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Parsaei M, Hashemi SM, Moghaddam HS, Peterson BS. A systematic review of MRI studies on the effects of maternal obesity on offspring brain structure and function. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25368. [PMID: 39007363 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Maternal obesity before or during pregnancy has been associated previously in offspring with a wide range of poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and mental health problems. The effects of maternal obesity on offspring brain structure and function that may be responsible for these poor outcomes are not well understood. We, therefore, undertook a systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies that have assessed the associations of maternal obesity with brain measures in offspring. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO on August 20, 2023. Of 15 eligible studies, seven employed functional MRI (fMRI), five diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and four anatomical MRI (one used both DTI and anatomical MRI) in the offspring. The ages of offspring varied widely: one was a study of fetuses in utero, five of neonates, one of infants, five of school-aged children, two of both neonates and infants, and one of both children and adults. Collectively, 12 studies reported significant associations of maternal obesity with structural or functional alterations of the offspring's brain, most frequently in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system. In conclusion, maternal obesity appears to have a profound influence on offspring brain development, particularly within the prefrontal and limbic networks that regulate emotion and behavior. Further studies are needed to identify how changes in brain structure and function mediate the effects of maternal obesity on long-term emotional and behavioral outcomes, as well as the molecular pathways through which maternal obesity alters offspring brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadamin Parsaei
- Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Research Center, Family Health Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Hossein Sanjari Moghaddam
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bradley S Peterson
- Institute for the Developing Mind, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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2
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Maitin-Shepard M, O'Tierney-Ginn P, Kraneveld AD, Lyall K, Fallin D, Arora M, Fasano A, Mueller NT, Wang X, Caulfield LE, Dickerson AS, Diaz Heijtz R, Tarui T, Blumberg JB, Holingue C, Schmidt RJ, Garssen J, Almendinger K, Lin PID, Mozaffarian D. Food, nutrition, and autism: from soil to fork. Am J Clin Nutr 2024; 120:240-256. [PMID: 38677518 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Food and nutrition-related factors have the potential to impact development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and quality of life for people with ASD, but gaps in evidence exist. On 10 November 2022, Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and Food and Nutrition Innovation Institute hosted a 1-d meeting to explore the evidence and evidence gaps regarding the relationships of food and nutrition with ASD. This meeting report summarizes the presentations and deliberations from the meeting. Topics addressed included prenatal and child dietary intake, the microbiome, obesity, food-related environmental exposures, mechanisms and biological processes linking these factors and ASD, food-related social factors, and data sources for future research. Presentations highlighted evidence for protective associations with prenatal folic acid supplementation and ASD development, increases in risk of ASD with maternal gestational obesity, and the potential for exposure to environmental contaminants in foods and food packaging to influence ASD development. The importance of the maternal and child microbiome in ASD development or ASD-related behaviors in the child was reviewed, as was the role of discrimination in leading to disparities in environmental exposures and psychosocial factors that may influence ASD. The role of child diet and high prevalence of food selectivity in children with ASD and its association with adverse outcomes were also discussed. Priority evidence gaps identified by participants include further clarifying ASD development, including biomarkers and key mechanisms; interactions among psychosocial, social, and biological determinants; interventions addressing diet, supplementation, and the microbiome to prevent and improve quality of life for people with ASD; and mechanisms of action of diet-related factors associated with ASD. Participants developed research proposals to address the priority evidence gaps. The workshop findings serve as a foundation for future prioritization of scientific research to address evidence gaps related to food, nutrition, and ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Aletta D Kraneveld
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kristen Lyall
- AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daniele Fallin
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alessio Fasano
- Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Noel T Mueller
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laura E Caulfield
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Aisha S Dickerson
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | - Tomo Tarui
- Department of Pediatrics, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Jeffrey B Blumberg
- Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Calliope Holingue
- Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation, Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Rebecca J Schmidt
- Department of Public Health Sciences, the MIND Institute, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Johan Garssen
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Katherine Almendinger
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Pi-I Debby Lin
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dariush Mozaffarian
- Food is Medicine Institute, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States.
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3
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Rosberg A, Merisaari H, Lewis JD, Hashempour N, Lukkarinen M, Rasmussen JM, Scheinin NM, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Associations between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and infant striatal mean diffusivity. BMC Med 2024; 22:140. [PMID: 38528552 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03340-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is well-established that parental obesity is a strong risk factor for offspring obesity. Further, a converging body of evidence now suggests that maternal weight profiles may affect the developing offspring's brain in a manner that confers future obesity risk. Here, we investigated how pre-pregnancy maternal weight status influences the reward-related striatal areas of the offspring's brain during in utero development. METHODS We used diffusion tensor imaging to quantify the microstructure of the striatal brain regions of interest in neonates (N = 116 [66 males, 50 females], mean gestational weeks at birth [39.88], SD = 1.14; at scan [43.56], SD = 1.05). Linear regression was used to test the associations between maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and infant striatal mean diffusivity. RESULTS High maternal pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with higher mean MD values in the infant's left caudate nucleus. Results remained unchanged after the adjustment for covariates. CONCLUSIONS In utero exposure to maternal adiposity might have a growth-impairing impact on the mean diffusivity of the infant's left caudate nucleus. Considering the involvement of the caudate nucleus in regulating eating behavior and food-related reward processing later in life, this finding calls for further investigations to define the prognostic relevance of early-life caudate nucleus development and weight trajectories of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aylin Rosberg
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Harri Merisaari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - John D Lewis
- The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Niloofar Hashempour
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Minna Lukkarinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Satakunta Wellbeing Services County, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Pulli EP, Nolvi S, Eskola E, Nordenswan E, Holmberg E, Copeland A, Kumpulainen V, Silver E, Merisaari H, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Saukko E, Kataja E, Korja R, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Structural brain correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in 5-year-old children: Findings from the FinnBrain birth cohort study. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:5582-5601. [PMID: 37606608 PMCID: PMC10619410 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-verbal cognitive ability predicts multiple important life outcomes, for example, school and job performance. It has been associated with parieto-frontal cortical anatomy in prior studies in adult and adolescent populations, while young children have received relatively little attention. We explored the associations between cortical anatomy and non-verbal cognitive ability in 165 5-year-old participants (mean scan age 5.40 years, SD 0.13; 90 males) from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study. T1-weighted brain magnetic resonance images were processed using FreeSurfer. Non-verbal cognitive ability was measured using the Performance Intelligence Quotient (PIQ) estimated from the Block Design and Matrix Reasoning subtests from the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III). In vertex-wise general linear models, PIQ scores associated positively with volumes in the left caudal middle frontal and right pericalcarine regions, as well as surface area in left the caudal middle frontal, left inferior temporal, and right lingual regions. There were no associations between PIQ and cortical thickness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine structural correlates of non-verbal cognitive ability in a large sample of typically developing 5-year-olds. The findings are generally in line with prior findings from older age groups, with the important addition of the positive association between volume / surface area in the right medial occipital region and non-verbal cognitive ability. This finding adds to the literature by discovering a new brain region that should be considered in future studies exploring the role of cortical structure for cognitive development in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmo P. Pulli
