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Sartorius AM, Rokicki J, Birkeland S, Bettella F, Barth C, de Lange AMG, Haram M, Shadrin A, Winterton A, Steen NE, Schwarz E, Stein DJ, Andreassen OA, van der Meer D, Westlye LT, Theofanopoulou C, Quintana DS. An evolutionary timeline of the oxytocin signaling pathway. Commun Biol 2024; 7:471. [PMID: 38632466 PMCID: PMC11024182 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06094-9] [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] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide associated with both psychological and somatic processes like parturition and social bonding. Although oxytocin homologs have been identified in many species, the evolutionary timeline of the entire oxytocin signaling gene pathway has yet to be described. Using protein sequence similarity searches, microsynteny, and phylostratigraphy, we assigned the genes supporting the oxytocin pathway to different phylostrata based on when we found they likely arose in evolution. We show that the majority (64%) of genes in the pathway are 'modern'. Most of the modern genes evolved around the emergence of vertebrates or jawed vertebrates (540 - 530 million years ago, 'mya'), including OXTR, OXT and CD38. Of those, 45% were under positive selection at some point during vertebrate evolution. We also found that 18% of the genes in the oxytocin pathway are 'ancient', meaning their emergence dates back to cellular organisms and opisthokonta (3500-1100 mya). The remaining genes (18%) that evolved after ancient and before modern genes were classified as 'medium-aged'. Functional analyses revealed that, in humans, medium-aged oxytocin pathway genes are highly expressed in contractile organs, while modern genes in the oxytocin pathway are primarily expressed in the brain and muscle tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina M Sartorius
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri Birkeland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesco Bettella
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marit Haram
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alexey Shadrin
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adriano Winterton
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nils Eiel Steen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Hector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dan J Stein
- SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Daniel S Quintana
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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2
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Wagstyl K, Adler S, Seidlitz J, Vandekar S, Mallard TT, Dear R, DeCasien AR, Satterthwaite TD, Liu S, Vértes PE, Shinohara RT, Alexander-Bloch A, Geschwind DH, Raznahan A. Transcriptional cartography integrates multiscale biology of the human cortex. eLife 2024; 12:RP86933. [PMID: 38324465 PMCID: PMC10945526 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86933] [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: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex underlies many of our unique strengths and vulnerabilities, but efforts to understand human cortical organization are challenged by reliance on incompatible measurement methods at different spatial scales. Macroscale features such as cortical folding and functional activation are accessed through spatially dense neuroimaging maps, whereas microscale cellular and molecular features are typically measured with sparse postmortem sampling. Here, we integrate these distinct windows on brain organization by building upon existing postmortem data to impute, validate, and analyze a library of spatially dense neuroimaging-like maps of human cortical gene expression. These maps allow spatially unbiased discovery of cortical zones with extreme transcriptional profiles or unusually rapid transcriptional change which index distinct microstructure and predict neuroimaging measures of cortical folding and functional activation. Modules of spatially coexpressed genes define a family of canonical expression maps that integrate diverse spatial scales and temporal epochs of human brain organization - ranging from protein-protein interactions to large-scale systems for cognitive processing. These module maps also parse neuropsychiatric risk genes into subsets which tag distinct cyto-laminar features and differentially predict the location of altered cortical anatomy and gene expression in patients. Taken together, the methods, resources, and findings described here advance our understanding of human cortical organization and offer flexible bridges to connect scientific fields operating at different spatial scales of human brain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Wagstyl
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sophie Adler
- UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child HealthHolbornUnited Kingdom
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, The Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Simon Vandekar
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleUnited States
| | - Travis T Mallard
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Richard Dear
- Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Alex R DeCasien
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Theodore D Satterthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center, University of Pennsylvania School of MedicinePhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Petra E Vértes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Russell T Shinohara
- Penn Statistics in Imaging and Visualization Center, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, The Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology and Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
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3
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Bravi B, Melloni EMT, Paolini M, Palladini M, Calesella F, Servidio L, Agnoletto E, Poletti S, Lorenzi C, Colombo C, Benedetti F. Choroid plexus volume is increased in mood disorders and associates with circulating inflammatory cytokines. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 116:52-61. [PMID: 38030049 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Depressed patients exhibit altered levels of immune-inflammatory markers both in the peripheral blood and in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and inflammatory processes have been widely implicated in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. The Choroid Plexus (ChP), located at the base of each of the four brain ventricles, regulates the exchange of substances between the blood and CSF and several evidence supported a key role for ChP as a neuro-immunological interface between the brain and circulating immune cells. Given the role of ChP as a regulatory gate between periphery, CSF spaces and the brain, we compared ChP volumes in patients with bipolar disorder (BP) or major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls, exploring their association with history of illness and levels of circulating cytokines. Plasma levels of inflammatory markers and MRI scans were acquired for 73 MDD, 79 BD and 72 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Patients with either BD or MDD had higher ChP volumes than HC. With increasing age, the bilateral ChP volume was larger in patients, an effect driven by the duration of illness; while only minor effects were observed in HC. Right ChP volumes were proportional to higher levels of circulating cytokines in the clinical groups, including IFN-γ, IL-13 and IL-17. Specific effects in the two diagnostic groups were observed when considering the left ChP, with positive association with IL-1ra, IL-13, IL-17, and CCL3 in BD, and negative associations with IL-2, IL-4, IL-1ra, and IFN-γ in MDD. These results suggest that ChP could represent a reliable and easy-to-assess biomarker to evaluate the brain effects of inflammatory status in mood disorders, contributing to personalized diagnosis and tailored treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Bravi
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
| | - Elisa Maria Teresa Melloni
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Paolini
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Molecular Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Palladini
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Calesella
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; PhD Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Servidio
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Agnoletto
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Poletti
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Lorenzi
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombo
- University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Mood Disorders Unit, IRCCS Scientific Institute Ospedale San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedetti
- Psychiatry & Clinical Psychobiology, Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS Scientific Institute San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy; University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
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Chen YC, Tiego J, Segal A, Chopra S, Holmes A, Suo C, Pang JC, Fornito A, Aquino KM. A multiscale characterization of cortical shape asymmetries in early psychosis. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae015. [PMID: 38347944 PMCID: PMC10859637 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychosis has often been linked to abnormal cortical asymmetry, but prior results have been inconsistent. Here, we applied a novel spectral shape analysis to characterize cortical shape asymmetries in patients with early psychosis across different spatial scales. We used the Human Connectome Project for Early Psychosis dataset (aged 16-35), comprising 56 healthy controls (37 males, 19 females) and 112 patients with early psychosis (68 males, 44 females). We quantified shape variations of each hemisphere over different spatial frequencies and applied a general linear model to compare differences between healthy controls and patients with early psychosis. We further used canonical correlation analysis to examine associations between shape asymmetries and clinical symptoms. Cortical shape asymmetries, spanning wavelengths from about 22 to 75 mm, were significantly different between healthy controls and patients with early psychosis (Cohen's d = 0.28-0.51), with patients showing greater asymmetry in cortical shape than controls. A single canonical mode linked the asymmetry measures to symptoms (canonical correlation analysis r = 0.45), such that higher cortical asymmetry was correlated with more severe excitement symptoms and less severe emotional distress. Significant group differences in the asymmetries of traditional morphological measures of cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification, at either global or regional levels, were not identified. Cortical shape asymmetries are more sensitive than other morphological asymmetries in capturing abnormalities in patients with early psychosis. These abnormalities are expressed at coarse spatial scales and are correlated with specific symptom domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Chen
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Data Futures Institute, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Brain Dynamic Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney 2145, Australia
