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Mao W, Chen Y, He Z, Wang Z, Xiao Z, Sun Y, He L, Zhou J, Guo W, Ma C, Zhao L, Kendrick KM, Zhou B, Becker B, Liu T, Zhang T, Jiang X. Brain Structural Connectivity Guided Vision Transformers for Identification of Functional Connectivity Characteristics in Preterm Neonates. IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2024; 28:2223-2234. [PMID: 38285570 DOI: 10.1109/jbhi.2024.3355020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is associated with a wide sequence of complications in both short and long term. In view of rapid neurodevelopment during the neonatal period, preterm neonates may exhibit considerable functional alterations compared to term ones. However, the identified functional alterations in previous studies merely achieve moderate classification performance, while more accurate functional characteristics with satisfying discrimination ability for better diagnosis and therapeutic treatment is underexplored. To address this problem, we propose a novel brain structural connectivity (SC) guided Vision Transformer (SCG-ViT) to identify functional connectivity (FC) differences among three neonatal groups: preterm, preterm with early postnatal experience, and term. Particularly, inspired by the neuroscience-derived information, a novel patch token of SC/FC matrix is defined, and the SC matrix is then adopted as an effective mask into the ViT model to screen out input FC patch embeddings with weaker SC, and to focus on stronger ones for better classification and identification of FC differences among the three groups. The experimental results on multi-modal MRI data of 437 neonatal brains from publicly released Developing Human Connectome Project (dHCP) demonstrate that SCG-ViT achieves superior classification ability compared to baseline models, and successfully identifies holistically different FC patterns among the three groups. Moreover, these different FCs are significantly correlated with the differential gene expressions of the three groups. In summary, SCG-ViT provides a powerfully brain-guided pipeline of adopting large-scale and data-intensive deep learning models for medical imaging-based diagnosis.
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Deferm W, Tang T, Moerkerke M, Daniels N, Steyaert J, Alaerts K, Ortibus E, Naulaers G, Boets B. Subtle microstructural alterations in white matter tracts involved in socio-emotional processing after very preterm birth. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 41:103580. [PMID: 38401459 PMCID: PMC10944182 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Children born very preterm (VPT, < 32 weeks of gestation) have an increased risk of developing socio-emotional difficulties. Possible neural substrates for these socio-emotional difficulties are alterations in the structural connectivity of the social brain due to premature birth. The objective of the current study was to study microstructural white matter integrity in VPT versus full-term (FT) born school-aged children along twelve white matter tracts involved in socio-emotional processing. Diffusion MRI scans were obtained from a sample of 35 VPT and 38 FT 8-to-12-year-old children. Tractography was performed using TractSeg, a state-of-the-art neural network-based approach, which offers investigation of detailed tract profiles of fractional anisotropy (FA). Group differences in FA along the tracts were investigated using both a traditional and complementary functional data analysis approach. Exploratory correlations were performed between the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2), a parent-report questionnaire assessing difficulties in social functioning, and FA along the tract. Both analyses showed significant reductions in FA for the VPT group along the middle portion of the right SLF I and an anterior portion of the left SLF II. These group differences possibly indicate altered white matter maturation due to premature birth and may contribute to altered functional connectivity in the Theory of Mind network which has been documented in earlier work with VPT samples. Apart from reduced social motivation in the VPT group, there were no significant group differences in reported social functioning, as assessed by SRS-2. We found that in the VPT group higher FA values in segments of the left SLF I and right SLF II were associated with better social functioning. Surprisingly, the opposite was found for segments in the right IFO, where higher FA values were associated with worse reported social functioning. Since no significant correlations were found for the FT group, this relationship may be specific for VPT children. The current study overcomes methodological limitations of previous studies by more accurately segmenting white matter tracts using constrained spherical deconvolution based tractography, by applying complementary tractometry analysis approaches to estimate changes in FA more accurately, and by investigating the FA profile along the three components of the SLF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ward Deferm
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Tiffany Tang
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Nicky Daniels
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean Steyaert
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Belgium; Child Psychiatry, UZ Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kaat Alaerts
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Gunnar Naulaers
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - Neonatology, UZ Leuven, Belgium; UZ Leuven & Center for Developmental Disorders, Belgium
| | - Bart Boets
- Center for Developmental Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Belgium
