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Wengler K, Trujillo P, Cassidy CM, Horga G. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI for mechanistic research and biomarker development in psychiatry. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y. [PMID: 39160355 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is a burgeoning non-invasive neuroimaging method with an increasing number of applications in psychiatric research. This MRI modality is sensitive to the concentration of neuromelanin, which is synthesized from intracellular catecholamines and accumulates in catecholaminergic nuclei including the dopaminergic substantia nigra and the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. Emerging data suggest the utility of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy measure for variability in catecholamine metabolism and function, even in the absence of catecholaminergic cell loss. Given the importance of catecholamine function to several psychiatric disorders and their treatments, neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is ideally positioned as an informative and easy-to-acquire catecholaminergic index. In this review paper, we examine basic aspects of neuromelanin and neuromelanin-sensitive MRI and focus on its psychiatric applications in the contexts of mechanistic research and biomarker development. We discuss ongoing debates and state-of-the-art research into the mechanisms of the neuromelanin-sensitive MRI contrast, standardized protocols and optimized analytic approaches, and application of cutting-edge methods such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance the feasibility and predictive power of neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI-based tools. We finally lay out important future directions to allow neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI to fulfill its potential as a key component of the research, and ultimately clinical, toolbox in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt, TN, USA
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Lukkarinen L, Tuisku J, Sun L, Helin S, Karlsson HK, Venetjoki N, Salomaa M, Rautio P, Hirvonen J, Lauerma H, Tiihonen J, Nummenmaa L. Aberrant type 2 dopamine receptor availability in violent offenders with psychopathy. Neuroimage 2024; 297:120724. [PMID: 38971486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120724] [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: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial behavior, poor behavioral control and lacking empathy, and structural alterations in the corresponding neural circuits. Molecular brain basis of psychopathy remains poorly characterized. Here we studied type 2 dopamine receptor (D2R) and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) availability in convicted violent offenders with high psychopathic traits (n = 11) and healthy matched controls (n = 17) using positron emission tomography (PET). D2R were measured with radioligand [11C]raclopride and MORs with radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Psychopathic subjects had lowered D2R availability in caudate and putamen, and striatal D2R availability was also associated with degree of psychopathic traits in this prisoner sample. No group differences were found in MOR availability, although in the prisoner sample, psychopathic traits were negatively correlated with MOR availability in the amygdala and nucleus accumbens. We conclude that D2R signaling could be the putative neuromolecular pathway for psychopathy, whereas evidence for alterations in the MOR system is more limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Lukkarinen
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Lihua Sun
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Semi Helin
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Niina Venetjoki
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Marja Salomaa
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Päivi Rautio
- Turku Prison Outpatient Clinic, University of Turku, Finland
| | | | - Hannu Lauerma
- Psychiatric Hospital for Prisoners, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Jari Tiihonen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm City Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Lauri Nummenmaa
- Turku PET Centre, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland; Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Finland.
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McCall A, Forouhandehpour R, Celebi S, Richard-Malenfant C, Hamati R, Guimond S, Tuominen L, Weinshenker D, Jaworska N, McQuaid RJ, Shlik J, Robillard R, Kaminsky Z, Cassidy CM. Evidence for Locus Coeruleus-Norepinephrine System Abnormality in Military Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Revealed by Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:268-277. [PMID: 38296219 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.01.013] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The complex neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) calls for the characterization of specific disruptions in brain functions that require targeted treatment. One such alteration could be an overactive locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine system, which may be linked to hyperarousal symptoms, a characteristic and burdensome aspect of the disorder. METHODS Study participants were Canadian Armed Forces veterans with PTSD related to deployment to combat zones (n = 34) and age- and sex-matched healthy control participants (n = 32). Clinical measures included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5, and neuroimaging measures included a neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging scan to measure the LC signal. Robust linear regression analyses related the LC signal to clinical measures. RESULTS Compared with control participants, the LC signal was significantly elevated in the PTSD group (t62 = 2.64, p = .010), and this group difference was most pronounced in the caudal LC (t56 = 2.70, Cohen's d = 0.72). The caudal LC signal was also positively correlated with the severity of Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 hyperarousal symptoms in the PTSD group (t26 = 2.16, p = .040). CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with a growing body of evidence indicative of elevated LC-norepinephrine system function in PTSD. Furthermore, they indicate the promise of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging as a noninvasive method to probe the LC-norepinephrine system that has the potential to support subtyping and treatment of PTSD or other neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelina McCall
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Seyda Celebi
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Rami Hamati
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Synthia Guimond
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lauri Tuominen
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Natalia Jaworska
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robyn J McQuaid
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jakov Shlik
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rebecca Robillard
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zachary Kaminsky
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York.
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Freyberg Z, Andreazza AC, McClung CA, Phillips ML. Linking mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter, neural network abnormalities and mania: Elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of the therapeutic effect of the ketogenic diet in Bipolar Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024:S2451-9022(24)00199-X. [PMID: 39053576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ketogenic diet as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder (BD), with promising anecdotal and small case study reports of efficacy. Yet, the neurobiological mechanisms by which diet-induced ketosis might ameliorate BD symptoms remain to be determined, particularly in manic and hypomanic states - defining features of BD. Identifying these mechanisms will therefore provide new markers to guide personalized interventions and provide targets for novel treatment developments for individuals with BD. In this critical review, we describe recent findings highlighting two types of neurobiological abnormalities in BD: 1) mitochondrial dysfunction; and 2) neurotransmitter and neural network functional abnormalities. We will consequently link these abnormalities lead to mania/hypomania and depression in BD and then describe the biological underpinnings by which the ketogenic diet might have a beneficial effect in individuals with BD. We end the review by describing future approaches that can be employed to elucidate the neurobiology underlying the therapeutic effect of the ketogenic diet in BD. In so doing, this may provide marker predictors to identify individuals who will respond well to the ketogenic diet, as well as offer neural targets for novel treatment developments for BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Ana C Andreazza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Colleen A McClung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Sultana OF, Bandaru M, Islam MA, Reddy PH. Unraveling the complexity of human brain: Structure, function in healthy and disease states. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 100:102414. [PMID: 39002647 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102414] [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: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The human brain stands as an intricate organ, embodying a nexus of structure, function, development, and diversity. This review delves into the multifaceted landscape of the brain, spanning its anatomical intricacies, diverse functional capacities, dynamic developmental trajectories, and inherent variability across individuals. The dynamic process of brain development, from early embryonic stages to adulthood, highlights the nuanced changes that occur throughout the lifespan. The brain, a remarkably complex organ, is composed of various anatomical regions, each contributing uniquely to its overall functionality. Through an exploration of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and electrophysiology, this review elucidates how different brain structures interact to support a wide array of cognitive processes, sensory perception, motor control, and emotional regulation. Moreover, it addresses the impact of age, sex, and ethnic background on brain structure and function, and gender differences profoundly influence the onset, progression, and manifestation of brain disorders shaped by genetic, hormonal, environmental, and social factors. Delving into the complexities of the human brain, it investigates how variations in anatomical configuration correspond to diverse functional capacities across individuals. Furthermore, it examines the impact of neurodegenerative diseases on the structural and functional integrity of the brain. Specifically, our article explores the pathological processes underlying neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, shedding light on the structural alterations and functional impairments that accompany these conditions. We will also explore the current research trends in neurodegenerative diseases and identify the existing gaps in the literature. Overall, this article deepens our understanding of the fundamental principles governing brain structure and function and paves the way for a deeper understanding of individual differences and tailored approaches in neuroscience and clinical practice-additionally, a comprehensive understanding of structural and functional changes that manifest in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omme Fatema Sultana
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Madhuri Bandaru
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - Md Ariful Islam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Neurology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA 5. Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA; Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
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Alushaj E, Hemachandra D, Ganjavi H, Seergobin KN, Sharma M, Kashgari A, Barr J, Reisman W, Khan AR, MacDonald PA. Increased mean diffusivity of the caudal motor SNc identifies patients with REM sleep behaviour disorder and Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:128. [PMID: 38951528 PMCID: PMC11217278 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00731-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD)-a Parkinson's disease (PD) prodrome-might exhibit neural changes similar to those in PD. Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) degeneration underlies motor symptoms of PD. In iRBD and early PD (ePD), we measured diffusion MRI (dMRI) in the caudal motor SNc, which overlaps the nigrosome-1-the earliest-degenerating dopaminergic neurons in PD-and in the striatum. Nineteen iRBD, 26 ePD (1.7 ± 0.03 years), and 46 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were scanned at Western University, and 47 iRBD, 115 ePD (0.9 ± 0.01 years), and 56 HCs were scanned through the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, using 3T MRI. We segmented the SNc and striatum into subregions using automated probabilistic tractography to the cortex. We measured mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) along white-matter bundles and subregional surfaces. We performed group-level and classification analyses. Increased caudal motor SNc surface MD was the only iRBD-HCs and ePD-HCs difference replicating across datasets (padj < 0.05). No iRBD-ePD differences emerged. Caudal motor SNc surface MD classified patient groups from HCs at the single-subject level with good-to-excellent balanced accuracy in an independent sample (0.91 iRBD and 0.86 iRBD and ePD combined), compared to fair performance for total SNc surface MD (0.72 iRBD and ePD). Caudal motor SNc surface MD correlated significantly with MDS-UPDRS-III scores in ePD patients. Using dMRI and automated segmentation, we detected changes suggesting altered microstructural integrity in iRBD and ePD in the nigrostriatal subregion known to degenerate first in PD. Surface MD of the caudal motor SNc presents a potential measure for inclusion in neuroimaging biomarkers of iRBD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erind Alushaj
- Department of Neuroscience, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dimuthu Hemachandra
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Hooman Ganjavi
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ken N Seergobin
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Manas Sharma
- Department of Radiology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alia Kashgari
- Department of Medicine, Respirology Division, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Barr
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - William Reisman
- Department of Medicine, Respirology Division, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ali R Khan
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Penny A MacDonald
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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Vano LJ, McCutcheon RA, Rutigliano G, Kaar SJ, Finelli V, Nordio G, Wellby G, Sedlacik J, Statton B, Rabiner EA, Ye R, Veronese M, Hopkins SC, Koblan KS, Everall IP, Howes OD. Mesostriatal Dopaminergic Circuit Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: A Multimodal Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and [ 18F]-DOPA Positron Emission Tomography Study. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01417-3. [PMID: 38942349 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.013] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Striatal hyperdopaminergia is implicated in the pathoetiology of schizophrenia, but how this relates to dopaminergic midbrain activity is unclear. Neuromelanin (NM)-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging provides a marker of long-term dopamine function. We examined whether midbrain NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging contrast-to-noise ratio (NM-CNR) was higher in people with schizophrenia than in healthy control (HC) participants and whether this correlated with dopamine synthesis capacity. METHODS One hundred fifty-four participants (schizophrenia group: n = 74, HC group: n = 80) underwent NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA). A subset of the schizophrenia group (n = 38) also received [18F]-DOPA positron emission tomography to measure dopamine synthesis capacity (Kicer) in the SN-VTA and striatum. RESULTS SN-VTA NM-CNR was significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC participants (effect size = 0.38, p = .019). This effect was greatest for voxels in the medial and ventral SN-VTA. In patients, SN-VTA Kicer positively correlated with SN-VTA NM-CNR (r = 0.44, p = .005) and striatal Kicer (r = 0.71, p < .001). Voxelwise analysis demonstrated that SN-VTA NM-CNR was positively associated with striatal Kicer (r = 0.53, p = .005) and that this relationship seemed strongest between the ventral SN-VTA and associative striatum in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that NM levels are higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC individuals, particularly in midbrain regions that project to parts of the striatum that receive innervation from the limbic and association cortices. The direct relationship between measures of NM and dopamine synthesis suggests that these aspects of schizophrenia pathophysiology are linked. Our findings highlight specific mesostriatal circuits as the loci of dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia and thus as potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Vano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Kaar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Finelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Nordio