| | - Jeggan Tiego
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Ashlea Segal
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Sidhant Chopra
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Alexander Holmes
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Chao Suo
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- BrainPark, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - James C Pang
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Alex Fornito
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Kevin M Aquino
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, University of Sydney, Sydney 2050, Australia
- BrainKey Inc, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
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5
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Pfeifer LS, Schmitz J, Schwalvenberg M, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. A deep phenotyping approach to assess the association of handedness, early life factors and mental health. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15348. [PMID: 37714904 PMCID: PMC10504248 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42563-7] [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: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of handedness and other form of functional asymmetries is not yet understood in its critical determinants. Early life factors (e.g., birth weight, birth order) have been discussed to contribute to individual manifestations of functional asymmetries. However, large-scale data such as the UK Biobank suggest that the variance in handedness that is explained by early life factors is minimal. Additionally, atypical handedness has been linked to clinical outcomes such as neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Against the background of this triad, the current study investigated associations between different forms of functional asymmetries and (a) early life factors as well as (b) clinical outcomes. Functional asymmetries were determined by means of a deep phenotyping approach which notably extends previous work. In our final sample of N = 598 healthy participants, the different variables were tested for associations by means of linear regression models and group comparisons (i.e., ANOVAs and Chi-squared tests). Confirming previous findings from larger cohorts with shallow phenotyping, we found that birth factors do not explain a substantial amount of variance in functional asymmetries. Likewise, functional asymmetries did not seem to have comprehensive predictive power concerning clinical outcomes in our healthy participants. Future studies may further investigate postulated relations in healthy and clinical samples while acknowledging deep phenotyping of laterality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Sophie Pfeifer
- Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Judith Schmitz
- Biological Personality Psychology, Georg-August-University Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maike Schwalvenberg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Le H, Dimitrakopoulou K, Patel H, Curtis C, Cordero-Grande L, Edwards AD, Hajnal J, Tournier JD, Deprez M, Cullen H. Effect of schizophrenia common variants on infant brain volumes: cross-sectional study in 207 term neonates in developing Human Connectome Project. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:121. [PMID: 37037832 PMCID: PMC10085987 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02413-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing lines of evidence suggest deviations from the normal early developmental trajectory could give rise to the onset of schizophrenia during adolescence and young adulthood, but few studies have investigated brain imaging changes associated with schizophrenia common variants in neonates. This study compared the brain volumes of both grey and white matter regions with schizophrenia polygenic risk scores (PRS) for 207 healthy term-born infants of European ancestry. Linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between PRS and brain volumes, with gestational age at birth, postmenstrual age at scan, ancestral principal components, sex and intracranial volumes as covariates. The schizophrenia PRS were negatively associated with the grey (β = -0.08, p = 4.2 × 10-3) and white (β = -0.13, p = 9.4 × 10-3) matter superior temporal gyrus volumes, white frontal lobe volume (β = -0.09, p = 1.5 × 10-3) and the total white matter volume (β = -0.062, p = 1.66 × 10-2). This result also remained robust when incorporating individuals of Asian ancestry. Explorative functional analysis of the schizophrenia risk variants associated with the right frontal lobe white matter volume found enrichment in neurodevelopmental pathways. This preliminary result suggests possible involvement of schizophrenia risk genes in early brain growth, and potential early life structural alterations long before the average age of onset of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Le
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Konstantina Dimitrakopoulou
- Translational Bioinformatics Platform, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK
| | - Hamel Patel
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Charles Curtis
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucilio Cordero-Grande
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
- Biomedical Image Technologies, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid & CIBER-BBN, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - A David Edwards
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Joseph Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Jacques-Donald Tournier
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Deprez
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Harriet Cullen
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Perinatal Imaging and Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, London, UK
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Chen X, Luo D, Zheng Q, Peng Y, Han Y, Luo Q, Zhu Q, Luo T, Li Y. Enlarged choroid plexus related to cortical atrophy in multiple sclerosis. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:2916-2926. [PMID: 36547675 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-022-09277-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the correlation between choroid plexus volume and whole brain morphology in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). METHODS Fifty-one patients with MS, 42 patients with NMOSD, and 56 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. The morphological changes in choroid plexus and whole brain tissue were compared between three groups and the correlations between choroid plexus volume and brain atrophy were further investigated. The longitudinal alterations of brain morphology in 25 MS and 20 NMOSD patients were compared. RESULTS Compared to the HC group, the choroid plexus volumes were increased in the MS group (p < 0.001) but not in the NMOSD group (p > 0.05). Compared to the HC group, the MS group showed reduced cortex thickness, deep gray matter volume, and increased ventricle system volume, and the NMOSD group showed increased third ventricle volume (all p < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected). In the MS group, there were widespread correlations between enlarged choroid plexus volume and reduced cerebral cortex thickness (p < 0.05, r = -0.292~-0.538, false discovery rate corrected). The interval time was not significantly different between the MS (median: 1.37 years) and NMOSD group (median: 1.25 years) (p > 0.05). In MS, compared with the baseline, the right hippocampus and nucleus accumbens volumes were decreased in long follow-up, and bilateral lateral ventricle volumes were increased both in short and long follow-up (all p < 0.05, false discovery rate corrected). CONCLUSIONS The enlarged choroid plexus related to reduced cortical thickness and progressive local brain atrophy are shown in MS patients, but not obvious in NMOSD patients. KEY POINTS • MS and NMOSD have different altered patterns in choroid plexus volume and brain atrophy. • The enlarged choroid plexus related to brain atrophy is shown in MS patients, but not obvious in NMOSD patients. • Progressive local brain atrophy is shown in MS patients, but not obvious in NMOSD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoya Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qiao Zheng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yuling Peng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yongliang Han
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qi Luo
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qiyuan Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Tianyou Luo
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Yongmei Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Youyi Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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Gao D, Liu X, Cao Y, Yi Z, Gao X, Li Y, Cao C, Geng Z, Zhou L. Normal reference values for magnetic resonance imaging measurements of the fetal internal jugular veins in middle and late pregnancy. Pediatr Radiol 2023; 53:920-928. [PMID: 36976339 PMCID: PMC10156768 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-023-05594-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At present, there is a lack of normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometric reference values for fetal internal jugular veins during middle and late pregnancy. OBJECTIVE We used MRI to assess the morphology and cross-sectional area of the internal jugular veins of fetuses during middle and late pregnancy and to explore the clinical value of these parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MRI images of 126 fetuses in middle and late pregnancy were retrospectively analysed to determine the optimal sequence for imaging the internal jugular veins. Morphological observation of the fetal internal jugular veins in each gestational week was carried out, lumen cross-sectional area was measured and the relationship between these data and gestational age was analysed. RESULTS The balanced steady-state free precession sequence was superior to other MRI sequences used for fetal imaging. The cross section of fetal internal jugular veins was predominantly circular in both the middle and late stages of pregnancy, however the prevalence of an oval cross section was significantly higher in the late gestational age group. The cross-sectional area of the lumen of the fetal internal jugular veins increased with increasing gestational age. Fetal jugular vein asymmetry was common, with the right jugular vein being dominant in the high gestational age group. CONCLUSION We provide normal reference values for fetal internal jugular veins measured by MRI. These values may form the basis for clinical assessment of abnormal dilation or stenosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duo Gao
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Yimin Cao
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Zexi Yi
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Xiaobin Gao
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Cuili Cao
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 361 Zhongshan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Zuojun Geng
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China
| | - Lixia Zhou
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, 215 Heping Western Road, Shijiazhuang, 050000, China.