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Easson K, Khairy M, Rohlicek CV, Saint-Martin C, Gilbert G, Nguyen KA, Luu TM, Couture É, Nuyt AM, Wintermark P, Deoni SCL, Descoteaux M, Brossard-Racine M. A comparison of altered white matter microstructure in youth born with congenital heart disease or born preterm. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1167026. [PMID: 37251222 PMCID: PMC10213269 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1167026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Alterations to white matter microstructure as detected by diffusion tensor imaging have been documented in both individuals born with congenital heart disease (CHD) and individuals born preterm. However, it remains unclear if these disturbances are the consequence of similar underlying microstructural disruptions. This study used multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) to characterize and compare alterations to three specific microstructural elements of white matter - myelination, axon density, and axon orientation - in youth born with CHD or born preterm. Methods Participants aged 16 to 26 years with operated CHD or born ≤33 weeks gestational age and a group of healthy peers of the same age underwent a brain MRI including mcDESPOT and high angular resolution diffusion imaging acquisitions. Using tractometry, average values of myelin water fraction (MWF), neurite density index (NDI), and orientation dispersion index (ODI) were first calculated and compared between groups for 30 white matter bundles. Afterwards, bundle profiling was performed to further characterize the topology of the detected microstructural alterations. Results The CHD and preterm groups both presented with widespread bundles and bundle segments with lower MWF, accompanied by some occurrences of lower NDI, relative to controls. While there were no differences in ODI between the CHD and control groups, the preterm group presented with both higher and lower ODI compared to the control group and lower ODI compared to the CHD group. Discussion While youth born with CHD or born preterm both presented with apparent deficits in white matter myelination and axon density, youth born preterm presented with a unique profile of altered axonal organization. Future longitudinal studies should aim to better understand the emergence of these common and distinct microstructural alterations, which could orient the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Easson
- Advances in Brain and Child Development (ABCD) Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - May Khairy
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Charles V. Rohlicek
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine Saint-Martin
- Department of Medical Imaging, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Kim-Anh Nguyen
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Thuy Mai Luu
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Élise Couture
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anne-Monique Nuyt
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pia Wintermark
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sean C. L. Deoni
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Maxime Descoteaux
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Laboratory (SCIL), Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marie Brossard-Racine
- Advances in Brain and Child Development (ABCD) Research Laboratory, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Gilchrist CP, Kelly CE, Cumberland A, Dhollander T, Treyvaud K, Lee K, Cheong JLY, Doyle LW, Inder TE, Thompson DK, Tolcos M, Anderson PJ. Fiber-Specific Measures of White Matter Microstructure and Macrostructure Are Associated With Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Children Born Very Preterm and Full-term. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:575-585. [PMID: 36481064 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tensor-based investigations suggest that delayed or disrupted white matter development may relate to adverse behavioral outcomes in individuals born very preterm (VP); however, metrics derived from such models lack specificity. Here, we applied a fixel-based analysis framework to examine white matter microstructural and macrostructural correlates of concurrent internalizing and externalizing problems in VP and full-term (FT) children at 7 and 13 years. METHODS Diffusion imaging data were collected in a longitudinal cohort of VP and FT individuals (130 VP and 29 FT at 7 years, 125 VP and 44 FT at 13 years). Fixel-based measures of fiber density, fiber-bundle cross-section, and fiber density and cross-section were extracted from 21 white matter tracts previously implicated in psychopathology. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire parent report at 7 and 13 years. RESULTS At age 7 years, widespread reductions in fiber-bundle cross-section and fiber density and cross-section and tract-specific reductions in fiber density were related to more internalizing and externalizing symptoms irrespective of birth group. At age 13 years, fixel-based measures were not related to internalizing symptoms, while tract-specific reductions in fiber density, fiber-bundle cross-section, and fiber density and cross-section measures were related to more externalizing symptoms in the FT group only. CONCLUSIONS Age-specific neurobiological markers of internalizing and externalizing problems identified in this study extend previous tensor-based findings to inform pathophysiological models of behavior problems and provide the foundation for investigations into novel preventative and therapeutic interventions to mitigate risk in VP and other high-risk infant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney P Gilchrist
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Claire E Kelly
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Angela Cumberland
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Thijs Dhollander
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karli Treyvaud
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychology and Counselling, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Newborn Research, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katherine Lee
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeanie L Y Cheong
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Newborn Research, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lex W Doyle
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Newborn Research, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Terrie E Inder
