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Faulkner ME, Gong Z, Guo A, Laporte JP, Bae J, Bouhrara M. Harnessing myelin water fraction as an imaging biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination: A review. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38973579 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16170] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging has emerged as a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker for investigating brain function and composition. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on MWF as a biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination. The databases used include Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed. We begin with a brief discussion of the theoretical foundations of MWF imaging, including its basis in MR physics and the mathematical modeling underlying its calculation, with an overview of the most adopted MRI methods of MWF imaging. Next, we delve into the clinical and research applications that have been explored to date, highlighting its advantages and limitations. Finally, we explore the potential of MWF to serve as a predictive biomarker for neurological disorders and identify future research directions for optimizing MWF imaging protocols and interpreting MWF in various contexts. By harnessing the power of MWF imaging, we may gain new insights into brain health and disease across the human lifespan, ultimately informing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Faulkner
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhaoyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alex Guo
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John P Laporte
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonghyun Bae
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Kohli JS, Linke AC, Martindale IA, Wilkinson M, Kinnear MK, Lincoln AJ, Hau J, Shryock I, Omaleki V, Alemu K, Pedrahita S, Fishman I, Müller R, Carper RA. Associations between atypical intracortical myelin content and neuropsychological functions in middle to older aged adults with ASD. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3594. [PMID: 38849980 PMCID: PMC11161394 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3594] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In vivo myeloarchitectonic mapping based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) provides a unique view of gray matter myelin content and offers information complementary to other morphological indices commonly employed in studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study sought to determine if intracortical myelin content (MC) and its age-related trajectories differ between middle aged to older adults with ASD and age-matched typical comparison participants. METHODS Data from 30 individuals with ASD and 36 age-matched typical comparison participants aged 40-70 years were analyzed. Given substantial heterogeneity in both etiology and outcomes in ASD, we utilized both group-level and subject-level analysis approaches to test for signs of atypical intracortical MC as estimated by T1w/T2w ratio. RESULTS Group-level analyses showed no significant differences in average T1w/T2w ratio or its associations with age between groups, but revealed significant positive main effects of age bilaterally, with T1w/T2w ratio increasing with age across much of the cortex. In subject-level analyses, participants were classified into subgroups based on presence or absence of clusters of aberrant T1w/T2w ratio, and lower neuropsychological function was observed in the ASD subgroup with atypically high T1w/T2w ratio in spatially heterogeneous cortical regions. These differences were observed across several neuropsychological domains, including overall intellectual functioning, processing speed, and aspects of executive function. CONCLUSIONS The group-level and subject-level approaches employed here demonstrate the value of examining inter-individual variability and provide important preliminary insights into relationships between brain structure and cognition in the second half of the lifespan in ASD, suggesting shared factors contributing to atypical intracortical myelin content and poorer cognitive outcomes for a subset of middle aged to older autistic adults. These atypicalities likely reflect diverse histories of neurodevelopmental deficits, and possible compensatory changes, compounded by processes of aging, and may serve as useful markers of vulnerability to further cognitive decline in older adults with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwandeep S. Kohli
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
- San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical PsychologySan Diego State University/University of CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Annika C. Linke
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ian A. Martindale
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Molly Wilkinson
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
- San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical PsychologySan Diego State University/University of CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mikaela K. Kinnear
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Alan J. Lincoln
- California School of Professional PsychologyAlliant International UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Janice Hau
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ian Shryock
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Vinton Omaleki
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Kalekirstos Alemu
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Stephanie Pedrahita
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Inna Fishman
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ralph‐Axel Müller
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ruth A. Carper
- Brain Development Imaging Laboratories, Department of PsychologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
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Surgent O, Guerrero-Gonzalez J, Dean DC, Adluru N, Kirk GR, Kecskemeti SR, Alexander AL, Li JJ, Travers BG. Microstructural neural correlates of maximal grip strength in autistic children: the role of the cortico-cerebellar network and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder features. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 18:1359099. [PMID: 38808069 PMCID: PMC11130426 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1359099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Maximal grip strength, a measure of how much force a person's hand can generate when squeezing an object, may be an effective method for understanding potential neurobiological differences during motor tasks. Grip strength in autistic individuals may be of particular interest due to its unique developmental trajectory. While autism-specific differences in grip-brain relationships have been found in adult populations, it is possible that such differences in grip-brain relationships may be present at earlier ages when grip strength is behaviorally similar in autistic and non-autistic groups. Further, such neural differences may lead to the later emergence of diagnostic-group grip differences in adolescence. The present study sought to examine this possibility, while also examining if grip strength could elucidate the neuro-motor sources of phenotypic heterogeneity commonly observed within autism. Methods Using high resolution, multi-shell diffusion, and quantitative R1 relaxometry imaging, this study examined how variations in key sensorimotor-related white matter pathways of the proprioception input, lateral grasping, cortico-cerebellar, and corticospinal networks were associated with individual variations in grip strength in 68 autistic children and 70 non-autistic (neurotypical) children (6-11 years-old). Results In both groups, results indicated that stronger grip strength was associated with higher proprioceptive input, lateral grasping, and corticospinal (but not cortico-cerebellar modification) fractional anisotropy and R1, indirect measures concordant with stronger microstructural coherence and increased myelination. Diagnostic group differences in these grip-brain relationships were not observed, but the autistic group exhibited more variability particularly in the cortico-cerebellar modification indices. An examination into the variability within the autistic group revealed that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) features moderated the relationships between grip strength and both fractional anisotropy and R1 relaxometry in the premotor-primary motor tract of the lateral grasping network and the cortico-cerebellar network tracts. Specifically, in autistic children with elevated ADHD features (60% of the autistic group) stronger grip strength was related to higher fractional anisotropy and R1 of the cerebellar modification network (stronger microstructural coherence and more myelin), whereas the opposite relationship was observed in autistic children with reduced ADHD features. Discussion Together, this work suggests that while the foundational elements of grip strength are similar across school-aged autistic and non-autistic children, neural mechanisms of grip strength within autistic children may additionally depend on the presence of ADHD features. Specifically, stronger, more coherent connections of the cerebellar modification network, which is thought to play a role in refining and optimizing motor commands, may lead to stronger grip in children with more ADHD features, weaker grip in children with fewer ADHD features, and no difference in grip in non-autistic children. While future research is needed to understand if these findings extend to other motor tasks beyond grip strength, these results have implications for understanding the biological basis of neuromotor control in autistic children and emphasize the importance of assessing co-occurring conditions when evaluating brain-behavior relationships in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Surgent
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jose Guerrero-Gonzalez
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Douglas C. Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Nagesh Adluru
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Gregory R. Kirk
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | | | - Andrew L. Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - James J. Li
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Psychology Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Brittany G. Travers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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Du L, Ye F, Gao W, Yang A, Luan J, Xu M, Lv K, Hu P, Liu B, Yu H, Wang Y, Huang W, Shu N, Ouyang G, Yin Q, Shmuel A, Wang Y, Zhang Q, Xu P, Ma G. Decreased brain iron deposition based on quantitative susceptibility mapping correlates with reduced neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:63-71. [PMID: 38696609 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024] Open
Abstract
To investigate potential correlations between the susceptibility values of certain brain regions and the severity of disease or neurodevelopmental status in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 18 ASD children and 15 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The neurodevelopmental status was assessed by the Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) and the severity of the disease was evaluated by the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Eleven brain regions were selected as regions of interest and the susceptibility values were measured by quantitative susceptibility mapping. To evaluate the diagnostic capacity of susceptibility values in distinguishing ASD and HC, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Pearson and Spearman partial correlation analysis were used to depict the correlations between the susceptibility values, the ABC scores, and the GDS scores in the ASD group. ROC curves showed that the susceptibility values of the left and right frontal white matter had a larger area under the curve in the ASD group. The susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus was positively correlated with the GDS-fine motor scale score. These findings indicated that the susceptibility value of the right globus pallidus might be a viable imaging biomarker for evaluating the neurodevelopmental status of ASD children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Du
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Radiology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Fang Ye
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wenwen Gao
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Radiology, the Sixth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 6 Fucheng Road, Haidian, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Aocai Yang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jixin Luan
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Manxi Xu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Kuan Lv
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Pianpian Hu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Bing Liu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hongwei Yu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yuli Wang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Weijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ni Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Gaoxiang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qian Yin
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Road, Haidian, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Amir Shmuel
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 45 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Physiology, and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 45 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Yunfeng Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Pengfei Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Guolin Ma
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, No. 2 East Yinghua Road, Chaoyang, Beijing 100029, China
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Wang C, Shen Y, Cheng M, Zhu Z, Lv Y, Zhang X, Feng Z, Yang Z, Zhao X. Cortical gray-white matter contrast abnormalities in male children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1303230. [PMID: 38188507 PMCID: PMC10768013 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1303230] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Presently, research concerning alterations in brain structure among individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) predominantly focuses on entire brain volume and cortical thickness. In this study, we extend our examination to the cortical microstructure of male children with ADHD. To achieve this, we employ the gray-white matter tissue contrast (GWC) metric, allowing for an assessment of modifications in gray matter density and white matter microstructure. Furthermore, we explore the potential connection between GWC and the severity of disorder in male children by ADHD. Methods We acquired 3DT1 sequences from the public ADHD-200 database. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis between 43 male children diagnosed with ADHD and 50 age-matched male controls exhibiting typical development trajectories. Our investigation entailed assessing differences in GWC and cortical thickness. Additionally, we explored the potential correlation between GWC and the severity of ADHD. To delineate the cerebral landscape, each hemisphere was subdivided into 34 cortical regions using freesurfer 7.2.0. For quantification, GWC was computed by evaluating the intensity contrast of non-normalized T1 images above and below the gray-white matter interface. Results Our findings unveiled elevated GWC within the bilateral lingual, bilateral insular, left transverse temporal, right parahippocampal and right pericalcarine regions in male children with ADHD when contrasted with their healthy counterparts. Moreover, the cortical thickness in the ADHD group no notable distinctions that of control group in all areas. Intriguingly, the GWC of left transverse temporal demonstrated a negative correlation with the extent of inattention experienced by male children with ADHD. Conclusion Utilizing GWC as a metric facilitates a more comprehensive assessment of microstructural brain changes in children with ADHD. The fluctuations in GWC observed in specific brain regions might serve as a neural biomarker, illuminating structural modifications in male children grappling with ADHD. This perspective enriches our comprehension of white matter microstructure and cortical density in these children. Notably, the inverse correlation between the GWC of the left transverse temporal and inattention severity underscores the potential role of structural and functional anomalies within this region in ADHD progression. Enhancing our insight into ADHD-related brain changes holds significant promise in deciphering potential neuropathological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changhao Wang
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanyong Shen
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Meiying Cheng
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zitao Zhu
- Medicine Division, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuan Lv
- Medical Research Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Joint International Laboratory of Glioma Metabolism and Microenvironment Research, Henan Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Xiaoxue Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhanqi Feng
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhexuan Yang
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Zhengzhou, China
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Kim HG, Han D, Kim J, Choi JS, Cho KO. 3D MR fingerprinting-derived myelin water fraction characterizing brain development and leukodystrophy. J Transl Med 2023; 21:914. [PMID: 38102606 PMCID: PMC10725020 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04788-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) enables fast myelin quantification via the myelin water fraction (MWF), offering a noninvasive method to assess brain development and disease. However, MRF-derived MWF lacks histological evaluation and remains unexamined in relation to leukodystrophy. This study aimed to access MRF-derived MWF through histology in mice and establish links between myelin, development, and leukodystrophy in mice and children, demonstrating its potential applicability in animal and human studies. METHODS 3D MRF was performed on normal C57BL/6 mice with different ages, megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cyst 1 wild type (MLC1 WT, control) mice, and MLC 1 knock-out (MLC1 KO, leukodystrophy) mice using a 3 T MRI. MWF values were analyzed from 3D MRF data, and histological myelin quantification was carried out using immunohistochemistry to anti-proteolipid protein (PLP) in the corpus callosum and cortex. The associations between 'MWF and PLP' and 'MWF and age' were evaluated in C57BL/6 mice. MWF values were compared between MLC1 WT and MLC1 KO mice. MWF of normal developing children were retrospectively collected and the association between MWF and age was assessed. RESULTS In 35 C57BL/6 mice (age range; 3 weeks-48 weeks), MWF showed positive relations with PLP immunoreactivity in the corpus callosum (β = 0.0006, P = 0.04) and cortex (β = 0.0005, P = 0.006). In 12-week-old C57BL/6 mice MWF showed positive relations with PLP immunoreactivity (β = 0.0009, P = 0.003, R2 = 0.54). MWF in the corpus callosum (β = 0.0022, P < 0.001) and cortex (β = 0.0010, P < 0.001) showed positive relations with age. Seven MLC1 WT and 9 MLC1 KO mice showed different MWF values in the corpus callous (P < 0.001) and cortex (P < 0.001). A total of 81 children (median age, 126 months; range, 0-199 months) were evaluated and their MWF values according to age showed the best fit for the third-order regression model (adjusted R2 range, 0.44-0.94, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION MWF demonstrated associations with histologic myelin quantity, age, and the presence of leukodystrophy, underscoring the potential of 3D MRF-derived MWF as a rapid and noninvasive quantitative indicator of brain myelin content in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Gi Kim
- Department of Radiology, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | | | - Jimin Kim
- Department of Radiology, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong-Sun Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Catholic Neuroscience Institute, Institute for Aging and Metabolic Diseases, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-Gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea
| | - Kyung-Ok Cho
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, Catholic Neuroscience Institute, Institute for Aging and Metabolic Diseases, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-Gu, Seoul, 06591, South Korea.
