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Poliva O, Herrera C, Sugai K, Whittle N, Leek MR, Barnes S, Holshouser B, Yi A, Venezia JH. Additive effects of mild head trauma, blast exposure, and aging within white matter tracts: A novel Diffusion Tensor Imaging analysis approach. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2024; 83:853-869. [PMID: 39053000 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae069] [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
Existing diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of neurological injury following high-level blast exposure (hlBE) in military personnel have produced widely variable results. This is potentially due to prior studies often not considering the quantity and/or recency of hlBE, as well as co-morbidity with non-blast head trauma (nbHT). Herein, we compare commonly used DTI metrics: fractional anisotropy and mean, axial, and radial diffusivity, in Veterans with and without history of hlBE and/or nbHT. We use both the traditional method of dividing participants into 2 equally weighted groups and an alternative method wherein each participant is weighted by quantity and recency of hlBE and/or nbHT. While no differences were detected using the traditional method, the alternative method revealed diffuse and extensive changes in all DTI metrics. These effects were quantified within 43 anatomically defined white matter tracts, which identified the forceps minor, middle corpus callosum, acoustic and optic radiations, fornix, uncinate, inferior fronto-occipital and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, and cingulum, as the pathways most affected by hlBE and nbHT. Moreover, additive effects of aging were present in many of the same tracts suggesting that these neuroanatomical effects may compound with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Poliva
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | | | - Kelli Sugai
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Nicole Whittle
- VA Portland Healthcare System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Marjorie R Leek
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Samuel Barnes
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Barbara Holshouser
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Alex Yi
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan H Venezia
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, United States
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2
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Armstrong RC, Sullivan GM, Perl DP, Rosarda JD, Radomski KL. White matter damage and degeneration in traumatic brain injury. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:677-692. [PMID: 39127568 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.07.003] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex condition that can resolve over time but all too often leads to persistent symptoms, and the risk of poor patient outcomes increases with aging. TBI damages neurons and long axons within white matter tracts that are critical for communication between brain regions; this causes slowed information processing and neuronal circuit dysfunction. This review focuses on white matter injury after TBI and the multifactorial processes that underlie white matter damage, potential for recovery, and progression of degeneration. A multiscale perspective across clinical and preclinical advances is presented to encourage interdisciplinary insights from whole-brain neuroimaging of white matter tracts down to cellular and molecular responses of axons, myelin, and glial cells within white matter tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina C Armstrong
- Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (MTBI(2)), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Genevieve M Sullivan
- Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative (MTBI(2)), Bethesda, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel P Perl
- Pathology, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Defense - Uniformed Services University Brain Tissue Repository, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jessica D Rosarda
- Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kryslaine L Radomski
- Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Kawauchi S, Kono A, Muramatsu Y, Hennes G, Seki S, Tominaga S, Haruyama Y, Komuta Y, Nishidate I, Matsukuma S, Wang Y, Sato S. Meningeal Damage and Interface Astroglial Scarring in the Rat Brain Exposed to a Laser-Induced Shock Wave(s). J Neurotrauma 2024; 41:e2039-e2053. [PMID: 38534205 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2023.0572] [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] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, signature clinical neuropathology of blast-induced traumatic brain injury has been under intense debate, but interface astroglial scarring (IAS) seems to be convincing. In this study, we examined whether IAS could be replicated in the rat brain exposed to a laser-induced shock wave(s) (LISW[s]), a tool that can produce a pure shock wave (primary mechanism) without dynamic pressure (tertiary mechanism). Under certain conditions, we observed astroglial scarring in the subpial glial plate (SGP), gray-white matter junctions (GM-WM), ventricular wall (VW), and regions surrounding cortical blood vessels, accurately reproducing clinical IAS. We also observed shock wave impulse-dependent meningeal damage (dural microhemorrhage) in vivo by transcranial near-infrared (NIR) reflectance imaging. Importantly, there were significant correlations between the degree of dural microhemorrhage and the extent of astroglial scarring more than 7 days post-exposure, suggesting an association of meningeal damage with astroglial scarring. The results demonstrated that the primary mechanism alone caused the IAS and meningeal damage, both of which are attributable to acoustic impedance mismatching at multi-layered tissue boundaries. The time course of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity depended not only on the LISW conditions but also on the regions. In the SGP, significant increases in GFAP immunoreactivity were observed at 3 days post-exposure, whereas in the GM-WM and VW, GFAP immunoreactivity was not significantly increased before 28 days post-exposure, suggesting different pathological mechanisms. With the high-impulse single exposure or the multiple exposure (low impulse), fibrotic reaction or fibrotic scar formation was observed, in addition to astroglial scarring, in the cortical surface region. Although there are some limitations, this seems to be the first report on the shock-wave-induced IAS rodent model. The model may be useful to explore potential therapeutic approaches for IAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Kawauchi
