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Zhu Y, Lai X, Wang M, Tang X, Wan T, Li B, Liu X, Wu J, He L, He Y. Abnormal Functional Connectivity Intra- and Inter-Network in Resting-State Brain Networks of Patients with Toothache. J Pain Res 2024; 17:2111-2120. [PMID: 38903397 PMCID: PMC11189307 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s456437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To separate the resting-state network of patients with dental pain using independent component analysis (ICA) and analyze abnormal changes in functional connectivity within as well as between the networks. Patients and Methods Twenty-three patients with dental pain and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. We extracted the resting-state functional network components of both using ICA. Functional connectivity differences within 14 resting-state brain networks were analyzed at the voxel level. Directional interactions between networks were analyzed using Granger causality analysis. Subsequently, functional connectivity values and causal coefficients were assessed for correlations with clinical parameters. Results Compared to healthy controls, we found enhanced functional connectivity in the left superior temporal gyrus of anterior protrusion network and the right Rolandic operculum of auditory network in patients with dental pain (p<0.01 and cluster-level p<0.05, Gaussian random field corrected). In contrast, functional connectivity of the right precuneus in the precuneus network was reduced, and were significantly as well as negatively correlated to those of the Visual Analogue Scale (r=-4.93, p=0.017), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (r=-0.46, p=0.027), and Hamilton Depression Scale (r=-0.563, p<0.01), using the Spearman correlation analysis. Regarding the causal relationship between resting-state brain networks, we found increased connectivity from the language network to the precuneus in patients with dental pain (p<0.05, false discovery rate corrected). However, the increase in causal coefficients from the verbal network to the precuneus network was independent of clinical parameters. Conclusion Patients with toothache exhibited abnormal functional changes in cognitive-emotion-related brain networks, such as the salience, auditory, and precuneus networks, thereby offering a new imaging basis for understanding central neural mechanisms in dental pain patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuping Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xunfu Lai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengting Wang
- Department of Radiology, Yichang Central People’s Hospital, Yichang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xin Tang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianyi Wan
- Department of Radiology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoming Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jialin Wu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lei He
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yulin He
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, People’s Republic of China
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2
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Kopelman J, Keller TA, Panny B, Griffo A, Degutis M, Spotts C, Cruz N, Bell E, Do-Nguyen K, Wallace ML, Mathew SJ, Howland RH, Price RB. Rapid neuroplasticity changes and response to intravenous ketamine: a randomized controlled trial in treatment-resistant depression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:159. [PMID: 37160885 PMCID: PMC10170140 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02451-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Intravenous ketamine is posited to rapidly reverse depression by rapidly enhancing neuroplasticity. In human patients, we quantified gray matter microstructural changes on a rapid (24-h) timescale within key regions where neuroplasticity enhancements post-ketamine have been implicated in animal models. In this study, 98 unipolar depressed adults who failed at least one antidepressant medication were randomized 2:1 to a single infusion of intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or vehicle (saline) and completed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) assessments at pre-infusion baseline and 24-h post-infusion. DTI mean diffusivity (DTI-MD), a putative marker of microstructural neuroplasticity in gray matter, was calculated for 7 regions of interest (left and right BA10, amygdala, and hippocampus; and ventral Anterior Cingulate Cortex) and compared to clinical response measured with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms-Self-Report (QIDS-SR). Individual differences in DTI-MD change (greater decrease from baseline to 24-h post-infusion, indicative of more neuroplasticity enhancement) were associated with larger improvements in depression scores across several regions. In the left BA10 and left amygdala, these relationships were driven primarily by the ketamine group (group * DTI-MD interaction effects: p = 0.016-0.082). In the right BA10, these associations generalized to both infusion arms (p = 0.007). In the left and right hippocampus, on the MADRS only, interaction effects were observed in the opposite direction, such that DTI-MD change was inversely associated with depression change in the ketamine arm specifically (group * DTI-MD interaction effects: p = 0.032-0.06). The acute effects of ketamine on depression may be mediated, in part, by acute changes in neuroplasticity quantifiable with DTI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared Kopelman
- University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Panny
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Angela Griffo
