1
|
Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness ( VO 2 max $$ {\mathrm{VO}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ ) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2024:e14191. [PMID: 38895950 DOI: 10.1111/apha.14191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
AIM Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greaterVo 2 max $$ {\mathrm{Vo}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). METHODS We hypothesized that greaterVo 2 max $$ {\mathrm{Vo}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. In a sample of 41 healthy subjects, we performed Voxel-Based Morphometry analyses, then repeated for the other neuromodulators as a control procedure (Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine). RESULTS As hypothesized, greaterVo 2 max $$ {\mathrm{Vo}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ related to greater LC signal intensity, and weaker associations emerged for the other neuromodulators. CONCLUSION This newly established link betweenVo 2 max $$ {\mathrm{Vo}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the NA system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provides ground for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration viaVo 2 max $$ {\mathrm{Vo}}_{2_{\mathrm{max}}} $$ enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele R G Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Sandra B Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pahl J, Prokopiou PC, Bueichekú E, Schultz AP, Papp KV, Farrell ME, Rentz DM, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Locus coeruleus integrity and left frontoparietal connectivity provide resilience against attentional decline in preclinical alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:119. [PMID: 38822365 PMCID: PMC11140954 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01485-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autopsy work reported that neuronal density in the locus coeruleus (LC) provides neural reserve against cognitive decline in dementia. Recent neuroimaging and pharmacological studies reported that left frontoparietal network functional connectivity (LFPN-FC) confers resilience against beta-amyloid (Aβ)-related cognitive decline in preclinical sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as against LC-related cognitive changes. Given that the LFPN and the LC play important roles in attention, and attention deficits have been observed early in the disease process, we examined whether LFPN-FC and LC structural health attenuate attentional decline in the context of AD pathology. METHODS 142 participants from the Harvard Aging Brain Study who underwent resting-state functional MRI, LC structural imaging, PiB(Aβ)-PET, and up to 5 years of cognitive follow-ups were included (mean age = 74.5 ± 9.9 years, 89 women). Cross-sectional robust linear regression associated LC integrity (measured as the average of five continuous voxels with the highest intensities in the structural LC images) or LFPN-FC with Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) performance at baseline. Longitudinal robust mixed effect analyses examined associations between DSST decline and (i) two-way interactions of baseline LC integrity (or LFPN-FC) and PiB or (ii) the three-way interaction of baseline LC integrity, LFPN-FC, and PiB. Baseline age, sex, and years of education were included as covariates. RESULTS At baseline, lower LFPN-FC, but not LC integrity, was related to worse DSST performance. Longitudinally, lower baseline LC integrity was associated with a faster DSST decline, especially at PiB > 10.38 CL. Lower baseline LFPN-FC was associated with a steeper decline on the DSST but independent of PiB. At elevated PiB levels (> 46 CL), higher baseline LFPN-FC was associated with an attenuated decline on the DSST, despite the presence of lower LC integrity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that the LC can provide resilience against Aβ-related attention decline. However, when Aβ accumulates and the LC's resources may be depleted, the functioning of cortical target regions of the LC, such as the LFPN-FC, can provide additional resilience to sustain attentional performance in preclinical AD. These results provide critical insights into the neural correlates contributing to individual variability at risk versus resilience against Aβ-related cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Pahl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elisenda Bueichekú
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aaron P Schultz
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathryn V Papp
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle E Farrell
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dorene M Rentz
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Reisa A Sperling
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Anumba N, Kelberman MA, Pan W, Marriott A, Zhang X, Xu N, Weinshenker D, Keilholz S. The Effects of Locus Coeruleus Optogenetic Stimulation on Global Spatiotemporal Patterns in Rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.23.595327. [PMID: 38826205 PMCID: PMC11142206 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.23.595327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Whole-brain intrinsic activity as detected by resting-state fMRI can be summarized by three primary spatiotemporal patterns. These patterns have been shown to change with different brain states, especially arousal. The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is a key node in arousal circuits and has extensive projections throughout the brain, giving it neuromodulatory influence over the coordinated activity of structurally separated regions. In this study, we used optogenetic-fMRI in rats to investigate the impact of LC stimulation on the global signal and three primary spatiotemporal patterns. We report small, spatially specific changes in global signal distribution as a result of tonic LC stimulation, as well as regional changes in spatiotemporal patterns of activity at 5 Hz tonic and 15 Hz phasic stimulation. We also found that LC stimulation had little to no effect on the spatiotemporal patterns detected by complex principal component analysis. These results show that the effects of LC activity on the BOLD signal in rats may be small and regionally concentrated, as opposed to widespread and globally acting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nmachi Anumba
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michael A Kelberman
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Wenju Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Alexia Marriott