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Wellby
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Sedlacik
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Statton
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eugenii A Rabiner
- Invicro, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rong Ye
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Seth C Hopkins
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ian P Everall
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Murray SB, Diaz‐Fong JP, Mak VWT, Feusner JD. Assessing midbrain neuromelanin and its relationship to reward learning in anorexia nervosa: Stage 1 of a registered report. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3573. [PMID: 38898625 PMCID: PMC11186843 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a debilitating and potentially chronic eating disorder, characterized by low hedonic drive toward food, which has been linked with perturbations in both reward processing and dopaminergic activity. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging method to index midbrain neuromelanin-a by-product of dopaminergic synthesis. The assessment of midbrain neuromelanin, and its association with AN psychopathology and reward-related processes, may provide critical insights into reward circuit function in AN. METHODS This study will incorporate neuromelanin-sensitive MRI into an existing study of appetitive conditioning in those with AN. Specifically, those with acute and underweight AN (N = 30), those with weight-restored AN (N = 30), and age-matched healthy controls (N = 30) will undergo clinical assessment of current and previous psychopathology, in addition to structural neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, diffusion MRI, and functional MRI (fMRI) during appetitive conditioning. CONCLUSION This study will be among the first to interrogate midbrain neuromelanin in AN-a disorder characterized by altered dopaminergic activity. Results will help establish whether abnormalities in the midbrain synthesis of dopamine are evident in those with AN and are associated with symptomatic behavior and reduced ability to experience pleasure and reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B. Murray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joel P. Diaz‐Fong
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoOntarioCanada
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral ScienceUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Jamie D. Feusner
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoOntarioCanada
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral ScienceUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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9
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Kalin NH. Advances in Understanding Schizophrenia, ADHD, and ASD. Am J Psychiatry 2024; 181:461-464. [PMID: 38822582 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20240325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ned H Kalin
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
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10
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van der Pluijm M, Wengler K, Reijers PN, Cassidy CM, Tjong Tjin Joe K, de Peuter OR, Horga G, Booij J, de Haan L, van de Giessen E. Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI as Candidate Marker for Treatment Resistance in First-Episode Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2024; 181:512-519. [PMID: 38476044 PMCID: PMC11227872 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Markers for treatment resistance in schizophrenia are needed to reduce delays in effective treatment. Nigrostriatal hyperdopaminergic function plays a critical role in the pathology of schizophrenia, yet antipsychotic nonresponders do not show increased dopamine function. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI), which indirectly measures dopamine function in the substantia nigra, has potential as a noninvasive marker for nonresponders. Increased NM-MRI signal has been shown in psychosis, but has not yet been assessed in nonresponders. In this study, the authors investigated whether nonresponders show lower NM-MRI signal than responders. METHODS NM-MRI scans were acquired in 79 patients with first-episode psychosis and 20 matched healthy control subjects. Treatment response was assessed at a 6-month follow-up. An a priori voxel-wise analysis within the substantia nigra tested the relation between NM-MRI signal and treatment response in patients. RESULTS Fifteen patients were classified as nonresponders and 47 patients as responders. Seventeen patients were excluded, primarily because of medication nonadherence or change in diagnosis. Voxel-wise analysis revealed 297 significant voxels in the ventral tier of the substantia nigra that were negatively associated with treatment response. Nonresponders and healthy control subjects had significantly lower NM-MRI signal than responders. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that NM-MRI signal separated nonresponders with areas under the curve between 0.62 and 0.85. In addition, NM-MRI signal in patients did not change over 6 months. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide further evidence for dopaminergic differences between medication responders and nonresponders and support the potential of NM-MRI as a clinically applicable marker for treatment resistance in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke van der Pluijm
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Pascalle N Reijers
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Kaithlyn Tjong Tjin Joe
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Olav R de Peuter
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Jan Booij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
| | - Elsmarieke van de Giessen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (van der Pluijm, Reijers, Tjong Tjin Joe, Booij, van de Giessen) and Department of Psychiatry (van der Pluijm, de Haan), Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York (Wengler, Horga); Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Cassidy); Arkin Mental Health Care, Amsterdam (de Peuter)
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11
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Vano LJ, Veronese M, McCutcheon RA, Howes OD. Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI: A Biomarker for Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia? Am J Psychiatry 2024; 181:468-470. [PMID: 38822586 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20240278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Vano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Vano, McCutcheon, Howes); Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London (Vano, Howes); Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London (Vano, Howes); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London (Vano, Howes); Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London (Veronese); Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy (Veronese); Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon)
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Vano, McCutcheon, Howes); Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London (Vano, Howes); Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London (Vano, Howes); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London (Vano, Howes); Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London (Veronese); Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy (Veronese); Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon)
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Vano, McCutcheon, Howes); Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London (Vano, Howes); Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London (Vano, Howes); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London (Vano, Howes); Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London (Veronese); Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy (Veronese); Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon)
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London (Vano, McCutcheon, Howes); Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London (Vano, Howes); Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London (Vano, Howes); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London (Vano, Howes); Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London (Veronese); Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padua, Italy (Veronese); Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, U.K. (McCutcheon)
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12
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Ahrens J, Zaher F, Rabin RA, Cassidy CM, Palaniyappan L. Neuromelanin levels in individuals with substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105690. [PMID: 38678736 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine's role in addiction has been extensively studied, revealing disruptions in its functioning throughout all addiction stages. Neuromelanin in the substantia nigra (SN) may reflect dopamine auto-oxidation, and can be quantified using neuromelaninsensitive magnetic resonance imaging (neuromelanin-MRI) in a non-invasive manner.In this pre-registered systematic review, we assess the current body of evidence related to neuromelanin levels in substance use disorders, using both post-mortem and MRI examinations. The systematic search identified 10 relevant articles, primarily focusing on the substantia nigra. An early-stage meta-analysis (n = 6) revealed varied observations ranging from standardized mean differences of -3.55 to +0.62, with a pooled estimate of -0.44 (95 % CI = -1.52, 0.65), but there was insufficient power to detect differences in neuromelanin content among individuals with substance use disorders. Our gap analysis highlights the lack of sufficient replication studies, with existing studies lacking the power to detect a true difference, and a complete lack of neuromelanin studies on certain substances of clinical interest. We provide recommendations for future studies of dopaminergic neurobiology in addictions and related psychiatric comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Ahrens
- Douglas Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Farida Zaher
- Douglas Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rachel A Rabin
- Douglas Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Lena Palaniyappan
- Douglas Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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13
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Schalbroeck R, van Hooijdonk CFM, Bos DPA, Booij J, Selten JP. Chronic social stressors and striatal dopamine functioning in humans: A systematic review of SPECT and PET studies. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02581-x. [PMID: 38760501 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02581-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia posits that elevated striatal dopamine functioning underlies the development of psychotic symptoms. Chronic exposure to social stressors increases psychosis risk, possibly by upregulating striatal dopamine functioning. Here we systematically review single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) studies that examined the relationship between chronic social stress exposure and in vivo striatal dopamine functioning in humans. We searched the scientific databases PubMed and PsycINFO from inception to August 2023. The quality of the included studies was evaluated with the ten-item Observational Study Quality Evaluation (PROSPERO: CRD42022308883). Twenty-eight studies were included, which measured different aspects of striatal dopamine functioning including dopamine synthesis capacity (DSC), vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 binding, dopamine release following a pharmacological or behavioral challenge, D2/3 receptor binding, and dopamine transporter binding. We observed preliminary evidence of an association between childhood trauma and increased striatal DSC and dopamine release. However, exposure to low socioeconomic status, stressful life events, or other social stressors was not consistently associated with altered striatal dopamine functioning. The quality of available studies was generally low. In conclusion, there is insufficient evidence that chronic social stressors upregulate striatal dopamine functioning in humans. We propose avenues for future research, in particular to improve the measurement of chronic social stressors and the methodological quality of study designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rik Schalbroeck
- Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Carmen F M van Hooijdonk
- Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniëlle P A Bos
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Booij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jean-Paul Selten
- Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Rivierduinen Institute for Mental Healthcare, Leiden, The Netherlands
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14
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Yan Y, Zhang M, Ren W, Zheng X, Chang Y. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging: Possibilities and promises as an imaging biomarker for Parkinson's disease. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:2616-2627. [PMID: 38441250 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16296] [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: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by both motor and non-motor symptoms resulting from the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC). The current diagnosis of PD primarily relies on motor symptoms, often leading to diagnoses in advanced stages, where a significant portion of SNpc dopamine neurons has already succumbed. Therefore, the identification of imaging biomarkers for early-stage PD diagnosis and disease progression monitoring is imperative. Recent studies propose that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) holds promise as an imaging biomarker. In this review, we summarize the latest findings concerning NM-MRI characteristics at various stages in patients with PD and those with atypical parkinsonism. In conclusion, alterations in neuromelanin within the LC are associated with non-motor symptoms and prove to be a reliable imaging biomarker in the prodromal phase of PD. Furthermore, NM-MRI demonstrates efficacy in differentiating progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) from PD and multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonism. The spatial patterns of changes in the SNpc can be indicative of PD progression and aid in distinguishing between PSP and synucleinopathies. We recommend that patients with PD and individuals at risk for PD undergo regular NM-MRI examinations. This technology holds the potential for widespread use in PD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayun Yan
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mengchao Zhang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wenhua Ren
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoqi Zheng
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ying Chang
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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15
