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Murillo C, López-Sola M, Cagnie B, Suñol M, Smeets RJEM, Coppieters I, Cnockaert E, Meeus M, Timmers I. Gray Matter Adaptations to Chronic Pain in People with Whiplash-Associated Disorders are Partially Reversed After Treatment: A Voxel-based Morphometry Study. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104471. [PMID: 38232862 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.01.336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Gray matter (GM) changes are often observed in people with chronic spinal pain, including those with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (CWAD). These GM adaptations may be reversed with treatment, at least partially. Pain neuroscience education combined with exercise (PNE+Exercise) is an effective treatment, but its neural underlying mechanisms still remain unexplored in CWAD. Here, we performed both cross-sectional and longitudinal voxel-based morphometry to 1) identify potential GM alterations in people with CWAD (n = 63) compared to age- and sex-matched pain-free controls (n = 32), and 2) determine whether these GM alterations might be reversed following PNE+Exercise (compared to conventional physiotherapy). The cross-sectional whole-brain analysis revealed that individuals with CWAD had less GM volume in the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left inferior temporal gyrus which was, in turn, associated with higher pain vigilance. Fifty individuals with CWAD and 29 pain-free controls were retained in the longitudinal analysis. GM in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increased after treatment in people with CWAD. Moreover, the longitudinal whole-brain analysis revealed that individuals with CWAD had decreases in GM volumes of the left and right central operculum and supramarginal after treatment. These changes were not specific to treatment modality and some were not observed in pain-free controls over time. Herewith, we provide the first evidence on how GM adaptations to CWAD respond to treatment. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents which gray matter adaptations are present in people with chronic pain after whiplash injuries. Then, we examine the treatment effect on these alterations as well as whether other neuroplastic effects on GM following treatment occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Murillo
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Marina López-Sola
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Cagnie
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - María Suñol
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rob J E M Smeets
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Coppieters
- Laboratory for Brain-Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Department of chronic diseases and metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
| | - Elise Cnockaert
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Mira Meeus
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium; MOVANT research group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Inge Timmers
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
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2
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Cobia D, Haut MW, Revill KP, Rellick SL, Nudo RJ, Wischnewski M, Buetefisch CM. Gray matter volume of functionally relevant primary motor cortex is causally related to learning a hand motor task. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae210. [PMID: 38771243 PMCID: PMC11107379 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Variability in brain structure is associated with the capacity for behavioral change. However, a causal link between specific brain areas and behavioral change (such as motor learning) has not been demonstrated. We hypothesized that greater gray matter volume of a primary motor cortex (M1) area active during a hand motor learning task is positively correlated with subsequent learning of the task, and that the disruption of this area blocks learning of the task. Healthy participants underwent structural MRI before learning a skilled hand motor task. Next, participants performed this learning task during fMRI to determine M1 areas functionally active during this task. This functional ROI was anatomically constrained with M1 boundaries to create a group-level "Active-M1" ROI used to measure gray matter volume in each participant. Greater gray matter volume in the left hemisphere Active-M1 ROI was related to greater motor learning in the corresponding right hand. When M1 hand area was disrupted with repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS), learning of the motor task was blocked, confirming its causal link to motor learning. Our combined imaging and rTMS approach revealed greater cortical volume in a task-relevant M1 area is causally related to learning of a hand motor task in healthy humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derin Cobia
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Center, 1036 KMBL, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Marc W Haut
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, 33 Medical Center Dr., West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Neurology, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, 33 Medical Center Dr., West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
- Department of Radiology, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, 33 Medical Center Dr., West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Kate P Revill
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Stephanie L Rellick
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, 33 Medical Center Dr., West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Randolph J Nudo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Miles Wischnewski
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, 1441 Clifton Road NE, Suite 236 C, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Cathrin M Buetefisch
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, 1441 Clifton Road NE, Suite 236 C, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University, 1441 Clifton Road NE, Suite 236 C, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Radiology, Emory University, 1441 Clifton Road NE, Suite 236 C, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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3
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Cannella N, Tambalo S, Lunerti V, Scuppa G, de Vivo L, Abdulmalek S, Kinen A, Mackle J, Kuhn B, Solberg Woods LC, Chung D, Kalivas P, Soverchia L, Ubaldi M, Hardiman G, Bifone A, Ciccocioppo R. Long-access heroin self-administration induces region specific reduction of grey matter volume and microglia reactivity in the rat. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:210-220. [PMID: 38452987 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
In opioid use disorder (OUD) patients, a decrease in brain grey matter volume (GMV) has been reported. It is unclear whether this is the consequence of prolonged exposure to opioids or is a predisposing causal factor in OUD development. To investigate this, we conducted a structural MRI longitudinal study in NIH Heterogeneous Stock rats exposed to heroin self-administration and age-matched naïve controls housed in the same controlled environment. Structural MRI scans were acquired before (MRI1) and after (MRI2) a prolonged period of long access heroin self-administration resulting in escalation of drug intake. Heroin intake resulted in reduced GMV in various cortical and sub-cortical brain regions. In drug-naïve controls no difference was found between MRI1 and MRI2. Notably, the degree of GMV reduction in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the insula positively correlated with the amount of heroin consumed and the escalation of heroin use. In a preliminary gene expression analysis, we identified a number of transcripts linked to immune response and neuroinflammation. This prompted us to hypothesize a link between changes in microglia homeostasis and loss of GMV. For this reason, we analyzed the number and morphology of microglial cells in the mPFC and insula. The number of neurons and their morphology was also evaluated. The primary motor cortex, where no GMV change was observed, was used as negative control. We found no differences in the number of neurons and microglia cells following heroin. However, in the same regions where reduced GMV was detected, we observed a shift towards a rounder shape and size reduction in microglia, suggestive of their homeostatic change towards a reactive state. Altogether these findings suggest that escalation of heroin intake correlates with loss of GMV in specific brain regions and that this phenomenon is linked to changes in microglial morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazzareno Cannella
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
| | - Stefano Tambalo
- CIMeC, Center for Mind/Brain Science, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Veronica Lunerti
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Giulia Scuppa
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Luisa de Vivo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Analia Kinen
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy; Faculty of Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, UK
| | - James Mackle
- Faculty of Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, UK
| | - Brittany Kuhn
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston (SC), USA
| | | | - Dongjun Chung
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus (OH), USA
| | - Peter Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston (SC), USA
| | - Laura Soverchia
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Massimo Ubaldi