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Xiaodi Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Nan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Shella Keilholz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zide BS, Donovan NJ, Lee S, Nag S, Bennett DA, Jacobs HIL. Social activity mediates locus coeruleus tangle-related cognition in older adults. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02467-y. [PMID: 38355788 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02467-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system regulates brain-wide neural activity involved in cognition and behavior. Integrity of this subcortical neuromodulatory system is proposed to be a substrate of cognitive reserve that may be strengthened by lifetime cognitive and social activity. Conversely, accumulation of tau tangles in the brainstem locus coeruleus nuclei is recently studied as a very early marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis and cognitive vulnerability, even among older adults without cognitive impairment or significant cerebral AD pathologies. This clinical-pathologic study examined whether locus coeruleus tangle density was cross-sectionally associated with lower antemortem cognitive performance and social activity among 142 cognitively unimpaired and impaired older adults and whether social activity, a putative reserve factor, mediated the association of tangle density and cognition. We found that greater locus coeruleus tangle density was associated with lower social activity for the whole sample and in the cognitively unimpaired group alone and these associations were independent of age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, and burden of cerebral amyloid and tau. The association of locus coeruleus tangle density with lower cognitive performance was partially mediated by level of social activity. These findings implicate the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system in late-life social function and support that locus coeruleus tangle pathology is associated with lower levels of social activity, independent of cerebral AD pathologies, and specifically among older adults who are cognitively unimpaired. Early brainstem pathology may impact social function, and level of social function, in turn, influences cognition, prior to canonical stages of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S Zide
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nancy J Donovan
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Soyoung Lee
- Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sukriti Nag
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Department of Pathology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre, Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Galgani A, Giorgi FS. Exploring the Role of Locus Coeruleus in Alzheimer's Disease: a Comprehensive Update on MRI Studies and Implications. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2023; 23:925-936. [PMID: 38064152 PMCID: PMC10724305 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-023-01324-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Performing a thorough review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies assessing locus coeruleus (LC) integrity in ageing and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and contextualizing them with current preclinical and neuropathological literature. RECENT FINDINGS MRI successfully detected LC alterations in ageing and AD, identifying degenerative phenomena involving this nucleus even in the prodromal stages of the disorder. The degree of LC disruption was also associated with the severity of AD cortical pathology, cognitive and behavioral impairment, and the risk of clinical progression. Locus coeruleus-MRI has proved to be a useful tool to assess the integrity of the central noradrenergic system in vivo in humans. It allowed to test in patients preclinical and experimental hypothesis, thus confirming the specific and marked involvement of the LC in AD and its key pathogenetic role. Locus coeruleus-MRI-related data might represent the theoretical basis on which to start developing noradrenergic drugs to target AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Galgani
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Koshmanova E, Berger A, Beckers E, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Balda F, Berthomier C, Degueldre C, Salmon E, Lamalle L, Bastin C, Van Egroo M, Phillips C, Maquet P, Collette F, Muto V, Chylinski D, Jacobs HI, Talwar P, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. Locus coeruleus activity while awake is associated with REM sleep quality in older individuals. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172008. [PMID: 37698926 PMCID: PMC10619502 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDThe locus coeruleus (LC) is the primary source of norepinephrine in the brain and regulates arousal and sleep. Animal research shows that it plays important roles in the transition between sleep and wakefulness, and between slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). It is unclear, however, whether the activity of the LC predicts sleep variability in humans.METHODSWe used 7-Tesla functional MRI, sleep electroencephalography (EEG), and a sleep questionnaire to test whether the LC activity during wakefulness was associated with sleep quality in 33 healthy younger (~22 years old; 28 women, 5 men) and 19 older (~61 years old; 14 women, 5 men) individuals.RESULTSWe found that, in older but not in younger participants, higher LC activity, as probed during an auditory attentional task, was associated with worse subjective sleep quality and with lower power over the EEG theta band during REMS. The results remained robust even when accounting for the age-related changes in the integrity of the LC.CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that LC activity correlates with the perception of the sleep quality and an essential oscillatory mode of REMS, and we found that the LC may be an important target in the treatment of sleep- and age-related diseases.FUNDINGThis work was supported by Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FRS-FNRS, T.0242.19 & J. 0222.20), Action de Recherche Concertée - Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (ARC SLEEPDEM 17/27-09), Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (SAO-FRA 2019/0025), ULiège, and European Regional Development Fund (Radiomed & Biomed-Hub).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Koshmanova
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Berger
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
- Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | - Elise Beckers
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Islay Campbell
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Nasrin Mortazavi
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Roya Sharifpour
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilenia Paparella
