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Lagarde J, Olivieri P, Tonietto M, Noiray C, Lehericy S, Valabrègue R, Caillé F, Gervais P, Moussion M, Bottlaender M, Sarazin M. Combined in vivo MRI assessment of locus coeruleus and nucleus basalis of Meynert integrity in amnestic Alzheimer's disease, suspected-LATE and frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:97. [PMID: 38702802 PMCID: PMC11067144 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01466-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The locus coeruleus (LC) and the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) are altered in early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Little is known about LC and NBM alteration in limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The aim of the present study is to investigate in vivo LC and NBM integrity in patients with suspected-LATE, early-amnestic AD and FTD in comparison with controls. METHODS Seventy-two participants (23 early amnestic-AD patients, 17 suspected-LATE, 17 FTD patients, defined by a clinical-biological diagnosis reinforced by amyloid and tau PET imaging, and 15 controls) underwent neuropsychological assessment and 3T brain MRI. We analyzed the locus coeruleus signal intensity (LC-I) and the NBM volume as well as their relation with cognition and with medial temporal/cortical atrophy. RESULTS We found significantly lower LC-I and NBM volume in amnestic-AD and suspected-LATE in comparison with controls. In FTD, we also observed lower NBM volume but a slightly less marked alteration of the LC-I, independently of the temporal or frontal phenotype. NBM volume was correlated with the global cognitive efficiency in AD patients. Strong correlations were found between NBM volume and that of medial temporal structures, particularly the amygdala in both AD and FTD patients. CONCLUSIONS The alteration of LC and NBM in amnestic-AD, presumed-LATE and FTD suggests a common vulnerability of these structures to different proteinopathies. Targeting the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems could be effective therapeutic strategies in LATE and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Lagarde
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France.
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France.
- Université Paris-Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Pauline Olivieri
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
| | - Matteo Tonietto
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Camille Noiray
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Lehericy
- Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche - CENIR, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière - ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Romain Valabrègue
- Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche - CENIR, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière - ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Fabien Caillé
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Philippe Gervais
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Martin Moussion
- Centre d'Evaluation Troubles Psychiques et Vieillissement, GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Michel Bottlaender
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
- UNIACT, Neurospin, Gif-sur-Yvette, CEA, F-91191, France
| | - Marie Sarazin
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
- Université Paris-Cité, Paris, France
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Shi Y, Cui D, Sun F, OuYang Z, Dou R, Jiao Q, Cao W, Yu G. Exploring sexual dimorphism in basal forebrain volume changes during aging and neurodegenerative diseases. iScience 2024; 27:109041. [PMID: 38361626 PMCID: PMC10867643 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with neurodegenerative diseases exhibit diminished basal forebrain (BF) volume compared to healthy individuals. However, it's uncertain whether this difference is consistent between sexes. It has been reported that BF volume moderately atrophies during aging, but the effect of sex on BF volume changes during the normal aging process remains unclear. In the cross-sectional study, we observed a significant reduction in BF volume in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to Healthy Controls (HCs), especially in the Ch4 subregion. Notably, significant differences in BF volume between MCI and HCs were observed solely in the female group. Additionally, we identified asymmetrical atrophy in the left and right Ch4 subregions in female patients with AD. In the longitudinal analysis, we found that aging seemed to have a minimal impact on BF volume in males. Our study highlights the importance of considering sex as a research variable in brain science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajun Shi
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Dong Cui
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Fengzhu Sun
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Zhen OuYang
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
- Department of Radiology, Taian Municipal Hospital, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
| | - Ruhai Dou
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Qing Jiao
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Weifang Cao
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
| | - Guanghui Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai’ an, Shandong 271000, China
- School of Radiology, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Tai’ an, Shandong 271016, China