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | | | - Angelo Bifone
- Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @UniTn, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rovereto, Italy; Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Roberto Ciccocioppo
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmacology Unit, Center for Neuroscience, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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4
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Fitzsimmons SMDD, Oostra E, Postma TS, van der Werf YD, van den Heuvel OA. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation-Induced Neuroplasticity and the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: State of the Evidence and Future Opportunities. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:592-600. [PMID: 38040046 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Neuroplasticity, or activity-dependent neuronal change, is a crucial mechanism underlying the mechanisms of effect of many therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders, one of which is repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Understanding the neuroplastic effects of rTMS at different biological scales and on different timescales and how the effects at different scales interact with each other can help us understand the effects of rTMS in clinical populations and offers the potential to improve treatment outcomes. Several decades of research in the fields of neuroimaging and blood biomarkers is increasingly showing its clinical relevance, allowing measurement of the synaptic, functional, and structural changes involved in neuroplasticity in humans. In this narrative review, we describe the evidence for rTMS-induced neuroplasticity at multiple levels of the nervous system, with a focus on the treatment of psychiatric disorders. We also describe the relationship between neuroplasticity and clinical effects, discuss methods to optimize neuroplasticity, and identify future research opportunities in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie M D D Fitzsimmons
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Compulsivity Impulsivity and Attention Program, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Eva Oostra
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress Program, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; GGZ inGeest Mental Health Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tjardo S Postma
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Compulsivity Impulsivity and Attention Program, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; GGZ inGeest Mental Health Care, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ysbrand D van der Werf
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Compulsivity Impulsivity and Attention Program, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Odile A van den Heuvel
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Compulsivity Impulsivity and Attention Program, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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5
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Cannella N, Tambalo S, Lunerti V, Scuppa G, de Vivo L, Abdulmalek S, Kinen A, Mackle J, Kuhn B, Solberg Woods LC, Chung D, Kalivas P, Soverchia L, Ubaldi M, Hardiman G, Bifone A, Ciccocioppo R. Long-access heroin self-administration induces region specific reduction of grey matter volume and microglia reactivity in the rat. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.26.582024. [PMID: 38463974 PMCID: PMC10925188 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.26.582024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
In opioid use disorder (OUD) patients, a decrease in brain grey matter volume (GMV) has been reported. It is unclear whether this is the consequence of prolonged exposure to opioids or is a predisposing causal factor in OUD development. To investigate this, we conducted a structural MRI longitudinal study in NIH Heterogeneous Stock rats exposed to heroin self-administration and age-matched naïve controls housed in the same controlled environment. Structural MRI scans were acquired before (MRI 1 ) and after (MRI 2 ) a prolonged period of long access heroin self-administration resulting in escalation of drug intake. Heroin intake resulted in reduced GMV in various cortical and sub-cortical brain regions. In drug-naïve controls no difference was found between MRI 1 and MRI 2 . Notably, the degree of GMV reduction in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the insula positively correlated with the amount of heroin consumed and the escalation of heroin use. In a preliminary gene expression analysis, we identified a number of transcripts linked to immune response and neuroinflammation. This prompted us to hypothesize a link between changes in microglia homeostasis and loss of GMV. For this reason, we analyzed the number and morphology of microglial cells in the mPFC and insula. The number of neurons and their morphology was also evaluated. The primary motor cortex, where no GMV change was observed, was used as negative control. We found no differences in the number of neurons and microglia cells following heroin. However, in the same regions where reduced GMV was detected, we observed a shift towards a rounder shape and size reduction in microglia, suggestive of their homeostatic change towards a reactive state. Altogether these findings suggest that escalation of heroin intake correlates with loss of GMV in specific brain regions and that this phenomenon is linked to changes in microglial morphology.
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6
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Nehls S, Losse E, Enzensberger C, Frodl T, Chechko N. Time-sensitive changes in the maternal brain and their influence on mother-child attachment. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:84. [PMID: 38331939 PMCID: PMC10853535 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02805-2] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and the postpartum period are characterized by an increased neuroplasticity in the maternal brain. To explore the dynamics of postpartum changes in gray matter volume (GMV), magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 20 healthy postpartum women immediately after childbirth and at 3-week intervals for 12 postpartum weeks. The control group comprised 20 age-matched nulliparous women. The first 6 postpartum weeks (constituting the subacute postpartum period) are associated with decreasing progesterone levels and a massive restructuring in GMV, affecting the amygdala/hippocampus, the prefrontal/subgenual cortex, and the insula, which approach their sizes in nulliparous women only around weeks 3-6 postpartum. Based on the amygdala volume shortly after delivery, the maternal brain can be reliably distinguished from the nulliparous brain. Even 12 weeks after childbirth, the GMV in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and the cortical thickness of the subgenual and lateral prefrontal cortices do not reach the pre-pregnancy levels. During this period, a volume decrease is seen in the cerebellum, the thalamus, and the dorsal striatum. A less hostile behavior toward the child at 6-12 weeks postpartum is predicted by the GMV change in the amygdala, the temporal pole, the olfactory gyrus, the anterior cingulate, the thalamus and the cerebellum in the same period. In summary, the restructuring of the maternal brain follows time-dependent trajectories. The fact that the volume changes persist at 12 weeks postpartum indicates that the maternal brain does not fully revert to pre-pregnancy physiology. Postpartum neuroplasticity suggests that these changes may be particularly significant in the regions important for parenting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Nehls
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM-10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Elena Losse
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Frodl
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM-10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
| | - Natalia Chechko
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM-10), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behavior (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
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7
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Zareba MR, Fafrowicz M, Marek T, Oginska H, Beldzik E, Domagalik A. Tracing diurnal differences in brain anatomy with voxel-based morphometry - associations with sleep characteristics. Chronobiol Int 2024; 41:201-212. [PMID: 38192011 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2024.2301944] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Multiple aspects of brain functioning, including arousal, motivation, and cognitive performance, are governed by circadian rhythmicity. Although the recent rise in the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has enabled investigations into the macroscopic correlates of the diurnal brain processes, neuroanatomical studies are scarce. The current work investigated how time-of-day (TOD) impacts white (WM) and grey matter (GM) volumes using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a large dataset (N = 72) divided into two equal, comparable subsamples to assess the replicability of effects. Furthermore, we aimed to assess how the magnitude of these diurnal differences was related to actigraphy-derived indices of sleep health. The results extend the current knowledge by reporting that TOD is predominantly associated with regional WM volume decreases. Additionally, alongside corroborating previously observed volumetric GM decreases, we provide the first evidence for positive TOD effects. Higher replicability was observed for WM, with the only two replicated GM clusters being volumetric increases in the amygdala and hippocampus, and decreases in the retrosplenial cortex, with the latter more pronounced in individuals with shorter sleep times. These findings implicate the existence of region-specific mechanisms behind GM effects, which might be related to cognitive processes taking place during wakefulness and homeostatic sleep pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Rafal Zareba
- Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain
- Centre for Brain Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Fafrowicz
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Tadeusz Marek
- Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University, Katowice, Poland
| | - Halszka Oginska
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Beldzik
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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8
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Haaf R, Brandi ML, Albantakis L, Lahnakoski JM, Henco L, Schilbach L. Peripheral oxytocin levels are linked to hypothalamic gray matter volume in autistic adults: a cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1380. [PMID: 38228703 PMCID: PMC10791615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50770-5] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is known to modulate social behavior and cognition and has been discussed as pathophysiological and therapeutic factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An accumulating body of evidence indicates the hypothalamus to be of particular importance with regard to the underlying neurobiology. Here we used a region of interest voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach to investigate hypothalamic gray matter volume (GMV) in autistic (n = 29, age 36.03 ± 11.0) and non-autistic adults (n = 27, age 30.96 ± 11.2). Peripheral plasma OXT levels and the autism spectrum quotient (AQ) were used for correlation analyses. Results showed no differences in hypothalamic GMV in autistic compared to non-autistic adults but suggested a differential association between hypothalamic GMV and OXT levels, such that a positive association was found for the ASD group. In addition, hypothalamic GMV showed a positive association with autistic traits in the ASD group. Bearing in mind the limitations such as a relatively small sample size, a wide age range and a high rate of psychopharmacological treatment in the ASD sample, these results provide new preliminary evidence for a potentially important role of the HTH in ASD and its relationship to the OXT system, but also point towards the importance of interindividual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoul Haaf
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Graduate School, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Marie-Luise Brandi
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Albantakis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Juha M Lahnakoski
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lara Henco
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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9
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Lehmann N, Aye N, Kaufmann J, Heinze HJ, Düzel E, Ziegler G, Taubert M. Changes in Cortical Microstructure of the Human Brain Resulting from Long-Term Motor Learning. J Neurosci 2023; 43:8637-8648. [PMID: 37875377 PMCID: PMC10727185 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0537-23.2023] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms subserving motor skill acquisition and learning in the intact human brain are not fully understood. Previous studies in animals have demonstrated a causal relationship between motor learning and structural rearrangements of synaptic connections, raising the question of whether neurite-specific changes are also observable in humans. Here, we use advanced diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sensitive to dendritic and axonal processes, to investigate neuroplasticity in response to long-term motor learning. We recruited healthy male and female human participants (age range 19-29) who learned a challenging dynamic balancing task (DBT) over four consecutive weeks. Diffusion MRI signals were fitted using Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), a theory-driven biophysical model of diffusion, yielding measures of tissue volume, neurite density and the organizational complexity of neurites. While NODDI indices were unchanged and reliable during the control period, neurite orientation dispersion increased significantly during the learning period mainly in primary sensorimotor, prefrontal, premotor, supplementary, and cingulate motor areas. Importantly, reorganization of cortical microstructure during the learning phase predicted concurrent behavioral changes, whereas there was no relationship between microstructural changes during the control phase and learning. Changes in neurite complexity were independent of alterations in tissue density, cortical thickness, and intracortical myelin. Our results are in line with the notion that structural modulation of neurites is a key mechanism supporting complex motor learning in humans.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The structural correlates of motor learning in the human brain are not fully understood. Results from animal studies suggest that synaptic remodeling (e.g., reorganization of dendritic spines) in sensorimotor-related brain areas is a crucial mechanism for the formation of motor memory. Using state-of-the-art diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we found a behaviorally relevant increase in the organizational complexity of neocortical microstructure, mainly in primary sensorimotor, prefrontal, premotor, supplementary, and cingulate motor regions, following training of a challenging dynamic balancing task (DBT). Follow-up analyses suggested structural modulation of synapses as a plausible mechanism driving this increase, while colocalized changes in cortical thickness, tissue density, and intracortical myelin could not be detected. These results advance our knowledge about the neurobiological basis of motor learning in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Lehmann
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Institute III, Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39104, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Norman Aye
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Institute III, Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39104, Germany
| | - Jörn Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
| | - Hans-Jochen Heinze
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Center for Behavioral and Brain Science (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
- Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), Magdeburg 39118, Germany
| | - Emrah Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Center for Behavioral and Brain Science (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London WC1N 3AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriel Ziegler
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg 39120, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39120, Germany
| | - Marco Taubert
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Institute III, Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39104, Germany
- Center for Behavioral and Brain Science (CBBS), Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
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10
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Das Gupta A, Asan L, John J, Beretta C, Kuner T, Knabbe J. Accurate classification of major brain cell types using in vivo imaging and neural network processing. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002357. [PMID: 37943858 PMCID: PMC10689024 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive analysis of tissue cell type composition using microscopic techniques has primarily been confined to ex vivo approaches. Here, we introduce NuCLear (Nucleus-instructed tissue composition using deep learning), an approach combining in vivo two-photon imaging of histone 2B-eGFP-labeled cell nuclei with subsequent deep learning-based identification of cell types from structural features of the respective cell nuclei. Using NuCLear, we were able to classify almost all cells per imaging volume in the secondary motor cortex of the mouse brain (0.25 mm3 containing approximately 25,000 cells) and to identify their position in 3D space in a noninvasive manner using only a single label throughout multiple imaging sessions. Twelve weeks after baseline, cell numbers did not change yet astrocytic nuclei significantly decreased in size. NuCLear opens a window to study changes in relative density and location of different cell types in the brains of individual mice over extended time periods, enabling comprehensive studies of changes in cell type composition in physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Das Gupta
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Livia Asan
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jennifer John
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carlo Beretta
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Kuner
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Johannes Knabbe
- Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of General Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Brown SSG, Westwater ML, Seidlitz J, Ziauddeen H, Fletcher PC. Hypothalamic volume is associated with body mass index. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103478. [PMID: 37558541 PMCID: PMC10509524 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamus is an important neuroendocrine hub for the control of appetite and satiety. In animal studies it has been established that hypothalamic lesioning or stimulation causes alteration to feeding behaviour and consequently body mass, and exposure to high calorie diets induces hypothalamic inflammation. These findings suggest that alterations in hypothalamic structure and function are both a cause and a consequence of changes to food intake. However, there is limited in vivo human data relating the hypothalamus to obesity or eating disorders, in part due to technical problems relating to its small size. Here, we used a novel automated segmentation algorithm to exploratorily investigate the relationship between hypothalamic volume, normalised to intracranial volume, and body mass index (BMI). The analysis was applied across four independent datasets comprising of young adults (total n = 1,351 participants) spanning a range of BMIs (13.3 - 47.8 kg/m2). We compared underweight (including individuals with anorexia nervosa), healthy weight, overweight and obese individuals in a series of complementary analyses. We report that overall hypothalamic volume is significantly larger in overweight and obese groups of young adults. This was also observed for a number of hypothalamic sub-regions. In the largest dataset (the HCP-Young Adult dataset (n = 1111)) there was a significant relationship between hypothalamic volume and BMI. We suggest that our findings of a positive relationship between hypothalamic volume and BMI is potentially consistent with hypothalamic inflammation as seen in animal models in response to high fat diet, although more research is needed to establish a causal relationship. Overall, we present novel, in vivo findings that link elevated BMI to altered hypothalamic structure. This has important implications for study of the neural mechanisms of obesity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie S G Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Margaret L Westwater
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Lifespan Brain Institute of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hisham Ziauddeen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Paul C Fletcher
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Wellcome Trust MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust, United Kingdom
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12
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Bergamino M, Nelson MR, Numani A, Scarpelli M, Healey D, Fuentes A, Turner G, Stokes AM. Assessment of complementary white matter microstructural changes and grey matter atrophy in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's disease. Magn Reson Imaging 2023; 101:57-66. [PMID: 37028608 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2023.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been associated with amyloid and tau pathology, as well as neurodegeneration. Beyond these hallmark features, white matter microstructural abnormalities have been observed using MRI. The objective of this study was to assess grey matter atrophy and white matter microstructural changes in a preclinical mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and free-water (FW) diffusion tensor imaging (FW-DTI). Compared to controls, lower grey matter density was observed in the 3xTg-AD model, corresponding to the small clusters in the caudate-putamen, hypothalamus, and cortex. DTI-based fractional anisotropy (FA) was decreased in the 3xTg model, while the FW index was increased. Notably, the largest clusters for both FW-FA and FW index were in the fimbria, with other regions including the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, forebrain septum, and internal capsule. Additionally, the presence of amyloid and tau in the 3xTg model was confirmed with histopathology, with significantly higher levels observed across many regions of the brain. Taken together, these results are consistent with subtle neurodegenerative and white matter microstructural changes in the 3xTg-AD model that manifest as increased FW, decreased FW-FA, and decreased grey matter density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Bergamino
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Megan R Nelson
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Asfia Numani
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Matthew Scarpelli
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Deborah Healey
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Alberto Fuentes
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Gregory Turner
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Ashley M Stokes
- Division of Neuroimaging Research, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
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13
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TRIAC Treatment Improves Impaired Brain Network Function and White Matter Loss in Thyroid Hormone Transporter Mct8/Oatp1c1 Deficient Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415547. [PMID: 36555189 PMCID: PMC9779161 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctions of the thyroid hormone (TH) transporting monocarboxylate transporter MCT8 lead to a complex X-linked syndrome with abnormal serum TH concentrations and prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms (Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, AHDS). The key features of AHDS are replicated in double knockout mice lacking MCT8 and organic anion transporting protein OATP1C1 (Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO). In this study, we characterize impairments of brain structure and function in Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assess the potential of the TH analogue 3,3',5-triiodothyroacetic acid (TRIAC) to rescue this phenotype. Structural and functional MRI were performed in 11-weeks-old male Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice (N = 10), wild type controls (N = 7) and Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice (N = 13) that were injected with TRIAC (400 ng/g bw s.c.) daily during the first three postnatal weeks. Grey and white matter volume were broadly reduced in Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice. TRIAC treatment could significantly improve white matter thinning but did not affect grey matter loss. Network-based statistic showed a wide-spread increase of functional connectivity, while graph analysis revealed an impairment of small-worldness and whole-brain segregation in Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice. Both functional deficits could be substantially ameliorated by TRIAC treatment. Our study demonstrates prominent structural and functional brain alterations in Mct8/Oatp1c1 DKO mice that may underlie the psychomotor deficiencies in AHDS. Additionally, we provide preclinical evidence that early-life TRIAC treatment improves white matter loss and brain network dysfunctions associated with TH transporter deficiency.
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14
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Vandiver MS, Roy B, Mahmud F, Lavretsky H, Kumar R. Functional comorbidities and brain tissue changes before and after lung transplant in adults. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1015568. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1015568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundAdults undergoing lung transplant, as a lifesaving treatment for end stage lung disease, exhibit high levels of peri-operative neurocognitive dysfunction in multiple domains, including delirium, cognition, and autonomic deficits. These complications impact healthcare costs, quality of life, and patient outcomes. Post-operative symptoms likely result from loss of brain tissue integrity in sites mediating such regulatory functions. Our aim in this study was to examine peri-operative neurocognitive dysfunction and brain tissue changes after lung transplant in adults.MethodsWe retrospectively examined the UCLA lung transplant database to identify 114 lung transplant patients with pre-operative clinical and neurocognitive data. Of 114 patients, 9 lung transplant patients had pre- and post-transplant brain magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical and neurocognitive data were summarized for all subjects, and brain tissue volume changes, using T1-weighted images, before and after transplant were examined. T1-weighted images were partitioned into gray matter (GM)-tissue type, normalized to a common space, smoothed, and the smoothed GM-volume maps were compared between pre- and post-transplant (paired t-tests; covariate, age; SPM12, p < 0.005).ResultsIncreased comorbidities, including the diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, kidney disease, and sleep disordered breathing, as well as higher rates of neurocognitive dysfunction were observed in the lung transplant patients, with 41% experiencing post-operative delirium, 49% diagnosed with a mood disorder, and 25% of patients diagnosed with cognitive deficits, despite incomplete documentation. Similarly, high levels of delirium, cognitive dysfunction, and mood disorder were noted in a subset of patients used for brain MRI evaluation. Significantly decreased GM volumes emerged in multiple brain regions, including the frontal and prefrontal, parietal, temporal, bilateral anterior cingulate and insula, putamen, and cerebellar cortices.ConclusionAdults undergoing lung transplant often show significant pre-operative comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, as well as neurocognitive dysfunction. In addition, patients with lung transplant show significant brain tissue changes in regions that mediate cognition, autonomic, and mood functions. The findings indicate a brain structural basis for many enhanced post-operative symptoms and suggest a need for brain tissue protection in adults undergoing lung transplant to improve health outcomes.