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Saara Nolvi
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, Department of Psychology and Speech‐Language PathologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Eeva Eskola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Elisabeth Nordenswan
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Eeva Holmberg
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Anni Copeland
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Venla Kumpulainen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Eero Silver
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Harri Merisaari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical PhysicsTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of RadiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of RadiologyTurku University HospitalTurkuFinland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent MedicineTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | | | - Eeva‐Leena Kataja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Riikka Korja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent MedicineTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of PsychiatryTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Jetro J. Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Centre for Population Health ResearchTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of PsychiatryTurku University Hospital and University of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and TechnologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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5
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Lee JY, Lee HJ, Jang YH, Kim H, Im K, Yang S, Hoh JK, Ahn JH. Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity affects the uncinate fasciculus white matter tract in preterm infants. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1225960. [PMID: 38034827 PMCID: PMC10684693 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1225960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A growing body of evidence suggests an association between a higher maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and adverse long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes for their offspring. Despite recent attention to the effects of maternal obesity on fetal and neonatal brain development, changes in the brain microstructure of preterm infants born to mothers with pre-pregnancy obesity are still not well understood. This study aimed to detect the changes in the brain microstructure of obese mothers in pre-pregnancy and their offspring born as preterm infants using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods A total of 32 preterm infants (born to 16 mothers with normal BMI and 16 mothers with a high BMI) at <32 weeks of gestation without brain injury underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging at term-equivalent age (TEA). The BMI of all pregnant women was measured within approximately 12 weeks before pregnancy or the first 2 weeks of gestation. We analyzed the brain volume using a morphologically adaptive neonatal tissue segmentation toolbox and calculated the major white matter (WM) tracts using probabilistic maps of the Johns Hopkins University neonatal atlas. We investigated the differences in brain volume and WM microstructure between preterm infants of mothers with normal and high BMI. The DTI parameters were compared among groups using analysis of covariance adjusted for postmenstrual age at scan and multiple comparisons. Results Preterm infants born to mothers with a high BMI showed significantly increased cortical gray matter volume (p = 0.001) and decreased WM volume (p = 0.003) after controlling for postmenstrual age and multiple comparisons. We found a significantly lower axial diffusivity in the uncinate fasciculus (UNC) in mothers with high BMI than that in mothers with normal BMI (1.690 ± 0.066 vs. 1.762 ± 0.101, respectively; p = 0.005). Conclusion Our study is the first to demonstrate that maternal obesity impacts perinatal brain development patterns in preterm infants at TEA, even in the absence of apparent brain injury. These findings provide evidence for the detrimental effects of maternal obesity on brain developmental trajectories in offspring and suggest potential neurodevelopmental outcomes based on an altered UNC WM microstructure, which is known to be critical for language and social-emotional functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Young Lee
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Neonatology and Development Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Hun Jang
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyuna Kim
- Department of Translational Medicine, Hanyang University Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiho Im
- Fetal Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science Center, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Seung Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Kyu Hoh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ja-Hye Ahn
- Department of Pediatrics, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Neonatology and Development Medicine, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Rajasilta O, Häkkinen S, Björnsdotter M, Scheinin NM, Lehtola SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Maternal psychological distress associates with alterations in resting-state low-frequency fluctuations and distal functional connectivity of the neonate medial prefrontal cortex. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:242-257. [PMID: 36458867 PMCID: PMC10108202 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal stress exposure (PSE) has been observed to exert a programming effect on the developing infant brain, possibly with long-lasting consequences on temperament, cognitive functions and the risk for developing psychiatric disorders. Several prior studies have revealed that PSE associates with alterations in neonate functional connectivity in the prefrontal regions and amygdala. In this study, we explored whether maternal psychological symptoms measured during the 24th gestational week had associations with neonate resting-state network metrics. Twenty-one neonates (nine female) underwent resting-state fMRI scanning (mean gestation-corrected age at scan 26.95 days) to assess fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). The ReHo/fALFF maps were used in multiple regression analysis to investigate whether maternal self-reported anxiety and/or depressive symptoms associate with neonate functional brain features. Maternal psychological distress (composite score of depressive and anxiety symptoms) was positively associated with fALFF in the neonate medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Anxiety and depressive symptoms, assessed separately, exhibited similar but weaker associations. Post hoc seed-based connectivity analyses further showed that distal connectivity of mPFC covaried with PSE. No associations were found between neonate ReHo and PSE. These results offer preliminary evidence that PSE may affect functional features of the developing brain during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Häkkinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- The Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), Oxford, UK
- Turku Collegium for Science and Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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7
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Manuello J, Verdejo-Román J, Torres Espínola F, Escudero-Marín M, Catena A, Cauda F, Campoy C. Influence of Gestational Diabetes and Pregestational Maternal BMI on the Brain of Six-Year-Old Offspring. Pediatr Neurol 2022; 133:55-62. [PMID: 35759804 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2022.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational diabetes (GD) and maternal excess weight are common pregnancy conditions that increase the risk of future complications for both the mother and her offspring. Their consequences on neurodevelopment are widely described in the literature, but less is known concerning the potential transgenerational influence on the brain structure. METHODS We used a combination of support vectors machine and hierarchical clustering to investigate the potential presence of anatomical brain differences in a sample of 109 children aged six years, born to mothers with overweight or obesity, or to mothers diagnosed with GD during pregnancy. RESULTS Significant effects are visible in the brain of children born to mothers with GD associated with pregestational excess weight, especially overweight instead of obesity. No differences in children's brain were observed when considering those born to normal-weight mothers. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the need for clinical attention of pregnant women at risk to develop GD, and especially those with pregestational excess weight, since this status was found to be associated with detectable transgenerational brain changes. These effects may be due to the absence of specific and individualized intervention in these mothers during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Manuello
- Gcs-Fmri, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Focus Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Juan Verdejo-Román
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Centre, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Torres Espínola
- Euristikos Excellence Centre For Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; DR. Federico Oloriz Neurosciences Institute, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Mireia Escudero-Marín
- Euristikos Excellence Centre For Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; DR. Federico Oloriz Neurosciences Institute, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Andrés Catena
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Centre, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Franco Cauda
- Gcs-Fmri, Koelliker Hospital and Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Focus Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Campoy
- Euristikos Excellence Centre For Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; DR. Federico Oloriz Neurosciences Institute, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Spanish Network of Biomedical Research In Epidemiology and Public Health (Ciberesp), Granada's Node, Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Biohealth Research Institute (IBS), Granada, Health Sciences Technological Park, Granada, Spain.
