1
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Shafee R, Moraczewski D, Liu S, Mallard T, Thomas A, Raznahan A. A sex-stratified analysis of the genetic architecture of human brain anatomy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8041. [PMID: 39271676 PMCID: PMC11399304 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52244-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Large biobanks have dramatically advanced our understanding of genetic influences on human brain anatomy. However, most studies have combined rather than compared male and female participants. Here we screen for sex differences in the common genetic architecture of over 1000 neuroanatomical phenotypes in the UK Biobank and establish a general concordance between male and female participants in heritability estimates, genetic correlations, and variant-level effects. Notable exceptions include higher mean heritability in the female group for regional volume and surface area phenotypes; between-sex genetic correlations that are significantly below 1 in the insula and parietal cortex; and a common variant with stronger effect in male participants mapping to RBFOX1 - a gene linked to multiple neuropsychiatric disorders more common in men. This work suggests that common variant influences on human brain anatomy are largely consistent between males and females, with a few exceptions that will guide future research in growing datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Shafee
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | | | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Travis Mallard
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Adam Thomas
- Data Science and Sharing Team, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, NIMH Intramural Research Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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2
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Serio B, Hettwer MD, Wiersch L, Bignardi G, Sacher J, Weis S, Eickhoff SB, Valk SL. Sex differences in functional cortical organization reflect differences in network topology rather than cortical morphometry. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7714. [PMID: 39231965 PMCID: PMC11375086 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51942-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Differences in brain size between the sexes are consistently reported. However, the consequences of this anatomical difference on sex differences in intrinsic brain function remain unclear. In the current study, we investigate whether sex differences in intrinsic cortical functional organization may be associated with differences in cortical morphometry, namely different measures of brain size, microstructure, and the geodesic distance of connectivity profiles. For this, we compute a low dimensional representation of functional cortical organization, the sensory-association axis, and identify widespread sex differences. Contrary to our expectations, sex differences in functional organization do not appear to be systematically associated with differences in total surface area, microstructural organization, or geodesic distance, despite these morphometric properties being per se associated with functional organization and differing between sexes. Instead, functional sex differences in the sensory-association axis are associated with differences in functional connectivity profiles and network topology. Collectively, our findings suggest that sex differences in functional cortical organization extend beyond sex differences in cortical morphometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Serio
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Meike D Hettwer
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lisa Wiersch
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Brain-Based Predictive Modeling Lab, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Glen Oaks, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giacomo Bignardi
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Sacher
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig Center for Female Health & Gender Medicine, Medical Faculty, University Clinic Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Weis
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Simon B Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sofie L Valk
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
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3
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Faulkner ME, Gong Z, Guo A, Laporte JP, Bae J, Bouhrara M. Harnessing myelin water fraction as an imaging biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination: A review. J Neurochem 2024; 168:2243-2263. [PMID: 38973579 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16170] [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: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging has emerged as a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker for investigating brain function and composition. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on MWF as a biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination. The databases used include Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed. We begin with a brief discussion of the theoretical foundations of MWF imaging, including its basis in MR physics and the mathematical modeling underlying its calculation, with an overview of the most adopted MRI methods of MWF imaging. Next, we delve into the clinical and research applications that have been explored to date, highlighting its advantages and limitations. Finally, we explore the potential of MWF to serve as a predictive biomarker for neurological disorders and identify future research directions for optimizing MWF imaging protocols and interpreting MWF in various contexts. By harnessing the power of MWF imaging, we may gain new insights into brain health and disease across the human lifespan, ultimately informing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Faulkner
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhaoyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alex Guo
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John P Laporte
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonghyun Bae
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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4
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Pavlinek A, Adhya D, Tsompanidis A, Warrier V, Vernon AC, Lancaster M, Mill J, Srivastava DP, Baron-Cohen S. Using Organoids to Model Sex Differences in the Human Brain. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100343. [PMID: 39092139 PMCID: PMC11292257 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100343] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are widespread during neurodevelopment and play a role in neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism, which is more prevalent in males than females. In humans, males have been shown to have larger brain volumes than females with development of the hippocampus and amygdala showing prominent sex differences. Mechanistically, sex steroids and sex chromosomes drive these differences in brain development, which seem to peak during prenatal and pubertal stages. Animal models have played a crucial role in understanding sex differences, but the study of human sex differences requires an experimental model that can recapitulate complex genetic traits. To fill this gap, human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids are now being used to study how complex genetic traits influence prenatal brain development. For example, brain organoids from individuals with autism and individuals with X chromosome-linked Rett syndrome and fragile X syndrome have revealed prenatal differences in cell proliferation, a measure of brain volume differences, and excitatory-inhibitory imbalances. Brain organoids have also revealed increased neurogenesis of excitatory neurons due to androgens. However, despite growing interest in using brain organoids, several key challenges remain that affect its validity as a model system. In this review, we discuss how sex steroids and the sex chromosomes each contribute to sex differences in brain development. Then, we examine the role of X chromosome inactivation as a factor that drives sex differences. Finally, we discuss the combined challenges of modeling X chromosome inactivation and limitations of brain organoids that need to be taken into consideration when studying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Pavlinek
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dwaipayan Adhya
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Tsompanidis
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Varun Warrier
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony C. Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Mill
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Deepak P. Srivastava
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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5
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Küchenhoff S, Bayrak Ş, Zsido RG, Saberi A, Bernhardt BC, Weis S, Schaare HL, Sacher J, Eickhoff S, Valk SL. Relating sex-bias in human cortical and hippocampal microstructure to sex hormones. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7279. [PMID: 39179555 PMCID: PMC11344136 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51459-7] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Determining sex-bias in brain structure is of great societal interest to improve diagnostics and treatment of brain-related disorders. So far, studies on sex-bias in brain structure predominantly focus on macro-scale measures, and often ignore factors determining this bias. Here we study sex-bias in cortical and hippocampal microstructure in relation to sex hormones. Investigating quantitative intracortical profiling in-vivo using the T1w/T2w ratio in 1093 healthy females and males of the cross-sectional Human Connectome Project young adult sample, we find that regional cortical and hippocampal microstructure differs between males and females and that the effect size of this sex-bias varies depending on self-reported hormonal status in females. Microstructural sex-bias and expression of sex hormone genes, based on an independent post-mortem sample, are spatially coupled. Lastly, sex-bias is most pronounced in paralimbic areas, with low laminar complexity, which are predicted to be most plastic based on their cytoarchitectural properties. Albeit correlative, our study underscores the importance of incorporating sex hormone variables into the investigation of brain structure and plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Küchenhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Şeyma Bayrak
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rachel G Zsido
- Cognitive Neuroendocrinology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amin Saberi
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Susanne Weis
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - H Lina Schaare
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Sacher
- Centre for Integrative Women's Health and Gender Medicine, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Simon Eickhoff
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sofie L Valk
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behavior), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
- Otto Hahn Group Cognitive Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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6
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Peterson S, Maheras A, Wu B, Chavira J, Keiflin R. Sex differences in discrimination behavior and orbitofrontal engagement during context-gated reward prediction. eLife 2024; 12:RP93509. [PMID: 39046898 PMCID: PMC11268887 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93509] [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] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals, including humans, rely on contextual information to interpret ambiguous stimuli. Impaired context processing is a hallmark of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction. While sex differences in the prevalence and manifestations of these disorders are well established, potential sex differences in context processing remain uncertain. Here, we examined sex differences in the contextual control over cue-evoked reward seeking and its neural correlates, in rats. Male and female rats were trained in a bidirectional occasion-setting preparation in which the validity of two auditory reward-predictive cues was informed by the presence, or absence, of a visual contextual feature (LIGHT: X+/DARK: X-/LIGHT: Y-/DARK: Y+). Females were significantly slower to acquire contextual control over cue-evoked reward seeking. However, once established, the contextual control over behavior was more robust in female rats; it showed less within-session variability (less influence of prior reward) and greater resistance to acute stress. This superior contextual control achieved by females was accompanied by an increased activation of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) compared to males. Critically, these behavioral and neural sex differences were specific to the contextual modulation process and not observed in simple, context-independent, reward prediction tasks. These results indicate a sex-biased trade-off between the speed of acquisition and the robustness of performance in the contextual modulation of cued reward seeking. The different distribution of sexes along the fast learning ↔ steady performance continuum might reflect different levels of engagement of the OFC, and might have implications for our understanding of sex differences in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Peterson
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Amanda Maheras
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Brenda Wu
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Jose Chavira
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
| | - Ronald Keiflin
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraUnited States
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7
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Yu Y, Cui H, Haas SS, New F, Sanford N, Yu K, Zhan D, Yang G, Gao J, Wei D, Qiu J, Banaj N, Boomsma DI, Breier A, Brodaty H, Buckner RL, Buitelaar JK, Cannon DM, Caseras X, Clark VP, Conrod PJ, Crivello F, Crone EA, Dannlowski U, Davey CG, de Haan L, de Zubicaray GI, Di Giorgio A, Fisch L, Fisher SE, Franke B, Glahn DC, Grotegerd D, Gruber O, Gur RE, Gur RC, Hahn T, Harrison BJ, Hatton S, Hickie IB, Hulshoff Pol HE, Jamieson AJ, Jernigan TL, Jiang J, Kalnin AJ, Kang S, Kochan NA, Kraus A, Lagopoulos J, Lazaro L, McDonald BC, McDonald C, McMahon KL, Mwangi B, Piras F, Rodriguez‐Cruces R, Royer J, Sachdev PS, Satterthwaite TD, Saykin AJ, Schumann G, Sevaggi P, Smoller JW, Soares JC, Spalletta G, Tamnes CK, Trollor JN, Van't Ent D, Vecchio D, Walter H, Wang Y, Weber B, Wen W, Wierenga LM, Williams SCR, Wu M, Zunta‐Soares GB, Bernhardt B, Thompson P, Frangou S, Ge R. Brain-age prediction: Systematic evaluation of site effects, and sample age range and size. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26768. [PMID: 38949537 PMCID: PMC11215839 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26768] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural neuroimaging data have been used to compute an estimate of the biological age of the brain (brain-age) which has been associated with other biologically and behaviorally meaningful measures of brain development and aging. The ongoing research interest in brain-age has highlighted the need for robust and publicly available brain-age models pre-trained on data from large samples of healthy individuals. To address this need we have previously released a developmental brain-age model. Here we expand this work to develop, empirically validate, and disseminate a pre-trained brain-age model to cover most of the human lifespan. To achieve this, we selected the best-performing model after systematically examining the impact of seven site harmonization strategies, age range, and sample size on brain-age prediction in a discovery sample of brain morphometric measures from 35,683 healthy individuals (age range: 5-90 years; 53.59% female). The pre-trained models were tested for cross-dataset generalizability in an independent sample comprising 2101 healthy individuals (age range: 8-80 years; 55.35% female) and for longitudinal consistency in a further sample comprising 377 healthy individuals (age range: 9-25 years; 49.87% female). This empirical examination yielded the following findings: (1) the accuracy of age prediction from morphometry data was higher when no site harmonization was applied; (2) dividing the discovery sample into two age-bins (5-40 and 40-90 years) provided a better balance between model accuracy and explained age variance than other alternatives; (3) model accuracy for brain-age prediction plateaued at a sample size exceeding 1600 participants. These findings have been incorporated into CentileBrain (https://centilebrain.org/#/brainAGE2), an open-science, web-based platform for individualized neuroimaging metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuetong Yu
