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Duo H, Li Y, Lan Y, Tao J, Yang Q, Xiao Y, Sun J, Li L, Nie X, Zhang X, Liang G, Liu M, Hao Y, Li B. Systematic evaluation with practical guidelines for single-cell and spatially resolved transcriptomics data simulation under multiple scenarios. Genome Biol 2024; 25:145. [PMID: 38831386 PMCID: PMC11149245 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03290-y] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) have led to groundbreaking advancements in life sciences. To develop bioinformatics tools for scRNA-seq and SRT data and perform unbiased benchmarks, data simulation has been widely adopted by providing explicit ground truth and generating customized datasets. However, the performance of simulation methods under multiple scenarios has not been comprehensively assessed, making it challenging to choose suitable methods without practical guidelines. RESULTS We systematically evaluated 49 simulation methods developed for scRNA-seq and/or SRT data in terms of accuracy, functionality, scalability, and usability using 152 reference datasets derived from 24 platforms. SRTsim, scDesign3, ZINB-WaVE, and scDesign2 have the best accuracy performance across various platforms. Unexpectedly, some methods tailored to scRNA-seq data have potential compatibility for simulating SRT data. Lun, SPARSim, and scDesign3-tree outperform other methods under corresponding simulation scenarios. Phenopath, Lun, Simple, and MFA yield high scalability scores but they cannot generate realistic simulated data. Users should consider the trade-offs between method accuracy and scalability (or functionality) when making decisions. Additionally, execution errors are mainly caused by failed parameter estimations and appearance of missing or infinite values in calculations. We provide practical guidelines for method selection, a standard pipeline Simpipe ( https://github.com/duohongrui/simpipe ; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11178409 ), and an online tool Simsite ( https://www.ciblab.net/software/simshiny/ ) for data simulation. CONCLUSIONS No method performs best on all criteria, thus a good-yet-not-the-best method is recommended if it solves problems effectively and reasonably. Our comprehensive work provides crucial insights for developers on modeling gene expression data and fosters the simulation process for users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongrui Duo
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinghong Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data for Bio Intelligence, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, 400065, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Lan
- Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingxin Tao
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingxia Yang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingxue Xiao
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Li
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiner Nie
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxi Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China
| | - Guizhao Liang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingwei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, People's Republic of China
| | - Youjin Hao
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China.
| | - Bo Li
- College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, People's Republic of China.
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Matte Bon G, Kraft D, Comasco E, Derntl B, Kaufmann T. Modeling brain sex in the limbic system as phenotype for female-prevalent mental disorders. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:42. [PMID: 38750598 PMCID: PMC11097569 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00615-1] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences exist in the prevalence and clinical manifestation of several mental disorders, suggesting that sex-specific brain phenotypes may play key roles. Previous research used machine learning models to classify sex from imaging data of the whole brain and studied the association of class probabilities with mental health, potentially overlooking regional specific characteristics. METHODS We here investigated if a regionally constrained model of brain volumetric imaging data may provide estimates that are more sensitive to mental health than whole brain-based estimates. Given its known role in emotional processing and mood disorders, we focused on the limbic system. Using two different cohorts of healthy subjects, the Human Connectome Project and the Queensland Twin IMaging, we investigated sex differences and heritability of brain volumes of limbic structures compared to non-limbic structures, and subsequently applied regionally constrained machine learning models trained solely on limbic or non-limbic features. To investigate the biological underpinnings of such models, we assessed the heritability of the obtained sex class probability estimates, and we investigated the association with major depression diagnosis in an independent clinical sample. All analyses were performed both with and without controlling for estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV). RESULTS Limbic structures show greater sex differences and are more heritable compared to non-limbic structures in both analyses, with and without eTIV control. Consequently, machine learning models performed well at classifying sex based solely on limbic structures and achieved performance as high as those on non-limbic or whole brain data, despite the much smaller number of features in the limbic system. The resulting class probabilities were heritable, suggesting potentially meaningful underlying biological information. Applied to an independent population with major depressive disorder, we found that depression is associated with male-female class probabilities, with largest effects obtained using the limbic model. This association was significant for models not controlling for eTIV whereas in those controlling for eTIV the associations did not pass significance correction. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results highlight the potential utility of regionally constrained models of brain sex to better understand the link between sex differences in the brain and mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Matte Bon
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Dominik Kraft
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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3
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Luders E, Gaser C, Spencer D, Thankamony A, Hughes I, Simpson H, Srirangalingam U, Gleeson H, Hines M, Kurth F. Cortical gyrification in women and men and the (missing) link to prenatal androgens. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38733283 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported sex differences in cortical gyrification. Since most cortical folding is principally defined in utero, sex chromosomes as well as gonadal hormones are likely to influence sex-specific aspects of local gyrification. Classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) causes high levels of androgens during gestation in females, whereas levels in males are largely within the typical male range. Therefore, CAH provides an opportunity to study the possible effects of prenatal androgens on cortical gyrification. Here, we examined the vertex-wise absolute mean curvature-a common estimate for cortical gyrification-in individuals with CAH (33 women and 20 men) and pair-wise matched controls (33 women and 20 men). There was no significant main effect of CAH and no significant CAH-by-sex interaction. However, there was a significant main effect of sex in five cortical regions, where gyrification was increased in women compared to men. These regions were located on the lateral surface of the brain, specifically left middle frontal (rostral and caudal), right inferior frontal, left inferior parietal, and right occipital. There was no cortical region where gyrification was increased in men compared to women. Our findings do not only confirm prior reports of increased cortical gyrification in female brains but also suggest that cortical gyrification is not significantly affected by prenatal androgen exposure. Instead, cortical gyrification might be determined by sex chromosomes either directly or indirectly-the latter potentially by affecting the underlying architecture of the cortex or the size of the intracranial cavity, which is smaller in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Luders
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Christian Gaser
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Jena, Germany
| | - Debra Spencer
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ajay Thankamony
- Department of Paediatrics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Weston Centre for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ieuan Hughes
- Department of Paediatrics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Helen Simpson
- Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, University College Hospital London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Melissa Hines
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Florian Kurth
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Neuroradiology and Radiology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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4
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Hu M, Xu F, Liu S, Yao Y, Xia Q, Zhu C, Zhang X, Tang H, Qaiser Z, Liu S, Tang Y. Aging pattern of the brainstem based on volumetric measurement and optimized surface shape analysis. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:396-411. [PMID: 38155336 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00840-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem, a small and crucial structure, is connected to the cerebrum, spinal cord, and cerebellum, playing a vital role in regulating autonomic functions, transmitting motor and sensory information, and modulating cognitive processes, emotions, and consciousness. While previous research has indicated that changes in brainstem anatomy can serve as a biomarker for aging and neurodegenerative diseases, the structural changes that occur in the brainstem during normal aging remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the age- and sex-related differences in the global and local structural measures of the brainstem in 187 healthy adults (ranging in age from 18 to 70 years) using structural magnetic resonance imaging. The findings showed a significant negative age effect on the volume of the two major components of the brainstem: the medulla oblongata and midbrain. The shape analysis revealed that atrophy primarily occurs in specific structures, such as the pyramid, cerebral peduncle, superior and inferior colliculi. Surface area and shape analysis showed a trend of flattening in the aging brainstem. There were no significant differences between the sexes or sex-by-age interactions in brainstem structural measures. These findings provide a systematic description of age associations with brainstem structures in healthy adults and may provide a reference for future research on brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minqi Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Feifei Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shizhou Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Qing Xia