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Fermin Balda
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Christian Degueldre
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Eric Salmon
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Neurology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Laurent Lamalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Christine Bastin
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Christophe Phillips
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- In Silico Medicine Unit, GIGA-Institute, ULiège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Maquet
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Neurology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Collette
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Vincenzo Muto
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Daphne Chylinski
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Heidi I.L. Jacobs
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Puneet Talwar
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Siya Sherif
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Um YH, Wang SM, Kang DW, Kim S, Lee CU, Kim D, Choe YS, Kim REY, Lee S, Lim HK. Sex-Related Disparities in the Resting State Functional Connectivity of the Locus Coeruelus and Salience Network in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15092. [PMID: 37894772 PMCID: PMC10606651 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated the pivotal role of locus coeruleus (LC) and salience network (SN) resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) changes in the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Moreover, sex has been a crucial point of discussion in understanding AD pathology. We aimed to demonstrate the sex-related disparities in the functional connectivity (FC) of the SN and LC in preclinical AD. A total of 89 cognitively normal patients with evidence of amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation ([18F] flutemetamol +) were recruited in the study. A seed-to-voxel analysis was conducted to measure the LC and SN rsFC differences between sexes. In addition, sex by Aβ interactive effects on FC values were analyzed with a general linear model. There were statistically significant sex by regional standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) interactions in the LC FC with the parietal, frontal, and occipital cortices. Moreover, there was a significant sex by global SUVR interaction in the SN FC with the temporal cortex. The findings suggest that there are differential patterns of LC FC and SN FC in males and females with preclinical AD, which interact with regional Aβ deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Hyun Um
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng-Min Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Woo Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghwan Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Uk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghyeon Kim
- Research Institute, Neurophet Inc., Seoul 08380, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeong Sim Choe
- Research Institute, Neurophet Inc., Seoul 08380, Republic of Korea
| | - Regina E. Y. Kim
- Research Institute, Neurophet Inc., Seoul 08380, Republic of Korea
| | - Soyoung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hyun Kook Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Neal J, Song I, Katz B, Lee TH. Association of Intrinsic Functional Connectivity between the Locus Coeruleus and Salience Network with Attentional Ability. J Cogn Neurosci 2023; 35:1557-1569. [PMID: 37584586 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is a brainstem region associated with broad neural arousal because of norepinephrine production, but it has increasingly been associated with specific cognitive processes. These include sustained attention, with deficits associated with various neuropsychological disorders. Neural models of attention deficits have focused on interrupted dynamics between the salience network (SAL) with the frontoparietal network, which has been associated with task-switching and processing of external stimuli, respectively. Conflicting findings for these regions suggest the possibility of upstream signaling leading to attention dysfunction, and recent research suggests LC involvement. In this study, resting-state functional connectivity and behavioral performance on an attention task was examined within 584 individuals. Analysis revealed significant clusters connected to LC activity in the SAL. Given previous findings that attention deficits may be caused by SAL network switching dysfunctions, findings here further suggest that dysfunction in LC-SAL connectivity may impair attention.
Collapse
|
9
|
Prokopiou PC, Engels-Domínguez N, Schultz AP, Sepulcre J, Koops EA, Papp KV, Marshall GA, Normandin MD, El Fakhri G, Rentz D, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Jacobs HIL. Association of Novelty-Related Locus Coeruleus Function With Entorhinal Tau Deposition and Memory Decline in Preclinical Alzheimer Disease. Neurology 2023; 101:e1206-e1217. [PMID: 37491329 PMCID: PMC10516269 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The predictable Braak staging scheme suggests that cortical tau progression may be related to synaptically connected neurons. Animal and human neuroimaging studies demonstrated that changes in neuronal activity contribute to tau spreading. Whether similar mechanisms explain tau progression from the locus coeruleus (LC), a tiny noradrenergic brainstem nucleus involved in novelty, learning, and memory and among the earliest regions to accumulate tau, has not yet been established. We aimed to investigate whether novelty-related LC activity was associated with the accumulation of cortical tau and its implications for cognitive decline. METHODS We combined functional MRI data of a novel vs repeated face-name learning paradigm, [18F]-FTP-PET, [11C]-PiB-PET, and longitudinal cognitive data from 92 well-characterized older individuals in the Harvard Aging Brain Study. We related novelty vs repetition LC activity to cortical tau deposition and to longitudinal decline in memory, executive function, and the Preclinical Alzheimer Disease Cognitive Composite (version 5; PACC5). Structural equation modeling was used to examine whether entorhinal cortical (EC) tau mediated the relationship between LC activity and cognitive decline and whether this depended on beta-amyloid deposition. RESULTS The participants' average age at baseline was 69.67 ± 10.14 years. Fifty-one participants were female. Ninety-one participants were cognitively normal (CDR global = 0), and one participant had mild cognitive impairment (CDR global = 0.5) at baseline. Lower novelty-related LC activity was specifically related to greater tau deposition in the medial-lateral temporal cortex and steeper memory decline. LC activity during novelty vs repetition was not related to executive dysfunction or decline on the PACC5. The relationship between LC activity and memory decline was partially mediated by EC tau, particularly in individuals with elevated beta-amyloid deposition. DISCUSSION Our results suggested that lower novelty-related LC activity is associated with the emergence of EC tau and that the downstream effects of this LC-EC pathway on memory decline also require the presence of elevated beta-amyloid. Longitudinal studies are required to investigate whether optimal LC activity has the potential to delay tau spread and memory decline, which may have implications for designing targeted interventions promoting resilience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Prokopis C Prokopiou