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Hao‐Qi Cui
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Shalaila S. Haas
- Department of PsychiatryIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Faye New
- Department of PsychiatryIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Nicole Sanford
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Kevin Yu
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Denghuang Zhan
- School of Population and Public HealthUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Guoyuan Yang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, School of Medical Technology, School of Life ScienceBeijing Institute of TechnologyBeijingChina
| | - Jia‐Hong Gao
- Center for MRI ResearchPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Dongtao Wei
- School of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jiang Qiu
- School of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Nerisa Banaj
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral NeurologyIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Dorret I. Boomsma
- Department of Biological PsychologyVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Alan Breier
- Department of PsychiatryIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Henry Brodaty
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Randy L. Buckner
- Department of Psychology, Center for Brain ScienceHarvard UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jan K. Buitelaar
- Department of Cognitive NeuroscienceDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Dara M. Cannon
- Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics (NICOG), Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Galway Neuroscience CentreCollege of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, University of GalwayGalwayIreland
| | - Xavier Caseras
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical NeurosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Vincent P. Clark
- Psychology Clinical Neuroscience Center, Department of PsychologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - Patricia J. Conrod
- Department of Psychiatry and AddictionUniversité de Montréal, CHU Ste JustineMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Fabrice Crivello
- Institut des Maladies NeurodégénérativesUniversité de BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | - Eveline A. Crone
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social SciencesLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral SciencesErasmus University RotterdamRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute for Translational PsychiatryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | | | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of PsychiatryAmsterdam UMCAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Greig I. de Zubicaray
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology & CounsellingQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Lukas Fisch
- Institute for Translational PsychiatryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Simon E. Fisher
- Language and Genetics DepartmentMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Barbara Franke
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive NeuroscienceRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of Human GeneticsRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - David C. Glahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Tommy Fuss Center for Neuropsychiatric Disease Research, Boston Children's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Dominik Grotegerd
- Institute for Translational PsychiatryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Oliver Gruber
- Section for Experimental Psychopathology and Neuroimaging, Department of General PsychiatryHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Tim Hahn
- Institute for Translational PsychiatryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Ben J. Harrison
- Department of PsychiatryThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Sean Hatton
- Brain and Mind CentreThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ian B. Hickie
- Brain and Mind CentreThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol
- Department of PsychiatryIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Alec J. Jamieson
- Department of PsychiatryThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Terry L. Jernigan
- Center for Human Development, Departments of Cognitive Science, Psychiatry, and RadiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jiyang Jiang
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Andrew J. Kalnin
- Department of RadiologyThe Ohio State University College of MedicineColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Sim Kang
- West Region, Institute of Mental HealthSingaporeSingapore
| | - Nicole A. Kochan
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Anna Kraus
- Institute for Translational PsychiatryUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- Brain and Mind CentreThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Luisa Lazaro
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and PsychologyHospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, CIBERSAM, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Brenna C. McDonald
- Department of Radiology and Imaging SciencesIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Colm McDonald
- Centre for Neuroimaging & Cognitive Genomics (NICOG), Clinical Neuroimaging Laboratory, Galway Neuroscience CentreCollege of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, University of GalwayGalwayIreland
| | - Katie L. McMahon
- School of Clinical Sciences, Centre for Biomedical TechnologiesQueensland University of TechnologyBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Benson Mwangi
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Fabrizio Piras
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral NeurologyIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | | | - Jessica Royer
- McConnell Brain Imaging CentreMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Perminder S. Sachdev
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Andrew J. Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging SciencesIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Department of PsychiatryCCM, Charite Universitaetsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), ISTBIFudan UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Pierluigi Sevaggi
- Department of Translational Biomedicine and NeuroscienceUniversity of Bari Aldo MoroBariItaly
| | - Jordan W. Smoller
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for Genomic MedicineMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for Precision PsychiatryMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jair C. Soares
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Gianfranco Spalletta
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral NeurologyIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Christian K. Tamnes
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of PsychologyUniversity of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Julian N. Trollor
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Dennis Van't Ent
- Department of Biological PsychologyVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Daniela Vecchio
- Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Clinical and Behavioral NeurologyIRCCS Santa Lucia FoundationRomeItaly
| | - Henrik Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinCorporate Member of FU Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of RadiologyMedical College of WisconsinMilwaukeeWisconsinUSA
| | - Bernd Weber
- Institute for Experimental Epileptology and Cognition ResearchUniversity of Bonn and University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Wei Wen
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Lara M. Wierenga
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social SciencesLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Steven C. R. Williams
- Department of NeuroimagingInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Mon‐Ju Wu
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Giovana B. Zunta‐Soares
- Louis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Boris Bernhardt
- McConnell Brain Imaging CentreMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Paul Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaMarina del ReyCaliforniaUSA
| | - Sophia Frangou
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of PsychiatryIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Ruiyang Ge
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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8
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Hashoul-Essa L, Armon-Lotem S. The Emergence and Development of Palestinian Arabic Lexicon and Morphosyntax From 18 to 36 Months: A Communicative Development Inventory Study. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2024:1-20. [PMID: 38901010 DOI: 10.1044/2024_jslhr-23-00606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study presents a comprehensive exploration of lexical and grammatical development in Palestinian Arabic (PA). The study aims to test the validity of the Palestinian Arabic Communicative Development Inventory (PA-CDI) as well as generate growth curves for lexical and morphosyntactic development, examine the order of emergence of both lexical and morphosyntactic categories, and explore the contribution of demographic and developmental factors to language development. METHOD Data were collected from 1,399 parents of PA children aged 18-36 months using an online PA-CDI. RESULTS The results show that as age increased, so did lexical and morphosyntactic production, along with considerable variability across individuals. While lexical development in PA resembles the order observed in other languages with nouns preceding verbs and adjectives, morphosyntactic development indicates early emergence of verbal inflectional morphology prior to noun pluralization or negation. Age of word combination and health problems are predictive of lexical and morphosyntactic development, and so are parental concerns. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the potential of the PA-CDI as an assessment tool for lexical and morphosyntactic development among PA-speaking children in Israel. Our developmental growth curves may also be used to identify children at risk for developmental language disorder, particularly those falling below the 10th percentile, thus allowing for early identification and early intervention. The use of background variables, specifically parental concerns, health issues, and word combinations, along with the PA-CDI, could potentially enhance the precision of language delay assessment. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26026777.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Hashoul-Essa
- Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Sharon Armon-Lotem
- Department of English Literature and Linguistics, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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9
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Zhao CL, Hou W, Jia Y, Sahakian BJ, Luo Q. Sex differences of signal complexity at resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and their associations with the estrogen-signaling pathway in the brain. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:973-986. [PMID: 38826661 PMCID: PMC11143120 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-09954-y] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the brain have been widely reported and may hold the key to elucidating sex differences in many medical conditions and drug response. However, the molecular correlates of these sex differences in structural and functional brain measures in the human brain remain unclear. Herein, we used sample entropy (SampEn) to quantify the signal complexity of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) in a large neuroimaging cohort (N = 1,642). The frontoparietal control network and the cingulo-opercular network had high signal complexity while the cerebellar and sensory motor networks had low signal complexity in both men and women. Compared with those in male brains, we found greater signal complexity in all functional brain networks in female brains with the default mode network exhibiting the largest sex difference. Using the gene expression data in brain tissues, we identified genes that were significantly associated with sex differences in brain signal complexity. The significant genes were enriched in the gene sets that were differentially expressed between the brain cortex and other tissues, the estrogen-signaling pathway, and the biological function of neural plasticity. In particular, the G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 gene in the estrogen-signaling pathway was expressed more in brain regions with greater sex differences in SampEn. In conclusion, greater complexity in female brains may reflect the interactions between sex hormone fluctuations and neuromodulation of estrogen in women. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-023-09954-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-li Zhao
- College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073 China
| | - Wenjie Hou
- National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
- Center for Computational Psychiatry, MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Yanbing Jia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000 China
| | - Barbara J. Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - the DIRECT Consortium
- College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073 China
- National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
- Center for Computational Psychiatry, MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471000 China
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Qiang Luo
- National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
- Center for Computational Psychiatry, MOE Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
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10
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Hua CH, Bentzen SM, Li Y, Milano MT, Rancati T, Marks LB, Constine LS, Yorke ED, Jackson A. Improving Pediatric Normal Tissue Radiation Dose-Response Modeling in Children With Cancer: A PENTEC Initiative. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 119:369-386. [PMID: 38276939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The development of normal tissue radiation dose-response models for children with cancer has been challenged by many factors, including small sample sizes; the long length of follow-up needed to observe some toxicities; the continuing occurrence of events beyond the time of assessment; the often complex relationship between age at treatment, normal tissue developmental dynamics, and age at assessment; and the need to use retrospective dosimetry. Meta-analyses of published pediatric outcome studies face additional obstacles of incomplete reporting of critical dosimetric, clinical, and statistical information. This report describes general methods used to address some of the pediatric modeling issues. It highlights previous single- and multi-institutional pediatric dose-response studies and summarizes how each PENTEC taskforce addressed the challenges and limitations of the reviewed publications in constructing, when possible, organ-specific dose-effect models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ho Hua
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
| | - Søren M Bentzen
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yimei Li
- Department of Biostatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Michael T Milano