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9
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Changes in and asymmetry of the proteome in the human fetal frontal lobe during early development. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1031. [PMID: 36175510 PMCID: PMC9522861 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherent hemispheric asymmetry is important for cognition, language and other functions. Describing normal brain and asymmetry development during early development will improve our understanding of how different hemispheres prioritize specific functions, which is currently unknown. Here, we analysed developmental changes in and asymmetry of the proteome in the bilateral frontal lobes of three foetal specimens in the late first trimester of pregnancy. We found that during this period, the difference in expression between gestational weeks (GWs) increased, and the difference in asymmetric expression decreased. Changes in the patterns of protein expression differed in the bilateral frontal lobes. Our results show that brain asymmetry can be observed in early development. These findings can guide researchers in further investigations of the mechanisms of brain asymmetry. We propose that both sides of the brain should be analysed separately in future multiomics and human brain mapping studies. Proteomic analysis of human early fetal brain tissue is undertaken to investigate bilateral developmental changes of protein expression and left-right asymmetries of protein expression.
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10
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Light-induced asymmetries in embryonic retinal gene expression are mediated by the vascular system and extracellular matrix. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12086. [PMID: 35840576 PMCID: PMC9287303 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14963-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Left–right asymmetries in the nervous system (lateralisation) influence a broad range of behaviours, from social responses to navigation and language. The role and pathways of endogenous and environmental mechanisms in the ontogeny of lateralisation remains to be established. The domestic chick is a model of both endogenous and experience-induced lateralisation driven by light exposure. Following the endogenous rightward rotation of the embryo, the asymmetrical position in the egg results in a greater exposure of the right eye to environmental light. To identify the genetic pathways activated by asymmetric light stimulation, and their time course, we exposed embryos to different light regimes: darkness, 6 h of light and 24 h of light. We used RNA-seq to compare gene expression in the right and left retinas and telencephalon. We detected differential gene expression in right vs left retina after 6 h of light exposure. This difference was absent in the darkness condition and had already disappeared by 24 h of light exposure, suggesting that light-induced activation is a self-terminating phenomenon. This transient effect of light exposure was associated with a downregulation of the sensitive-period mediator gene DIO2 (iodothyronine deiodinase 2) in the right retina. No differences between genes expressed in the right vs. left telencephalon were detected. Gene networks associated with lateralisation were connected to vascularisation, cell motility, and the extracellular matrix. Interestingly, we know that the extracellular matrix—including the differentially expressed PDGFRB gene—is involved in morphogenesis, sensitive periods, and in the endogenous chiral mechanism of primary cilia, that drives lateralisation. Our data show a similarity between endogenous and experience-driven lateralisation, identifying functional gene networks that affect lateralisation in a specific time window.
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11
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Takasawa E, Abe M, Chikuda H, Hanakawa T. A computational model based on corticospinal functional MRI revealed asymmetrically organized motor corticospinal networks in humans. Commun Biol 2022; 5:664. [PMID: 35790815 PMCID: PMC9256686 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03615-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution of the direct, monosynaptic connection from the primary motor cortex to the spinal cord parallels acquisition of hand dexterity and lateralization of hand preference. In non-human mammals, the indirect, multi-synaptic connections between the bilateral primary motor cortices and the spinal cord also participates in controlling dexterous hand movement. However, it remains unknown how the direct and indirect corticospinal pathways work in concert to control unilateral hand movement with lateralized preference in humans. Here we demonstrated the asymmetric functional organization of the two corticospinal networks, by combining network modelling and simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques of the brain and the spinal cord. Moreover, we also found that the degree of the involvement of the two corticospinal networks paralleled lateralization of hand preference. The present results pointed to the functionally lateralized motor nervous system that underlies the behavioral asymmetry of handedness in humans. MRI and network modelling reveal correlation between the degree of involvement of the two corticospinal networks and the lateralization of handedness in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Takasawa
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Mitsunari Abe
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Chikuda
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Takashi Hanakawa
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan. .,Department of Integrated Neuroanatomy & Neuroimaging, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
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12
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Abstract
Brain asymmetry is a hallmark of the human brain. Recent studies report a certain degree of abnormal asymmetry of brain lateralization between left and right brain hemispheres can be associated with many neuropsychiatric conditions. In this regard, some questions need answers. First, the accelerated brain asymmetry is programmed during the pre-natal period that can be called “accelerated brain decline clock”. Second, can we find the right biomarkers to predict these changes? Moreover, can we establish the dynamics of these changes in order to identify the right time window for proper interventions that can reverse or limit the neurological decline? To find answers to these questions, we performed a systematic online search for the last 10 years in databases using keywords. Conclusion: we need to establish the right in vitro model that meets human conditions as much as possible. New biomarkers are necessary to establish the “good” or the “bad” borders of brain asymmetry at the epigenetic and functional level as early as possible.