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Caiting Zhu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Haiyan Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Zubair Qaiser
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shuwei Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuchun Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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5
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Kohler RJ, Zhornitsky S, Potenza MN, Yip SW, Worhunsky P, Angarita GA. Cocaine self-administration behavior is associated with subcortical and cortical morphometry measures in individuals with cocaine use disorder. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38551365 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2024.2318585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Background: Individual differences in gray-matter morphometry in the limbic system and frontal cortex have been linked to clinical features of cocaine use disorder (CUD). Self-administration paradigms can provide more direct measurements of the relationship between the regulation of cocaine use and gray-matter morphometry when compared to self-report assessments.Objectives: Our goal was to investigate associations with self-administration behavior in subcortical and cortical brain regions. We hypothesized the number of cocaine infusions self-administered would be correlated with gray-matter volumes (GMVs) in the striatum, amygdala, and hippocampus. Due to scarcity in human studies, we did not hypothesize subcortical directionality. In the frontal cortex, we hypothesized thickness would be negatively correlated with self-administered cocaine.Methods: We conducted an analysis of cocaine self-administration and structural MRI data from 33 (nFemales = 10) individuals with moderate-to-severe CUD. Self-administration lasted 60-minutes and cocaine (8, 16, or 32 mg/70 kg) was delivered on an FR1 schedule (5-minute lockout). Subcortical and cortical regression analyses were performed that included combined bilateral regions and age, experimental variables and use history as confounders.Results: Self-administered cocaine infusions were positively associated with caudal GMV (b = 0.18, p = 0.030) and negatively with putamenal GMV (b = -0.10, p = 0.041). In the cortical model, infusions were positively associated with insular thickness (b = 0.39, p = 0.008) and women appeared to self-administer cocaine more frequently (b = 0.23, p = 0.019).Conclusions: Brain morphometry features in the striatum and insula may contribute to cocaine consumption in CUD. These differences in morphometry may reflect consequences of prolonged use, predisposed vulnerability, or other possibilities.Clinical Trial Numbers: NCT01978431; NCT03471182.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Kohler
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Simon Zhornitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sarah W Yip
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Patrick Worhunsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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6
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Vosberg DE. Sex and Gender in Population Neuroscience. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38509404 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2024_468] [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: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
To understand psychiatric and neurological disorders and the structural and functional properties of the human brain, it is essential to consider the roles of sex and gender. In this chapter, I first define sex and gender and describe studies of sex differences in non-human animals. In humans, I describe the sex differences in behavioral and clinical phenotypes and neuroimaging-derived phenotypes, including whole-brain measures, regional subcortical and cortical measures, and structural and functional connectivity. Although structural whole-brain sex differences are large, regional effects (adjusting for whole-brain volumes) are typically much smaller and often fail to replicate. Nevertheless, while an individual neuroimaging feature may have a small effect size, aggregating them in a "maleness/femaleness" score or machine learning multivariate paradigm may prove to be predictive and informative of sex- and gender-related traits. Finally, I conclude by summarizing emerging investigations of gender norms and gender identity and provide methodological recommendations to incorporate sex and gender in population neuroscience research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Vosberg
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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7
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Wang J, Hill‐Jarrett T, Buto P, Pederson A, Sims KD, Zimmerman SC, DeVost MA, Ferguson E, Lacar B, Yang Y, Choi M, Caunca MR, La Joie R, Chen R, Glymour MM, Ackley SF. Comparison of approaches to control for intracranial volume in research on the association of brain volumes with cognitive outcomes. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26633. [PMID: 38433682 PMCID: PMC10910271 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Most neuroimaging studies linking regional brain volumes with cognition correct for total intracranial volume (ICV), but methods used for this correction differ across studies. It is unknown whether different ICV correction methods yield consistent results. Using a brain-wide association approach in the MRI substudy of UK Biobank (N = 41,964; mean age = 64.5 years), we used regression models to estimate the associations of 58 regional brain volumetric measures with eight cognitive outcomes, comparing no correction and four ICV correction approaches. Approaches evaluated included: no correction; dividing regional volumes by ICV (proportional approach); including ICV as a covariate in the regression (adjustment approach); and regressing the regional volumes against ICV in different normative samples and using calculated residuals to determine associations (residual approach). We used Spearman-rank correlations and two consistency measures to quantify the extent to which associations were inconsistent across ICV correction approaches for each possible brain region and cognitive outcome pair across 2320 regression models. When the association between brain volume and cognitive performance was close to null, all approaches produced similar estimates close to the null. When associations between a regional volume and cognitive test were not null, the adjustment and residual approaches typically produced similar estimates, but these estimates were inconsistent with results from the crude and proportional approaches. For example, when using the crude approach, an increase of 0.114 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.103-0.125) in fluid intelligence was associated with each unit increase in hippocampal volume. However, when using the adjustment approach, the increase was 0.055 (95% CI: 0.043-0.068), while the proportional approach showed a decrease of -0.025 (95% CI: -0.035 to -0.014). Different commonly used methods to correct for ICV yielded inconsistent results. The proportional method diverges notably from other methods and results were sometimes biologically implausible. A simple regression adjustment for ICV produced biologically plausible associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Peter Buto
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Annie Pederson
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kendra D. Sims
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Scott C. Zimmerman
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michelle A. DeVost
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Erin Ferguson
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Benjamin Lacar
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Yulin Yang
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Minhyuk Choi
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michelle R. Caunca
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Renaud La Joie
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ruijia Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - M. Maria Glymour
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sarah F. Ackley
- Department of EpidemiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
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8
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Romero-Molina AO, Ramirez-Garcia G, Chirino-Perez A, Fuentes-Zavaleta DA, Hernandez-Castillo CR, Marrufo-Melendez O, Lopez-Gonzalez D, Rodriguez-Rodriguez M, Castorena-Maldonado A, Rodriguez-Agudelo Y, Paz-Rodriguez F, Chavez-Oliveros M, Lozano-Tovar S, Gutierrez-Romero A, Arauz-Gongora A, Garcia-Santos RA, Fernandez-Ruiz J. SARS-CoV-2's brain impact: revealing cortical and cerebellar differences via cluster analysis in COVID-19 recovered patients. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:837-848. [PMID: 38172414 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07266-x] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 is a disease known for its neurological involvement. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers neuroinflammation, which could significantly contribute to the development of long-term neurological symptoms and structural alterations in the gray matter. However, the existence of a consistent pattern of cerebral atrophy remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to identify patterns of brain involvement in recovered COVID-19 patients and explore potential relationships with clinical variables during hospitalization. METHODOLOGY In this study, we included 39 recovered patients and 39 controls from a pre-pandemic database to ensure their non-exposure to the virus. We obtained clinical data of the patients during hospitalization, and 3 months later; in addition we obtained T1-weighted magnetic resonance images and performed standard screening cognitive tests. RESULTS We identified two groups of recovered patients based on a cluster analysis of the significant cortical thickness differences between patients and controls. Group 1 displayed significant cortical thickness differences in specific cerebral regions, while Group 2 exhibited significant differences in the cerebellum, though neither group showed cognitive deterioration at the group level. Notably, Group 1 showed a tendency of higher D-dimer values during hospitalization compared to Group 2, prior to p-value correction. CONCLUSION This data-driven division into two groups based on the brain structural differences, and the possible link to D-dimer values may provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of SARS-COV-2 neurological disruption and its impact on the brain during and after recovery from the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Omar Romero-Molina