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Yan S, Lu J, Li Y, Zhu H, Tian T, Qin Y, Zhu W. Large-scale functional network connectivity mediates the association between nigral neuromelanin hypopigmentation and motor impairment in Parkinson's disease. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:843-852. [PMID: 38347222 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02761-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Neuromelanin hypopigmentation within substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) reflects the loss of pigmented neurons, which in turn contributes to the dysfunction of the nigrostriatal and striato-cortical pathways in Parkinson's disease (PD). Our study aims to investigate the relationships between SN degeneration manifested by neuromelanin reduction, functional connectivity (FC) among large-scale brain networks, and motor impairment in PD. This study included 68 idiopathic PD patients and 32 age-, sex- and education level-matched healthy controls who underwent neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI, and motor assessments. SN integrity was measured using the subregional contrast-to-noise ratio calculated from neuromelanin-sensitive MRI. Resting-state FC maps were obtained based on the independent component analysis. Subsequently, we performed partial correlation and mediation analyses in SN degeneration, network disruption, and motor impairment for PD patients. We found significantly decreased neuromelanin within SN and widely altered inter-network FCs, mainly involved in the basal ganglia (BG), sensorimotor and frontoparietal networks in PD. In addition, decreased neuromelanin content was negatively correlated with the dorsal sensorimotor network (dSMN)-medial visual network connection (P = 0.012) and dSMN-BG connection (P = 0.004). Importantly, the effect of SN neuromelanin hypopigmentation on motor symptom severity in PD is partially mediated by the increased connectivity strength between BG and dSMN (indirect effect = - 1.358, 95% CI: - 2.997, - 0.147). Our results advanced our understanding of the interactions between neuromelanin hypopigmentation in SN and altered FCs of functional networks in PD and suggested the potential of multimodal metrics for early diagnosis and monitoring the response to therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Yan
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jun Lu
- Department of CT & MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Shihezi University, 107 North Second Road, Shihezi, China
| | - Yuanhao Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hongquan Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qin
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wenzhen Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095, JiefangAvenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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16
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van der Horn HJ, Vakhtin AA, Julio K, Nitschke S, Shaff N, Dodd AB, Erhardt E, Phillips JP, Pirio Richardson S, Deligtisch A, Stewart M, Suarez Cedeno G, Meles SK, Mayer AR, Ryman SG. Parkinson's disease cerebrovascular reactivity pattern: A feasibility study. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2024:271678X241241895. [PMID: 38578669 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x241241895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
A mounting body of research points to cerebrovascular dysfunction as a fundamental element in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). In the current feasibility study, blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) MRI was used to measure cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in response to hypercapnia in 26 PD patients and 16 healthy controls (HC), and aimed to find a multivariate pattern specific to PD. Whole-brain maps of CVR amplitude (i.e., magnitude of response to CO2) and latency (i.e., time to reach maximum amplitude) were computed, which were further analyzed using scaled sub-profile model principal component analysis (SSM-PCA) with leave-one-out cross-validation. A meaningful pattern based on CVR latency was identified, which was named the PD CVR pattern (PD-CVRP). This pattern was characterized by relatively increased latency in basal ganglia, sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area, thalamus and visual cortex, as well as decreased latency in the cerebral white matter, relative to HC. There were no significant associations with clinical measures, though sample size may have limited our ability to detect significant associations. In summary, the PD-CVRP highlights the importance of cerebrovascular dysfunction in PD, and may be a potential biomarker for future clinical research and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harm Jan van der Horn
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Andrei A Vakhtin
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Kayla Julio
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Stephanie Nitschke
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nicholas Shaff
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Andrew B Dodd
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Erik Erhardt
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - John P Phillips
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sarah Pirio Richardson
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Amanda Deligtisch
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Melanie Stewart
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Gerson Suarez Cedeno
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sanne K Meles
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew R Mayer
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sephira G Ryman
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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17
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Zhang Q, Wang H, Shi Y, Li W. White matter biomarker for predicting de novo Parkinson's disease using tract-based spatial statistics: a machine learning-based model. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2024; 14:3086-3106. [PMID: 38617147 PMCID: PMC11007501 DOI: 10.21037/qims-23-1478] [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: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is an irreversible, chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system, potentially associated with cerebral white matter (WM) lesions. Investigating the microstructural alterations within the WM in the early stages of PD can help to identify the disease early and enable intervention to reduce the associated serious threats to health. Methods This study selected 227 cases from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database, including 152 de novo PD patients and 75 normal controls (NC). Whole-brain voxel analysis of the WM was performed using the tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method. The WM regions with statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between the PD and NC groups were identified and used as masks. The mask was applied to each case's fractional anisotropy (FA) image to extract voxel values as feature vectors. Geometric dimensionality reduction was then applied to eliminate redundant values in the feature vectors. Subsequently, the cases were randomly divided into a training group (158 cases, including 103 PD patients and 55 NC) and a test group (69 cases, including 49 PD patients and 20 NC). The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm was employed to extract the minimal set of relevant features, then the random forest (RF) algorithm was utilized for classification using 5-fold cross validation. The resulting model was further integrated with clinical factors to create a comprehensive prediction model. Results In comparison to the NC group, the FA values in PD patients exhibited a statistically significant decrease (P<0.05), indicating the presence of widespread WM lesions across multiple brain regions. Moreover, the PD prediction model, constructed based on these WM lesion regions, yielded prediction accuracy (ACC) and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) values of 0.778 and 0.865 in the validation set, and 0.783 and 0.831 in the test set, respectively. Furthermore, the performance of the integrated model showed some improvement, with ACC and AUC values in the test set reaching 0.804 and 0.844, respectively. Conclusions The quantitative calculation of WM lesion area on FA images using the TBSS method can serve as a neuroimaging biomarker for diagnosing and predicting early PD at the individual level. When integrated with clinical variables, the predictive performance improves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Digital Medical Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoran Wang
- Digital Medical Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, Shanghai, China
| | - Yonghong Shi
- Digital Medical Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, Shanghai, China
| | - Wensheng Li
- Digital Medical Research Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention, Shanghai, China
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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18
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Hu M, Xu F, Liu S, Yao Y, Xia Q, Zhu C, Zhang X, Tang H, Qaiser Z, Liu S, Tang Y. Aging pattern of the brainstem based on volumetric measurement and optimized surface shape analysis. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:396-411. [PMID: 38155336 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00840-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem, a small and crucial structure, is connected to the cerebrum, spinal cord, and cerebellum, playing a vital role in regulating autonomic functions, transmitting motor and sensory information, and modulating cognitive processes, emotions, and consciousness. While previous research has indicated that changes in brainstem anatomy can serve as a biomarker for aging and neurodegenerative diseases, the structural changes that occur in the brainstem during normal aging remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the age- and sex-related differences in the global and local structural measures of the brainstem in 187 healthy adults (ranging in age from 18 to 70 years) using structural magnetic resonance imaging. The findings showed a significant negative age effect on the volume of the two major components of the brainstem: the medulla oblongata and midbrain. The shape analysis revealed that atrophy primarily occurs in specific structures, such as the pyramid, cerebral peduncle, superior and inferior colliculi. Surface area and shape analysis showed a trend of flattening in the aging brainstem. There were no significant differences between the sexes or sex-by-age interactions in brainstem structural measures. These findings provide a systematic description of age associations with brainstem structures in healthy adults and may provide a reference for future research on brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minqi Hu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Feifei Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shizhou Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Qing Xia
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Caiting Zhu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Xinwen Zhang
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Haiyan Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Zubair Qaiser
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Shuwei Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Yuchun Tang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Research Center for Sectional and Imaging Anatomy, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mental Disorder, Shandong Key Laboratory of Digital Human and Clinical Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Institute of Brain and Brain-Inspired Science, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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19
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Lv Q, Wang X, Lin P, Wang X. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in the study of mental disorder: A systematic review. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2024; 339:111785. [PMID: 38325165 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111785] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, but non-invasive study of their neuronal function remains challenging. Recent research suggests that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) techniques may overcome this limitation by enabling the non-invasive imaging of the substantia nigra (SN)/ ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic and locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic systems. A review of 19 studies that met the criteria for NM-MRI application in mental disorders found that despite the use of heterogeneous sequence parameters and metrics, nearly all studies reported differences in contrast ratio (CNR) of LC or SN/VTA between patients with mental disorders and healthy controls. These findings suggest that NM-MRI is a valuable tool in psychiatry, but the differences in sequence parameters across studies hinder comparability, and a standardized analysis pipeline is needed to improve the reliability of results. Further research using standardized methods is needed to better understand the role of dopamine and norepinephrine in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lv
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xuanyi Wang
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Pan Lin
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.; China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Xiangya), Changsha, Hunan, PR China..
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20
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Trujillo P, Aumann MA, Claassen DO. Reply: Neuromelanin? MRI of catecholaminergic neurons. Brain 2024; 147:e27-e28. [PMID: 37979197 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
| | - Megan A Aumann
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
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21
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Alushaj E, Handfield-Jones N, Kuurstra A, Morava A, Menon RS, Owen AM, Sharma M, Khan AR, MacDonald PA. Increased iron in the substantia nigra pars compacta identifies patients with early Parkinson'sdisease: A 3T and 7T MRI study. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 41:103577. [PMID: 38377722 PMCID: PMC10944193 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103577] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Degeneration in the substantia nigra (SN) pars compacta (SNc) underlies motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Currently, there are no neuroimaging biomarkers that are sufficiently sensitive, specific, reproducible, and accessible for routine diagnosis or staging of PD. Although iron is essential for cellular processes, it also mediates neurodegeneration. MRI can localize and quantify brain iron using magnetic susceptibility, which could potentially provide biomarkers of PD. We measured iron in the SNc, SN pars reticulata (SNr), total SN, and ventral tegmental area (VTA), using quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and R2* relaxometry, in PD patients and age-matched healthy controls (HCs). PD patients, diagnosed within five years of participation and HCs were scanned at 3T (22 PD and 23 HCs) and 7T (17 PD and 21 HCs) MRI. Midbrain nuclei were segmented using a probabilistic subcortical atlas. QSM and R2* values were measured in midbrain subregions. For each measure, groups were contrasted, with Age and Sex as covariates, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed with repeated k-fold cross-validation to test the potential of our measures to classify PD patients and HCs. Statistical differences of area under the curves (AUCs) were compared using the Hanley-MacNeil method (QSM versus R2*; 3T versus 7T MRI). PD patients had higher QSM values in the SNc at both 3T (padj = 0.001) and 7T (padj = 0.01), but not in SNr, total SN, or VTA, at either field strength. No significant group differences were revealed using R2* in any midbrain region at 3T, though increased R2* values in SNc at 7T MRI were marginally significant in PDs compared to HCs (padj = 0.052). ROC curve analyses showed that SNc iron measured with QSM, distinguished early PD patients from HCs at the single-subject level with good diagnostic accuracy, using 3T (mean AUC = 0.83, 95 % CI = 0.82-0.84) and 7T (mean AUC = 0.80, 95 % CI = 0.79-0.81) MRI. Mean AUCs reported here are from averages of tests in the hold-out fold of cross-validated samples. The Hanley-MacNeil method demonstrated that QSM outperforms R2* in discriminating PD patients from HCs at 3T, but not 7T. There were no significant differences between 3T and 7T in diagnostic accuracy of QSM values in SNc. This study highlights the importance of segmenting midbrain subregions, performed here using a standardized atlas, and demonstrates high accuracy of SNc iron measured with QSM at 3T MRI in identifying early PD patients. QSM measures of SNc show potential for inclusion in neuroimaging diagnostic biomarkers of early PD. An MRI diagnostic biomarker of PD would represent a significant clinical advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erind Alushaj
- Department of Neuroscience, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Nicholas Handfield-Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Alan Kuurstra
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Anisa Morava
- School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Ravi S Menon
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Adrian M Owen
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Manas Sharma
- Department of Radiology, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Ali R Khan
- Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Penny A MacDonald
- Western Institute for Neuroscience, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.
