1
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de Arce KP, Ribic A, Chowdhury D, Watters K, Thompson GJ, Sanganahalli BG, Lippard ETC, Rohlmann A, Strittmatter SM, Missler M, Hyder F, Biederer T. Concerted roles of LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 in organizing prefrontal cortex synapses and cognitive functions. Nat Commun 2023; 14:459. [PMID: 36709330 PMCID: PMC9884278 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36042-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple trans-synaptic complexes organize synapse development, yet their roles in the mature brain and cooperation remain unclear. We analyzed the postsynaptic adhesion protein LRRTM1 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region relevant to cognition and disorders. LRRTM1 knockout (KO) mice had fewer synapses, and we asked whether other synapse organizers counteract further loss. This determined that the immunoglobulin family member SynCAM 1 controls synapse number in PFC and was upregulated upon LRRTM1 loss. Combined LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 deletion substantially lowered dendritic spine number in PFC, but not hippocampus, more than the sum of single KO impairments. Their cooperation extended presynaptically, and puncta of Neurexins, LRRTM1 partners, were less abundant in double KO (DKO) PFC. Electrophysiology and fMRI demonstrated aberrant neuronal activity in DKO mice. Further, DKO mice were impaired in social interactions and cognitive tasks. Our results reveal concerted roles of LRRTM1 and SynCAM 1 across synaptic, network, and behavioral domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Perez de Arce
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Department, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Adema Ribic
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Katherine Watters
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Garth J Thompson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Elizabeth T C Lippard
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Astrid Rohlmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Neurobiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Stephen M Strittmatter
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Markus Missler
- Institute of Anatomy and Molecular Neurobiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Fahmeed Hyder
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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2
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Dhume SH, Connor SA, Mills F, Tari PK, Au-Yeung SHM, Karimi B, Oku S, Roppongi RT, Kawabe H, Bamji SX, Wang YT, Brose N, Jackson MF, Craig AM, Siddiqui TJ. Distinct but overlapping roles of LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 in developing and mature hippocampal circuits. eLife 2022; 11:64742. [PMID: 35662394 PMCID: PMC9170246 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
LRRTMs are postsynaptic cell adhesion proteins that have region-restricted expression in the brain. To determine their role in the molecular organization of synapses in vivo, we studied synapse development and plasticity in hippocampal neuronal circuits in mice lacking both Lrrtm1 and Lrrtm2. We found that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate the density and morphological integrity of excitatory synapses on CA1 pyramidal neurons in the developing brain but are not essential for these roles in the mature circuit. Further, they are required for long-term-potentiation in the CA3-CA1 pathway and the dentate gyrus, and for enduring fear memory in both the developing and mature brain. Our data show that LRRTM1 and LRRTM2 regulate synapse development and function in a cell-type and developmental-stage-specific manner, and thereby contribute to the fine-tuning of hippocampal circuit connectivity and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya H Dhume
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Steven A Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Fergil Mills
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Parisa Karimi Tari
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sarah H M Au-Yeung
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Benjamin Karimi
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Shinichiro Oku
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Reiko T Roppongi
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Hiroshi Kawabe
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.,Division of Pathogenetic Signaling, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.,Department of Gerontology, Laboratory of Molecular Life Science, Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe, Kobe, Japan.,Department of Pharmacology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan
| | - Shernaz X Bamji
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Yu Tian Wang
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Nils Brose
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael F Jackson
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Ann Marie Craig
- Department of Psychiatry and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Tabrez J Siddiqui
- Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.,Program in Biomedical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
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3
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Odintsova VV, Suderman M, Hagenbeek FA, Caramaschi D, Hottenga JJ, Pool R, Dolan CV, Ligthart L, van Beijsterveldt CEM, Willemsen G, de Geus EJC, Beck JJ, Ehli EA, Cuellar-Partida G, Evans DM, Medland SE, Relton CL, Boomsma DI, van Dongen J. DNA methylation in peripheral tissues and left-handedness. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5606. [PMID: 35379837 PMCID: PMC8980054 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08998-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Handedness has low heritability and epigenetic mechanisms have been proposed as an etiological mechanism. To examine this hypothesis, we performed an epigenome-wide association study of left-handedness. In a meta-analysis of 3914 adults of whole-blood DNA methylation, we observed that CpG sites located in proximity of handedness-associated genetic variants were more strongly associated with left-handedness than other CpG sites (P = 0.04), but did not identify any differentially methylated positions. In longitudinal analyses of DNA methylation in peripheral blood and buccal cells from children (N = 1737), we observed moderately stable associations across age (correlation range [0.355–0.578]), but inconsistent across tissues (correlation range [− 0.384 to 0.318]). We conclude that DNA methylation in peripheral tissues captures little of the variance in handedness. Future investigations should consider other more targeted sources of tissue, such as the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika V Odintsova