- Instituto de Neuroetologia, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Ramirez-Garcia
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Amanda Chirino-Perez
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Juan Fernandez-Ruiz
- Instituto de Neuroetologia, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Arraiza Zabalegui M. After the trans brain: a critique of the neurobiological accounts of embodied trans* identities. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 46:10. [PMID: 38305812 PMCID: PMC10837215 DOI: 10.1007/s40656-023-00602-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
This paper critically analyses three main neurobiological hypotheses on trans* identities: the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria, the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis, and the alternative hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception. In this study I focus then the attention on three elements: the issue of (de)pathologisation, the idea of the trans brain, and the aetiology of trans* identities. While the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria and the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis claim the existence of the trans brain, each offering its own neurobiological depiction, the hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception doesn't postulate a distinctive neurobiological trait for all trans* people. I problematize both portrayals of the trans brain departing from the findings and conceptualizations of the paradigm shifting brain mosaicism. Unlike the hypothesis of self-referential thinking and body perception that keeps the question of causation open, both the neurobiological theory about the origin of gender dysphoria and the neurodevelopmental cortical hypothesis situate the origin of trans* identities in the neurobiological domain. I challenge the biological deterministic framework in which this aetiology is inscribed from a dynamic processual entanglement perspective. Finally, concerning the issue of (de)pathologisation of trans* identities, an evolution can be seen in each of the hypothesis and among them, from the least to the most depathologising. However, I question their complete departure from a pathologising framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite Arraiza Zabalegui
- Department of Philosophy, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU), Donostia/San Sebastián, Spain.
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Ferraro S, Nigri A, Bruzzone MG, Medina Carrion JP, Fedeli D, Demichelis G, Chiapparini L, Ciullo G, Gonzalez AA, Proietti Cecchini A, Giani L, Becker B, Leone M. Involvement of the ipsilateral-to-the-pain anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit in chronic cluster headache. J Headache Pain 2024; 25:7. [PMID: 38212704 PMCID: PMC10782620 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01711-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite hypothalamus has long being considered to be involved in the pathophysiology of cluster headache, the inconsistencies of previous neuroimaging studies and a limited understanding of the hypothalamic areas involved, impede a comprehensive interpretation of its involvement in this condition. METHODS We used an automated algorithm to extract hypothalamic subunit volumes from 105 cluster headache patients (57 chronic and 48 episodic) and 59 healthy individuals; after correcting the measures for the respective intracranial volumes, we performed the relevant comparisons employing logist regression models. Only for subunits that emerged as abnormal, we calculated their correlation with the years of illness and the number of headache attacks per day, and the effects of lithium treatment. As a post-hoc approach, using the 7 T resting-state fMRI dataset from the Human Connectome Project, we investigated whether the observed abnormal subunit, comprising the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area, shows robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system, which is known to be modulated by oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and that is is abnormal in chronic cluster headache patients. RESULTS Patients with chronic (but not episodic) cluster headache, compared to control participants, present an increased volume of the anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit ipsilateral to the pain, which, remarkably, also correlates significantly with the number of daily attacks. The post-hoc approach showed that this hypothalamic area presents robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system under physiological conditions. No evidence of the effects of lithium treatment on this abnormal subunit was found. CONCLUSIONS We identified the ipsilateral-to-the-pain antero-superior subunit, where the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area are located, as the key hypothalamic region of the pathophysiology of chronic cluster headache. The significant correlation between the volume of this area and the number of daily attacks crucially reinforces this interpretation. The well-known roles of the paraventricular nucleus in coordinating autonomic and neuroendocrine flow in stress adaptation and modulation of trigeminovascular mechanisms offer important insights into the understanding of the pathophysiology of cluster headache.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Ferraro
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Jean Paul Medina Carrion
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Greta Demichelis
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Chiapparini
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Radiology Unit, Fodazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ciullo
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ariosky Areces Gonzalez
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca", Pinar del Río, Cuba
| | | | - Luca Giani
- Department of Neurology, Fondazione Maugeri, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Benjamin Becker
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Massimo Leone
- Department of Neuroalgology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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Thapaliya G, Kundu P, Jansen E, Naymik MA, Lee R, Bruchhage MMK, D’Sa V, Huentelman MJ, Lewis CR, Müller HG, Deoni SCL, Carnell S. FTO variation and early frontostriatal brain development in children. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2024; 32:156-165. [PMID: 37817330 PMCID: PMC10840826 DOI: 10.1002/oby.23926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Common obesity-associated genetic variants at the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) locus have been associated with appetitive behaviors and altered structure and function of frontostriatal brain regions. The authors aimed to investigate the influence of FTO variation on frontostriatal appetite circuits in early life. METHODS Data were drawn from RESONANCE, a longitudinal study of early brain development. Growth trajectories of nucleus accumbens and frontal lobe volumes, as well as total gray matter and white matter volume, by risk allele (AA) carrier status on FTO single-nucleotide polymorphism rs9939609 were examined in 228 children (102 female, 126 male) using magnetic resonance imaging assessments obtained from infancy through middle childhood. The authors fit functional concurrent regression models with brain volume outcomes over age as functional responses, and FTO genotype, sex, BMI z score, and maternal education were included as predictors. RESULTS Bootstrap pointwise 95% CI for regression coefficient functions in the functional concurrent regression models showed that the AA group versus the group with no risk allele (TT) had greater nucleus accumbens volume (adjusted for total brain volume) in the interval of 750 to 2250 days (2-6 years). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that common genetic risk for obesity is associated with differences in early development of brain reward circuitry and argue for investigating dynamic relationships among genotype, brain, behavior, and weight throughout development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gita Thapaliya
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Poorbita Kundu
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Elena Jansen
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | | | - Richard Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Muriel Marisa Katharina Bruchhage
- Advanced Baby Imaging Lab, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Psychology, Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Norway
| | - Viren D’Sa
- Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | | | - Candace R Lewis
- Neurogenomics Division, TGen, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Hans-Georg Müller
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sean C. L. Deoni
- Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Discovery & Tools, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Susan Carnell
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
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12