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8
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Rasmussen JM, Thompson PM, Entringer S, Buss C, Wadhwa PD. Fetal programming of human energy homeostasis brain networks: Issues and considerations. Obes Rev 2022; 23:e13392. [PMID: 34845821 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we present a transdisciplinary framework and testable hypotheses regarding the process of fetal programming of energy homeostasis brain circuitry. Our model proposes that key aspects of energy homeostasis brain circuitry already are functional by the time of birth (with substantial interindividual variation); that this phenotypic variation at birth is an important determinant of subsequent susceptibility for energy imbalance and childhood obesity risk; and that this brain circuitry exhibits developmental plasticity, in that it is influenced by conditions during intrauterine life, particularly maternal-placental-fetal endocrine, immune/inflammatory, and metabolic processes and their upstream determinants. We review evidence that supports the scientific premise for each element of this formulation, identify future research directions, particularly recent advances that may facilitate a better quantification of the ontogeny of energy homeostasis brain networks, highlight animal and in vitro-based approaches that may better address the determinants of interindividual variation in energy homeostasis brain networks, and discuss the implications of this formulation for the development of strategies targeted towards the primary prevention of childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod M Rasmussen
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Medical Psychology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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9
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Parker SE, Carlson JM, Kebede N, Werler MM, Janulewicz PA. Pre-pregnancy body mass index and parent and teacher-reported behavioral outcomes among offspring in childhood. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2022; 89:107049. [PMID: 34780987 PMCID: PMC8819681 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pre-pregnancy obesity has been linked to childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes, including autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The aim of our study was to examine the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and scores on behavioral scales according to both mother and teacher report. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal study of 469 mother-child pairs. Information on pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) was collected from standardized maternal interviews conducted after delivery and assessment of childhood behavioral problems was measured at 5-12 years of age according to maternal-report using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and teacher-report using the Teacher Report Form (TRF). Using normal pre-pregnancy BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) as the reference (n = 305), we calculated adjusted mean differences (MD) for t-scores on broadband and syndrome scales of behavior for children of mothers with pre-pregnancy overweight (n = 101) or obese (n = 63) BMI. We also examined associations with scores in the clinical range using risk ratios (RR) and compared results across informants. To account for loss to follow-up between the initial interview and the childhood behavioral assessment, we weighted models using stabilized inverse probability weights. RESULTS Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with a mean increase in child's total behavior problem t-scores according to both mother and teacher report, after adjustment for confounders and weighted for loss to follow-up (MD: 0.7, 95% CI: -2.2, 3.6 on CBCL; MD: 3.1, 95% CI: 0.5, 5.7 on TRF), indicating poorer behavioral outcomes. Comparing the magnitude of associations between mother and teacher-report, mean differences for pre-pregnancy obesity and most behavioral problem scales were larger for teacher-reported outcomes than mother-reported outcomes. Pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with increased risks of externalizing behaviors in the clinical range regardless of informant (CBCL RR: 1.6, 95% CI: 0.8, 3.2 and TRF RR: 1.7, 95% CI: 0.8, 3.5). Pre-pregnancy obesity was also associated with increased risks of internalizing behaviors according to teacher-report (TRF RR: 2.6, 95% CI:1.5, 4.6). CONCLUSIONS Pre-pregnancy obesity, compared to pre-pregnancy normal weight, is associated with generally higher scores on both mother and teacher reported childhood behavioral assessments, indicating an increased likelihood of behavioral problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha E. Parker
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of
Public Health, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Jeffrey M. Carlson
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University
School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Nehemiah Kebede
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of
Public Health, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Martha M. Werler
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of
Public Health, Boston, MA 02118
| | - Patricia A. Janulewicz
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University
School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02118
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10
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Dufford AJ, Spann M, Scheinost D. How prenatal exposures shape the infant brain: Insights from infant neuroimaging studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:47-58. [PMID: 34536461 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.017] [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] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Brain development during the prenatal period is rapid and unparalleled by any other time during development. Biological systems undergoing rapid development are at higher risk for disorganizing influences. Therefore, certain prenatal exposures impact brain development, increasing risk for negative neurodevelopmental outcome. While prenatal exposures have been associated with cognitive and behavioral outcomes later in life, the underlying macroscopic brain pathways remain unclear. Here, we review magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies investigating the association between prenatal exposures and infant brain development focusing on prenatal exposures via maternal physical health factors, maternal mental health factors, and maternal drug and medication use. Further, we discuss the need for studies to consider multiple prenatal exposures in parallel and suggest future directions for this body of research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marisa Spann
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Dustin Scheinost
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, USA; Department of Statistics and Data Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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11
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Tarui T, Rasool A, O'Tierney-Ginn P. How the placenta-brain lipid axis impacts the nutritional origin of child neurodevelopmental disorders: Focus on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113910. [PMID: 34742689 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Dietary fish is a rich source of omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, and as such, is believed to have played an important role in the evolution of the human brain and its advanced cognitive function. The long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly the n-3 docosahexanoic acid (DHA), are critical for proper neurological development and function. Both low plasma DHA and obesity in pregnancy are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in childhood, and n-3 supplementation has been shown to improve symptoms, as reviewed herein. The mechanisms underlying the connection between maternal obesity, n-3 fatty acid levels and offspring's neurological outcomes are poorly understood, but we review the evidence for a mediating role of the placenta in this relationship. Despite promising data that n-3 fatty acid supplementation mitigates the effect of maternal obesity on placental lipid metabolism, few clinical trials or animal studies have considered the neurological outcomes of offspring of mothers with obesity supplemented with n-3 FA in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomo Tarui
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Aisha Rasool
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn
- Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America.