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Mieling M, Meier H, Bunzeck N. Structural degeneration of the nucleus basalis of Meynert in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease - Evidence from an MRI-based meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 154:105393. [PMID: 37717861 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Recent models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggest that neuropathological changes of the medial temporal lobe, especially entorhinal cortex, are preceded by degenerations of the cholinergic Nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM). Evidence from imaging studies in humans, however, is limited. Therefore, we performed an activation-likelihood estimation meta-analysis on whole brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) MRI data from 54 experiments and 2581 subjects in total. It revealed, compared to healthy older controls, reduced gray matter in the bilateral NbM in AD, but only limited evidence for such an effect in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which typically precedes AD. Both patient groups showed less gray matter in the amygdala and hippocampus, with hints towards more pronounced amygdala effects in AD. We discuss our findings in the context of studies that highlight the importance of the cholinergic basal forebrain in learning and memory throughout the lifespan, and conclude that they are partly compatible with pathological staging models suggesting initial and pronounced structural degenerations within the NbM in the progression of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marthe Mieling
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hannah Meier
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Nico Bunzeck
- Department of Psychology, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany; Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
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Doss DJ, Johnson GW, Narasimhan S, Shless JS, Jiang JW, González HFJ, Paulo DL, Lucas A, Davis KA, Chang C, Morgan VL, Constantinidis C, Dawant BM, Englot DJ. Deep Learning Segmentation of the Nucleus Basalis of Meynert on 3T MRI. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2023; 44:1020-1025. [PMID: 37562826 PMCID: PMC10494939 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7950] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The nucleus basalis of Meynert is a key subcortical structure that is important in arousal and cognition and has been explored as a deep brain stimulation target but is difficult to study due to its small size, variability among patients, and lack of contrast on 3T MR imaging. Thus, our goal was to establish and evaluate a deep learning network for automatic, accurate, and patient-specific segmentations with 3T MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patient-specific segmentations can be produced manually; however, the nucleus basalis of Meynert is difficult to accurately segment on 3T MR imaging, with 7T being preferred. Thus, paired 3T and 7T MR imaging data sets of 21 healthy subjects were obtained. A test data set of 6 subjects was completely withheld. The nucleus was expertly segmented on 7T, providing accurate labels for the paired 3T MR imaging. An external data set of 14 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy was used to test the model on brains with neurologic disorders. A 3D-Unet convolutional neural network was constructed, and a 5-fold cross-validation was performed. RESULTS The novel segmentation model demonstrated significantly improved Dice coefficients over the standard probabilistic atlas for both healthy subjects (mean, 0.68 [SD, 0.10] versus 0.45 [SD, 0.11], P = .002, t test) and patients (0.64 [SD, 0.10] versus 0.37 [SD, 0.22], P < .001). Additionally, the model demonstrated significantly decreased centroid distance in patients (1.18 [SD, 0.43] mm, 3.09 [SD, 2.56] mm, P = .007). CONCLUSIONS We developed the first model, to our knowledge, for automatic and accurate patient-specific segmentation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert. This model may enable further study into the nucleus, impacting new treatments such as deep brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J Doss
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
| | - G W Johnson
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
| | - S Narasimhan
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - J S Shless
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - J W Jiang
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - H F J González
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
| | - D L Paulo
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - A Lucas
- Department of Bioengineering (A.L.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - K A Davis
- Department of Neuroscience (K.A.D.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Center for Neuroengineering and Therapeutics (K.A.D.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Neurology (K.A.D.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - C Chang
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (C. Chang, B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Computer Science (C. Chang), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - V L Morgan
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurology (V.L.M.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Radiological Sciences (V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - C Constantinidis
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (C. Constantinidis), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neuroscience (C. Constantinidis), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - B M Dawant