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Alex AM, Aguate F, Botteron K, Buss C, Chong YS, Dager SR, Donald KA, Entringer S, Fair DA, Fortier MV, Gaab N, Gilmore JH, Girault JB, Graham AM, Groenewold NA, Hazlett H, Lin W, Meaney MJ, Piven J, Qiu A, Rasmussen JM, Roos A, Schultz RT, Skeide MA, Stein DJ, Styner M, Thompson PM, Turesky TK, Wadhwa PD, Zar HJ, Zöllei L, de Los Campos G, Knickmeyer RC. A global multicohort study to map subcortical brain development and cognition in infancy and early childhood. Nat Neurosci 2024; 27:176-186. [PMID: 37996530 PMCID: PMC10774128 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01501-6] [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: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The human brain grows quickly during infancy and early childhood, but factors influencing brain maturation in this period remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we harmonized data from eight diverse cohorts, creating one of the largest pediatric neuroimaging datasets to date focused on birth to 6 years of age. We mapped the developmental trajectory of intracranial and subcortical volumes in ∼2,000 children and studied how sociodemographic factors and adverse birth outcomes influence brain structure and cognition. The amygdala was the first subcortical volume to mature, whereas the thalamus exhibited protracted development. Males had larger brain volumes than females, and children born preterm or with low birthweight showed catch-up growth with age. Socioeconomic factors exerted region- and time-specific effects. Regarding cognition, males scored lower than females; preterm birth affected all developmental areas tested, and socioeconomic factors affected visual reception and receptive language. Brain-cognition correlations revealed region-specific associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Alex
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Fernando Aguate
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Departments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Kelly Botteron
- Mallinickrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Claudia Buss
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yap-Seng Chong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kirsten A Donald
- Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Department of Medical Psychology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Damien A Fair
- Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Marielle V Fortier
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Imaging, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John H Gilmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jessica B Girault
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carboro, NC, USA
| | - Alice M Graham
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Nynke A Groenewold
- Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council (SA-MRC) Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Heather Hazlett
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carboro, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Weili Lin
- Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carboro, NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Anqi Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS (Suzhou) Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Suzhou, China
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Data Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, China
| | - Jerod M Rasmussen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Annerine Roos
- Division of Developmental Paediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Robert T Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Michael A Skeide
- Research Group Learning in Early Childhood, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dan J Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Martin Styner
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carboro, NC, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Stevens Neuroimaging & Informatics Institute, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, USA
| | - Ted K Turesky
- Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Pathik D Wadhwa
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Development, Health and Disease Research Program, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Epidemiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Heather J Zar
- South African Medical Research Council (SA-MRC) Unit on Child & Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Gustavo de Los Campos
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Departments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Statistics & Probability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Rebecca C Knickmeyer
- Institute for Quantitative Health Sciences and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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13
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Barth C, Nerland S, Jørgensen KN, Haatveit B, Wortinger LA, Melle I, Haukvik UK, Ueland T, Andreassen OA, Agartz I. Altered Sex Differences in Hippocampal Subfield Volumes in Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull 2024; 50:107-119. [PMID: 37354490 PMCID: PMC10754184 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad091] [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] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS The hippocampus is a heterogenous brain structure that differs between the sexes and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric illnesses. Here, we explored sex and diagnostic group differences in hippocampal subfield volumes, in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder (SZ), bipolar disorders (BD), and healthy controls (CTL). STUDY DESIGN One thousand and five hundred and twenty-one participants underwent T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (SZ, n = 452, mean age 30.7 ± 9.2 [SD] years, males 59.1%; BD, n = 316, 33.7 ± 11.4, 41.5%; CTL, n = 753, 34.1 ± 9.1, 55.6%). Total hippocampal, subfield, and intracranial volumes were estimated with Freesurfer (v6.0.0). Analysis of covariance and multiple regression models were fitted to examine sex-by-diagnostic (sub)group interactions in volume. In SZ and BD, separately, associations between volumes and clinical as well as cognitive measures were examined between the sexes using regression models. STUDY RESULTS Significant sex-by-group interactions were found for the total hippocampus, dentate gyrus, molecular layer, presubiculum, fimbria, hippocampal-amygdaloid transition area, and CA4, indicating a larger volumetric deficit in male patients relative to female patients when compared with same-sex CTL. Subgroup analyses revealed that this interaction was driven by males with schizophrenia. Effect sizes were overall small (partial η < 0.02). We found no significant sex differences in the associations between hippocampal volumes and clinical or cognitive measures in SZ and BD. CONCLUSIONS Using a well-powered sample, our findings indicate that the pattern of morphological sex differences in hippocampal subfields is altered in individuals with schizophrenia relative to CTL, due to higher volumetric deficits in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stener Nerland
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil N Jørgensen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatry, Telemark Hospital, Skien, Norway
| | - Beathe Haatveit
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Laura A Wortinger
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Melle
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Unn K Haukvik
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Adult Mental Health, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torill Ueland
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NORMENT, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Sanchis-Segura C, Wilcox RR, Cruz-Gómez AJ, Félix-Esbrí S, Sebastián-Tirado A, Forn C. Univariate and multivariate sex differences and similarities in gray matter volume within essential language-processing areas. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:90. [PMID: 38129916 PMCID: PMC10740309 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00575-y] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in language-related abilities have been reported. It is generally assumed that these differences stem from a different organization of language in the brains of females and males. However, research in this area has been relatively scarce, methodologically heterogeneous and has yielded conflicting results. METHODS Univariate and multivariate sex differences and similarities in gray matter volume (GMVOL) within 18 essential language-processing brain areas were assessed in a sex-balanced sample (N = 588) of right-handed young adults. Univariate analyses involved location, spread, and shape comparisons of the females' and males' distributions and were conducted with several robust statistical methods able to quantify the size of sex differences and similarities in a complementary way. Multivariate sex differences and similarities were estimated by the same methods in the continuous scores provided by two distinct multivariate procedures (logistic regression and a multivariate analog of the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Additional analyses were addressed to compare the outcomes of these two multivariate analytical strategies and described their structure (that is, the relative contribution of each brain area to the multivariate effects). RESULTS When not adjusted for total intracranial volume (TIV) variation, "large" univariate sex differences (males > females) were found in all 18 brain areas considered. In contrast, "small" differences (females > males) in just two of these brain areas were found when controlling for TIV. The two multivariate methods tested provided very similar results. Multivariate sex differences surpassed univariate differences, yielding "large" differences indicative of larger volumes in males when calculated from raw GMVOL estimates. Conversely, when calculated from TIV-adjusted GMVOL, multivariate differences were "medium" and indicative of larger volumes in females. Despite their distinct size and direction, multivariate sex differences in raw and TIV-adjusted GMVOL shared a similar structure and allowed us to identify the components of the SENT_CORE network which more likely contribute to the observed effects. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirm and extend previous findings about univariate sex differences in language-processing areas, offering unprecedented evidence at the multivariate level. We also observed that the size and direction of these differences vary quite substantially depending on whether they are estimated from raw or TIV-adjusted GMVOL measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Sanchis-Segura
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica Clinica I Psicobiología, Facultat de Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain.