- CMC Institute for Basic Medical Science, The Catholic Medical Center of The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
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Li SY, Zhao X, Cheng MY, Lu L, Guo JX, Xuan DS, Sun YB, Xing QN, Meng LS, Liao JJ, Cui SH, Zhang LJ, Feng ZQ, Zhang XA. Quantitative Relaxometry Assessment of Brain Microstructural Abnormality of Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder With Synthetic Magnetic Resonance Imaging. J Comput Assist Tomogr 2023; 47:959-966. [PMID: 37948372 DOI: 10.1097/rct.0000000000001507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to perform an assessment of brain microstructure in children with autism aged 2 to 5 years using relaxation times acquired by synthetic magnetic resonance imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-four children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (ASD group) and 17 children with global developmental delay (GDD) (GDD group) were enrolled, and synthetic magnetic resonance imaging was performed to obtain T1 and T2 relaxation times. The differences in brain relaxation times between the 2 groups of children were compared, and the correlation between significantly changed T1/T2 and clinical neuropsychological scores in the ASD group was analyzed. RESULTS Compared with the GDD group, shortened T1 relaxation times in the ASD group were distributed in the genu of corpus callosum (GCC) ( P = 0.003), splenium of corpus callosum ( P = 0.002), and right thalamus (TH) ( P = 0.014), whereas shortened T2 relaxation times in the ASD group were distributed in GCC ( P = 0.011), left parietal white matter ( P = 0.035), and bilateral TH (right, P = 0.014; left, P = 0.016). In the ASD group, the T2 of the left parietal white matter is positively correlated with gross motor (developmental quotient [DQ] 2) and personal-social behavior (DQ5), respectively ( r = 0.377, P = 0.028; r = 0.392, P = 0.022); the T2 of the GCC was positively correlated with DQ5 ( r = 0.404, P = 0.018); and the T2 of the left TH is positively correlated with DQ2 and DQ5, respectively ( r = 0.433, P = 0.009; r = 0.377, P = 0.028). All significantly changed relaxation values were not significantly correlated with Childhood Autism Rating Scale scores. CONCLUSIONS The shortened relaxometry times in the brain of children with ASD may be associated with the increased myelin content and decreased water content in the brain of children with ASD in comparison with GDD, contributing the understanding of the pathophysiology of ASD. Therefore, the T1 and T2 relaxometry may be used as promising imaging markers for ASD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang-Yu Li
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Xin Zhao
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Mei-Ying Cheng
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Lin Lu
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | | | - De-Sheng Xuan
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Yong-Bing Sun
- Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qing-Na Xing
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Ling-Song Meng
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Jun-Jie Liao
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Shu-Hong Cui
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Ling-Jie Zhang
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Zhan-Qi Feng
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
| | - Xiao-An Zhang
- From the Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou
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Bohlen JF, Cleary CM, Das D, Sripathy SR, Sadowski N, Shim G, Kenney RF, Buchler IP, Banerji T, Scanlan TS, Mulkey DK, Maher BJ. Promyelinating drugs promote functional recovery in an autism spectrum disorder mouse model of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. Brain 2023; 146:3331-3346. [PMID: 37068912 PMCID: PMC10393406 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder caused by autosomal dominant mutations in the human transcription factor 4 gene (TCF4). One pathobiological process caused by murine Tcf4 mutation is a cell autonomous reduction in oligodendrocytes and myelination. In this study, we show that the promyelinating compounds, clemastine, sobetirome and Sob-AM2 are effective at restoring myelination defects in a Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mouse model. In vitro, clemastine treatment reduced excess oligodendrocyte precursor cells and normalized oligodendrocyte density. In vivo, 2-week intraperitoneal administration of clemastine also normalized oligodendrocyte precursor cell and oligodendrocyte density in the cortex of Tcf4 mutant mice and appeared to increase the number of axons undergoing myelination, as EM imaging of the corpus callosum showed a significant increase in the proportion of uncompacted myelin and an overall reduction in the g-ratio. Importantly, this treatment paradigm resulted in functional rescue by improving electrophysiology and behaviour. To confirm behavioural rescue was achieved via enhancing myelination, we show that treatment with the thyroid hormone receptor agonist sobetirome or its brain penetrating prodrug Sob-AM2, was also effective at normalizing oligodendrocyte precursor cell and oligodendrocyte densities and behaviour in the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mouse model. Together, these results provide preclinical evidence that promyelinating therapies may be beneficial in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome and potentially other neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by dysmyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Colin M Cleary
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Debamitra Das
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Srinidhi Rao Sripathy
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Gina Shim
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Rakaia F Kenney
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ingrid P Buchler
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Tapasree Banerji
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology and Program in Chemical Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Thomas S Scanlan
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology and Program in Chemical Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Daniel K Mulkey
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
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9
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Li B, Zhao H, Tu Z, Yang W, Han R, Wang L, Luo X, Pan M, Chen X, Zhang J, Xu H, Guo X, Yan S, Yin P, Zhao Z, Liu J, Luo Y, Li Y, Yang Z, Zhang B, Tan Z, Xu H, Jiang T, Jiang YH, Li S, Zhang YQ, Li XJ. CHD8 mutations increase gliogenesis to enlarge brain size in the nonhuman primate. Cell Discov 2023; 9:27. [PMID: 36878905 PMCID: PMC9988832 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00525-3] [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: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects social interaction and behavior. Mutations in the gene encoding chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 8 (CHD8) lead to autism symptoms and macrocephaly by a haploinsufficiency mechanism. However, studies of small animal models showed inconsistent findings about the mechanisms for CHD8 deficiency-mediated autism symptoms and macrocephaly. Using the nonhuman primate as a model system, we found that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated CHD8 mutations in the embryos of cynomolgus monkeys led to increased gliogenesis to cause macrocephaly in cynomolgus monkeys. Disrupting CHD8 in the fetal monkey brain prior to gliogenesis increased the number of glial cells in newborn monkeys. Moreover, knocking down CHD8 via CRISPR/Cas9 in organotypic monkey brain slices from newborn monkeys also enhanced the proliferation of glial cells. Our findings suggest that gliogenesis is critical for brain size in primates and that abnormal gliogenesis may contribute to ASD.
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Grants
- UL1 TR001863 NCATS NIH HHS
- This work was supported by Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province (2021ZT09Y007; 2020B121201006, 2018B030337001, X.J. Li), Guangzhou Key Research Program on Brain Science (202007030008, X.J. Li)the National Science Foundation of China to X.J. Li (81830032, 31872779).