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22
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Wengler K, Baker SC, Velikovskaya A, Fogelson A, Girgis RR, Reyes-Madrigal F, Lee S, de la Fuente-Sandoval C, Ojeil N, Horga G. Generalizability and Out-of-Sample Predictive Ability of Associations Between Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Psychosis in Antipsychotic-Free Individuals. JAMA Psychiatry 2024; 81:198-208. [PMID: 37938847 PMCID: PMC10633403 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance The link between psychosis and dopaminergic dysfunction is established, but no generalizable biomarkers with clear potential for clinical adoption exist. Objective To replicate previous findings relating neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI), a proxy measure of dopamine function, to psychosis severity in antipsychotic-free individuals in the psychosis spectrum and to evaluate the out-of-sample predictive ability of NM-MRI for psychosis severity. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study recruited participants from 2019 to 2023 in the New York City area (main samples) and Mexico City area (external validation sample). The main samples consisted of 42 antipsychotic-free patients with schizophrenia, 53 antipsychotic-free individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR), and 52 matched healthy controls. An external validation sample consisted of 16 antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia. Main Outcomes and Measures NM-MRI contrast within a subregion of the substantia nigra previously linked to psychosis severity (a priori psychosis region of interest [ROI]) and psychosis severity measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in schizophrenia and the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) in CHR. The cross-validated performance of linear support vector regression to predict psychosis severity across schizophrenia and CHR was assessed, and a final trained model was tested on the external validation sample. Results Of the 163 included participants, 76 (46.6%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 29.2 (10.4) years. In the schizophrenia sample, higher PANSS positive total scores correlated with higher mean NM-MRI contrast in the psychosis ROI (t37 = 2.24, P = .03; partial r = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.55). In the CHR sample, no significant association was found between higher SIPS positive total score and NM-MRI contrast in the psychosis ROI (t48 = -0.55, P = .68; partial r = -0.08; 95% CI, -0.36 to 0.23). The 10-fold cross-validated prediction accuracy of psychosis severity was above chance in held-out test data (mean r = 0.305, P = .01; mean root-mean-square error [RMSE] = 1.001, P = .005). External validation prediction accuracy was also above chance (r = 0.422, P = .046; RMSE = 0.882, P = .047). Conclusions and Relevance This study provided a direct ROI-based replication of the in-sample association between NM-MRI contrast and psychosis severity in antipsychotic-free patients with schizophrenia. In turn, it failed to replicate such association in CHR individuals. Most critically, cross-validated machine-learning analyses provided a proof-of-concept demonstration that NM-MRI patterns can be used to predict psychosis severity in new data, suggesting potential for developing clinically useful tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Seth C. Baker
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
- University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Buffalo, New York
| | | | | | - Ragy R. Girgis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Francisco Reyes-Madrigal
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatry Department, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Camilo de la Fuente-Sandoval
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatry Department, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
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23
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Trujillo P, Aumann MA, Claassen DO. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a promising biomarker of catecholamine function. Brain 2024; 147:337-351. [PMID: 37669320 PMCID: PMC10834262 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad300] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions to dopamine and noradrenergic neurotransmission are noted in several neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Neuromelanin-sensitive (NM)-MRI offers a non-invasive approach to visualize and quantify the structural and functional integrity of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. This method may aid in the diagnosis and quantification of longitudinal changes of disease and could provide a stratification tool for predicting treatment success of pharmacological interventions targeting the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems. Given the growing clinical interest in NM-MRI, understanding the contrast mechanisms that generate this signal is crucial for appropriate interpretation of NM-MRI outcomes and for the continued development of quantitative MRI biomarkers that assess disease severity and progression. To date, most studies associate NM-MRI measurements to the content of the neuromelanin pigment and/or density of neuromelanin-containing neurons, while recent studies suggest that the main source of the NM-MRI contrast is not the presence of neuromelanin but the high-water content in the dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons. In this review, we consider the biological and physical basis for the NM-MRI contrast and discuss a wide range of interpretations of NM-MRI. We describe different acquisition and image processing approaches and discuss how these methods could be improved and standardized to facilitate large-scale multisite studies and translation into clinical use. We review the potential clinical applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders and the promise of NM-MRI as a biomarker of disease, and finally, we discuss the current limitations of NM-MRI that need to be addressed before this technique can be utilized as a biomarker and translated into clinical practice and offer suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Megan A Aumann
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
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24
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Kuai X, Shao D, Wang S, Wu PY, Wu Y, Wang X. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI of the substantia nigra distinguishes bipolar from unipolar depression. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad423. [PMID: 37955650 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad423] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression in bipolar disorder (BD-II) is frequently misdiagnosed as unipolar depression (UD) leading to inappropriate treatment and downstream complications for many bipolar sufferers. In this study, we evaluated whether neuromelanin-MR signal and volume changes in the substantia nigra (SN) can be used as potential biomarkers to differentiate BD-II from UD. The signal intensities and volumes of the SN regions were measured, and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) to the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncles were calculated and compared between healthy controls (HC), BD-II and UD subjects. Results showed that compare to HC, both BD-II and UD subjects had significantly decreased CNR and increased volume on the right and left sides. Moreover, the volume in BD-II group was significantly increased compared to UD group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for discriminating BD from HC was the largest for the Volume-L (AUC, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77, 0.93). The AUC for discriminating UD from HC was the largest for the Volume-L (AUC, 0.76; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.86). Furthermore, the AUC for discriminating BD from UD was the largest for the Volume-R (AUC, 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.84). Our findings suggest that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging techniques can be used to differentiate BD-II from UD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinping Kuai
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 274 Middle Zhi-jiang Road, Shanghai 200071, China
| | - Dandan Shao
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 999, Xiwang Road, Malu Town, Jiading, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Shengyu Wang
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 999, Xiwang Road, Malu Town, Jiading, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Pu-Yeh Wu
- MR Research China, GE Healthcare, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Yan Wu
- Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Xuexue Wang
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wan Ping Nan Road, Shanghai 200030, China
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25
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Lakhani DA, Zhou X, Tao S, Patel V, Wen S, Okromelidze L, Greco E, Lin C, Westerhold EM, Straub S, Wszolek ZK, Tipton PW, Uitti RJ, Grewal SS, Middlebrooks EH. Diagnostic utility of 7T neuromelanin imaging of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:13. [PMID: 38191546 PMCID: PMC10774294 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00631-3] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder that presents a diagnostic challenge due to symptom overlap with other disorders. Neuromelanin (NM) imaging is a promising biomarker for PD, but adoption has been limited, in part due to subpar performance at standard MRI field strengths. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of ultra-high field 7T NM-sensitive imaging in the diagnosis of PD versus controls and essential tremor (ET), as well as NM differences among PD subtypes. A retrospective case-control study was conducted including PD patients, ET patients, and controls. 7T NM-sensitive 3D-GRE was acquired, and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) volumes, contrast ratios, and asymmetry indices were calculated. Statistical analyses, including general linear models and ROC curves, were employed. Twenty-one PD patients, 13 ET patients, and 18 controls were assessed. PD patients exhibited significantly lower SNpc volumes compared to non-PD subjects. SNpc total volume showed 100% sensitivity and 96.8% specificity (AUC = 0.998) for differentiating PD from non-PD and 100% sensitivity and 95.2% specificity (AUC = 0.996) in differentiating PD from ET. Contrast ratio was not significantly different between PD and non-PD groups (p = 0.07). There was also significantly higher asymmetry index in SNpc volume in PD compared to non-PD cohorts (p < 0.001). NM signal loss in PD predominantly involved the inferior, posterior, and lateral aspects of SNpc. Akinetic-rigid subtype showed more significant NM signal loss compared to tremor dominant subtype (p < 0.001). 7T NM imaging demonstrates potential as a diagnostic tool for PD, including potential distinction between subtypes, allowing improved understanding of disease progression and subtype-related characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhairya A Lakhani
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Xiangzhi Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Shengzhen Tao
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Vishal Patel
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Sijin Wen
- Department of Biostatistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | | | - Elena Greco
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Chen Lin
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Sina Straub
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Ryan J Uitti
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Erik H Middlebrooks
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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26
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Shaff N, Erhardt E, Nitschke S, Julio K, Wertz C, Vakhtin A, Caprihan A, Suarez‐Cedeno G, Deligtisch A, Richardson SP, Mayer AR, Ryman SG. Comparison of automated and manual quantification methods for neuromelanin-sensitive MRI in Parkinson's disease. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26544. [PMID: 38041476 PMCID: PMC10789205 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging quantitative analysis methods have provided promising biomarkers that can noninvasively quantify degeneration of the substantia nigra in patients with Parkinson's disease. However, there is a need to systematically evaluate the performance of manual and automated quantification approaches. We evaluate whether spatial, signal-intensity, or subject specific abnormality measures using either atlas based or manually traced identification of the substantia nigra better differentiate patients with Parkinson's disease from healthy controls using logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristics. Inference was performed using bootstrap analyses to calculate 95% confidence interval bounds. Pairwise comparisons were performed by generating 10,000 permutations, refitting the models, and calculating a paired difference between metrics. Thirty-one patients with Parkinson's disease and 22 healthy controls were included in the analyses. Signal intensity measures significantly outperformed spatial and subject specific abnormality measures, with the top performers exhibiting excellent ability to differentiate patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls (balanced accuracy = 0.89; area under the curve = 0.81; sensitivity =0.86; and specificity = 0.83). Atlas identified substantia nigra metrics performed significantly better than manual tracing metrics. These results provide clear support for the use of automated signal intensity metrics and additional recommendations. Future work is necessary to evaluate whether the same metrics can best differentiate atypical parkinsonism, perform similarly in de novo and mid-stage cohorts, and serve as longitudinal monitoring biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erik Erhardt
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | | | - Kayla Julio
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | | | | | | | - Gerson Suarez‐Cedeno
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - Amanda Deligtisch
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - Sarah Pirio Richardson
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
- New Mexico VA Health Care SystemAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | | | - Sephira G. Ryman
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
- Nene and Jamie Koch Comprehensive Movement Disorder Center, Department of NeurologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
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27