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michelle Degutis
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Crystal Spotts
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nicolas Cruz
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bell
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kevin Do-Nguyen
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Sanjay J Mathew
- Baylor College of Medicine and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert H Howland
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca B Price
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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3
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Dégeilh F, Leblanc É, Daneault V, Beauchamp MH, Bernier A. Longitudinal associations between mother-child attachment security in toddlerhood and white matter microstructure in late childhood: a preliminary investigation. Attach Hum Dev 2023; 25:291-310. [PMID: 36794390 DOI: 10.1080/14616734.2023.2172437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Early childhood experiences are considered to influence the strength and effectiveness of neural connections and thus the development of brain connectivity. As one of the most pervasive and potent early relational experiences, parent-child attachment is a prime candidate to account for experience-driven differences in brain development. Yet, knowledge of the effects of parent-child attachment on brain structure in typically developing children is scarce and largely limited to grey matter, whereas caregiving influences on white matter (i.e. neural connections) have seldom been explored. This study examined whether normative variation in mother-child attachment security predicts white matter microstructure in late childhood and explored associations with cognitive-inhibition. Mother-child attachment security was assessed using home observations when children (N = 32, 20 girls) were 15 and 26 months old. White matter microstructure was assessed using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging when children were 10 years old. Child cognitive-inhibition was tested when children were 11 years old. Results revealed a negative association between mother-toddler attachment security and child white matter microstructure organization, which in turn related to better child cognitive-inhibition. While preliminary given the sample size, these findings add to the growing literature that suggests that rich and positive experiences are likely to decelerate brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Dégeilh
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Élizabel Leblanc
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Véronique Daneault
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Functional Neuroimaging Unit, Montreal Geriatric University Institute, Quebec, Canada.,Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Montreal Sacré-Coeur Hospital, Quebec, Canada
| | - Miriam H Beauchamp
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Annie Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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4
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Greenberg DM, Warrier V, Abu-Akel A, Allison C, Gajos KZ, Reinecke K, Rentfrow PJ, Radecki MA, Baron-Cohen S. Sex and age differences in "theory of mind" across 57 countries using the English version of the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2022385119. [PMID: 36584298 PMCID: PMC9910622 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022385119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test (Eyes Test) is a widely used assessment of "theory of mind." The NIMH Research Domain Criteria recommends it as one of two tests for "understanding mental states." Previous studies have demonstrated an on-average female advantage on the Eyes Test. However, it is unknown whether this female advantage exists across the lifespan and across a large number of countries. Thus, we tested sex and age differences using the English version of the Eyes Test in adolescents and adults across 57 countries. We also tested for associations with sociodemographic and cognitive/personality factors. We leveraged one discovery dataset (N = 305,726) and three validation datasets (Ns = 642; 5,284; and 1,087). The results show that: i) there is a replicable on-average female advantage in performance on the Eyes Test; ii) performance increases through adolescence and shallowly declines across adulthood; iii) the on-average female advantage is evident across the lifespan; iv) there is a significant on-average female advantage in 36 out of 57 countries; v) there is a significant on-average female advantage on translated (non-English) versions of the Eyes Test in 12 out of 16 countries, as confirmed by a systematic review; vi) D-scores, or empathizing-systemizing, predict Eyes Test performance above and beyond sex differences; and vii) the female advantage is negatively linked to "prosperity" and "autonomy," and positively linked to "collectivism," as confirmed by exploratory country-level analyses. We conclude that the on-average female advantage on the Eyes Test is observed across ages and most countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Greenberg
- Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan5290002, Israel
- Department of Music, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan5290002, Israel
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Varun Warrier
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmad Abu-Akel
- Institut de Psychologie, Université de Lausanne, LausanneCH-1015, Switzerland
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa3498838, Israel
| | - Carrie Allison
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 8AH, United Kingdom