- the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Fund (2019018, B. Li), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (2019M653275, B. Li)
- the National Science Foundation of China to H. Zhao (32100783)
- the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (21619104, L. Wang)
- the Strategic Priority Research Program B of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDBS1020100 to Y.Q. Zhang), the National Key Research and Development Program (2019YFA0707100 and 2021ZD0203901 to Y.Q. Zhang),the National Science Foundation of China to Y.Q. Zhang (31830036 and 31921002).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bang Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhuchi Tu
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Weili Yang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui Han
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaopeng Luo
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingtian Pan
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiusheng Chen
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Huijuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangyu Guo
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Peng Yin
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianrong Liu
- Yuanxi Biotech Inc., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yafeng Luo
- Yuanxi Biotech Inc., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuefeng Li
- Guangdong Landau Biotechnology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhengyi Yang
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baogui Zhang
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiqiang Tan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT-MRI Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University & Institute of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Hui Jiang
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yong Q Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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10
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Schneider N, Mainardi F, Budisavljevic S, Rolands M, Deoni S. Associations between Early Life Nutrient Intakes and Brain Maturation Show Developmental Dynamics from Infancy to Toddlerhood: A Neuroimaging Observation Study. J Nutr 2023; 153:897-908. [PMID: 36931756 PMCID: PMC10196598 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.017] [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: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myelin imaging has increasingly been applied to study the impact of nutrition on brain development in recent years. Although individual dynamics for nutrient intakes and myelin trajectories previously have been investigated across childhood, the longitudinal interaction between both remains unclear in typically developed children. OBJECTIVES The objective of this work was to explore the developmental dynamics of nutrient-myelin interactions from infancy to early childhood using myelin imaging as a marker for brain maturation. METHODS Brain neuroimaging (1 scan per child) and dietary nutrient intake data were analyzed for 88 nutrients from 293 children (127 female, 62% White) from a longitudinal cohort study in the United States. A sliding window approach was used to investigate correlations between nutrient intakes and brain myelination over a continuous set of age windows. Image processing techniques (Sobel-filter vertical edge detection) were applied to determine age windows with unique association profiles, providing novel insight into how these relationships change with child age. RESULTS We identified 3 nutrient-myelin windows covering the age range of 1-5 y: window 1 from 6 to 20 mo with 60% positive nutrient correlations, window 2 from 20 to 30 mo with 20% positive correlations, and window 3 from 30 to 60 mo with 37% positive correlations. The windows are aligned with reported myelin and white matter dynamics that change in the first 5 y from fast and steep (window 1) to continued but slower growth (window 3), with window 2 possibly representing the inflection period. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study in typically developing children demonstrating the developmental dynamics between early life nutrient intakes and brain maturation in toddlerhood. The knowledge can be applied for identifying targeted and brain-stage-appropriate nutritional interventions for this critical stage of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Schneider
- Brain Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Fabio Mainardi
- Applied Data Analytics Group, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sanja Budisavljevic
- Brain Health Department, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maryann Rolands
- Nutrition Science Group, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, Vers-Chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sean Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA; Department of Radiology, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Spinn Neuroscience, Seattle, WA, USA
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11
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Deng J, Wang Y, Hu M, Lin J, Li Q, Liu C, Xu X. Deleterious Variation in BR Serine/Threonine Kinase 2 Classified a Subtype of Autism. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:904935. [PMID: 35754711 PMCID: PMC9231588 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.904935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, deleterious variants in the BR serine/threonine kinase 2 (BRSK2) gene have been reported in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), suggesting that BRSK2 is a new high-confidence ASD risk gene, which presents an opportunity to understand the underlying neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. In this study, we performed clinical and neurobehavioral evaluations of a proband with a de novo non-sense variant in BRSK2 (p.R222X) with other reported BRSK2 mutant patients. To validate BRSK2 as an ASD risk gene, we generated a novel brsk2b-deficient zebrafish line through CRISPR/Cas9 and characterized its morphological and neurobehavioral features as well as performed molecular analysis of neurogenesis-related markers. The proband displayed typical ASD behaviors and language and motor delay, which were similar to other published BRSK2 mutant patients. Morphologically, brsk2b–/– larvae exhibited a higher embryonic mortality and rate of pericardium edema, severe developmental delay, and depigmentation as well as growth retardation in the early developmental stage. Behaviorally, brsk2b–/– zebrafish displayed significantly decreased activity in open field tests and enhanced anxiety levels in light/dark tests and thigmotaxis analysis. Specifically, brsk2b–/– zebrafish showed a prominent reduction of social interaction with peers and disrupted social cohesion among homogeneous groups. Molecularly, the mRNA expression levels of homer1b (a postsynaptic density scaffolding protein), and mbpa, mpz, and plp1b (molecular markers of oligodendrocytes and myelination) were increased in the brain tissues of adult brsk2b–/– zebrafish, while the expression level of isl1a, a marker of motor neurons, was decreased. Taken together, for the first time, we established a novel brsk2b-deficient zebrafish model that showed prominent ASD-like behaviors. In addition, the disturbed mRNA expression levels of neurogenesis-related markers implied that the processes of postsynaptic signaling as well as oligodendrocytes and myelination may be involved. This discovery may suggest a path for further research to identify the underlying neuropathological mechanisms between BRSK2 and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxin Deng
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meixin Hu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, NHC Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, National Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defect Prevention and Control, NHC Key Laboratory of Neonatal Diseases, Translational Medical Center for Development and Disease, National Children's Medical Center, Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunxue Liu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu Xu
- Division of Child Health Care, National Children' Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Malara M, Lutz AK, Incearap B, Bauer HF, Cursano S, Volbracht K, Lerner JJ, Pandey R, Delling JP, Ioannidis V, Arévalo AP, von Bernhardi JE, Schön M, Bockmann J, Dimou L, Boeckers TM. SHANK3 deficiency leads to myelin defects in the central and peripheral nervous system. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:371. [PMID: 35726031 PMCID: PMC9209365 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Mutations or deletions of the SHANK3 gene are causative for Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMDS), a syndromic form of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We analyzed Shank3Δ11(−/−) mice and organoids from PMDS individuals to study effects on myelin. SHANK3 was found to be expressed in oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells, and MRI analysis of Shank3Δ11(−/−) mice revealed a reduced volume of the corpus callosum as seen in PMDS patients. Myelin proteins including myelin basic protein showed significant temporal and regional differences with lower levels in the CNS but increased amounts in the PNS of Shank3Δ11(−/−) animals. Node, as well as paranode, lengths were increased and ultrastructural analysis revealed region-specific alterations of the myelin sheaths. In PMDS hiPSC-derived cerebral organoids we observed an altered number and delayed maturation of myelinating cells. These findings provide evidence that, in addition to a synaptic deregulation, impairment of myelin might profoundly contribute to the clinical manifestation of SHANK3 deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariagiovanna Malara
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine, IGradU, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Anne-Kathrin Lutz
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Berra Incearap
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine, IGradU, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Helen Friedericke Bauer
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine, IGradU, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Silvia Cursano
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katrin Volbracht
- Molecular and Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Joanna Janina Lerner
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine, IGradU, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rakshita Pandey
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jan Philipp Delling
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Valentin Ioannidis
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andrea Pérez Arévalo
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Michael Schön
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bockmann
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Leda Dimou
- Molecular and Translational Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
- DZNE, Ulm Site, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
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13
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Easson K, Gilbert G, Rohlicek CV, Saint-Martin C, Descoteaux M, Deoni SCL, Brossard-Racine M. Altered myelination in youth born with congenital heart disease. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:3545-3558. [PMID: 35411995 PMCID: PMC9248320 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain injury and dysmaturation is common in fetuses and neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) and is hypothesized to result in persistent myelination deficits. This study aimed to quantify and compare myelin content in vivo between youth born with CHD and healthy controls. Youth aged 16 to 24 years born with CHD and healthy age‐ and sex‐matched controls underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging including multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT). Average myelin water fraction (MWF) values for 33 white matter tracts, as well as a summary measure of average white matter MWF, the White Matter Myelination Index, were calculated and compared between groups. Tract‐average MWF was lower throughout the corpus callosum and in many bilateral association tracts and left hemispheric projection tracts in youth with CHD (N = 44) as compared to controls (N = 45). The White Matter Myelination Index was also lower in the CHD group. As such, this study provides specific evidence of widespread myelination deficits in youth with CHD, likely representing a long‐lasting consequence of early‐life brain dysmaturation in this population. This deficient myelination may underlie the frequent neurodevelopmental impairments experienced by CHD survivors and could eventually serve as a biomarker of neuropsychological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Easson
- Advances in Brain & Child Development (ABCD) Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Gilbert
- MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charles V Rohlicek
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christine Saint-Martin
- Department of Medical Imaging, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Maxime Descoteaux
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Laboratory (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sean C L Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Marie Brossard-Racine
- Advances in Brain & Child Development (ABCD) Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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14
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Zhang J, Guan M, Zhou X, Berry K, He X, Lu QR. Long Noncoding RNAs in CNS Myelination and Disease. Neuroscientist 2022; 29:287-301. [PMID: 35373640 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221083919] [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: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Myelination by oligodendrocytes is crucial for neuronal survival and function, and defects in myelination or failure in myelin repair can lead to axonal degeneration and various neurological diseases. At present, the factors that promote myelination and overcome the remyelination block in demyelinating diseases are poorly defined. Although the roles of protein-coding genes in oligodendrocyte differentiation have been extensively studied, the majority of the mammalian genome is transcribed into noncoding RNAs, and the functions of these molecules in myelination are poorly characterized. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate transcription at multiple levels, providing spatiotemporal control and robustness for cell type-specific gene expression and physiological functions. lncRNAs have been shown to regulate neural cell-type specification, differentiation, and maintenance of cell identity, and dysregulation of lncRNA function has been shown to contribute to neurological diseases. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the functions of lncRNAs in oligodendrocyte development and myelination as well their roles in neurological diseases and brain tumorigenesis. A more systematic characterization of lncRNA functional networks will be instrumental for a better understanding of CNS myelination, myelin disorders, and myelin repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Laboratory of Nervous System Injuries and Diseases, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children at Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China.,Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Menglong Guan
- Laboratory of Nervous System Injuries and Diseases, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children at Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Xianyao Zhou
- Laboratory of Nervous System Injuries and Diseases, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children at Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Kalen Berry
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xuelian He
- Laboratory of Nervous System Injuries and Diseases, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children at Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P.R. China
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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15
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Naffaa V, Hochar I, Lama C, Magny R, Regazzetti A, Gressens P, Laprévote O, Auzeil N, Schang AL. Bisphenol A Impairs Lipid Remodeling Accompanying Cell Differentiation in the Oligodendroglial Cell Line Oli-Neu. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27072274. [PMID: 35408676 PMCID: PMC9000593 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27072274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
In the central nervous system, the process of myelination involves oligodendrocytes that wrap myelin around axons. Myelin sheaths are mainly composed of lipids and ensure efficient conduction of action potentials. Oligodendrocyte differentiation is an essential preliminary step to myelination which, in turn, is a key event of neurodevelopment. Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous endocrine disruptor, is suspected to disrupt this developmental process and may, thus, contribute to several neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we assessed the effect of BPA on oligodendrocyte differentiation through a comprehensive analysis of cell lipidome by UHPLC-HRMS. For this purpose, we exposed the oligodendroglial cell line Oli-neu to several BPA concentrations for 72 h of proliferation and another 72 h of differentiation. In unexposed cells, significant changes occurred in lipid distribution during Oli-neu differentiation, including an increase in characteristic myelin lipids, sulfatides, and ethanolamine plasmalogens, and a marked remodeling of phospholipid subclasses and fatty acid contents. Moreover, BPA induced a decrease in sulfatide and phosphatidylinositol plasmalogen contents and modified monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fatty acid relative contents in phospholipids. These effects counteracted the lipid remodeling accompanying differentiation and were confirmed by gene expression changes. Altogether, our results suggest that BPA disrupts lipid remodeling accompanying early oligodendrocyte differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Naffaa
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
| | - Isabelle Hochar
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
| | - Chéryane Lama
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
| | - Romain Magny
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
- INSERM UMR 968, CNRS UMR 7210, Institut de la Vision, IHU ForeSight, Sorbonne Université UM80, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Anne Regazzetti
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
| | - Pierre Gressens
- NeuroDiderot, Inserm, Université Paris Cité, 75019 Paris, France;
| | - Olivier Laprévote
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
- Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Service de Biochimie, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Auzeil
- CiTCoM, CNRS, Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France; (V.N.); (I.H.); (C.L.); (R.M.); (A.R.); (O.L.); (N.A.)
