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Abram SV, Hua JPY, Nicholas S, Roach B, Keedy S, Sweeney JA, Mathalon DH, Ford JM. Pons-to-Cerebellum Hypoconnectivity Along the Psychosis Spectrum and Associations With Sensory Prediction and Hallucinations in Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:693-702. [PMID: 38311290 PMCID: PMC11227403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sensory prediction allows the brain to anticipate and parse incoming self-generated sensory information from externally generated signals. Sensory prediction breakdowns may contribute to perceptual and agency abnormalities in psychosis (hallucinations, delusions). The pons, a central node in a cortico-ponto-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical circuit, is thought to support sensory prediction. Examination of pons connectivity in schizophrenia and its role in sensory prediction abnormalities is lacking. METHODS We examined these relationships using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and the electroencephalography-based auditory N1 event-related potential in 143 participants with psychotic spectrum disorders (PSPs) (with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder); 63 first-degree relatives of individuals with psychosis; 45 people at clinical high risk for psychosis; and 124 unaffected comparison participants. This unique sample allowed examination across the psychosis spectrum and illness trajectory. Seeding from the pons, we extracted average connectivity values from thalamic and cerebellar clusters showing differences between PSPs and unaffected comparison participants. We predicted N1 amplitude attenuation during a vocalization task from pons connectivity and group membership. We correlated participant-level connectivity in PSPs and people at clinical high risk for psychosis with hallucination and delusion severity. RESULTS Compared to unaffected comparison participants, PSPs showed pons hypoconnectivity to 2 cerebellar clusters, and first-degree relatives of individuals with psychosis showed hypoconnectivity to 1 of these clusters. Pons-to-cerebellum connectivity was positively correlated with N1 attenuation; only PSPs with heightened pons-to-postcentral gyrus connectivity showed this pattern, suggesting a possible compensatory mechanism. Pons-to-cerebellum hypoconnectivity was correlated with greater hallucination severity specifically among PSPs with schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Deficient pons-to-cerebellum connectivity linked sensory prediction network breakdowns with perceptual abnormalities in schizophrenia. Findings highlight shared features and clinical heterogeneity across the psychosis spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha V Abram
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California
| | - Jessica P Y Hua
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California
| | - Spero Nicholas
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California
| | - Brian Roach
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California
| | - Sarah Keedy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Daniel H Mathalon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California
| | - Judith M Ford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California.
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Mana L, Schwartz-Pallejà M, Vila-Vidal M, Deco G. Overview on cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders: From impaired microcircuits to dysconnectivity. Schizophr Res 2024; 269:132-143. [PMID: 38788432 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2024.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Schizophrenia's cognitive deficits, often overshadowed by positive symptoms, significantly contribute to the disorder's morbidity. Increasing attention highlights these deficits as reflections of neural circuit dysfunction across various cortical regions. Numerous connectivity alterations linked to cognitive symptoms in psychotic disorders have been reported, both at the macroscopic and microscopic level, emphasizing the potential role of plasticity and microcircuits impairment during development and later stages. However, the heterogeneous clinical presentation of cognitive impairment and diverse connectivity findings pose challenges in summarizing them into a cohesive picture. This review aims to synthesize major cognitive alterations, recent insights into network structural and functional connectivity changes and proposed mechanisms and microcircuit alterations underpinning these symptoms, particularly focusing on neurodevelopmental impairment, E/I balance, and sleep disturbances. Finally, we will also comment on some of the most recent and promising therapeutic approaches that aim to target these mechanisms to address cognitive symptoms. Through this comprehensive exploration, we strive to provide an updated and nuanced overview of the multiscale connectivity impairment underlying cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Mana
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona 08018, Spain.
| | - M Schwartz-Pallejà
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona 08018, Spain; Department of Experimental and Health Science, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona 08018, Spain; Eurecat, Technology Center of Catalonia, Multimedia Technologies, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - M Vila-Vidal
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona 08018, Spain; Computational Biology and Complex Systems Group, Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - G Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Roc Boronat 138, Barcelona 08018, Spain; Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona 08010, Spain.