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12
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Na X, Phelan NE, Tadros MR, Wu Z, Andres A, Badger TM, Glasier CM, Ramakrishnaiah RR, Rowell AC, Wang L, Li G, Williams DK, Ou X. Maternal Obesity during Pregnancy is Associated with Lower Cortical Thickness in the Neonate Brain. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2021; 42:2238-2244. [PMID: 34620592 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent studies have suggested that maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationships between maternal obesity during pregnancy and neonatal brain cortical development. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-four healthy women (28 normal-weight, 16 obese) were prospectively recruited at <10 weeks' gestation, and their healthy full-term neonates (23 boys, 21 girls) underwent brain MR imaging. All pregnant women had their body composition (fat mass percentage) measured at ∼12 weeks of pregnancy. All neonates were scanned at ∼2 weeks of age during natural sleep without sedation, and their 3D T1-weighted images were postprocessed by the new iBEAT2.0 software. Brain MR imaging segmentation and cortical surface reconstruction and parcellation were completed using age-appropriate templates. Mean cortical thickness for 34 regions in each brain hemisphere defined by the UNC Neonatal Cortical Surface Atlas was measured, compared between groups, and correlated with maternal body fat mass percentage, controlled for neonate sex and race, postmenstrual age at MR imaging, maternal age at pregnancy, and the maternal intelligence quotient and education. RESULTS Neonates born to obese mothers showed significantly lower (P ≤ .05, false discovery rate-corrected) cortical thickness in the left pars opercularis gyrus, left pars triangularis gyrus, and left rostral middle frontal gyrus. Mean cortical thickness in these frontal lobe regions negatively correlated (R = -0.34, P = .04; R = -0.50, P = .001; and R = -0.42, P = .01; respectively) with the maternal body fat mass percentage measured at early pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with lower neonate brain cortical thickness in several frontal lobe regions important for language and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Na
- From the Department of Radiology (X.N., C.M.G., R.R.R., A.C.R., X.O.).,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas.,Arkansas Children's Research Institute (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | | | | | - Z Wu
- Department of Radiology (Z.W., L.W., G.L.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - A Andres
- Departments of Pediatrics (A.A., T.M.B., C.M.G., R.R.R., X.O.).,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas.,Arkansas Children's Research Institute (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - T M Badger
- Departments of Pediatrics (A.A., T.M.B., C.M.G., R.R.R., X.O.).,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas.,Arkansas Children's Research Institute (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - C M Glasier
- From the Department of Radiology (X.N., C.M.G., R.R.R., A.C.R., X.O.).,Departments of Pediatrics (A.A., T.M.B., C.M.G., R.R.R., X.O.)
| | - R R Ramakrishnaiah
- From the Department of Radiology (X.N., C.M.G., R.R.R., A.C.R., X.O.).,Departments of Pediatrics (A.A., T.M.B., C.M.G., R.R.R., X.O.)
| | - A C Rowell
- From the Department of Radiology (X.N., C.M.G., R.R.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
| | - L Wang
- Department of Radiology (Z.W., L.W., G.L.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - G Li
- Department of Radiology (Z.W., L.W., G.L.), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - D K Williams
- Biostatistics (D.K.W.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - X Ou
- From the Department of Radiology (X.N., C.M.G., R.R.R., A.C.R., X.O.) .,Departments of Pediatrics (A.A., T.M.B., C.M.G., R.R.R., X.O.).,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas.,Arkansas Children's Research Institute (X.N., A.A., T.M.B., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
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13
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Rajasilta O, Häkkinen S, Björnsdotter M, Scheinin NM, Lehtola SJ, Saunavaara J, Parkkola R, Lähdesmäki T, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI associates with neonate local and distal functional connectivity of the left superior frontal gyrus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19182. [PMID: 34584134 PMCID: PMC8478954 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98574-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal obesity/overweight during pregnancy has reached epidemic proportions and has been linked with adverse outcomes for the offspring, including cognitive impairment and increased risk for neuropsychiatric disorders. Prior neuroimaging investigations have reported widespread aberrant functional connectivity and white matter tract abnormalities in neonates born to obese mothers. Here we explored whether maternal pre-pregnancy adiposity is associated with alterations in local neuronal synchrony and distal connectivity in the neonate brain. 21 healthy mother-neonate dyads from uncomplicated pregnancies were included in this study (age at scanning 26.14 ± 6.28 days, 12 male). The neonates were scanned with a 6-min resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) during natural sleep. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) maps were computed from obtained rs-fMRI data. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the association of pre-pregnancy maternal body-mass-index (BMI) and ReHo. Seed-based connectivity analysis with multiple regression was subsequently performed with seed-ROI derived from ReHo analysis. Maternal adiposity measured by pre-pregnancy BMI was positively associated with neonate ReHo values within the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) (FWE-corrected p < 0.005). Additionally, we found both positive and negative associations (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected) for maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and seed-based connectivity between left SFG and prefrontal, amygdalae, basal ganglia and insular regions. Our results imply that maternal pre-pregnancy BMI associates with local and distal functional connectivity within the neonate left superior frontal gyrus. These findings add to the evidence that increased maternal pre-pregnancy BMI has a programming influence on the developing neonate brain functional networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olli Rajasilta
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.
