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Is retina affected in Huntington's disease? Is optical coherence tomography a good biomarker? PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282175. [PMID: 36827300 PMCID: PMC9955964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY Comparative cross-sectional study of retinal parameters in Huntington's disease and their evaluation as marker of disease progression. CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with dominant motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Involvement of sensory functions in HD has been investigated, however studies of retinal pathology are incongruent. Effect sizes of previous findings were not published. OCT data of the subjects in previous studies have not been published. Additional examination of structural and functional parameters of retina in larger sample of patients with HD is warranted. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective cross-sectional study that included: peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) and total macular volume (TMV) measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) of retina, Pelli-Robson Contrast Sensitivity test, Farnsworth 15 Hue Color discrimination test, ophthalmology examination and Unified Huntington's disease Rating Scale (UHDRS). Ninety-four eyes of 41 HD patients examined in total 47 visits and 82 eyes of 41 healthy controls (HC) examined in total 41 visits were included. Analyses were performed by repeated measures linear mixed effects model with age and gender as covariates. False discovery rate was corrected by Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. RESULTS HD group included 21 males and 20 females (age 50.6±12.0 years [mean ± standard deviation], disease duration 7.1±3.6 years, CAG triplet repeats 44.1±2.4). UHDRS Total Motor Score (TMS) was 30.0±12.3 and Total Functional Capacity 8.2±3.2. Control group (HC) included 19 males and 22 females with age 48.2±10.3 years. There was no statistically significant difference between HD and HC in age. The effect of the disease was not significant in temporal segment RNFL thickness. It was significant in the mean RNFL thickness and TMV, however not passing false discovery rate adjustment and with small effect size. In the HD group, the effect of disease duration and TMS was not significant. The Contrast Sensitivity test in HD was within normal limits and the 15-hue-test in HD did not reveal any specific pathology. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study support possible diffuse retinal changes in global RNFL layer and in macula in Huntington's disease, however, these changes are small and not suitable as a biomarker for disease progression. We found no other structural or functional changes in retina of Huntington's disease patients using RNFL layer and macular volume spectral domain OCT and Contrast Sensitivity Test and 15-hue-test. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Current retinal parameters are not appropriate for monitoring HD disease progression.
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Orsini A, Ferrari D, Riva A, Santangelo A, Macrì A, Freri E, Canafoglia L, D'Aniello A, Di Gennaro G, Massimetti G, Minetti C, Zara F, Michelucci R, Tumber A, Vincent A, Minassian BA, Striano P. Ocular phenotype and electroretinogram abnormalities in Lafora disease and correlation with disease stage. J Neurol 2022; 269:3597-3604. [PMID: 35184210 PMCID: PMC9217906 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-10974-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Lafora disease (LD) is a neurodegenerative disorder featuring action and stimulus-sensitive myoclonus, epilepsy, and cognitive deterioration. Mutations in the EPM2A/EPM2B genes classically prove causative for the disease in most cases. Since full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) may reveal early-stage changes in a wide spectrum of diseases, we aimed to evaluate retinal cones and rods dysfunction in a cohort of Italian LD patients.
Methods
Patients with genetically confirmed LD were recruited and subjected to ffERG analysis following the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) protocol.
Results
Six patients aged between 13 and 26 years (mean 19.5 years) were included. The mean age at disease onset was 12.5 years with a mean disease duration of 7 years. The ffERG analysis revealed a global mild to severe generalized cones dysfunction in all patients. Linear correlation was identified between disease stage and the degree of cones and rods dysfunction, as well as between the type of mutation and the cones and rods dysfunction.