| | - Rand R Wilcox
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | | | - Sonia Félix-Esbrí
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica Clinica I Psicobiología, Facultat de Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Alba Sebastián-Tirado
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica Clinica I Psicobiología, Facultat de Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
| | - Cristina Forn
- Departament de Psicologia Bàsica Clinica I Psicobiología, Facultat de Ciències de La Salut, Universitat Jaume I, Avda Sos Baynat, SN, 12071, Castelló, Spain
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15
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Spalek K, Coynel D, de Quervain D, Milnik A. Sex-dependent differences in connectivity patterns are related to episodic memory recall. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:5612-5623. [PMID: 37647201 PMCID: PMC10619411 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26465] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that females typically outperform males on episodic memory tasks. In this study, we investigated if (1) there are differences between males and females in their connectome characteristics, (2) if these connectivity patterns are associated with memory performance, and (3) if these brain connectome characteristics contribute to the differences in episodic memory performance between sexes. In a sample of 655 healthy young subjects (n = 391 females; n = 264 males), we derived brain network characteristics from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data using models of crossing fibers within each voxel of the brain and probabilistic tractography (graph strength, shortest path length, global efficiency, and weighted transitivity). Group differences were analysed with linear models and mediation analyses were used to explore how connectivity patterns might relate to sex-dependent differences in memory performance. Our results show significant sex-dependent differences in weighted transitivity (d = 0.42), with males showing higher values. Further, we observed a negative association between weighted transitivity and memory performance (r = -0.12). Finally, these distinct connectome characteristics partially mediated the observed differences in memory performance (effect size of the indirect effect r = 0.02). Our findings indicate a higher interconnectedness in females compared to males. Additionally, we demonstrate that the sex-dependent differences in episodic memory performance can be partially explained by the differences in this connectome measure. These results further underscore the importance of sex-dependent differences in brain connectivity and their impact on cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Spalek
- Division of Cognitive NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Division of Molecular NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Hoekzema Lab, Adult PsychiatryUniversity Medical Centre AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - David Coynel
- Division of Cognitive NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive NeurosciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Dominique de Quervain
- Division of Cognitive NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Research Cluster Molecular and Cognitive NeurosciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Annette Milnik
- Division of Cognitive NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Division of Molecular NeuroscienceDepartment of BiomedicineUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Psychiatric University Clinics, University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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16
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Ewald VAM, Purnell JR, Bruss JE, Barsotti EJ, Aldine AS, Mahachi KG, Wemmie JA, Magnotta VA, Boes AD, Parker KL, Fiedorowicz JG. Posterior Fossa Sub-Arachnoid Cysts Observed in Patients with Bipolar Disorder: a Retrospective Cohort Study. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 22:370-378. [PMID: 35568792 PMCID: PMC9659668 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01408-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Posterior fossa arachnoid cysts (PFACs) are rare congenital abnormalities observed in 0.3 to 1.7% of the population and are traditionally thought to be benign. While conducting a neuroimaging study investigating cerebellar structure in bipolar disorder, we observed a higher incidence of PFACs in bipolar patients (5 of 75; 6.6%) compared to the neuronormative control group (1 of 54; 1.8%). In this report, we detail the cases of the five patients with bipolar disorder who presented with PFACs. Additionally, we compare neuropsychiatric measures and cerebellar volumes of these patients to neuronormative controls and bipolar controls (those with bipolar disorder without neuroanatomical abnormalities). Our findings suggest that patients with bipolar disorder who also present with PFACs may have a milder symptom constellation relative to patients with bipolar disorder and no neuroanatomical abnormalities. Furthermore, our observations align with prior literature suggesting an association between PFACs and psychiatric symptoms that warrants further study. While acknowledging sample size limitations, our primary aim in the present work is to highlight a connection between PFACs and BD-associated symptoms and encourage further study of cerebellar abnormalities in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victόria A Müller Ewald
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
| | - Jessica R Purnell
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
| | - Joel E Bruss
- Department of Neurology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Ercole J Barsotti
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Amro S Aldine
- Department of Radiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Kurayi G Mahachi
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - John A Wemmie
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
| | - Vincent A Magnotta
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
- Department of Radiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Aaron D Boes
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Krystal L Parker
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Iowa, 195-207 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
| | - Jess G Fiedorowicz
- Brain and Mind Institute, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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17
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Lampe L, Huppertz HJ, Anderl-Straub S, Albrecht F, Ballarini T, Bisenius S, Mueller K, Niehaus S, Fassbender K, Fliessbach K, Jahn H, Kornhuber J, Lauer M, Prudlo J, Schneider A, Synofzik M, Kassubek J, Danek A, Villringer A, Diehl-Schmid J, Otto M, Schroeter ML. Multiclass prediction of different dementia syndromes based on multi-centric volumetric MRI imaging. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 37:103320. [PMID: 36623349 PMCID: PMC9850041 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dementia syndromes can be difficult to diagnose. We aimed at building a classifier for multiple dementia syndromes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS Atlas-based volumetry was performed on T1-weighted MRI data of 426 patients and 51 controls from the multi-centric German Research Consortium of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration including patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, the three subtypes of primary progressive aphasia, i.e., semantic, logopenic and nonfluent-agrammatic variant, and the atypical parkinsonian syndromes progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome. Support vector machine classification was used to classify each patient group against controls (binary classification) and all seven diagnostic groups against each other in a multi-syndrome classifier (multiclass classification). RESULTS The binary classification models reached high prediction accuracies between 71 and 95% with a chance level of 50%. Feature importance reflected disease-specific atrophy patterns. The multi-syndrome model reached accuracies of more than three times higher than chance level but was far from 100%. Multi-syndrome model performance was not homogenous across dementia syndromes, with better performance in syndromes characterized by regionally specific atrophy patterns. Whereas diseases generally could be classified vs controls more correctly with increasing severity and duration, differentiation between diseases was optimal in disease-specific windows of severity and duration. DISCUSSION Results suggest that automated methods applied to MR imaging data can support physicians in diagnosis of dementia syndromes. It is particularly relevant for orphan diseases beside frequent syndromes such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Lampe
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Clinic Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Franziska Albrecht
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tommaso Ballarini
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sandrine Bisenius
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Karsten Mueller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Niehaus
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Klaus Fliessbach
- Clinic for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Holger Jahn
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Lauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Prudlo
- Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, and DZNE, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anja Schneider
- Clinic for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Bonn, and German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Goettingen, Germany
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Centre for Neurology & Hertie-lnstitute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Germany & DZNE, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany
| | - Adrian Danek
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, München, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Clinic Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janine Diehl-Schmid
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Halle, Germany
| | - Matthias L Schroeter
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Clinic Leipzig, Germany.