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Choi S, Kim M, Kim T, Choi EJ, Lee J, Moon SY, Cho SS, Lee J, Kwon JS. Fronto-striato-thalamic circuit connectivity and neuromelanin in schizophrenia: an fMRI and neuromelanin-MRI study. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:81. [PMID: 37945576 PMCID: PMC10636101 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00410-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopamine and fronto-striato-thalamic (FST) circuit functional connectivity are prominent in schizophrenia. Dopamine is thought to underlie connectivity changes, but experimental evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. Previous studies examined the association in some of the connections using positron emission tomography (PET) and functional MRI (fMRI); however, PET has disadvantages in scanning patients, such as invasiveness. Excessive dopamine induces neuromelanin (NM) accumulation, and NM-MRI is suggested as a noninvasive proxy measure of dopamine function. We aimed to investigate the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity at the network level in patients with schizophrenia. We analysed substantia nigra NM-MRI and resting-state fMRI data from 29 schizophrenia patients and 63 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). We identified the FST subnetwork with abnormal connectivity found in schizophrenia patients compared to that of HCs and investigated the relationship between constituting connectivity and NM-MRI signal. We found a higher NM signal (t = -2.12, p = 0.037) and a hypoconnected FST subnetwork (FWER-corrected p = 0.014) in schizophrenia patients than in HCs. In the hypoconnected subnetwork of schizophrenia patients, lower left supplementary motor area-left caudate connectivity was associated with a higher NM signal (β = -0.38, p = 0.042). We demonstrated the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity. Considering that the NM-MRI signal reflects dopamine function, our results suggest that dopamine underlies changes in FST circuit connectivity, which supports the dopamine hypothesis. In addition, this study reveals implications for the future use of NM-MRI in investigations of the dopamine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunah Choi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taekwan Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jung Choi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungha Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Young Moon
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Soo Cho
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, SNU-MRC, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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28
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Oshima S, Fushimi Y, Miyake KK, Nakajima S, Sakata A, Okuchi S, Hinoda T, Otani S, Numamoto H, Fujimoto K, Shima A, Nambu M, Sawamoto N, Takahashi R, Ueno K, Saga T, Nakamoto Y. Denoising approach with deep learning-based reconstruction for neuromelanin-sensitive MRI: image quality and diagnostic performance. Jpn J Radiol 2023; 41:1216-1225. [PMID: 37256470 PMCID: PMC10613599 DOI: 10.1007/s11604-023-01452-9] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) has proven useful for diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD) by showing reduced signals in the substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC), but requires a long scan time. The aim of this study was to assess the image quality and diagnostic performance of NM-MRI with a shortened scan time using a denoising approach with deep learning-based reconstruction (dDLR). MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 22 healthy volunteers, 22 non-PD patients and 22 patients with PD who underwent NM-MRI, and performed manual ROI-based analysis. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in ten healthy volunteers were compared among images with a number of excitations (NEX) of 1 (NEX1), NEX1 images with dDLR (NEX1 + dDLR) and 5-NEX images (NEX5). Acquisition times for NEX1 and NEX5 were 3 min 12 s and 15 min 58 s, respectively. Diagnostic performances using the contrast ratio (CR) of the SN (CR_SN) and LC (CR_LC) and those by visual assessment for differentiating PD from non-PD were also compared between NEX1 and NEX1 + dDLR. RESULTS Image quality analyses revealed that SNRs and CNRs of the SN and LC in NEX1 + dDLR were significantly higher than in NEX1, and comparable to those in NEX5. In diagnostic performance analysis, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) using CR_SN and CR_LC of NEX1 + dDLR were 0.87 and 0.75, respectively, which had no significant difference with those of NEX1. Visual assessment showed improvement of diagnostic performance by applying dDLR. CONCLUSION Image quality for NEX1 + dDLR was comparable to that of NEX5. dDLR has the potential to reduce scan time of NM-MRI without degrading image quality. Both 1-NEX NM-MRI with and without dDLR showed high AUCs for diagnosing PD by CR. The results of visual assessment suggest advantages of dDLR. Further tuning of dDLR would be expected to provide clinical merits in diagnosing PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonoko Oshima
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yasutaka Fushimi
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
| | - Kanae Kawai Miyake
- Department of Advanced Medical Imaging Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nakajima
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sakata
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sachi Okuchi
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takuya Hinoda
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Sayo Otani
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hitomi Numamoto
- Department of Advanced Medical Imaging Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Koji Fujimoto
- Department of Real World Data Research and Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Atsushi Shima
- Department of Regenerative Systems Neuroscience, Human Brain Research Center, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Masahito Nambu
- MRI Systems Division, Canon Medical Systems Corporation, 1385 Shimoishigami, Otawara-Shi, Tochigi, 324-0036, Japan
| | - Nobukatsu Sawamoto
- Department of Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ueno
- Department of Biomedical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tsuneo Saga
- Department of Advanced Medical Imaging Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuji Nakamoto
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-Cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
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Bachman SL, Cole S, Yoo HJ, Nashiro K, Min J, Mercer N, Nasseri P, Thayer JF, Lehrer P, Mather M. Daily heart rate variability biofeedback training decreases locus coeruleus MRI contrast in younger adults in a randomized clinical trial. Int J Psychophysiol 2023; 193:112241. [PMID: 37647944 PMCID: PMC10591988 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.08.014] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
As an arousal hub region in the brain, the locus coeruleus (LC) has bidirectional connections with the autonomic nervous system. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based measures of LC structural integrity have been linked to cognition and arousal, but less is known about factors that influence LC structure and function across time. Here, we tested the effects of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback, an intervention targeting the autonomic nervous system, on LC MRI contrast and sympathetic activity. Younger and older participants completed daily HRV biofeedback training for five weeks. Those assigned to an experimental condition performed biofeedback involving slow, paced breathing designed to increase heart rate oscillations, whereas those assigned to a control condition performed biofeedback to decrease heart rate oscillations. At the pre- and post-training timepoints, LC contrast was assessed using turbo spin echo MRI scans, and RNA sequencing was used to assess cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB)-regulated gene expression in circulating blood cells, an index of sympathetic nervous system signaling. We found that left LC contrast decreased in younger participants in the experimental group, and across younger participants, decreases in left LC contrast were related to the extent to which participants increased their heart rate oscillations during training. Furthermore, decreases in left LC contrast were associated with decreased expression of CREB-associated gene transcripts. On the contrary, there were no effects of biofeedback on LC contrast among older participants in the experimental group. These findings provide novel evidence that in younger adults, HRV biofeedback involving slow, paced breathing can decrease both LC contrast and sympathetic nervous system signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby L Bachman
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Steve Cole
- University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America
| | - Hyun Joo Yoo
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Kaoru Nashiro
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Jungwon Min
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Noah Mercer
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Padideh Nasseri
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America
| | - Julian F Thayer
- University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, United States of America
| | - Paul Lehrer
- Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08852, United States of America
| | - Mara Mather
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States of America.
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30
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García Saborit M, Jara A, Muñoz N, Milovic C, Tepper A, Alliende LM, Mena C, Iruretagoyena B, Ramirez-Mahaluf JP, Diaz C, Nachar R, Castañeda CP, González A, Undurraga J, Crossley N, Tejos C. Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping MRI in Deep-Brain Nuclei in First-Episode Psychosis. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:1355-1363. [PMID: 37030007 PMCID: PMC10483330 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosis is related to neurochemical changes in deep-brain nuclei, particularly suggesting dopamine dysfunctions. We used an magnetic resonance imaging-based technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to study these regions in psychosis. QSM quantifies magnetic susceptibility in the brain, which is associated with iron concentrations. Since iron is a cofactor in dopamine pathways and co-localizes with inhibitory neurons, differences in QSM could reflect changes in these processes. METHODS We scanned 83 patients with first-episode psychosis and 64 healthy subjects. We reassessed 22 patients and 21 control subjects after 3 months. Mean susceptibility was measured in 6 deep-brain nuclei. Using linear mixed models, we analyzed the effect of case-control differences, region, age, gender, volume, framewise displacement (FD), treatment duration, dose, laterality, session, and psychotic symptoms on QSM. RESULTS Patients showed a significant susceptibility reduction in the putamen and globus pallidus externa (GPe). Patients also showed a significant R2* reduction in GPe. Age, gender, FD, session, group, and region are significant predictor variables for QSM. Dose, treatment duration, and volume were not predictor variables of QSM. CONCLUSIONS Reduction in QSM and R2* suggests a decreased iron concentration in the GPe of patients. Susceptibility reduction in putamen cannot be associated with iron changes. Since changes observed in putamen and GPe were not associated with symptoms, dose, and treatment duration, we hypothesize that susceptibility may be a trait marker rather than a state marker, but this must be verified with long-term studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisleydis García Saborit
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandro Jara
- Department of Statistics, Mathematics Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Néstor Muñoz
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Milovic
- School of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Angeles Tepper
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luz María Alliende
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Mena
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bárbara Iruretagoyena
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Camila Diaz
- Pharmacovigilance, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr. J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ruben Nachar
- Pharmacovigilance, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr. J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Alfonso González
- Early Intervention Program, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
- School of Medicine, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Undurraga
- Early Intervention Program, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolas Crossley
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Tejos
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
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31
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Chen HY, Parent JH, Ciampa CJ, Dahl MJ, Hämmerer D, Maass A, Winer JR, Yakupov R, Inglis B, Betts MJ, Berry AS. Interactive effects of locus coeruleus structure and catecholamine synthesis capacity on cognitive function. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1236335. [PMID: 37744395 PMCID: PMC10516288 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1236335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The locus coeruleus (LC) produces catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine) and is implicated in a broad range of cognitive functions including attention and executive function. Recent advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approaches allow for the visualization and quantification of LC structure. Human research focused on the LC has since exploded given the LC's role in cognition and relevance to current models of psychopathology and neurodegenerative disease. However, it is unclear to what extent LC structure reflects underlying catecholamine function, and how LC structure and neurochemical function are collectively associated with cognitive performance. Methods A partial least squares correlation (PLSC) analysis was applied to 19 participants' LC structural MRI measures and catecholamine synthesis capacity measures assessed using [18F]Fluoro-m-tyrosine ([18F]FMT) positron emission tomography (PET). Results We found no direct association between LC-MRI and LC-[18F]FMT measures for rostral, middle, or caudal portions of the LC. We found significant associations between LC neuroimaging measures and neuropsychological performance that were driven by rostral and middle portions of the LC, which is in line with LC cortical projection patterns. Specifically, associations with executive function and processing speed arose from contributions of both LC structure and interactions between LC structure and catecholamine synthesis capacity. Conclusion These findings leave open the possibility that LC MRI and PET measures contribute unique information and suggest that their conjoint use may increase sensitivity to brain-behavior associations in small samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Yu Chen