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, AR&D Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Matthew Suderman
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Fiona A Hagenbeek
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Doretta Caramaschi
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jouke-Jan Hottenga
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - René Pool
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Conor V Dolan
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lannie Ligthart
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Catharina E M van Beijsterveldt
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke Willemsen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eco J C de Geus
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Erik A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Sioux Falls, USA
| | - Gabriel Cuellar-Partida
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - David M Evans
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.,The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Sarah E Medland
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Caroline L Relton
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, AR&D Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny van Dongen
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 7-9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, AR&D Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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4
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Schizophrenia-associated LRRTM1 regulates cognitive behavior through controlling synaptic function in the mediodorsal thalamus. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6912-6925. [PMID: 33981006 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01146-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Reduced activity of the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and abnormal functional connectivity of the MD with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) cause cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, the molecular basis of MD hypofunction in schizophrenia is not known. Here, we identified leucine-rich-repeat transmembrane neuronal protein 1 (LRRTM1), a postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecule, as a key regulator of excitatory synaptic function and excitation-inhibition balance in the MD. LRRTM1 is strongly associated with schizophrenia and is highly expressed in the thalamus. Conditional deletion of Lrrtm1 in the MD in adult mice reduced excitatory synaptic function and caused a parallel reduction in the afferent synaptic activity of the PFC, which was reversed by the reintroduction of LRRTM1 in the MD. Our results indicate that chronic reduction of synaptic strength in the MD by targeted deletion of Lrrtm1 functionally disengages the MD from the PFC and may account for cognitive, social, and sensorimotor gating deficits, reminiscent of schizophrenia.
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5
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Ocklenburg S, Metzen D, Schlüter C, Fraenz C, Arning L, Streit F, Güntürkün O, Kumsta R, Genç E. Polygenic scores for handedness and their association with asymmetries in brain structure. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:515-527. [PMID: 34235564 PMCID: PMC8844179 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02335-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Handedness is the most widely investigated motor preference in humans. The genetics of handedness and especially the link between genetic variation, brain structure, and right-left preference have not been investigated in detail. Recently, several well-powered genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on handedness have been published, significantly advancing the understanding of the genetic determinants of left and right-handedness. In the present study, we estimated polygenic scores (PGS) of handedness-based on the GWAS by de Kovel and Francks (Sci Rep 9: 5986, 2019) in an independent validation cohort (n = 296). PGS reflect the sum effect of trait-associated alleles across many genetic loci. For the first time, we could show that these GWAS-based PGS are significantly associated with individual handedness lateralization quotients in an independent validation cohort. Additionally, we investigated whether handedness-derived polygenic scores are associated with asymmetries in gray matter macrostructure across the whole brain determined using magnetic resonance imaging. None of these associations reached significance after correction for multiple comparisons. Our results implicate that PGS obtained from large-scale handedness GWAS are significantly associated with individual handedness in smaller validation samples with more detailed phenotypic assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Dorothea Metzen
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Schlüter
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christoph Fraenz
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Larissa Arning
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Erhan Genç
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Dortmund, Germany
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6
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Vasung L, Rollins CK, Yun HJ, Velasco-Annis C, Zhang J, Wagstyl K, Evans A, Warfield SK, Feldman HA, Grant PE, Gholipour A. Quantitative In vivo MRI Assessment of Structural Asymmetries and Sexual Dimorphism of Transient Fetal Compartments in the Human Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:1752-1767. [PMID: 31602456 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural asymmetries and sexual dimorphism of the human cerebral cortex have been identified in newborns, infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Some of these findings were linked with cognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders, which have roots in altered prenatal brain development. However, little is known about structural asymmetries or sexual dimorphism of transient fetal compartments that arise in utero. Thus, we aimed to identify structural asymmetries and sexual dimorphism in the volume of transient fetal compartments (cortical plate [CP] and subplate [SP]) across 22 regions. For this purpose, we used in vivo structural T2-weighted MRIs of 42 healthy fetuses (16.43-36.86 gestational weeks old, 15 females). We found significant leftward asymmetry in the volume of the CP and SP in the inferior frontal gyrus. The orbitofrontal cortex showed significant rightward asymmetry in the volume of CP merged with SP. Males had significantly larger volumes in regions belonging to limbic, occipital, and frontal lobes, which were driven by a significantly larger SP. Lastly, we did not observe sexual dimorphism in the growth trajectories of the CP or SP. In conclusion, these results support the hypothesis that structural asymmetries and sexual dimorphism in relative volumes of cortical regions are present during prenatal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Vasung