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Tiziana Rancati
- Data Science Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Lawrence B Marks
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Lineberger Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Louis S Constine
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York
| | - Ellen D Yorke
- Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
| | - Andrew Jackson
- Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
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11
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Matte Bon G, Kraft D, Comasco E, Derntl B, Kaufmann T. Modeling brain sex in the limbic system as phenotype for female-prevalent mental disorders. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:42. [PMID: 38750598 PMCID: PMC11097569 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00615-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences exist in the prevalence and clinical manifestation of several mental disorders, suggesting that sex-specific brain phenotypes may play key roles. Previous research used machine learning models to classify sex from imaging data of the whole brain and studied the association of class probabilities with mental health, potentially overlooking regional specific characteristics. METHODS We here investigated if a regionally constrained model of brain volumetric imaging data may provide estimates that are more sensitive to mental health than whole brain-based estimates. Given its known role in emotional processing and mood disorders, we focused on the limbic system. Using two different cohorts of healthy subjects, the Human Connectome Project and the Queensland Twin IMaging, we investigated sex differences and heritability of brain volumes of limbic structures compared to non-limbic structures, and subsequently applied regionally constrained machine learning models trained solely on limbic or non-limbic features. To investigate the biological underpinnings of such models, we assessed the heritability of the obtained sex class probability estimates, and we investigated the association with major depression diagnosis in an independent clinical sample. All analyses were performed both with and without controlling for estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV). RESULTS Limbic structures show greater sex differences and are more heritable compared to non-limbic structures in both analyses, with and without eTIV control. Consequently, machine learning models performed well at classifying sex based solely on limbic structures and achieved performance as high as those on non-limbic or whole brain data, despite the much smaller number of features in the limbic system. The resulting class probabilities were heritable, suggesting potentially meaningful underlying biological information. Applied to an independent population with major depressive disorder, we found that depression is associated with male-female class probabilities, with largest effects obtained using the limbic model. This association was significant for models not controlling for eTIV whereas in those controlling for eTIV the associations did not pass significance correction. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results highlight the potential utility of regionally constrained models of brain sex to better understand the link between sex differences in the brain and mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Matte Bon
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Dominik Kraft
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Kaufmann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen Center for Mental Health, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Centre for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
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12
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Pottmeier P, Nikolantonaki D, Lanner F, Peuckert C, Jazin E. Sex-biased gene expression during neural differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1341373. [PMID: 38764741 PMCID: PMC11101176 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1341373] [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: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the developing human brain are primarily attributed to hormonal influence. Recently however, genetic differences and their impact on the developing nervous system have attracted increased attention. To understand genetically driven sexual dimorphisms in neurodevelopment, we investigated genome-wide gene expression in an in vitro differentiation model of male and female human embryonic stem cell lines (hESC), independent of the effects of human sex hormones. Four male and four female-derived hESC lines were differentiated into a population of mixed neurons over 37 days. Differential gene expression and gene set enrichment analyses were conducted on bulk RNA sequencing data. While similar differentiation tendencies in all cell lines demonstrated the robustness and reproducibility of our differentiation protocol, we found sex-biased gene expression already in undifferentiated ESCs at day 0, but most profoundly after 37 days of differentiation. Male and female cell lines exhibited sex-biased expression of genes involved in neurodevelopment, suggesting that sex influences the differentiation trajectory. Interestingly, the highest contribution to sex differences was found to arise from the male transcriptome, involving both Y chromosome and autosomal genes. We propose 13 sex-biased candidate genes (10 upregulated in male cell lines and 3 in female lines) that are likely to affect neuronal development. Additionally, we confirmed gene dosage compensation of X/Y homologs escaping X chromosome inactivation through their Y homologs and identified a significant overexpression of the Y-linked demethylase UTY and KDM5D in male hESC during neuron development, confirming previous results in neural stem cells. Our results suggest that genetic sex differences affect neuronal differentiation trajectories, which could ultimately contribute to sex biases during human brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Pottmeier
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Danai Nikolantonaki
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Lanner
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christiane Peuckert
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- The Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Jazin
- Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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13
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Walhovd KB, Krogsrud SK, Amlien IK, Sørensen Ø, Wang Y, Bråthen ACS, Overbye K, Kransberg J, Mowinckel AM, Magnussen F, Herud M, Håberg AK, Fjell AM, Vidal-Pineiro D. Fetal influence on the human brain through the lifespan. eLife 2024; 12:RP86812. [PMID: 38602745 PMCID: PMC11008813 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86812] [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] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Human fetal development has been associated with brain health at later stages. It is unknown whether growth in utero, as indexed by birth weight (BW), relates consistently to lifespan brain characteristics and changes, and to what extent these influences are of a genetic or environmental nature. Here we show remarkably stable and lifelong positive associations between BW and cortical surface area and volume across and within developmental, aging and lifespan longitudinal samples (N = 5794, 4-82 y of age, w/386 monozygotic twins, followed for up to 8.3 y w/12,088 brain MRIs). In contrast, no consistent effect of BW on brain changes was observed. Partly environmental effects were indicated by analysis of twin BW discordance. In conclusion, the influence of prenatal growth on cortical topography is stable and reliable through the lifespan. This early-life factor appears to influence the brain by association of brain reserve, rather than brain maintenance. Thus, fetal influences appear omnipresent in the spacetime of the human brain throughout the human lifespan. Optimizing fetal growth may increase brain reserve for life, also in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine B Walhovd
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Computational Radiology and Artificial Intelligence, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Stine K Krogsrud
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Inge K Amlien
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Øystein Sørensen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | | | - Knut Overbye
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Jonas Kransberg
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | | | - Fredrik Magnussen
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Martine Herud
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
| | - Asta K Håberg
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyOsloNorway
| | - Anders Martin Fjell
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
- Computational Radiology and Artificial Intelligence, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University HospitalOsloNorway
| | - Didac Vidal-Pineiro
- Center for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, University of OsloOsloNorway
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14
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Rice LC, Rochowiak RN, Plotkin MR, Rosch KS, Mostofsky SH, Crocetti D. Sex Differences and Behavioral Associations with Typically Developing Pediatric Regional Cerebellar Gray Matter Volume. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:589-600. [PMID: 37382829 PMCID: PMC10986327 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01569-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum contributes to motor and higher-order control throughout neurodevelopment, with marked growth during childhood. Few studies have investigated differential associations of cerebellar morphometry with function in males and females. The present study examines sex differences in regional cerebellar gray matter volume (GMV) and the moderating effect of sex on the relationship between GMV and motor, cognitive, and emotional functions in a large cohort of typically developing (TD) children. Participants included 371 TD children (123 females, age 8-12 years). A convolutional neural network-based approach was employed for cerebellar parcellation. Volumes were harmonized using ComBat to adjust for hardware-induced variations. Regression analyses examined the effect of sex on GMV and whether sex moderated the relationship between GMV and motor, cognitive, and emotional functions. Males showed larger GMV in right lobules I-V, bilateral lobules VI, crus II/VIIb, and VIII, left lobule X, and vermis regions I-V and VIII-X. Greater motor function correlated with less vermis VI-VII GMV in females. Greater cognitive function correlated with greater left lobule VI GMV in females and less left lobule VI GMV in males. Finally, greater internalizing symptoms correlated with greater bilateral lobule IX GMV in females but less in males. These findings reveal sexually dimorphic patterns of cerebellar structure and associations with motor, cognitive, and emotional functions. Males generally show larger GMV than females. Larger GMV was associated with better cognitive functioning for females and better motor/emotional functioning for males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Rice
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rebecca N Rochowiak
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Micah R Plotkin
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Keri S Rosch
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Neuropsychology Department, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Stewart H Mostofsky
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Deana Crocetti
- Center for Neurodevelopmental and Imaging Research, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 716 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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15
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Lazzarini G, Gatta A, Miragliotta V, Vaglini F, Viaggi C, Pirone A. Glial cells are affected more than interneurons by the loss of Engrailed 2 gene in the mouse cerebellum. J Anat 2024; 244:667-675. [PMID: 38009365 PMCID: PMC10941518 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13982] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Glial cells play a pivotal role in the inflammatory processes, which are common features of several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Their major role in modulating neuroinflammation underscores their significance in these conditions. Engrailed-2 knockout mice (En2-/- ) are considered a valuable model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to their distinctive neuroanatomical and behavioral traits. Given the higher prevalence of ASD in males, our objective was to investigate glial and interneuron alterations in the cerebellum of En2-/- mice compared with wild-type (WT) mice in both sexes. We employed immunohistochemical analysis to assess cell density for all cell types studied and analyzed the area (A) and shape factor (SF) of microglia cell bodies. Our findings revealed the following: (a) In WT mice, the density of microglia and astrocytes was higher in females than in males, while interneuron density was lower in females. Notably, in En2-mutant mice, these differences between males and females were not present. (b) In both male and female En2-/- mice, astrocyte density exceeded that in WT mice, with microglia density being greater only in females. (c) In WT females, microglia cell bodies exhibited a larger area and a lower shape factor compared to WT males. Remarkably, the En2 mutation did not appear to influence these sex-related differences. (d) In both male and female En2-/- mice, we observed a consistent pattern: microglia cell bodies displayed a larger area and a smaller shape factor. Given the ongoing debate surrounding the roles of glia and sex-related factors in ASD, our observations provide valuable insights into understanding how an ASD-associated gene En2 affects specific cell types in the cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Francesca Vaglini
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical TechnologiesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Cristina Viaggi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical TechnologiesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
| | - Andrea Pirone
- Department of Veterinary SciencesUniversity of PisaPisaItaly
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16
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Ellegood J, Pham L, Mars RB, Raznahan A, Lerch JP. Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy. eLife 2024; 13:RP92200. [PMID: 38488854 PMCID: PMC10942785 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92200] [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] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-specific brain development, there have been no attempts to formally compare human and mouse neuroanatomical sex differences to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on the use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use structural magnetic resonance imaging to conduct the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-specific neuroanatomy of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous regions (r=0.30). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-specific brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-specific brain development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
| | - Linh Pham
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging CentreTorontoCanada
- The Hospital for Sick ChildrenTorontoCanada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of TorontoTorontoCanada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical 15 Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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17