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akemi Kono
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yuriko Muramatsu
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Grant Hennes
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Suffield Research Centre, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
| | - Shuta Seki
- Pharmacy Selection, Medical Material Department, Japan Self Defense Force Central Hospital, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Tominaga
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yasue Haruyama
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yukari Komuta
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Izumi Nishidate
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
- Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Susumu Matsukuma
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yushan Wang
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Suffield Research Centre, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada
| | - Shunichi Sato
- Division of Bioinformation and Therapeutic Systems, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan
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Miller AR, Martindale SL, Rowland JA, Walton S, Talmy T, Walker WC. Blast-related mild TBI: LIMBIC-CENC focused review with implications commentary. NeuroRehabilitation 2024:NRE230268. [PMID: 39093081 DOI: 10.3233/nre-230268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A significant factor for the high prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) among U.S. service members is their exposure to explosive munitions leading to blast-related TBI. Our understanding of the specific clinical effects of mild TBI having a component of blast mechanism remains limited compared to pure blunt mechanisms. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this review is to provide a synopsis of clinical research findings on the long-term effects of blast-related mild TBI derived to date from the Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium - Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (LIMBIC-CENC). METHODS Publications on blast-related mild TBI from LIMBIC-CENC and the LIMBIC-CENC prospective longitudinal study (PLS) cohort were reviewed and their findings summarized. Findings from the broader literature on blast-related mild TBI that evaluate similar outcomes are additionally reviewed for a perspective on the state of the literature. RESULTS The most consistent and compelling evidence for long-term effects of blast-related TBI is for poorer psychological health, greater healthcare utilization and disability levels, neuroimaging impacts on brain structure and function, and greater headache impact on daily life. To date, evidence for chronic cognitive performance deficits from blast-related mild TBI is limited, but futher research including crucial longitudinal data is needed. CONCLUSION Commentary is provided on: how LIMBIC-CENC findings assimilate with the broader literature; ongoing research gaps alongside future research needs and priorities; how the scientific community can utilize the LIMBIC-CENC database for independent or collaborative research; and how the evidence from the clinical research should be assimilated into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah L Martindale
- Research and Academic Affairs, W.G. (Bill) Hefner Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Salisbury, NC, USA
- Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jared A Rowland
- Research and Academic Affairs, W.G. (Bill) Hefner Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Salisbury, NC, USA
- Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Samuel Walton
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM& R), School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Tomer Talmy
- Israel Defense Forces, Medical Corps, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Military Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - William C Walker
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM& R), School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
- Richmond Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Central Virginia VA Health Care System, Richmond, VA, USA
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Singh K, Barsoum S, Schilling KG, An Y, Ferrucci L, Benjamini D. Neuronal microstructural changes in the human brain are associated with neurocognitive aging. Aging Cell 2024; 23:e14166. [PMID: 38659245 PMCID: PMC11258428 DOI: 10.1111/acel.14166] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Gray matter (GM) alterations play a role in aging-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, yet MRI studies mainly focus on macroscopic changes. Although reliable indicators of atrophy, morphological metrics like cortical thickness lack the sensitivity to detect early changes preceding visible atrophy. Our study aimed at exploring the potential of diffusion MRI in unveiling sensitive markers of cortical and subcortical age-related microstructural changes and assessing their associations with cognitive and behavioral deficits. We leveraged the Human Connectome Project-Aging cohort that included 707 participants (394 female; median age = 58, range = 36-90 years) and applied the powerful mean apparent diffusion propagator model to measure microstructural parameters, along with comprehensive behavioral and cognitive test scores. Both macro- and microstructural GM characteristics were strongly associated with age, with widespread significant microstructural correlations reflective of cellular morphological changes, reduced cellular density, increased extracellular volume, and increased membrane permeability. Importantly, when correlating MRI and cognitive test scores, our findings revealed no link between macrostructural volumetric changes and neurobehavioral performance. However, we found that cellular and extracellular alterations in cortical and subcortical GM regions were associated with neurobehavioral performance. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that increased microstructural heterogeneity and decreased neurite orientation dispersion precede macrostructural changes, and that they play an important role in subsequent cognitive decline. These alterations are suggested to be early markers of neurocognitive performance that may distinctly aid in identifying the mechanisms underlying phenotypic aging and subsequent age-related functional decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics UnitNational Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Stephanie Barsoum
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics UnitNational Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Kurt G. Schilling
- Department of Radiology and Radiological SciencesVanderbilt University Medical CenterNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Yang An