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Caitlin K Rollins
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hyuk Jin Yun
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Clemente Velasco-Annis
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennings Zhang
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience/Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | | | - Alan Evans
- McGill Centre for Integrative Neuroscience/Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Henry A Feldman
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - P Ellen Grant
- Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging & Developmental Science Center (FNNDSC), Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ali Gholipour
- Computational Radiology Laboratory, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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7
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Malatesta G, Marzoli D, Prete G, Tommasi L. Human Lateralization, Maternal Effects and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:668520. [PMID: 33828467 PMCID: PMC8019713 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.668520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, behavioral laterality and hemispheric asymmetries are part of a complex biobehavioral system in which genetic factors have been repeatedly proposed as developmental determinants of both phenomena. However, no model solely based on genetic factors has proven conclusive, pushing towards the inclusion of environmental and epigenetic factors into the system. Moreover, it should be pointed out that epigenetic modulation might also account for why certain genes are expressed differently in parents and offspring. Here, we suggest the existence of a sensitive period in early postnatal development, during which the exposure to postural and motor lateral biases, expressed in interactive sensorimotor coordination with the caregiver, canalizes hemispheric lateralization in the “typical” direction. Despite newborns and infants showing their own inherent asymmetries, the canalizing effect of the interactive context owes most to adult caregivers (usually the mother), whose infant-directed lateralized behavior might have been specifically selected for as a population-level trait, functional to confer fitness to offspring. In particular, the case of the left-cradling bias (LCB; i.e., the population-level predisposition of mothers to hold their infants on the left side) represents an instance of behavioral trait exhibiting heritability along the maternal line, although no genetic investigation has been carried out so far. Recent evidence, moreover, seems to suggest that the reduction of this asymmetry is related to several unfavorable conditions, including neurodevelopmental disorders. Future studies are warranted to understand whether and how genetic and epigenetic factors affect the lateralization of early mother-infant interaction and the proneness of the offspring to neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Malatesta
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Daniele Marzoli
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giulia Prete
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Luca Tommasi
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti and Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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8
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Chowdhury D, Watters K, Biederer T. Synaptic recognition molecules in development and disease. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 142:319-370. [PMID: 33706921 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.12.009] [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] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic connectivity patterns underlie brain functions. How recognition molecules control where and when neurons form synapses with each other, therefore, is a fundamental question of cellular neuroscience. This chapter delineates adhesion and signaling complexes as well as secreted factors that contribute to synaptic partner recognition in the vertebrate brain. The sections follow a developmental perspective and discuss how recognition molecules (1) guide initial synaptic wiring, (2) provide for the rejection of incorrect partner choices, (3) contribute to synapse specification, and (4) support the removal of inappropriate synapses once formed. These processes involve a rich repertoire of molecular players and key protein families are described, notably the Cadherin and immunoglobulin superfamilies, Semaphorins/Plexins, Leucine-rich repeat containing proteins, and Neurexins and their binding partners. Molecular themes that diversify these recognition systems are defined and highlighted throughout the text, including the neuron-type specific expression and combinatorial action of recognition factors, alternative splicing, and post-translational modifications. Methodological innovations advancing the field such as proteomic approaches and single cell expression studies are additionally described. Further, the chapter highlights the importance of choosing an appropriate brain region to analyze synaptic recognition factors and the advantages offered by laminated structures like the hippocampus or retina. In a concluding section, the profound disease relevance of aberrant synaptic recognition for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders is discussed. Based on the current progress, an outlook is presented on research goals that can further advance insights into how recognition molecules provide for the astounding precision and diversity of synaptic connections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine Watters
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Thomas Biederer
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.