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13
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Chen YC, Arnatkevičiūtė A, McTavish E, Pang JC, Chopra S, Suo C, Fornito A, Aquino KM. The individuality of shape asymmetries of the human cerebral cortex. eLife 2022; 11:75056. [PMID: 36197720 PMCID: PMC9668337 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Asymmetries of the cerebral cortex are found across diverse phyla and are particularly pronounced in humans, with important implications for brain function and disease. However, many prior studies have confounded asymmetries due to size with those due to shape. Here, we introduce a novel approach to characterize asymmetries of the whole cortical shape, independent of size, across different spatial frequencies using magnetic resonance imaging data in three independent datasets. We find that cortical shape asymmetry is highly individualized and robust, akin to a cortical fingerprint, and identifies individuals more accurately than size-based descriptors, such as cortical thickness and surface area, or measures of inter-regional functional coupling of brain activity. Individual identifiability is optimal at coarse spatial scales (~37 mm wavelength), and shape asymmetries show scale-specific associations with sex and cognition, but not handedness. While unihemispheric cortical shape shows significant heritability at coarse scales (~65 mm wavelength), shape asymmetries are determined primarily by subject-specific environmental effects. Thus, coarse-scale shape asymmetries are highly personalized, sexually dimorphic, linked to individual differences in cognition, and are primarily driven by stochastic environmental influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chi Chen
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Data Futures Institute, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Aurina Arnatkevičiūtė
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Eugene McTavish
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic UniversityFitzroyAustralia
| | - James C Pang
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Sidhant Chopra
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Department of Psychology, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
| | - Chao Suo
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,BrainPark, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Alex Fornito
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Kevin M Aquino
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia,School of Physics, University of SydneySydneyAustralia,Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, University of SydneySydneyAustralia,BrainKey IncSan FranciscoUnited States
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14
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Sha Z, Schijven D, Francks C. Patterns of brain asymmetry associated with polygenic risks for autism and schizophrenia implicate language and executive functions but not brain masculinization. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7652-7660. [PMID: 34211121 PMCID: PMC8872997 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01204-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia have been conceived as partly opposing disorders in terms of systemizing vs. empathizing cognitive styles, with resemblances to male vs. female average sex differences. Left-right asymmetry of the brain is an important aspect of its organization that shows average differences between the sexes and can be altered in both ASD and schizophrenia. Here we mapped multivariate associations of polygenic risk scores for ASD and schizophrenia with asymmetries of regional cerebral cortical surface area, thickness, and subcortical volume measures in 32,256 participants from the UK Biobank. Polygenic risks for the two disorders were positively correlated (r = 0.08, p = 7.13 × 10-50) and both were higher in females compared to males, consistent with biased participation against higher-risk males. Each polygenic risk score was associated with multivariate brain asymmetry after adjusting for sex, ASD r = 0.03, p = 2.17 × 10-9, and schizophrenia r = 0.04, p = 2.61 × 10-11, but the multivariate patterns were mostly distinct for the two polygenic risks and neither resembled average sex differences. Annotation based on meta-analyzed functional imaging data showed that both polygenic risks were associated with asymmetries of regions important for language and executive functions, consistent with behavioral associations that arose in phenome-wide association analysis. Overall, the results indicate that distinct patterns of subtly altered brain asymmetry may be functionally relevant manifestations of polygenic risks for ASD and schizophrenia, but do not support brain masculinization or feminization in their etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Sha
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dick Schijven
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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15
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Handedness and its genetic influences are associated with structural asymmetries of the cerebral cortex in 31,864 individuals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2113095118. [PMID: 34785596 PMCID: PMC8617418 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113095118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Left-handedness occurs in roughly 10% of people, but whether it involves altered brain anatomy has remained unclear. We measured left to right asymmetry of the cerebral cortex in 28,802 right-handers and 3,062 left-handers. There were small average differences between the two handedness groups in brain regions important for hand control, language, vision, and working memory. Genetic influences on handedness were associated with some of these brain asymmetries, especially of language-related regions. This suggests links between handedness and language during human development and evolution. One implicated gene is NME7, which also affects placement of the visceral organs (heart, liver, etc.) on the left to right body axis—a possible connection between brain and body asymmetries in embryonic development. Roughly 10% of the human population is left-handed, and this rate is increased in some brain-related disorders. The neuroanatomical correlates of hand preference have remained equivocal. We resampled structural brain image data from 28,802 right-handers and 3,062 left-handers (UK Biobank population dataset) to a symmetrical surface template, and mapped asymmetries for each of 8,681 vertices across the cerebral cortex in each individual. Left-handers compared to right-handers showed average differences of surface area asymmetry within the fusiform cortex, the anterior insula, the anterior middle cingulate cortex, and the precentral cortex. Meta-analyzed functional imaging data implicated these regions in executive functions and language. Polygenic disposition to left-handedness was associated with two of these regional asymmetries, and 18 loci previously linked with left-handedness by genome-wide screening showed associations with one or more of these asymmetries. Implicated genes included six encoding microtubule-related proteins: TUBB, TUBA1B, TUBB3, TUBB4A, MAP2, and NME7—mutations in the latter can cause left to right reversal of the visceral organs. There were also two cortical regions where average thickness asymmetry was altered in left-handedness: on the postcentral gyrus and the inferior occipital cortex, functionally annotated with hand sensorimotor and visual roles. These cortical thickness asymmetries were not heritable. Heritable surface area asymmetries of language-related regions may link the etiologies of hand preference and language, whereas nonheritable asymmetries of sensorimotor cortex may manifest as consequences of hand preference.
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16
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Abstract
Asymmetries in the functional and structural organization of the nervous system are widespread in the animal kingdom and especially characterize the human brain. Although there is little doubt that asymmetries arise through genetic and nongenetic factors, an overarching model to explain the development of functional lateralization patterns is still lacking. Current genetic psychology collects data on genes relevant to brain lateralizations, while animal research provides information on the cellular mechanisms mediating the effects of not only genetic but also environmental factors. This review combines data from human and animal research (especially on birds) and outlines a multi-level model for asymmetry formation. The relative impact of genetic and nongenetic factors varies between different developmental phases and neuronal structures. The basic lateralized organization of a brain is already established through genetically controlled embryonic events. During ongoing development, hemispheric specialization increases for specific functions and subsystems interact to shape the final functional organization of a brain. In particular, these developmental steps are influenced by environmental experiences, which regulate the fine-tuning of neural networks via processes that are referred to as ontogenetic plasticity. The plastic potential of the nervous system could be decisive for the evolutionary success of lateralized brains.
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17
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Lubben N, Ensink E, Coetzee GA, Labrie V. The enigma and implications of brain hemispheric asymmetry in neurodegenerative diseases. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab211. [PMID: 34557668 PMCID: PMC8454206 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateralization of the human brain may provide clues into the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Though differing in their presentation and underlying pathologies, neurodegenerative diseases are all devastating and share an intriguing theme of asymmetrical pathology and clinical symptoms. Parkinson’s disease, with its distinctive onset of motor symptoms on one side of the body, stands out in this regard, but a review of the literature reveals asymmetries in several other neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review the lateralization of the structure and function of the healthy human brain and the common genetic and epigenetic patterns contributing to the development of asymmetry in health and disease. We specifically examine the role of asymmetry in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, and interrogate whether these imbalances may reveal meaningful clues about the origins of these diseases. We also propose several hypotheses for how lateralization may contribute to the distinctive and enigmatic features of asymmetry in neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting a role for asymmetry in the choroid plexus, neurochemistry, protein distribution, brain connectivity and the vagus nerve. Finally, we suggest how future studies may reveal novel insights into these diseases through the lens of asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Lubben
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ensink
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerhard A Coetzee
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Viviane Labrie