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Shafer CC, Di Lucente J, Mendiola UR, Maezawa I, Jin LW, Neumann EK. Effects of Sex and Western Diet on Spatial Lipidomic Profiles for the Hippocampus, Cortex, and Corpus Callosum in Mice Using MALDI MSI. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024. [PMID: 38456419 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Diet is inextricably linked to human health and biological functionality. Reduced cognitive function among other health issues has been correlated with a western diet (WD) in mouse models, indicating that increases in neurodegeneration could be fueled in part by a poor diet. In this study, we use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) to spatially map the lipidomic profiles of male and female mice that were fed a high-fat, high-sucrose WD for a period of 7 weeks. Our findings concluded that the cortex and corpus callosum showed significant lipid variation by WD in female mice, while there was little to no variation in the hippocampus, regardless of sex. On the other hand, lipid profiles were significantly affected by sex in all regions. Overall, 83 lipids were putatively identified in the mouse brain; among them, HexCer(40:1;O3) and PE(34:0) were found to have the largest statistical difference based on diet for female mice in the cortex and corpus callosum, respectively. Additional lipid changes are noted and can serve as a metric for understanding the brain's metabolomic response to changes in diet, particularly as it relates to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catelynn C Shafer
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis. Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Jacopo Di Lucente
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Ulises Ruiz Mendiola
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Izumi Maezawa
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Lee-Way Jin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
| | - Elizabeth K Neumann
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis. Davis, California 95616, United States
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18
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Nowling D, Crum KI, Joseph J. Sex differences in development of functional connections in the face processing network. J Neuroimaging 2024; 34:280-290. [PMID: 38169075 PMCID: PMC10939922 DOI: 10.1111/jon.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Understanding sex differences in typical development of the face processing network is important for elucidating disruptions during atypical development in sex-linked developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder. Based on prior sex difference studies in other cognitive domains, this study examined whether females show increased integration of core and extended face regions with age for face viewing, while males would show increased segregation. METHODS This study used a cross-sectional design with typically developing children and adults (n = 133) and a functional MRI face localizer task. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis examined functional connectivity between canonical and extended face processing network regions with age, with greater segregation indexed by decreased core-extended region connectivity with age and greater integration indexed by increased core-extended region connectivity with age. RESULTS PPI analysis confirmed increased segregation for males-right fusiform face area (FFA) coupling to right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) opercular when viewing faces and left amygdala when viewing objects decreased with age. Females showed increased integration with age (increased coupling of the right FFA to right IFG opercular region and right occipital face area [OFA] to right IFG orbital when viewing faces and objects, respectively) and increased segregation (decreased coupling with age of the right OFA with IFG opercular region when viewing faces). CONCLUSIONS Development of core and extended face processing network connectivity follows sexually dimorphic paths. These differential changes mostly occur across childhood and adolescence, with males experiencing segregation and females both segregation and integration changes in connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan Nowling
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Kathleen I. Crum
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Jane Joseph
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
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19
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Zang Z, Chi X, Luan M, Hu S, Zhou K, Liu J. Inter-individual, hemispheric and sex variability of brain activations during numerosity processing. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:459-475. [PMID: 38197958 PMCID: PMC10917853 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02747-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Numerosity perception is a fundamental and innate cognitive function shared by both humans and many animal species. Previous research has primarily focused on exploring the spatial and functional consistency of neural activations that were associated with the processing of numerosity information. However, the inter-individual variability of brain activations of numerosity perception remains unclear. In the present study, with a large-sample functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset (n = 460), we aimed to localize the functional regions related to numerosity perceptions and explore the inter-individual, hemispheric, and sex differences within these brain regions. Fifteen subject-specific activated regions, including the anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS), posterior intraparietal sulcus (pIPS), insula, inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), premotor area (PM), middle occipital gyrus (MOG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), were delineated in each individual and then used to create a functional probabilistic atlas to quantify individual variability in brain activations of numerosity processing. Though the activation percentages of most regions were higher than 60%, the intersections of most regions across individuals were considerably lower, falling below 50%, indicating substantial variations in brain activations related to numerosity processing among individuals. Furthermore, significant hemispheric and sex differences in activation location, extent, and magnitude were also found in these regions. Most activated regions in the right hemisphere had larger activation volumes and activation magnitudes, and were located more lateral and anterior than their counterparts in the left hemisphere. In addition, in most of these regions, males displayed stronger activations than females. Our findings demonstrate large inter-individual, hemispheric, and sex differences in brain activations related to numerosity processing, and our probabilistic atlas can serve as a robust functional and spatial reference for mapping the numerosity-related neural networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyao Zang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Xiaoyue Chi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Mengkai Luan
- Department of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, 650 Qing Yuan Huan Road, Shanghai, 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Siyuan Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Ke Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Jia Liu
- Tsinghua Laboratory of Brain and Intelligence, Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
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20
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Bakhit M, Fujii M. Gender Differences in the Cortical Distribution of Corpus Callosum Fibers. Cureus 2024; 16:e55918. [PMID: 38601409 PMCID: PMC11004854 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55918] [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] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research on gender-based disparities in human brain structure has spanned over a century, yielding conflicting results and ongoing debate. While some studies indicate minimal distinctions, others consistently highlight differences in the corpus callosum (CC), even after accounting for average brain size. Methods Diverging from previous approaches, this study examines the morphology of the entire CC fiber rather than solely focusing on its midsagittal structure. Utilizing advanced neuroimaging techniques and generalized Q-imaging tractography, CC streamlines were constructed to assess gender differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), volume ratio, and cortical distribution. Student's t-test was employed to examine the disparities in FA between gender groups, while gender-based distinctions in the normalized volume of the CC and its segments were assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with absolute whole white matter volume serving as a covariate. Results No significant gender-based disparities were found in either FA or normalized CC volume. While females exhibited consistently larger normalized volume CC streamlines than males, these differences lost statistical significance after adjusting for absolute total white matter volume as a covariate. Nonetheless, CC streamlines in females displayed a broader spatial distribution, encompassing various cortical regions, including the bilateral prefrontal cortex (medial and lateral surfaces), as well as medial parietal and temporal regions. Conclusion This study elucidates gender-related variations in the morphology of the brain's white matter pathways, indicating a more widespread cortical distribution of CC fibers in females compared to males. However, the study underscores the need for further investigations into connectivity patterns to fully elucidate these gender-based disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masazumi Fujii
- Neurosurgery, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, JPN
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21
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Ryali S, Zhang Y, de los Angeles C, Supekar K, Menon V. Deep learning models reveal replicable, generalizable, and behaviorally relevant sex differences in human functional brain organization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2310012121. [PMID: 38377194 PMCID: PMC10907309 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310012121] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sex plays a crucial role in human brain development, aging, and the manifestation of psychiatric and neurological disorders. However, our understanding of sex differences in human functional brain organization and their behavioral consequences has been hindered by inconsistent findings and a lack of replication. Here, we address these challenges using a spatiotemporal deep neural network (stDNN) model to uncover latent functional brain dynamics that distinguish male and female brains. Our stDNN model accurately differentiated male and female brains, demonstrating consistently high cross-validation accuracy (>90%), replicability, and generalizability across multisession data from the same individuals and three independent cohorts (N ~ 1,500 young adults aged 20 to 35). Explainable AI (XAI) analysis revealed that brain features associated with the default mode network, striatum, and limbic network consistently exhibited significant sex differences (effect sizes > 1.5) across sessions and independent cohorts. Furthermore, XAI-derived brain features accurately predicted sex-specific cognitive profiles, a finding that was also independently replicated. Our results demonstrate that sex differences in functional brain dynamics are not only highly replicable and generalizable but also behaviorally relevant, challenging the notion of a continuum in male-female brain organization. Our findings underscore the crucial role of sex as a biological determinant in human brain organization, have significant implications for developing personalized sex-specific biomarkers in psychiatric and neurological disorders, and provide innovative AI-based computational tools for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srikanth Ryali
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Carlo de los Angeles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Kaustubh Supekar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Vinod Menon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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22
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Yu M, Risacher SL, Nho KT, Wen Q, Oblak AL, Unverzagt FW, Apostolova LG, Farlow MR, Brosch JR, Clark DG, Wang S, Deardorff R, Wu YC, Gao S, Sporns O, Saykin AJ. Spatial transcriptomic patterns underlying amyloid-β and tau pathology are associated with cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113691. [PMID: 38244198 PMCID: PMC10926093 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins accumulate within distinct neuronal systems in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although it is not clear why certain brain regions are more vulnerable to Aβ and tau pathologies than others, gene expression may play a role. We study the association between brain-wide gene expression profiles and regional vulnerability to Aβ (gene-to-Aβ associations) and tau (gene-to-tau associations) pathologies by leveraging two large independent AD cohorts. We identify AD susceptibility genes and gene modules in a gene co-expression network with expression profiles specifically related to regional vulnerability to Aβ and tau pathologies in AD. In addition, we identify distinct biochemical pathways associated with the gene-to-Aβ and the gene-to-tau associations. These findings may explain the discordance between regional Aβ and tau pathologies. Finally, we propose an analytic framework, linking the identified gene-to-pathology associations to cognitive dysfunction in AD at the individual level, suggesting potential clinical implication of the gene-to-pathology associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meichen Yu
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Network Science Institute, Bloomington, IN, USA.
| | - Shannon L Risacher
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kwangsik T Nho
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Network Science Institute, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Qiuting Wen
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Adrian L Oblak
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Frederick W Unverzagt
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Liana G Apostolova
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Martin R Farlow
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jared R Brosch
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David G Clark
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sophia Wang
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Rachael Deardorff
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Yu-Chien Wu
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sujuan Gao
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Olaf Sporns
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Network Science Institute, Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Andrew J Saykin
- Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana University Network Science Institute, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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23
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Eliot L. Remembering the null hypothesis when searching for brain sex differences. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:14. [PMID: 38336816 PMCID: PMC10854110 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00585-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Human brain sex differences have fascinated scholars for centuries and become a key focus of neuroscientists since the dawn of MRI. We recently published a major review in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews showing that most male-female brain differences in humans are small and few have been reliably replicated. Although widely cited, this work was the target of a critical Commentary by DeCasien et al. (Biol Sex Differ 13:43, 2022). In this response, I update our findings and confirm the small effect sizes and pronounced scatter across recent large neuroimaging studies of human sex/gender difference. Based on the sum of data, neuroscientists would be well-advised to take the null hypothesis seriously: that men and women's brains are fundamentally similar, or "monomorphic". This perspective has important implications for how we study the genesis of behavioral and neuropsychiatric gender disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Eliot
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, North Chicago, IL, USA.