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9
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Unmasking the relevance of hemispheric asymmetries—Break on through (to the other side). Prog Neurobiol 2020; 192:101823. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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10
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Abstract
Comparative studies on brain asymmetry date back to the 19th century but then largely disappeared due to the assumption that lateralization is uniquely human. Since the reemergence of this field in the 1970s, we learned that left-right differences of brain and behavior exist throughout the animal kingdom and pay off in terms of sensory, cognitive, and motor efficiency. Ontogenetically, lateralization starts in many species with asymmetrical expression patterns of genes within the Nodal cascade that set up the scene for later complex interactions of genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors. These take effect during different time points of ontogeny and create asymmetries of neural networks in diverse species. As a result, depending on task demands, left- or right-hemispheric loops of feedforward or feedback projections are then activated and can temporarily dominate a neural process. In addition, asymmetries of commissural transfer can shape lateralized processes in each hemisphere. It is still unclear if interhemispheric interactions depend on an inhibition/excitation dichotomy or instead adjust the contralateral temporal neural structure to delay the other hemisphere or synchronize with it during joint action. As outlined in our review, novel animal models and approaches could be established in the last decades, and they already produced a substantial increase of knowledge. Since there is practically no realm of human perception, cognition, emotion, or action that is not affected by our lateralized neural organization, insights from these comparative studies are crucial to understand the functions and pathologies of our asymmetric brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Güntürkün
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Felix Ströckens
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Department of Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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11
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Ocklenburg S, Berretz G, Packheiser J, Friedrich P. Laterality 2020: entering the next decade. Laterality 2020; 26:265-297. [DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2020.1804396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Gesa Berretz
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julian Packheiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Patrick Friedrich
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory, Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France
- Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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12
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Reichman RD, Gaynor SC, Monson ET, Gaine ME, Parsons MG, Zandi PP, Potash JB, Willour VL. Targeted sequencing of the LRRTM gene family in suicide attempters with bipolar disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:128-139. [PMID: 31854516 PMCID: PMC8380126 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Glutamatergic signaling is the primary excitatory neurotransmission pathway in the brain, and its relationship to neuropsychiatric disorders is of considerable interest. Our previous attempted suicide genome-wide association study, and numerous studies investigating gene expression, genetic variation, and DNA methylation have implicated aberrant glutamatergic signaling in suicide risk. The glutamatergic pathway gene LRRTM4 was an associated gene identified in our attempted suicide genome-wide association study, with association support seen primarily in females. Recent evidence has also shown that glutamatergic signaling is partly regulated by sex-related hormones. The LRRTM gene family encodes neuronal leucine-rich transmembrane proteins that localize to and promote glutamatergic synapse development. In this study, we sequenced the coding and regulatory regions of all four LRRTM gene members plus a large intronic region of LRRTM4 in 476 bipolar disorder suicide attempters and 473 bipolar disorder nonattempters. We identified two male-specific variants, one female- and five male-specific haplotypes significantly associated with attempted suicide in LRRTM4. Furthermore, variants within significant haplotypes may be brain expression quantitative trait loci for LRRTM4 and some of these variants overlap with predicted hormone response elements. Overall, these results provide supporting evidence for a sex-specific association of genetic variation in LRRTM4 with attempted suicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D. Reichman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Sophia C. Gaynor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Eric T. Monson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Marie E. Gaine
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Meredith G. Parsons
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Peter P. Zandi
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - James B. Potash
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Virginia L. Willour
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
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13
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Schmitz J, Fraenz C, Schlüter C, Friedrich P, Kumsta R, Moser D, Güntürkün O, Genç E, Ocklenburg S. Schizotypy and altered hemispheric asymmetries: The role of cilia genes. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 294:110991. [PMID: 31683112 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.110991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients have a higher probability of altered structural and functional differences between the left and right hemisphere. Schizotypy as its nonclinical manifestation has been related to a higher incidence of non-right-handedness and atypical right-hemispheric language dominance. It has been suggested that genes involved in cilia function might link brain asymmetry and neurodevelopmental disorders. We assessed DNA methylation in the promoter regions of seven candidate genes involved in cilia function and psychiatric disorders from buccal cells and investigated their association with schizotypy and language lateralization in 60 healthy adults. Moreover, we determined microstructural properties of the planum temporale in a subsample of 52 subjects using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI). We found a significant association between schizotypy and DNA methylation in the AHI1 promoter region. Moreover, AHI1 DNA methylation significantly predicted language lateralization and asymmetry in estimated planum temporale neurite density. Finally, stronger leftward asymmetry in estimated neurite density was associated with a more pronounced right ear advantage (left hemisphere dominance) in the forced-right condition of the dichotic listening task, measuring attentional modulation of language lateralization. Our results are in line with a shared molecular basis of schizotypy and functional hemispheric asymmetries that is based on cilia function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schmitz