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15
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Xue X, Zhang Y, Tao W, Wei L, Li Q, Ma T, Xu X, Wang Y, Gu X, Xu Z, Wang H, Hua Y. Longitudinal neuroplasticity after ankle sprain in mice: A voxel-based morphometry study on 11.7T MRI. J Orthop Res 2022; 41:1291-1298. [PMID: 36203347 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) might lead to joint sensory deafferentation, which induces maladaptive neuroplasticity, especially the morphological atrophy of the cerebellar vermis. However, longitudinal evidence on the causality of injury and neural differences is still lacking. To this end, this study aimed to determine whether the morphology of the central nervous system would be altered before and after ligament transection in LAS mouse models. A total of 40 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided among the LAS, Sham and Blank groups. We repeatedly performed the balance beam test and neural voxel-based morphometry (VBM) measurements using an 11.7 T magnetic resonance imaging before and 2 months after the surgery. The results showed that for balance outcomes, the LAS group had a significantly longer time and more slips of the balance beam tests compared with the Sham and Blank groups at 2 months after surgery, with no significant difference among the three groups before surgery. Regarding the VBM analysis, the LAS group showed significantly lower VBM values in the central lobule III of the cerebellar vermis and medial amygdalar nucleus (MEA) compared with the Sham and Blank groups after surgery, with no significant difference among the three groups before surgery. In conclusion, lateral ligament injuries might lead to morphological atrophy of the cerebellar vermis in animal models, which might pave the way for the pathological process of ankle instability after LAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao'ao Xue
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuwen Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weichu Tao
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wei
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianru Li
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tengjia Ma
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyun Xu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiran Wang
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xicheng Gu
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhangran Xu
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He Wang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinghui Hua
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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16
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Evidence of Neuroplastic Changes after Transcranial Magnetic, Electric, and Deep Brain Stimulation. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12070929. [PMID: 35884734 PMCID: PMC9313265 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12070929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Electric and magnetic stimulation of the human brain can be used to excite or inhibit neurons. Numerous methods have been designed over the years for this purpose with various advantages and disadvantages that are the topic of this review. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the most direct and focal application of electric impulses to brain tissue. Electrodes are placed in the brain in order to modulate neural activity and to correct parameters of pathological oscillation in brain circuits such as their amplitude or frequency. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive alternative with the stimulator generating a magnetic field in a coil over the scalp that induces an electric field in the brain which, in turn, interacts with ongoing brain activity. Depending upon stimulation parameters, excitation and inhibition can be achieved. Transcranial electric stimulation (tES) applies electric fields to the scalp that spread along the skull in order to reach the brain, thus, limiting current strength to avoid skin sensations and cranial muscle pain. Therefore, tES can only modulate brain activity and is considered subthreshold, i.e., it does not directly elicit neuronal action potentials. In this review, we collect hints for neuroplastic changes such as modulation of behavior, the electric activity of the brain, or the evolution of clinical signs and symptoms in response to stimulation. Possible mechanisms are discussed, and future paradigms are suggested.
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17
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Shared Transdiagnostic Neuroanatomical Signatures Across First-episode Patients with Major Psychiatric Diseases and Individuals at Familial Risk. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 35:103074. [PMID: 35691252 PMCID: PMC9194955 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103074] [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: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nowadays, increasing evidence has found transdiagnostic neuroimaging biomarkers across major psychiatric disorders (MPDs). However, it remains to be known whether this transdiagnostic pattern of abnormalities could also be seen in individuals at familial high-risk for MPDs (FHR). We aimed to examine shared neuroanatomical endophenotypes and protective biomarkers for MPDs. METHODS This study examined brain grey matter volume (GMV) of individuals by voxel-based morphometry method. A total of 287 individuals were included, involving 100 first-episode medication-naive MPDs, 87 FHR, and 110 healthy controls (HC). They all underwent high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS At the group level, we found MPDs were characterized by decreased GMV in the right fusiform gyrus, the right inferior occipital gyrus, and the left anterior and middle cingulate gyri compared to HC and FHR. Of note, the GMV of the left superior temporal gyrus was increased in FHR relative to MPDs and HC. At the subgroup level, the comparisons within the FHR group did not return any significant difference, and we found GMV difference among subgroups within the MPDs group only in the opercular part of the right inferior frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION Together, our findings uncover common structural disturbances across MPDs and substantial changes in grey matter that may relate to high hereditary risk across FHR, potentially underscoring the importance of a transdiagnostic way to explore the neurobiological mechanisms of major psychiatric disorders.
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18
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Probing individual-level structural atrophy in frontal glioma patients. Neurosurg Rev 2022; 45:2845-2855. [PMID: 35508819 DOI: 10.1007/s10143-022-01800-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Although every glioma patient varies in tumor size, location, histological grade and molecular biomarkers, non-tumoral morphological abnormalities are commonly detected by a statistical comparison among patient groups, missing the information of individual morphological alterations. In this study, we introduced an individual-level structural abnormality detection method for glioma patients and proposed several abnormality indexes to depict individual atrophy patterns. Forty-five patients with a glioma in the frontal lobe and fifty-one age-matched healthy controls participated in the study. Individual structural abnormality maps (SAM) were generated using patients' preoperative T1 images, by calculating the degree of deviation of voxel volume in each patient with the normative model built from healthy controls. Based on SAM, a series of individual abnormality indexes were computed, and their relationship with glioma characteristics was explored. The results demonstrated that glioma patients showed unique non-tumoral atrophy patterns with overlapping atrophy regions mainly located at hippocampus, parahippocampus, amygdala, insula, middle temporal gyrus and inferior temporal gyrus, which are closely related to the human cognitive functions. The abnormality indexes were associated with several molecular biomarkers including isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation, 1p/19q co-deletion and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation. Our study provides an effective way to access the individual-level non-tumoral structural abnormalities in glioma patients, which has the potential to significantly improve individualized precision medicine.