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Jornkokgoud K, Baggio T, Bakiaj R, Wongupparaj P, Job R, Grecucci A. Narcissus reflected: Grey and white matter features joint contribution to the default mode network in predicting narcissistic personality traits. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:3273-3291. [PMID: 38649337 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16345] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Despite the clinical significance of narcissistic personality, its neural bases have not been clarified yet, primarily because of methodological limitations of the previous studies, such as the low sample size, the use of univariate techniques and the focus on only one brain modality. In this study, we employed for the first time a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning methods, to identify the joint contributions of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) to narcissistic personality traits (NPT). After preprocessing, the brain scans of 135 participants were decomposed into eight independent networks of covarying GM and WM via parallel ICA. Subsequently, stepwise regression and Random Forest were used to predict NPT. We hypothesized that a fronto-temporo parietal network, mainly related to the default mode network, may be involved in NPT and associated WM regions. Results demonstrated a distributed network that included GM alterations in fronto-temporal regions, the insula and the cingulate cortex, along with WM alterations in cerebellar and thalamic regions. To assess the specificity of our findings, we also examined whether the brain network predicting narcissism could also predict other personality traits (i.e., histrionic, paranoid and avoidant personalities). Notably, this network did not predict such personality traits. Additionally, a supervised machine learning model (Random Forest) was used to extract a predictive model for generalization to new cases. Results confirmed that the same network could predict new cases. These findings hold promise for advancing our understanding of personality traits and potentially uncovering brain biomarkers associated with narcissism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khanitin Jornkokgoud
- Department of Research and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Teresa Baggio
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Richard Bakiaj
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Peera Wongupparaj
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - Remo Job
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science (DiPSCo), University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Centre for Medical Sciences (CISMed), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
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Faris P, Pischedda D, Palesi F, D’Angelo E. New clues for the role of cerebellum in schizophrenia and the associated cognitive impairment. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1386583. [PMID: 38799988 PMCID: PMC11116653 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1386583] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder associated with severe cognitive dysfunction. Although research has mainly focused on forebrain abnormalities, emerging results support the involvement of the cerebellum in SZ physiopathology, particularly in Cognitive Impairment Associated with SZ (CIAS). Besides its role in motor learning and control, the cerebellum is implicated in cognition and emotion. Recent research suggests that structural and functional changes in the cerebellum are linked to deficits in various cognitive domains including attention, working memory, and decision-making. Moreover, cerebellar dysfunction is related to altered cerebellar circuit activities and connectivity with brain regions associated with cognitive processing. This review delves into the role of the cerebellum in CIAS. We initially consider the major forebrain alterations in CIAS, addressing impairments in neurotransmitter systems, synaptic plasticity, and connectivity. We then focus on recent findings showing that several mechanisms are also altered in the cerebellum and that cerebellar communication with the forebrain is impaired. This evidence implicates the cerebellum as a key component of circuits underpinning CIAS physiopathology. Further studies addressing cerebellar involvement in SZ and CIAS are warranted and might open new perspectives toward understanding the physiopathology and effective treatment of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawan Faris
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Doris Pischedda
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fulvia Palesi
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Egidio D’Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Digital Neuroscience Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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Geffen T, Hardikar S, Smallwood J, Kaliuzhna M, Carruzzo F, Böge K, Zierhut MM, Gutwinski S, Katthagen T, Kaiser S, Schlagenhauf F. Striatal Functional Hypoconnectivity in Patients With Schizophrenia Suffering From Negative Symptoms, Longitudinal Findings. Schizophr Bull 2024:sbae052. [PMID: 38687874 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Negative symptoms in schizophrenia (SZ), such as apathy and diminished expression, have limited treatments and significantly impact daily life. Our study focuses on the functional division of the striatum: limbic-motivation and reward, associative-cognition, and