| | - Krzysztof Z. Gajos
- Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States of America
| | - Katharina Reinecke
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2355, United States of America
| | - P. Jason Rentfrow
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Marcin A. Radecki
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 8AH, United Kingdom
- Social and Affective Neuroscience Group, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Lucca55100, Italy
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 8AH, United Kingdom
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5
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David S, Brown LL, Heemskerk AM, Aron E, Leemans A, Aron A. Sensory processing sensitivity and axonal microarchitecture: identifying brain structural characteristics for behavior. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2769-2785. [PMID: 36151482 PMCID: PMC9618477 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02571-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous research using functional MRI identified brain regions associated with sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), a proposed normal phenotype trait. To further validate SPS, to characterize it anatomically, and to test the usefulness in psychology of methodologies that assess axonal properties, the present study correlated SPS proxy questionnaire scores (adjusted for neuroticism) with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures. Participants (n = 408) from the Human Connectome Project were studied. Voxelwise analysis showed that mean- and radial diffusivity correlated positively with SPS scores in the right and left subcallosal and anterior-ventral cingulum bundle, and the right forceps minor of the corpus callosum, all frontal cortex areas generally underlying emotion, motivation, and cognition. Further analyses showed correlations throughout medial frontal cortical regions in the right and left ventromedial prefrontal cortex, including the superior longitudinal fasciculus, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, uncinate, and arcuate fasciculus. Fractional anisotropy was negatively correlated with SPS scores in white matter (WM) of the right premotor/motor/somatosensory/supramarginal gyrus regions. Region of interest (ROI) analysis showed small effect sizes (- 0.165 to 0.148) in WM of the precuneus and inferior frontal gyrus. Other ROI effects were found in the dorsal-, ventral visual pathways and primary auditory cortex. The results reveal that in a large group of participants, axonal microarchitectural differences can be identified with SPS traits that are subtle and in the range of typical behavior. The results suggest that the heightened sensory processing in people who show that SPS may be influenced by the microstructure of WM in specific cortical regions. Although previous fMRI studies had identified most of these areas, the DTI results put a new focus on brain areas related to attention and cognitive flexibility, empathy, emotion, and first levels of sensory processing, as in primary auditory cortex. Psychological trait characterization may benefit from DTI methodology by identifying influential brain systems for traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szabolcs David
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Lucy L Brown
- Department of Neurology, Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Anneriet M Heemskerk
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Elaine Aron
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Leemans
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arthur Aron
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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6
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Takeuchi H, Shiota Y, Yaoi K, Taki Y, Nouchi R, Yokoyama R, Kotozaki Y, Nakagawa S, Sekiguchi A, Iizuka K, Hanawa S, Araki T, Miyauchi CM, Sakaki K, Nozawa T, Ikeda S, Yokota S, Magistro D, Sassa Y, Kawashima R. Mercury levels in hair are associated with reduced neurobehavioral performance and altered brain structures in young adults. Commun Biol 2022; 5:529. [PMID: 35655003 PMCID: PMC9163068 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03464-z] [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: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe detrimental effects of high-level mercury exposure on the central nervous system as well as effects of low-level exposure during early development have been established. However, no previous studies have investigated the effects of mercury level on brain morphometry using advance imaging techniques in young adults. Here, utilizing hair analysis which has been advocated as a method for biological monitoring, data of regional gray matter volume (rGMV), regional white matter volume (rWMV), fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), cognitive functions, and depression among 920 healthy young adults in Japan, we showed that greater hair mercury levels were weakly but significantly associated with diminished cognitive performance, particularly on tasks requiring rapid processing (speed measures), lower depressive tendency, lower rGMV in areas of the thalamus and hippocampus, lower rWMV in widespread areas, greater FA in bilaterally distributed white matter areas overlapping with areas of significant rWMV reductions and lower MD of the widely distributed gray and white matter areas particularly in the bilateral frontal lobe and the right basal ganglia. These results suggest that even normal mercury exposure levels in Japan are weakly associated with differences of brain structures and lower neurobehavioral performance and altered mood among young adults.