- Brain Aging and Behavior SectionNational Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Translational Gerontology BranchNational Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics UnitNational Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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6
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Dai Y, Zhu M, Hu W, Wu D, He S, Luo Y, Wei X, Zhou Y, Wu G, Hu P. To characterize small renal cell carcinoma using diffusion relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient based histogram analysis: a preliminary study. LA RADIOLOGIA MEDICA 2024; 129:834-844. [PMID: 38662246 DOI: 10.1007/s11547-024-01819-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To study the capability of diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging (DR-CSI) on subtype classification and grade differentiation for small renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Histogram analysis for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was studied for comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 61 patients with small RCC (< 4 cm) were included in the retrospective study. MRI data were reviewed, including a multi-b (0-1500 s/mm2) multi-TE (51-200 ms) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequence. Region of interest (ROI) was delineated manually on DWI to include solid tumor. For each patient, a D-T2 spectrum was fitted and segmented into 5 compartments, and the volume fractions VA, VB, VC, VD, VE were obtained. ADC mapping was calculated, and histogram parameters ADC 90th, 10th, median, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were obtained. All MRI metrices were compared between clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and non-ccRCC group, and between high-grade and low-grade group. Receiver operator curve analysis was used to assess the corresponding diagnostic performance. RESULTS Significantly higher ADC 90th, ADC 10th and ADC median, and significantly lower DR-CSI VB was found for ccRCC compared to non-ccRCC. Significantly lower ADC 90th, ADC median and significantly higher VB was found for high-grade RCC compared to low-grade. For identifying ccRCC from non-ccRCC, VB showed the highest area under curve (AUC, 0.861) and specificity (0.882). For differentiating high- from low-grade, ADC 90th showed the highest AUC (0.726) and specificity (0.786), while VB also displayed a moderate AUC (0.715). CONCLUSION DR-CSI may offer improved accuracy in subtype identification for small RCC, while do not show better performance for small RCC grading compared to ADC histogram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongming Dai
- School of Biomedical Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices & Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengying Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wentao Hu
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongmei Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shenyun He
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuansheng Luo
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaobin Wei
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangyu Wu
- Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Peng Hu
- School of Biomedical Engineering & State Key Laboratory of Advanced Medical Materials and Devices & Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Barsoum S, Latimer CS, Nolan AL, Barrett A, Chang K, Troncoso J, Keene CD, Benjamini D. Resiliency to Alzheimer's disease neuropathology can be distinguished from dementia using cortical astrogliosis imaging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.06.592719. [PMID: 38766087 PMCID: PMC11100587 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.06.592719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Despite the presence of significant Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, characterized by amyloid β (Aβ) plaques and phosphorylated tau (pTau) tangles, some cognitively normal elderly individuals do not inevitably develop dementia. These findings give rise to the notion of cognitive 'resilience', suggesting maintained cognitive function despite the presence of AD neuropathology, highlighting the influence of factors beyond classical pathology. Cortical astroglial inflammation, a ubiquitous feature of symptomatic AD, shows a strong correlation with cognitive impairment severity, potentially contributing to the diversity of clinical presentations. However, noninvasively imaging neuroinflammation, particularly astrogliosis, using MRI remains a significant challenge. Here we sought to address this challenge and to leverage multidimensional (MD) MRI, a powerful approach that combines relaxation with diffusion MR contrasts, to map cortical astrogliosis in the human brain by accessing sub-voxel information. Our goal was to test whether MD-MRI can map astroglial pathology in the cerebral cortex, and if so, whether it can distinguish cognitive resiliency from dementia in the presence of hallmark AD neuropathological changes. We adopted a multimodal approach by integrating histological and MRI analyses using human postmortem brain samples. Ex vivo cerebral cortical tissue specimens derived from three groups comprised of non-demented individuals with significant AD pathology postmortem, individuals with both AD pathology and dementia, and non-demented individuals with minimal AD pathology postmortem as controls, underwent MRI at 7 T. We acquired and processed MD-MRI, diffusion tensor, and quantitative T 1 and T 2 MRI data, followed by histopathological processing on slices from the same tissue. By carefully co-registering MRI and microscopy data, we performed quantitative multimodal analyses, leveraging targeted immunostaining to assess MD-MRI sensitivity and specificity towards Aβ, pTau, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker for astrogliosis. Our findings reveal a distinct MD-MRI signature of cortical astrogliosis, enabling the creation of predictive maps for cognitive resilience amid AD neuropathological changes. Multiple linear regression linked histological values to MRI changes, revealing that the MD-MRI cortical astrogliosis biomarker was significantly associated with GFAP burden (standardized β=0.658, pFDR<0.0001), but not with Aβ (standardized β=0.009, p FDR =0.913) or pTau (standardized β=-0.196, p FDR =0.051). Conversely, none of the conventional MRI parameters showed significant associations with GFAP burden in the cortex. While the extent to which pathological glial activation contributes to neuronal damage and cognitive impairment in AD is uncertain, developing a noninvasive imaging method to see its affects holds promise from a mechanistic perspective and as a potential predictor of cognitive outcomes.