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Jourdan H. Parent
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Claire J. Ciampa
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Martin J. Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- Psychological Institute, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anne Maass
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Joseph R. Winer
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Renat Yakupov
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ben Inglis
- Henry H. Wheeler Jr. Brain Imaging Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Matthew J. Betts
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anne S. Berry
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Krohn F, Lancini E, Ludwig M, Leiman M, Guruprasath G, Haag L, Panczyszyn J, Düzel E, Hämmerer D, Betts M. Noradrenergic neuromodulation in ageing and disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105311. [PMID: 37437752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105311] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is a small brainstem structure located in the lower pons and is the main source of noradrenaline (NA) in the brain. Via its phasic and tonic firing, it modulates cognition and autonomic functions and is involved in the brain's immune response. The extent of degeneration to the LC in healthy ageing remains unclear, however, noradrenergic dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Despite their differences in progression at later disease stages, the early involvement of the LC may lead to comparable behavioural symptoms such as preclinical sleep problems and neuropsychiatric symptoms as a result of AD and PD pathology. In this review, we draw attention to the mechanisms that underlie LC degeneration in ageing, AD and PD. We aim to motivate future research to investigate how early degeneration of the noradrenergic system may play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD and PD which may also be relevant to other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Krohn
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Lancini
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - M Ludwig
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - M Leiman
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - G Guruprasath
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - L Haag
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - J Panczyszyn
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - E Düzel
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - D Hämmerer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London UK-WC1E 6BT, UK; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - M Betts
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research (IKND), Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany; CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
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33
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Dahl MJ, Bachman SL, Dutt S, Düzel S, Bodammer NC, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. The integrity of dopaminergic and noradrenergic brain regions is associated with different aspects of late-life memory performance. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1128-1143. [PMID: 37653256 PMCID: PMC10501910 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00469-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopaminergic neuromodulation play a key role in adult memory decline. Recent research has also implicated noradrenaline in shaping late-life memory. However, it is unclear whether these two neuromodulators have distinct roles in age-related cognitive changes. Here, combining longitudinal MRI of the dopaminergic substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA) and noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) in younger (n = 69) and older (n = 251) adults, we found that dopaminergic and noradrenergic integrity are differentially associated with memory performance. While LC integrity was related to better episodic memory across several tasks, SN-VTA integrity was linked to working memory. Longitudinally, we found that older age was associated with more negative change in SN-VTA and LC integrity. Notably, changes in LC integrity reliably predicted future episodic memory. These differential associations of dopaminergic and noradrenergic nuclei with late-life cognitive decline have potential clinical utility, given their degeneration in several age-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Shelby L Bachman
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shubir Dutt
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils C Bodammer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Iannitelli AF, Weinshenker D. Riddles in the dark: Decoding the relationship between neuromelanin and neurodegeneration in locus coeruleus neurons. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105287. [PMID: 37327835 PMCID: PMC10523397 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105287] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is among the first regions of the brain affected by pathology in both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), but the reasons for this selective vulnerability are not completely understood. Several features of LC neurons have been proposed as contributing factors to this dysfunction and degeneration, and this review will focus on the presence of neuromelanin (NM). NM is a dark pigment unique to catecholaminergic cells that is formed of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) metabolites, heavy metals, protein aggregates, and oxidated lipids. We cover what is currently known about NM and the limitations of historical approaches, then discuss the new human tyrosinase (hTyr) model of NM production in rodent catecholamine cells in vivo that offers unique opportunities for studying its neurobiology, neurotoxicity, and potential of NM-based therapeutics for treating neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa F Iannitelli
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Menon J, Kantipudi SJ, Mani A, Radhakrishnan R. Characterization of an extreme phenotype of schizophrenia among women with homelessness. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.29.23293378. [PMID: 37577469 PMCID: PMC10418294 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.23293378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Studies of schizophrenia and homelessness are often confounded by comorbid substance use. Women with schizophrenia and homelessness in India have very low rates of substance use and provide a unique opportunity to disentangle the effects of illness from that of substance use. We examined the clinical characteristics of women with schizophrenia and homelessness and compared it to an age-matched group of women with schizophrenia living with their family. Methods 36 women with schizophrenia and homelessness, and 32 women with schizophrenia who were illness living with family were evaluated for psychopathology using Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS)/ Scale for assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) scales, cognitive difficulties using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)/Rowland Universal Dementia Scale (RUDAS), and Frontal Assessment Battery(FAB), disability using World Health Organization - Disability assessment Scale (WHO-DAS) and psychosocial factors using a semi-structured proforma. The groups were compared using t-tests and chi-square for continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results Women with schizophrenia and homelessness were found to have significantly higher scores on measures of psychopathology, significantly lower cognitive functioning, and much higher disability, and were also on higher doses of antipsychotics. The mean scores on measures of psychopathology, cognition and disability for women with schizophrenia and homelessness differed by 2-3 standard deviations with the mean for women living with family (i.e. z scores) suggesting that they represented an extreme phenotype. Rates of past employment were higher among women with schizophrenia and homelessness. Hence these differences were not accounted for by premorbid functioning. Conclusions The study raises the possibility of an extreme phenotype of schizophrenia with severe and persistent psychopathology non-responsive to dopamine blocking drugs, cognitive impairment, and disability, which needs further exploration.
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Pagliaccio D, Wengler K, Durham K, Fontaine M, Rueppel M, Becker H, Bilek E, Pieper S, Risdon C, Horga G, Fitzgerald KD, Marsh R. Probing midbrain dopamine function in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder via neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3075-3082. [PMID: 37198261 PMCID: PMC10189717 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02105-z] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an impairing psychiatric condition, which often onsets in childhood. Growing research highlights dopaminergic alterations in adult OCD, yet pediatric studies are limited by methodological constraints. This is the first study to utilize neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy for dopaminergic function among children with OCD. N = 135 youth (6-14-year-olds) completed high-resolution neuromelanin-sensitive MRI across two sites; n = 64 had an OCD diagnosis. N = 47 children with OCD completed a second scan after cognitive-behavioral therapy. Voxel-wise analyses identified that neuromelanin-MRI signal was higher among children with OCD compared to those without (483 voxels, permutation-corrected p = 0.018). Effects were significant within both the substania nigra pars compacta (p = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.51) and ventral tegmental area (p = 0.006, d = 0.50). Follow-up analyses indicated that more severe lifetime symptoms (t = -2.72, p = 0.009) and longer illness duration (t = -2.22, p = 0.03) related to lower neuromelanin-MRI signal. Despite significant symptom reduction with therapy (p < 0.001, d = 1.44), neither baseline nor change in neuromelanin-MRI signal associated with symptom improvement. Current results provide the first demonstration of the utility of neuromelanin-MRI in pediatric psychiatry, specifically highlighting in vivo evidence for midbrain dopamine alterations in treatment-seeking youth with OCD. Neuromelanin-MRI likely indexes accumulating alterations over time, herein, implicating dopamine hyperactivity in OCD. Given evidence of increased neuromelanin signal in pediatric OCD but negative association with symptom severity, additional work is needed to parse potential longitudinal or compensatory mechanisms. Future studies should explore the utility of neuromelanin-MRI biomarkers to identify early risk prior to onset, parse OCD subtypes or symptom heterogeneity, and explore prediction of pharmacotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pagliaccio
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Durham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martine Fontaine
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meryl Rueppel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hannah Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sarah Pieper
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caroline Risdon
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kate D Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Marsh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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Yamazaki Y, Suwabe K, Nagano-Saito A, Saotome K, Kuwamizu R, Hiraga T, Torma F, Suzuki K, Sankai Y, Yassa MA, Soya H. A possible contribution of the locus coeruleus to arousal enhancement with mild exercise: evidence from pupillometry and neuromelanin imaging. Cereb Cortex Commun 2023; 4:tgad010. [PMID: 37323937 PMCID: PMC10267300 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute mild exercise has been observed to facilitate executive function and memory. A possible underlying mechanism of this is the upregulation of the ascending arousal system, including the catecholaminergic system originating from the locus coeruleus (LC). Prior work indicates that pupil diameter, as an indirect marker of the ascending arousal system, including the LC, increases even with very light-intensity exercise. However, it remains unclear whether the LC directly contributes to exercise-induced pupil-linked arousal. Here, we examined the involvement of the LC in the change in pupil dilation induced by very light-intensity exercise using pupillometry and neuromelanin imaging to assess the LC integrity. A sample of 21 young males performed 10 min of very light-intensity exercise, and we measured changes in the pupil diameters and psychological arousal levels induced by the exercise. Neuromelanin-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were also obtained. We observed that pupil diameter and psychological arousal levels increased during very light-intensity exercise, which is consistent with previous findings. Notably, the LC contrast, a marker of LC integrity, predicted the magnitude of pupil dilation and psychological arousal enhancement with exercise. These relationships suggest that the LC-catecholaminergic system is a potential a mechanism for pupil-linked arousal induced by very light-intensity exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudai Yamazaki
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tannoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
| | - Kazuya Suwabe
- Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Ryutsu Keizai University, 120 Ryugasaki, Ibaraki 301-0844, Japan
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan
| | - Atsuko Nagano-Saito
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tannoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Ushiku Aiwa General Hospital, 896 Inoko-cho, Ushiku, Ibaraki 300-1296, Japan
| | - Kousaku Saotome
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan
- Department of Radiological Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan
| | - Ryuta Kuwamizu
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tannoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Graduate School of Letters, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Taichi Hiraga
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tannoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
| | - Ferenc Torma
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tannoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
| | - Kenji Suzuki
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Sankai
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan
| | - Michael A Yassa
- Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92679-3800, United States
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, CA 92679-3800, United States
| | - Hideaki Soya
- Corresponding author: Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology; Sport Neuroscience Division, Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8574, Japan.