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Nina Engels-Domínguez
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Aaron P Schultz
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Jorge Sepulcre
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Elouise A Koops
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kathryn V Papp
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Gad A Marshall
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Marc D Normandin
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Georges El Fakhri
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Dorene Rentz
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Reisa A Sperling
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Keith A Johnson
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- From the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging (P.C.P., N.E.-D., J.S., E.A.K., M.D.N., G.E.F., K.A.J., H.I.L.J.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston; Faculty of Health (N.E.-D., H.I.L.J.), Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Department of Neurology (A.P.S., K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (A.P.S.), Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment (K.V.P., G.A.M., D.R., R.A.S., K.A.J.), Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Plini ERG, Melnychuk MC, Andrews R, Boyle R, Whelan R, Spence JS, Chapman SB, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Greater physical fitness (Vo2Max) in healthy older adults associated with increased integrity of the Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic system. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2556690. [PMID: 36798156 PMCID: PMC9934752 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2556690/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) is a key component for brain health and Reserve, and it is among the main dementia protective factors. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning Reserve are not fully understood. In this regard, a noradrenergic (NA) theory of cognitive reserve (Robertson, 2013) has proposed that the upregulation of NA system might be a key factor for building reserve and resilience to neurodegeneration because of the neuroprotective role of NA across the brain. PA elicits an enhanced catecholamine response, in particular for NA. By increasing physical commitment, a greater amount of NA is synthetised in response to higher oxygen demand. More physically trained individuals show greater capabilities to carry oxygen resulting in greater Vo2max - a measure of oxygen uptake and physical fitness (PF). In the current study, we hypothesised that greater Vo2 max would be related to greater Locus Coeruleus (LC) MRI signal intensity. As hypothesised, greater Vo2max related to greater LC signal intensity across 41 healthy adults (age range 60-72). As a control procedure, in which these analyses were repeated for the other neuromodulators' seeds (for Serotonin, Dopamine and Acetylcholine), weaker associations emerged. This newly established link between Vo2max and LC-NA system offers further understanding of the neurobiology underpinning Reserve in relationship to PA. While this study supports Robertson's theory proposing the upregulation of the noradrenergic system as a possible key factor building Reserve, it also provide grounds for increasing LC-NA system resilience to neurodegeneration via Vo2max enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele RG Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Ralph Andrews
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jeffrey S. Spence
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Sandra B. Chapman
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ian H Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Building 149, Charlestown MA, USA
- Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul M Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Veréb D, Mijalkov M, Canal-Garcia A, Chang YW, Gomez-Ruiz E, Gerboles BZ, Kivipelto M, Svenningsson P, Zetterberg H, Volpe G, Betts M, Jacobs HIL, Pereira JB. Age-related differences in the functional topography of the locus coeruleus and their implications for cognitive and affective functions. eLife 2023; 12:RP87188. [PMID: 37650882 PMCID: PMC10471162 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is an important noradrenergic nucleus that has recently attracted a lot of attention because of its emerging role in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Although previous histological studies have shown that the LC has heterogeneous connections and cellular features, no studies have yet assessed its functional topography in vivo, how this heterogeneity changes over aging, and whether it is associated with cognition and mood. Here, we employ a gradient-based approach to characterize the functional heterogeneity in the organization of the LC over aging using 3T resting-state fMRI in a population-based cohort aged from 18 to 88 years of age (Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort, n=618). We show that the LC exhibits a rostro-caudal functional gradient along its longitudinal axis, which was replicated in an independent dataset (Human Connectome Project [HCP] 7T dataset, n=184). Although the main rostro-caudal direction of this gradient was consistent across age groups, its spatial features varied with increasing age, emotional memory, and emotion regulation. More specifically, a loss of rostral-like connectivity, more clustered functional topography, and greater asymmetry between right and left LC gradients was associated with higher age and worse behavioral performance. Furthermore, participants with higher-than-normal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) ratings exhibited alterations in the gradient as well, which manifested in greater asymmetry. These results provide an in vivo account of how the functional topography of the LC changes over aging, and imply that spatial features of this organization are relevant markers of LC-related behavioral measures and psychopathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Veréb