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Gilmore N, Tseng CEJ, Maffei C, Tromly SL, Deary KB, McKinney IR, Kelemen JN, Healy BC, Hu CG, Ramos-Llordén G, Masood M, Cali RJ, Guo J, Belanger HG, Yao EF, Baxter T, Fischl B, Foulkes AS, Polimeni JR, Rosen BR, Perl DP, Hooker JM, Zürcher NR, Huang SY, Kimberly WT, Greve DN, Mac Donald CL, Dams-O’Connor K, Bodien YG, Edlow BL. Impact of repeated blast exposure on active-duty United States Special Operations Forces. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313568121. [PMID: 38648470 PMCID: PMC11087753 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313568121] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
United States (US) Special Operations Forces (SOF) are frequently exposed to explosive blasts in training and combat, but the effects of repeated blast exposure (RBE) on SOF brain health are incompletely understood. Furthermore, there is no diagnostic test to detect brain injury from RBE. As a result, SOF personnel may experience cognitive, physical, and psychological symptoms for which the cause is never identified, and they may return to training or combat during a period of brain vulnerability. In 30 active-duty US SOF, we assessed the relationship between cumulative blast exposure and cognitive performance, psychological health, physical symptoms, blood proteomics, and neuroimaging measures (Connectome structural and diffusion MRI, 7 Tesla functional MRI, [11C]PBR28 translocator protein [TSPO] positron emission tomography [PET]-MRI, and [18F]MK6240 tau PET-MRI), adjusting for age, combat exposure, and blunt head trauma. Higher blast exposure was associated with increased cortical thickness in the left rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a finding that remained significant after multiple comparison correction. In uncorrected analyses, higher blast exposure was associated with worse health-related quality of life, decreased functional connectivity in the executive control network, decreased TSPO signal in the right rACC, and increased cortical thickness in the right rACC, right insula, and right medial orbitofrontal cortex-nodes of the executive control, salience, and default mode networks. These observations suggest that the rACC may be susceptible to blast overpressure and that a multimodal, network-based diagnostic approach has the potential to detect brain injury associated with RBE in active-duty SOF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Gilmore
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Chieh-En J. Tseng
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Chiara Maffei
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Samantha L. Tromly
- Institute of Applied Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33612
| | | | - Isabella R. McKinney
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Jessica N. Kelemen
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Brian C. Healy
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA02115
| | - Collin G. Hu
- United States Army Special Operations Aviation Command, Fort Liberty, NC28307
- Department of Family Medicine, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD20814
| | - Gabriel Ramos-Llordén
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Maryam Masood
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Ryan J. Cali
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Jennifer Guo
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Heather G. Belanger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33613
| | - Eveline F. Yao
- Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA22042
| | - Timothy Baxter
- Institute of Applied Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL33612
| | - Bruce Fischl
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | | | - Jonathan R. Polimeni
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Bruce R. Rosen
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Daniel P. Perl
- Department of Pathology, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD20814
| | - Jacob M. Hooker
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Nicole R. Zürcher
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Susie Y. Huang
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - W. Taylor Kimberly
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
| | - Douglas N. Greve
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | | | - Kristen Dams-O’Connor
- Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY10029
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY10029
| | - Yelena G. Bodien
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Brian L. Edlow
- Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
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Johnson JTE, Irfanoglu MO, Manninen E, Ross TJ, Yang Y, Laun FB, Martin J, Topgaard D, Benjamini D. In vivo disentanglement of diffusion frequency-dependence, tensor shape, and relaxation using multidimensional MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26697. [PMID: 38726888 PMCID: PMC11082920 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI with free gradient waveforms, combined with simultaneous relaxation encoding, referred to as multidimensional MRI (MD-MRI), offers microstructural specificity in complex biological tissue. This approach delivers intravoxel information about the microstructure, local chemical composition, and importantly, how these properties are coupled within heterogeneous tissue containing multiple microenvironments. Recent theoretical advances incorporated diffusion time dependency and integrated MD-MRI with concepts from oscillating gradients. This framework probes the diffusion frequency,ω $$ \omega $$ , in addition to the diffusion tensor,D $$ \mathbf{D} $$ , and relaxation,R 1 $$ {R}_1 $$ ,R 2 $$ {R}_2 $$ , correlations. AD ω - R 1 - R 2 $$ \mathbf{D}\left(\omega \right)-{R}_1-{R}_2 $$ clinical imaging protocol was then introduced, with limited brain coverage and 3 mm3 voxel size, which hinder brain segmentation and future cohort studies. In this study, we introduce an efficient, sparse in vivo MD-MRI acquisition protocol providing whole brain coverage at 2 mm3 voxel size. We demonstrate its feasibility and robustness using a well-defined phantom and repeated scans of five healthy individuals. Additionally, we test different denoising strategies to address the sparse nature of this protocol, and show that efficient MD-MRI encoding design demands a nuanced denoising approach. The MD-MRI framework provides rich information that allows resolving the diffusion frequency dependence into intravoxel components based on theirD ω - R 1 - R 2 $$ \mathbf{D}\left(\omega \right)-{R}_1-{R}_2 $$ distribution, enabling the creation of microstructure-specific maps in the human brain. Our results encourage the broader adoption and use of this new imaging approach for characterizing healthy and pathological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. E. Johnson