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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18
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Kong XZ, Postema M, Schijven D, Castillo AC, Pepe A, Crivello F, Joliot M, Mazoyer B, Fisher SE, Francks C. Large-Scale Phenomic and Genomic Analysis of Brain Asymmetrical Skew. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:4151-4168. [PMID: 33836062 PMCID: PMC8328207 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cerebral hemispheres show a left-right asymmetrical torque pattern, which has been claimed to be absent in chimpanzees. The functional significance and developmental mechanisms are unknown. Here, we carried out the largest-ever analysis of global brain shape asymmetry in magnetic resonance imaging data. Three population datasets were used, UK Biobank (N = 39 678), Human Connectome Project (N = 1113), and BIL&GIN (N = 453). At the population level, there was an anterior and dorsal skew of the right hemisphere, relative to the left. Both skews were associated independently with handedness, and various regional gray and white matter metrics oppositely in the two hemispheres, as well as other variables related to cognitive functions, sociodemographic factors, and physical and mental health. The two skews showed single nucleotide polymorphisms-based heritabilities of 4-13%, but also substantial polygenicity in causal mixture model analysis, and no individually significant loci were found in genome-wide association studies for either skew. There was evidence for a significant genetic correlation between horizontal brain skew and autism, which requires future replication. These results provide the first large-scale description of population-average brain skews and their inter-individual variations, their replicable associations with handedness, and insights into biological and other factors which associate with human brain asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Zhen Kong
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310028, China
| | - Merel Postema
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Dick Schijven
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Amaia Carrión Castillo
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
| | - Antonietta Pepe
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR5293, Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux cedex 33076, France
| | - Fabrice Crivello
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR5293, Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux cedex 33076, France
| | - Marc Joliot
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR5293, Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux cedex 33076, France
| | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR5293, Groupe d’Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux cedex 33076, France
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen 6525 XD, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
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19
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Bakalkin G, Kahle A, Sarkisyan D, Watanabe H, Lukoyanov N, Carvalho LS, Galatenko V, Hallberg M, Nosova O. Coordinated expression of the renin-angiotensin genes in the lumbar spinal cord: Lateralization and effects of unilateral brain injury. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:5560-5573. [PMID: 34145943 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In spite of its apparent symmetry, the spinal cord is asymmetric in its reflexes and gene expression patterns including leftward expression bias of the opioid and glutamate genes. To examine whether this is a general phenomenon for neurotransmitter and neurohormonal genes, we here characterized expression and co-expression (transcriptionally coordinated) patterns of genes of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that is involved in neuroprotection and pathological neuroplasticity in the left and right lumbar spinal cord. We also tested whether the RAS expression patterns were affected by unilateral brain injury (UBI) that rewired lumbar spinal neurocircuits. The left and right halves of the lumbar spinal cord were analysed in intact rats, and rats with left- or right-sided unilateral cortical injury, and left- or right-sided sham surgery. The findings were (i) lateralized expression of the RAS genes Ace, Agtr2 and Ren with higher levels on the left side; (ii) the asymmetry in coordination of the RAS gene expression that was stronger on the right side; (iii) the decay in coordination of co-expression of the RAS and neuroplasticity-related genes induced by the right-side but not left-side sham surgery and UBI; and (iv) the UBI-induced shift to negative regulatory interactions between RAS and neuroplasticity-related genes on the contralesional spinal side. Thus, the RAS genes may be a part of lateralized gene co-expression networks and have a role in a side-specific regulation of spinal neurocircuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgy Bakalkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anika Kahle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniil Sarkisyan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hiroyuki Watanabe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nikolay Lukoyanov
- Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina; Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Liliana S Carvalho
- Departamento de Biomedicina, Faculdade de Medicina; Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vladimir Galatenko
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.,Evotec International GmbH, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mathias Hallberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Olga Nosova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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20
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Carmen-Orozco RP, Dávila-Villacorta DG, Delgado-Kamiche AD, Celiz RH, Trompeter G, Sutherland G, Gavídia C, Garcia HH, Gilman RH, Verástegui MR. Changes in inflammatory gene expression in brain tissue adjacent and distant to a viable cyst in a rat model for neurocysticercosis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009295. [PMID: 33905419 PMCID: PMC8104410 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The parasite Taenia solium causes neurocysticercosis (NCC) in humans and is a common cause of adult-onset epilepsy in the developing world. Hippocampal atrophy, which occurs far from the cyst, is an emerging new complication of NCC. Evaluation of molecular pathways in brain regions close to and distant from the cyst could offer insight into this pathology. METHODS Rats were inoculated intracranially with T. solium oncospheres. After 4 months, RNA was extracted from brain tissue samples in rats with NCC and uninfected controls, and cDNA was generated. Expression of 38 genes related to different molecular pathways involved in the inflammatory response and healing was assessed by RT-PCR array. RESULTS Inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1, together with TGF-β and ARG-1, were overexpressed in tissue close to the parasite compared to non-infected tissue. Genes for IL-1A, CSF-1, FN-1, COL-3A1, and MMP-2 were overexpressed in contralateral tissue compared to non-infected tissue. CONCLUSIONS The viable cysticerci in the rat model for NCC is characterized by increased expression of genes associated with a proinflammatory response and fibrosis-related proteins, which may mediate the chronic state of infection. These pathways appear to influence regions far from the cyst, which may explain the emerging association between NCC and hippocampal atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogger P. Carmen-Orozco
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Danitza G. Dávila-Villacorta
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Ana D. Delgado-Kamiche
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Rensson H. Celiz
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Grace Trompeter
- Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Graham Sutherland
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cesar Gavídia
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
| | - Hector H. Garcia
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
- Cysticercosis Unit, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas, Lima, Perú
| | - Robert H. Gilman
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Asociación Benéfica PRISMA, Lima, Perú
| | - Manuela R. Verástegui
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory Research-LID, Faculty of Science and Philosophy, Alberto Cazorla Talleri, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
- * E-mail:
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21
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Abstract
The alignment of visceral and brain asymmetry observed in some vertebrate species raises the question of whether this association also exists in humans. While the visceral and brain systems may have developed asymmetry for different reasons, basic visceral left–right differentiation mechanisms could have been duplicated to establish brain asymmetry. We describe the main phenotypical anomalies and the general mechanism of left–right differentiation of vertebrate visceral and brain laterality. Next, we systematically review the available human studies that explored the prevalence of atypical behavioral and brain asymmetry in visceral situs anomalies, which almost exclusively involved participants with the mirrored visceral organization (situs inversus). The data show no direct link between human visceral and brain functional laterality as most participants with situs inversus show the typical population bias for handedness and brain functional asymmetry, although an increased prevalence of functional crowding may be present. At the same time, several independent studies present evidence for a possible relation between situs inversus and the gross morphological asymmetry of the brain torque with potential differences between subtypes of situs inversus with ciliary and non-ciliary etiologies.
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22
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Roe JM, Vidal-Piñeiro D, Sørensen Ø, Brandmaier AM, Düzel S, Gonzalez HA, Kievit RA, Knights E, Kühn S, Lindenberger U, Mowinckel AM, Nyberg L, Park DC, Pudas S, Rundle MM, Walhovd KB, Fjell AM, Westerhausen R. Asymmetric thinning of the cerebral cortex across the adult lifespan is accelerated in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Commun 2021; 12:721. [PMID: 33526780 PMCID: PMC7851164 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21057-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are associated with progressive brain disorganization. Although structural asymmetry is an organizing feature of the cerebral cortex it is unknown whether continuous age- and AD-related cortical degradation alters cortical asymmetry. Here, in multiple longitudinal adult lifespan cohorts we show that higher-order cortical regions exhibiting pronounced asymmetry at age ~20 also show progressive asymmetry-loss across the adult lifespan. Hence, accelerated thinning of the (previously) thicker homotopic hemisphere is a feature of aging. This organizational principle showed high consistency across cohorts in the Lifebrain consortium, and both the topological patterns and temporal dynamics of asymmetry-loss were markedly similar across replicating samples. Asymmetry-change was further accelerated in AD. Results suggest a system-wide dedifferentiation of the adaptive asymmetric organization of heteromodal cortex in aging and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M. Roe