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19
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Callow DD, Purcell JJ, Won J, Smith JC. Neurite dispersion and density mediates the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and cognition in healthy younger adults. Neuropsychologia 2022; 169:108207. [PMID: 35259402 PMCID: PMC8985444 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with better cognition across the lifespan. However, the neurobiological underpinnings relating fitness and cognition remain unclear, particularly in healthy younger adults. Using a well-established and popular multi-compartment diffusion modeling approach, called Neurite Orientation and Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), we investigated the relationship between physical fitness (measured via a 2-min walk test), cognition (fluid and crystallized), and gray and white matter microstructure, in a large sample (n = 816) of healthy younger adults (ages 22-35 years) from the human connectome project (HCP). Concurrent with previous literature, we found that fitness was positively associated with both fluid and crystallized cognition. Furthermore, we found that physical fitness was negatively associated with white matter orientation dispersion index (ODIWM) around the cerebellar peduncle and was negatively associated with widespread cortical and subcortical gray matter neurite density index (NDIGM). Lower ODIWM of the cerebral peduncle was associated with better fluid cognitive performance, while lower NDIGM was associated with better crystallized cognition. Finally, we found that while ODIWM partially mediated the relationship between fitness and fluid cognition, NDIGM partially mediated the relationship between fitness and crystallized cognition. This study is the first to explore the relationship between physical fitness and white and gray matter microstructure measures using NODDI. Our findings suggest that in addition to improved cognitive performance, higher physical fitness may be associated with lower white matter tract dispersion and lower neurite density in the cortical and subcortical gray matter of healthy younger adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel D. Callow
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | | | - Junyeon Won
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J. Carson Smith
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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Zhou XA, Ngiam G, Qian L, Sankorrakul K, Coulson EJ, Chuang KH. The basal forebrain volume reduction detected by MRI does not necessarily link with the cholinergic neuronal loss in the Alzheimer's Disease mouse model. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 117:24-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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21
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Koppelmans V, Mulavara AP, Seidler RD, De Dios YE, Bloomberg JJ, Wood SJ. Cortical thickness of primary motor and vestibular brain regions predicts recovery from fall and balance directly after spaceflight. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2073-2086. [PMID: 35469104 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02492-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Motor adaptations to the microgravity environment during spaceflight allow astronauts to perform adequately in this unique environment. Upon return to Earth, this adaptation is no longer appropriate and can be disruptive for mission critical tasks. Here, we measured if metrics derived from MRI scans collected from astronauts can predict motor performance post-flight. Structural and diffusion MRI scans from 14 astronauts collected before launch, and motor measures (balance performance, speed of recovery from fall, and tandem walk step accuracy) collected pre-flight and post-flight were analyzed. Regional measures of gray matter volume (motor cortex, paracentral lobule, cerebellum), myelin density (motor cortex, paracentral lobule, corticospinal tract), and white matter microstructure (corticospinal tract) were derived as a-priori predictors. Additional whole-brain analyses of cortical thickness, cerebellar gray matter, and cortical myelin were also tested for associations with post-flight and pre-to-post-flight motor performance. The pre-selected regional measures were not significantly associated with motor behavior. However, whole-brain analyses showed that paracentral and precentral gyri thickness significantly predicted recovery from fall post-spaceflight. Thickness of vestibular and sensorimotor regions, including the posterior insula and the superior temporal gyrus, predicted balance performance post-flight and pre-to-post-flight decrements. Greater cortical thickness pre-flight predicted better performance post-flight. Regional thickness of somatosensory, motor, and vestibular brain regions has some predictive value for post-flight motor performance in astronauts, which may be used for the identification of training and countermeasure strategies targeted for maintaining operational task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rachael D Seidler
- Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Jacob J Bloomberg
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott J Wood
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
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22
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Giacobbo BL, Özalay Ö, Mediavilla T, Ericsson M, Axelsson J, Rieckmann A, Sultan F, Marcellino D. The Aged Striatum: Evidence of Molecular and Structural Changes Using a Longitudinal Multimodal Approach in Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:795132. [PMID: 35140600 PMCID: PMC8818755 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.795132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
To study the aging human brain requires significant resources and time. Thus, mice models of aging can provide insight into changes in brain biological functions at a fraction of the time when compared to humans. This study aims to explore changes in dopamine D1 and D2 receptor availability and of gray matter density in striatum during aging in mice and to evaluate whether longitudinal imaging in mice may serve as a model for normal brain aging to complement cross-sectional research in humans. Mice underwent repeated structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), and [11C]Raclopride and [11C]SCH23390 positron emission tomography (PET) was performed on a subset of aging mice. PET and sMRI data were analyzed by binding potential (BPND), voxel- and tensor-based morphometry (VBM and TBM, respectively). Longitudinal PET revealed a significant reduction in striatal BPND for D2 receptors over time, whereas no significant change was found for D1 receptors. sMRI indicated a significant increase in modulated gray matter density (mGMD) over time in striatum, with limited clusters showing decreased mGMD. Mouse [11C]Raclopride data is compatible with previous reports in human cross-sectional studies, suggesting that a natural loss of dopaminergic D2 receptors in striatum can be assessed in mice, reflecting estimates from humans. No changes in D1 were found, which may be attributed to altered [11C]SCH23390 kinetics in anesthetized mice, suggesting that this tracer is not yet able to replicate human findings. sMRI revealed a significant increase in mGMD. Although contrary to expectations, this increase in modulated GM density may be attributed to an age-related increase in non-neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Özgün Özalay
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tomas Mediavilla
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Jan Axelsson
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Anna Rieckmann
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Radiation Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fahad Sultan
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Daniel Marcellino
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- *Correspondence: Daniel Marcellino,
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23