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Christoph Fraenz
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Schlüter
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Patrick Friedrich
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory (BCBLab), Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France; Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle (GIN), Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Erhan Genç
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
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14
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The neurophysiological correlates of handedness: Insights from the lateralized readiness potential. Behav Brain Res 2019; 364:114-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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15
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Schmitz J, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. Building an Asymmetrical Brain: The Molecular Perspective. Front Psychol 2019; 10:982. [PMID: 31133928 PMCID: PMC6524718 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is one of the most prominent examples for structural and functional differences between the left and right half of the body. For handedness and language lateralization, the most widely investigated behavioral phenotypes, only a small fraction of phenotypic variance has been explained by molecular genetic studies. Due to environmental factors presumably also playing a role in their ontogenesis and based on first molecular evidence, it has been suggested that functional hemispheric asymmetries are partly under epigenetic control. This review article aims to elucidate the molecular factors underlying hemispheric asymmetries and their association with inner organ asymmetries. While we previously suggested that epigenetic mechanisms might partly account for the missing heritability of handedness, this article extends this idea by suggesting possible alternatives for transgenerational transmission of epigenetic states that do not require germ line epigenetic transmission. This is in line with a multifactorial model of hemispheric asymmetries, integrating genetic, environmental, and epigenetic influencing factors in their ontogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schmitz
- Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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16
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DNA methylation of dopamine-related gene promoters is associated with line bisection deviation in healthy adults. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5902. [PMID: 30976054 PMCID: PMC6459813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42553-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Handedness and language lateralization are the most investigated phenotypes among functional hemispheric asymmetries, i.e. differences in function between the left and the right half of the human brain. Both phenotypes are left hemisphere-dominant, while investigations of the molecular factors underlying right hemisphere-dominant phenotypes are less prominent. In the classical line bisection task, healthy subjects typically show a leftward attentional bias due to a relative dominance of the right hemisphere for visuospatial attention. Based on findings of variations in dopamine-related genes affecting performance in the line bisection task, we first tested whether DNA methylation in non-neuronal tissue in the promoter regions of DBH, SLC6A3, and DRD2 are associated with line bisection deviation. We replicated the typical behavioral pattern and found an effect of DNA methylation in the DBH promoter region on line bisection deviation in right-aligned trials. A second exploratory analysis indicated that an overall DNA methylation profile of genes involved in dopamine function predicts line bisection performance in right-aligned trials. Genetic variation in dopamine-related genes has been linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental trait associated with rightward attentional bias. Overall, our findings point towards epigenetic markers for functional hemispheric asymmetries in non-neuronal tissue not only for left hemisphere-dominant, but also for right hemisphere-dominant phenotypes.
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17
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Prieur J, Lemasson A, Barbu S, Blois‐Heulin C. History, development and current advances concerning the evolutionary roots of human right‐handedness and language: Brain lateralisation and manual laterality in non‐human primates. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Prieur
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Alban Lemasson
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Stéphanie Barbu
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
| | - Catherine Blois‐Heulin
- CNRS, EthoS (Ethologie animale et humaine) – UMR 6552 Universite de Rennes, Normandie Universite Paimpont France
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18
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Schmitz J, Kumsta R, Moser D, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. KIAA0319 promoter DNA methylation predicts dichotic listening performance in forced-attention conditions. Behav Brain Res 2018; 337:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 09/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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19
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Schmitz J, Metz GA, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. Beyond the genome—Towards an epigenetic understanding of handedness ontogenesis. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 159:69-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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20
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Crespi B, Read S, Hurd P. The SETDB2 locus: evidence for a genetic link between handedness and atopic disease. Heredity (Edinb) 2017; 120:77-82. [PMID: 29234167 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-017-0004-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The gene SETDB2, which mediates aspects of laterality in animal model systems, has recently been linked with human handedness as measured continuously on a scale from strong left to strong right. By contrast, it was marginally associated with a left-right dichotomous measure, and it showed no evidence of association with absolute handedness strength independent of direction. We genotyped the SETDB2 handedness-associated single nucleotide polymorphism, rs4942830, in a large healthy population likewise phenotyped for continuous, absolute, and dichotomous handedness variables. Our results demonstrated significant effects of rs4942830 genotype on continuous handedness, and weaker, marginal effects on dichotomous handedness, but no effects on absolute handedness. These results help to establish the locus marked by the SNP rs4942830 as a strong candidate for mediating human handedness. Intriguingly, rs4942830 is also in complete linkage disequilibrium with rs386770867, a polymorphism recently shown to affect human serum levels of IgE production and other atopic phenotypes. These findings implicate this locus in the longstanding links of handedness with asthma and other atopic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Silven Read
- Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Peter Hurd
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2R3, Canada
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21
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Alqadah A, Hsieh YW, Morrissey ZD, Chuang CF. Asymmetric development of the nervous system. Dev Dyn 2017; 247:124-137. [PMID: 28940676 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human nervous system consists of seemingly symmetric left and right halves. However, closer observation of the brain reveals anatomical and functional lateralization. Defects in brain asymmetry correlate with several neurological disorders, yet our understanding of the mechanisms used to establish lateralization in the human central nervous system is extremely limited. Here, we review left-right asymmetries within the nervous system of humans and several model organisms, including rodents, Zebrafish, chickens, Xenopus, Drosophila, and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Comparing and contrasting mechanisms used to develop left-right asymmetry in the nervous system can provide insight into how the human brain is lateralized. Developmental Dynamics 247:124-137, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amel Alqadah
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Yi-Wen Hsieh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zachery D Morrissey
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Chiou-Fen Chuang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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22
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Crespi B, Read S, Hurd P. Segregating polymorphisms of FOXP2 are associated with measures of inner speech, speech fluency and strength of handedness in a healthy population. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2017; 173:33-40. [PMID: 28609679 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We genotyped a healthy population for three haplotype-tagging FOXP2 SNPs, and tested for associations of these SNPs with strength of handedness and questionnaire-based metrics of inner speech characteristics (ISP) and speech fluency (FLU), as derived from the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-BR. Levels of mixed-handedness were positively correlated with ISP and FLU, supporting prior work on these two domains. Genotype for rs7799109, a SNP previously linked with lateralization of left frontal regions underlying language, was associated with degree of mixed handedness and with scores for ISP and FLU phenotypes. Genotype of rs1456031, which has previously been linked with auditory hallucinations, was also associated with ISP phenotypes. These results provide evidence that FOXP2 SNPs influence aspects of human inner speech and fluency that are related to lateralized phenotypes, and suggest that the evolution of human language, as mediated by the adaptive evolution of FOXP2, involved features of inner speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Silven Read
- Department of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Peter Hurd
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2R3, Canada
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23
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Schmitz J, Kumsta R, Moser D, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. DNA methylation in candidate genes for handedness predicts handedness direction. Laterality 2017; 23:441-461. [DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2017.1377726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schmitz
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
- Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
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24
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The Genetics of Asymmetry: Whole Exome Sequencing in a Consanguineous Turkish Family with an Overrepresentation of Left-Handedness. Symmetry (Basel) 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/sym9050066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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25
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Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. Ontogenesis of Lateralization. Neuron 2017; 94:249-263. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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26
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Ocklenburg S, Schmitz J, Moinfar Z, Moser D, Klose R, Lor S, Kunz G, Tegenthoff M, Faustmann P, Francks C, Epplen JT, Kumsta R, Güntürkün O. Epigenetic regulation of lateralized fetal spinal gene expression underlies hemispheric asymmetries. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28145864 PMCID: PMC5295814 DOI: 10.7554/elife.22784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateralization is a fundamental principle of nervous system organization but its molecular determinants are mostly unknown. In humans, asymmetric gene expression in the fetal cortex has been suggested as the molecular basis of handedness. However, human fetuses already show considerable asymmetries in arm movements before the motor cortex is functionally linked to the spinal cord, making it more likely that spinal gene expression asymmetries form the molecular basis of handedness. We analyzed genome-wide mRNA expression and DNA methylation in cervical and anterior thoracal spinal cord segments of five human fetuses and show development-dependent gene expression asymmetries. These gene expression asymmetries were epigenetically regulated by miRNA expression asymmetries in the TGF-β signaling pathway and lateralized methylation of CpG islands. Our findings suggest that molecular mechanisms for epigenetic regulation within the spinal cord constitute the starting point for handedness, implying a fundamental shift in our understanding of the ontogenesis of hemispheric asymmetries in humans. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22784.001
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Judith Schmitz
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Zahra Moinfar
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Rena Klose
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Stephanie Lor
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Georg Kunz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Johannes Hospital, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Martin Tegenthoff
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - Pedro Faustmann
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jörg T Epplen