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (C. Chang, B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - D J Englot
- From the Department of Biomedical Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang., V.L.M., C. Constantinidis, D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Institute of Imaging Science (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (D.J.D., G.W.J., S.N., H.F.J.G., C. Chang, V.L.M., B.M.D., D.J.E.), Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Neurological Surgery (S.N., J.S.S., J.W.J., D.L.P., V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (C. Chang, B.M.D., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
- Department of Radiological Sciences (V.L.M., D.J.E.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Kindler C, Upadhyay N, Bendella Z, Dorn F, Keil VC, Petzold GC. Independent and additive contribution of white matter hyperintensities and Alzheimer's disease pathology to basal forebrain cholinergic system degeneration. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103477. [PMID: 37478584 PMCID: PMC10387606 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Degeneration of the cholinergic basal forebrain nuclei (CBFN) system has been studied extensively in Alzheimer's disease (AD). White matter hyperintensities are a hallmark of aging as well as a common co-morbidity of AD, but their contribution to CBFN degeneration has remained unclear. Therefore, we explored the influence of white matter hyperintensities within cholinergic subcortical-cortical projection pathways on CBFN volumes and regional gray matter volumes in AD and age- and gender-matched controls. METHODS We analyzed magnetic resonance images (MRI) from 42 patients with AD and 87 age- and gender-matched control subjects. We assessed the white matter hyperintensity burden within the cholinergic projection pathways using the Cholinergic Pathways Hyperintensities Scale (CHIPS), and applied probabilistic anatomical maps for the analysis of CBFN volumes, i.e. the Ch1-3 compartment and the Ch4 cell group (nucleus basalis of Meynert), by diffeomorphic anatomical registration using exponentiated lie algebra analysis of voxel-based morphometry. Using multiple linear regression analyses, we explored correlations between regional gray matter volumes and the extent of white matter hyperintensities or CBFN volumes in both groups. RESULTS In AD, all CBFN volumes were significantly smaller than in controls, and white matter hyperintensity burden within the cholinergic projection pathways was not correlated with CBFN volume. In controls, white matter hyperintensity burden within the cholinergic projection pathways was inversely correlated with CBFN volume when corrected for sex and total intracranial volume, but this correlation was no longer significant after correction for age. Voxel-wise multiple linear regression analyses using threshold-free cluster enhancement revealed that in controls, cholinergic pathway hyperintensities correlated with gray matter loss in perisylvian areas, whereas the were no effects in AD. Moreover, we found that CBFN volumes correlated with distinct regional cortical atrophy patterns in both groups. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that white matter hyperintensities and AD pathology contribute independently but additively to the degeneration of cholinergic basal forebrain structures. Whereas AD is primarily associated with CBFN volume loss, cholinergic degeneration associated with white matter hyperintensities appears to involve disruption of cholinergic cortical projection fibers with less pronounced effects on CBFN volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Kindler
- Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Neeraj Upadhyay
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; Clinical Functional Imaging Group, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Zeynep Bendella
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Franziska Dorn
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Vera C Keil
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gabor C Petzold
- Division of Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127 Bonn, Germany.
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van der Zee S, Kanel P, Müller MLTM, van Laar T, Bohnen NI. Identification of cholinergic centro-cingulate topography as main contributor to cognitive functioning in Parkinson’s disease: Results from a data-driven approach. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1006567. [PMID: 36337707 PMCID: PMC9631831 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1006567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundDegeneration of the cholinergic system plays an important role in cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using the presynaptic vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) tracer [18F]Fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol ([18F]FEOBV) allows for regional assessment of cholinergic innervation. The purpose of this study was to perform a data-driven analysis to identify co-varying cholinergic regions and to evaluate the relationship of these with cognitive functioning in PD.Materials and methodsA total of 87 non-demented PD patients (77% male, mean age 67.9 ± 7.6 years, disease duration 5.8 ± 4.6 years) and 27 healthy control (HC) subjects underwent [18F]FEOBV brain PET imaging and neuropsychological assessment. A volume-of-interest based factor analysis was performed for both groups to identify cholinergic principal components (PCs).ResultsSeven main PCs were identified for the PD group: (1) bilateral posterior cortex, (2) bilateral subcortical, (3) bilateral centro-cingulate, (4) bilateral