital Cognitive Test Performance between Solanezumab and Placebo Groups in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease: Secondary Analyses from the A4 Study. J Prev Alzheimers Dis 2024; 11:846-856. [PMID: 39044493 PMCID: PMC11266374 DOI: 10.14283/jpad.2024.137] [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: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary results from the Anti-Amyloid in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's disease Study (A4) suggested no benefit of solanezumab on its primary cognitive outcome, a composite of paper and pencil tests (the Preclinical Alzheimer's Cognitive Composite; PACC). OBJECTIVE To determine whether change in cognitive performance, assessed using the Computerized Cognitive Composite (C3) summary score and C3 individual tests, differed between treatment groups over 240 weeks, differed based on baseline Aβ burden, and tracked with PACC decline. DESIGN Longitudinal analysis of cognitive change over 240 weeks on the C3 Summary Score and C3 individual tests between participants randomly assigned to solanezumab at a dose of up to 1600 mg intravenously every 4 weeks versus placebo. SETTING The A4 study took place at 67 sites in Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States. PARTICIPANTS Cognitively unimpaired older adults (n=1117, Mean Age=71.9, 60.7% female) with elevated brain amyloid levels on 18F-florbetapir positron-emission tomography (PET) at baseline (n=549 in the solanezumab group; n=568 in the placebo group). MEASUREMENTS Participants completed the C3 battery and PACC every 6 months. The C3 Summary Score combines the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB)-One Card Learning, the Behavioral Pattern Separation (BPS) Test- Object- Lure Discrimination Index, and the Face Name Associative Memory Exam (FNAME)- Face-Name Matching. RESULTS Change on the C3 Summary Score was moderately correlated with change on the PACC (Spearman's corr=0.53, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.57; p<0.001). At 240 weeks, mean change in the C3 Summary Score did not differ between groups; +0.24 in the solanezumab group and +0.27 in the placebo group (mean difference= -0.02; 95% CI: -0.13 to 0.08; p = 0.650). Lack of a treatment effect was similarly observed across most individual C3 tests. Performance on the C3 tests were influenced by level of amyloid burden, where higher levels were associated with worse performance. CONCLUSION This study provides corroborating evidence that solanezumab does not slow cognitive decline in preclinical AD as exhibited with a computerized cognitive assessment with some evidence that solanezumab may exacerbate cognition on select digital outcomes. This study also provides important information that amyloid related cognitive change manifests differently on individual C3 tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- K V Papp
- Kathryn V. Papp, 60 Fenwood Road; Boston, MA 02115, Telephone: 617-643-5322; Fax: 857-5461, Email Address:
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Siefert EM, He M, Festa EK, Heindel WC. Pupil size tracks cue-trace interactions during episodic memory retrieval. Psychophysiology 2024; 61:e14409. [PMID: 37571917 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14409] [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: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to remember past events requires not only storing enduring engrams or memory traces of these events, but also successfully reactivating these latent traces in response to appropriate cues at the time of retrieval-a process that has been termed ecphory. However, relatively little is known about the processes that facilitate the dynamic interactions between retrieval cues and stored memory traces that are critical for successful recognition and recollection. Recently, an intriguing link between pupil dilation and recognition memory has been identified, with studied items eliciting greater pupil dilation than unstudied items during retrieval. However, the processes contributing to this "pupillary old/new effect" remain unresolved, with current explanations suggesting that it reflects the strength of the underlying memory trace. Here, we explore the novel hypothesis that the pupillary old/new effect does not index memory strength alone, but rather reflects the facilitation of cue-trace interactions during episodic memory retrieval that may be supported by activity within the pupil-linked locus coeruleus-noradrenergic (LC-NA) arousal system. First, we show that the magnitude of pupil dilation is influenced by the degree of overlap between cue and trace information. Second, we find that the magnitude of pupil dilation reflects the amount of study contextual information reinstated during retrieval. These findings provide a novel framework for understanding the pupillary old/new effect, and identify a potential role for the LC-NA system in recognition memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Siefert
- Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Neurosurgery, Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mingjian He
- Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elena K Festa
- Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - William C Heindel
- Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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31
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Beckers E, Riphagen JM, Van Egroo M, Bennett DA, Jacobs HIL. Sparse Asymmetry in Locus Coeruleus Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:105-111. [PMID: 38607758 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231328] [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] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Tau accumulation in and neurodegeneration of locus coeruleus (LC) neurons is observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We investigated whether tangle and neuronal density in the rostral and caudal LC is characterized by an asymmetric pattern in 77 autopsy cases of the Rush Memory and Aging Project. We found left-right equivalence for tangle density across individuals with and without AD pathology. However, neuronal density, particularly in the caudal-rostral axis of the LC, is asymmetric among individuals with AD pathology. Asymmetry in LC neuronal density may signal advanced disease progression and should be considered in AD neuroimaging studies of LC neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Beckers