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7
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Miyauchi CM, Takeuchi H, Taki Y, Nakagawa S, Hanawa S, Sekiguchi A, Nouchi R, Sassa Y, Kawashima R. Shame proneness is associated with individual differences in temporal pole white matter structure. Soc Neurosci 2022; 17:117-126. [PMID: 35130823 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2039287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Shame and guilt are distinct negative moral emotions, although they are usually regarded as overlapping affective experiences. Of these two emotions, shame is more closely related to concerns about other people's judgment, whereas guilt is more related to concerns about one's own judgment. Although some studies have tried to identify the psychological process underlying shame as opposed to guilt, there is no clear evidence of brain regions that are specifically relevant to the experience of shame rather than guilt and, more generally, self-blame. We therefore investigated associations between individual differences in shame- and guilt-proneness and the gray and white matter structures of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry while controlling for associations with guilt- or shame-proneness. To accomplish this goal, we enrolled 590 healthy, right-handed individuals (338 men and 252 women; age, 20.6 ± 1.8 years). We administered a questionnaire to assess shame proneness and guilt proneness. Based on our hypothesis, we found that high shame proneness was associated with decreased regional white matter density only in the right inferior temporal pole, whereas no significant region was associated with guilt. The function of this area may be important for the underlying processes differentiating shame from guilt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Makoto Miyauchi
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hikaru Takeuchi
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Seishu Nakagawa
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Division of Psychiatry, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Sugiko Hanawa
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rui Nouchi
- Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Human and Social Response Research Division, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Smart Aging International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yuko Sassa
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.,Smart Aging International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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8
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Cortico-striatal-thalamic loop as a neural correlate of neuroticism in the mind-body interface. J Psychosom Res 2021; 149:110590. [PMID: 34385032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although brain structural studies have demonstrated the neural correlates of neuroticism, the outcomes are not easily identified because of the various possible brain regions involved, low statistical power (low number of subjects), and brain structural measures available, such as mean diffusivity (MD), which are more suitable than standard regional measures of grey and white-matter volume (rGMV, rWMV) and fractional anisotropy (FA). We hypothesized that neuroticism neural correlates could be detected by MD and differentially identified using other measures. We aimed to visualize the neural correlates of neuroticism. METHODS A voxel-by-voxel regression analysis was performed using the MD, rGMV, rWMV, or FA value as the dependent variable and with neuroticism scores based on the NEO-FFI and its confounding factors as independent variables in 1207 (693 men and 514 women; age, 20.7 ± 1.8, 18-27 years), non-clinical students in a cross-sectional study. RESULTS MD in the cortico- (orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and posterior insula) striatal- (caudate and putamen) thalamic loop regions, including the right posterior limb of the internal capsule, were positively associated with neuroticism using the threshold-free cluster enhancement method with a family-wise error-corrected threshold of P < 0.0125 (0.05/4, Bonferroni correction for four types of MRI data [MD, rGMV, rWMV, and FA]) at the whole-brain level. CONCLUSIONS An increased MD has generally been associated with reduced neural tissues and possibly area function. Accordingly, this finding helps elucidate the mechanism of somatization in neuroticism because the regions related to neuroticism are considered neural correlates of somatoform disorders.
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9
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Childhood socioeconomic status is associated with psychometric intelligence and microstructural brain development. Commun Biol 2021; 4:470. [PMID: 33927305 PMCID: PMC8084976 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01974-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood socioeconomic status is robustly associated with various children's cognitive factors and neural mechanisms. Here we show the association of childhood socioeconomic status with psychometric intelligence and mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy using diffusion tensor imaging at the baseline experiment (N = 285) and longitudinal changes in these metrics after 3.0 ± 0.3 years (N = 223) in a large sample of normal Japanese children (mean age = 11.2 ± 3.1 years). After correcting for confounding factors, cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses show that higher childhood socioeconomic status is associated with greater baseline and baseline to follow-up increase of psychometric intelligence and mean diffusivity in areas around the bilateral fusiform gyrus. These results demonstrate that higher socioeconomic status is associated with higher psychometric intelligence measures and altered microstructural properties in the fusiform gyrus which plays a key role in reading and letter recognition and further augmentation of such tendencies during development. Definitive conclusions regarding the causality of these relationships requires intervention and physiological studies. However, the current findings should be considered when developing and revising policies regarding education.