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24
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Mappa I, Marra MC, Pietrolucci ME, Lu JLA, Di Mascio D, D'Antonio F, Rizzo G. Effects of gender on fetal cortical development: a secondary analysis of a prospective cross-sectional study. J Perinat Med 2024; 52:114-116. [PMID: 37851901 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2023-0349] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of fetal sex on fetal cortical development in low-risk pregnancies. Secondary objective was the evaluate the impact of gestational age. METHODS This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cross-sectional study on low-risk fetuses undergoing fetal neurosonography between 19 and 34 weeks of gestation. The depth of Sylvian Fissure (SF), Parieto Occipital Fissure (POF) and Calcarine Fissure (CF) were evaluated and related to fetal sex. Neurosonographic variables were normalized for fetal head circumference and expressed as multiple of the median (MoM). RESULTS A total of 344 fetuses were considered (173 male, 171 female). The baseline characteristic of the two groups were similar except a higher birthweight present in male fetuses (p=0.044). The depth SF (p=0.023) CF (p=0.014) and POF (p=0.046) showed significantly higher values in male fetuses when all the gestational age range was considered. However, when data were controlled for gestational age, these differences resulted significant only after 28 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Differences in cortical development related to gender occur after 28 weeks of gestation with an increase depth of SF, POF and CF in male fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Mappa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Marra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Pietrolucci
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | - Jia Li Angela Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
| | - Daniele Di Mascio
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco D'Antonio
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università di Chieti, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Rizzo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy
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25
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Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
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26
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Zhang R, Rolls ET, Cheng W, Feng J. Different cortical connectivities in human females and males relate to differences in strength and body composition, reward and emotional systems, and memory. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:47-61. [PMID: 37861743 PMCID: PMC10827883 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02720-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in human brain structure and function are important, partly because they are likely to be relevant to the male-female differences in behavior and in mental health. To analyse sex differences in cortical function, functional connectivity was measured in 36,531 participants (53% female) in the UK Biobank (mean age 69) using the Human Connectome Project multimodal parcellation atlas with 360 well-specified cortical regions. Most of the functional connectivities were lower in females (Bonferroni corrected), with the mean Cohen's d = - 0.18. Removing these as covariates reduced the difference of functional connectivities for females-males from d = - 0.18 to - 0.06. The lower functional connectivities in females were especially of somatosensory/premotor regions including the insula, opercular cortex, paracentral lobule and mid-cingulate cortex, and were correlated with lower maximum workload (r = 0.17), and with higher whole body fat mass (r = - 0.17). But some functional connectivities were higher in females, involving especially the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex, and these were correlated with higher liking for some rewards such as sweet foods, higher happiness/subjective well-being, and with better memory-related functions. The main findings were replicated in 1000 individuals (532 females, mean age 29) from the Human Connectome Project. This investigation shows the cortical systems with different functional connectivity between females and males, and also provides for the first time a foundation for understanding the implications for behavior of these differences between females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruohan Zhang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Edmund T Rolls
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200403, China.
- Oxford Centre for Computational Neuroscience, Oxford, UK.
| | - Wei Cheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200403, China
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200403, China
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27
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Johnson CE, Duncan MJ, Murphy MP. Sex and Sleep Disruption as Contributing Factors in Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:31-74. [PMID: 38007653 PMCID: PMC10842753 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230527] [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] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects more women than men, with women throughout the menopausal transition potentially being the most under researched and at-risk group. Sleep disruptions, which are an established risk factor for AD, increase in prevalence with normal aging and are exacerbated in women during menopause. Sex differences showing more disrupted sleep patterns and increased AD pathology in women and female animal models have been established in literature, with much emphasis placed on loss of circulating gonadal hormones with age. Interestingly, increases in gonadotropins such as follicle stimulating hormone are emerging to be a major contributor to AD pathogenesis and may also play a role in sleep disruption, perhaps in combination with other lesser studied hormones. Several sleep influencing regions of the brain appear to be affected early in AD progression and some may exhibit sexual dimorphisms that may contribute to increased sleep disruptions in women with age. Additionally, some of the most common sleep disorders, as well as multiple health conditions that impair sleep quality, are more prevalent and more severe in women. These conditions are often comorbid with AD and have bi-directional relationships that contribute synergistically to cognitive decline and neuropathology. The association during aging of increased sleep disruption and sleep disorders, dramatic hormonal changes during and after menopause, and increased AD pathology may be interacting and contributing factors that lead to the increased number of women living with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie E. Johnson
- University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Marilyn J. Duncan
- University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - M. Paul Murphy
- University of Kentucky, College of Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Lexington, KY, USA
- University of Kentucky, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Lexington, KY, USA
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Wang C, Wang J, Wu X, Liu T, Wang F, Zhou H, Chen C, Shi L, Ma L, Liu T, Li C. Comprehensive review on sexual dimorphism to improve scalp acupuncture in nervous system disease. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14447. [PMID: 37665197 PMCID: PMC10805401 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the development of modern medicine, the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combined with western medicine began to be produced and applied. Scalp acupuncture (SA) as a Chinese medicine based on neurological theory, has a great advantage compared with TCM in the treatment of nervous system diseases. METHOD In this paper, we analyze the physiological and pathological manifestations of sexual dimorphism (SD) to illustrate the necessity of SD treatment. In addition, we review the factors that can affect SD and analyze in physiological structure, function, and pathological neurons. Diseases (pathological basis, pathological manifestations, and incidence) and factors leading to gender differences, which to analyze the possibility of gender differences in SA. RESULT Furthermore, we creatively a new insight of SD-SA and provide the complete SD treatment cases on the basis of the existing SA in different kinds of diseases including stroke, migraine, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression. CONCLUSION In summary, we believe that it is feasible to improve the clinical effectiveness of SA, which is able to promote the development of SA, and then provides an actionable evidence for the promotion of precision medicine in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaojie Wang
- Department of First Clinical Medical CollegeHeilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHeilongjiangChina
| | - Jiening Wang
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xubo Wu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of BioengineeringImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Feng Wang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Huanxia Zhou
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Chen Chen
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Lijuan Shi
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Lin Ma
- First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese MedicineHarbinChina
| | - Tiantian Liu
- Department of RehabilitationShanghai Seventh People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Cancheng Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringBeihang UniversityBeijingChina
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29
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Wang Z, Qiao D, Chen H, Zhang S, Zhang B, Zhang J, Hu X, Wang C, Cui H, Wang X, Li S. Effects of Fmr1 Gene Mutations on Sex Differences in Autism-Like Behavior and Dendritic Spine Development in Mice and Transcriptomic Studies. Neuroscience 2023; 534:16-28. [PMID: 37852411 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.10.001] [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: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common single gene disorder contributing to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although significant sex differences are observed in FXS, few studies have focused on the phenotypic characteristics as well as the differences in brain pathological changes and gene expression in FXS by sex. Therefore, we analyzed sex differences in autism-like behavior and dendritic spine development in two-month-old male and female Fmr1 KO and C57 mice and evaluated the mechanisms at transcriptome level. Results suggest that Fmr1 KO mice display sex differences in autism-like behavior and dendritic spine density. Compared to females, male had more severe effects on anxiety, repetitive stereotype-like behaviors, and socializing, with higher dendritic spine density. Furthermore, two male-biased and five female-biased expressed genes were screened based on KEGG pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses. In conclusion, our findings show mutations in the Fmr1 gene lead to aberrant expression of related genes and affect the sex-differentiated behavioral phenotypes of Fmr1 KO mice by affecting brain development and functional architecture, and suggest future studies should focus on including female subjects to comprehensively reflect the differentiation of FXS in both sexes and develop more precise and effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Dan Qiao
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Shihua Zhang
- Grade 2018, Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Bohan Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Jingbao Zhang
- Grade 2020, Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiangting Hu
- Grade 2020, Basic Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Chang Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Huixian Cui
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xia Wang
- Child Health (Psychological Behavior) Department, Children's Hospital of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, China.
| | - Sha Li
- Department of Anatomy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Neuroscience Research Center, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease Mechanism, Shijiazhuang, China; The Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
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30
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Yang J, Chen K, Zhang J, Ma Y, Chen M, Shao H, Zhang X, Fan D, Wang Z, Sun Z, Wang J. Molecular mechanisms underlying human spatial cognitive ability revealed with neurotransmitter and transcriptomic mapping. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11320-11328. [PMID: 37804242 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Mental rotation, one of the cores of spatial cognitive abilities, is closely associated with spatial processing and general intelligence. Although the brain underpinnings of mental rotation have been reported, the cellular and molecular mechanisms remain unexplored. Here, we used magnetic resonance imaging, a whole-brain spatial distribution atlas of 19 neurotransmitter receptors, transcriptomic data from Allen Human Brain Atlas, and mental rotation performances of 356 healthy individuals to identify the genetic/molecular foundation of mental rotation. We found significant associations of mental rotation performance with gray matter volume and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in primary visual cortex, fusiform gyrus, primary sensory-motor cortex, and default mode network. Gray matter volume and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in these brain areas also exhibited significant sex differences. Importantly, spatial correlation analyses were conducted between the spatial patterns of gray matter volume or fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations with mental rotation and the spatial distribution patterns of neurotransmitter receptors and transcriptomic data, and identified the related genes and neurotransmitter receptors associated with mental rotation. These identified genes are localized on the X chromosome and are mainly involved in trans-synaptic signaling, transmembrane transport, and hormone response. Our findings provide initial evidence for the neural and molecular mechanisms underlying spatial cognitive ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Kexuan Chen
- Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Junyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yingzi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Meiling Chen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Heng Shao
- Department of Geriatrics, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- The Second People's Hospital of Yuxi, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Defang Fan
- The Second People's Hospital of Yuxi, The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhengbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhenglong Sun
- Bio-imaging lab, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Jiaojian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming 650500, China
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Serio B, Hettwer MD, Wiersch L, Bignardi G, Sacher J, Weis S, Eickhoff SB, Valk SL. Sex differences in intrinsic functional cortical organization reflect differences in network topology rather than cortical morphometry. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.23.568437. [PMID: 38045320 PMCID: PMC10690290 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.23.568437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Brain size robustly differs between sexes. However, the consequences of this anatomical dimorphism on sex differences in intrinsic brain function remain unclear. We investigated the extent to which sex differences in intrinsic cortical functional organization may be explained by differences in cortical morphometry, namely brain size, microstructure, and the geodesic distances of connectivity profiles. For this, we computed a low dimensional representation of functional cortical organization, the sensory-association axis, and identified widespread sex differences. Contrary to our expectations, observed sex differences in functional organization were not fundamentally associated with differences in brain size, microstructural organization, or geodesic distances, despite these morphometric properties being per se associated with functional organization and differing between sexes. Instead, functional sex differences in the sensory-association axis were associated with differences in functional connectivity profiles and network topology. Collectively, our findings suggest that sex differences in functional cortical organization extend beyond sex differences in cortical morphometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Serio
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Meike D. Hettwer
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lisa Wiersch
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Giacomo Bignardi
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Julia Sacher
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Weis
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Simon B. Eickhoff
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sofie L. Valk
- Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behavior (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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Brouillard A, Davignon LM, Turcotte AM, Marin MF. Morphologic alterations of the fear circuitry: the role of sex hormones and oral contraceptives. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1228504. [PMID: 38027091 PMCID: PMC10661904 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1228504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Endogenous sex hormones and oral contraceptives (OCs) have been shown to influence key regions implicated in fear processing. While OC use has been found to impact brain morphology, methodological challenges remain to be addressed, such as avoiding selection bias between OC users and non-users, as well as examining potential lasting effects of OC intake. Objective We investigated the current and lasting effects of OC use, as well as the interplay between the current hormonal milieu and history of hormonal contraception use on structural correlates of the fear circuitry. We also examined the role of endogenous and exogenous sex hormones within this network. Methods We recruited healthy adults aged 23-35 who identified as women currently using (n = 62) or having used (n = 37) solely combined OCs, women who never used any hormonal contraceptives (n = 40), or men (n = 41). Salivary endogenous sex hormones and current users' salivary ethinyl estradiol (EE) were assessed using liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry. Using structural magnetic resonance imaging, we extracted surface-based gray matter volumes (GMVs) and cortical thickness (CT) for regions of interest of the fear circuitry. Exploratory whole-brain analyses were conducted with surface-based and voxel-based morphometry methods. Results Compared to men, all three groups of women exhibited a larger GMV of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, while only current users showed a thinner ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Irrespective of the menstrual cycle phase, never users exhibited a thicker right anterior insular cortex than past users. While associations with endogenous sex hormones remain unclear, we showed that EE dosage in current users had a greater influence on brain anatomy compared to salivary EE levels and progestin androgenicity, with lower doses being associated with smaller cortical GMVs. Discussion Our results highlight a sex difference for the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex GMV (a fear-promoting region), as well as a reduced CT of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (a fear-inhibiting region) specific to current OC use. Precisely, this finding was driven by lower EE doses. These findings may represent structural vulnerabilities to anxiety and stress-related disorders. We showed little evidence of durable anatomical effects, suggesting that OC intake can (reversibly) affect fear-related brain morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Brouillard
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lisa-Marie Davignon
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Marie-France Marin
- Research Center of the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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33
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Patelli C, Berti G, Marra MC, Lu JLA, Resta S, Mappa I, Rizzo G. Modeling fetal cavum septum pellucidi width by quantile regression at 18-34 weeks of gestation: A prospective cross-sectional study. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND : JCU 2023; 51:1466-1471. [PMID: 37548058 DOI: 10.1002/jcu.23533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Develop charts for cavum septum pellucidi (CSP) following a standardized methodology and using quantile regression. The secondary objective was to assess the influence of fetal gender on the generated reference curves. METHODS In a cross-sectional prospective study 453 low-risk singleton pregnancies were evaluated at a gestational age interval between 18 and 34 weeks. The width of CSP were measured on ultrasound images using a standardized technique and their changes were evaluated by quantile regression as a function of gestational age (GA) interval or head circumference (HC). Differences between sex were evaluated. RESULTS The measurement of CSP significantly increased with gestation and HC. Linear models better described the changes of CSP with GA and HC. The fits of CSP width with GA and HC were not significantly different. Male fetuses showed significantly higher CSP width when compared to female fetuses (u = 2.973; p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS We generated prospective nomograms of fetal CSP development using quantile regression and following a strict standardized methodology. These new charts may be useful to better identify abnormal cases at higher risk of associated anomalies. Further our findings underline the potential effect of gender in developing fetal brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Patelli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università diVerona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giorgia Berti
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Marra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Jia Li Angela Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Resta
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilenia Mappa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Rizzo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Università Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
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Rozalem Aranha M, Iulita MF, Montal V, Pegueroles J, Bejanin A, Vaqué-Alcázar L, Grothe MJ, Carmona-Iragui M, Videla L, Benejam B, Arranz J, Padilla C, Valldeneu S, Barroeta I, Altuna M, Fernández S, Ribas L, Valle-Tamayo N, Alcolea D, González-Ortiz S, Bargalló N, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Blesa R, Wisniewski T, Busciglio J, Cuello AC, Lleó A, Fortea J. Basal forebrain atrophy along the Alzheimer's disease continuum in adults with Down syndrome. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:4817-4827. [PMID: 37021589 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Basal forebrain (BF) degeneration occurs in Down syndrome (DS)-associated Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the dynamics of BF atrophy with age and disease progression, its impact on cognition, and its relationship with AD biomarkers have not been studied in DS. METHODS We included 234 adults with DS (150 asymptomatic, 38 prodromal AD, and 46 AD dementia) and 147 euploid controls. BF volumes were extracted from T-weighted magnetic resonance images using a stereotactic atlas in SPM12. We assessed BF volume changes with age and along the clinical AD continuum and their relationship to cognitive performance, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma amyloid/tau/neurodegeneration biomarkers, and hippocampal volume. RESULTS In DS, BF volumes decreased with age and along the clinical AD continuum and significantly correlated with amyloid, tau, and neurofilament light chain changes in CSF and plasma, hippocampal volume, and cognitive performance. DISCUSSION BF atrophy is a potentially valuable neuroimaging biomarker of AD-related cholinergic neurodegeneration in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateus Rozalem Aranha
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Florencia Iulita
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Victor Montal
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordi Pegueroles
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alexandre Bejanin
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lídia Vaqué-Alcázar
- Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michel J Grothe
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Unidad de Trastornos del Movimiento, Servicio de Neurología y Neurofisiología Clínica, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Maria Carmona-Iragui
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Videla
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bessy Benejam
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Arranz
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Concepción Padilla
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sílvia Valldeneu
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Barroeta
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miren Altuna
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Fernández
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laia Ribas
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Valle-Tamayo
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Alcolea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofía González-Ortiz
- Hospital del Mar - Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Department, Diagnostic Image Center, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Núria Bargalló
- Neuroradiology Section, Radiology Department, Diagnostic Image Center, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Magnetic Resonance Image Core Facility (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, China, Hong Kong
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience & Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Rafael Blesa
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry and Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jorge Busciglio
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (iMIND), Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - A Claudio Cuello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Alberto Lleó
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Fortea
- Sant Pau Memory Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Facultad de Medicina - Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Center of Biomedical Investigation Network for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Barcelona Down Medical Center, Fundació Catalana de Síndrome de Down, Barcelona, Spain
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35
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Andrushko JW, Rinat S, Kirby ED, Dahlby J, Ekstrand C, Boyd LA. Females exhibit smaller volumes of brain activation and lower inter-subject variability during motor tasks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17698. [PMID: 37848679 PMCID: PMC10582116 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44871-4] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Past work has shown that brain structure and function differ between females and males. Males have larger cortical and sub-cortical volume and surface area (both total and subregional), while females have greater cortical thickness in most brain regions. Functional differences are also reported in the literature, yet to date little work has systematically considered whether patterns of brain activity indexed with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) differ between females and males. The current study sought to remediate this issue by employing task-based whole brain motor mapping analyses using an openly available dataset. We tested differences in patterns of functional brain activity associated with 12 voluntary movement patterns in females versus males. Results suggest that females exhibited smaller volumes of brain activation across all 12 movement tasks, and lower patterns of variability in 10 of the 12 movements. We also observed that females had greater cortical thickness, which is in alignment with previous analyses of structural differences. Overall, these findings provide a basis for considering biological sex in future fMRI research and provide a foundation of understanding differences in how neurological pathologies present in females vs males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W Andrushko
- Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Shie Rinat
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Eric D Kirby
- Faculty of Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Julia Dahlby
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Chelsea Ekstrand
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.
| | - Lara A Boyd
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
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36
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Zhang C, Ji S. Sex Differences in Axonal Dynamic Responses Under Realistic Tension Using Finite Element Models. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:2217-2232. [PMID: 37335051 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Existing axonal finite element models do not consider sex morphological differences or the fidelity in dynamic input. To facilitate a systematic investigation into the micromechanics of diffuse axonal injury, we develop a parameterized modeling approach for automatic and efficient generation of sex-specific axonal models according to specified geometrical parameters. Baseline female and male axonal models in the corpus callosum with random microtubule (MT) gap configurations are generated for model calibration and evaluation. They are then used to simulate a realistic tensile loading consisting of both a loading and a recovery phase (to return to an initial undeformed state) generated from dynamic corpus callosum fiber strain in a real-world head impact simulation. We find that MT gaps and the dynamic recovery phase are both critical to successfully reproduce MT undulation as observed experimentally, which has not been reported before. This strengthens confidence in model dynamic responses. A statistical approach is further employed to aggregate axonal responses from a large sample of random MT gap configurations for both female and male axonal models (n = 10,000 each). We find that peak strains in MTs and the Ranvier node and associated neurofilament failures in female axons are substantially higher than those in male axons because there are fewer MTs in the former and also because of the random nature of MT gap locations. Despite limitations in various model assumptions as a result of limited experimental data currently available, these findings highlight the need to systematically characterize MT gap configurations and to ensure a realistic model input for axonal dynamic simulations. Finally, this study may offer fresh and improved insight into the biomechanical basis of sex differences in brain injury, and sets the stage for more systematic investigations at the microscale in the future, both numerically and experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaokai Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Songbai Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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37
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Guma E, Beauchamp A, Liu S, Levitis E, Ellegood J, Pham L, Mars RB, Raznahan A, Lerch JP. Comparative neuroimaging of sex differences in human and mouse brain anatomy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.23.554334. [PMID: 37662398 PMCID: PMC10473765 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.23.554334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
In vivo neuroimaging studies have established several reproducible volumetric sex differences in the human brain, but the causes of such differences are hard to parse. While mouse models are useful for understanding the cellular and mechanistic bases of sex-biased brain development in mammals, there have been no attempts to formally compare mouse and human sex differences across the whole brain to ascertain how well they translate. Addressing this question would shed critical light on use of the mouse as a translational model for sex differences in the human brain and provide insights into the degree to which sex differences in brain volume are conserved across mammals. Here, we use cross-species structural magnetic resonance imaging to carry out the first comparative neuroimaging study of sex-biased neuroanatomical organization of the human and mouse brain. In line with previous findings, we observe that in humans, males have significantly larger and more variable total brain volume; these sex differences are not mirrored in mice. After controlling for total brain volume, we observe modest cross-species congruence in the volumetric effect size of sex across 60 homologous brain regions (r=0.30; e.g.: M>F amygdala, hippocampus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and hypothalamus and F>M anterior cingulate, somatosensory, and primary auditory cortices). This cross-species congruence is greater in the cortex (r=0.33) than non-cortex (r=0.16). By incorporating regional measures of gene expression in both species, we reveal that cortical regions with greater cross-species congruence in volumetric sex differences also show greater cross-species congruence in the expression profile of 2835 homologous genes. This phenomenon differentiates primary sensory regions with high congruence of sex effects and gene expression from limbic cortices where congruence in both these features was weaker between species. These findings help identify aspects of sex-biased brain anatomy present in mice that are retained, lost, or inverted in humans. More broadly, our work provides an empirical basis for targeting mechanistic studies of sex-biased brain development in mice to brain regions that best echo sex-biased brain development in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Antoine Beauchamp
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Ellegood
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Linh Pham
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Rogier B Mars
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Yu M, Risacher SL, Nho KT, Wen Q, Oblak AL, Unverzagt FW, Apostolova LG, Farlow MR, Brosch JR, Clark DG, Wang S, Deardorff R, Wu YC, Gao S, Sporns O, Saykin AJ. Spatial transcriptomic patterns underlying regional vulnerability to amyloid-β and tau pathologies and their relationships to cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.12.23294017. [PMID: 37645867 PMCID: PMC10462206 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.12.23294017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau proteins accumulate within distinct neuronal systems in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although it is not clear why certain brain regions are more vulnerable to Aβ and tau pathologies than others, gene expression may play a role. We studied the association between brain-wide gene expression profiles and regional vulnerability to Aβ (gene-to-Aβ associations) and tau (gene-to-tau associations) pathologies leveraging two large independent cohorts (n = 715) of participants along the AD continuum. We identified several AD susceptibility genes and gene modules in a gene co-expression network with expression profiles related to regional vulnerability to Aβ and tau pathologies in AD. In particular, we found that the positive APOE -to-tau association was only seen in the AD cohort, whereas patients with AD and frontotemporal dementia shared similar positive MAPT -to-tau association. Some AD candidate genes showed sex-dependent negative gene-to-Aβ and gene-to-tau associations. In addition, we identified distinct biochemical pathways associated with the gene-to-Aβ and the gene-to-tau associations. Finally, we proposed a novel analytic framework, linking the identified gene-to-pathology associations to cognitive dysfunction in AD at the individual level, suggesting potential clinical implication of the gene-to-pathology associations. Taken together, our study identified distinct gene expression profiles and biochemical pathways that may explain the discordance between regional Aβ and tau pathologies, and filled the gap between gene-to-pathology associations and cognitive dysfunction in individual AD patients that may ultimately help identify novel personalized pathogenetic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. One Sentence Summary We identified replicable cognition-related associations between regional gene expression profiles and selectively regional vulnerability to amyloid-β and tau pathologies in AD.