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Joost M Riphagen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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32
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Li L, Rana AN, Li EM, Feng J, Li Y, Bruchas MR. Activity-dependent constraints on catecholamine signaling. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113566. [PMID: 38100349 PMCID: PMC11090260 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113566] [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: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Catecholamine signaling is thought to modulate cognition in an inverted-U relationship, but the mechanisms are unclear. We measured norepinephrine and dopamine release, postsynaptic calcium responses, and interactions between tonic and phasic firing modes under various stimuli and conditions. High tonic activity in vivo depleted catecholamine stores, desensitized postsynaptic responses, and decreased phasic transmission. Together, these findings provide a more complete understanding of the inverted-U relationship, offering insights into psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases with impaired catecholamine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA.
| | - Akshay N Rana
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Esther M Li
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Jiesi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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33
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Kim AJ. Noradrenaline: Can we now directly measure in humans? Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1294-R1296. [PMID: 38113841 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Measuring noradrenergic activity in the human brain has been limited to indirect assessments through pupillometry and scalp-recorded event-related potentials. A novel study has demonstrated the capability to directly measure sub-second noradrenaline dynamics using surgically implanted electrodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Jeesu Kim
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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34
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Purcell J, Wiley R, Won J, Callow D, Weiss L, Alfini A, Wei Y, Carson Smith J. Increased neural differentiation after a single session of aerobic exercise in older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 132:67-84. [PMID: 37742442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.08.008] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Aging is associated with decreased cognitive function. One theory posits that this decline is in part due to multiple neural systems becoming dedifferentiated in older adults. Exercise is known to improve cognition in older adults, even after only a single session. We hypothesized that one mechanism of improvement is a redifferentiation of neural systems. We used a within-participant, cross-over design involving 2 sessions: either 30 minutes of aerobic exercise or 30 minutes of seated rest (n = 32; ages 55-81 years). Both functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Stroop performance were acquired soon after exercise and rest. We quantified neural differentiation via general heterogeneity regression. There were 3 prominent findings following the exercise. First, participants were better at reducing Stroop interference. Second, while there was greater neural differentiation within the hippocampal formation and cerebellum, there was lower neural differentiation within frontal cortices. Third, this greater neural differentiation in the cerebellum and temporal lobe was more pronounced in the older ages. These data suggest that exercise can induce greater neural differentiation in healthy aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Purcell
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Robert Wiley
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Junyeon Won
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Callow
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Lauren Weiss
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Alfonso Alfini
- National Center on Sleep Disorders Research, Division of Lung Diseases, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yi Wei
- Maryland Neuroimaging Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J Carson Smith
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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35
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Shing YL, Brod G, Greve A. Prediction error and memory across the lifespan. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105462. [PMID: 37951515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105462] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The influence of Prediction Errors (PEs) on episodic memory has generated growing empirical and theoretical interest. This review explores how the relationship between PE and memory may evolve throughout lifespan. Drawing upon the predictive processing framework and the Predictive, Interactive Multiple Memory System (PIMMS) model in particular, the paper highlights the hierarchical organization of memory systems and the interaction between top-down predictions and bottom-up sensory input, proposing that PEs promote synaptic change and improve encoding and consolidation processes. We discuss the neuroscientific mechanisms underlying PE-driven memory enhancement, focusing on the involvement of the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex-hippocampus pathway, and the noradrenergic sympathetic system. Recognizing the divergent trajectories of episodic and semantic memory across the lifespan is crucial when examining the effects of PEs on memory. This review underscores the heterogeneity of memory processes and neurocognitive mechanisms underlying PE-driven memory enhancement across age. Future research is suggested to directly compare neural networks involved in learning from PEs across different age groups and to contribute to a deeper understanding of PE-driven learning across age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yee Lee Shing
- Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany; IDeA-Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Garvin Brod
- Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany; IDeA-Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF, Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Germany
| | - Andrea Greve
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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36
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Torok J, Maia PD, Anand C, Raj A. Cellular underpinnings of the selective vulnerability to tauopathic insults in Alzheimer's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.06.548027. [PMID: 38076913 PMCID: PMC10705232 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.06.548027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit pathological changes in the brain that proceed in a stereotyped and regionally specific fashion, but the cellular and molecular underpinnings of regional vulnerability are currently poorly understood. Recent work has identified certain subpopulations of neurons in a few focal regions of interest, such as the entorhinal cortex, that are selectively vulnerable to tau pathology in AD. However, the cellular underpinnings of regional susceptibility to tau pathology are currently unknown, primarily because whole-brain maps of a comprehensive collection of cell types have been inaccessible. Here, we deployed a recent cell-type mapping pipeline, Matrix Inversion and Subset Selection (MISS), to determine the brain-wide distributions of pan-hippocampal and neocortical neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the mouse using recently available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data. We then performed a robust set of analyses to identify general principles of cell-type-based selective vulnerability using these cell-type distributions, utilizing 5 transgenic mouse studies that quantified regional tau in 12 distinct PS19 mouse models. Using our approach, which constitutes the broadest exploration of whole-brain selective vulnerability to date, we were able to discover cell types and cell-type classes that conferred vulnerability and resilience to tau pathology. Hippocampal glutamatergic neurons as a whole were strongly positively associated with regional tau deposition, suggesting vulnerability, while cortical glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons were negatively associated. Among glia, we identified oligodendrocytes as the single-most strongly negatively associated cell type, whereas microglia were consistently positively correlated. Strikingly, we found that there was no association between the gene expression relationships between cell types and their vulnerability or resilience to tau pathology. When we looked at the explanatory power of cell types versus GWAS-identified AD risk genes, cell type distributions were consistently more predictive of end-timepoint tau pathology than regional gene expression. To understand the functional enrichment patterns of the genes that were markers of the identified vulnerable or resilient cell types, we performed gene ontology analysis. We found that the genes that are directly correlated to tau pathology are functionally distinct from those that constitutively embody the vulnerable cells. In short, we have demonstrated that regional cell-type composition is a compelling explanation for the selective vulnerability observed in tauopathic diseases at a whole-brain level and is distinct from that conferred by risk genes. These findings may have implications in identifying cell-type-based therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Torok
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology, San Francisco, CA, 94143, United States
| | - Pedro D. Maia
- University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Mathematics, Arlington, TX, 76019, United States
| | - Chaitali Anand
- University of California, San Francisco, Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Francisco, CA, 94143, United States
| | - Ashish Raj
- University of California, San Francisco, Department of Radiology, San Francisco, CA, 94143, United States
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37
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Eppinger B, Ruel A, Bolenz F. Diminished State Space Theory of Human Aging. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023:17456916231204811. [PMID: 37931229 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231204811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Many new technologies, such as smartphones, computers, or public-access systems (like ticket-vending machines), are a challenge for older adults. One feature that these technologies have in common is that they involve underlying, partially observable, structures (state spaces) that determine the actions that are necessary to reach a certain goal (e.g., to move from one menu to another, to change a function, or to activate a new service). In this work we provide a theoretical, neurocomputational account to explain these behavioral difficulties in older adults. Based on recent findings from age-comparative computational- and cognitive-neuroscience studies, we propose that age-related impairments in complex goal-directed behavior result from an underlying deficit in the representation of state spaces of cognitive tasks. Furthermore, we suggest that these age-related deficits in adaptive decision-making are due to impoverished neural representations in the orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Eppinger
- Institute of Psychology, University of Greifswald
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University
- Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden
| | - Alexa Ruel
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University
- PERFORM Centre, Concordia University
- Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg
| | - Florian Bolenz
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence/Cluster of Excellence, Technical University of Berlin