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10
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Macro- and micro-structural cerebellar and cortical characteristics of cognitive empathy towards fictional characters in healthy individuals. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8804. [PMID: 33888760 PMCID: PMC8062506 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87861-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Few investigations have analyzed the neuroanatomical substrate of empathic capacities in healthy subjects, and most of them have neglected the potential involvement of cerebellar structures. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between bilateral cerebellar macro- and micro-structural measures and levels of cognitive and affective trait empathy (measured by Interpersonal Reactivity Index, IRI) in a sample of 70 healthy subjects of both sexes. We also estimated morphometric variations of cerebral Gray Matter structures, to ascertain whether the potential empathy-related peculiarities in cerebellar areas were accompanied by structural differences in other cerebral regions. At macro-structural level, the volumetric differences were analyzed by Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM)- and Region of Interest (ROI)-based approaches, and at a micro-structural level, we analyzed Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data, focusing in particular on Mean Diffusivity and Fractional Anisotropy. Fantasy IRI-subscale was found to be positively associated with volumes in right cerebellar Crus 2 and pars triangularis of inferior frontal gyrus. The here described morphological variations of cerebellar Crus 2 and pars triangularis allow to extend the traditional cortico-centric view of cognitive empathy to the cerebellar regions and indicate that in empathizing with fictional characters the cerebellar and frontal areas are co-recruited.
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11
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Callow DD, Won J, Pena GS, Jordan LS, Arnold-Nedimala NA, Kommula Y, Nielson KA, Smith JC. Exercise Training-Related Changes in Cortical Gray Matter Diffusivity and Cognitive Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:645258. [PMID: 33897407 PMCID: PMC8060483 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.645258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are at an elevated risk of dementia and exhibit deficits in cognition and cortical gray matter (GM) volume, thickness, and microstructure. Meanwhile, exercise training appears to preserve brain function and macrostructure may help delay or prevent the onset of dementia in individuals with MCI. Yet, our understanding of the neurophysiological effects of exercise training in individuals with MCI remains limited. Recent work suggests that the measures of gray matter microstructure using diffusion imaging may be sensitive to early cognitive and neurophysiological changes in the aging brain. Therefore, this study is aimed to determine the effects of exercise training in cognition and cortical gray matter microstructure in individuals with MCI vs. cognitively healthy older adults. Fifteen MCI participants and 17 cognitively intact controls (HC) volunteered for a 12-week supervised walking intervention. Following the intervention, MCI and HC saw improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, performance on Trial 1 of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), a measure of verbal memory, and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), a measure of verbal fluency. After controlling for age, a voxel-wise analysis of cortical gray matter diffusivity showed individuals with MCI exhibited greater increases in mean diffusivity (MD) in the left insular cortex than HC. This increase in MD was positively associated with improvements in COWAT performance. Additionally, after controlling for age, the voxel-wise analysis indicated a main effect of Time with both groups experiencing an increase in left insular and left and right cerebellar MD. Increases in left insular diffusivity were similarly found to be positively associated with improvements in COWAT performance in both groups, while increases in cerebellar MD were related to gains in episodic memory performance. These findings suggest that exercise training may be related to improvements in neural circuits that govern verbal fluency performance in older adults through the microstructural remodeling of cortical gray matter. Furthermore, changes in left insular cortex microstructure may be particularly relevant to improvements in verbal fluency among individuals diagnosed with MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D Callow
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Junyeon Won
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Gabriel S Pena
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Leslie S Jordan
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Yash Kommula
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Kristy A Nielson
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, United States.,Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - J Carson Smith
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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Arasaratnam CJ, Singh-Bains MK, Waldvogel HJ, Faull RLM. Neuroimaging and neuropathology studies of X-linked dystonia parkinsonism. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105186. [PMID: 33227492 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism (XDP) is a recessive, genetically inherited neurodegenerative disorder endemic to Panay Island in the Philippines. Clinical symptoms include the initial appearance of dystonia, followed by parkinsonian traits after 10-15 years. The basal ganglia, particularly the striatum, is an area of focus in XDP neuropathology research, as the striatum shows marked atrophy that correlates with disease progression. Thus, XDP shares features of Parkinson's disease symptomatology, in addition to the genetic predisposition and presence of striatal atrophy resembling Huntington's disease. However, further research is required to reveal the detailed pathology and indicators of disease in the XDP brain. First, there are limited neuropathological studies that have investigated neuronal changes and neuroinflammation in the XDP brain. However, multiple neuroimaging studies on XDP patients provide clues to other affected brain regions. Furthermore, molecular pathological studies have elucidated that the main genetic cause of XDP is in the TAF-1 gene, but how this mutation relates to XDP neuropathology still remains to be fully investigated. Hence, we aim to provide an extensive overview of the current literature describing neuropathological changes within the XDP brain, and discuss future research avenues, which will provide a better understanding of XDP neuropathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine J Arasaratnam