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Abi-Dargham A, Moeller SJ, Ali F, DeLorenzo C, Domschke K, Horga G, Jutla A, Kotov R, Paulus MP, Rubio JM, Sanacora G, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Krystal JH. Candidate biomarkers in psychiatric disorders: state of the field. World Psychiatry 2023; 22:236-262. [PMID: 37159365 PMCID: PMC10168176 DOI: 10.1002/wps.21078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of psychiatry is hampered by a lack of robust, reliable and valid biomarkers that can aid in objectively diagnosing patients and providing individualized treatment recommendations. Here we review and critically evaluate the evidence for the most promising biomarkers in the psychiatric neuroscience literature for autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression and bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders. Candidate biomarkers reviewed include various neuroimaging, genetic, molecular and peripheral assays, for the purposes of determining susceptibility or presence of illness, and predicting treatment response or safety. This review highlights a critical gap in the biomarker validation process. An enormous societal investment over the past 50 years has identified numerous candidate biomarkers. However, to date, the overwhelming majority of these measures have not been proven sufficiently reliable, valid and useful to be adopted clinically. It is time to consider whether strategic investments might break this impasse, focusing on a limited number of promising candidates to advance through a process of definitive testing for a specific indication. Some promising candidates for definitive testing include the N170 signal, an event-related brain potential measured using electroencephalography, for subgroup identification within autism spectrum disorder; striatal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) measures, such as the striatal connectivity index (SCI) and the functional striatal abnormalities (FSA) index, for prediction of treatment response in schizophrenia; error-related negativity (ERN), an electrophysiological index, for prediction of first onset of generalized anxiety disorder, and resting-state and structural brain connectomic measures for prediction of treatment response in social anxiety disorder. Alternate forms of classification may be useful for conceptualizing and testing potential biomarkers. Collaborative efforts allowing the inclusion of biosystems beyond genetics and neuroimaging are needed, and online remote acquisition of selected measures in a naturalistic setting using mobile health tools may significantly advance the field. Setting specific benchmarks for well-defined target application, along with development of appropriate funding and partnership mechanisms, would also be crucial. Finally, it should never be forgotten that, for a biomarker to be actionable, it will need to be clinically predictive at the individual level and viable in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Scott J Moeller
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Farzana Ali
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Christine DeLorenzo
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Centre for Basics in Neuromodulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amandeep Jutla
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roman Kotov
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | | | - Jose M Rubio
- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra-Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research - Northwell, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Zucker Hillside Hospital - Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Seong M, Park S, Sung YH, Kim EY. Diagnostic performance of a high-spatial-resolution voxelwise analysis of neuromelanin-sensitive imaging in early-stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease. BMC Med Imaging 2023; 23:64. [PMID: 37202720 DOI: 10.1186/s12880-023-01018-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Quantitative assessments of neuromelanin (NM) of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) to determine its abnormality have been conducted by measuring either the volume or contrast ratio (CR) of the SNpc. A recent study determined the regions in the SNpc that are significantly different between early-stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) patients and healthy controls (HCs) using a high spatial-resolution NM-MRI template, which enables a template-based voxelwise analysis to overcome the susceptibility of CR measurement to inter-rater discrepancy. We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance, which has not been reported, of the CRs between early-stage IPD patients and HCs using a NM-MRI template. METHODS We retrospectively enrolled early-stage IPD patients (n = 50) and HCs (n = 50) who underwent 0.8-mm isovoxel NM-MRI and dopamine-transporter PET as the standard of reference. A template-based voxelwise analysis revealed two regions in nigrosomes 1 and 2 (N1 and N2, respectively), with significant differences in each substantia nigra (SNpc) between IPD and HCs. The mean CR values of N1, N2, volume-weighted mean of N1 and N2 (N1 + N2), and whole SNpc on each side were compared between IPD and HC using the independent t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. The diagnostic performance was compared in each region using receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS The mean CR values in the right N1 (0.149459 vs. 0.194505), left N1 (0.133328 vs. 0.169160), right N2 (0.230245 vs. 0.278181), left N2 (0.235784 vs. 0.314169), right N1 + N2 (0.155322 vs. 0.278143), left N1 + N2 (0.140991 vs. 0.276755), right whole SNpc (0.131397 vs. 0.141422), and left whole SNpc (0.127099 vs. 0.137873) significantly differed between IPD patients and HCs (all p < 0.001). The areas under the curve of the left N1 + N2, right N1 + N2, left N1, right N1, left N2, right N2, left whole SNpc, and right whole SNpc were 0.994 (sensitivity, 98.0%; specificity, 94.0%), 0.985, 0.804, 0.802, 0.777, 0.766, 0.632, and 0.606, respectively. CONCLUSION Our NM-MRI template-based CR measurements revealed significant differences between early-stage IPD patients and HCs. The CR values of the left N1 + N2 demonstrated the highest diagnostic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjung Seong
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Young Hee Sung
- Department of Neurology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eung Yeop Kim
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea.
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Lee EE, Adamowicz DH, Frangou S. An NIMH Workshop on Non-Affective Psychosis in Midlife and Beyond: Research Agenda on Phenomenology, Clinical Trajectories, Underlying Mechanisms, and Intervention Targets. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 31:353-365. [PMID: 36858928 PMCID: PMC10990076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.01.019] [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: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
We present a review of the state of the research in the phenomenology, clinical trajectories, biological mechanisms, aging biomarkers, and treatments for middle-aged and older people with schizophrenia (PwS) discussed at the NIMH sponsored workshop "Non-affective Psychosis in Midlife and Beyond." The growing population of PwS has specific clinical needs that require tailored and mechanistically derived interventions. Differentiating between the effects of aging and disease progression is a key challenge of studying older PwS. This review of the workshop highlights the recent findings in this understudied clinical population and the critical gaps in knowledge and consensus for research priorities. This review showcases the major challenges and opportunities for research to advance clinical care for this growing and understudied population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen E Lee
- Department of Psychiatry (EEL, DA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging (EEL, DA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Desert-Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (EEL), San Diego, CA.
| | - David H Adamowicz
- Department of Psychiatry (EEL, DA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA; Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging (EEL, DA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Sophia Frangou
- Department of Psychiatry (SF), University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (SF), New York, NY
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Nagatsu T, Nakashima A, Watanabe H, Ito S, Wakamatsu K, Zucca FA, Zecca L, Youdim M, Wulf M, Riederer P, Dijkstra JM. The role of tyrosine hydroxylase as a key player in neuromelanin synthesis and the association of neuromelanin with Parkinson's disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:611-625. [PMID: 36939908 PMCID: PMC10121510 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
The dark pigment neuromelanin (NM) is abundant in cell bodies of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) and norepinephrine (NE) neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) in the human brain. During the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD), together with the degeneration of the respective catecholamine (CA) neurons, the NM levels in the SN and LC markedly decrease. However, questions remain among others on how NM is associated with PD and how it is synthesized. The biosynthesis pathway of NM in the human brain has been controversial because the presence of tyrosinase in CA neurons in the SN and LC has been elusive. We propose the following NM synthesis pathway in these CA neurons: (1) Tyrosine is converted by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) to L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), which is converted by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase to DA, which in LC neurons is converted by dopamine β-hydroxylase to NE; (2) DA or NE is autoxidized to dopamine quinone (DAQ) or norepinephrine quinone (NEQ); and (3) DAQ or NEQ is converted to eumelanic NM (euNM) and pheomelanic NM (pheoNM) in the absence and presence of cysteine, respectively. This process involves proteins as cysteine source and iron. We also discuss whether the NM amounts per neuromelanin-positive (NM+) CA neuron are higher in PD brain, whether NM quantitatively correlates with neurodegeneration, and whether an active lifestyle may reduce NM formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiharu Nagatsu
- Center for Research Promotion and Support, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Akira Nakashima
- Department of Physiological Chemistry, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Watanabe
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Fabio A Zucca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Luigi Zecca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate (Milan), Italy
| | - Moussa Youdim
- Technion-Rappaport Family Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Biology, Yonsey World Central University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Maximilian Wulf
- Medical Proteome-Analysis, Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Medizinisches Proteom‑Center, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Peter Riederer
- Clinic and Polyclinic of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Würzburg, Germany
- Department and Research Unit of Psychiatry, Syddansk University, Odense, Denmark
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Cai W, Wakamatsu K, Zucca FA, Wang Q, Yang K, Mohamadzadehonarvar N, Srivastava P, Tanaka H, Holly G, Casella L, Ito S, Zecca L, Chen X. DOPA pheomelanin is increased in nigral neuromelanin of Parkinson's disease. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 223:102414. [PMID: 36746222 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Neuromelanin (NM) in dopaminergic neurons of human substantia nigra (SN) has a melanic component that consists of pheomelanin and eumelanin moieties and has been proposed as a key factor contributing to dopaminergic neuron vulnerability in Parkinson's disease (PD). While eumelanin is considered as an antioxidant, pheomelanin and related oxidative stress are associated with compromised drug and metal ion binding and melanoma risk. Using postmortem SN from patients with PD or Alzheimer's disease (AD) and unaffected controls, we identified increased L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) pheomelanin and increased ratios of dopamine (DA) pheomelanin markers to DA in PD SN compared to controls. Eumelanins derived from both DOPA and DA were reduced in PD group. In addition, we report an increase in DOPA pheomelanin relative to DA pheomelanin in PD SN. In AD SN, we observed unaltered melanin markers despite reduced DOPA compared to controls. Furthermore, synthetic DOPA pheomelanin induced neuronal cell death in vitro while synthetic DOPA eumelanin showed no significant effect on cell viability. Our findings provide insights into the different roles of pheomelanin and eumelanin in PD pathophysiology. We anticipate our study will lead to further investigations on pheomelanin and eumelanin individually as biomarkers and possibly therapeutic targets for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waijiao Cai
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Kazumasa Wakamatsu
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Fabio A Zucca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, Milan, Italy
| | - Qing Wang
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, USA
| | - Kai Yang
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Niyaz Mohamadzadehonarvar
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, USA
| | - Pranay Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, USA
| | - Hitomi Tanaka
- Department of Medical Technology, School of Health Sciences, Gifu University of Medical Science, Seki, Japan
| | - Gabriel Holly
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Luigi Casella
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Shosuke Ito
- Institute for Melanin Chemistry, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Luigi Zecca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, Milan, Italy
| | - Xiqun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, USA.