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Jensen DM, Zendrehrouh E, Calhoun V, Turner JA. Cognitive Implications of Correlated Structural Network Changes in Schizophrenia. Front Integr Neurosci 2022; 15:755069. [PMID: 35126065 PMCID: PMC8811375 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.755069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schizophrenia is a brain disorder characterized by diffuse, diverse, and wide-spread changes in gray matter volume (GM) and white matter structure (fractional anisotropy, FA), as well as cognitive impairments that greatly impact an individual’s quality of life. While the relationship of each of these image modalities and their links to schizophrenia status and cognitive impairment has been investigated separately, a multimodal fusion via parallel independent component analysis (pICA) affords the opportunity to explore the relationships between the changes in GM and FA, and the implications these network changes have on cognitive performance. Methods Images from 73 subjects with schizophrenia (SZ) and 82 healthy controls (HC) were drawn from an existing dataset. We investigated 12 components from each feature (FA and GM). Loading coefficients from the images were used to identify pairs of features that were significantly correlated and showed significant group differences between HC and SZ. MANCOVA analysis uncovered the relationships the identified spatial maps had with age, gender, and a global cognitive performance score. Results Three component pairs showed significant group differences (HC > SZ) in both gray and white matter measurements. Two of the component pairs identified networks of gray matter that drove significant relationships with cognition (HC > SZ) after accounting for age and gender. The gray and white matter structural networks identified in these three component pairs pull broadly from many regions, including the right and left thalamus, lateral occipital cortex, multiple regions of the middle temporal gyrus, precuneus cortex, postcentral gyrus, cingulate gyrus/cingulum, lingual gyrus, and brain stem. Conclusion The results of this multimodal analysis adds to our understanding of how the relationship between GM, FA, and cognition differs between HC and SZ by highlighting the correlated intermodal covariance of these structural networks and their differential relationships with cognitive performance. Previous unimodal research has found similar areas of GM and FA differences between these groups, and the cognitive deficits associated with SZ have been well documented. This study allowed us to evaluate the intercorrelated covariance of these structural networks and how these networks are involved the differences in cognitive performance between HC and SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn M. Jensen
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- *Correspondence: Dawn M. Jensen,
| | - Elaheh Zendrehrouh
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Vince Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jessica A. Turner
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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24
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Newmaster KT, Kronman FA, Wu YT, Kim Y. Seeing the Forest and Its Trees Together: Implementing 3D Light Microscopy Pipelines for Cell Type Mapping in the Mouse Brain. Front Neuroanat 2022; 15:787601. [PMID: 35095432 PMCID: PMC8794814 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.787601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is composed of diverse neuronal and non-neuronal cell types with complex regional connectivity patterns that create the anatomical infrastructure underlying cognition. Remarkable advances in neuroscience techniques enable labeling and imaging of these individual cell types and their interactions throughout intact mammalian brains at a cellular resolution allowing neuroscientists to examine microscopic details in macroscopic brain circuits. Nevertheless, implementing these tools is fraught with many technical and analytical challenges with a need for high-level data analysis. Here we review key technical considerations for implementing a brain mapping pipeline using the mouse brain as a primary model system. Specifically, we provide practical details for choosing methods including cell type specific labeling, sample preparation (e.g., tissue clearing), microscopy modalities, image processing, and data analysis (e.g., image registration to standard atlases). We also highlight the need to develop better 3D atlases with standardized anatomical labels and nomenclature across species and developmental time points to extend the mapping to other species including humans and to facilitate data sharing, confederation, and integrative analysis. In summary, this review provides key elements and currently available resources to consider while developing and implementing high-resolution mapping methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyra T Newmaster
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Fae A Kronman
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Yuan-Ting Wu
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Yongsoo Kim
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA, United States
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25
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Zhu D, He B, Zhang M, Wan Y, Liu R, Wang L, Zhang Y, Li Y, Gao F. A Multimodal MR Imaging Study of the Effect of Hippocampal Damage on Affective and Cognitive Functions in a Rat Model of Chronic Exposure to a Plateau Environment. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:979-1000. [PMID: 34981302 PMCID: PMC8891211 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03498-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to high altitudes above 2500 m above sea level (a.s.l.) can cause cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions. Herein, we sought to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to plateau hypoxia on the hippocampus in a rat model by using voxel-based morphometry, creatine chemical exchange saturation transfer (CrCEST) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging techniques. 58 healthy 4-week-old male rats were randomized into plateau hypoxia rats (H group) as the experimental group and plain rats (P group) as the control group. H group rats were transported from Chengdu (500 m a.s.l.), a city in a plateau located in southwestern China, to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (4250 m a.s.l.), Yushu, China, and then fed for 8 months there, while P group rats were fed in Chengdu (500 m a.s.l.), China. After 8 months of exposure to plateau hypoxia, open-field and elevated plus maze tests revealed that the anxiety-like behavior of the H group rats was more serious than that of the P group rats, and the Morris water maze test revealed impaired spatial memory function in the H group rats. Multimodal MR imaging analysis revealed a decreased volume of the regional gray matter, lower CrCEST contrast and higher transport coefficient Ktrans in the hippocampus compared with the P group rats. Further correlation analysis found associations of quantitative MRI parameters of the hippocampus with the behavioral performance of H group rats. In this study, we validated the viability of using noninvasive multimodal MR imaging techniques to evaluate the effects of chronic exposure to a plateau hypoxic environment on the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyong Zhu
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bo He
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Mengdi Zhang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yixuan Wan
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ruibin Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310030, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Molecular Imaging Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310030, China
| | - Yunqing Li
- Department of Anatomy and KK Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Fabao Gao
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Road, Chengdu, 610041, China. .,Molecular Imaging Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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26
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Mouse models of immune dysfunction: their neuroanatomical differences reflect their anxiety-behavioural phenotype. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3047-3055. [PMID: 35422470 PMCID: PMC9205773 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01535-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Extensive evidence supports the role of the immune system in modulating brain function and behaviour. However, past studies have revealed striking heterogeneity in behavioural phenotypes produced from immune system dysfunction. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we studied the neuroanatomical differences among 11 distinct genetically modified mouse lines (n = 371), each deficient in a different element of the immune system. We found a significant and heterogeneous effect of immune dysfunction on the brains of both male and female mice. However, by imaging the whole brain and using Bayesian hierarchical modelling, we were able to identify patterns within the heterogeneous phenotype. Certain structures-such as the corpus callosum, midbrain, and thalamus-were more likely to be affected by immune dysfunction. A notable brain-behaviour relationship was identified with neuroanatomy endophenotypes across mouse models clustering according to anxiety-like behaviour phenotypes reported in literature, such as altered volume in brains regions associated with promoting fear response (e.g., the lateral septum and cerebellum). Interestingly, genes with preferential spatial expression in the most commonly affected regions are also associated with multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases. In total, our data suggest that the immune system modulates anxiety behaviour through well-established brain networks.