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18
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Nerland S, Stokkan TS, Jørgensen KN, Wortinger LA, Richard G, Beck D, van der Meer D, Westlye LT, Andreassen OA, Agartz I, Barth C. A comparison of intracranial volume estimation methods and their cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with age. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4620-4639. [PMID: 35708198 PMCID: PMC9491281 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracranial volume (ICV) is frequently used in volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, both as a covariate and as a variable of interest. Findings of associations between ICV and age have varied, potentially due to differences in ICV estimation methods. Here, we compared five commonly used ICV estimation methods and their associations with age. T1-weighted cross-sectional MRI data was included for 651 healthy individuals recruited through the NORMENT Centre (mean age = 46.1 years, range = 12.0-85.8 years) and 2410 healthy individuals recruited through the UK Biobank study (UKB, mean age = 63.2 years, range = 47.0-80.3 years), where longitudinal data was also available. ICV was estimated with FreeSurfer (eTIV and sbTIV), SPM12, CAT12, and FSL. We found overall high correlations across ICV estimation method, with the lowest observed correlations between FSL and eTIV (r = .87) and between FSL and CAT12 (r = .89). Widespread proportional bias was found, indicating that the agreement between methods varied as a function of head size. Body weight, age, sex, and mean ICV across methods explained the most variance in the differences between ICV estimation methods, indicating possible confounding for some estimation methods. We found both positive and negative cross-sectional associations with age, depending on dataset and ICV estimation method. Longitudinal ICV reductions were found for all ICV estimation methods, with annual percentage change ranging from -0.293% to -0.416%. This convergence of longitudinal results across ICV estimation methods offers strong evidence for age-related ICV reductions in mid- to late adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stener Nerland
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Therese S Stokkan
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kjetil N Jørgensen
- NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychiatry, Telemark Hospital, Skien, Norway
| | - Laura A Wortinger
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Geneviève Richard
- NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dani Beck
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars T Westlye
- NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ingrid Agartz
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm Region, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,NORMENT, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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19
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von Hanno T, Hareide LL, Småbrekke L, Morseth B, Sneve M, Erke MG, Mathiesen EB, Bertelsen G. Macular Layer Thickness and Effect of BMI, Body Fat, and Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors: The Tromsø Study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:16. [PMID: 35960516 PMCID: PMC9396695 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.9.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between cardiovascular risk factors and the thickness of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), and outer retina layers (ORL). Methods In this population-based study, we included participants from the Tromsø Study: Tromsø6 (2007 to 2008) and Tromsø7 (2015 to 2016). Persons with diabetes and/or diagnosed glaucoma were excluded from this study. Retinal thickness was measured on optical coherence tomography (Cirrus HD-OCT) macula-scans, segmented on RNFL, GCIPL, and ORL and associations were analyzed cross-sectionally (N = 8288) and longitudinally (N = 2595). We used directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) for model selection, and linear regression to adjust for confounders and mediators in models assessing direct effects. Factors examined were age, sex, blood pressure, daily smoking, serum lipids, glycated hemoglobin, body mass index (BMI), total body fat percentage (BFP), and the adjustment variables refraction and height. Results The explained variance of cardiovascular risk factors was highest in GCIPL (0.126). GCIPL had a strong negative association with age. Women had thicker GCIPL than men at higher age and thinner ORL at all ages (P < 0.001). Systolic blood pressure was negatively associated with RNFL/GCIPL (P = 0.001/0.004), with indication of a U-shaped relationship with GCIPL in women. The negative association with BMI was strongest in men, with significant effect for RNFL/GCIPL/ORL (P = 0.001/<0.001/0.019) and in women for GCIPL/ORL (P = 0.030/0.037). BFP was negatively associated with GCIPL (P = 0.01). Higher baseline BMI was associated with a reduction in GCIPL over 8 years (P = 0.03). Conclusions Cardiovascular risk factors explained 12.6% of the variance in GCIPL, with weight and blood pressure the most important modifiable factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Therese von Hanno
- Department of Ophthalmology, Nordland Hospital Trust, Bodø, Norway.,Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Lars Småbrekke
- Department of Pharmacy, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bente Morseth
- School of Sport Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Monica Sneve
- Hospital Administration, Bærum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Bærum, Norway.,Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Maja Gran Erke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Directorate of eHealth, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ellisiv Bøgeberg Mathiesen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Geir Bertelsen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.,Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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20
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Dorfschmidt L, Bethlehem RA, Seidlitz J, Váša F, White SR, Romero-García R, Kitzbichler MG, Aruldass AR, Morgan SE, Goodyer IM, Fonagy P, Jones PB, Dolan RJ, Harrison NA, Vértes PE, Bullmore ET. Sexually divergent development of depression-related brain networks during healthy human adolescence. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm7825. [PMID: 35622918 PMCID: PMC9140984 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Sexual differences in human brain development could be relevant to sex differences in the incidence of depression during adolescence. We tested for sex differences in parameters of normative brain network development using fMRI data on N = 298 healthy adolescents, aged 14 to 26 years, each scanned one to three times. Sexually divergent development of functional connectivity was located in the default mode network, limbic cortex, and subcortical nuclei. Females had a more "disruptive" pattern of development, where weak functional connectivity at age 14 became stronger during adolescence. This fMRI-derived map of sexually divergent brain network development was robustly colocated with i prior loci of reward-related brain activation ii a map of functional dysconnectivity in major depressive disorder (MDD), and iii an adult brain gene transcriptional pattern enriched for genes on the X chromosome, neurodevelopmental genes, and risk genes for MDD. We found normative sexual divergence in adolescent development of a cortico-subcortical brain functional network that is relevant to depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Dorfschmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | | | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - František Váša
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Simon R. White
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | | | | | - Athina R. Aruldass
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Sarah E. Morgan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
- The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, UK
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Ian M. Goodyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Peter Fonagy
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Peter B. Jones
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Huntingdon PE29 3RJ, UK
| | - Ray J. Dolan
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London WC1B 5EH, UK
| | | | - Neil A. Harrison
- Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex Campus, Brighton BN1 9RY, UK
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Petra E. Vértes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Edward T. Bullmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
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21