sensorimotor-sensory and motor processing, aiming to identify potential biomarkers for negative symptoms. STUDY DESIGN This longitudinal, 2-center resting-state-fMRI (rsfMRI) study examines striatal seeds-to-whole-brain functional connectivity. We examined connectivity aberrations in patients with schizophrenia (PwSZ), focusing on stable group differences across 2-time points using intra-class-correlation and associated these with negative symptoms and measures of cognition. Additionally, in PwSZ, we used negative symptoms to predict striatal connectivity aberrations at the baseline and used the striatal aberration to predict symptoms 9 months later. STUDY RESULTS A total of 143 participants (77 PwSZ, 66 controls) from 2 centers (Berlin/Geneva) participated. We found sensorimotor-striatum and associative-striatum hypoconnectivity. We identified 4 stable hypoconnectivity findings over 3 months, revealing striatal-fronto-parietal-cerebellar hypoconnectivity in PwSZ. From those findings, we found hypoconnectivity in the bilateral associative striatum with the bilateral paracingulate-gyrus and the anterior cingulate cortex in PwSZ. Additionally, hypoconnectivity between the associative striatum and the superior frontal gyrus was associated with lower cognition scores in PwSZ, and weaker sensorimotor striatum connectivity with the superior parietal lobule correlated negatively with diminished expression and could predict symptom severity 9 months later. CONCLUSIONS Importantly, patterns of weaker sensorimotor striatum and superior parietal lobule connectivity fulfilled the biomarker criteria: clinical significance, reflecting underlying pathophysiology, and stability across time and centers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Geffen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Samyogita Hardikar
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Mariia Kaliuzhna
- Clinical and Experimental Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fabien Carruzzo
- Clinical and Experimental Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kerem Böge
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco Matthäus Zierhut
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Gutwinski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Teresa Katthagen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stephan Kaiser
- Adult Psychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Florian Schlagenhauf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, NeuroCure Clinical Research Center (NCRC), Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany
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Ran H, Chen G, Ran C, He Y, Xie Y, Yu Q, Liu J, Hu J, Zhang T. Altered White-Matter Functional Network in Children with Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy. Acad Radiol 2024:S1076-6332(23)00722-5. [PMID: 38350813 DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2023.12.043] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES The white matter (WM) functional network changes offers insights into the potential pathological mechanisms of certain diseases, the alterations of WM functional network in idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) remain unclear. We aimed to explore the topological characteristics changes of WM functional network in childhood IGE using resting-state functional Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and T1-weighted images. METHODS A total of 84 children (42 IGE and 42 matched healthy controls) were included in this study. Functional and structural MRI data were acquired to construct a WM functional network. Group differences in the global and regional topological characteristics were assessed by graph theory and the correlations with clinical and neuropsychological scores were analyzed. A support vector machine algorithm model was employed to classify individuals with IGE using WM functional connectivity as features, and the model's accuracy was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation. RESULTS In IGE group, at the network level, the WM functional network exhibited increased assortativity; at the nodal level, 17 nodes presented nodal disturbances in WM functional network, and nodal disturbances of 11 nodes were correlated with cognitive performance scores, disease duration and age of onset. The classification model achieved the 72.6% accuracy, 0.746 area under the curve, 69.1% sensitivity, 76.2% specificity. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that the WM functional network topological properties changes in childhood IGE, which were associated with cognitive function, and WM functional network may help clinical classification for childhood IGE. These findings provide novel information for understanding the pathogenesis of IGE and suggest that the WM function network might be qualified as potential biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Ran
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Guiqin Chen
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Chunyan Ran
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Yulun He
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Yuxin Xie
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Qiane Yu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Junwei Liu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China
| | - Jie Hu
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Tijiang Zhang
- Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Medical Imaging Center of Guizhou Province, Zunyi, 563003, China.