frontal, (5) right-sided fronto-temporal, (6) cerebellum, and (7) predominantly left sided temporal regions. A complementary principal component analysis (PCA) analysis in the control group showed substantially different cholinergic covarying patterns. A multivariate linear regression analyses demonstrated PC3, PC5, and PC7, together with motor impairment score, as significant predictors for cognitive functioning in PD. PC3 showed most robust correlations with cognitive functioning (p < 0.001).ConclusionA data-driven approach identified covarying regions in the bilateral peri-central and cingulum cortex as a key determinant of cognitive impairment in PD. Cholinergic vulnerability of the centro-cingulate network appears to be disease-specific for PD rather than being age-related. The cholinergic system may be an important contributor to regional and large scale neural networks involved in cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sygrid van der Zee
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Prabesh Kanel
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Martijn L. T. M. Müller
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Teus van Laar
- Department of Neurology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Nicolaas I. Bohnen
- Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Neurology Service and Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Administration Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- University of Michigan Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Nicolaas I. Bohnen,
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Dion C, Tanner JJ, Formanski EM, Davoudi A, Rodriguez K, Wiggins ME, Amin M, Penney D, Davis R, Heilman KM, Garvan C, Libon DJ, Price CC. The functional connectivity and neuropsychology underlying mental planning operations: data from the digital clock drawing test. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:868500. [PMID: 36204547 PMCID: PMC9530582 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.868500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the construct of mental planning by quantifying digital clock drawing digit placement accuracy in command and copy conditions, and by investigating its underlying neuropsychological correlates and functional connectivity. We hypothesized greater digit misplacement would associate with attention, abstract reasoning, and visuospatial function, as well as functional connectivity from a major source of acetylcholine throughout the brain: the basal nucleus of Meynert (BNM). Participants (n = 201) included non-demented older adults who completed all metrics within 24 h of one another. A participant subset met research criteria for mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 28) and was compared to non-MCI participants on digit misplacement accuracy and expected functional connectivity differences. Digit misplacement and a comparison dissociate variable of total completion time were acquired for command and copy conditions. a priori fMRI seeds were the bilateral BNM. Command digit misplacement is negatively associated with semantics, visuospatial, visuoconstructional, and reasoning (p's < 0.01) and negatively associated with connectivity from the BNM to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC; p = 0.001). Individuals with MCI had more misplacement and less BNM-ACC connectivity (p = 0.007). Total completion time involved posterior and cerebellar associations only. Findings suggest clock drawing digit placement accuracy may be a unique metric of mental planning and provide insight into neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Dion
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jared J Tanner
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Erin M Formanski
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Anis Davoudi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Katie Rodriguez
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Margaret E Wiggins
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Manish Amin
- Department of Physics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Dana Penney
- Department of Neurology, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, MA, United States
| | - Randall Davis
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Kenneth M Heilman
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, & North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Cynthia Garvan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - David J Libon
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, School of Osteopathic Medicine, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, United States
| | - Catherine C Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, United States
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8
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Fernandez-Alvarez M, Atienza M, Zallo F, Matute C, Capetillo-Zarate E, Cantero JL. Linking Plasma Amyloid Beta and Neurofilament Light Chain to Intracortical Myelin Content in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:896848. [PMID: 35783126 PMCID: PMC9247578 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.896848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that lightly myelinated cortical regions are vulnerable to aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, it remains unknown whether plasma markers of amyloid and neurodegeneration are related to deficits in intracortical myelin content, and whether this relationship, in turn, is associated with altered patterns of resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC). To shed light into these questions, plasma levels of