| | - Suvi Häkkinen
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- Department of Psychiatry for Affective Disorders, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Noora M Scheinin
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- Department of Radiology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, 20520, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, UK (Sigrid Juselius Fellowship), Oxford, UK.,Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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14
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Alteration of regional heterogeneity and functional connectivity for obese undergraduates: evidence from resting-state fMRI. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:627-636. [PMID: 34487278 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00542-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Obesity was found to be related with the changes of brain functions in human beings. There were several brain areas that were verified to be correlated with the obesity, including the parietal cortex, frontal cortex and so on. However, the cortical regions found from different studies were discrepant due to the different ages, gender distribution and satiation degree of participants. We found that the regional homogeneity of right angular gyrus were smaller in obese undergraduates than that in normal-weight undergraduates. Moreover, functional connectivity of the left middle temporal cortex and the right angular gyrus were found to be smaller in obese group than that in normal-weight group by setting the right angular gyrus as seed region. In addition, multiple regression analysis suggested that the right superior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus were significantly correlated with their body mass index for normal-weight undergraduates, but no significant correlation was found for obese group. In summary, these findings indicated the functional changes of the cortex in obese undergraduates, which might be significant for providing imaging-based biomarkers for intervention and therapy of obesity.
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15
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Copeland A, Silver E, Korja R, Lehtola SJ, Merisaari H, Saukko E, Sinisalo S, Saunavaara J, Lähdesmäki T, Parkkola R, Nolvi S, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Tuulari JJ. Infant and Child MRI: A Review of Scanning Procedures. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:666020. [PMID: 34321992 PMCID: PMC8311184 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.666020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a safe method to examine human brain. However, a typical MR scan is very sensitive to motion, and it requires the subject to lie still during the acquisition, which is a major challenge for pediatric scans. Consequently, in a clinical setting, sedation or general anesthesia is often used. In the research setting including healthy subjects anesthetics are not recommended for ethical reasons and potential longer-term harm. Here we review the methods used to prepare a child for an MRI scan, but also on the techniques and tools used during the scanning to enable a successful scan. Additionally, we critically evaluate how studies have reported the scanning procedure and success of scanning. We searched articles based on special subject headings from PubMed and identified 86 studies using brain MRI in healthy subjects between 0 and 6 years of age. Scan preparations expectedly depended on subject's age; infants and young children were scanned asleep after feeding and swaddling and older children were scanned awake. Comparing the efficiency of different procedures was difficult because of the heterogeneous reporting of the used methods and the success rates. Based on this review, we recommend more detailed reporting of scanning procedure to help find out which are the factors affecting the success of scanning. In the long term, this could help the research field to get high quality data, but also the clinical field to reduce the use of anesthetics. Finally, we introduce the protocol used in scanning 2 to 5-week-old infants in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, and tips for calming neonates during the scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anni Copeland
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Eero Silver
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu J. Lehtola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Harri Merisaari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ekaterina Saukko
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Susanne Sinisalo
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Saunavaara
- Department of Medical Physics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuire Lähdesmäki
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Riitta Parkkola
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Saara Nolvi
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jetro J. Tuulari
- FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Collegium for Science, Medicine and Technology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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16
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Norr ME, Hect JL, Lenniger CJ, Van den Heuvel M, Thomason ME. An examination of maternal prenatal BMI and human fetal brain development. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021; 62:458-469. [PMID: 32779186 PMCID: PMC7875456 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal development is a time when the brain is acutely vulnerable to insult and alteration by environmental factors (e.g., toxins, maternal health). One important risk factor is maternal obesity (Body Mass Index > 30). Recent research indicates that high maternal BMI during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for numerous physical health, cognitive, and mental health problems in offspring across the lifespan. It is possible that heightened maternal prenatal BMI influences the developing brain even before birth. METHODS The present study examines this possibility at the level of macrocircuitry in the human fetal brain. Using a data-driven strategy for parcellating the brain into subnetworks, we test whether MRI functional connectivity within or between fetal neural subnetworks varies with maternal prenatal BMI in 109 fetuses between the ages of 26 and 39weeks. RESULTS We discovered that strength of connectivity between two subnetworks, left anterior insula/inferior frontal gyrus (aIN/IFG) and bilateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), varied with maternal BMI. At the level of individual aIN/IFG-PFC connections, we observed both increased and decreased between-network connectivity with a tendency for increased within-hemisphere connectivity and reduced cross-hemisphere connectivity in higher BMI pregnancies. Maternal BMI was not associated with global differences in network topography based on network-based statistical analyses. CONCLUSIONS Overall effects were localized in regions that will later support behavioral regulation and integrative processes, regions commonly associated with obesity-related deficits. By establishing onset in neural differences prior to birth, this study supports a model in which maternal BMI-related risk is associated with fetal connectome-level brain organization with implications for offspring long-term cognitive development and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Norr
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Jasmine L. Hect
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Carly J. Lenniger
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martijn Van den Heuvel
- Dutch Connectome Lab, Department of Complex Trait Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Moriah E. Thomason
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York Medical Center, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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17