Conclusions
This study brings further evidence of early retinal alterations in LD patients. The cones and rods dysfunction grade is related to disease duration. The ffERG is an important tool to determine the disease stage, allowing to evaluate either natural or treatment-related disease progression in a minimally invasive way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Orsini
- Paediatric Neurology, Paediatric Department, Santa Chiara's University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniele Ferrari
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Head/Neck Pathologies, Policlinico San Martino Hospital, IRCCS Hospital-University San Martino, Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Antonella Riva
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, IRCCS Istituto "G. Gaslini", Via Gaslini 5, 16148, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Santangelo
- Paediatric Neurology, Paediatric Department, Santa Chiara's University Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angelo Macrì
- Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Head/Neck Pathologies, Policlinico San Martino Hospital, IRCCS Hospital-University San Martino, Viale Benedetto XV, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Elena Freri
- Department of Pediatric Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico "Carlo Besta", Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Canafoglia
- Department of Epileptology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Gabriele Massimetti
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Carlo Minetti
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, IRCCS Istituto "G. Gaslini", Via Gaslini 5, 16148, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Zara
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, IRCCS Istituto "G. Gaslini", Via Gaslini 5, 16148, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberto Michelucci
- Unit of Neurology, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anupreet Tumber
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Ajoy Vincent
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Berge Arakel Minassian
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal, and Child Health, IRCCS Istituto "G. Gaslini", Via Gaslini 5, 16148, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
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Matheis T, Evinger C, Schubert R, Mazzola S, Fels M, Kemper N, Reilmann R, Muratori L. Biological Motion Perception in Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 8:311-321. [PMID: 31033464 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180337] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability of healthy individuals to detect biological motion by using a small number of moving points is well established in animals and humans. Perception of human movements may depend on internal models that drive self-generated movements and influence motion discrimination (Reed CL et al. 1995 and 2007). As a person's motor repertoire deteriorates, the accuracy of these models may also decrease. OBJECTIVE Determine if people with symptomatic Huntington's disease (HD) have difficulty perceiving movements. METHODS In this study point-light displays were created with a Vicon Motion Capture System by recording one individual with (impaired) and one individual without (healthy) Parkinson's disease using a 13 joint marker set. Participants were asked to distinguish between three movements and determine if the movement was impaired or healthy. The ability of participants with and without HD to distinguish movement patterns and the time to perception were recorded. RESULTS Analyses found participants with HD had a decreased ability to correctly detect movements and point-light image type. The stair climbing motion showed the largest effect as participants with HD had more difficulty correctly identifying both the movement and whether it was impaired or healthy. In addition, the participants without HD showed an improvement as trials progressed which could not be observed in the HD cohort. CONCLUSIONS As people with symptomatic HD have difficulty perceiving movements further investigations using point-light displays should be done to determine if these impairments might serve as an easily administered, non-invasive marker of disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Matheis
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology-Park, Muenster, Germany.,Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Craig Evinger
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Robin Schubert
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology-Park, Muenster, Germany
| | - Steven Mazzola
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Michaela Fels
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicole Kemper
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralf Reilmann
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology-Park, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Clinical Radiology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lisa Muratori
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology-Park, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Technology and Management, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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Hamedani AG, Bardakjian T, Balcer LJ, Gonzalez-Alegre P. Contrast Acuity and the King-Devick Test in Huntington's Disease. Neuroophthalmology 2019; 44:219-225. [PMID: 33012907 DOI: 10.1080/01658107.2019.1669668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Saccadic eye movement abnormalities are among the earliest manifestations of Huntington's disease (HD) but are difficult to quantify at the bedside. Similarly, afferent visual pathway involvement in HD is poorly characterised. The objective was to evaluate afferent and efferent visual function in HD. Participants with manifest HD (n = 19) and healthy controls (n = 20) performed the King-Devick test, a timed test of rapid number naming. Binocular high and low-contrast (2.5% and 1.25%) acuities were measured using low-contrast Sloan letter charts, and pupillometric recordings were made using a handheld NeurOptics PLR-3000 pupillometer. The NEI-VFQ-25 questionnaire with 10-item neuro-ophthalmic supplement were also completed. Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) motor score and other clinical and demographic variables were collected. Comparisons between manifest HD and controls were performed using linear regression adjusted for confounders. Mean King-Devick time scores were 102.9 seconds in patients with manifest HD and 48.2 seconds in controls (p < .01, t-test). In unadjusted analyses, binocular high contrast acuity was seven letters (one Snellen line equivalent) lower in manifest HD than controls (p = .043). This effect was similar for low-contrast acuity, but only low-contrast acuity remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. Low-contrast acuity also correlated with UHDRS motor score. There were no differences in pupillary reactivity or self-reported vision-related quality of life. In conclusion, HD is associated with reduced low-contrast acuity and abnormal performance on the King-Devick test of rapid number naming. These tests are easy to administer, providing an objective quantitative measure of visual function which could be incorporated into optimised rating scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali G Hamedani
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tanya Bardakjian
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laura J Balcer
- Departments of Neurology, Ophthalmology and Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Dhalla A, Pallikadavath S, Hutchinson CV. Visual Dysfunction in Huntington's Disease: A Systematic Review. J Huntingtons Dis 2019; 8:233-242. [PMID: 30932892 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-180340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
It is well-documented that patients with Huntington's disease (HD) exhibit specific deficits in visual cognition. A less well-documented literature also exists that suggests people with HD experience a number of disease-related changes to more rudimentary sensory visual processing. Here, we review evidence for the effects of HD on the integrity of the early visual pathways in humans along with changes to low-level visual sensitivity. We find evidence for reduced structural and functional integrity of the visual pathways, marked by retinal thinning, reduced VEP amplitude, and cell loss and thinning in visual cortex. We also find evidence of visual perceptual deficits, particularly for colour and motion. We suggest that future studies with well-defined HD and HD-related groups in appropriate numbers that systematically examine the relationship between structural changes to the visual system, basic visual perceptual deficits and disease stage/severity are therefore likely to yield promising results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Dhalla
- School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Susil Pallikadavath
- School of Medicine, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Claire V Hutchinson
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Piiponniemi TO, Parkkari T, Heikkinen T, Puoliväli J, Park LC, Cachope R, Kopanitsa MV. Impaired Performance of the Q175 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease in the Touch Screen Paired Associates Learning Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:226. [PMID: 30333735 PMCID: PMC6176131 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive disturbances often predate characteristic motor dysfunction in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD) and place an increasing burden on the HD patients and caregivers with the progression of the disorder. Therefore, application of maximally translational cognitive tests to animal models of HD is imperative for the development of treatments that could alleviate cognitive decline in human patients. Here, we examined the performance of the Q175 mouse knock-in model of HD in the touch screen version of the paired associates learning (PAL) task. We found that 10–11-month-old heterozygous Q175 mice had severely attenuated learning curve in the PAL task, which was conceptually similar to previously documented impaired performance of individuals with HD in the PAL task of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Besides high rate of errors in PAL task, Q175 mice exhibited considerably lower responding rate than age-matched wild-type (WT) animals. Our examination of effortful operant responding during fixed ratio (FR) and progressive ratio (PR) reinforcement schedules in a separate cohort of similar age confirmed slower and unselective performance of mutant animals, as observed during PAL task, but suggested that motivation to work for nutritional reward in the touch screen setting was similar in Q175 and WT mice. We also demonstrated that pronounced sensorimotor disturbances in Q175 mice can be detected at early touch screen testing stages, (e.g., during “Punish Incorrect” phase of operant pretraining), so we propose that shorter test routines may be utilised for more expedient studies of treatments aimed at the rescue of HD-related phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Larry C Park
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Roger Cachope
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maksym V Kopanitsa
- Charles River Discovery Services, Kuopio, Finland.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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7
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Coppen EM, van der Grond J, Hart EP, Lakke EAJF, Roos RAC. The visual cortex and visual cognition in Huntington's disease: An overview of current literature. Behav Brain Res 2018; 351:63-74. [PMID: 29792890 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.019] [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: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The processing of visual stimuli from retina to higher cortical areas has been extensively studied in the human brain. In Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited neurodegenerative disorder, it is suggested that visual processing deficits are present in addition to more characteristic signs such as motor disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, and behavioral changes. Visual deficits are clinically important because they influence overall cognitive performance and have implications for daily functioning. The aim of this review is to summarize current literature on clinical visual deficits, visual cognitive impairment, and underlying visual