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Didac Vidal-Piñeiro
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein Sørensen
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andreas M. Brandmaier
- grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Düzel
- grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Rogier A. Kievit
- grid.5335.00000000121885934MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ethan Knights
- grid.5335.00000000121885934MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Simone Kühn
- grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany ,grid.13648.380000 0001 2180 3484Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- grid.419526.d0000 0000 9859 7917Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Athanasia M. Mowinckel
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Nyberg
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging and Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Denise C. Park
- Center for Vital Longevity, University of Texas, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Sara Pudas
- grid.12650.300000 0001 1034 3451Umeå Center for Functional Brain Imaging and Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Kristine B. Walhovd
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ,grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anders M. Fjell
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ,grid.55325.340000 0004 0389 8485Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - René Westerhausen
- grid.5510.10000 0004 1936 8921Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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23
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Kumar S, Voracek M, Singh M. The effects of hand preference and sex on right-left asymmetry in dorsal digit lengths among adults and children. Early Hum Dev 2021; 153:105293. [PMID: 33340946 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Right-hand preference is related to stronger right-directional asymmetry in the length of proximal upper-limb bones, although the relationships of hand preference with directional asymmetry in phalangeal bone lengths are not known. Furthermore, dorsal digit length is an easy-to-measure, faithful proxy of X-rayed phalangeal bone length (which is costly and difficult to measure). AIM To study the effects of hand preference, sex, and age on right-left (R-L) asymmetry in dorsal digit lengths. METHODS We measured all dorsal digit lengths (except the thumb) in comparable numbers of left-handers and right-handers in samples of adults (N = 151, age: M = 22.6 years, SD = 3.3) and children (N = 65, age: M = 5.0 years, SD = 1.0). RESULTS Right-handers and adults had stronger right-directional asymmetry in digit lengths than left-handers and children. A Bayesian analysis yielded an 'extremely strong likelihood' of no sex differences in the R-L asymmetry of dorsal digit lengths 2 and 4. CONCLUSIONS The effects of hand preference, sex, and age on R-L asymmetry appear to be similar for phalangeal bone length and other (proximal) upper-limb bone lengths. Two distinct biologic mechanisms (i.e., a general right-directional asymmetry mechanism and a handedness-related directional asymmetry mechanism) may contribute to observed R-L asymmetry in limbs. Fingertip fat and bone digit length do not seem to contribute to sex differences in the R-L asymmetry (Dr-l) of the widely studied second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Psychology, D.A.V. College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Martin Voracek
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maharaj Singh
- Department of Research and Graduate Studies, School of Dentistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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24
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Guadalupe T, Kong XZ, Akkermans SEA, Fisher SE, Francks C. Relations between hemispheric asymmetries of grey matter and auditory processing of spoken syllables in 281 healthy adults. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:561-572. [PMID: 33502621 PMCID: PMC8844177 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02220-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Most people have a right-ear advantage for the perception of spoken syllables, consistent with left hemisphere dominance for speech processing. However, there is considerable variation, with some people showing left-ear advantage. The extent to which this variation is reflected in brain structure remains unclear. We tested for relations between hemispheric asymmetries of auditory processing and of grey matter in 281 adults, using dichotic listening and voxel-based morphometry. This was the largest study of this issue to date. Per-voxel asymmetry indexes were derived for each participant following registration of brain magnetic resonance images to a template that was symmetrized. The asymmetry index derived from dichotic listening was related to grey matter asymmetry in clusters of voxels corresponding to the amygdala and cerebellum lobule VI. There was also a smaller, non-significant cluster in the posterior superior temporal gyrus, a region of auditory cortex. These findings contribute to the mapping of asymmetrical structure–function links in the human brain and suggest that subcortical structures should be investigated in relation to hemispheric dominance for speech processing, in addition to auditory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulio Guadalupe
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Xiang-Zhen Kong
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Sophie E A Akkermans
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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25
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The genetic architecture of structural left-right asymmetry of the human brain. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:1226-1239. [PMID: 33723403 PMCID: PMC8455338 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01069-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Left-right hemispheric asymmetry is an important aspect of healthy brain organization for many functions including language, and it can be altered in cognitive and psychiatric disorders. No mechanism has yet been identified for establishing the human brain's left-right axis. We performed multivariate genome-wide association scanning of cortical regional surface area and thickness asymmetries, and subcortical volume asymmetries, using data from 32,256 participants from the UK Biobank. There were 21 significant loci associated with different aspects of brain asymmetry, with functional enrichment involving microtubule-related genes and embryonic brain expression. These findings are consistent with a known role of the cytoskeleton in left-right axis determination in other organs of invertebrates and frogs. Genetic variants associated with brain asymmetry overlapped with those associated with autism, educational attainment and schizophrenia. Comparably large datasets will likely be required in future studies, to replicate and further clarify the associations of microtubule-related genes with variation in brain asymmetry, behavioural and psychiatric traits.
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26
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Effects of hand preference on digit lengths and digit ratios among children and adults. Early Hum Dev 2020; 151:105204. [PMID: 33059164 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal sex hormones may not exclusively determine effects of hand preference on digit ratios. Genetic determination is an alternative possibility. AIM To study the likelihood of similar effects of hand preference on digit lengths and digit ratios. METHODS We selected similar numbers of left-handers and right-handers in samples of kindergarten children (N = 101, age range: 3.5-7 years) and adults (N = 189, age range: 17-28 years) and measured digit lengths (excluding the thumb) directly on the palmar hand. RESULTS Compared to right-handers, left-handers had longer digits and lower third-to-fourth (3D:4D) digit ratios among children, whereas an opposite pattern of handedness differences occurred among adults. CONCLUSIONS Effects of hand preference on digit lengths and ratios might be genetically/ontogenetically determined. Also discussed are implications of this set of findings for digit ratio research.
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27
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Messina A, Boiti A, Vallortigara G. Asymmetric distribution of pallial‐expressed genes in zebrafish (
Danio rerio
). Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:362-375. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Messina
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
| | - Alessandra Boiti
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences University of Trento Rovereto Italy
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28
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Miao N, Lai X, Zeng Z, Cai W, Chen W, Sun T. Differential expression of microRNAs in the human fetal left and right cerebral cortex. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:6573-6586. [PMID: 32808117 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05708-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human brain is anatomically and functionally asymmetric. How brain asymmetry is initiated and established during fetal development is poorly understood. Accumulating evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in brain development and function. In this study, we investigate miRNA expression profiles in left and right hemispheres of human fetal brains at 12 weeks post conception (PC), and identify 42 miRNAs showing differential expression between two hemispheres using Affymetrix microarray analyses. Target genes for left- and right-biased miRNAs are largely involved in developmental and functional regulations in the cortex such as axon guidance, GABAergic synapse and dopaminergic synapse pathways. Moreover, we find that predicted targets associated with canonical and non-canonical WNT signaling pathway show variations and differential expression between two hemispheres in response to left- and right-biased miRNAs. Our results highlight a potential role of miRNAs in regulating asymmetric development of human fetal brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Miao
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaodong Lai
- Fuzhou Medical College of Nanchang University, Fuzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhiwei Zeng
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, Fujian, China
| | - Wenjie Cai
- Department of Radiation Oncology, First Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Wanhua Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Hospital of Quanzhou, Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Center for Precision Medicine, School of Medicine and School of Biomedical Sciences, Huaqiao University, 668 Jimei Road, Xiamen, 361021, Fujian, China.