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7
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Kang N, Chung S, Lee SH, Bang M. Cerebro-cerebellar gray matter abnormalities associated with cognitive impairment in patients with recent-onset and chronic schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 10:11. [PMID: 38280893 PMCID: PMC10851702 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-024-00434-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Although the role of the cerebellum in schizophrenia has gained attention, its contribution to cognitive impairment remains unclear. We aimed to investigate volumetric alterations in the cerebro-cerebellar gray matter (GM) in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia (ROS) and chronic schizophrenia (CS) compared with healthy controls (HCs). Seventy-two ROS, 43 CS, and 127 HC participants were recruited, and high-resolution T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images of the brain were acquired. We compared cerebellar GM volumes among the groups using voxel-based morphometry and examined the cerebro-cerebellar GM volumetric correlations in participants with schizophrenia. Exploratory correlation analysis investigated the functional relevance of cerebro-cerebellar GM volume alterations to cognitive function in the schizophrenia group. The ROS and CS participants demonstrated smaller cerebellar GM volumes, particularly in Crus I and II, than HCs. Extracted cerebellar GM volumes demonstrated significant positive correlations with the cerebral GM volume in the fronto-temporo-parietal association areas engaged in higher-order association. The exploratory analysis showed that smaller cerebellar GM in the posterior lobe regions was associated with poorer cognitive performance in participants with schizophrenia. Our study suggests that cerebellar pathogenesis is present in the early stages of schizophrenia and interconnected with structural abnormalities in the cerebral cortex. Integrating the cerebellum into the pathogenesis of schizophrenia will help advance our understanding of the disease and identify novel treatment targets concerning dysfunctional cerebro-cerebellar interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naok Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Subin Chung
- CHA University School of Medicine, Pocheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hyuk Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Minji Bang
- Department of Psychiatry, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
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He J, Antonyan L, Zhu H, Ardila K, Li Q, Enoma D, Zhang W, Liu A, Chekouo T, Cao B, MacDonald ME, Arnold PD, Long Q. A statistical method for image-mediated association studies discovers genes and pathways associated with four brain disorders. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:48-69. [PMID: 38118447 PMCID: PMC10806749 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.11.006] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain imaging and genomics are critical tools enabling characterization of the genetic basis of brain disorders. However, imaging large cohorts is expensive and may be unavailable for legacy datasets used for genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Using an integrated feature selection/aggregation model, we developed an image-mediated association study (IMAS), which utilizes borrowed imaging/genomics data to conduct association mapping in legacy GWAS cohorts. By leveraging the UK Biobank image-derived phenotypes (IDPs), the IMAS discovered genetic bases underlying four neuropsychiatric disorders and verified them by analyzing annotations, pathways, and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). A cerebellar-mediated mechanism was identified to be common to the four disorders. Simulations show that, if the goal is identifying genetic risk, our IMAS is more powerful than a hypothetical protocol in which the imaging results were available in the GWAS dataset. This implies the feasibility of reanalyzing legacy GWAS datasets without conducting additional imaging, yielding cost savings for integrated analysis of genetics and imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingni He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Lilit Antonyan
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Harold Zhu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Karen Ardila
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David Enoma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Andy Liu
- Sir Winston Churchill High School, Calgary, AB, Canada; College of Letters and Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thierry Chekouo
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Bo Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - M Ethan MacDonald
- The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Electrical and Software Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Paul D Arnold
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Quan Long
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
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9
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Lin S, Zhang H, Qi M, Cooper DN, Yang Y, Yang Y, Zhao H. Inferring the genetic relationship between brain imaging-derived phenotypes and risk of complex diseases by Mendelian randomization and genome-wide colocalization. Neuroimage 2023; 279:120325. [PMID: 37579999 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Observational studies consistently disclose brain imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) as critical markers for early diagnosis of both brain disorders and cardiovascular diseases. However, it remains unclear about the shared genetic landscape between brain IDPs and the risk of brain disorders and cardiovascular diseases, restricting the applications of potential diagnostic techniques through brain IDPs. Here, we reported genetic correlations and putative causal relationships between 921 brain IDPs, 20 brain disorders and six cardiovascular diseases by leveraging their large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics. Applications of Mendelian randomization (MR) identified significant putative causal effects of multiple region-specific brain IDPs in relation to the increased risks for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), major depressive disorder (MDD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). We also found brain IDPs specifically from temporal lobe as a putatively causal consequence of hypertension. The genome-wide colocalization analysis identified three genomic regions in which MDD, ASD and SCZ colocalized with the brain IDPs, and two novel SNPs to be associated with ASD, SCZ, and multiple brain IDPs. Furthermore, we identified a list of candidate genes involved in the shared genetics underlying pairs of brain IDPs and MDD, ASD, SCZ, ALS and hypertension. Our results provide novel insights into the genetic relationships between brain disorders and cardiovascular diseases and brain IDP, which may server as clues for using brain IDPs to predict risks of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siying Lin
- Department of Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China; School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Haoyang Zhang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Mengling Qi
- Department of Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - David N Cooper
- Institute of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom
| | - Yuedong Yang
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Yuanhao Yang
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Huiying Zhao
- Department of Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China.