cortical changes in HD patients. A literature search was conducted using the electronic database of PubMed/Medline. This review shows that changes of the visual system in patients with HD were not the primary focus of currently published studies. Still, early atrophy and alterations of the posterior cerebral cortex was frequently observed, primarily in the associative visual cortical areas such as the lingual and fusiform gyri, and lateral occipital cortex. Changes were even present in the premanifest phase, before clinical onset of motor symptoms, suggesting a primary region for cortical degeneration in HD. Although impairments in visuospatial processing and visual perception were reported in early disease stages, heterogeneous cognitive batteries were used, making a direct comparison between studies difficult. The use of a standardized battery of visual cognitive tasks might therefore provide more detailed information regarding the extent of impairments in specific visual domains. Further research could provide more insight into clinical, functional, and pathophysiological changes of the visual pathway in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Coppen
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Jeroen van der Grond
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Ellen P Hart
- Centre for Human Drug Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Egbert A J F Lakke
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Raymund A C Roos
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Wilson H, Niccolini F, Haider S, Marques TR, Pagano G, Coello C, Natesan S, Kapur S, Rabiner EA, Gunn RN, Tabrizi SJ, Politis M. Loss of extra-striatal phosphodiesterase 10A expression in early premanifest Huntington's disease gene carriers. J Neurol Sci 2016; 368:243-8. [PMID: 27538642 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder with an underlying pathology involving the toxic effect of mutant huntingtin protein primarily in striatal and cortical neurons. Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) regulates intracellular signalling cascades, thus having a key role in promoting neuronal survival. Using positron emission tomography (PET) with [(11)C]IMA107, we investigated the in vivo extra-striatal expression of PDE10A in 12 early premanifest HD gene carriers. Image processing and kinetic modelling was performed using MIAKAT™. Parametric images of [(11)C]IMA107 non-displaceable binding potential (BPND) were generated from the dynamic [(11)C]IMA107 scans using the simplified reference tissue model with the cerebellum as the reference tissue for nonspecific binding. We set a threshold criterion for meaningful quantification of [(11)C]IMA107 BPND at 0.30 in healthy control data; regions meeting this criterion were designated as regions of interest (ROIs). MRI-based volumetric analysis showed no atrophy in ROIs. We found significant differences in mean ROIs [(11)C]IMA107 BPND between HD gene carriers and healthy controls. HD gene carriers had significant loss of PDE10A within the insular cortex and occipital fusiform gyrus compared to healthy controls. Insula and occipital fusiform gyrus are important brain areas for the regulation of cognitive and limbic function that is impaired in HD. Our findings suggest that dysregulation of PDE10A-mediated intracellular signalling could be an early phenomenon in the course of HD with relevance also for extra-striatal brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Wilson
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Flavia Niccolini
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Salman Haider
- Huntington's Disease Research Group, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tiago Reis Marques
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Gennaro Pagano
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher Coello
- Imanova Ltd., Centre for Imaging Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Sridhar Natesan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Shitij Kapur
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Eugenii A Rabiner
- Imanova Ltd., Centre for Imaging Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK; Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Roger N Gunn
- Imanova Ltd., Centre for Imaging Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK; Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Research Group, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Marios Politis
- Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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9
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Johnson EB, Rees EM, Labuschagne I, Durr A, Leavitt BR, Roos RAC, Reilmann R, Johnson H, Hobbs NZ, Langbehn DR, Stout JC, Tabrizi SJ, Scahill RI. The impact of occipital lobe cortical thickness on cognitive task performance: An investigation in Huntington's Disease. Neuropsychologia 2015; 79:138-46. [PMID: 26519555 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The occipital lobe is an important visual processing region of the brain. Following consistent findings of early neural changes in the occipital lobe in Huntington's Disease (HD), we examined cortical thickness across four occipital regions in premanifest (preHD) and early HD groups compared with controls. Associations between cortical thickness in gene positive individuals and performance on six cognitive tasks, each with a visual component, were examined. In addition, the association between cortical thickness in gene positive participants and one non-visual motor task was also examined for comparison. METHODS Cortical thickness was determined using FreeSurfer on T1-weighted 3T MR datasets from controls (N=97), preHD (N=109) and HD (N=69) from the TRACK-HD study. Regression models were fitted to assess between-group differences in cortical thickness, and relationships between performance on the cognitive tasks, the motor task and occipital thickness were examined in a subset of gene-positive participants (N=141). RESULTS Thickness of the occipital cortex in preHD and early HD participants was reduced compared with controls. Regionally-specific associations between reduced cortical thickness and poorer performance were found for five of the six cognitive tasks, with the strongest associations in lateral occipital and lingual regions. No associations were found with the cuneus. The non-visual motor task was not associated with thickness of any region. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneous pattern of associations found in the present study suggests that occipital thickness negatively impacts cognition, but only in regions that are linked to relatively advanced visual processing (e.g., lateral occipital, lingual regions), rather than in basic visual processing regions such as the cuneus. Our results show, for the first time, the functional implications of occipital atrophy highlighted in recent studies in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elin M Rees