| | - Anne-Laure Schang
- UMR 1153 CRESS, Université Paris Cité, 75004 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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16
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Mercer JS, Erickson-Owens DA, Deoni SC, Dean DC, Tucker R, Parker AB, Joelson S, Mercer EN, Collins J, Padbury JF. The Effects of Delayed Cord Clamping on 12-Month Brain Myelin Content and Neurodevelopment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Perinatol 2022; 39:37-44. [PMID: 32702760 PMCID: PMC9800052 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1714258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine if delayed cord clamping (DCC) affected brain myelin water volume fraction (VFm) and neurodevelopment in term infants. STUDY DESIGN This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial of healthy pregnant women with term singleton fetuses randomized at birth to either immediate cord clamping (ICC) (≤ 20 seconds) or DCC (≥ 5 minutes). Follow-up at 12 months of age consisted of blood work for serum iron indices and lead levels, a nonsedated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), followed within the week by neurodevelopmental testing. RESULTS At birth, 73 women were randomized into one of two groups: ICC (the usual practice) or DCC (the intervention). At 12 months, among 58 active participants, 41 (80%) had usable MRIs. There were no differences between the two groups on maternal or infant demographic variables. At 12 months, infants who had DCC had increased white matter brain growth in regions localized within the right and left internal capsules, the right parietal, occipital, and prefrontal cortex. Gender exerted no difference on any variables. Developmental testing (Mullen Scales of Early Learning, nonverbal, and verbal composite scores) was not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION At 12 months of age, infants who received DCC had greater myelin content in important brain regions involved in motor function, visual/spatial, and sensory processing. A placental transfusion at birth appeared to increase myelin content in the early developing brain. KEY POINTS · DCC resulted in higher hematocrits in newborn period.. · DCC appears to increase myelin at 12 months.. · Gender did not influence study outcomes..
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith S. Mercer
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island,Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island,Pediatrics, Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Debra A. Erickson-Owens
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island,Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Sean C.L. Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, Rhode Island,Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health, Discovery and Tools, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Munirka, New Delhi, India
| | - Douglas C. Dean
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin,Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin,Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Richard Tucker
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Ashley B. Parker
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Sarah Joelson
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
| | - Emily N. Mercer
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, Rhode Island
| | - Jennifer Collins
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - James F. Padbury
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island,Pediatrics, Alpert School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
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17
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Takanezawa Y, Tanabe S, Kato D, Ozeki R, Komoda M, Suzuki T, Baba H, Muramatsu R. Microglial ASD-related genes are involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17825. [PMID: 34497307 PMCID: PMC8426463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97257-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with mutations of chromodomain-helicase DNA-binding protein 8 (Chd8) and tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (Tsc2). Although these ASD-related genes are detected in glial cells such as microglia, the effect of Chd8 or Tsc2 deficiency on microglial functions and microglia-mediated brain development remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of microglial Chd8 and Tsc2 in cytokine expression, phagocytosis activity, and neuro/gliogenesis from neural stem cells (NSCs) in vitro. Chd8 or Tsc2 knockdown in microglia reduced insulin-like growth factor-1(Igf1) expression under lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. In addition, phagocytosis activity was inhibited by Tsc2 deficiency, microglia-mediated oligodendrocyte development was inhibited, in particular, the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells to oligodendrocytes was prevented by Chd8 or Tsc2 deficiency. These results suggest that ASD-related gene expression in microglia is involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation, which may contribute to the white matter pathology relating to ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Takanezawa
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Shogo Tanabe
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan.
| | - Daiki Kato
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan
- Department of Medical and Life Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, 278-8510, Japan
| | - Rie Ozeki
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Masayo Komoda
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Suzuki
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Hiroko Baba
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Rieko Muramatsu
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan.
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18
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Su S, Chen Y, Dai Y, Lin L, Qian L, Zhou Q, Zou M, Zhang H, Liu M, Xiang X, Yang Z. Quantitative synthetic MRI reveals grey matter abnormalities in children with drug-naïve attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:406-414. [PMID: 34491528 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00514-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To investigate the quantitative profiles of brain grey matter (GM) in pediatric drug-naïve ADHD patients using synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (SyMRI). A total of 37 drug-naïve pediatric ADHD and 27 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. Each subject underwent both SyMRI and conventional 3D T1-FSPGR scans. Quantitative parameters, T1 and T2 maps, were extracted from the SyMRI data. Between-group quantitative maps were compared using a general linear model analysis. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to assess the association between significantly altered MR indices and clinical measurements in ADHD. Compared with the HC group, altered T1 and T2 relaxometry times in the ADHD group were mainly distributed in GM regions of the cerebellum, attention and execution control network, default mode network, and limbic areas. Moreover, the T1 value of the right cerebellum 8 was negatively correlated with the attention concentration level in ADHD (R = 0.140, P = 0.0225). With regards to T2 map, the associations were observed between the attention level of ADHD patients and left fusiform gyrus (R = 0.251, P = 0.0016), and right cerebellum crus2 (R = 0.142, P = 0.0214). Altered T1, T2 values found in specific regions of GM, including cerebellum, attention and execution control network, default mode network, and limbic areas, may reveal widespread micromorphology changes, i.e., brain iron deficiency, low myelin content, and enlarged vascular interstitial space in ADHD patients. Thus, T1, T2 values might be promising imaging markers for future ADHD studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Su
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingqian Chen
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Dai
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Liping Lin
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Qian
- MR Research, GE Healthcare, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin Zhou
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengsha Zou
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- Department of Pediatric, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Meina Liu
- Department of Pediatric, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianhong Xiang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
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19
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Kawamura A, Katayama Y, Nishiyama M, Shoji H, Tokuoka K, Ueta Y, Miyata M, Isa T, Miyakawa T, Hayashi-Takagi A, Nakayama KI. Oligodendrocyte dysfunction due to Chd8 mutation gives rise to behavioral deficits in mice. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:1274-1291. [PMID: 32142125 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding the chromatin remodeler CHD8 are strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). CHD8 haploinsufficiency also results in autistic phenotypes in humans and mice. Although myelination defects have been observed in individuals with ASD, whether oligodendrocyte dysfunction is responsible for autistic phenotypes has remained unknown. Here we show that reduced expression of CHD8 in oligodendrocytes gives rise to abnormal behavioral phenotypes in mice. CHD8 was found to regulate the expression of many myelination-related genes and to be required for oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination. Ablation of Chd8 specifically in oligodendrocytes of mice impaired myelination, slowed action potential propagation and resulted in behavioral deficits including increased social interaction and anxiety-like behavior, with similar effects being apparent in Chd8 heterozygous mutant mice. Our results thus indicate that CHD8 is essential for myelination and that dysfunction of oligodendrocytes as a result of CHD8 haploinsufficiency gives rise to several neuropsychiatric phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuki Kawamura
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yuta Katayama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Shoji
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kota Tokuoka
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Ueta
- Department of Physiology I (Neurophysiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Mariko Miyata
- Department of Physiology I (Neurophysiology), Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Tadashi Isa
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Akiko Hayashi-Takagi
- Laboratory of Medical Neuroscience, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8512, Japan.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Keiichi I Nakayama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
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20
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Qi X, Arfanakis K. Regionconnect: Rapidly extracting standardized brain connectivity information in voxel-wise neuroimaging studies. Neuroimage 2020; 225:117462. [PMID: 33075560 PMCID: PMC7811895 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporting white matter findings in voxel-wise neuroimaging studies typically lacks specificity in terms of brain connectivity. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to develop an approach for rapidly extracting standardized brain connectivity information for white matter regions with significant findings in voxel-wise neuroimaging studies. The new approach was named regionconnect and is based on precalculated average healthy adult brain connectivity information stored in standard space in a fashion that allows fast retrieval and integration. Towards this goal, the present work first generated and evaluated the white matter connectome of the IIT Human Brain Atlas v.5.0. It was demonstrated that the edges of the atlas connectome are representative of those of individual participants of the Human Connectome Project in terms of the spatial organization of streamlines and spatial patterns of track-density. Next, the new white matter connectome was used to develop multi-layer, connectivity-based labels for each white matter voxel of the atlas, consistent with the fact that each voxel may contain axons from multiple connections. The regionconnect algorithm was then developed to rapidly integrate information contained in the multi-layer labels across voxels of a white matter region and to generate a list of the most probable connections traversing that region. Usage of regionconnect does not require high angular resolution diffusion MRI or any MRI data. The regionconnect algorithm as well as the white matter tractogram and connectome, multi-layer, connectivity-based labels, and associated resources developed for the IIT Human Brain Atlas v.5.0 in this work are available at www.nitrc.org/projects/iit. An interactive, online version of regionconnect is also available at www.iit.edu/~mri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Qi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Konstantinos Arfanakis
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, United States; Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.