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10
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Ha M, Park SH, Park I, Kim T, Lee J, Kim M, Kwon JS. Aberrant cortico-thalamo-cerebellar network interactions and their association with impaired cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:50. [PMID: 37573437 PMCID: PMC10423253 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00375-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Evidence indicating abnormal functional connectivity (FC) among the cortex, thalamus, and cerebellum in schizophrenia patients has increased. However, the role of the thalamus and cerebellum when integrated into intrinsic networks and how those integrated networks interact in schizophrenia patients are largely unknown. We generated an integrative network map by merging thalamic and cerebellar network maps, which were parcellated using a winner-take-all approach, onto a cortical network map. Using cognitive networks, the default mode network (DMN), the dorsal attention network (DAN), the salience network (SAL), and the central executive network (CEN) as regions of interest, the FC of 48 schizophrenia patients was compared with that of 57 healthy controls (HCs). The association between abnormal FC and cognitive impairment was also investigated in patients. FC was lower between the SAL-CEN, SAL-DMN, and DMN-CEN and within-CEN in schizophrenia patients than in HCs. Hypoconnectivity between the DMN-CEN was correlated with impaired cognition in schizophrenia patients. Our findings broadly suggest the plausible role of the thalamus and cerebellum in integrative intrinsic networks in patients, which may contribute to the disrupted triple network and cognitive dysmetria in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Ha
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Hwan Park
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Inkyung Park
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taekwan Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungha Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, SNU-MRC, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Cundari M, Vestberg S, Gustafsson P, Gorcenco S, Rasmussen A. Neurocognitive and cerebellar function in ADHD, autism and spinocerebellar ataxia. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1168666. [PMID: 37415926 PMCID: PMC10321758 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1168666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum plays a major role in balance, motor control and sensorimotor integration, but also in cognition, language, and emotional regulation. Several neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as neurological diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) are associated with differences in cerebellar function. Morphological abnormalities in different cerebellar subregions produce distinct behavioral symptoms related to the functional disruption of specific cerebro-cerebellar circuits. The specific contribution of the cerebellum to typical development may therefore involve the optimization of the structure and function of cerebro-cerebellar circuits underlying skill acquisition in multiple domains. Here, we review cerebellar structural and functional differences between healthy and patients with ADHD, ASD, and SCA3, and explore how disruption of cerebellar networks affects the neurocognitive functions in these conditions. We discuss how cerebellar computations contribute to performance on cognitive and motor tasks and how cerebellar signals are interfaced with signals from other brain regions during normal and dysfunctional behavior. We conclude that the cerebellum plays a role in many cognitive functions. Still, more clinical studies with the support of neuroimaging are needed to clarify the cerebellum's role in normal and dysfunctional behavior and cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cundari
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Unit of Neuropsychiatry, Hospital of Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
- Unit of Neurology, Hospital of Helsingborg, Helsingborg, Sweden
| | - Susanna Vestberg
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Peik Gustafsson
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Medical Faculty, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sorina Gorcenco
- Department for Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Rasmussen
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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12
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Wu BS, Ge YJ, Zhang W, Chen SD, Xiang ST, Zhang YR, Ou YN, Jiang YC, Tan L, Cheng W, Suckling J, Feng JF, Yu JT, Mao Y. Genome-wide association study of cerebellar white matter microstructure and genetic overlap with common brain disorders. Neuroimage 2023; 269:119928. [PMID: 36740028 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.119928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cerebellum is recognized as being involved in neurocognitive and motor functions with communication with extra-cerebellar regions relying on the white matter integrity of the cerebellar peduncles. However, the genetic determinants of cerebellar white matter integrity remain largely unknown. METHODS We conducted a genome-wide association analysis of cerebellar white matter microstructure using diffusion tensor imaging data from 25,415 individuals from UK Biobank. The integrity of cerebellar white matter microstructure was measured as fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD). Identification of independent genomic loci, functional annotation, and tissue and cell-type analysis were conducted with FUMA. The linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) was used to calculate genetic correlations between cerebellar white matter microstructure and regional brain volumes and brain-related traits. Furthermore, the conditional/conjunctional false discovery rate (condFDR/conjFDR) framework was employed to identify the shared genetic basis between cerebellar white matter microstructure and common brain disorders. RESULTS We identified 11 genetic loci (P < 8.3 × 10-9) and 86 genes associated with cerebellar white matter microstructure. Further functional enrichment analysis implicated the involvement of GABAergic neurons and cholinergic pathways. Significant polygenetic overlap between cerebellar white matter tracts and their anatomically connected or adjacent brain regions was detected. In addition, we report the overall genetic correlation and specific loci shared between cerebellar white matter microstructural integrity and brain-related traits, including movement, cognitive, psychiatric, and cerebrovascular categories. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, this study represents a step forward in understanding the genetics of cerebellar white matter microstructure and its shared genetic etiology with common brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bang-Sheng Wu