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Department of Genetic Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department Biopsychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), Wallenberg Research Centre at Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
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27
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Walter EE, Fernandez F, Snelling M, Barkus E. Genetic Consideration of Schizotypal Traits: A Review. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1769. [PMID: 27895608 PMCID: PMC5108787 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizotypal traits are of interest and importance in their own right and also have theoretical and clinical associations with schizophrenia. These traits comprise attenuated psychotic symptoms, social withdrawal, reduced cognitive capacity, and affective dysregulation. The link between schizotypal traits and psychotic disorders has long since been debated. The status of knowledge at this point is such schizotypal traits are a risk for psychotic disorders, but in and of themselves only confer liability, with other risk factors needing to be present before a transition to psychosis occurs. Investigation of schizotypal traits also has the possibility to inform clinical and research pursuits concerning those who do not make a transition to psychotic disorders. A growing body of literature has investigated the genetic underpinnings of schizotypal traits. Here, we review association, family studies and describe genetic disorders where the expression of schizotypal traits has been investigated. We conducted a thorough review of the existing literature, with multiple search engines, references, and linked articles being searched for relevance to the current review. All articles and book chapters in English were sourced and reviewed for inclusion. Family studies demonstrate that schizotypal traits are elevated with increasing genetic proximity to schizophrenia and some chromosomal regions have been associated with schizotypy. Genes associated with schizophrenia have provided the initial start point for the investigation of candidate genes for schizotypal traits; neurobiological pathways of significance have guided selection of genes of interest. Given the chromosomal regions associated with schizophrenia, some genetic disorders have also considered the expression of schizotypal traits. Genetic disorders considered all comprise a profile of cognitive deficits and over representation of psychotic disorders compared to the general population. We conclude that genetic variations associated with schizotypal traits require further investigation, perhaps with targeted phenotypes narrowed to assist in refining the clinical end point of significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E. Walter
- School of Psychology, University of WollongongWollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Francesca Fernandez
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of WollongongWollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Mollie Snelling
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of WollongongWollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Emma Barkus
- School of Psychology, University of WollongongWollongong, NSW, Australia
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28
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Roppongi RT, Karimi B, Siddiqui TJ. Role of LRRTMs in synapse development and plasticity. Neurosci Res 2016; 116:18-28. [PMID: 27810425 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Leucine-rich-repeat transmembrane neuronal proteins (LRRTMs) are a family of four synapse organizing proteins critical for the development and function of excitatory synapses. The genes encoding LRRTMs and their binding partners, neurexins and HSPGs, are strongly associated with multiple psychiatric disorders. Here, we review the literature covering their structural features, expression patterns in the developing and adult brains, evolutionary origins, and discovery as synaptogenic proteins. We also discuss their role in the development and plasticity of excitatory synapses as well as their disease associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko T Roppongi
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, 710 William Avenue, Winnipeg R3Y 0Z3, MB, Canada
| | - Benyamin Karimi
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, 710 William Avenue, Winnipeg R3Y 0Z3, MB, Canada
| | - Tabrez J Siddiqui
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, 710 William Avenue, Winnipeg R3Y 0Z3, MB, Canada.
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29
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Half Oaks, Half Willows: Degree, Not Direction, of Handedness Underlies Both Stable Prevalence in the Human Population and Species-Beneficial Variations in Cognitive Flexibility. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s40806-016-0047-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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30
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Robinson KJ, Hurd PL, Read S, Crespi BJ. The PCSK6 gene is associated with handedness, the autism spectrum, and magical ideation in a non-clinical population. Neuropsychologia 2016; 84:205-12. [PMID: 26921480 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Common polymorphisms in the gene PCSK6, whose protein product mediates the development of brain and body asymmetry through the NODAL pathway, have recently been associated with handedness in three studies, making it a key candidate gene for understanding the developmental and expression of human lateralization. We tested the hypothesis that the PCSK6 VNTR polymorphism rs1053972 influences the expression of handedness and aspects of dimensional schizotypy and autism. For a sample of 709 healthy individuals, rs1053972 genotype was significantly associated with categorical measures of handedness, and with dimensional handedness in subsets of the population with high schizotypy and magical ideation or a lack of strong right-handedness. Both findings showed evidence of stronger or exclusive effects among females, compared to males. Genotypes of PCSK6 also showed significant sex-limited associations with magical ideation, a component of positive schizotypal cognition measured using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire, and total autism score, measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient. These results partially replicate previous studies on effects of PCSK6 rs1053972 genetic variation on handedness phenotypes, link the PCSK6 gene with the dimensional expression of neurodevelopmental conditions in healthy individuals, and show that associations of this gene with handedness and psychological phenotypes exhibit evidence of sex-limited effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey J Robinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Peter L Hurd
- Department of Psychology, and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, 116 St. and 85 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R3.
| | - Silven Read
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
| | - Bernard J Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6.