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21
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Abstract
Since the initial psychological report by Leo Kanner in 1943, relatively little formal biochemical/neurological research on the cause of autism, other than peripheral searches for genomic mutations, had been carried until the end of the 20th century. As a result of studies on twin sets and the conclusion that autism was largely a hereditary defect, numerous investigations have sought various genetic faults in particular. However, such studies were able to reveal a plausible etiology for this malady in only a small percentage of instances. Key bio-molecular characteristics of this syndrome have been uncovered when the potential roles of the glia were studied in depth. Findings related to biochemical deficiencies appearing early in the newborn, such as depressed IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor #1) in neurogenesis/myelination, are becoming emphasized in many laboratories. Progress leading to timely diagnoses and subsequent prevention of central nervous system dysconnectivity now seems plausible. The tendency for an infant to develop autism may currently be determinable and preventable before irreversible psychosocial disturbances become established. These discussions about glial function will be inter-spersed with comments about their apparent relevance to autism. The concluding portion of this presentation will be a detailed review and summation of this diagnosis and prevention proposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Steinman
- Visiting Researcher, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hadassah Hospital-Hebrew University, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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22
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Morris SR, Holmes RD, Dvorak AV, Liu H, Yoo Y, Vavasour IM, Mazabel S, Mädler B, Kolind SH, Li DKB, Siegel L, Beaulieu C, MacKay AL, Laule C. Brain Myelin Water Fraction and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Atlases for 9-10 Year-Old Children. J Neuroimaging 2020; 30:150-160. [PMID: 32064721 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Myelin water imaging (MWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provide information about myelin and axon-related brain microstructure, which can be useful for investigating normal brain development and many childhood brain disorders. While pediatric DTI atlases exist, there are no pediatric MWI atlases available for the 9-10 years old age group. As myelination and structural development occurs throughout childhood and adolescence, studies of pediatric brain pathologies must use age-specific MWI and DTI healthy control data. We created atlases of myelin water fraction (MWF) and DTI metrics for healthy children aged 9-10 years for use as normative data in pediatric neuroimaging studies. METHODS 3D-T1 , DTI, and MWI scans were acquired from 20 healthy children (mean age: 9.6 years, range: 9.2-10.3 years, 4 females). ANTs and FSL registration were used to create quantitative MWF and DTI atlases. Region of interest (ROI) analysis in nine white matter regions was used to compare pediatric MWF with adult MWF values from a recent study and to investigate the correlation between pediatric MWF and DTI metrics. RESULTS Adults had significantly higher MWF than the pediatric cohort in seven of the nine white matter ROIs, but not in the genu of the corpus callosum or the cingulum. In the pediatric data, MWF correlated significantly with mean diffusivity, but not with axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, or fractional anisotropy. CONCLUSIONS Normative MWF and DTI metrics from a group of 9-10 year old healthy children provide a resource for comparison to pathologies. The age-specific atlases are ready for use in pediatric neuroimaging research and can be accessed: https://sourceforge.net/projects/pediatric-mri-myelin-diffusion/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Morris
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Adam V Dvorak
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hanwen Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Youngjin Yoo
- Medical Imaging Technologies, Siemens Healthineers, Princeton, NJ
| | - Irene M Vavasour
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Silvia Mazabel
- Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Shannon H Kolind
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - David K B Li
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Linda Siegel
- Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Alex L MacKay
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cornelia Laule
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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23
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Berry K, Wang J, Lu QR. Epigenetic regulation of oligodendrocyte myelination in developmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. F1000Res 2020; 9:F1000 Faculty Rev-105. [PMID: 32089836 PMCID: PMC7014579 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.20904.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodendrocytes are the critical cell types giving rise to the myelin nerve sheath enabling efficient nerve transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). Oligodendrocyte precursor cells differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes and are maintained throughout life. Deficits in the generation, proliferation, or differentiation of these cells or their maintenance have been linked to neurological disorders ranging from developmental disorders to neurodegenerative diseases and limit repair after CNS injury. Understanding the regulation of these processes is critical for achieving proper myelination during development, preventing disease, or recovering from injury. Many of the key factors underlying these processes are epigenetic regulators that enable the fine tuning or reprogramming of gene expression during development and regeneration in response to changes in the local microenvironment. These include chromatin remodelers, histone-modifying enzymes, covalent modifiers of DNA methylation, and RNA modification-mediated mechanisms. In this review, we will discuss the key components in each of these classes which are responsible for generating and maintaining oligodendrocyte myelination as well as potential targeted approaches to stimulate the regenerative program in developmental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalen Berry
- Department of Pediatrics, Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Q. Richard Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
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24
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Friedrich P, Fraenz C, Schlüter C, Ocklenburg S, Mädler B, Güntürkün O, Genç E. The Relationship Between Axon Density, Myelination, and Fractional Anisotropy in the Human Corpus Callosum. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:2042-2056. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The corpus callosum serves the functional integration and interaction between the two hemispheres. Many studies investigate callosal microstructure via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fractional anisotropy (FA) in geometrically parcellated segments. However, FA is influenced by several different microstructural properties such as myelination and axon density, hindering a neurobiological interpretation. This study explores the relationship between FA and more specific measures of microstructure within the corpus callosum in a sample of 271 healthy participants. DTI tractography was used to assess 11 callosal segments and gain estimates of FA. We quantified axon density and myelination via neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to assess intra-neurite volume fraction and a multiecho gradient spin-echo sequence estimating myelin water fraction. The results indicate three common factors in the distribution of FA, myelin content and axon density, indicating potentially shared rules of topographical distribution. Moreover, the relationship between measures varied across the corpus callosum, suggesting that FA should not be interpreted uniformly. More specific magnetic resonance imaging-based quantification techniques, such as NODDI and multiecho myelin water imaging, may thus play a key role in future studies of clinical trials and individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Friedrich
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory (BCBLab), Sorbonne Universities, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Christoph Fraenz
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Schlüter
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Burkhard Mädler
- Health Systems Department, Philips GmBH, 22335 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Erhan Genç
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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25
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A myelin-related transcriptomic profile is shared by Pitt-Hopkins syndrome models and human autism spectrum disorder. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:375-385. [PMID: 32015540 PMCID: PMC7065955 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0578-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is genetically heterogeneous with convergent symptomatology, suggesting common dysregulated pathways. We analyzed brain transcriptional changes in five mouse models of Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS), a syndromic form of ASD caused by mutations in TCF4 (transcription factor 4, not TCF7L2 / T-Cell Factor 4). Analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) highlighted oligodendrocyte (OL) dysregulation, which we confirmed in two additional mouse models of syndromic ASD (Ptenm3m4/m3m4 and Mecp2tm1.1Bird). The PTHS mouse models showed cell-autonomous reductions in OL numbers and myelination, functionally confirming OL transcriptional signatures. Next, we integrated PTHS mouse model DEGs with human idiopathic ASD postmortem brain RNA-seq data, and found significant enrichment of overlapping DEGs and common myelination-associated pathways. Importantly, DEGs from syndromic ASD mouse models, and reduced deconvoluted OL numbers, distinguished human idiopathic ASD cases from controls across three postmortem brain datasets. These results implicate disruptions in OL biology as a cellular mechanism in ASD pathology.
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26
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Mateus JM, Ribeiro FF, Alonso-Gomes M, Rodrigues RS, Marques JM, Sebastião AM, Rodrigues RJ, Xapelli S. Neurogenesis and Gliogenesis: Relevance of Adenosine for Neuroregeneration in Brain Disorders. J Caffeine Adenosine Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1089/caff.2019.0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joana M. Mateus
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Filipa F. Ribeiro
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Alonso-Gomes
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui S. Rodrigues
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana M. Marques
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana M. Sebastião
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J. Rodrigues
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sara Xapelli
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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27
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Quantitative age-dependent differences in human brainstem myelination assessed using high-resolution magnetic resonance mapping. Neuroimage 2019; 206:116307. [PMID: 31669302 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based studies of age-related differences in the human brainstem have focused on volumetric morphometry. These investigations have provided pivotal insights into regional brainstem atrophy but have not addressed microstructural age differences. However, growing evidence indicates the sensitivity of quantitative MRI to microstructural tissue changes in the brain. These studies have largely focused on the cerebrum, with very few MR investigations addressing age-dependent differences in the brainstem, in spite of its central role in the regulation of vital functions. Several studies indicate early brainstem alterations in a myriad of neurodegenerative diseases and dementias. The paucity of MR-focused investigations is likely due in part to the challenges imposed by the small structural scale of the brainstem itself as well as of substructures within, requiring accurate high spatial resolution imaging studies. In this work, we applied our recently developed approach to high-resolution myelin water fraction (MWF) mapping, a proxy for myelin content, to investigate myelin differences with normal aging within the brainstem. In this cross-sectional investigation, we studied a large cohort (n = 125) of cognitively unimpaired participants spanning a wide age range (21-94 years) and found a decrease in myelination with age in most brainstem regions studied, with several regions exhibiting a quadratic association between myelin and age. We believe that this study is the first investigation of MWF differences with normative aging in the adult brainstem. Further, our results provide reference MWF values.
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28
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Adult brain aging investigated using BMC-mcDESPOT-based myelin water fraction imaging. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 85:131-139. [PMID: 31735379 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between regional brain myelination and aging has been the subject of intense study, with magnetic resonance imaging perhaps the most effective modality for elucidating this. However, most of these studies have used nonspecific methods to probe myelin content, including diffusion tensor imaging, magnetization transfer ratio, and relaxation times. In the present study, we used the BMC-mcDESPOT analysis, a direct and specific method for imaging of myelin water fraction (MWF), a surrogate of myelin content. We investigated age-related differences in MWF in several brain regions in a large cohort of cognitively unimpaired participants, spanning a wide age range. Our results indicate a quadratic, inverted U-shape, relationship between MWF and age in all brain regions investigated, suggesting that myelination continues until middle age followed by decreases at older ages. We also observed that these age-related differences vary across different brain regions, as expected. Our results provide evidence for nonlinear associations between age and myelin in a large sample of well-characterized adults, using a direct myelin content imaging method.