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | - Izelle Labuschagne
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexandra Durr
- Department of Genetics and Cytogenetics, and INSERMUMR S679, APHP, ICM Institute, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Raymund A C Roos
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hans Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Nicola Z Hobbs
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
| | | | - Julie C Stout
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Svetozarskiy SN, Kopishinskaya SV, Gustov AV, Radyuk MA, Antonova VA, Smetankin IG, Svetozarskiy SN, Kopishinskaya SV, Gustov AV, Radyuk MA, Antonova VA, Smetankin IG. [Ophthalmic manifestations of Huntington's disease]. Vestn Oftalmol 2015; 131:82-86. [PMID: 26845877 DOI: 10.17116/oftalma2015131582-86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The whole nervous system, including visual analyzer, is involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Various ocular sings can be found in both preclinical and clinical stages of HD. Specific retinal damage, namely, abnormal proteins formation, photoreceptor degeneration and retinal remodeling, has been studied in animal models. Functional changes in occipital lobe activity and its atrophy as well as degeneration of visual pathways can already be present in the early stages of the disease. Oculomotor symptoms of HD include disturbed visual fixation, slower tracking eye movements and saccades, and suppressed vestibulo-ocular reflex. Visual perceptual disorders, such as visuospatial difficulties, problems of stimulus identification and motion perception, along with decreased contrast sensitivity, have also been described. The possibility of using certain ophthalmic parameters as biomarkers of HD is being discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S N Svetozarskiy
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - S V Kopishinskaya
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - A V Gustov
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - M A Radyuk
- Volgograd State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 1 Pavshikh Bortsov Sq., Volgograd, Russian Federation, 400131
| | - V A Antonova
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - I G Smetankin
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - S N Svetozarskiy
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - S V Kopishinskaya
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - A V Gustov
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - M A Radyuk
- Volgograd State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 1 Pavshikh Bortsov Sq., Volgograd, Russian Federation, 400131
| | - V A Antonova
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
| | - I G Smetankin
- Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1 Minina Sq., Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 603005
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11
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Janssens J, Etienne H, Idriss S, Azmi A, Martin B, Maudsley S. Systems-Level G Protein-Coupled Receptor Therapy Across a Neurodegenerative Continuum by the GLP-1 Receptor System. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:142. [PMID: 25225492 PMCID: PMC4150252 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
With our increasing appreciation of the true complexity of diseases and pathophysiologies, it is clear that this knowledge needs to inform the future development of pharmacotherapeutics. For many disorders, the disease mechanism itself is a complex process spanning multiple signaling networks, tissues, and organ systems. Identifying the precise nature and locations of the pathophysiology is crucial for the creation of systemically effective drugs. Diseases once considered constrained to a limited range of organ systems, e.g., central neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington' disease (HD), the role of multiple central and peripheral organ systems in the etiology of such diseases is now widely accepted. With this knowledge, it is increasingly clear that these seemingly distinct neurodegenerative disorders (AD, PD, and HD) possess multiple pathophysiological similarities thereby demonstrating an inter-related continuum of disease-related molecular alterations. With this systems-level appreciation of neurodegenerative diseases, it is now imperative to consider that pharmacotherapeutics should be developed specifically to address the systemic imbalances that create the disorders. Identification of potential systems-level signaling axes may facilitate the generation of therapeutic agents with synergistic remedial activity across multiple tissues, organ systems, and even diseases. Here, we discuss the potentially therapeutic systems-level interaction of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) ligand-receptor axis with multiple aspects of the AD, PD, and HD neurodegenerative continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Janssens
- Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Harmonie Etienne
- Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sherif Idriss
- Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Abdelkrim Azmi
- Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Bronwen Martin
- Metabolism Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stuart Maudsley
- Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Stuart Maudsley, Translational Neurobiology Group, VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Building V, Antwerpen B2610, Belgium e-mail:
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12