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27
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Zhou XA, Blackmore DG, Zhuo J, Nasrallah FA, To X, Kurniawan ND, Carlisle A, Vien KY, Chuang KH, Jiang T, Bartlett PF. Neurogenic-dependent changes in hippocampal circuitry underlie the procognitive effect of exercise in aging mice. iScience 2021; 24:103450. [PMID: 34877505 PMCID: PMC8633984 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We have shown that the improvement in hippocampal-based learning in aged mice following physical exercise observed is dependent on neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and is regulated by changes in growth hormone levels. The changes in neurocircuitry, however, which may underlie this improvement, remain unclear. Using in vivo multimodal magnetic resonance imaging to track changes in aged mice exposed to exercise, we show the improved spatial learning is due to enhanced DG connectivity, particularly the strengthening of the DG-Cornu Ammonis 3 and the DG-medial entorhinal cortex connections in the dorsal hippocampus. Moreover, we provide evidence that these changes in circuitry are dependent on neurogenesis since they were abrogated by ablation of newborn neurons following exercise. These findings identify the specific changes in hippocampal circuitry that underlie the cognitive improvements resulting from physical activity and show that they are dependent on the activation of neurogenesis in aged animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Alice Zhou
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Daniel G. Blackmore
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Junjie Zhuo
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fatima A. Nasrallah
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - XuanVinh To
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Nyoman D. Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Alison Carlisle
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - King-Year Vien
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kai-Hsiang Chuang
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tianzi Jiang
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Perry F. Bartlett
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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28
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Long M, Puhlmann L, Vrtička P. Hypothalamus volume in men: Investigating associations with paternal status, self-reported caregiving beliefs, and adult attachment style. Soc Neurosci 2021; 16:639-652. [PMID: 34704890 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2021.1997799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Most studies on mammalian caregiving and attachment focused on the mother-child relationship, particularly in humans. Yet, changing societal roles of male caregivers have highlighted the necessity for research with fathers.We examined the volume of the hypothalamus, an important subcortical brain area for caregiving and attachment, in N = 50 fathering (child age 5-6 years) and N = 45 non-fathering men using a novel technique to identify the hypothalamus in 3T MRI. We furthermore employed three self-report measures to assess interindividual differences in adult attachment style across all men and caregiving beliefs in fathers.While we did not observe any significant difference in hypothalamus volume between fathers and non-fathers or associations between hypothalamus volume and self-reported adult attachment style across all men, self-reported caregiving beliefs were positively related to total hypothalamus volume in fathers. A follow-up analysis showed that fathers' self-reported belief that a father's role is important to child development was specifically related to tuberal hypothalamus volume, while self-reported enjoyment of spending time with the child was not associated with sub-regional hypothalamus volume.Together, these findings suggest that interindividual variability in self-reported caregiving beliefs in fathers is related to brain structure, warranting further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Long
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.,Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - L Puhlmann
- Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - P Vrtička
- Research Group "Social Stress and Family Health", Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
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29
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Kim SK, Nikolova S, Schwedt TJ. Structural aberrations of the brain associated with migraine: A narrative review. Headache 2021; 61:1159-1179. [PMID: 34407215 DOI: 10.1111/head.14189] [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: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To summarize major results from imaging studies investigating brain structure in migraine. BACKGROUND Neuroimaging studies, using several different imaging and analysis techniques, have demonstrated aberrations in brain structure associated with migraine. This narrative review summarizes key imaging findings and relates imaging findings with clinical features of migraine. METHODS We searched PubMed for English language articles using the key words "neuroimaging" AND/OR "MRI" combined with "migraine" through August 20, 2020. The titles and abstracts of resulting articles were reviewed for their possible inclusion in this manuscript, followed by examination of the full texts and reference lists of relevant articles. RESULTS Migraine is associated with structural brain aberrations within regions that participate in pain processing, the processing of other sensory stimuli, multisensory integration, and in white matter fiber tracts. Furthermore, migraine is associated with magnetic resonance imaging T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery white matter hyperintensities. Some structural aberrations are correlated with the severity and clinical features of migraine, whereas others are not. These findings suggest that some structural abnormalities are associated with or amplified by recurrent migraine attacks, whereas others are intrinsic to the migraine brain. CONCLUSIONS Migraine is associated with aberrant brain structure. Structural neuroimaging studies contribute to understanding migraine pathophysiology and identification of brain regions associated with migraine and its individual symptoms. Additional work is needed to determine the extent to which structural aberrations are a result of recurrent migraine attacks, and perhaps reversible with effective treatment or migraine resolution, versus being intrinsic traits of the migraine brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Kyoung Kim
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Health Science, Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine, Jinju, South Korea
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30
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Hug A, Bernini A, Wang H, Lutti A, Jende JME, Böttinger M, Weber MA, Weidner N, Lang S. In chronic complete spinal cord injury supraspinal changes detected by quantitative MRI are confined to volume reduction in the caudal brainstem. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 31:102716. [PMID: 34144346 PMCID: PMC8217673 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Cervical spinal cord and medulla oblongata atrophy correlate in chronic SCI. The most likely underlying mechanism is Wallerian degeneration of ascending tracts. No other structural MRI brain changes were evident in our cohort of chronic SCI.
There is much controversy about the potential impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on brain anatomy and function, which is mirrored in the substantial divergence of findings between animal models and human imaging studies. Given recent advances in quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) we sought to tackle the unresolved question about the link between the presumed injury associated volume differences and underlying brain tissue property changes in a cohort of chronic complete SCI patients. Using the established computational anatomy methods of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and voxel-based quantification (VBQ), we performed statistical analyses on grey and white matter volumes as well as on parameter maps indicative for myelin, iron, and free tissue water content in the brain of complete SCI patients (n = 14) and healthy individuals (n = 14). Our regionally unbiased white matter analysis showed a significant volume reduction of the dorsal aspect at the junction between the most rostral part of the spinal cord and the medulla oblongata consistent with Wallerian degeneration of proprioceptive axons in the dorsal column tracts in SCI subjects. This observation strongly correlated with spinal cord atrophy assessed by quantification of the spinal cord cross-sectional area at the cervical level C2/3. These findings suggest that Wallerian degeneration of the dorsal column tracts represents a main contributor to the observed spinal cord atrophy, which is highly consistent with preclinical histological evidence of remote changes in the central nervous system secondary to SCI. Structural changes in other brain regions representing remote changes in the course of chronic SCI could neither be confirmed by conventional VBM nor by VBQ analysis. Whether and how MRI based brain morphometry and brain tissue property analysis will inform clinical decision making and clinical trial outcomes in spinal cord medicine remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Hug
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Adriano Bernini
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging (LREN), Department of Clinical Neurosciences Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Haili Wang
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Antoine Lutti
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging (LREN), Department of Clinical Neurosciences Lausanne University Hospital, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Johann M E Jende
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Böttinger
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marc-André Weber
- Department of Radiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Norbert Weidner
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Simone Lang
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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