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38
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Dietz AG, Weikop P, Hauglund N, Andersen M, Petersen NC, Rose L, Hirase H, Nedergaard M. Local extracellular K + in cortex regulates norepinephrine levels, network state, and behavioral output. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305071120. [PMID: 37774097 PMCID: PMC10556678 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305071120] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]e) is known to increase as a function of arousal. [K+]e is also a potent modulator of transmitter release. Yet, it is not known whether [K+]e is involved in the neuromodulator release associated with behavioral transitions. We here show that manipulating [K+]e controls the local release of monoaminergic neuromodulators, including norepinephrine (NE), serotonin, and dopamine. Imposing a [K+]e increase is adequate to boost local NE levels, and conversely, lowering [K+]e can attenuate local NE. Electroencephalography analysis and behavioral assays revealed that manipulation of cortical [K+]e was sufficient to alter the sleep-wake cycle and behavior of mice. These observations point to the concept that NE levels in the cortex are not solely determined by subcortical release, but that local [K+]e dynamics have a strong impact on cortical NE. Thus, cortical [K+]e is an underappreciated regulator of behavioral transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Grostøl Dietz
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Pia Weikop
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Natalie Hauglund
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Mie Andersen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Caesar Petersen
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Laura Rose
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Hajime Hirase
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY14642
| | - Maiken Nedergaard
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of CopenhagenDK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY14642
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39
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Oue H, Hatakeyama R, Ishida E, Yokoi M, Tsuga K. Experimental tooth loss affects spatial learning function and blood-brain barrier of mice. Oral Dis 2023; 29:2907-2916. [PMID: 36114741 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate how experimental tooth loss affected learning, memory function, and brain pathophysiology in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS The mice (C57BL/6 J, 2-month-old, male) were divided into tooth loss and control groups. The behavioral test battery was performed at 6 and 12 months after tooth extraction. The protein levels of the tight junctions in the brains of the mice were analyzed. Hippocampal astrocyte was measured using immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS The results of behavioral tests and biochemical analysis performed during the 6 months observation period did not show significant differences between the groups. However, the escape latency in the tooth loss group was significantly longer than that in the control group at the 12 months after tooth extraction. The level of claudin-5 decreased in the tooth loss group. Additionally, hippocampal astrogliosis was found in the tooth loss group. CONCLUSIONS Experimental tooth loss reduced the level of claudin-5 and caused astrogliosis in the brains of mice, which was accompanied by deterioration of learning functions. This study may provide a new insight about the association between tooth loss and cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Oue
- Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Rie Hatakeyama
- Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Eri Ishida
- Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Miyuki Yokoi
- Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Tsuga
- Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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40
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Hussain S, Menchaca I, Shalchy MA, Yaghoubi K, Langley J, Seitz AR, Hu XP, Peters MAK. Locus coeruleus integrity predicts ease of attaining and maintaining neural states of high attentiveness. Brain Res Bull 2023; 202:110733. [PMID: 37586427 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110733] [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: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), a small subcortical structure in the brainstem, is the brain's principal source of norepinephrine. It plays a primary role in regulating stress, the sleep-wake cycle, and attention, and its degradation is associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases associated with cognitive deficits (e.g., Parkinson's, Alzheimer's). Yet precisely how norepinephrine drives brain networks to support healthy cognitive function remains poorly understood - partly because LC's small size makes it difficult to study noninvasively in humans. Here, we characterized LC's influence on brain dynamics using a hidden Markov model fitted to functional neuroimaging data from healthy young adults across four attention-related brain networks and LC. We modulated LC activity using a behavioral paradigm and measured individual differences in LC magnetization transfer contrast. The model revealed five hidden states, including a stable state dominated by salience-network activity that occurred when subjects actively engaged with the task. LC magnetization transfer contrast correlated with this state's stability across experimental manipulations and with subjects' propensity to enter into and remain in this state. These results provide new insight into LC's role in driving spatiotemporal neural patterns associated with attention, and demonstrate that variation in LC integrity can explain individual differences in these patterns even in healthy young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Hussain
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Isaac Menchaca
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | | | - Kimia Yaghoubi
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jason Langley
- Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Aaron R Seitz
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoping P Hu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA; Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
| | - Megan A K Peters
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA; Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Program in Brain, Mind, & Consciousness, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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41
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Dahl MJ, Kulesza A, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. Declining locus coeruleus-dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of long-term memory in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105358. [PMID: 37597700 PMCID: PMC10591841 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Memory is essential in defining our identity by guiding behavior based on past experiences. However, aging leads to declining memory, disrupting older adult's lives. Memories are encoded through experience-dependent modifications of synaptic strength, which are regulated by the catecholamines dopamine and noradrenaline. While cognitive aging research demonstrates how dopaminergic neuromodulation from the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area regulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory, recent findings indicate that the noradrenergic locus coeruleus sends denser inputs to the hippocampus. The locus coeruleus produces dopamine as biosynthetic precursor of noradrenaline, and releases both to modulate hippocampal plasticity and memory. Crucially, the locus coeruleus is also the first site to accumulate Alzheimer's-related abnormal tau and severely degenerates with disease development. New in-vivo assessments of locus coeruleus integrity reveal associations with Alzheimer's markers and late-life memory impairments, which likely stem from impaired dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission. Bridging research across species, the reviewed findings suggest that degeneration of the locus coeruleus results in deficient dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of hippocampal plasticity and thus memory decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Agnieszka Kulesza
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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42
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Cicero NG, Riley E, Swallow KM, De Rosa E, Anderson A. Attention-dependent coupling with forebrain and brainstem neuromodulatory nuclei changes across the lifespan. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560190. [PMID: 37808626 PMCID: PMC10557698 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Attentional states continuously reflect the predictability and uncertainty in one's environment having important consequences for learning and memory. Beyond well known cortical contributions, rapid shifts in attention are hypothesized to also originate from deep nuclei, such as the basal forebrain (BF) and locus coeruleus (LC) neuromodulatory systems. These systems are also the first to change with aging. Here we characterized the interplay between these systems and their regulation of afferent targets - the hippocampus (HPC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) - across the lifespan. To examine the role of attentional salience on task-dependent functional connectivity, we used a target-distractor go/no go task presented during functional MRI. In younger adults, BF coupling with the HPC, and LC coupling with the PCC, increased with behavioral relevance (targets vs distractors). Although the strength and presence of significant regional coupling changed in middle age, the most striking change in network connectivity was in old age, such that in older adults BF and LC coupling with their cortical afferents was largely absent and replaced by stronger interconnectivity between LC-BF nuclei. Overall rapid changes in attention related to behavioral relevance revealed distinct roles of subcortical neuromodulatory systems. The pronounced changes in functional network architecture across the lifespan suggest a decrease in these distinct roles, with deafferentation of cholinergic and noradrenergic systems associated with a shift towards mutual support during attention guided to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Riley
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Khena M Swallow
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Eve De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Adam Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
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43
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Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness (Vo2Max) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic system. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2556690. [PMID: 36798156 PMCID: PMC9934752 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2556690/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greater Vo2max - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). In the current study, we hypothesised that greater Vo2 max would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. As hypothesised, greater Vo2max related to greater LC signal intensity across 41 healthy adults (age range 60-72). As a control procedure, in which these analyses were repeated for the other neuromodulators' seeds (for Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine), weaker associations emerged. This newly established link between Vo2max and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the noradrenergic system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provide grounds for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration via Vo2max enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele RG Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S. Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sandra B. Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