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29
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Li P, Ensink E, Lang S, Marshall L, Schilthuis M, Lamp J, Vega I, Labrie V. Hemispheric asymmetry in the human brain and in Parkinson's disease is linked to divergent epigenetic patterns in neurons. Genome Biol 2020; 21:61. [PMID: 32151270 PMCID: PMC7063821 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-01960-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal processes is a fundamental feature of the human brain and drives symptom lateralization in Parkinson's disease (PD), but its molecular determinants are unknown. Here, we identify divergent epigenetic patterns involved in hemispheric asymmetry by profiling DNA methylation in isolated prefrontal cortex neurons from control and PD brain hemispheres. DNA methylation is fine-mapped at enhancers and promoters, genome-wide, by targeted bisulfite sequencing in two independent sample cohorts. RESULTS We find that neurons of the human prefrontal cortex exhibit hemispheric differences in DNA methylation. Hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal DNA methylation patterns is largely mediated by differential CpH methylation, and chromatin conformation analysis finds that it targets thousands of genes. With aging, there is a loss of hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal epigenomes, such that hemispheres epigenetically converge in late life. In neurons of PD patients, hemispheric asymmetry in DNA methylation is greater than in controls and involves many PD risk genes. Epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic differences between PD hemispheres correspond to the lateralization of PD symptoms, with abnormalities being most prevalent in the hemisphere matched to side of symptom predominance. Hemispheric asymmetry and symptom lateralization in PD is linked to genes affecting neurodevelopment, immune activation, and synaptic transmission. PD patients with a long disease course have greater hemispheric asymmetry in neuronal epigenomes than those with a short disease course. CONCLUSIONS Hemispheric differences in DNA methylation patterns are prevalent in neurons and may affect the progression and symptoms of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Li
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Elizabeth Ensink
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Sean Lang
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Lee Marshall
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Meghan Schilthuis
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Jared Lamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
- Integrated Mass Spectrometry Unit, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Irving Vega
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
- Integrated Mass Spectrometry Unit, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
| | - Viviane Labrie
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA
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30
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Postema MC, Carrion-Castillo A, Fisher SE, Vingerhoets G, Francks C. The genetics of situs inversus without primary ciliary dyskinesia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3677. [PMID: 32111882 PMCID: PMC7048929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60589-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Situs inversus (SI), a left-right mirror reversal of the visceral organs, can occur with recessive Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD). However, most people with SI do not have PCD, and the etiology of their condition remains poorly studied. We sequenced the genomes of 15 people with SI, of which six had PCD, as well as 15 controls. Subjects with non-PCD SI in this sample had an elevated rate of left-handedness (five out of nine), which suggested possible developmental mechanisms linking brain and body laterality. The six SI subjects with PCD all had likely recessive mutations in genes already known to cause PCD. Two non-PCD SI cases also had recessive mutations in known PCD genes, suggesting reduced penetrance for PCD in some SI cases. One non-PCD SI case had recessive mutations in PKD1L1, and another in CFAP52 (also known as WDR16). Both of these genes have previously been linked to SI without PCD. However, five of the nine non-PCD SI cases, including three of the left-handers in this dataset, had no obvious monogenic basis for their condition. Environmental influences, or possible random effects in early development, must be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel C Postema
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Amaia Carrion-Castillo
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Guy Vingerhoets
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Clyde Francks
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. .,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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31
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HAMADA H. Molecular and cellular basis of left-right asymmetry in vertebrates. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2020; 96:273-296. [PMID: 32788551 PMCID: PMC7443379 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.96.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Although the human body appears superficially symmetrical with regard to the left-right (L-R) axis, most visceral organs are asymmetric in terms of their size, shape, or position. Such morphological asymmetries of visceral organs, which are essential for their proper function, are under the control of a genetic pathway that operates in the developing embryo. In many vertebrates including mammals, the breaking of L-R symmetry occurs at a structure known as the L-R organizer (LRO) located at the midline of the developing embryo. This symmetry breaking is followed by transfer of an active form of the signaling molecule Nodal from the LRO to the lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) on the left side, which results in asymmetric expression of Nodal (a left-side determinant) in the left LPM. Finally, L-R asymmetric morphogenesis of visceral organs is induced by Nodal-Pitx2 signaling. This review will describe our current understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the generation of L-R asymmetry in vertebrates, with a focus on mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi HAMADA
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
- Correspondence should be addressed: H. Hamada, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan (e-mail: )
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32
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Schmitz J, Fraenz C, Schlüter C, Friedrich P, Kumsta R, Moser D, Güntürkün O, Genç E, Ocklenburg S. Schizotypy and altered hemispheric asymmetries: The role of cilia genes. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2019; 294:110991. [PMID: 31683112 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2019.110991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients have a higher probability of altered structural and functional differences between the left and right hemisphere. Schizotypy as its nonclinical manifestation has been related to a higher incidence of non-right-handedness and atypical right-hemispheric language dominance. It has been suggested that genes involved in cilia function might link brain asymmetry and neurodevelopmental disorders. We assessed DNA methylation in the promoter regions of seven candidate genes involved in cilia function and psychiatric disorders from buccal cells and investigated their association with schizotypy and language lateralization in 60 healthy adults. Moreover, we determined microstructural properties of the planum temporale in a subsample of 52 subjects using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI). We found a significant association between schizotypy and DNA methylation in the AHI1 promoter region. Moreover, AHI1 DNA methylation significantly predicted language lateralization and asymmetry in estimated planum temporale neurite density. Finally, stronger leftward asymmetry in estimated neurite density was associated with a more pronounced right ear advantage (left hemisphere dominance) in the forced-right condition of the dichotic listening task, measuring attentional modulation of language lateralization. Our results are in line with a shared molecular basis of schizotypy and functional hemispheric asymmetries that is based on cilia function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schmitz
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Christoph Fraenz
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Caroline Schlüter
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Patrick Friedrich
- Brain Connectivity and Behaviour Laboratory (BCBLab), Sorbonne Universities, Paris, France; Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle (GIN), Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives-UMR 5293, CNRS, CEA University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Robert Kumsta
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dirk Moser
- Genetic Psychology, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Onur Güntürkün
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Erhan Genç
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ocklenburg
- Biopsychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
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Carrion-Castillo A, Pepe A, Kong XZ, Fisher SE, Mazoyer B, Tzourio-Mazoyer N, Crivello F, Francks C. Genetic effects on planum temporale asymmetry and their limited relevance to neurodevelopmental disorders, intelligence or educational attainment. Cortex 2019; 124:137-153. [PMID: 31887566 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that altered asymmetry of the planum temporale (PT) is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including dyslexia, schizophrenia, and autism. Shared genetic factors have been suggested to link PT asymmetry to these disorders. In a dataset of unrelated subjects from the general population (UK Biobank, N = 18,057), we found that PT volume asymmetry had a significant heritability of roughly 14%. In genome-wide association analysis, two loci were significantly associated with PT asymmetry, including a coding polymorphism within the gene ITIH5 that is predicted to affect the protein's function and to be deleterious (rs41298373, p = 2.01 × 10-15), and a locus that affects the expression of the genes BOK and DTYMK (rs7420166, p = 7.54 × 10-10). DTYMK showed left-right asymmetry of mRNA expression in post mortem PT tissue. Cortex-wide mapping of these SNP effects revealed influences on asymmetry that went somewhat beyond the PT. Using publicly available genome-wide association statistics from large-scale studies, we saw no significant genetic correlations of PT asymmetry with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, educational attainment or intelligence. Of the top two individual loci associated with PT asymmetry, rs41298373 showed a tentative association with intelligence (unadjusted p = .025), while the locus at BOK/DTYMK showed tentative association with educational attainment (unadjusted Ps < .05). These findings provide novel insights into the genetic contributions to human brain asymmetry, but do not support a substantial polygenic association of PT asymmetry with cognitive variation and mental disorders, as far as can be discerned with current sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia Carrion-Castillo