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Opfer R, Krüger J, Spies L, Kitzler HH, Schippling S, Buchert R. Single-subject analysis of regional brain volumetric measures can be strongly influenced by the method for head size adjustment. Neuroradiology 2022; 64:2001-2009. [PMID: 35462574 PMCID: PMC9474386 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-022-02961-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Total intracranial volume (TIV) is often a nuisance covariate in MRI-based brain volumetry. This study compared two TIV adjustment methods with respect to their impact on z-scores in single subject analyses of regional brain volume estimates. Methods Brain parenchyma, hippocampus, thalamus, and TIV were segmented in a normal database comprising 5059 T1w images. Regional volume estimates were adjusted for TIV using the residual method or the proportion method. Age was taken into account by regression with both methods. TIV- and age-adjusted regional volumes were transformed to z-scores and then compared between the two adjustment methods. Their impact on the detection of thalamus atrophy was tested in 127 patients with multiple sclerosis. Results The residual method removed the association with TIV in all regions. The proportion method resulted in a switch of the direction without relevant change of the strength of the association. The reduction of physiological between-subject variability was larger with the residual method than with the proportion method. The difference between z-scores obtained with the residual method versus the proportion method was strongly correlated with TIV. It was larger than one z-score point in 5% of the subjects. The area under the ROC curve of the TIV- and age-adjusted thalamus volume for identification of multiple sclerosis patients was larger with the residual method than with the proportion method (0.84 versus 0.79). Conclusion The residual method should be preferred for TIV and age adjustments of T1w-MRI-based brain volume estimates in single subject analyses. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00234-022-02961-6.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hagen H Kitzler
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sven Schippling
- Center for Neuroscience Zurich (ZNZ), Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Multimodal Imaging in Neuroimmunological Diseases (MINDS), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ralph Buchert
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
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22
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Relationships between Personality Traits and Brain Gray Matter Are Different in Risky and Non-risky Drivers. Behav Neurol 2022; 2022:1775777. [PMID: 35422888 PMCID: PMC9005327 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1775777] [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: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Personality traits such as impulsivity or sensitivity to rewards and punishments have been associated with risky driving behavior, but it is still unclear how brain anatomy is related to these traits as a function of risky driving. In the present study, we explore the neuroanatomical basis of risky driving behavior and how the level of risk-taking influences the relationship between the traits of impulsivity and sensitivity to rewards and punishments and brain gray matter volume. One hundred forty-four participants with different risk-taking tendencies assessed by real-life driving situations underwent MRI. Personality traits were assessed with self-report measures. We observed that the total gray matter volume varied as a function of risky driving tendencies, with higher risk individuals showing lower gray matter volumes. Similar results were found for volumes of brain areas involved in the reward and cognitive control networks, such as the frontotemporal, parietal, limbic, and cerebellar cortices. We have also shown that sensitivity to reward and punishment and impulsivity are differentially related to gray matter volumes as a function of risky driving tendencies. Highly risky individuals show lower absolute correlations with gray matter volumes than less risk-prone individuals. Taken together, our results show that risky drivers differ in the brain structure of the areas involved in reward processing, cognitive control, and behavioral modulation, which may lead to dysfunctional decision-making and riskier driving behavior.
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23
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Damme KSF, Alloy LB, Kelley NJ, Carroll A, Young CB, Chein J, Ng TH, Titone MK, Bart CP, Nusslock R. Bipolar spectrum disorders are associated with increased gray matter volume in the medial orbitofrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. JCPP ADVANCES 2022; 2:e12068. [PMID: 36714682 PMCID: PMC9879263 DOI: 10.1002/jcv2.12068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Elevated sensitivity to rewards prospectively predicts Bipolar Spectrum Disorder (BSD) onset; however, it is unclear whether volumetric abnormalities also reflect BSD risk. BSDs emerge when critical neurodevelopment in frontal and striatal regions occurs in sex-specific ways. The current paper examined the volume of frontal and striatal brain regions in both individuals with and at risk for a BSD with exploratory analyses examining sex-specificity. Methods One hundred fourteen medication-free individuals ages 18-27 at low-risk for BSD (moderate-reward sensitivity; N = 37), at high-risk without a BSD (high-reward sensitivity; N = 47), or with a BSD (N = 30) completed a structural MRI scan of the brain. We examined group differences in gray matter volume in a priori medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) regions-of-interest. Results The BSD group had enlarged frontostriatal volumes (mOFC, NAcc) compared to low individuals (d = 1.01). The mOFC volume in BSD was larger than low-risk (d = 1.01) and the high-risk groups (d = 0.74). This effect was driven by males with a BSD, who showed an enlarged mOFC compared to low (d = 1.01) and high-risk males (d = 0.74). Males with a BSD also showed a greater NAcc volume compared to males at low-risk (d = 0.49), but not high-risk males. Conclusions An enlarged frontostriatal volume (averaged mOFC, NAcc) is associated with the presence of a BSD, while subvolumes (mOFC vs. NAcc) showed unique patterning in relation to risk. We report preliminary evidence that sex moderates frontostriatal volume in BSD, highlighting the need for larger longitudinal risk studies examining the role of sex-specific neurodevelopmental trajectories in emerging BSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lauren B. Alloy
- Department of PsychologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Ann Carroll
- Department of PsychologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
| | | | - Jason Chein
- Department of PsychologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Tommy H. Ng
- Department of PsychologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Madison K. Titone
- Department of PsychologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Corinne P. Bart
- Department of PsychologyTemple UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Robin Nusslock
- Department of PsychologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinoisUSA
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24
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Calderoni S. Sex/gender differences in children with autism spectrum disorder: A brief overview on epidemiology, symptom profile, and neuroanatomy. J Neurosci Res 2022; 101:739-750. [PMID: 35043482 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental conditions whose shared core features are impairments in social interaction and communication as well as restricted patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The significant and consistent male preponderance in ASD prevalence has historically affected the scientific knowledge of autism in females as regards, inter alia, the clinical presentation, the genetic architecture, and the structural brain underpinnings. Indeed, females with ASD are under-investigated as samples recruited for clinical research typically reflect the strong male bias of the disorder. In the last years, the study of the various aspects of sex/gender (s/g) differences in ASD is gaining increased clinical and research interest resulting in a growing number of investigations on this topic. Here, I review and discuss evidence emerged from epidemiological, clinical, and neuroimaging studies in the last decade focusing on s/g differences in children with ASD. These studies are the prerequisites for the development of assessment and treatment practices which take into consideration s/g differences in ASD. Ultimately, a better understanding of s/g differences aims at improving healthcare for both ASD males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Calderoni
- Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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25
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Fitsch H, Lysen F, Choudhury S. Editorial: Challenges of Interdisciplinary Research in the Field of Critical (Sex/Gender) Neuroscience. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2022; 6:797089. [PMID: 35097062 PMCID: PMC8790657 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2021.797089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Fitsch
- Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Frauen- und Geschlechterforschung, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Flora Lysen
- Department Society Studies, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Suparna Choudhury
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry Montreal, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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26