amyloid-β fragment 1–42 (Aβ1–42) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were measured using ultra-sensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) assays, and the intracortical myelin content was estimated with the ratio T1-weigthed/T2-weighted (T1w/T2w) in 133 cognitively normal older adults. We assessed: (i) whether plasma Aβ1–42 and/or NfL levels were associated with intracortical myelin content at different cortical depths and (ii) whether cortical regions showing myelin reductions also exhibited altered rs-FC patterns. Surface-based multiple regression analyses revealed that lower plasma Aβ1–42 and higher plasma NfL were associated with lower myelin content in temporo-parietal-occipital regions and the insular cortex, respectively. Whereas the association with Aβ1–42 decreased with depth, the NfL-myelin relationship was most evident in the innermost layer. Older individuals with higher plasma NfL levels also exhibited altered rs-FC between the insula and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Together, these findings establish a link between plasma markers of amyloid/neurodegeneration and intracortical myelin content in cognitively normal older adults, and support the role of plasma NfL in boosting aberrant FC patterns of the insular cortex, a central brain hub highly vulnerable to aging and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Fernandez-Alvarez
- Laboratory of Functional Neuroscience, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Atienza
- Laboratory of Functional Neuroscience, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fatima Zallo
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa, Spain
| | - Carlos Matute
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa, Spain
| | - Estibaliz Capetillo-Zarate
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Jose L. Cantero
- Laboratory of Functional Neuroscience, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Jose L. Cantero,
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9
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Lai YLL, Chen K, Lee TW, Tso CW, Lin HH, Kuo LW, Chen CY, Liu HS. The Effect of the APOE-ε4 Allele on the Cholinergic Circuitry for Subjects With Different Levels of Cognitive Impairment. Front Neurol 2021; 12:651388. [PMID: 34721251 PMCID: PMC8548434 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.651388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Cholinergic deficiency has been suggested to associate with the abnormal accumulation of Aβ and tau for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no studies have investigated the effect of APOE-ε4 and group differences in modulating the cholinergic basal forebrain-amygdala network for subjects with different levels of cognitive impairment. We evaluated the effect of APOE-ε4 on the cholinergic structural association and the neurocognitive performance for subjects with different levels of cognitive impairment. Methods: We used the structural brain magnetic resonance imaging scans from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset. The study included cognitively normal (CN, n = 167) subjects and subjects with significant memory concern (SMC, n = 96), early mild cognitive impairment (EMCI, n = 146), late cognitive impairment (LMCI, n = 138), and AD (n = 121). Subjects were further categorized according to the APOE-ε4 allele carrier status. The main effects of APOE-ε4 and group difference on the brain volumetric measurements were assessed. Regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations among cholinergic structural changes, APOE-ε4 status, and cognitive performance. Results: We found that APOE-ε4 carriers in the disease group showed higher brain atrophy than non-carriers in the cholinergic pathway, while there is no difference between carriers and non-carriers in the CN group. APOE-ε4 allele carriers in the disease groups also exhibited a stronger cholinergic structural correlation than non-carriers did, while there is no difference between the carriers and non-carriers in the CN subjects. Disease subjects exhibited a stronger structural correlation in the cholinergic pathway than CN subjects did. Moreover, APOE-ε4 allele carriers in the disease group exhibited a stronger correlation between the volumetric changes and cognitive performance than non-carriers did, while there is no difference between carriers and non-carriers in CN subjects. Disease subjects exhibited a stronger correlation between the volumetric changes and cognitive performance than CN subjects did. Conclusion: Our results confirmed the effect of APOE-ε4 on and group differences in the associations with the cholinergic structural changes that may reflect impaired brain function underlying neurocognitive degeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Liang Larry Lai
- Ph.D. Program for Neural Regenerative Medicine, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University and National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuan Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Wei Lee
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Wei Tso
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Hsien Lin
- Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) Division, Rotary Trading Co., Ltd., Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Li-Wei Kuo
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
- Institute of Medical Device and Imaging, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yu Chen
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hua-Shan Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
- International Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