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - M. Okan Irfanoglu
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Eppu Manninen
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Thomas J. Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Frederik B. Laun
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg (FAU)ErlangenGermany
| | - Jan Martin
- Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
| | | | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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10
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Spotorno N, Strandberg O, Stomrud E, Janelidze S, Blennow K, Nilsson M, van Westen D, Hansson O. Diffusion MRI tracks cortical microstructural changes during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Brain 2024; 147:961-969. [PMID: 38128551 PMCID: PMC10907088 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increased interest in developing markers reflecting microstructural changes that could serve as outcome measures in clinical trials. This is especially important after unexpected results in trials evaluating disease-modifying therapies targeting amyloid-β (Aβ), where morphological metrics from MRI showed increased volume loss despite promising clinical treatment effects. In this study, changes over time in cortical mean diffusivity, derived using diffusion tensor imaging, were investigated in a large cohort (n = 424) of non-demented participants from the Swedish BioFINDER study. Participants were stratified following the Aβ/tau (AT) framework. The results revealed a widespread increase in mean diffusivity over time, including both temporal and parietal cortical regions, in Aβ-positive but still tau-negative individuals. These increases were steeper in Aβ-positive and tau-positive individuals and robust to the inclusion of cortical thickness in the model. A steeper increase in mean diffusivity was also associated with both changes over time in fluid markers reflecting astrocytic activity (i.e. plasma level of glial fibrillary acidic protein and CSF levels of YKL-40) and worsening of cognitive performance (all P < 0.01). By tracking cortical microstructural changes over time and possibly reflecting variations related to the astrocytic response, cortical mean diffusivity emerges as a promising marker for tracking treatments-induced microstructural changes in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Spotorno
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Olof Strandberg
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Erik Stomrud
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
| | - Shorena Janelidze
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 431 80 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Diagnostic Radiology, Institution for Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Danielle van Westen
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Diagnostic Radiology, Institution for Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Oskar Hansson
- Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Memory Clinic, Skåne University Hospital, 214 28 Malmö, Sweden
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11
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Dai Y, Hu W, Wu G, Wu D, Zhu M, Luo Y, Wang J, Zhou Y, Hu P. Grading Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Grade Using Diffusion Relaxation Correlated MR Spectroscopic Imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:699-710. [PMID: 37209407 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype of RCC, and accurate grading is crucial for prognosis and treatment selection. Biopsy is the reference standard for grading, but MRI methods can improve and complement the grading procedure. PURPOSE Assess the performance of diffusion relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging (DR-CSI) in grading ccRCC. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS 79 patients (age: 58.1 +/- 11.5 years; 55 male) with ccRCC confirmed by histopathology (grade 1, 7; grade 2, 45; grade 3, 18; grade 4, 9) following surgery. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3.0 T MRI scanner. DR-CSI with a diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging sequence and T2-mapping with a multi-echo spin echo sequence. ASSESSMENT DR-CSI results were analyzed for the solid tumor regions of interest using spectrum segmentation with five sub-region volume fraction metrics (VA , VB , VC , VD , and VE ). The regulations for spectrum segmentation were determined based on the D-T2 spectra of distinct macro-components. Tumor size, voxel-wise T2, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were obtained. Histopathology assessed tumor grade (G1-G4) for each case. STATISTICAL TESTS One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman's correlation (coefficient, rho), multivariable logistic regression analysis, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and DeLong's test. Significance criteria: P < 0.05. RESULTS Significant differences were found in ADC, T2, DR-CSI VB , and VD among the ccRCC grades. Correlations were found for ccRCC grade to tumor size (rho = 0.419), age (rho = 0.253), VB (rho = 0.553) and VD (rho = -0.378). AUC of VB was slightly larger than ADC in distinguishing low-grade (G1-G2) from high-grade (G3-G4) ccRCC (0.801 vs. 0.762, P = 0.406) and G1 from G2 to G4 (0.796 vs. 0.647, P = 0.175), although not significant. Combining VB , VD , and VE had better diagnostic performance than combining ADC and T2 for differentiating G1 from G2-G4 (AUC: 0.814 vs 0.643). DATA CONCLUSION DR-CSI parameters are correlated with ccRCC grades, and may help to differentiate ccRCC grades. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongming Dai
- School of Biomedical Engineering, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wentao Hu
- Department of Radiology, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangyu Wu
- Department of Radiology, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongmei Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengying Zhu