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Trujillo AK, Kessé EN, Rollin O, Della Sala S, Cubelli R. A discussion on the notion of race in cognitive neuroscience research. Cortex 2021; 150:153-164. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Duchesne A, Kaiser Trujillo A. Reflections on Neurofeminism and Intersectionality Using Insights From Psychology. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:684412. [PMID: 34658813 PMCID: PMC8513714 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.684412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intersectionality contends that sex/gender is constituted of and with other social categories, and that the social structures giving rise to inequality should be addressed in research. This is a powerful and important perspective from which to investigate the processes and consequences of social group memberships, one which has been overlooked by most neuroscientific research. In particular, neurofeminism, a field of critical neuroscience that challenges neuroscientific assumptions, methods and interpretations of data that reinforce sexism, has ignored intersectionality to date. In contrast, research in the field of psychology has been engaging with intersectionality for more than a decade. In reflecting on how intersectionality has advanced feminist research in psychology, this paper provides a critical analysis of potential novel research avenues for neurofeminism. We identify three main research themes guided by intersectionality. The first theme involves research centered on understanding the socio-structural causes of health inequalities experienced by individuals with intersecting marginalized social identities; the second concerns research addressing the psychological processing of social group memberships that underlies the enactment of systemic discriminatory practices; and the third theme comprises intersectionality research that aims to challenge psychological epistemology. Drawing parallels between the fields of psychology and neuroscience, we explore the potential benefits and risks of advancing an intersectionality-informed neurofeminism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Duchesne
- Department of Psychology, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
| | - Anelis Kaiser Trujillo
- Gender Studies in STEM, Institute of Computer Science, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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28
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Sex/gender differences in the brain are not trivial-A commentary on Eliot et al. (2021). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:408-409. [PMID: 34509515 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this commentary to the comprehensive review by Eliot et al. (2021), we fully comply with rejecting the 'sexual dimorphism' concept in its extreme, binary form. However, we criticise the authors' extreme position and argue that sex/gender differences in the brain are far from being 'trivial' and 'unlikely to be meaningful'. Our key arguments refer to the importance of small effects which can have meaningful behavioural consequences, and to several non-binary sex/gender-related factors which might explain individual differences better than sex/gender per se and which have shown to play important roles as risk factors in the aetiology of many mental and neurodevelopmental disorders. We conclude that the biopsychosocial approach is key to understanding sex/gender differences in the brain better than we currently do.
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29
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Joel D. Beyond the binary: Rethinking sex and the brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 122:165-175. [PMID: 33440198 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The paper reviews the relations between sex and brain in light of the binary conceptualization of these relations and the challenges posed to it by the 'mosaic' hypothesis. Recent formulations of the binary framework range from arguing that the typical male brain is different from the typical female brain to claiming that brains are typically male or female because brain structure can be used to predict the sex category (female/male) of the brain's owner. These formulations are challenged by evidence that sex effects on the brain may be opposite under different conditions, that human brains are comprised of mosaics of female-typical and male-typical features, and that sex category explains only a small part of the variability in human brain structure. These findings led to a new, non-binary, framework, according to which mosaic brains reside in a multi-dimensional space that cannot meaningfully be reduced to a male-female continuum or to a binary variable. This framework may also apply to sex-related variables and has implications for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphna Joel
- School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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30
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Bryant KL, Li L, Eichert N, Mars RB. A comprehensive atlas of white matter tracts in the chimpanzee. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000971. [PMID: 33383575 PMCID: PMC7806129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are, along with bonobos, humans’ closest living relatives. The advent of diffusion MRI tractography in recent years has allowed a resurgence of comparative neuroanatomical studies in humans and other primate species. Here we offer, in comparative perspective, the first chimpanzee white matter atlas, constructed from in vivo chimpanzee diffusion-weighted scans. Comparative white matter atlases provide a useful tool for identifying neuroanatomical differences and similarities between humans and other primate species. Until now, comprehensive fascicular atlases have been created for humans (Homo sapiens), rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), and several other nonhuman primate species, but never in a nonhuman ape. Information on chimpanzee neuroanatomy is essential for understanding the anatomical specializations of white matter organization that are unique to the human lineage. Diffusion MRI tractography reveals the first complete atlas of white matter of the chimpanzee, with the potential to help understand differences between the organization of human and chimpanzee brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L. Bryant
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Longchuan Li
- Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nicole Eichert
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rogier B. Mars
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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31
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von Vaupel-Klein AM, Walsh RJ. Considerations in genetic counseling of transgender patients: Cultural competencies and altered disease risk profiles. J Genet Couns 2020; 30:98-109. [PMID: 33368789 PMCID: PMC7898523 DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Transgender people are a growing population with specific healthcare needs, barriers to care, and disease risk factors. Cultural competencies for working with transgender people in healthcare settings are essential to reduce barriers to care and combat the associated health disparities. Genetic counselors support their patients to understand and manage medically and personally complex life events and decisions. A genetic counselor caring for a transgender patient or a patient with a transgender relative will therefore require specific cultural competencies and medical knowledge that may not have been covered in their training. Transgender health is also a relatively young field in which new insights may quickly become fundamental. The present paper therefore provides an overview of current best practices for culturally sensitive working with transgender patients, and an introduction to the additional considerations for assessment of disease risk in transgender people. Guidance on how to ensure communication with patients and other stakeholders is inclusive and affirming of transgender identities, is offered. Medical interventions used for gender transitions are described, and their (potential) effects on cancer and cardiovascular disease risk are discussed. Furthermore, the effects of sociocultural risk factors such as minority stress are outlined. In sum, we invite the reader to consider the specific biological, psychological, and social context of the consultation. Finally, we explore culturally competent approaches to pedigree charting and physical examinations with transgender people and provide recommendations for practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reubs J Walsh
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES), Ashtead, UK
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Walsh RJ. "Masculine" Describes Gender Expressions, Not Neurobiologies: Response to Dutton and Madison (2020). SEXUALITY RESEARCH & SOCIAL POLICY : JOURNAL OF NSRC : SR & SP 2020; 18:805-807. [PMID: 34721712 PMCID: PMC8550351 DOI: 10.1007/s13178-020-00502-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This letter is a response to "Gender Dysphoria and Transgender Identity Is Associated with Physiological and Psychological Masculinization: a Theoretical Integration of Findings, Supported by Systematic Reviews" by Dutton and Madison (2020), which relies on theorisations for which substantial counter-evidence exists, fails to engage with these or other criticisms of the theories upon which it seeks to build, and reaches conclusions that contradict existing evidence. Furthermore, the original theorisations contained in Dutton and Madison (2020), and the conclusions drawn from those theorisations, risk causing serious harm to already-marginalised groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reubs J Walsh
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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