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Jun Ge
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Dong Chen
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Tong Xiang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Ru Zhang
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Nan Ou
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yu-Chao Jiang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lan Tan
- Department of Neurology, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China; Fudan ISTBI-ZJNU Algorithm Centre for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China; Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - John Suckling
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Mapping Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Jian-Feng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Jin-Tai Yu
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Ying Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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13
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Investigating brain aging trajectory deviations in different brain regions of individuals with schizophrenia using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging and brain-age prediction: a multicenter study. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:82. [PMID: 36882419 PMCID: PMC9992684 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02379-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many studies on brain-age prediction in patients with schizophrenia have been reported recently, none has predicted brain age based on different neuroimaging modalities and different brain regions in these patients. Here, we constructed brain-age prediction models with multimodal MRI and examined the deviations of aging trajectories in different brain regions of participants with schizophrenia recruited from multiple centers. The data of 230 healthy controls (HCs) were used for model training. Next, we investigated the differences in brain age gaps between participants with schizophrenia and HCs from two independent cohorts. A Gaussian process regression algorithm with fivefold cross-validation was used to train 90, 90, and 48 models for gray matter (GM), functional connectivity (FC), and fractional anisotropy (FA) maps in the training dataset, respectively. The brain age gaps in different brain regions for all participants were calculated, and the differences in brain age gaps between the two groups were examined. Our results showed that most GM regions in participants with schizophrenia in both cohorts exhibited accelerated aging, particularly in the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, and insula. The parts of the white matter tracts, including the cerebrum and cerebellum, indicated deviations in aging trajectories in participants with schizophrenia. However, no accelerated brain aging was noted in the FC maps. The accelerated aging in 22 GM regions and 10 white matter tracts in schizophrenia potentially exacerbates with disease progression. In individuals with schizophrenia, different brain regions demonstrate dynamic deviations of brain aging trajectories. Our findings provided more insights into schizophrenia neuropathology.
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14
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Schmitt JE, DeBevits JJ, Roalf DR, Ruparel K, Gallagher RS, Gur RC, Alexander-Bloch A, Eom TY, Alam S, Steinberg J, Akers W, Khairy K, Crowley TB, Emanuel B, Zakharenko SS, McDonald-McGinn DM, Gur RE. A Comprehensive Analysis of Cerebellar Volumes in the 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:79-90. [PMID: 34848384 PMCID: PMC9162086 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The presence of a 22q11.2 microdeletion (22q11.2 deletion syndrome [22q11DS]) ranks among the greatest known genetic risk factors for the development of psychotic disorders. There is emerging evidence that the cerebellum is important in the pathophysiology of psychosis. However, there is currently limited information on cerebellar neuroanatomy in 22q11DS specifically. METHODS High-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging was acquired in 79 individuals with 22q11DS and 70 typically developing control subjects (N = 149). Lobar and lobule-level cerebellar volumes were estimated using validated automated segmentation algorithms, and subsequently group differences were compared. Hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and graph theoretical models were used to explore intercerebellar relationships. Cerebrocerebellar structural connectivity with cortical thickness was examined via linear regression models. RESULTS Individuals with 22q11DS had, on average, 17.3% smaller total cerebellar volumes relative to typically developing subjects (p < .0001). The lobules of the superior posterior cerebellum (e.g., VII and VIII) were particularly affected in 22q11DS. However, all cerebellar lobules were significantly smaller, even after adjusting for total brain volumes (all cerebellar lobules p < .0002). The superior posterior lobule was disproportionately associated with cortical thickness in the frontal lobes and cingulate cortex, brain regions known be affected in 22q11DS. Exploratory analyses suggested that the superior posterior lobule, particularly Crus I, may be associated with psychotic symptoms in 22q11DS. CONCLUSIONS The cerebellum is a critical but understudied component of the 22q11DS neuroendophenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Eric Schmitt
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - John J DeBevits
- Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David R Roalf