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Krohn F, Lancini E, Ludwig M, Leiman M, Guruprasath G, Haag L, Panczyszyn J, Düzel E, Hämmerer D, Betts M. Noradrenergic neuromodulation in ageing and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105311. [PMID: 37437752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105311] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small brainstem structure located in the lower pons and is the main source of noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. Via its phasic and tonic firing, it modulates cognition and autonomic functions and is involved in the brain's immune response. The extent of degeneration to the LC in healthy ageing remains unclear, however, noradrenergic dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite their differences in progression at later disease stages, the early involvement of the LC may lead to comparable behavioural symptoms such as preclinical sleep problems and neuropsychiatric symptoms as a result of AD and PD pathology. In this review, we draw attention to the mechanisms that underlie LC degeneration in ageing, AD and PD. We aim to motivate future research to investigate how early degeneration of the noradrenergic system may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD and PD which may also be relevant to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Krohn
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Lancini
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - M Ludwig
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - M Leiman
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - G Guruprasath
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - L Haag
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - J Panczyszyn
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - D Hämmerer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - M Betts
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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45
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Dahl MJ, Bachman SL, Dutt S, Düzel S, Bodammer NC, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. The integrity of dopaminergic and noradrenergic brain regions is associated with different aspects of late-life memory performance. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1128-1143. [PMID: 37653256 PMCID: PMC10501910 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00469-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopaminergic neuromodulation play a key role in adult memory decline. Recent research has also implicated noradrenaline in shaping late-life memory. However, it is unclear whether these two neuromodulators have distinct roles in age-related cognitive changes. Here, combining longitudinal MRI of the dopaminergic substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA) and noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) in younger (n = 69) and older (n = 251) adults, we found that dopaminergic and noradrenergic integrity are differentially associated with memory performance. While LC integrity was related to better episodic memory across several tasks, SN-VTA integrity was linked to working memory. Longitudinally, we found that older age was associated with more negative change in SN-VTA and LC integrity. Notably, changes in LC integrity reliably predicted future episodic memory. These differential associations of dopaminergic and noradrenergic nuclei with late-life cognitive decline have potential clinical utility, given their degeneration in several age-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Shelby L Bachman
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shubir Dutt
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils C Bodammer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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46
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Koohsari S, Sadabad FE, Pittman B, Gallezot JD, Carson RE, van Dyck CH, Li CSR, Potenza MN, Matuskey D. Relationships of in vivo brain norepinephrine transporter and age, BMI, and gender. Synapse 2023; 77:e22279. [PMID: 37382240 PMCID: PMC10416616 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22279] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Previous research reported an age-related decline in brain norepinephrine transporter (NET) using (S, S)-[11C]O-methylreboxetine ([11C]MRB) as a radiotracer. Studies with the same tracer have been mixed in regard to differences related to body mass index (BMI). Here, we investigated potential age-, BMI-, and gender-related differences in brain NET availability using [11C]MRB, the most selective available radiotracer. Forty-three healthy participants (20 females, 23 males; age range 18-49 years), including 12 individuals with normal/lean weight, 15 with overweight, and 16 with obesity were scanned with [11C]MRB using a positron emission tomography (PET) high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT). We evaluated binding potential (BPND ) in brain regions with high NET availability using multilinear reference tissue model 2 (MRTM2) with the occipital cortex as a reference region. Brain regions were delineated with a defined anatomic template applied to subjects' structural MR scans. We found a negative association between age and NET availability in the locus coeruleus, raphe nucleus, and hypothalamus, with a 17%, 19%, and 14% decrease per decade, respectively, in each region. No gender or BMI relationships with NET availability were observed. Our findings suggest an age-related decline, but no BMI- or gender-related differences, in NET availability in healthy adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheida Koohsari
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Brian Pittman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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47