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Porac C. Disorders, Diseases, and Life on the Left. Laterality 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801239-0.00009-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Ocklenburg S, Güntürkün O, Hugdahl K, Hirnstein M. Laterality and mental disorders in the postgenomic age – A closer look at schizophrenia and language lateralization. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 59:100-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Ocklenburg S, Arning L, Gerding WM, Hengstler JG, Epplen JT, Güntürkün O, Beste C, Akkad DA. Left-Right Axis Differentiation and Functional Lateralization: a Haplotype in the Methyltransferase Encoding Gene SETDB2 Might Mediate Handedness in Healthy Adults. Mol Neurobiol 2015; 53:6355-6361. [PMID: 26572639 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-015-9534-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Handedness is a multifactorial trait, and genes contributing to the differentiation of the left-right axis during embryogenesis have been identified as a major gene group associated with this trait. The methyltransferase SETDB2 (SET domain, bifurcated 2) has been shown to regulate structural left-right asymmetry in the vertebrate central nervous system by suppressing fgf8 expression. Here, we investigated the relation of genetic variation in SETDB2-and its paralogue SETDB1-with different handedness phenotypes in 950 healthy adult participants. We identified a haplotype on SETDB2 for which homozygous individuals showed a significantly lower lateralization quotient for handedness than the rest of the cohort after correction for multiple comparisons. Moreover, direction of handedness was significantly associated with genetic variation in this haplotype. This effect was mainly, but not exclusively, driven by the sequence variation rs4942830, as individuals homozygous for the A allele of this single nucleotide polymorphism had a significantly lower lateralization quotient than individuals with at least one T allele. These findings further confirm a role of genetic pathways relevant for structural left-right axis differentiation for functional lateralization. Moreover, as the protein encoded by SETDB2 regulates gene expression epigenetically by histone H3 methylation, our findings highlight the importance of investigating the role of epigenetic modulations of gene expression in relation to handedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Larissa Arning
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Wanda M Gerding
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jan G Hengstler
- Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), 44139, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jörg T Epplen
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany
- Faculty of Health, University Witten-Herdecke, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine of the TU Dresden, 01309, Dresden, Germany
| | - Denis A Akkad
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University, 44780, Bochum, Germany
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Krefft M, Frydecka D, Adamowski T, Misiak B. From Prader-Willi syndrome to psychosis: translating parent-of-origin effects into schizophrenia research. Epigenomics 2015; 6:677-88. [PMID: 25531260 DOI: 10.2217/epi.14.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a relatively rare disorder that originates from paternally inherited deletions and maternal disomy (mUPD) within the 15q11-q13 region or alterations in the PWS imprinting center. Evidence is accumulating that mUPD underlies high prevalence of psychosis among PWS patients. Several genes involved in differentiation and survival of neurons as well as neurotransmission known to act in the development of PWS have been also implicated in schizophrenia. In this article, we provide an overview of genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of psychosis in PWS indicating overlapping points in the molecular background of PWS and schizophrenia. Simultaneously, we highlight the need for studies investigating genetic and epigenetic makeup of the 15q11-q13 in schizophrenia indicating promising candidate genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Krefft
- Department of Psychiatry, 10 Pasteur Street, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-367 Wroclaw, Poland
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Tran US, Voracek M. Evidence of Sex-Linked Familial Transmission of Lateral Preferences for Hand, Foot, Eye, Ear, and Overall Sidedness in a Latent Variable Analysis. Behav Genet 2015; 45:537-46. [PMID: 26049722 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-015-9726-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the familial transmission of handedness, footedness, eyedness, earedness, and of underlying sidedness in a sample of adults (n = 592 families; 1528 individuals in total), using multi-item inventories and probabilistic methods for preference classification. Our results corroborate three classes of lateral preferences and of sidedness each, right, mixed, and left. Consistent with genetic studies, we obtained evidence of parent-of-origin and sex-of-children effects, suggesting important roles of maternal mixed preferences and of paternal left preferences. Further, parental age at conception predicted mixed preferences in the child. We recommend a trichotomous classification of lateral preferences also in future studies, and to intensify research into the genetic bases of footedness, eyedness and earedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich S Tran
- Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, School of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010, Vienna, Austria,
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de Wit J, Ghosh A. Control of neural circuit formation by leucine-rich repeat proteins. Trends Neurosci 2014; 37:539-50. [PMID: 25131359 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The function of neural circuits depends on the precise connectivity between populations of neurons. Increasing evidence indicates that disruptions in excitatory or inhibitory synapse formation or function lead to excitation/inhibition (E/I) imbalances and contribute to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing surface proteins have emerged as key organizers of excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Distinct LRR proteins are expressed in different cell types and interact with key pre- and postsynaptic proteins. These protein interaction networks allow LRR proteins to coordinate pre- and postsynaptic elements during synapse formation and differentiation, pathway-specific synapse development, and synaptic plasticity. LRR proteins, therefore, play a critical role in organizing synaptic connections into functional neural circuits, and their dysfunction may contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joris de Wit
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven, Center for Human Genetics, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Anirvan Ghosh
- Neuroscience Discovery, F. Hoffman-La Roche, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
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