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kosha Ruparel
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - R Sean Gallagher
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ruben C Gur
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Tae-Yeon Eom
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Shahinur Alam
- Center for Bioimage Informatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Jeffrey Steinberg
- Center for Bioimage Informatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Walter Akers
- Center for Bioimage Informatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Khaled Khairy
- Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - T Blaine Crowley
- Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Beverly Emanuel
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Stanislav S Zakharenko
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Donna M McDonald-McGinn
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Human Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Raquel E Gur
- Brain Behavior Laboratory, Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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15
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Abram SV, Hua JPY, Ford JM. Consider the pons: bridging the gap on sensory prediction abnormalities in schizophrenia. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:798-808. [PMID: 36123224 PMCID: PMC9588719 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
A shared mechanism across species heralds the arrival of self-generated sensations, helping the brain to anticipate, and therefore distinguish, self-generated from externally generated sensations. In mammals, this sensory prediction mechanism is supported by communication within a cortico-ponto-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical loop. Schizophrenia is associated with impaired sensory prediction as well as abnormal structural and functional connections between nodes in this circuit. Despite the pons' principal role in relaying and processing sensory information passed from the cortex to cerebellum, few studies have examined pons connectivity in schizophrenia. Here, we first briefly describe how the pons contributes to sensory prediction. We then summarize schizophrenia-related abnormalities in the cortico-ponto-cerebellar-thalamo-cortical loop, emphasizing the dearth of research on the pons relative to thalamic and cerebellar connections. We conclude with recommendations for advancing our understanding of how the pons relates to sensory prediction failures in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha V Abram
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jessica P Y Hua
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Centers, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Judith M Ford
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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16
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A diffusion MRI study of brain white matter microstructure in adolescents and adults with a Fontan circulation: Investigating associations with resting and peak exercise oxygen saturations and cognition. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103151. [PMID: 35994923 PMCID: PMC9402393 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adolescents and adults with a Fontan circulation are at risk of cognitive dysfunction; Attention and processing speed are notable areas of concern. Underlying mechanisms and brain alterations associated with worse long-term cognitive outcomes are not well determined. This study investigated brain white matter microstructure in adolescents and adults with a Fontan circulation and associations with resting and peak exercise oxygen saturations (SaO2), predicted maximal oxygen uptake during exercise (% pred VO2), and attention and processing speed. METHODS Ninety-two participants with a Fontan circulation (aged 13-49 years, ≥5 years post-Fontan completion) had diffusion MRI. Averaged tract-wise diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics were generated for 34 white matter tracts of interest. Resting and peak exercise SaO2 and % pred VO2 were measured during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET; N = 81). Attention and processing speed were assessed using Cogstate (N = 67 and 70, respectively). Linear regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and intracranial volume were performed to investigate associations between i) tract-specific DTI metrics and CPET variables, and ii) tract-specific DTI metrics and attention and processing speed z-scores. RESULTS Forty-nine participants were male (53%), mean age was 23.1 years (standard deviation (SD) = 7.8 years). Mean resting and peak exercise SaO2 were 93.1% (SD = 3.6) and 90.1% (SD = 4.7), respectively. Mean attention and processing speed z-scores were -0.63 (SD = 1.07) and -0.72 (SD = 1.44), respectively. Resting SaO2 were positively associated with mean fractional anisotropy (FA) of the left corticospinal tract (CST) and right superior longitudinal fasciculus I (SLF-I) and negatively associated with mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) of the right SLF-I (p ≤ 0.01). Peak exercise SaO2 were positively associated with mean FA of the left CST and were negatively associated with mean RD of the left CST, MD of the left frontopontine tract, MD, RD and axial diffusivity (AD) of the right SLF-I, RD of the left SLF-II, MD, RD and AD of the right SLF-II, and MD and RD of the right SLF-III (p ≤ 0.01). Percent predicted VO2 was positively associated with FA of the left uncinate fasciculus (p < 0.01). Negative associations were identified between mean FA of the right arcuate fasciculus, right SLF-II and right SLF-III and processing speed (p ≤ 0.01). No significant associations were identified between DTI-based metrics and attention. CONCLUSION Chronic hypoxemia may have long-term detrimental impact on white matter microstructure in people living with a Fontan circulation. Paradoxical associations between processing speed and tract-specific DTI metrics could be suggestive of compensatory white matter remodeling. Longitudinal investigations focused on the mechanisms and trajectory of altered white matter microstructure and associated cognitive dysfunction in people with a Fontan circulation are required to better understand causal associations.