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Spann MN, Scheinost D, Feng T, Barbato K, Lee S, Monk C, Peterson BS. Association of Maternal Prepregnancy Body Mass Index With Fetal Growth and Neonatal Thalamic Brain Connectivity Among Adolescent and Young Women. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2024661. [PMID: 33141162 PMCID: PMC7610195 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.24661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Higher maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) is associated with adverse long-term outcomes for offspring, including obesity, poorer cognitive and social abilities, and increased risk of psychiatric disorders. Less clear is whether higher maternal BMI disrupts fetal growth and brain development. Objective To investigate the association of maternal prepregnancy BMI with fetal growth and neonatal functional connectivity. Design, Setting, and Participants This prospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted from 2012 to 2017. Participants included nulliparous pregnant adolescent and young adult women, aged 14 to 19 years who were recruited in the second trimester through Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College. Women received routine prenatal care and had no major health problems at the time of recruitment. Data were analyzed from January 2018 to March 2020. Exposures Maternal prepregnancy BMI. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes were fetal growth, measured as estimated fetal weight, and neonatal functional connectivity, measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Prepregnancy BMI and fetal ultrasonographic measurements were obtained from electronic health record review. Resting-state brain imaging data were acquired in infants within the first month of postnatal life. Functional connectivity was measured using intrinsic functional distribution and seed-based methods. Results Among 129 women recruited, 105 had ultrasonographic data from at least 2 points and were included in analyses. The mean (SD) age at delivery was 17.82 (1.31) years. Maternal prepregnancy BMI was positively associated with the slope of estimated fetal weight (β = 0.668; 95% CI, 0.163 to 1.175; P = .01) but not with fetal head circumference (β = -0.004; 95% CI, -0.024 to 0.016; P = .70). In a subsample of 45 infants with magnetic resonance imaging data, maternal prepregnancy BMI was positively correlated with global connectivity in the left thalamus. Using this thalamic region as a seed, higher maternal BMI was associated with greater local thalamic (both hemispheres) and lower frontothalamic connectivity. Conclusions and Relevance These results suggest that maternal prepregnancy BMI was associated with the development of regulation of body weight and thalamic functional brain connectivity in offspring even during fetal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa N. Spann
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
| | | | | | | | - Seonjoo Lee
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Catherine Monk
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Bradley S. Peterson
- Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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18
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Ramphal B, Whalen DJ, Kenley JK, Yu Q, Smyser CD, Rogers CE, Sylvester CM. Brain connectivity and socioeconomic status at birth and externalizing symptoms at age 2 years. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100811. [PMID: 32823180 PMCID: PMC7451824 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [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: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Low childhood socioeconomic status (SES) predisposes individuals to altered trajectories of brain development and increased rates of mental illness. Brain connectivity at birth is associated with psychiatric outcomes. We sought to investigate whether SES at birth is associated with neonatal brain connectivity and if these differences account for socioeconomic disparities in infant symptoms at age 2 years that are predictive of psychopathology. Resting state functional MRI was performed on 75 full-term and 37 term-equivalent preterm newborns (n = 112). SES was characterized by insurance type, the Area Deprivation Index, and a composite score. Seed-based voxelwise linear regression related SES to whole-brain functional connectivity of five brain regions representing functional networks implicated in psychiatric illnesses and affected by socioeconomic disadvantage: striatum, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Lower SES was associated with differences in striatum and vlPFC connectivity. Striatum connectivity with frontopolar and medial PFC mediated the relationship between SES and behavioral inhibition at age 2 measured by the Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (n = 46). Striatum-frontopolar connectivity mediated the relationship between SES and externalizing symptoms. These results, convergent across three SES metrics, suggest that neurodevelopmental trajectories linking SES and mental illness may begin as early as birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Ramphal
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Diana J Whalen
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Jeanette K Kenley
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Qiongru Yu
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Christopher D Smyser
- Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Cynthia E Rogers
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Chad M Sylvester
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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19
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Shapiro ALB, Moore BF, Sutton B, Wilkening G, Stence N, Dabelea D, Tregellas JR. In Utero Exposure to Maternal Overweight or Obesity is Associated with Altered Offspring Brain Function in Middle Childhood. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2020; 28:1718-1725. [PMID: 32772475 PMCID: PMC7483843 DOI: 10.1002/oby.22908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The impact of in utero exposure to maternal overweight and obesity on offspring metabolic health is well documented. Neurodevelopmental outcomes among these children are, however, less well studied. To address this gap, the current study investigated brain function among 4- to 6-year-old children exposed to maternal overweight or obesity during gestation compared with that of children born to mothers with healthy BMI in pregnancy. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to study neuronal activity and connectivity during a passive viewing task (movie) among 101 typically developing children enrolled in the Healthy Start study, a longitudinal prebirth cohort in Colorado. RESULTS Forty-nine children (48%) were exposed to maternal overweight or obesity in utero (mean age = 5 years, SD = 0.9). Children born to mothers with overweight or obesity demonstrated hyperactivity in the left posterior cingulate cortex and hypoactivity in the dorsal anterior cingulate and the supplementary motor area (P < 0.05 for all). Children born to mothers with overweight or obesity also showed ubiquitously weaker brain connectivity (P < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS These novel results suggest altered brain function among children exposed to maternal overweight and obesity in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison L B Shapiro
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Brianna F Moore
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Brianne Sutton
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Greta Wilkening
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Nicholas Stence
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jason R Tregellas
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Research Service, Denver Veteran's Administration Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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20
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Functional Connectome of the Fetal Brain. J Neurosci 2019; 39:9716-9724. [PMID: 31685648 PMCID: PMC6891066 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2891-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-scale functional connectome formation and reorganization is apparent in the second trimester of pregnancy, making it a crucial and vulnerable time window in connectome development. Here we identified which architectural principles of functional connectome organization are initiated before birth, and contrast those with topological characteristics observed in the mature adult brain. A sample of 105 pregnant women participated in human fetal resting-state fMRI studies (fetal gestational age between 20 and 40 weeks). Connectome analysis was used to analyze weighted network characteristics of fetal macroscale brain wiring. We identified efficient network attributes, common functional modules, and high overlap between the fetal and adult brain network. Our results indicate that key features of the functional connectome are present in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Understanding the organizational principles of fetal connectome organization may bring opportunities to develop markers for early detection of alterations of brain function.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The fetal to neonatal period is well known as a critical stage in brain development. Rapid neurodevelopmental processes establish key functional neural circuits of the human brain. Prenatal risk factors may interfere with early trajectories of connectome formation and thereby shape future health outcomes. Recent advances in MRI have made it possible to examine fetal brain functional connectivity. In this study, we evaluate the network topography of normative functional network development during connectome genesis in utero Understanding the developmental trajectory of brain connectivity provides a basis for understanding how the prenatal period shapes future brain function and disease dysfunction.