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29
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Yang G, Shcheglovitov A. Probing disrupted neurodevelopment in autism using human stem cell-derived neurons and organoids: An outlook into future diagnostics and drug development. Dev Dyn 2019; 249:6-33. [PMID: 31398277 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) represent a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction, repetitive or restrictive behaviors, and problems with speech. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 68 children in the US is diagnosed with ASDs. Although ASD-related diagnostics and the knowledge of ASD-associated genetic abnormalities have improved in recent years, our understanding of the cellular and molecular pathways disrupted in ASD remains very limited. As a result, no specific therapies or medications are available for individuals with ASDs. In this review, we describe the neurodevelopmental processes that are likely affected in the brains of individuals with ASDs and discuss how patient-specific stem cell-derived neurons and organoids can be used for investigating these processes at the cellular and molecular levels. Finally, we propose a discovery pipeline to be used in the future for identifying the cellular and molecular deficits and developing novel personalized therapies for individuals with idiopathic ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Alex Shcheglovitov
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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30
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Domínguez-Iturza N, Lo AC, Shah D, Armendáriz M, Vannelli A, Mercaldo V, Trusel M, Li KW, Gastaldo D, Santos AR, Callaerts-Vegh Z, D'Hooge R, Mameli M, Van der Linden A, Smit AB, Achsel T, Bagni C. The autism- and schizophrenia-associated protein CYFIP1 regulates bilateral brain connectivity and behaviour. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3454. [PMID: 31371726 PMCID: PMC6672001 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11203-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Copy-number variants of the CYFIP1 gene in humans have been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), two neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by defects in brain connectivity. Here, we show that CYFIP1 plays an important role in brain functional connectivity and callosal functions. We find that Cyfip1-heterozygous mice have reduced functional connectivity and defects in white matter architecture, similar to phenotypes found in patients with ASD, SCZ and other neuropsychiatric disorders. Cyfip1-deficient mice also present decreased myelination in the callosal axons, altered presynaptic function, and impaired bilateral connectivity. Finally, Cyfip1 deficiency leads to abnormalities in motor coordination, sensorimotor gating and sensory perception, which are also known neuropsychiatric disorder-related symptoms. These results show that Cyfip1 haploinsufficiency compromises brain connectivity and function, which might explain its genetic association to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Domínguez-Iturza
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Human Genetics KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Adrian C Lo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Disha Shah
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Bio-Imaging Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Neuroscience KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marcelo Armendáriz
- Department of Neurosciences, Laboratory of Neuro- and Psychophysiology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anna Vannelli
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Valentina Mercaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Trusel
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ka Wan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, 1081, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Denise Gastaldo
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ana Rita Santos
- Department of Human Genetics KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- VIB Discovery Sciences, Bioincubator, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Zsuzsanna Callaerts-Vegh
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Laboratory of Biological Psychology, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manuel Mameli
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Annemie Van der Linden
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Bio-Imaging Laboratory, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University Amsterdam, 1081, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tilmann Achsel
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Human Genetics KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Department of Human Genetics KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133, Rome, Italy.
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31
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Liu H, Rubino C, Dvorak AV, Jarrett M, Ljungberg E, Vavasour IM, Lee LE, Kolind SH, MacMillan EL, Traboulsee A, Lang DJ, Rauscher A, Li DKB, MacKay AL, Boyd LA, Kramer JLK, Laule C. Myelin Water Atlas: A Template for Myelin Distribution in the Brain. J Neuroimaging 2019; 29:699-706. [PMID: 31347238 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Myelin water imaging (MWI) is a magnetic resonance imaging technique that quantifies myelin in-vivo. Although MWI has been extensively applied to study myelin-related diseases in groups, clinical use in individual patients is challenging mainly due to population heterogeneity. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) create a normative brain myelin water atlas depicting the population mean and regional variability of myelin content; and (2) apply the myelin atlas to assess the degree of demyelination in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS 3T MWI was performed on 50 healthy adults (25 M/25 F, mean age 25 years [range 17-42 years]). The myelin water atlas was created by averaging coregistered myelin water fraction (MWF) maps from all healthy individuals. To illustrate the preliminary utility of the atlas, white matter (WM) regional MWF variations were evaluated and voxel-wise z-score maps (z < -1.96) from the MWI of three MS participants were produced to assess individually the degree of demyelination. RESULTS The myelin water atlas demonstrated significant MWF variation across control WM. No significant MWF differences were found between male and female healthy participants. MS z-score maps revealed diffuse regions of demyelination in the two participants with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) = 2.0 but not in the participant with EDSS = 0. CONCLUSIONS The myelin water atlas can be used as a reference (URL: https://sourceforge.net/projects/myelin-water-atlas/) to demonstrate areas of demyelination in individual MS participants. Future studies will expand the atlas age range, account for education, and other variables that may affect myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanwen Liu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cristina Rubino
- Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Adam V Dvorak
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael Jarrett
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Emil Ljungberg
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Irene M Vavasour
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lisa Eunyoung Lee
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Shannon H Kolind
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Erin L MacMillan
- UBC MRI Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare Canada, Markham, Ontario, Canada.,ImageTech Lab, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anthony Traboulsee
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Donna J Lang
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexander Rauscher
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David K B Li
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Alexander L MacKay
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,UBC MRI Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lara A Boyd
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John L K Kramer
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cornelia Laule
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Abstract
Oligodendrocytes generate myelin sheaths to promote rapid neurotransmission in the central nervous system (CNS). During brain development, oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are generated in the medial ganglionic eminence, lateral ganglionic eminence, and dorsal pallium. OPCs proliferate and migrate throughout the CNS at the embryonic stage. After birth, OPCs differentiate into mature oligodendrocytes, which then insulate axons. Oligodendrocyte development is regulated by the extrinsic environment including neurons, astrocytes, and immune cells. During brain development, B lymphocytes are present in the meningeal space, and are involved in oligodendrocyte development by promoting OPC proliferation. T lymphocytes mediate oligodendrocyte development during the remyelination process. Moreover, a subset of microglia contributes to oligodendrocyte development during the neonatal periods. Therefore, the immune system, especially lymphocytes and microglia, contribute to oligodendrocyte development during brain development and remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shogo Tanabe
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshihide Yamashita
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan.,Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan.,Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita-shi, Osaka, Japan
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33
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Carter CJ. Autism genes and the leukocyte transcriptome in autistic toddlers relate to pathogen interactomes, infection and the immune system. A role for excess neurotrophic sAPPα and reduced antimicrobial Aβ. Neurochem Int 2019; 126:36-58. [PMID: 30862493 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal and early childhood infections have been implicated in autism. Many autism susceptibility genes (206 Autworks genes) are localised in the immune system and are related to immune/infection pathways. They are enriched in the host/pathogen interactomes of 18 separate microbes (bacteria/viruses and fungi) and to the genes regulated by bacterial toxins, mycotoxins and Toll-like receptor ligands. This enrichment was also observed for misregulated genes from a microarray study of leukocytes from autistic toddlers. The upregulated genes from this leukocyte study also matched the expression profiles in response to numerous infectious agents from the Broad Institute molecular signatures database. They also matched genes related to sudden infant death syndrome and autism comorbid conditions (autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes, epilepsy and cardiomyopathy) as well as to estrogen and thyrotropin responses and to those upregulated by different types of stressors including oxidative stress, hypoxia, endoplasmic reticulum stress, ultraviolet radiation or 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene, a hapten used to develop allergic skin reactions in animal models. The oxidative/integrated stress response is also upregulated in the autism brain and may contribute to myelination problems. There was also a marked similarity between the expression signatures of autism and Alzheimer's disease, and 44 shared autism/Alzheimer's disease genes are almost exclusively expressed in the blood-brain barrier. However, in contrast to Alzheimer's disease, levels of the antimicrobial peptide beta-amyloid are decreased and the levels of the neurotrophic/myelinotrophic soluble APP alpha are increased in autism, together with an increased activity of α-secretase. sAPPα induces an increase in glutamatergic and a decrease in GABA-ergic synapses creating and excitatory/inhibitory imbalance that has also been observed in autism. A literature survey showed that multiple autism genes converge on APP processing and that many are able to increase sAPPalpha at the expense of beta-amyloid production. A genetically programmed tilt of this axis towards an overproduction of neurotrophic/gliotrophic sAPPalpha and underproduction of antimicrobial beta-amyloid may explain the brain overgrowth and myelination dysfunction, as well as the involvement of pathogens in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Carter
- PolygenicPathways, 41C Marina, Saint Leonard's on Sea, TN38 0BU, East Sussex, UK.
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34
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Comparisons between multi-component myelin water fraction, T1w/T2w ratio, and diffusion tensor imaging measures in healthy human brain structures. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2500. [PMID: 30792440 PMCID: PMC6384876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39199-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Various MRI techniques, including myelin water imaging, T1w/T2w ratio mapping and diffusion-based imaging can be used to characterize tissue microstructure. However, surprisingly few studies have examined the degree to which these MRI measures are related within and between various brain regions. Therefore, whole-brain MRI scans were acquired from 31 neurologically-healthy participants to empirically measure and compare myelin water fraction (MWF), T1w/T2w ratio, fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity (MD) in 25 bilateral (10 grey matter; 15 white matter) regions-of-interest (ROIs). Except for RD vs. T1w/T2w, MD vs. T1w/T2w, moderately significant to highly significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between each of the other measures across all 25 brain structures [T1w/T2w vs. MWF (Pearson r = 0.33, Spearman ρ = 0.31), FA vs. MWF (r = 0.73, ρ = 0.75), FA vs. T1w/T2w (r = 0.25, ρ = 0.22), MD vs. AD (r = 0.57, ρ = 0.58), MD vs. RD (r = 0.64, ρ = 0.61), AD vs. MWF (r = 0.43, ρ = 0.36), RD vs. MWF (r = −0.49, ρ = −0.62), MD vs. MWF (r = −0.22, ρ = −0.29), RD vs. FA (r = −0.62, ρ = −0.75) and MD vs. FA (r = −0.22, ρ = −0.18)]. However, while all six MRI measures were correlated with each other across all structures, there were large intra-ROI and inter-ROI differences (i.e., with no one measure consistently producing the highest or lowest values). This suggests that each quantitative MRI measure provides unique, and potentially complimentary, information about underlying brain tissues – with each metric offering unique sensitivity/specificity tradeoffs to different microstructural properties (e.g., myelin content, tissue density, etc.).