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17
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A Novel Bayesian Linear Regression Model for the Analysis of Neuroimaging Data. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12052571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a novel Machine Learning Model based on Bayesian Linear Regression intended to deal with the low sample-to-variable ratio typically found in neuroimaging studies and focusing on mental disorders. The proposed model combines feature selection capabilities with a formulation in the dual space which, in turn, enables efficient work with neuroimaging data. Thus, we have tested the proposed algorithm with real MRI data from an animal model of schizophrenia. The results show that our proposal efficiently predicts the diagnosis and, at the same time, detects regions which clearly match brain areas well-known to be related to schizophrenia.
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18
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Chang X, Jia X, Wang Y, Dong D. Alterations of cerebellar white matter integrity and associations with cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:993866. [PMID: 36226106 PMCID: PMC9549145 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.993866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
"Cognitive dysmetria" theory of schizophrenia (SZ) has highlighted that the cerebellum plays a critical role in understanding the pathogenesis and cognitive impairment in SZ. Despite some studies have reported the structural disruption of the cerebellum in SZ using whole brain approach, specific focus on the voxel-wise changes of cerebellar WM microstructure and its associations with cognition impairments in SZ were less investigated. To further explore the voxel-wise structural disruption of the cerebellum in SZ, the present study comprehensively examined volume and diffusion features of cerebellar white matter in SZ at the voxel level (42 SZ vs. 52 controls) and correlated the observed alterations with the cognitive impairments measured by MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. Combing voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) methods, we found, compared to healthy controls (HCs), SZ patients did not show significant alteration in voxel-level cerebellar white matter (WM) volume and tract-wise and skeletonized DTI features. In voxel-wise DTI features of cerebellar peduncles, compared to HCs, SZ patients showed decreased fractional anisotropy and increased radial diffusivity mainly located in left middle cerebellar peduncles (MCP) and inferior cerebellar peduncles (ICP). Interestingly, these alterations were correlated with overall composite and different cognitive domain (including processing speed, working memory, and attention vigilance) in HCs but not in SZ patients. The present findings suggested that the voxel-wise WM integrity analysis might be a more sensitive way to investigate the cerebellar structural abnormalities in SZ patients. Correlation results suggested that inferior and MCP may be a crucial neurobiological substrate of cognition impairments in SZ, thus adding the evidence for taking the cerebellum as a novel therapeutic target for cognitive impairments in SZ patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuebin Chang
- Department of Information Sciences, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoyan Jia
- The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering, Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yulin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, China
| | - Debo Dong
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University (SWU), Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.,Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University (SWU), Chongqing, China.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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19
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Thalamic connectivity system across psychiatric disorders: Current status and clinical implications. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 2:332-340. [PMID: 36324665 PMCID: PMC9616255 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The thalamic connectivity system, with the thalamus as the central node, enables transmission of the brain’s neural computations via extensive connections to cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Emerging reports suggest deficits in this system across multiple psychiatric disorders, making it a unique network of high translational and transdiagnostic utility in mapping neural alterations that potentially contribute to symptoms and disturbances in psychiatric patients. However, despite considerable research effort, it is still debated how this system contributes to psychiatric disorders. This review characterizes current knowledge regarding thalamic connectivity system deficits in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder, across multiple levels of the system. We identify the presence of common and distinct patterns of deficits in the thalamic connectivity system in major psychiatric disorders and assess their nature and characteristics. Specifically, this review assembles evidence for the hypotheses of 1) thalamic microstructure, particularly in the mediodorsal nucleus, as a state marker of psychosis; 2) thalamo-prefrontal connectivity as a trait marker of psychosis; and 3) thalamo-somatosensory/parietal connectivity as a possible marker of general psychiatric illness. Furthermore, possible mechanisms contributing to thalamocortical dysconnectivity are explored. We discuss current views on the contributions of cerebellar-thalamic connectivity to the thalamic connectivity system and propose future studies to examine its effects at multiple levels, from the molecular (e.g., glutamatergic) to the behavioral (e.g., cognition), to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the disturbances observed in psychiatric disorders.
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