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, New Zealand; University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Malvindar K Singh-Bains
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, New Zealand; University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Henry J Waldvogel
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, New Zealand; University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, New Zealand; University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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13
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Lesions in the right Rolandic operculum are associated with self-rating affective and apathetic depressive symptoms for post-stroke patients. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20264. [PMID: 33219292 PMCID: PMC7679372 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77136-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke survivors majorly suffered from post-stroke depression (PSD). The PSD diagnosis is commonly performed based on the clinical cut-off for psychometric inventories. However, we hypothesized that PSD involves spectrum symptoms (e.g., apathy, depression, anxiety, and stress domains) and severity levels. Therefore, instead of using the clinical cut-off, we suggested a data-driven analysis to interpret patient spectrum conditions. The patients’ psychological conditions were categorized in an unsupervised manner using the k-means clustering method, and the relationships between psychological conditions and quantitative lesion degrees were evaluated. This study involved one hundred sixty-five patient data; all patients were able to understand and perform self-rating psychological conditions (i.e., no aphasia). Four severity levels—low, low-to-moderate, moderate-to-high, and high—were observed for each combination of two psychological domains. Patients with worse conditions showed the significantly greater lesion degree at the right Rolandic operculum (part of Brodmann area 43). The dissimilarities between stress and other domains were also suggested. Patients with high stress were specifically associated with lesions in the left thalamus. Impaired emotion processing and stress-affected functions have been frequently related to those lesion regions. Those lesions were also robust and localized, suggesting the possibility of an objective for predicting psychological conditions from brain lesions.
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Takeuchi H, Taki Y, Nouchi R, Yokoyama R, Kotozaki Y, Nakagawa S, Sekiguchi A, Iizuka K, Yamamoto Y, Hanawa S, Araki T, Miyauchi CM, Sakaki K, Sassa Y, Nozawa T, Ikeda S, Yokota S, Daniele M, Kawashima R. Mean diffusivity associated with trait emotional intelligence. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:871-883. [PMID: 31593230 PMCID: PMC6847659 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous neuroimaging studies have suggested that the neural bases of trait emotional intelligence (TEI) lie in the social cognition network (SCN) and the somatic marker circuitry (SMC). The current study was the first to investigate the associations of total TEI factors and subfactors with mean diffusivity (MD) of these networks as well as regional MD of the dopaminergic system (MDDS). We found that TEI intrapersonal factor score and total TEI score were negatively correlated with regional MDDS in the vicinity of the right putamen and right pallidum and that TEI intrapersonal factor score was negatively correlated with MD values of the fusiform gyrus. Total TEI score and TEI factor scores were positively correlated with MD values of various areas within or adjacent to SCN components, SMC structures and the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC). Our MD findings demonstrated the importance of the dopaminergic system to TEI and implicate the SCN, SMC and LPFC in TEI. Future studies are required to investigate the implications of positive and negative associations with MD values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikaru Takeuchi
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Rui Nouchi
- Creative Interdisciplinary Research Division, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Human and Social Response Research Division, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | | | - Yuka Kotozaki
- Division of Clinical Research, Medical-Industry Translational Research Center, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima 960-1925, Japan
| | - Seishu Nakagawa
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Division of Psychiatry, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai 983-8536, Japan
| | - Atsushi Sekiguchi
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan
| | - Kunio Iizuka
- Department of Psychiatry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamamoto
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Sugiko Hanawa
- Department of Human Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Araki
- Advantage Risk Management Co., Ltd, Tokyo 153-0051, Japan
| | - Carlos Makoto Miyauchi
- Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
| | - Kohei Sakaki
- Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Yuko Sassa
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nozawa
- Research Center for the Earth Inclusive Sensing Empathizing with Silent Voices, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Ikeda
- Department of Ubiquitous Sensing, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Susumu Yokota
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Magistro Daniele
- Research Center for the Earth Inclusive Sensing Empathizing with Silent Voices, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan.,Department of Ubiquitous Sensing, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Department of Sport Science, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK, NG11 8NS
| | - Ryuta Kawashima
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Advanced Brain Science, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.,Department of Language Sciences, Graduate School of Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan
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