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Antonietta Pepe
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, et Université; de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Xiang-Zhen Kong
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, et Université; de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nathalie Tzourio-Mazoyer
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, et Université; de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Fabrice Crivello
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, et Université; de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Carrion‐Castillo A, Van der Haegen L, Tzourio‐Mazoyer N, Kavaklioglu T, Badillo S, Chavent M, Saracco J, Brysbaert M, Fisher SE, Mazoyer B, Francks C. Genome sequencing for rightward hemispheric language dominance. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 18:e12572. [PMID: 30950222 PMCID: PMC6850193 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Most people have left-hemisphere dominance for various aspects of language processing, but only roughly 1% of the adult population has atypically reversed, rightward hemispheric language dominance (RHLD). The genetic-developmental program that underlies leftward language laterality is unknown, as are the causes of atypical variation. We performed an exploratory whole-genome-sequencing study, with the hypothesis that strongly penetrant, rare genetic mutations might sometimes be involved in RHLD. This was by analogy with situs inversus of the visceral organs (left-right mirror reversal of the heart, lungs and so on), which is sometimes due to monogenic mutations. The genomes of 33 subjects with RHLD were sequenced and analyzed with reference to large population-genetic data sets, as well as 34 subjects (14 left-handed) with typical language laterality. The sample was powered to detect rare, highly penetrant, monogenic effects if they would be present in at least 10 of the 33 RHLD cases and no controls, but no individual genes had mutations in more than five RHLD cases while being un-mutated in controls. A hypothesis derived from invertebrate mechanisms of left-right axis formation led to the detection of an increased mutation load, in RHLD subjects, within genes involved with the actin cytoskeleton. The latter finding offers a first, tentative insight into molecular genetic influences on hemispheric language dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia Carrion‐Castillo
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Lise Van der Haegen
- Department of Experimental PsychologyGhent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Nathalie Tzourio‐Mazoyer
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Tulya Kavaklioglu
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Solveig Badillo
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
- Institut de Mathématiques de Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche en Informatique et Automatiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Marie Chavent
- Institut de Mathématiques de Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche en Informatique et Automatiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Jérôme Saracco
- Institut de Mathématiques de Bordeaux, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche en Informatique et Automatiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Marc Brysbaert
- Department of Experimental PsychologyGhent Institute for Functional and Metabolic Imaging, Ghent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Simon E. Fisher
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Bernard Mazoyer
- Groupe d'Imagerie Neurofonctionnelle, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomiqueet Université de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
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Kumar S, Saini R, Jain R. Hand preference and intolerance of uncertainty: Atypical cerebral lateralization advantages lower intolerance of uncertainty. Laterality 2019; 25:22-42. [DOI: 10.1080/1357650x.2019.1611843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar
- Department of Psychology, D.A.V. College, Muzaffarnagar, UP, India
| | - Reena Saini
- Department of Psychology, D.A.V. College, Muzaffarnagar, UP, India
| | - Ranjeeta Jain
- Department of Psychology, D.A.V. College, Muzaffarnagar, UP, India
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Schmitz J, Güntürkün O, Ocklenburg S. Building an Asymmetrical Brain: The Molecular Perspective. Front Psychol 2019; 10:982. [PMID: 31133928 PMCID: PMC6524718 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is one of the most prominent examples for structural and functional differences between the left and right half of the body. For handedness and language lateralization, the most widely investigated behavioral phenotypes, only a small fraction of phenotypic variance has been explained by molecular genetic studies. Due to environmental factors presumably also playing a role in their ontogenesis and based on first molecular evidence, it has been suggested that functional hemispheric asymmetries are partly under epigenetic control. This review article aims to elucidate the molecular factors underlying hemispheric asymmetries and their association with inner organ asymmetries. While we previously suggested that epigenetic mechanisms might partly account for the missing heritability of handedness, this article extends this idea by suggesting possible alternatives for transgenerational transmission of epigenetic states that do not require germ line epigenetic transmission. This is in line with a multifactorial model of hemispheric asymmetries, integrating genetic, environmental, and epigenetic influencing factors in their ontogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schmitz
- Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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de Kovel CGF, Francks C. The molecular genetics of hand preference revisited. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5986. [PMID: 30980028 PMCID: PMC6461639 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42515-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hand preference is a prominent behavioural trait linked to human brain asymmetry. A handful of genetic variants have been reported to associate with hand preference or quantitative measures related to it. Most of these reports were on the basis of limited sample sizes, by current standards for genetic analysis of complex traits. Here we performed a genome-wide association analysis of hand preference in the large, population-based UK Biobank cohort (N = 331,037). We used gene-set enrichment analysis to investigate whether genes involved in visceral asymmetry are particularly relevant to hand preference, following one previous report. We found no evidence supporting any of the previously suggested variants or genes, nor that genes involved in visceral laterality have a role in hand preference. It remains possible that some of the previously reported genes or pathways are relevant to hand preference as assessed in other ways, or else are relevant within specific disorder populations. However, some or all of the earlier findings are likely to be false positives, and none of them appear relevant to hand preference as defined categorically in the general population. Our analysis did produce a small number of novel, significant associations, including one implicating the microtubule-associated gene MAP2 in handedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolien G F de Kovel
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Clyde Francks
- Department of Language & Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
During the course of evolution the human brain has increased in size and complexity, ultimately these differences are the result of changes at the genetic level. Identifying and characterizing molecular evolution requires an understanding of both the genetic underpinning of the system as well as the comparative genetic tools to identify signatures of selection. This chapter aims to describe our current understanding of the genetics of human brain evolution. Primarily this is the story of the evolution of the human brain since our last common ape ancestor, but where relevant we will also discuss changes that are unique to the primate brain (compared to other mammals) or various other lineages in the evolution of humans more generally. It will focus on genetic changes that both directly affected the development and function of the brain as well as those that have indirectly influenced brain evolution through both prenatal and postnatal environment. This review is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to begin to construct a general framework for understanding the full array of data being generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Vallender
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States; Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States.
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A large-scale population study of early life factors influencing left-handedness. Sci Rep 2019; 9:584. [PMID: 30679750 PMCID: PMC6345846 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37423-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Hand preference is a conspicuous variation in human behaviour, with a worldwide proportion of around 90% of people preferring to use the right hand for many tasks, and 10% the left hand. We used the large cohort of the UK biobank (~500,000 participants) to study possible relations between early life factors and adult hand preference. The probability of being left-handed was affected by the year and location of birth, likely due to cultural effects. In addition, hand preference was affected by birthweight, being part of a multiple birth, season of birth, breastfeeding, and sex, with each effect remaining significant after accounting for all others. Analysis of genome-wide genotype data showed that left-handedness was very weakly heritable, but shared no genetic basis with birthweight. Although on average left-handers and right-handers differed for a number of early life factors, all together these factors had only a minimal predictive value for individual hand preference.
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de Kovel CGF, Lisgo SN, Francks C. Transcriptomic analysis of left-right differences in human embryonic forebrain and midbrain. Sci Data 2018; 5:180164. [PMID: 30179233 PMCID: PMC6122166 DOI: 10.1038/sdata.2018.164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Left-right asymmetry is subtle but pervasive in the human central nervous system. This asymmetry is initiated early during development, but its mechanisms are poorly known. Forebrains and midbrains were dissected from six human embryos at Carnegie stages 15 or 16, one of which was female. The structures were divided into left and right sides, and RNA was isolated. RNA was sequenced with 100 base-pair paired ends using Illumina Hiseq 4000. After quality control, five paired brain sides were available for midbrain and forebrain. A paired analysis between left- and right sides of a given brain structure across the embryos identified left-right differences. The dataset, consisting of Fastq files and a read count table, can be further used to study early development of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolien G. F. de Kovel
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Steven N. Lisgo
- Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, 6525HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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