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21
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Salzwedel AP, Gao W, Andres A, Badger TM, Glasier CM, Ramakrishnaiah RH, Rowell AC, Ou X. Maternal Adiposity Influences Neonatal Brain Functional Connectivity. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 12:514. [PMID: 30662399 PMCID: PMC6328446 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms associated with obesity have been extensively studied, but the impact of maternal obesity on fetal and neonatal brain development remains poorly understood. In this study of full-term neonates, we aimed to detect potential neonatal functional connectivity alterations associated with maternal adiposity, quantified via body-mass-index (BMI) and body-fat-mass (BFM) percentage, based on seed-based and graph theoretical analysis using resting-state fMRI data. Our results revealed significant neonatal functional connectivity alterations in all four functional domains that are implicated in adult obesity: sensory cue processing, reward processing, cognitive control, and motor control. Moreover, some of the detected areas showing regional functional connectivity alterations also showed global degree and efficiency differences. These findings provide important clues to the potential neural basis for cognitive and mental health development in offspring of obese mothers and may lead to the derivation of imaging-based biomarkers for the early identification of risks for timely intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Salzwedel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Aline Andres
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Thomas M Badger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Charles M Glasier
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Raghu H Ramakrishnaiah
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Amy C Rowell
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Xiawei Ou
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Arkansas Children's Research Institute, Little Rock, AR, United States
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22
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Deoni SC, Adams SH, Li X, Badger TM, Pivik RT, Glasier CM, Ramakrishnaiah RH, Rowell AC, Ou X. Cesarean Delivery Impacts Infant Brain Development. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2019; 40:169-177. [PMID: 30467219 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a5887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The cesarean delivery rate has increased globally in the past few decades. Neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with cesarean delivery are still unclear. This study investigated whether cesarean delivery has any effect on the brain development of offspring. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 306 healthy children were studied retrospectively. We included 3 cohorts: 2-week-old neonates (cohort 1, n = 32/11 for vaginal delivery/cesarean delivery) and 8-year-old children (cohort 2, n = 37/23 for vaginal delivery/cesarean delivery) studied at Arkansas Children's Hospital, and a longitudinal cohort of 3-month to 5-year-old children (cohort 3, n = 164/39 for vaginal delivery/cesarean delivery) studied independently at Brown University. Diffusion tensor imaging, myelin water fraction imaging, voxel-based morphometry, and/or resting-state fMRI data were analyzed to evaluate white matter integrity, myelination, gray matter volume, and/or functional connectivity, respectively. RESULTS While not all MR imaging techniques were shared across the institutions/cohorts, post hoc analyses showed similar results of potential effects of cesarean delivery. The cesarean delivery group in cohort 1 showed significantly lower white matter development in widespread brain regions and significantly lower functional connectivity in the brain default mode network, controlled for a number of potential confounders. No group differences were found in cohort 2 in white matter integrity or gray matter volume. Cohort 3 had significantly different trajectories of white matter myelination between groups, with those born by cesarean delivery having reduced myelin in infancy but normalizing with age. CONCLUSIONS Cesarean delivery may influence infant brain development. The impact may be transient because similar effects were not observed in older children. Further prospective and longitudinal studies may be needed to confirm these novel findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- S C Deoni
- School of Engineering (S.C.D.), Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - S H Adams
- From the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
- Pediatrics (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., C.M.G., X.O.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - X Li
- Departments of Radiology (X.L., C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
| | - T M Badger
- From the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
- Pediatrics (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., C.M.G., X.O.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - R T Pivik
- From the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
- Pediatrics (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., C.M.G., X.O.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - C M Glasier
- Departments of Radiology (X.L., C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
- Pediatrics (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., C.M.G., X.O.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute (C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - R H Ramakrishnaiah
- Departments of Radiology (X.L., C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute (C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - A C Rowell
- Departments of Radiology (X.L., C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute (C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
| | - X Ou
- From the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
- Departments of Radiology (X.L., C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.)