- Department of Radiology, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuansheng Luo
- Department of Radiology, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jieying Wang
- Clinical Research Center, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Renji hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Peng Hu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Singh K, Barsoum S, Schilling KG, An Y, Ferrucci L, Benjamini D. Neuronal microstructural changes in the human brain are associated with neurocognitive aging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.11.575206. [PMID: 38260525 PMCID: PMC10802615 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Gray matter (GM) alterations play a role in aging-related disorders like Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, yet MRI studies mainly focus on macroscopic changes. Although reliable indicators of atrophy, morphological metrics like cortical thickness lack the sensitivity to detect early changes preceding visible atrophy. Our study aimed at exploring the potential of diffusion MRI in unveiling sensitive markers of cortical and subcortical age-related microstructural changes and assessing their associations with cognitive and behavioral deficits. We leveraged the Human Connectome Project-Aging cohort that included 707 unimpaired participants (394 female; median age = 58, range = 36-90 years) and applied the powerful mean apparent diffusion propagator model to measure microstructural parameters, along with comprehensive behavioral and cognitive test scores. Both macro- and microstructural GM characteristics were strongly associated with age, with widespread significant microstructural correlations reflective of cellular morphological changes, reduced cellular density, increased extracellular volume, and increased membrane permeability. Importantly, when correlating MRI and cognitive test scores, our findings revealed no link between macrostructural volumetric changes and neurobehavioral performance. However, we found that cellular and extracellular alterations in cortical and subcortical GM regions were associated with neurobehavioral performance. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that increased microstructural heterogeneity and decreased neurite orientation dispersion precede macrostructural changes, and that they play an important role in subsequent cognitive decline. These alterations are suggested to be early markers of neurocognitive performance that may distinctly aid in identifying the mechanisms underlying phenotypic aging and subsequent age-related functional decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavita Singh
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie Barsoum
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kurt G Schilling
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yang An
- Brain Aging and Behavior Section, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Luigi Ferrucci
- Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
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13
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Lampinen B, Szczepankiewicz F, Lätt J, Knutsson L, Mårtensson J, Björkman-Burtscher IM, van Westen D, Sundgren PC, Ståhlberg F, Nilsson M. Probing brain tissue microstructure with MRI: principles, challenges, and the role of multidimensional diffusion-relaxation encoding. Neuroimage 2023; 282:120338. [PMID: 37598814 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120338] [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: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI uses the random displacement of water molecules to sensitize the signal to brain microstructure and to properties such as the density and shape of cells. Microstructure modeling techniques aim to estimate these properties from acquired data by separating the signal between virtual tissue 'compartments' such as the intra-neurite and the extra-cellular space. A key challenge is that the diffusion MRI signal is relatively featureless compared with the complexity of brain tissue. Another challenge is that the tissue microstructure is wildly different within the gray and white matter of the brain. In this review, we use results from multidimensional diffusion encoding techniques to discuss these challenges and their tentative solutions. Multidimensional encoding increases the information content of the data by varying not only the b-value and the encoding direction but also additional experimental parameters such as the shape of the b-tensor and the echo time. Three main insights have emerged from such encoding. First, multidimensional data contradict common model assumptions on diffusion and T2 relaxation, and illustrates how the use of these assumptions cause erroneous interpretations in both healthy brain and pathology. Second, many model assumptions can be dispensed with if data are acquired with multidimensional encoding. The necessary data can be easily acquired in vivo using protocols optimized to minimize Cramér-Rao lower bounds. Third, microscopic diffusion anisotropy reflects the presence of axons but not dendrites. This insight stands in contrast to current 'neurite models' of brain tissue, which assume that axons in white matter and dendrites in gray matter feature highly similar diffusion. Nevertheless, as an axon-based contrast, microscopic anisotropy can differentiate gray and white matter when myelin alterations confound conventional MRI contrasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Lampinen
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | - Jimmy Lätt
- Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital Lund, Lund, Sweden
| | - Linda Knutsson
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Johan Mårtensson
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Isabella M Björkman-Burtscher
- Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Danielle van Westen
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital Lund, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pia C Sundgren
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital Lund, Lund, Sweden; Lund University BioImaging Centre (LBIC), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Freddy Ståhlberg
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Clinical Sciences Lund, Medical Radiation Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Diagnostic Radiology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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14