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Shafee R, Moraczewski D, Liu S, Mallard T, Thomas A, Raznahan A. A sex-stratified analysis of the genetic architecture of human brain anatomy. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.09.23293881. [PMID: 37609186 PMCID: PMC10441503 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.09.23293881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Large biobanks have dramatically advanced our understanding of genetic influences on human brain anatomy. However, most studies have combined rather than compared males and females - despite theoretical grounds for potential sex differences. By systematically screening for sex differences in the common genetic architecture of > 1000 neuroanatomical phenotypes in the UK Biobank, we establish a general concordance between males and females in heritability estimates, genetic correlations and variant-level effects. Notable exceptions include: higher mean h 2 in females for regional volume and surface area phenotypes; between-sex genetic correlations that are significantly below 1 in the insula and parietal cortex; and, a male-specific effect common variant mapping to RBFOX1 - a gene linked to multiple male-biased neuropsychiatric disorders. This work suggests that common variant influences on human brain anatomy are largely consistent between males and females, with a few exceptions that will guide future research as biobanks continue to grow in size.
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40
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Woo S, Noh Y, Koh SB, Lee SK, Il Lee J, Kim HH, Kim SY, Cho J, Kim C. Associations of ambient manganese exposure with brain gray matter thickness and white matter hyperintensities. Hypertens Res 2023; 46:1870-1879. [PMID: 37185603 DOI: 10.1038/s41440-023-01291-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Manganese (Mn) exposure is associated with increased risks of dementia and cerebrovascular disease. However, evidence regarding the impact of ambient Mn exposure on brain imaging markers is scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between ambient Mn exposure and brain imaging markers representing neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular lesions. We recruited a total of 936 adults (442 men and 494 women) without dementia, movement disorders, or stroke from the Republic of Korea. Ambient Mn concentrations were predicted at each participant's residential address using spatial modeling. Neurodegeneration-related brain imaging markers, such as the regional cortical thickness, were estimated using 3 T brain magnetic resonance images. White matter hyperintensity volume (an indicator of cerebrovascular lesions) was also obtained from a certain number of participants (n = 397). Linear regression analyses were conducted after adjusting for potential confounders. A log-transformed ambient Mn concentration was associated with thinner parietal (β = -0.02 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.05 to -0.01) and occipital cortices (β = -0.03 mm; 95% CI, -0.04 to -0.01) after correcting for multiple comparisons. These associations remained statistically significant in men. An increase in the ambient Mn concentration was also associated with a greater volume of deep white matter hyperintensity in men (β = 772.4 mm3, 95% CI: 36.9 to 1508.0). None of the associations were significant in women. Our findings suggest that ambient Mn exposure may induce cortical atrophy in the general adult population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinyoung Woo
- Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Young Noh
- Department of Neurology, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea
| | - Sang-Baek Koh
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea
| | - Seung-Koo Lee
- Department of Radiology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung Il Lee
- Korea Testing and Research Institute, Gwacheon, Korea
| | - Ho Hyun Kim
- Department of Nano-chemical, biological and environmental engineering Seokyeong University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun- Young Kim
- Department of Cancer Control and Population Health, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea
| | - Jaelim Cho
- Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Complexity and Systems Science, Yonsei University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Changsoo Kim
- Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
- Institute for Environmental Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Complexity and Systems Science, Yonsei University, Incheon, Republic of Korea.
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41
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Phillips AK, Keller MF, McClung JP, Steele N, Witkop CT, Wu TJ. Physical Health and Well-being: Updates and the Way Ahead. Mil Med 2023; 188:9-18. [PMID: 37490559 DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usac370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Women in Combat Summit 2021 "Forging the Future: How Women Enhance the Fighting Force" took place during February 9-11, 2021, via a virtual conference platform. The third and final day of the Summit regarded the physical health and well-being of military women and included the topics of urogenital health, nutrition and iron-deficiency anemia, unintended pregnancy and contraception, and traumatic brain injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS After presentations on the topics earlier, interested conference attendees were invited to participate in focus groups to discuss and review policy recommendations for physical health and well-being in military women. Discussions centered around the topics discussed during the presentations, and suggestions for future Women in Combat Summits were noted. Specifics of the methods of the Summit are presented elsewhere in this supplement. RESULTS We formulated research and policy recommendations for urogenital health, nutrition and iron-deficiency anemia, contraception and unintended pregnancy, and traumatic brain injury. CONCLUSIONS In order to continue to develop the future health of military women, health care providers, researchers, and policymakers should consider the recommendations made in this supplement as they continue to build on the state of the science and forge the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela K Phillips
- Malcolm Grow Medical Clinics and Surgery Center, Joint Base Andrews, MD 20762, USA
| | - Margaux F Keller
- Henry Jackson Foundation at the Daniel K. Inouye Graduate School of Nursing, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - James P McClung
- Military Nutrition Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760, USA
| | - Nancy Steele
- School of Nursing, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Catherine T Witkop
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - T John Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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42
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Merighi S, Travagli A, Nigro M, Pasquini S, Cappello M, Contri C, Varani K, Vincenzi F, Borea PA, Gessi S. Caffeine for Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease: Is the A 2A Adenosine Receptor Its Target? Biomolecules 2023; 13:967. [PMID: 37371547 DOI: 10.3390/biom13060967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent kind of dementia with roughly 135 million cases expected in the world by 2050. Unfortunately, current medications for the treatment of AD can only relieve symptoms but they do not act as disease-modifying agents that can stop the course of AD. Caffeine is one of the most widely used drugs in the world today, and a number of clinical studies suggest that drinking coffee may be good for health, especially in the fight against neurodegenerative conditions such as AD. Experimental works conducted "in vivo" and "in vitro" provide intriguing evidence that caffeine exerts its neuroprotective effects by antagonistically binding to A2A receptors (A2ARs), a subset of GPCRs that are triggered by the endogenous nucleoside adenosine. This review provides a summary of the scientific data supporting the critical role that A2ARs play in memory loss and cognitive decline, as well as the evidence supporting the protective benefits against neurodegeneration that may be attained by caffeine's antagonistic action on these receptors. They are a novel and fascinating target for regulating and enhancing synaptic activity, achieving symptomatic and potentially disease-modifying effects, and protecting against neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Merighi
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alessia Travagli
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Manuela Nigro
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Silvia Pasquini
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martina Cappello
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Contri
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Vincenzi
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Gessi
- Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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43
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Chen L, Zhao S, Wang Y, Niu X, Zhang B, Li X, Peng D. Genetic Insights into Obesity and Brain: Combine Mendelian Randomization Study and Gene Expression Analysis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:892. [PMID: 37371369 PMCID: PMC10295948 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As a major public-health concern, obesity is imposing an increasing social burden around the world. The link between obesity and brain-health problems has been reported, but controversy remains. To investigate the relationship among obesity, brain-structure changes and diseases, a two-stage analysis was performed. At first, we used the Mendelian-randomization (MR) approach to identify the causal relationship between obesity and cerebral structure. Obesity-related data were retrieved from the Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium and the UK Biobank, whereas the cortical morphological data were from the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) consortium. Further, we extracted region-specific expressed genes according to the Allen Human Brian Atlas (AHBA) and carried out a series of bioinformatics analyses to find the potential mechanism of obesity and diseases. In the univariable MR, a higher body mass index (BMI) or larger visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was associated with a smaller global cortical thickness (pBMI = 0.006, pVAT = 1.34 × 10-4). Regional associations were found between obesity and specific gyrus regions, mainly in the fusiform gyrus and inferior parietal gyrus. Multivariable MR results showed that a greater body fat percentage was linked to a smaller fusiform-gyrus thickness (p = 0.029) and precuneus surface area (p = 0.035). As for the gene analysis, region-related genes were enriched to several neurobiological processes, such as compound transport, neuropeptide-signaling pathway, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. These genes contained a strong relationship with some neuropsychiatric diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and other disorders. Our results reveal a causal relationship between obesity and brain abnormalities and suggest a pathway from obesity to brain-structure abnormalities to neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leian Chen
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Shaokun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yuye Wang
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaoqian Niu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Dantao Peng
- Department of Neurology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Neurology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
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Beltz AM, Demidenko MI, Wilson SJ, Berenbaum SA. Prenatal androgen influences on the brain: A review, critique, and illustration of research on congenital adrenal hyperplasia. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:563-574. [PMID: 34139025 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Sex hormones, especially androgens, contribute to sex and gender differences in the brain and behavior. Organizational effects are particularly important because they are thought to be permanent, reflecting hormone exposure during sensitive periods of development. In human beings, they are often studied with natural experiments in which sex hormones are dissociated from other biopsychosocial aspects of development, such as genes and experiences. Indeed, the greatest evidence for organizational effects on sex differences in human behavior comes from studies of females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), who have heightened prenatal androgen exposure, female-typical rearing, and masculinized toy play, activity and career interests, spatial skills, and some personal characteristics. Interestingly, however, neuroimaging studies of females with CAH have revealed few neural mechanisms underlying these hormone-behavior links, with the exception of emotion processing; studies have instead shown reduced gray matter volumes and reduced white matter integrity most consistent with other disease-related processes. The goals of this narrative review are to: (a) describe methods for studying prenatal androgen influences, while offering a brief overview of behavioral outcomes; (b) provide a critical methodological review of neuroimaging research on females with CAH; (c) present an illustrative analysis that overcomes methodological limitations of previous work, focusing on person-specific neural reward networks (and their associations with sensation seeking) in women with CAH and their unaffected sisters in order to inform future research questions and approaches that are most likely to reveal organizational hormone effects on brain structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriene M Beltz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Stephen J Wilson
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Sheri A Berenbaum
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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45
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Kadlecova M, Freude K, Haukedal H. Complexity of Sex Differences and Their Impact on Alzheimer's Disease. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051261. [PMID: 37238932 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences are present in brain morphology, sex hormones, aging processes and immune responses. These differences need to be considered for proper modelling of neurological diseases with clear sex differences. This is the case for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with two-thirds of cases diagnosed in women. It is becoming clear that there is a complex interplay between the immune system, sex hormones and AD. Microglia are major players in the neuroinflammatory process occurring in AD and have been shown to be directly affected by sex hormones. However, many unanswered questions remain as the importance of including both sexes in research studies has only recently started receiving attention. In this review, we provide a summary of sex differences and their implications in AD, with a focus on microglia action. Furthermore, we discuss current available study models, including emerging complex microfluidic and 3D cellular models and their usefulness for studying hormonal effects in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Kadlecova