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35
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Miller HL, Caçola P, Sherrod G, Patterson RM, Bugnariu NL. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and typical development differ in characteristics of dynamic postural control: A preliminary study. Gait Posture 2019; 67:9-11. [PMID: 30245240 PMCID: PMC6240472 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) are developmental disorders with distinct definitions and symptoms. However, both conditions share difficulties with motor skills, including impairments in postural control. While studies have explored postural sway variables in children with DCD and ASD as compared to typical development (TD), few have used kinematic data to assess the magnitude of differences between these two neurodevelopmental conditions. There are few sensitive and specific measures available to assess balance impairment severity in these populations. RESEARCH QUESTION Do individuals with ASD, DCD, and TD differ in dynamic postural control? METHODS We quantified postural control differences between ASD, DCD, and TD during a dynamic balance task. 10 ASD, 10 DCD, and 8 TD agematched children completed a dynamic postural control task in a virtual environment. They leaned to shift their center of pressure (CoP) to match a user-controlled object to an oscillating target (0.1 Hz-0.8 Hz). RESULTS The DCD group had higher CoP accelerations compared to ASD or TD. While the DCD and TD groups did not differ in their medial-lateral velocity, the ASD group had low medial-lateral velocity and acceleration as compared to DCD and TD. ASD group velocity and acceleration did not differ from that of the TD group in the anterior-posterior direction. Higher accelerations in the DCD group reflected non-fluid movements; by contrast, the ASD group had slower, more fluid movements. Results may reflect differences in how children with ASD and DCD plan, execute, and modify motor actions. SIGNIFICANCE This study demonstrates the potential utility of CoP acceleration and velocity as a sensitive and specific means of differentiating between ASD, DCD, and TD. Results indicating group differences between ASD and DCD in velocity and acceleration profiles represent an important step toward understanding how these populations modify motor plans during dynamic tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haylie L. Miller
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Priscila Caçola
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington, 701 S. Nedderman Dr., Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Gabriela Sherrod
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Rita M. Patterson
- Department of Family Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Nicoleta L. Bugnariu
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX, 76107, USA
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36
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Shen HY, Huang N, Reemmer J, Xiao L. Adenosine Actions on Oligodendroglia and Myelination in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:482. [PMID: 30581380 PMCID: PMC6292987 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorder. Independent of neuronal dysfunction, ASD and its associated comorbidities have been linked to hypomyelination and oligodendroglial dysfunction. Additionally, the neuromodulator adenosine has been shown to affect certain ASD comorbidities and symptoms, such as epilepsy, impairment of cognitive function, and anxiety. Adenosine is both directly and indirectly responsible for regulating the development of oligodendroglia and myelination through its interaction with, and modulation of, several neurotransmitters, including glutamate, dopamine, and serotonin. In this review, we will focus on the recent discoveries in adenosine interaction with physiological and pathophysiological activities of oligodendroglia and myelination, as well as ASD-related aspects of adenosine actions on neuroprotection and neuroinflammation. Moreover, we will discuss the potential therapeutic value and clinical approaches of adenosine manipulation against hypomyelination in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Ying Shen
- Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Department, Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health, Portland, OR, United States.,Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Nanxin Huang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
| | - Jesica Reemmer
- Robert Stone Dow Neurobiology Department, Legacy Research Institute, Legacy Health, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Lan Xiao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, China
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Abstract
The prenatal period is increasingly considered as a crucial target for the primary prevention of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Understanding their pathophysiological mechanisms remains a great challenge. Our review reveals new insights from prenatal brain development research, involving (epi)genetic research, neuroscience, recent imaging techniques, physical modeling, and computational simulation studies. Studies examining the effect of prenatal exposure to maternal distress on offspring brain development, using brain imaging techniques, reveal effects at birth and up into adulthood. Structural and functional changes are observed in several brain regions including the prefrontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, as well as the cerebellum, hippocampus, and amygdala. Furthermore, alterations are seen in functional connectivity of amygdalar-thalamus networks and in intrinsic brain networks, including default mode and attentional networks. The observed changes underlie offspring behavioral, cognitive, emotional development, and susceptibility to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. It is concluded that used brain measures have not yet been validated with regard to sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, or robustness in predicting neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, more prospective long-term longitudinal follow-up studies starting early in pregnancy should be carried out, in order to examine brain developmental measures as mediators in mediating the link between prenatal stress and offspring behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems and susceptibility for disorders.
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38
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Mariano V, Domínguez-Iturza N, Neukomm LJ, Bagni C. Maintenance mechanisms of circuit-integrated axons. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 53:162-173. [PMID: 30241058 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Adult, circuit-integrated neurons must be maintained and supported for the life span of their host. The attenuation of either maintenance or plasticity leads to impaired circuit function and ultimately to neurodegenerative disorders. Over the last few years, significant discoveries of molecular mechanisms were made that mediate the formation and maintenance of axons. Here, we highlight intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms that ensure the health and survival of axons. We also briefly discuss examples of mutations associated with impaired axonal maintenance identified in specific neurological conditions. A better understanding of these mechanisms will therefore help to define targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Mariano
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Neurosciences KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nuria Domínguez-Iturza
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Neurosciences KU Leuven, VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lukas J Neukomm
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Claudia Bagni
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.
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39
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Laule C, Moore GW. Myelin water imaging to detect demyelination and remyelination and its validation in pathology. Brain Pathol 2018; 28:750-764. [PMID: 30375119 PMCID: PMC8028667 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Damage to myelin is a key feature of multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized our ability to detect and monitor MS pathology in vivo. Proton density, T1 and T2 can provide qualitative contrast weightings that yield superb in vivo visualization of central nervous system tissue and have proved invaluable as diagnostic and patient management tools in MS. However, standard clinical MR methods are not specific to the types of tissue damage they visualize, and they cannot detect subtle abnormalities in tissue that appears otherwise normal on conventional MRIs. Myelin water imaging is an MR method that provides in vivo measurement of myelin. Histological validation work in both human brain and spinal cord tissue demonstrates a strong correlation between myelin water and staining for myelin, validating myelin water as a marker for myelin. Myelin water varies throughout the brain and spinal cord in healthy controls, and shows good intra- and inter-site reproducibility. MS plaques show variably decreased myelin water fraction, with older lesions demonstrating the greatest myelin loss. Longitudinal study of myelin water can provide insights into the dynamics of demyelination and remyelination in plaques. Normal appearing brain and spinal cord tissues show reduced myelin water, an abnormality which becomes progressively more evident over a timescale of years. Diffusely abnormal white matter, which is evident in 20%-25% of MS patients, also shows reduced myelin water both in vivo and postmortem, and appears to originate from a primary lipid abnormality with relative preservation of myelin proteins. Active research is ongoing in the quest to refine our ability to image myelin and its perturbations in MS and other disorders of the myelin sheath.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Laule
- RadiologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Pathology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Physics & AstronomyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD)University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - G.R. Wayne Moore
- Pathology & Laboratory MedicineUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD)University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
- Medicine (Neurology)University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
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40
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Dual Requirement of CHD8 for Chromatin Landscape Establishment and Histone Methyltransferase Recruitment to Promote CNS Myelination and Repair. Dev Cell 2018; 45:753-768.e8. [PMID: 29920279 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Disruptive mutations in chromatin remodeler CHD8 cause autism spectrum disorders, exhibiting widespread white matter abnormalities; however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We show that cell-type specific Chd8 deletion in oligodendrocyte progenitors, but not in neurons, results in myelination defects, revealing a cell-intrinsic dependence on CHD8 for oligodendrocyte lineage development, myelination and post-injury remyelination. CHD8 activates expression of BRG1-associated SWI/SNF complexes that in turn activate CHD7, thus initiating a successive chromatin remodeling cascade that orchestrates oligodendrocyte lineage progression. Genomic occupancy analyses reveal that CHD8 establishes an accessible chromatin landscape, and recruits MLL/KMT2 histone methyltransferase complexes distinctively around proximal promoters to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation. Inhibition of histone demethylase activity partially rescues myelination defects of CHD8-deficient mutants. Our data indicate that CHD8 exhibits a dual function through inducing a cascade of chromatin reprogramming and recruiting H3K4 histone methyltransferases to establish oligodendrocyte identity, suggesting potential strategies of therapeutic intervention for CHD8-associated white matter defects.
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41
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Bouhrara M, Reiter DA, Maring MC, Bonny JM, Spencer RG. Use of the NESMA Filter to Improve Myelin Water Fraction Mapping with Brain MRI. J Neuroimaging 2018; 28:640-649. [PMID: 29999204 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Myelin water fraction (MWF) mapping permits direct visualization of myelination patterns in the developing brain and in pathology. MWF is conventionally measured through multiexponential T2 analysis which is very sensitive to noise, leading to inaccuracies in derived MWF estimates. Although noise reduction filters may be applied during postprocessing, conventional filtering can introduce bias and obscure small structures and edges. Advanced nonblurring filters, while effective, exhibit a high level of complexity and the requirement for supervised implementation for optimal performance. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the ability of the recently introduced nonlocal estimation of multispectral magnitudes (NESMA) filter to greatly improve the determination of MWF parameter estimates from gradient and spin echo (GRASE) imaging data. METHODS We evaluated the performance of the NESMA filter for MWF mapping from clinical GRASE imaging data of the human brain, and compared the results to those calculated from unfiltered images. Numerical and in vivo analyses of the brains of three subjects, representing different ages, were conducted. RESULTS Our results demonstrated the potential of the NESMA filter to permit high-quality in vivo MWF mapping. Indeed, NESMA permits substantial reduction of random variation in derived MWF estimates while preserving accuracy and detail. CONCLUSIONS In vivo estimation of MWF in the human brain from GRASE imaging data was markedly improved through use of the NESMA filter. The use of NESMA may contribute to the goal of high-quality MWF mapping in clinically feasible imaging times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD
| | - David A Reiter
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Michael C Maring
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Richard G Spencer
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD
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42
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Richetto J, Chesters R, Cattaneo A, Labouesse MA, Gutierrez AMC, Wood TC, Luoni A, Meyer U, Vernon A, Riva MA. Genome-Wide Transcriptional Profiling and Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Maternal Immune Activation Model of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3397-3413. [PMID: 27797829 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to maternal infection increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism. The molecular processes underlying this pathological association, however, are only partially understood. Here, we combined unbiased genome-wide transcriptional profiling with follow-up epigenetic analyses and structural magnetic resonance imaging to explore convergent molecular and neuromorphological alterations in corticostriatal areas of adult offspring exposed to prenatal immune activation. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling revealed that prenatal immune activation caused a differential expression of 116 and 251 genes in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens, respectively. A large part of genes that were commonly affected in both brain areas were related to myelin functionality and stability. Subsequent epigenetic analyses indicated that altered DNA methylation of promoter regions might contribute to the differential expression of myelin-related genes. Quantitative relaxometry comparing T1, T2, and myelin water fraction revealed sparse increases in T1 relaxation times and consistent reductions in T2 relaxation times. Together, our multi-system approach demonstrates that prenatal viral-like immune activation causes myelin-related transcriptional and epigenetic changes in corticostriatal areas. Even though these abnormalities do not seem to be associated with overt white matter reduction, they may provide a molecular mechanism whereby prenatal infection can impair myelin functionality and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Richetto
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert Chesters
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Fatebenefratelli San Giovanni di Dio, Brescia, Italy.,Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marie A Labouesse
- Physiology and Behavior Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Ana Maria Carrillo Gutierrez
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Tobias C Wood
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alessia Luoni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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43
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Gregath A, Lu QR. Epigenetic modifications-insight into oligodendrocyte lineage progression, regeneration, and disease. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:1063-1078. [PMID: 29427507 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Myelination by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system permits high-fidelity saltatory conduction from neuronal cell bodies to axon terminals. Dysmyelinating and demyelinating disorders impair normal nervous system functions. Consequently, an understanding of oligodendrocyte differentiation that moves beyond the genetic code into the field of epigenetics is essential. Chromatin reprogramming is critical for steering stage-specific differentiation processes during oligodendrocyte development. Fine temporal control of chromatin remodeling through ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers and sequential histone modifiers shapes a chromatin regulatory landscape conducive to oligodendrocyte fate specification, lineage differentiation, and maintenance of cell identity. In this Review, we will focus on the biological functions of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers and histone deacetylases in myelinating oligodendrocyte development and implications for myelin regeneration in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gregath
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Brain Tumor Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Qing Richard Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Brain Tumor Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
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44
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Good P. Evidence the U.S. autism epidemic initiated by acetaminophen (Tylenol) is aggravated by oral antibiotic amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin) and now exponentially by herbicide glyphosate (Roundup). Clin Nutr ESPEN 2018; 23:171-183. [PMID: 29460795 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Because certain hereditary diseases show autistic behavior, and autism often runs in families, researchers seek genes underlying the pathophysiology of autism, thus core behaviors. Other researchers argue environmental factors are decisive, citing compelling evidence of an autism epidemic in the United States beginning about 1980. Recognition that environmental factors influence gene expression led to synthesis of these views - an 'epigenetic epidemic' provoked by pervasive environmental agents altering expression of vulnerable genes, inducing characteristic autistic biochemistries in many mothers and infants. Two toxins most implicated in the U.S. autism epidemic are analgesic/antipyretic acetaminophen (Tylenol) and oral antibiotic amoxicillin/clavulanate (Augmentin). Recently herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) was exponentially implicated. What do these toxins have in common? Acetaminophen depletes sulfate and glutathione required to detoxify it. Oral antibiotics kill and glyphosate inhibits intestinal bacteria that synthesize methionine (precursor of sulfate and glutathione, and required to methylate DNA), bacteria that synthesize tryptophan (sole precursor of neuroinhibitor serotonin), and bacteria that restrain ammonia-generating anaerobes. Sulfate plus glutathione normally sulfate fetal adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone to DHEAS - major precursor of placental/postnatal estrogens. Glyphosate (and heavy metals) also inhibit aromatase that turns androgens to estrogens. Placental/postnatal estrogens dehydrate/mature brain myelin sheaths, mature corpus callosum and left hemisphere preferentially, dilate brain blood vessels, and elevate brain serotonin and oxytocin. Stress-induced weak androgens and estrogen depletion coherently explain white matter asymmetry and dysconnection in autism, extreme male brain, low brain blood flow, hyperexcitability, social anxiety, and insufficient maternal oxytocin at birth to limit fetal brain chloride/water and mature GABA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Good
- Autism Studies, PO Box 1683, La Pine, OR 97739, USA.