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Johnson JT, Irfanoglu MO, Manninen E, Ross TJ, Yang Y, Laun FB, Martin J, Topgaard D, Benjamini D. In vivo disentanglement of diffusion frequency-dependence, tensor shape, and relaxation using multidimensional MRI. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.10.561702. [PMID: 37987005 PMCID: PMC10659440 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion MRI with free gradient waveforms, combined with simultaneous relaxation encoding, referred to as multidimensional MRI (MD-MRI), offers microstructural specificity in complex biological tissue. This approach delivers intravoxel information about the microstructure, local chemical composition, and importantly, how these properties are coupled within heterogeneous tissue containing multiple microenvironments. Recent theoretical advances incorporated diffusion time dependency and integrated MD-MRI with concepts from oscillating gradients. This framework probes the diffusion frequency, ω , in addition to the diffusion tensor, D , and relaxation, R 1 , R 2 , correlations. A D ( ω ) - R 1 - R 2 clinical imaging protocol was then introduced, with limited brain coverage and 3 mm3 voxel size, which hinder brain segmentation and future cohort studies. In this study, we introduce an efficient, sparse in vivo MD-MRI acquisition protocol providing whole brain coverage at 2 mm3 voxel size. We demonstrate its feasibility and robustness using a well-defined phantom and repeated scans of five healthy individuals. Additionally, we test different denoising strategies to address the sparse nature of this protocol, and show that efficient MD-MRI encoding design demands a nuanced denoising approach. The MD-MRI framework provides rich information that allows resolving the diffusion frequency dependence into intravoxel components based on their D ( ω ) - R 1 - R 2 distribution, enabling the creation of microstructure-specific maps in the human brain. Our results encourage the broader adoption and use of this new imaging approach for characterizing healthy and pathological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T.E. Johnson
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M. Okan Irfanoglu
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eppu Manninen
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas J. Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Frederik B. Laun
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Martin
- Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
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15
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Kundu S, Barsoum S, Ariza J, Nolan AL, Latimer CS, Keene CD, Basser PJ, Benjamini D. Mapping the individual human cortex using multidimensional MRI and unsupervised learning. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad258. [PMID: 37953850 PMCID: PMC10638106 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad258] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Human evolution has seen the development of higher-order cognitive and social capabilities in conjunction with the unique laminar cytoarchitecture of the human cortex. Moreover, early-life cortical maldevelopment has been associated with various neurodevelopmental diseases. Despite these connections, there is currently no noninvasive technique available for imaging the detailed cortical laminar structure. This study aims to address this scientific and clinical gap by introducing an approach for imaging human cortical lamina. This method combines diffusion-relaxation multidimensional MRI with a tailored unsupervised machine learning approach that introduces enhanced microstructural sensitivity. This new imaging method simultaneously encodes the microstructure, the local chemical composition and importantly their correlation within complex and heterogenous tissue. To validate our approach, we compared the intra-cortical layers obtained using our ex vivo MRI-based method with those derived from Nissl staining of postmortem human brain specimens. The integration of unsupervised learning with diffusion-relaxation correlation MRI generated maps that demonstrate sensitivity to areal differences in cytoarchitectonic features observed in histology. Significantly, our observations revealed layer-specific diffusion-relaxation signatures, showing reductions in both relaxation times and diffusivities at the deeper cortical levels. These findings suggest a radial decrease in myelin content and changes in cell size and anisotropy, reflecting variations in both cytoarchitecture and myeloarchitecture. Additionally, we demonstrated that 1D relaxation and high-order diffusion MRI scalar indices, even when aggregated and used jointly in a multimodal fashion, cannot disentangle the cortical layers. Looking ahead, our technique holds the potential to open new avenues of research in human neurodevelopment and the vast array of disorders caused by disruptions in neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinjini Kundu
- Department of Radiology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stephanie Barsoum
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Jeanelle Ariza
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Amber L Nolan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Caitlin S Latimer
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Peter J Basser
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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16