- Pediatrics (S.H.A., T.M.B., R.T.P., C.M.G., X.O.), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
- Arkansas Children's Research Institute (C.M.G., R.H.R., A.C.R., X.O.), Little Rock, Arkansas
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23
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Verdejo-Román J, Björnholm L, Muetzel RL, Torres-Espínola FJ, Lieslehto J, Jaddoe V, Campos D, Veijola J, White T, Catena A, Nikkinen J, Kiviniemi V, Järvelin MR, Tiemeier H, Campoy C, Sebert S, El Marroun H. Maternal prepregnancy body mass index and offspring white matter microstructure: results from three birth cohorts. Int J Obes (Lond) 2018; 43:1995-2006. [PMID: 30518826 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-018-0268-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Prepregnancy maternal obesity is a global health problem and has been associated with offspring metabolic and mental ill-health. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding potential neurobiological factors related to these associations. This study explored the relation between maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and offspring brain white matter microstructure at the age of 6, 10, and 26 years in three independent cohorts. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study used data from three European birth cohorts (n = 116 children aged 6 years, n = 2466 children aged 10 years, and n = 437 young adults aged 26 years). Information on maternal prepregnancy BMI was obtained before or during pregnancy and offspring brain white matter microstructure was measured at age 6, 10, or 26 years. We used magnetic resonance imaging-derived fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) as measures of white matter microstructure in the brainstem, callosal, limbic, association, and projection tracts. Linear regressions were fitted to examine the association of maternal BMI and offspring white matter microstructure, adjusting for several socioeconomic and lifestyle-related confounders, including education, smoking, and alcohol use. RESULTS Maternal BMI was associated with higher FA and lower MD in multiple brain tracts, for example, association and projection fibers, in offspring aged 10 and 26 years, but not at 6 years. In each cohort maternal BMI was related to different white matter tract and thus no common associations across the cohorts were found. CONCLUSIONS Maternal BMI was associated with higher FA and lower MD in multiple brain tracts in offspring aged 10 and 26 years, but not at 6 years of age. Future studies should examine whether our observations can be replicated and explore the potential causal nature of the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Verdejo-Román
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Lassi Björnholm
- The Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.,Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands.,The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands.,The Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands
| | - Francisco José Torres-Espínola
- EURISTIKOS, Excellence Center for Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,The Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Johannes Lieslehto
- The Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.,Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Vincent Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands.,The Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Campos
- EURISTIKOS, Excellence Center for Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,The Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juha Veijola
- The Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.,Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Tonya White
- The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands
| | - Andrés Catena
- Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juha Nikkinen
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Vesa Kiviniemi
- Institute of Diagnostics, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Marjo-Riitta Järvelin
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Unit of Primary Health Care, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Department of Life Sciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands.,The Department of Social and Behavioral Science, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cristina Campoy
- EURISTIKOS, Excellence Center for Pediatric Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,The Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Sylvain Sebert
- Center for Life Course Health Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Hanan El Marroun
- The Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands. .,The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, The Netherlands. .,The Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, 3000 CB, The Netherlands. .,Department of Psychology, Education & Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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24
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Esteban-Cornejo I, Henriksson P, Cadenas-Sanchez C, Vanhelst J, Forsner M, Gottrand F, Kersting M, Moreno LA, Ruiz JR, Widhalm K, Ortega FB. Early life programming of attention capacity in adolescents: The HELENA study. MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION 2017; 14. [PMID: 28401662 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.12451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Revised: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The study aims to examine the individual and combined association of early life factors (birth weight, birth length, and any and exclusive breastfeeding) with attention capacity in adolescents. The study included 421 European adolescents (243 girls), aged 12.5-17.5 years, who participated in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Study. Body weight and length at birth of adolescents were collected from parental records. The duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding were self-reported. The d2 Test of Attention was administered to assess attention capacity. The main results showed that birth weight, birth length, breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding were related to attention capacity in boys (β ranging from 0.144 to 0.196; all p < .05) after adjustment for age, centre, gestational age, maternal education, family affluence scale, and body mass index. Among boys, differences in attention capacity were found according to tertiles of birth weight and birth length (p < .05), as well as borderline significant differences across groups of any and exclusive breastfeeding (p = 0.055 and p = 0.108, respectively) after adjusting for potential confounders. In addition, boys with 3 early life risk factors (low birth weight, low birth length, and <3 months of breastfeeding) had significantly lower scores in attention capacity compared with boys with 0 risk factors (percentile score - 15.88; p = 0.009). In conclusion, early life factors, both separately and combined, may influence attention capacity in male European adolescents. Importantly, the combination of the 3 early life risk factors, low birth weight, low birth length, and <3 months of breastfeeding, even in normal ranges, may provide the highest reduction in attention capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Esteban-Cornejo
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Pontus Henriksson
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Jérémy Vanhelst
- Univ Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR995 -LIRIC- Lille Inflammation Research International Center, F-59000, Lille, France.,Univ Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, CIC-1403, Centre d'investigation clinique, F-59000, Lille, France
| | | | - Frederic Gottrand
- Univ Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, UMR995 -LIRIC- Lille Inflammation Research International Center, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Mathilde Kersting
- Institute of Child Nutrition Dortmund, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Luis A Moreno
- Growth, Exercise, Nutrition, and Development Research Group, Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Zaragoza University, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Jonatan R Ruiz
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Kurt Widhalm
- Department of Pediatrics, Paracelsus Private Medical University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Francisco B Ortega
- PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health through physical activity" Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
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Mongerson CRL, Jennings RW, Borsook D, Becerra L, Bajic D. Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Infant Brain: Methods, Pitfalls, and Potentiality. Front Pediatr 2017; 5:159. [PMID: 28856131 PMCID: PMC5557740 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2017.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Early brain development is characterized by rapid growth and perpetual reconfiguration, driven by a dynamic milieu of heterogeneous processes. Postnatal brain plasticity is associated with increased vulnerability to environmental stimuli. However, little is known regarding the ontogeny and temporal manifestations of inter- and intra-regional functional connectivity that comprise functional brain networks. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has emerged as a promising non-invasive neuroinvestigative tool, measuring spontaneous fluctuations in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal at rest that reflect baseline neuronal activity. Over the past decade, its application has expanded to infant populations providing unprecedented insight into functional organization of the developing brain, as well as early biomarkers of abnormal states. However, many methodological issues of rs-fMRI analysis need to be resolved prior to standardization of the technique to infant populations. As a primary goal, this methodological manuscript will (1) present a robust methodological protocol to extract and assess resting-state networks in early infancy using independent component analysis (ICA), such that investigators without previous knowledge in the field can implement the analysis and reliably obtain viable results consistent with previous literature; (2) review the current methodological challenges and ethical considerations associated with emerging field of infant rs-fMRI analysis; and (3) discuss the significance of rs-fMRI application in infants for future investigations of neurodevelopment in the context of early life stressors and pathological processes. The overarching goal is to catalyze efforts toward development of robust, infant-specific acquisition, and preprocessing pipelines, as well as promote greater transparency by researchers regarding methods used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandler R L Mongerson
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Russell W Jennings
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David Borsook
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lino Becerra
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Dusica Bajic
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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