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Mite Mijalkov
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Anna Canal-Garcia
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Yu-Wei Chang
- Department of Physics, Goteborg UniversityGoteborgSweden
| | | | - Blanca Zufiria Gerboles
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- University of Eastern FinlandKuopioFinland
| | - Per Svenningsson
- University of Eastern FinlandKuopioFinland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of GothenburgMölndalSweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University HospitalMölndalSweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of NeurologyLondonUnited Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCLLondonUnited Kingdom
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water BayHong KongChina
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-MadisonMadisonUnited States
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, Goteborg UniversityGoteborgSweden
| | - Matthew Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of MagdeburgMagdeburgGermany
| | - Heidi IL Jacobs
- Maastricht UniversityMaastrichtNetherlands
- Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Joana B Pereira
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund UniversityLundSweden
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Harduf A, Shaked A, Yaniv AU, Salomon R. Disentangling the Neural Correlates of Agency, Ownership and Multisensory Processing. Neuroimage 2023:120255. [PMID: 37414232 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The experience of the self as an embodied agent in the world is an essential aspect of human consciousness. This experience arises from the feeling of control over one's bodily actions, termed the Sense of Agency, and the feeling that the body belongs to the self, Body Ownership. Despite long-standing philosophical and scientific interest in the relationship between the body and brain, the neural systems involved in Body Ownership and Sense of Agency, and especially their interactions, are not yet understood. In this preregistered study using the Moving Rubber Hand Illusion inside an MR-scanner, we aimed to uncover the relationship between Body Ownership and Sense of Agency in the human brain. Importantly, by using both visuomotor and visuotactile stimulations and measuring online trial-by-trial fluctuations in the illusion magnitude, we were able to disentangle brain systems related to objective sensory stimulation and subjective judgments of the bodily-self. Our results indicate that at both the behavioral and neural levels, Body Ownership and Sense of Agency are strongly interrelated. Multisensory regions in the occipital and fronto-parietal regions encoded convergence of sensory stimulation conditions. The subjective judgments of the bodily-self were related to BOLD fluctuations in the Somatosensory cortex and in regions not activated by the sensory conditions, such as the insular cortex and precuneus. Our results highlight the convergence of multisensory processing in specific neural systems for both Body Ownership and Sense of Agency with partially dissociable regions for subjective judgments in regions of the Default Mode Network.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amir Harduf
- The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; The Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Ariel Shaked
- The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Adi Ulmer Yaniv
- The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; Center for Developmental Social Neuroscience, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
| | - Roy Salomon
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, Haifa University, Haifa 31905, Israel; The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Berger A, Koshmanova E, Beckers E, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Balda F, Yi YJ, Lamalle L, Dricot L, Phillips C, Jacobs HIL, Talwar P, El Tahry R, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. Structural and functional characterization of the locus coeruleus in young and late middle-aged individuals. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1207844. [PMID: 37554637 PMCID: PMC10406214 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1207844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The brainstem locus coeruleus (LC) influences a broad range of brain processes, including cognition. The so-called LC contrast is an accepted marker of the integrity of the LC that consists of a local hyperintensity on specific Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) structural images. The small size of the LC has, however, rendered its functional characterization difficult in humans, including in aging. A full characterization of the structural and functional characteristics of the LC in healthy young and late middle-aged individuals is needed to determine the potential roles of the LC in different medical conditions. Here, we wanted to determine whether the activation of the LC in a mismatch negativity task changes in aging and whether the LC functional response was associated to the LC contrast. METHODS We used Ultra-High Field (UHF) 7-Tesla functional MRI (fMRI) to record brain response during an auditory oddball task in 53 healthy volunteers, including 34 younger (age: 22.15y ± 3.27; 29 women) and 19 late middle-aged (age: 61.05y ± 5.3; 14 women) individuals. RESULTS Whole-brain analyses confirmed brain responses in the typical cortical and subcortical regions previously associated with mismatch negativity. When focusing on the brainstem, we found a significant response in the rostral part of the LC probability mask generated based on individual LC images. Although bilateral, the activation was more extensive in the left LC. Individual LC activity was not significantly different between young and late middle-aged individuals. Importantly, while the LC contrast was higher in older individuals, the functional response of the LC was not significantly associated with its contrast. DISCUSSION These findings may suggest that the age-related alterations of the LC structural integrity may not be related to changes in its functional response. The results further suggest that LC responses may remain stable in healthy individuals aged 20 to 70.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Berger
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | - Ekaterina Koshmanova
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Elise Beckers
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Roya Sharifpour
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilenia Paparella
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Islay Campbell