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Park S, Sung YH, Kim WR, Noh Y, Kim EY. Correlation Between Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI and 18F-FP-CIT PET in Early-Stage Parkinson's Disease: Utility of a Voxel-Wise Analysis by Using High-Spatial-Resolution MRI. J Clin Neurol 2023; 19:156-164. [PMID: 36854333 PMCID: PMC9982185 DOI: 10.3988/jcn.2022.0147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The correlation between dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging and neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) in early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD) has not yet been established. This study aimed to determine the correlation between NM-MRI and DAT positron-emission tomography (PET) in patients with early-stage PD. METHODS Fifty drug-naïve patients with early-stage PD who underwent both 0.8-mm isovoxel NM-MRI and DAT PET were enrolled retrospectively. Using four regions of interest (nigrosome 1 and nigrosome 2 [N1 and N2] regions) from a previous study, the contrast ratios (CRs) of 12 regions were measured: N1, N2, flipped N1, flipped N2, combined N1 and N2, and whole substantia nigra pars compacta [SNpc] (all on both sides). The clinically more affected side was separately assessed. The standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) were measured in the striatum using DAT PET. A partial correlation analysis was performed between the SUVR and CR measurements. RESULTS CR of the flipped left N1 region was significantly correlated with SUVR of the right posterior putamen (p=0.047), and CR values of the left N1 region, left N2 region, flipped right N1 region, and combined left N1 and N2 regions were significantly correlated with SUVR of the left posterior putamen (p=0.011, 0.038, 0.020, and 0.010, respectively). SUVR of the left anterior putamen was significantly correlated with CR of the left N2 region (p=0.027). On the clinically more affected side, the CR values of the N1 region, combined N1 and N2 regions, and the whole SNpc were significantly correlated with SUVR of the posterior putamen (p=0.001, 0.024, and 0.021, respectively). There were significant correlations between the SUVR of the anterior putamen and the CR values of the N1 region, combined N1 and N2 regions, and whole SNpc (p=0.027, 0.001, and 0.036, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study found that there were significant correlations between CR values in the SNpc on NM-MRI and striatal SUVR values on DAT PET on both sides in early-stage PD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Young Hee Sung
- Department of Neurology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Woo Ram Kim
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea
| | - Young Noh
- Department of Neurology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Eung Yeop Kim
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
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44
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van Hooijdonk CFM, van der Pluijm M, Bosch I, van Amelsvoort TAMJ, Booij J, de Haan L, Selten JP, Giessen EVD. The substantia nigra in the pathology of schizophrenia: A review on post-mortem and molecular imaging findings. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 68:57-77. [PMID: 36640734 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of striatal dopamine is considered to be an important driver of pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia. Despite being one of the main origins of dopaminergic input to the striatum, the (dys)functioning of the substantia nigra (SN) has been relatively understudied in schizophrenia. Hence, this paper aims to review different molecular aspects of nigral functioning in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls by integrating post-mortem and molecular imaging studies. We found evidence for hyperdopaminergic functioning in the SN of patients with schizophrenia (i.e. increased AADC activity in antipsychotic-free/-naïve patients and elevated neuromelanin accumulation). Reduced GABAergic inhibition (i.e. decreased density of GABAergic synapses, lower VGAT mRNA levels and lower mRNA levels for GABAA receptor subunits), excessive glutamatergic excitation (i.e. increased NR1 and Glur5 mRNA levels and a reduced number of astrocytes), and several other disturbances implicating the SN (i.e. immune functioning and copper concentrations) could potentially underlie this nigral hyperactivity and associated striatal hyperdopaminergic functioning in schizophrenia. These results highlight the importance of the SN in schizophrenia pathology and suggest that some aspects of molecular functioning in the SN could potentially be used as treatment targets or biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen F M van Hooijdonk
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Rivierduinen, Institute for Mental Health Care, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Marieke van der Pluijm
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Bosch
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Therese A M J van Amelsvoort
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Booij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jean-Paul Selten
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Rivierduinen, Institute for Mental Health Care, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elsmarieke van de Giessen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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45
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Krainc T, Monje MHG, Kinsinger M, Bustos BI, Lubbe SJ. Melanin and Neuromelanin: Linking Skin Pigmentation and Parkinson's Disease. Mov Disord 2023; 38:185-195. [PMID: 36350228 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromelanin-containing dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) are the most vulnerable neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). Recent work suggests that the accumulation of oxidized dopamine and neuromelanin mediate the convergence of mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction in patient-derived neurons. In addition, the expression of human tyrosinase in mouse SNpc led to the formation of neuromelanin resulting in the degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons, further highlighting the importance of neuromelanin in PD. The potential role of neuromelanin in PD pathogenesis has been supported by epidemiological observations, whereby individuals with lighter pigmentation or cutaneous malignant melanoma exhibit higher incidence of PD. Because neuromelanin and melanin share many functional characteristics and overlapping biosynthetic pathways, it has been postulated that genes involved in skin pigmentation and melanin formation may play a role in the susceptibility of vulnerable midbrain dopaminergic neurons to neurodegeneration. Here, we highlight potential mechanisms that may explain the link between skin pigmentation and PD, focusing on the role of skin pigmentation genes in the pathogenesis of PD. We also discuss the importance of genetic ancestry in assessing the contribution of pigmentation-related genes to risk of PD. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Krainc
- Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.,Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mariana H G Monje
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Morgan Kinsinger
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bernabe I Bustos
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Steven J Lubbe
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.,Simpson Querrey Center for Neurogenetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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46
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Chen Y, Gong T, Sun C, Yang A, Gao F, Chen T, Chen W, Wang G. Regional age-related changes of neuromelanin and iron in the substantia nigra based on neuromelanin accumulation and iron deposition. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:3704-3714. [PMID: 36680605 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09411-8] [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: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate age-related neuromelanin signal variation and iron content changes in the subregions of substantia nigra (SN) using magnetization transfer contrast neuromelanin-sensitive multi-echo fast field echo sequence in a normal population. METHODS In this prospective study, 115 healthy volunteers between 20 and 86 years of age were recruited and scanned using 3.0-T MRI. We manually delineated neuromelanin accumulation and iron deposition regions in neuromelanin image and quantitative susceptibility mapping, respectively. We calculated the overlap region using the two measurements mentioned above. Partial correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlations between volume, contrast ratio (CR), susceptibility of three subregions of SN, and age. Curve estimation models were used to find the best regression model. RESULTS CR increased with age (r = 0.379, p < 0.001; r = 0.371, p < 0.001), while volume showed an age-related decline (r = -0.559, p < 0.001; r = -0.410, p < 0.001) in the neuromelanin accumulation and overlap regions. Cubic polynomial regression analysis found a small increase in neuromelanin accumulation volume with age until 34, followed by a significant decrease until the 80 s (R2 = 0.358, p < 0.001). No significant correlations were found between susceptibility and age in any subregion. No correlation was found between CR and susceptibility in the overlap region. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that CR increased with age, while volume showed an age-related decline in the overlap region. We further found that the neuromelanin accumulation region volume increased until the 30 s and decreased into the 80 s. This study may provide a reference for future neurodegenerative elucidations of substantia nigra. KEY POINTS • Our results define the regional changes in neuromelanin and iron in the substantia nigra with age in the normal population, especially in the overlap region. • The contrast ratio increased with age in the neuromelanin accumulation and overlap regions, and volume showed an age-related decline, while contrast ratio and volume do not affect each other indirectly. • The contrast ratio of hyperintense neuromelanin in the overlap region was unaffected by iron content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Tao Gong
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Cong Sun
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Aocai Yang
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.,Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Fei Gao
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Tong Chen
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | | | - Guangbin Wang
- Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China. .,Department of Radiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.
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Javitt DC. Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia: From Pathophysiology to Treatment. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2023; 63:119-141. [PMID: 36151052 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-051921-093250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia and a major contributor to poor functional outcomes. Methods for assessment of cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia are now well established. In addition, there has been increasing appreciation in recent years of the additional role of social cognitive impairment in driving functional outcomes and of the contributions of sensory-level dysfunction to higher-order impairments. At the neurochemical level, acute administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists reproduces the pattern of neurocognitive dysfunction associated with schizophrenia, encouraging the development of treatments targeted at both NMDAR and its interactome. At the local-circuit level, an auditory neurophysiological measure, mismatch negativity, has emerged both as a veridical index of NMDAR dysfunction and excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in schizophrenia and as a critical biomarker for early-stage translational drug development. Although no compounds have yet been approved for treatment of cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia, several candidates are showing promise in early-phase testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C Javitt
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; .,Schizophrenia Research Division, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, USA
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Da Y, Luo S, Tian Y. Real-Time Monitoring of Neurotransmitters in the Brain of Living Animals. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:138-157. [PMID: 35394736 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c02740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters, as important chemical small molecules, perform the function of neural signal transmission from cell to cell. Excess concentrations of neurotransmitters are often closely associated with brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, the release of neurotransmitters under the induced stimulation indicates the occurrence of reward-related behaviors, including food and drug addiction. Therefore, to understand the physiological and pathological functions of neurotransmitters, especially in complex environments of the living brain, it is urgent to develop effective tools to monitor their dynamics with high sensitivity and specificity. Over the past 30 years, significant advances in electrochemical sensors and optical probes have brought new possibilities for studying neurons and neural circuits by monitoring the changes in neurotransmitters. This Review focuses on the progress in the construction of sensors for in vivo analysis of neurotransmitters in the brain and summarizes current attempts to address key issues in the development of sensors with high selectivity, sensitivity, and stability. Combined with the latest advances in technologies and methods, several strategies for sensor construction are provided for recording chemical signal changes in the complex environment of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Da
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Dongchuan Road 500, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Shihua Luo
- Department of Traumatology, Rui Jin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yang Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Dongchuan Road 500, Shanghai 200241, China
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49
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Acceleration of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI sequences in the substantia nigra using standard MRI options. Neuroradiology 2023; 65:307-312. [PMID: 36169662 PMCID: PMC9859863 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-022-03058-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Neuromelanin MRI (NM-MRI) is applied as a proxy measurement of dopaminergic functioning of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SN). To increase its clinical applicability, a fast and easily applicable NM-MRI sequence is needed. This study therefore compared accelerated NM-MRI sequences using standard available MRI options with a validated 2D gradient recalled echo NM-MRI sequence with off-resonance magnetization transfer (MT) pulse (2D-MToffRes). METHODS We used different combinations of compressed sense (CS) acceleration, repetition times (TR), and MT pulse to accelerate the validated 2D-MToffRes. In addition, we compared a recently introduced 3D sequence with the 2D-MToffRes. RESULTS Our results show that the 2D sequences perform best with good to excellent reliability. Only excellent intraclass correlation coefficients were found for the CS factor 2 sequences. CONCLUSION We conclude that there are several reliable approaches to accelerate NM-MRI, in particular by using CS.
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50
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Berman S, Drori E, Mezer AA. Spatial profiles provide sensitive MRI measures of the midbrain micro- and macrostructure. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119660. [PMID: 36220534 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The midbrain is the rostral-most part of the brainstem. It contains numerous nuclei and white matter tracts, which are involved in motor, auditory and visual processing, and changes in their structure and function have been associated with aging, as well as neurodegenerative disorders. Current tools for estimating midbrain subregions and their structure with MRI require high resolution and multi-parametric quantitative MRI measures. We propose an approach that relies on morphology to calculate profiles along the midbrain and show these profiles are sensitive to the underlying macrostructure of the midbrain. First, we show that the midbrain structure can be sampled, within subject space, along three main axes of the left and right midbrain, producing profiles that are similar across subjects. We use two data sets with different field strengths, that contain R1, R2* and QSM maps and show that the profiles are highly correlated both across subjects and between datasets. Next, we compare profiles of the midbrain that sample ROIs, and show that the profiles along the first two axes sample the midbrain in a way that reliably separates the main structures, i.e., the substantia nigra, the red nucleus, and periaqueductal gray. We further show that age differences which are localized to specific nuclei, are reflected in the profiles. Finally, we generalize the same approach to calculate midbrain profiles on a third clinically relevant dataset using HCP subjects, with metrics such as the diffusion tensor and semi-quantitative data such as T1w/T2w maps. Our results suggest that midbrain profiles, both of quantitative and semi-quantitative estimates are sensitive to the underlying macrostructure of the midbrain. The midbrain profiles are calculated in native space, and rely on simple measurements. We show that it is robust and can be easily expanded to different datasets, and as such we hope that it will be of great use to the community and to the study of the midbrain in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shai Berman
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind, Brain, Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Elior Drori
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Aviv A Mezer
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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