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deanne K Thompson
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mary Tolcos
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter J Anderson
- Victorian Infant Brain Studies, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Science, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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DiPiero M, Rodrigues PG, Gromala A, Dean DC. Applications of advanced diffusion MRI in early brain development: a comprehensive review. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:367-392. [PMID: 36585970 PMCID: PMC9974794 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02605-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Brain development follows a protracted developmental timeline with foundational processes of neurodevelopment occurring from the third trimester of gestation into the first decade of life. Defining structural maturational patterns of early brain development is a critical step in detecting divergent developmental trajectories associated with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders that arise later in life. While considerable advancements have already been made in diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) for pediatric research over the past three decades, the field of neurodevelopment is still in its infancy with remarkable scientific and clinical potential. This comprehensive review evaluates the application, findings, and limitations of advanced dMRI methods beyond diffusion tensor imaging, including diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) and composite hindered and restricted model of diffusion (CHARMED) to quantify the rapid and dynamic changes supporting the underlying microstructural architectural foundations of the brain in early life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa DiPiero
- Department of Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | | | - Alyssa Gromala
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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Episodic and prospective memory difficulties in 13-year-old children born very preterm. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2023; 29:257-265. [PMID: 35388789 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617722000170] [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] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Children born very preterm (VP) are susceptible to a range of cognitive impairments, yet the effects of VP birth on long-term, episodic, and prospective memory remains unclear. This study examined episodic and prospective memory functioning in children born VP compared with their term-born counterparts at 13 years. METHOD VP (n = 81: born <30 weeks' gestation) and term (n = 26) groups were aged between 12 and 14 years. Children completed: (i) standardized verbal and visuospatial episodic memory tests; and (ii) an experimental time- and event-based prospective memory test that included short-term (within assessment session) and long-term (up to 1-week post-session) tasks. Parents completed a questionnaire assessing memory functions in everyday life. RESULTS The VP group performed worse on all measures of verbal and visuospatial episodic memory than the term group. While there were no group differences in event-based or long-term prospective memory, the VP group performed worse on time-based and short-term prospective memory tasks than term-born counterparts. Parents of children born VP reported more everyday memory difficulties than parents of children born at term, with parent-ratings indicating significantly elevated rates of everyday memory challenges in children born VP. CONCLUSIONS Children born VP warrant long-term surveillance, as challenges associated with VP birth include memory difficulties at 13 years. This study highlights the need for greater research and clinical attention into childhood functional memory outcomes.
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Aberrant White Matter Organization Correlated With Neurodevelopment Outcomes in Tetralogy of Fallot: An Atlas-Based Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study. Pediatr Neurol 2022; 133:15-20. [PMID: 35749819 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND White matter injury (WMI) and impaired neurodevelopment are common in children with congenital heart disease. However, the effect of WMI on neurodevelopmental outcomes is still rarely reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate microstructural changes in white matter (WM) and its relationship with neurodevelopmental outcomes and further explore the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of neurocognitive impairments in the tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). METHOD Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were acquired in preschool-aged children with ToF (n = 29) and normal controls (NC, n = 19), and neurodevelopmental assessments were performed with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence in ToF. The differences in DTI metrics including fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity were evaluated between ToF and NC. Correlations between WM microstructural changes and neurodevelopmental outcomes were further analyzed. RESULTS Significant WM differences were found in the uncinate fasciculus, cingulum hippocampus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and corticospinal tract between children with ToF and NC. Impaired WM integrity was correlated with the verbal comprehension index and working memory index in ToF. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated WM microstructure injury, and this injury is related to worse language and working memory performance in preschool-aged children with ToF. These findings suggested that DTI metrics may be a potential biomarker of neurocognitive impairments in ToF and can be used to predict future neurodevelopmental outcomes, which also provide new insights into the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of neurocognitive impairments in ToF.
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