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Quinn L, Busse M. Physiotherapy clinical guidelines for Huntington’s disease. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2012. [DOI: 10.2217/nmt.11.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lori Quinn
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Healthcare Studies, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Monica Busse
- Department of Physiotherapy, School of Healthcare Studies, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
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Snyder AN, Bockbrader MA, Hoffa AM, Dzemidzic MA, Talavage TM, Wong D, Lowe MJ, O'Donnell BF, Shekhar A. Psychometrically matched tasks evaluating differential fMRI activation during form and motion processing. Neuropsychology 2012; 25:622-33. [PMID: 21534685 DOI: 10.1037/a0022984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Deficits in visual perception and working memory are commonly observed in neuropsychiatric disorders and have been investigated using functional MRI (fMRI). However, interpretation of differences in brain activation may be confounded with differences in task performance between groups. Differences in task difficulty across conditions may also pose interpretative issues in studies of visual processing in healthy subjects. METHOD To address these concerns, the present study characterized brain activation in tasks that were psychometrically matched for difficulty; fMRI was used to assess brain activation in 10 healthy subjects during discrimination and working memory judgments for static and moving stimuli. For all task conditions, performance accuracy was matched at 70.7%. RESULTS Areas associated with V2 and V5 in the dorsal stream were activated during motion processing tasks and V4 in the ventral stream were activated during form processing tasks. Frontoparietal areas associated with working memory were also statistically significant during the working memory tasks. CONCLUSIONS Application of psychophysical methods to equate task demands provides a practical method to equate performance levels across conditions in fMRI studies and to compare healthy and cognitively impaired groups at comparable levels of effort. These psychometrically matched tasks can be applied to patients with a variety of cognitive disorders to investigate dysfunction of multiple a priori defined brain regions. Measuring the changes in typical activation patterns in patients with these diseases can be useful for monitoring disease progression, evaluating new drug treatments, and possibly for developing methods for early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea N Snyder
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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14
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Patel R, Ciuffreda KJ, Tannen B, Kapoor N. Elevated coherent motion thresholds in mild traumatic brain injury. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 82:284-9. [PMID: 21524599 DOI: 10.1016/j.optm.2010.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2010] [Revised: 10/20/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) frequently complain of increased sensitivity to visual motion. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the coherent motion threshold (CMT) in subjects with mTBI and reported visual motion sensitivity. METHODS Fourteen adult subjects with mTBI and symptoms of motion sensitivity were tested. They were compared with 40 age-matched asymptomatic visually normal individuals. CMT was assessed using a 2-alternative, forced choice paradigm. A symptom rating-scale questionnaire related to motion and light sensitivity, vertigo, and self-reported reading ability was also administered to the mTBI group. RESULTS Mean CMTs were significantly elevated in the mTBI (8.81%) versus the normal subjects (6.53%). There was a trend for a progressive increase in mean CMT in mTBI with increased symptoms related to visual motion sensitivity and vertigo. However, there was no apparent relation to either light sensitivity or self-reported reading ability in mTBI. There was no significant age effect in either group. CONCLUSIONS The elevated CMT in mTBI suggests damage to the magnocellular pathway, such as extrastriate visual cortical area V5, visual area medial temporal, and the medial superior temporal cortex, which is involved directly in various aspects of motion processing. These findings are consistent with the subjects' symptoms of motion sensitivity and vertigo in their natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reena Patel
- State University of New York State College of Optometry, New York, NY 10036, USA.
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Abstract
The visual system is one of the most energetically demanding systems in the brain. The currency of energy is ATP, which is generated most efficiently from oxidative metabolism in the mitochondria. ATP supports multiple neuronal functions. Foremost is repolarization of the membrane potential after depolarization. Neuronal activity, ATP generation, blood flow, oxygen consumption, glucose utilization, and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism are all interrelated. In the retina, phototransduction, neurotransmitter utilization, and protein/organelle transport are energy-dependent, yet repolarization-after-depolarization consumes the bulk of the energy. Repolarization in photoreceptor inner segments maintains the dark current. Repolarization by all neurons along the visual pathway following depolarizing excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmission preserves cellular integrity and permits reactivation. The higher metabolic activity in the magno- versus the parvo-cellular pathway, the ON- versus the OFF-pathway in some (and the reverse in other) species, and in specialized functional representations in the visual cortex all reflect a greater emphasis on the processing of specific visual attributes. Neuronal activity and energy metabolism are tightly coupled processes at the cellular and even at the molecular levels. Deficiencies in energy metabolism, such as in diabetes, mitochondrial DNA mutation, mitochondrial protein malfunction, and oxidative stress can lead to retinopathy, visual deficits, neuronal degeneration, and eventual blindness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret T T Wong-Riley
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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