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nasrin Mortazavi
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fermin Balda
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Laurent Lamalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe Phillips
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Puneet Talwar
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Riëm El Tahry
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Refractory Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO) Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Siya Sherif
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Tang Y, Cao M, Li Y, Lin Y, Wu X, Chen M. Altered structural covariance of locus coeruleus in individuals with significant memory concern and patients with mild cognitive impairment. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8523-8533. [PMID: 37130822 PMCID: PMC10321106 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is the site where tau accumulation is preferentially observed pathologically in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, but the changes in gray matter co-alteration patterns between the LC and the whole brain in the predementia phase of AD remain unclear. In this study, we estimated and compared the gray matter volume of the LC and its structural covariance (SC) with the whole brain among 161 normal healthy controls (HCs), 99 individuals with significant memory concern (SMC) and 131 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We found that SC decreased in MCI groups, which mainly involved the salience network and default mode network. These results imply that seeding from LC, the gray matter network disruption and disconnection appears early in the MCI group. The altered SC network seeding from the LC can serve as an imaging biomarker for discriminating the patients in the potential predementia phase of AD from the normal subjects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingmei Tang
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.107 Yanjiang Road West, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, China
| | - Minghui Cao
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.107 Yanjiang Road West, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, China
| | - Yunhua Li
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.107 Yanjiang Road West, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuting Lin
- School of Psychology, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, No.55 Zhongshan Avenue West, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- School of Psychology, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences (South China Normal University), Ministry of Education, Center for Studies of Psychological Application, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, No.55 Zhongshan Avenue West, Guangzhou 510631, Guangdong, China
| | - Meiwei Chen
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.107 Yanjiang Road West, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Veréb D, Mijalkov M, Canal-Garcia A, Chang YW, Gomez-Ruis E, Gerboles BZ, Kivipelto M, Svenningsson P, Zetterberg H, Volpe G, Betts MJ, Jacobs H, Pereira JB. Age-related differences in the functional topography of the locus coeruleus: implications for cognitive and affective functions. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.02.25.23286442. [PMID: 37333117 PMCID: PMC10274957 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.25.23286442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is an important noradrenergic nucleus that has recently attracted a lot of attention because of its emerging role in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Although previous histological studies have shown that the LC has heterogeneous connections and cellular features, no studies have yet assessed its functional topography in vivo, how this heterogeneity changes over aging and whether it is associated with cognition and mood. Here we employ a gradient-based approach to characterize the functional heterogeneity in the organization of the LC over aging using 3T resting-state fMRI in a population-based cohort aged from 18 to 88 years old (Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience cohort, n=618). We show that the LC exhibits a rostro-caudal functional gradient along its longitudinal axis, which was replicated in an independent dataset (Human Connectome Project 7T dataset, n=184). Although the main rostro-caudal direction of this gradient was consistent across age groups, its spatial features varied with increasing age, emotional memory and emotion regulation. More specifically, a loss of rostral-like connectivity, more clustered functional topography and greater asymmetry between right and left LC gradients was associated with higher age and worse behavioral performance. Furthermore, participants with higher-than-normal Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale ratings exhibited alterations in the gradient as well, which manifested in greater asymmetry. These results provide an in vivo account of how the functional topography of the LC changes over aging, and imply that spatial features of this organization are relevant markers of LC-related behavioral measures and psychopathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dániel Veréb
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mite Mijalkov
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Canal-Garcia
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yu-Wei Chang
- Department of Physics, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden
| | | | - Blanca Zufiria Gerboles
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miia Kivipelto
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Per Svenningsson
- University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Giovanni Volpe
- Department of Physics, Goteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden
| | - Mathew J. Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Heidi Jacobs
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Joana B. Pereira
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Orlando IF, Shine JM, Robbins TW, Rowe JB, O'Callaghan C. Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems take centre stage in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105167. [PMID: 37054802 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105167] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Noradrenergic and cholinergic systems are among the most vulnerable brain systems in neuropsychiatric diseases of ageing, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and progressive supranuclear palsy. As these systems fail, they contribute directly to many of the characteristic cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. However, their contribution to symptoms is not sufficiently understood, and pharmacological interventions targeting noradrenergic and cholinergic systems have met with mixed success. Part of the challenge is the complex neurobiology of these systems, operating across multiple timescales, and with non-linear changes across the adult lifespan and disease course. We address these challenges in a detailed review of the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems, outlining their roles in cognition and behaviour, and how they influence neuropsychiatric symptoms in disease. By bridging across levels of analysis, we highlight opportunities for improving drug therapies and for pursuing personalised medicine strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabella F Orlando