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Gangolli M, Pajevic S, Kim JH, Hutchinson EB, Benjamini D, Basser PJ. Correspondence of mean apparent propagator MRI metrics with phosphorylated tau and astrogliosis in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad253. [PMID: 37901038 PMCID: PMC10600571 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad253] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease that is diagnosed and staged based on the localization and extent of phosphorylated tau pathology. Although its identification remains the primary diagnostic criteria to distinguish chronic traumatic encephalopathy from other tauopathies, the hyperphosphorylated tau that accumulates in neurofibrillary tangles in cortical grey matter and perivascular regions is often accompanied by concomitant pathology such as astrogliosis. Mean apparent propagator MRI is a clinically feasible diffusion MRI method that is suitable to characterize microstructure of complex biological media efficiently and comprehensively. We performed quantitative correlations between propagator metrics and underlying phosphorylated tau and astroglial pathology in a cross-sectional study of 10 ex vivo human tissue specimens with 'high chronic traumatic encephalopathy' at 0.25 mm isotropic voxels. Linear mixed effects analysis of regions of interest showed significant relationships of phosphorylated tau with propagator-estimated non-Gaussianity in cortical grey matter (P = 0.002) and of astrogliosis with propagator anisotropy in superficial cortical white matter (P = 0.0009). The positive correlation between phosphorylated tau and non-Gaussianity was found to be modest but significant (R2 = 0.44, P = 6.0 × 10-5) using linear regression. We developed an unsupervised clustering algorithm with non-Gaussianity and propagator anisotropy as inputs, which was able to identify voxels in superficial cortical white matter that corresponded to astrocytes that were accumulated at the grey-white matter interface. Our results suggest that mean apparent propagator MRI at high spatial resolution provides a means to not only identify phosphorylated tau pathology but also detect regions with astrocytic pathology and may therefore prove diagnostically valuable in the evaluation of concomitant pathology in cortical tissue with complex microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihika Gangolli
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sinisa Pajevic
- Section on Critical Brain Dynamics, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joong Hee Kim
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Elizabeth B Hutchinson
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 20892, USA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Peter J Basser
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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17
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Panchenko PE, Hippauf L, Konsman JP, Badaut J. Do astrocytes act as immune cells after pediatric TBI? Neurobiol Dis 2023; 185:106231. [PMID: 37468048 PMCID: PMC10530000 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are in contact with the vasculature, neurons, oligodendrocytes and microglia, forming a local network with various functions critical for brain homeostasis. One of the primary responders to brain injury are astrocytes as they detect neuronal and vascular damage, change their phenotype with morphological, proteomic and transcriptomic transformations for an adaptive response. The role of astrocytic responses in brain dysfunction is not fully elucidated in adult, and even less described in the developing brain. Children are vulnerable to traumatic brain injury (TBI), which represents a leading cause of death and disability in the pediatric population. Pediatric brain trauma, even with mild severity, can lead to long-term health complications, such as cognitive impairments, emotional disorders and social dysfunction later in life. To date, the underlying pathophysiology is still not fully understood. In this review, we focus on the astrocytic response in pediatric TBI and propose a potential immune role of the astrocyte in response to trauma. We discuss the contribution of astrocytes in the local inflammatory cascades and secretion of various immunomodulatory factors involved in the recruitment of local microglial cells and peripheral immune cells through cerebral blood vessels. Taken together, we propose that early changes in the astrocytic phenotype can alter normal development of the brain, with long-term consequences on neurological outcomes, as described in preclinical models and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lea Hippauf
- CNRS UMR 5536 RMSB-University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Jerome Badaut
- CNRS UMR 5536 RMSB-University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France; Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
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18
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Bouhrara M, Avram AV, Kiely M, Trivedi A, Benjamini D. Adult lifespan maturation and degeneration patterns in gray and white matter: A mean apparent propagator (MAP) MRI study. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 124:104-116. [PMID: 36641369 PMCID: PMC9985137 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between brain microstructure and aging has been the subject of intense study, with diffusion MRI perhaps the most effective modality for elucidating these associations. Here, we used the mean apparent propagator (MAP)-MRI framework, which is suitable to characterize complex microstructure, to investigate age-related cerebral differences in a cohort of cognitively unimpaired participants and compared the results to those derived using diffusion tensor imaging. We studied MAP-MRI metrics, among them the non-Gaussianity (NG) and propagator anisotropy (PA), and established an opposing pattern in white matter of higher NG alongside lower PA among older adults, likely indicative of axonal degradation. In gray matter, however, these two indices were consistent with one another, and exhibited regional pattern heterogeneity compared to other microstructural parameters, which could indicate fewer neuronal projections across cortical layers along with an increased glial concentration. In addition, we report regional variations in the magnitude of age-related microstructural differences consistent with the posterior-anterior shift in aging paradigm. These results encourage further investigations in cognitive impairments and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustapha Bouhrara
- Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Alexandru V. Avram
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences,Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA,Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew Kiely
- Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Aparna Trivedi
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
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Wood H. Multidimensional MRI detects astrogliosis. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:575. [PMID: 36071268 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00717-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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