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Kristine Freude
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Henriette Haukedal
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870 C Frederiksberg, Denmark
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46
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Elton A, Allen JH, Yorke M, Khan F, Xu P, Boettiger CA. Sex moderates family history of alcohol use disorder and childhood maltreatment effects on an fMRI stop-signal task. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2436-2450. [PMID: 36722505 PMCID: PMC10028663 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26221] [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: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood maltreatment (CM) and a family history (FH) of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are each associated with increased impulsivity. However, their unique or shared brain targets remain unknown. Furthermore, both CM and FH demonstrate sex-dependent effects on brain and behavior. We hypothesized that CM and FH interact in brain regions involved in impulsivity with sex-dependent effects. 144 first-year college students (18-19 years old) with varying experiences of CM and/or FH but without current AUD performed an fMRI stop-signal task. We tested interactions between FH, CM, and sex on task performance and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal during successful inhibitions. We examined correlations between BOLD response and psychiatric symptoms. Significant three-way interactions of FH, CM, and sex were detected for brain and behavioral data, largely driven by male subjects. In males, CM was associated with poorer response inhibition but only for those with less FH; males with higher levels of both CM and FH demonstrated better response inhibition. Three-way interaction effects on voxel-wise BOLD response during response inhibition were found in bilateral middle frontal gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex. Network-level analyses implicated the left frontoparietal network, executive control network, and default-mode network. Greater BOLD response in these networks correlated with lower depressive, impulsive, and attentional symptoms, reduced alcohol misuse, greater resilience scores, and heightened trait anxiety. The results highlight sex-divergent effects of heritable and environmental risk factors that may account for sex-dependent expression of psychopathology in response to risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Elton
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol StudiesUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Biomedical Research Imaging CenterUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - John Hunter Allen
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Mya Yorke
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Farhan Khan
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Peng Xu
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Charlotte A. Boettiger
- Department of Psychology and NeuroscienceUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol StudiesUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Biomedical Research Imaging CenterUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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47
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Rengasamy M, Nance M, Eckstrand K, Forbes E. Splitting the reward: Differences in inflammatory marker associations with neural connectivity between reward anticipation and reward outcome in adolescents at high risk for depression. J Affect Disord 2023; 327:128-136. [PMID: 36736795 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.118] [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: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent depression is associated with both dysfunction in neural reward processing and peripheral inflammatory markers (PIMs), such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive-protein (CRP), and tumor-necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). Few adolescent studies have examined neural-inflammatory marker associations and associated behavioral correlates, which would contribute to a better understanding of developmental processes linked to depression. METHODS 36 adolescents at high risk of depression completed an fMRI reward task (during anticipation and outcome), blood draw for PIMs (IL-6, CRP, and TNFα), and a behavioral task assessing motivation to expend effort. Analyses examined associations of task-dependent functional connectivity (FC; ventral striatum to frontal and default mode network brain regions), and if the interaction of PIMs and task-dependent FC predicted motivation to expend effort. RESULTS For anticipation contrast, TNFα was associated with increased task-dependent FC between the LVS and PCC/vmPFC. In moderation analyses, for anticipation contrasts, the combination of higher IL-6 and stronger FC (LVS-precuneus/PCC) was associated with lower motivation to expend effort, while for outcome contrasts, the combination of higher IL-6 and stronger FC (VS-precuneus/PCC) was associated with greater motivation to expend effort. CONCLUSIONS Our findings in adolescents during an important developmental time period suggest that PIMs are directly linked to greater FC between the VS and DMN brain regions during win anticipation, consistent with prior studies. Effects of PIMs on motivation to expend effort may vary the strength/type of neural reward processing (anticipation or outcome), which could guide better understanding how inflammatory markers and neural reward substrates contribute to development of depression in high-risk adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manivel Rengasamy
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America.
| | - Melissa Nance
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America
| | - Kristen Eckstrand
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America
| | - Erika Forbes
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychiatry, United States of America
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48
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Bölte S, Neufeld J, Marschik PB, Williams ZJ, Gallagher L, Lai MC. Sex and gender in neurodevelopmental conditions. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:136-159. [PMID: 36747038 PMCID: PMC10154737 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00774-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Health-related conditions often differ qualitatively or quantitatively between individuals of different birth-assigned sexes and gender identities, and/or with different gendered experiences, requiring tailored care. Studying the moderating and mediating effects of sex-related and gender-related factors on impairment, disability, wellbeing and health is of paramount importance especially for neurodivergent individuals, who are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions with uneven sex/gender distributions. Researchers have become aware of the myriad influences that sex-related and gender-related variables have on the manifestations of neurodevelopmental conditions, and contemporary work has begun to investigate the mechanisms through which these effects are mediated. Here we describe topical concepts of sex and gender science, summarize current knowledge, and discuss research and clinical challenges related to autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other neurodevelopmental conditions. We consider sex and gender in the context of epidemiology, behavioural phenotypes, neurobiology, genetics, endocrinology and neighbouring disciplines. The available evidence supports the view that sex and gender are important contributors to the biological and behavioural variability in neurodevelopmental conditions. Methodological caveats such as frequent conflation of sex and gender constructs, inappropriate measurement of these constructs and under-representation of specific demographic groups (for example, female and gender minority individuals and people with intellectual disabilities) limit the translational potential of research so far. Future research and clinical implementation should integrate sex and gender into next-generation diagnostics, mechanistic investigations and support practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Curtin Autism Research Group, Curtin School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Janina Neufeld
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
- Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study (SCAS), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Peter B Marschik
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Göttingen and Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
- iDN - interdisciplinary Developmental Neuroscience, Division of Phoniatrics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Zachary J Williams
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Frist Center for Autism and Innovation, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, and Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, and Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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49
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Pang C, Li W, Zhou Y, Gao T, Han S. Are women more empathetic than men? Questionnaire and EEG estimations of sex/gender differences in empathic ability. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:7046083. [PMID: 36807483 PMCID: PMC9976760 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The debate regarding whether women are more empathetic than men has broad scientific, social and clinical implications. However, previous independent questionnaires and brain imaging studies that tested different samples reported inconsistent results regarding sex/gender differences in empathic ability. We conducted three studies to investigate sex/gender differences in empathic ability using large-sample questionnaires and electroencephalography (EEG) measures. We showed that the estimation of empathic ability using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index questionnaire showed higher rating scores in women than in men in all studies. However, our EEG measures of empathy, indexed by both phase-locked and non-phased-locked neural responses to others' painful (vs neutral) facial expressions, support a null hypothesis of the sex/gender difference in empathic ability. In addition, we showed evidence that priming social expectations of women and men's ability to share and care about others' feelings eliminated the sex/gender difference in questionnaire measures of empathic ability. Our large-sample EEG results challenge the notion of women's superiority in empathy that is built based on subjective questionnaire measures that are sensitive to social desirability. Our findings indicate that whether the notion of women's superiority in empathic ability reflects a biological/social difference between women and men or a gender-role stereotype remains an open question.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyu Pang
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Wenxin Li
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Yuqing Zhou
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Tianyu Gao
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100080, China
| | - Shihui Han
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100080, China
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50
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Li J, Keller SS, Seidlitz J, Chen H, Li B, Weng Y, Meng Y, Yang S, Xu Q, Zhang Q, Yang F, Lu G, Bernhardt BC, Zhang Z, Liao W. Cortical morphometric vulnerability to generalised epilepsy reflects chromosome- and cell type-specific transcriptomic signatures. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2023; 49:e12857. [PMID: 36278258 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12857] [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: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Generalised epilepsy is thought to involve distributed brain networks. However, the molecular and cellular factors that render different brain regions more vulnerable to epileptogenesis remain largely unknown. We aimed to investigate epilepsy-related morphometric similarity network (MSN) abnormalities at the macroscale level and their relationships with microscale gene expressions at the microscale level. METHODS We compared the MSN of genetic generalised epilepsy with generalised tonic-clonic seizure patients (GGE-GTCS, n = 101) to demographically matched healthy controls (HC, n = 150). Cortical MSNs were estimated by combining seven morphometric features derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging for each individual. Regional gene expression profiles were derived from brain-wide microarray measurements provided by the Allen Human Brain Atlas. RESULTS GGE-GTCS patients exhibited decreased regional MSNs in primary motor, prefrontal and temporal regions and increases in occipital, insular and posterior cingulate cortices, when compared with the HC. These case-control neuroimaging differences were validated using split-half analyses and were not affected by medication or drug response effects. When assessing associations with gene expression, genes associated with GGE-GTCS-related MSN differences were enriched in several biological processes, including 'synapse organisation', 'neurotransmitter transport' pathways and excitatory/inhibitory neuronal cell types. Collectively, the GGE-GTCS-related cortical vulnerabilities were associated with chromosomes 4, 5, 11 and 16 and were dispersed bottom-up at the cellular, pathway and disease levels, which contributed to epileptogenesis, suggesting diverse neurobiologically relevant enrichments in GGE-GTCS. CONCLUSIONS By bridging the gaps between transcriptional signatures and in vivo neuroimaging, we highlighted the importance of using MSN abnormalities of the human brain in GGE-GTCS patients to investigate disease-relevant genes and biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Simon S Keller
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Bing Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yifei Weng
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China.,Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yao Meng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Siqi Yang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Qirui Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Yang
- Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Guangming Lu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Boris C Bernhardt
- Multimodal Imaging and Connectome Analysis Laboratory, McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Liao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
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