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - James M Shine
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kelberman MA, Rorabaugh JM, Anderson CR, Marriott A, DePuy SD, Rasmussen K, McCann KE, Weiss JM, Weinshenker D. Age-dependent dysregulation of locus coeruleus firing in a transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 125:98-108. [PMID: 36889122 PMCID: PMC10038926 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hyperphosphorylated tau in the locus coeruleus (LC) is ubiquitous in prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD), and LC neurons degenerate as AD progresses. Hyperphosphorylated tau alters firing rates in other brain regions, but its effects on LC neurons are unknown. We assessed single unit LC activity in anesthetized wild-type (WT) and TgF344-AD rats at 6 months, which represents a prodromal stage when LC neurons are the only cells containing hyperphosphorylated tau in TgF344-AD animals, and at 15 months when amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathology are both abundant in the forebrain. At baseline, LC neurons from TgF344-AD rats were hypoactive at both ages compared to WT littermates but showed elevated spontaneous bursting properties. Differences in footshock-evoked LC firing depended on age, with 6-month TgF344-AD rats demonstrating aspects of hyperactivity, and 15-month transgenic rats showing hypoactivity. Early LC hyperactivity is consistent with appearance of prodromal neuropsychiatric symptoms and is followed by LC hypoactivity which contributes to cognitive impairment. These results support further investigation into disease stage-dependent noradrenergic interventions for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alexia Marriott
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jay M Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Koshmanova E, Berger A, Beckers E, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Balda F, Berthomier C, Degueldre C, Salmon E, Lamalle L, Bastin C, Egroo MV, Phillips C, Maquet P, Collette F, Muto V, Chylinski D, Jacobs HI, Talwar P, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. In vivo Locus Coeruleus activity while awake is associated with REM sleep quality in healthy older individuals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.10.527974. [PMID: 36993680 PMCID: PMC10054994 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.10.527974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is the primary source of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, and the LC-NE system is involved in regulating arousal and sleep. It plays key roles in the transition between sleep and wakefulness, and between slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). However, it is not clear whether the LC activity during the day predicts sleep quality and sleep properties during the night, and how this varies as a function of age. Here, we used 7 Tesla functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (7T fMRI), sleep electroencephalography (EEG) and a sleep questionnaire to test whether the LC activity during wakefulness was associated with sleep quality in 52 healthy younger (N=33; ~22y; 28 women) and older (N=19; ~61y; 14 women) individuals. We find that, in older, but not in younger participants, higher LC activity, as probed during an auditory mismatch negativity task, is associated with worse subjective sleep quality and with lower power over the EEG theta band during REMS (4-8Hz), which are two sleep parameters significantly correlated in our sample of older individuals. The results remain robust even when accounting for the age-related changes in the integrity of the LC. These findings suggest that the activity of the LC may contribute to the perception of the sleep quality and to an essential oscillatory mode of REMS, and that the LC may be an important target in the treatment of sleep disorders and age-related diseases.
Collapse
|
19
|
Benarroch E. What Are Current Concepts on the Functional Organization of the Locus Coeruleus and Its Role in Cognition and Neurodegeneration? Neurology 2023; 100:132-137. [PMID: 36646470 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000206736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
|
20
|
Engels-Domínguez N, Koops EA, Prokopiou PC, Van Egroo M, Schneider C, Riphagen JM, Singhal T, Jacobs HIL. State-of-the-art imaging of neuromodulatory subcortical systems in aging and Alzheimer's disease: Challenges and opportunities. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104998. [PMID: 36526031 PMCID: PMC9805533 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Primary prevention trials have shifted their focus to the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Autopsy data indicates that the neuromodulatory subcortical systems' (NSS) nuclei are specifically vulnerable to initial tau pathology, indicating that these nuclei hold great promise for early detection of AD in the context of the aging brain. The increasing availability of new imaging methods, ultra-high field scanners, new radioligands, and routine deep brain stimulation implants has led to a growing number of NSS neuroimaging studies on aging and neurodegeneration. Here, we review findings of current state-of-the-art imaging studies assessing the structure, function, and molecular changes of these nuclei during aging and AD. Furthermore, we identify the challenges associated with these imaging methods, important pathophysiologic gaps to fill for the AD NSS neuroimaging field, and provide future directions to improve our assessment, understanding, and clinical use of in vivo imaging of the NSS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Engels-Domínguez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Elouise A Koops
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prokopis C Prokopiou
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Christoph Schneider
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joost M Riphagen
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tarun Singhal
- Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Iannitelli AF, Kelberman MA, Lustberg DJ, Korukonda A, McCann KE, Mulvey B, Segal A, Liles LC, Sloan SA, Dougherty JD, Weinshenker D. The Neurotoxin DSP-4 Dysregulates the Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine System and Recapitulates Molecular and Behavioral Aspects of Prodromal Neurodegenerative Disease. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0483-22.2022. [PMID: 36635251 PMCID: PMC9829100 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0483-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is among the earliest sites of tau and α-synuclein pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), respectively. The onset of these pathologies coincides with loss of noradrenergic fibers in LC target regions and the emergence of prodromal symptoms including sleep disturbances and anxiety. Paradoxically, these prodromal symptoms are indicative of a noradrenergic hyperactivity phenotype, rather than the predicted loss of norepinephrine (NE) transmission following LC damage, suggesting the engagement of complex compensatory mechanisms. Because current therapeutic efforts are targeting early disease, interest in the LC has grown, and it is critical to identify the links between pathology and dysfunction. We employed the LC-specific neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4), which preferentially damages LC axons, to model early changes in the LC-NE system pertinent to AD and PD in male and female mice. DSP-4 (two doses of 50 mg/kg, one week apart) induced LC axon degeneration, triggered neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, and reduced tissue NE levels. There was no LC cell death or changes to LC firing, but transcriptomics revealed reduced expression of genes that define noradrenergic identity and other changes relevant to neurodegenerative disease. Despite the dramatic loss of LC fibers, NE turnover and signaling were elevated in terminal regions and were associated with anxiogenic phenotypes in multiple behavioral tests. These results represent a comprehensive analysis of how the LC-NE system responds to axon/terminal damage reminiscent of early AD and PD at the molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels, and provides potential mechanisms underlying prodromal neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexa F Iannitelli
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Michael A Kelberman
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Daniel J Lustberg
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Anu Korukonda
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Katharine E McCann
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Bernard Mulvey
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Arielle Segal
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - L Cameron Liles
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Steven A Sloan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kelberman MA, Weinshenker D. A novel link between locus coeruleus activity and amyloid-related cognitive decline. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:651-653. [PMID: 35659415 PMCID: PMC10216710 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent work from Prokopiou, Engels-Domínguez et al. assessed locus coeruleus (LC) activity and its functional connectivity (FC) to forebrain regions during a novelty task in cognitively unimpaired adult individuals with varying degrees of amyloid deposition. Novelty increased LC activity and LC FC, but lower responses on these measures were associated with steeper cognitive decline in amyloid-positive individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Kelberman
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Gutiérrez IL, Dello Russo C, Novellino F, Caso JR, García-Bueno B, Leza JC, Madrigal JLM. Noradrenaline in Alzheimer's Disease: A New Potential Therapeutic Target. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116143. [PMID: 35682822 PMCID: PMC9181823 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of evidence demonstrates the important role of the noradrenergic system in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative processes, especially Alzheimer’s disease, due to its ability to control glial activation and chemokine production resulting in anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Noradrenaline involvement in this disease was first proposed after finding deficits of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus from Alzheimer’s disease patients. Based on this, it has been hypothesized that the early loss of noradrenergic projections and the subsequent reduction of noradrenaline brain levels contribute to cognitive dysfunctions and the progression of neurodegeneration. Several studies have focused on analyzing the role of noradrenaline in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. In this review we summarize some of the most relevant data describing the alterations of the noradrenergic system normally occurring in Alzheimer’s disease as well as experimental studies in which noradrenaline concentration was modified in order to further analyze how these alterations affect the behavior and viability of different nervous cells. The combination of the different studies here presented suggests that the maintenance of adequate noradrenaline levels in the central nervous system constitutes a key factor of the endogenous defense systems that help prevent or delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease. For this reason, the use of noradrenaline modulating drugs is proposed as an interesting alternative therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irene L. Gutiérrez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
| | - Cinzia Dello Russo
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Pharmacology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology (ISMIB), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK
| | - Fabiana Novellino
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology (IBFM), National Research Council, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Javier R. Caso
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
| | - Borja García-Bueno
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
| | - Juan C. Leza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
| | - José L. M. Madrigal
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Instituto de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUINQ-UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (I.L.G.); (F.N.); (J.R.C.); (B.G.-B.); (J.C.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-91-394-1463
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Guzmán-Ramos K, Osorio-Gómez D, Bermúdez-Rattoni F. Cognitive impairment in alzheimer’s and metabolic diseases: A catecholaminergic hypothesis. Neuroscience 2022; 497:308-323. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
|