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45
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Li D, Tomljenovic L, Li Y, Shaw CA. RETRACTED: Subcutaneous injections of aluminum at vaccine adjuvant levels activate innate immune genes in mouse brain that are homologous with biomarkers of autism. J Inorg Biochem 2017; 177:39-54. [PMID: 28923356 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2017.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lucija Tomljenovic
- Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Yongling Li
- Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher A Shaw
- Dept. of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Program in Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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46
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Khundrakpam BS, Lewis JD, Kostopoulos P, Carbonell F, Evans AC. Cortical Thickness Abnormalities in Autism Spectrum Disorders Through Late Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood: A Large-Scale MRI Study. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:1721-1731. [PMID: 28334080 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have provided inconsistent evidence of cortical abnormality. This is probably due to the small sample sizes used in most studies, and important differences in sample characteristics, particularly age, as well as to the heterogeneity of the disorder. To address these issues, we assessed abnormalities in ASD within the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange data set, which comprises data from approximately 1100 individuals (~6-55 years). A subset of these data that met stringent quality control and inclusion criteria (560 male subjects; 266 ASD; age = 6-35 years) were used to compute age-specific differences in cortical thickness in ASD and the relationship of any such differences to symptom severity of ASD. Our results show widespread increased cortical thickness in ASD, primarily left lateralized, from 6 years onwards, with differences diminishing during adulthood. The severity of symptoms related to social affect and communication correlated with these cortical abnormalities. These results are consistent with the conjecture that developmental patterns of cortical thickness abnormalities reflect delayed cortical maturation and highlight the dynamic nature of morphological abnormalities in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John D Lewis
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
| | | | - Felix Carbonell
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
| | - Alan C Evans
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CanadaH3H2P1
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47
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Good P. Simplifying study of fever's dramatic relief of autistic behavior. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2017; 17:1-7. [PMID: 28361738 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dramatic relief of autistic behavior by infectious fever continues to tantalize parents and practitioners, yet researchers still hesitate to study its physiology/biochemistry, fearing stress and heat of brain imaging, contagion, and fever's complexity. Yet what could be more revealing than a common event that virtually 'normalizes' autistic behavior for a time? This paper proposes study of three simplified scenarios: (1) improvements appearing hours before fever, (2) return of autistic behavior soon after fever, (3) improvements persisting long after fever. Each scenario limits some risk - and some explanation - inviting triangulation of decisive factor(s) in relief and recurrence. Return of autistic behavior after fever may be most revealing. The complex mechanisms that generated fever have all abated; simpler cooling mechanisms prevail - how many plausible explanations can there be? The decisive factor in fever's benefit is concluded to be water drawn/carried from brain myelin and astrocytes by osmolytes glutamine and taurine released from muscles and brain; the decisive factor in return of autistic behavior after fever is return of water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Good
- Autism Studies, La Pine, OR, United States.
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48
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Puwal S, Roth BJ, Basser PJ. Heterogeneous anisotropic magnetic susceptibility of the myelin-water layers causes local magnetic field perturbations in axons. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2017; 30:10.1002/nbm.3628. [PMID: 27731911 PMCID: PMC6130896 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
One goal of MRI is to determine the myelin water fraction in neural tissue. One approach is to measure the reduction in T2 * arising from microscopic perturbations in the magnetic field caused by heterogeneities in the magnetic susceptibility of myelin. In this paper, analytic expressions for the induced magnetic field distribution are derived within and around an axon, assuming that the myelin susceptibility is anisotropic. Previous models considered the susceptibility to be piecewise continuous, whereas this model considers a sinusoidally varying susceptibility. Many conclusions are common in both models. When the magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the axon, the magnetic field in the intraaxonal space is uniformly perturbed, the magnetic field in the myelin sheath oscillates between the lipid and water layers, and the magnetic field in the extracellular space just outside the myelin sheath is heterogeneous. These field heterogeneities cause the spins to dephase, shortening T2 *. When the magnetic field is applied along the axon, the field is homogeneous within water-filled regions, including between lipid layers. Therefore the spins do not dephase and the magnetic susceptibility has no effect on T2 *. Generally, the response of an axon is given as the superposition of these two contributions. The sinusoidal model uses a different set of approximations compared with the piecewise model, so their common predictions indicate that the models are not too sensitive to the details of the myelin-water distribution. Other predictions, such as the sensitivity to water diffusion between myelin and water layers, may highlight differences between the two approaches. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffan Puwal
- Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
| | - Bradley J Roth
- Department of Physics, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA
| | - Peter J Basser
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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49
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Dean DC, Lange N, Travers BG, Prigge MB, Matsunami N, Kellett KA, Freeman A, Kane KL, Adluru N, Tromp DPM, Destiche DJ, Samsin D, Zielinski BA, Fletcher PT, Anderson JS, Froehlich AL, Leppert MF, Bigler ED, Lainhart JE, Alexander AL. Multivariate characterization of white matter heterogeneity in autism spectrum disorder. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 14:54-66. [PMID: 28138427 PMCID: PMC5257193 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The complexity and heterogeneity of neuroimaging findings in individuals with autism spectrum disorder has suggested that many of the underlying alterations are subtle and involve many brain regions and networks. The ability to account for multivariate brain features and identify neuroimaging measures that can be used to characterize individual variation have thus become increasingly important for interpreting and understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of autism. In the present study, we utilize the Mahalanobis distance, a multidimensional counterpart of the Euclidean distance, as an informative index to characterize individual brain variation and deviation in autism. Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging data from 149 participants (92 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 57 typically developing controls) between 3.1 and 36.83 years of age were acquired over a roughly 10-year period and used to construct the Mahalanobis distance from regional measures of white matter microstructure. Mahalanobis distances were significantly greater and more variable in the autistic individuals as compared to control participants, demonstrating increased atypicalities and variation in the group of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Distributions of multivariate measures were also found to provide greater discrimination and more sensitive delineation between autistic and typically developing individuals than conventional univariate measures, while also being significantly associated with observed traits of the autism group. These results help substantiate autism as a truly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder, while also suggesting that collectively considering neuroimaging measures from multiple brain regions provides improved insight into the diversity of brain measures in autism that is not observed when considering the same regions separately. Distinguishing multidimensional brain relationships may thus be informative for identifying neuroimaging-based phenotypes, as well as help elucidate underlying neural mechanisms of brain variation in autism spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - N Lange
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - B G Travers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - M B Prigge
- Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah and Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - N Matsunami
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - K A Kellett
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - A Freeman
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - K L Kane
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - N Adluru
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - D P M Tromp
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - D J Destiche
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - D Samsin
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - B A Zielinski
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah and Primary Children's Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - P T Fletcher
- Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; School of Computing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - J S Anderson
- Department of Radiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - A L Froehlich
- School of Computing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - M F Leppert
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - E D Bigler
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA; Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - J E Lainhart
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - A L Alexander
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Abstract
Myelin is critical for healthy brain function. An accurate in vivo measure of myelin content has important implications for understanding brain plasticity and neurodegenerative diseases. Myelin water imaging is a magnetic resonance imaging method which can be used to visualize myelination in the brain and spinal cord in vivo. This review presents an overview of myelin water imaging data acquisition and analysis, post-mortem validation work, findings in both animal and human studies and a brief discussion about other MR techniques purported to provide in vivo myelin content. Multi-echo T2 relaxation approaches continue to undergo development and whole-brain imaging time now takes less than 10 minutes; the standard analysis method for this type of data acquisition is a non-negative least squares approach. Alternate methods including the multi-flip angle gradient echo mcDESPOT are also being used for myelin water imaging. Histological validation studies in animal and human brain and spinal cord tissue demonstrate high specificity of myelin water imaging for myelin. Potential confounding factors for in vivo myelin water fraction measurement include the presence of myelin debris and magnetization exchange processes. Myelin water imaging has successfully been used to study animal models of injury, applied in healthy human controls and can be used to assess damage and injury in conditions such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, schizophrenia, phenylketonuria, neurofibromatosis, niemann pick’s disease, stroke and concussion. Other quantitative magnetic resonance approaches that are sensitive to, but not specific for, myelin exist including magnetization transfer, diffusion tensor imaging and T1 weighted imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex L MacKay
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Cornelia Laule
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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