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Iannitelli AF, Weinshenker D. Riddles in the dark: Decoding the relationship between neuromelanin and neurodegeneration in locus coeruleus neurons. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105287. [PMID: 37327835 PMCID: PMC10523397 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is among the first regions of the brain affected by pathology in both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), but the reasons for this selective vulnerability are not completely understood. Several features of LC neurons have been proposed as contributing factors to this dysfunction and degeneration, and this review will focus on the presence of neuromelanin (NM). NM is a dark pigment unique to catecholaminergic cells that is formed of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) metabolites, heavy metals, protein aggregates, and oxidated lipids. We cover what is currently known about NM and the limitations of historical approaches, then discuss the new human tyrosinase (hTyr) model of NM production in rodent catecholamine cells in vivo that offers unique opportunities for studying its neurobiology, neurotoxicity, and potential of NM-based therapeutics for treating neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa F Iannitelli
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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48
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Dopaminergic and noradrenergic nuclei relate to different memory types in older adults. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1051-1052. [PMID: 37679642 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00497-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
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49
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Fortel I, Zhan L, Ajilore O, Wu Y, Mackin S, Leow A. Disrupted excitation-inhibition balance in cognitively normal individuals at risk of Alzheimer's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.21.554061. [PMID: 37662359 PMCID: PMC10473582 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.21.554061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Sex differences impact Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology, but cell-to-network level dysfunctions in the prodromal phase are unclear. Alterations in hippocampal excitation-inhibition balance (EIB) have recently been linked to early AD pathology. Objective Examine how AD risk factors (age, APOE-ɛ4, amyloid-β) relate to hippocampal EIB in cognitively normal males and females using connectome-level measures. Methods Individuals from the OASIS-3 cohort (age 42-95) were studied (N = 437), with a subset aged 65+ undergoing neuropsychological testing (N = 231). Results In absence of AD risk factors (APOE-ɛ4/Aβ+), whole-brain EIB decreases with age more significantly in males than females (p = 0.021, β = -0.007). Regression modeling including APOE-ɛ4 allele carriers (Aβ-) yielded a significant positive AGE-by-APOE interaction in the right hippocampus for females only (p = 0.013, β = 0.014), persisting with inclusion of Aβ+ individuals (p = 0.012, β = 0.014). Partial correlation analyses of neuropsychological testing showed significant associations with EIB in females: positive correlations between right hippocampal EIB with categorical fluency and whole-brain EIB with the trail-making test (p < 0.05). Conclusion Sex differences in EIB emerge during normal aging and progresses differently with AD risk. Results suggest APOE-ɛ4 disrupts hippocampal balance more than amyloid in females. Increased excitation correlates positively with neuropsychological performance in the female group, suggesting a duality in terms of potential beneficial effects prior to cognitive impairment. This underscores the translational relevance of APOE-ɛ4 related hyperexcitation in females, potentially informing therapeutic targets or early interventions to mitigate AD progression in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Fortel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Liang Zhan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Olusola Ajilore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Yichao Wu
- Department of Math, Statistics and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Scott Mackin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Alex Leow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
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Matt RA, Westhorpe FG, Romuar RF, Rana P, Gever JR, Ford AP. Fingerprinting heterocellular β-adrenoceptor functional expression in the brain using agonist activity profiles. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1214102. [PMID: 37664183 PMCID: PMC10471193 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1214102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Noradrenergic projections from the brainstem locus coeruleus drive arousal, attentiveness, mood, and memory, but specific adrenoceptor (AR) function across the varied brain cell types has not been extensively characterized, especially with agonists. This study reports a pharmacological analysis of brain AR function, offering insights for innovative therapeutic interventions that might serve to compensate for locus coeruleus decline, known to develop in the earliest phases of neurodegenerative diseases. First, β-AR agonist activities were measured in recombinant cell systems and compared with those of isoprenaline to generate Δlog(Emax/EC50) values, system-independent metrics of agonist activity, that, in turn, provide receptor subtype fingerprints. These fingerprints were then used to assess receptor subtype expression across human brain cell systems and compared with Δlog(Emax/EC50) values arising from β-arrestin activation or measurements of cAMP response desensitization to assess the possibility of ligand bias among β-AR agonists. Agonist activity profiles were confirmed to be system-independent and, in particular, revealed β2-AR functional expression across several human brain cell types. Broad β2-AR function observed is consistent with noradrenergic tone arising from the locus coeruleus exerting heterocellular neuroexcitatory and homeostatic influence. Notably, Δlog(Emax/EC50) measurements suggest that tested β-AR agonists do not show ligand bias as it pertains to homologous receptor desensitization in the system examined. Δlog(Emax/EC50) agonist fingerprinting is a powerful means of assessing receptor subtype expression regardless of receptor expression levels or assay readout, and the method may be applicable to future use for novel ligands and tissues expressing any receptor with available reference agonists.
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