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10
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Plini ERG, O’Hanlon E, Boyle R, Sibilia F, Rikhye G, Kenney J, Whelan R, Melnychuk MC, Robertson IH, Dockree PM. Examining the Role of the Noradrenergic Locus Coeruleus for Predicting Attention and Brain Maintenance in Healthy Old Age and Disease: An MRI Structural Study for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Cells 2021; 10:1829. [PMID: 34359997 PMCID: PMC8306442 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The noradrenergic theory of Cognitive Reserve (Robertson, 2013-2014) postulates that the upregulation of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system (LC-NA) originating in the brainstem might facilitate cortical networks involved in attention, and protracted activation of this system throughout the lifespan may enhance cognitive stimulation contributing to reserve. To test the above-mentioned theory, a study was conducted on a sample of 686 participants (395 controls, 156 mild cognitive impairment, 135 Alzheimer's disease) investigating the relationship between LC volume, attentional performance and a biological index of brain maintenance (BrainPAD-an objective measure, which compares an individual's structural brain health, reflected by their voxel-wise grey matter density, to the state typically expected at that individual's age). Further analyses were carried out on reserve indices including education and occupational attainment. Volumetric variation across groups was also explored along with gender differences. Control analyses on the serotoninergic (5-HT), dopaminergic (DA) and cholinergic (Ach) systems were contrasted with the noradrenergic (NA) hypothesis. The antithetic relationships were also tested across the neuromodulatory subcortical systems. Results supported by Bayesian modelling showed that LC volume disproportionately predicted higher attentional performance as well as biological brain maintenance across the three groups. These findings lend support to the role of the noradrenergic system as a key mediator underpinning the neuropsychology of reserve, and they suggest that early prevention strategies focused on the noradrenergic system (e.g., cognitive-attentive training, physical exercise, pharmacological and dietary interventions) may yield important clinical benefits to mitigate cognitive impairment with age and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele R. G. Plini
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
| | - Erik O’Hanlon
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
- Department of Psychiatry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Hospital Rd, Beaumont, 9QRH+4F Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, 152-160 Pearse St, 8QV3+99 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Rory Boyle
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
| | - Francesca Sibilia
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, 152-160 Pearse St, 8QV3+99 Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Gaia Rikhye
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
| | - Joanne Kenney
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
| | - Robert Whelan
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Michael C. Melnychuk
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
| | - Ian H. Robertson
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
- Department of Psychology, Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Lloyd Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland;
| | - Paul M. Dockree
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Llyod Building, 42A Pearse St, 8PVX+GJ Dublin, Ireland; (E.O.); (R.B.); (G.R.); (J.K.); (M.C.M.); (I.H.R.); (P.M.D.)
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11
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Rong S, Li Y, Li B, Nie K, Zhang P, Cai T, Mei M, Wang L, Zhang Y. Meynert nucleus-related cortical thinning in Parkinson's disease with mild cognitive impairment. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2021; 11:1554-1566. [PMID: 33816191 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) involves the cholinergic system and cholinergic neurons, especially the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM/Ch4) located in the basal forebrain (BF). We analyzed associations between NBM/Ch4 volume and cortical thickness to determine whether the NBM/Ch4-innervated neocortex shows parallel atrophy with the NBM/Ch4 as disease progresses in PD patients with cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). Methods We enrolled 35 PD-MCI patients, 48 PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC), and 33 age- and education-matched healthy controls (HCs), with all participants undergoing neuropsychological assessment and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Correlation analyses between NBM/Ch4 volume and cortical thickness and correlation coefficient comparisons were conducted within and across groups. Results In the PD-MCI group, NBM/Ch4 volume was positively correlated with cortical thickness in the bilateral posterior cingulate, parietal, and frontal and left insular regions. Based on correlation coefficient comparisons, the atrophy of NBM/Ch4 was more correlated with the cortical thickness of right posterior cingulate and precuneus, anterior cingulate and medial orbitofrontal lobe in PD-MCI versus HC, and the right medial orbitofrontal lobe and anterior cingulate in PD-NC versus HC. Further partial correlations between cortical thickness and NBM/Ch4 volume were significant in the right medial orbitofrontal (PD-NC: r=0.3, P=0.045; PD-MCI: r=0.51, P=0.003) and anterior cingulate (PD-NC: r=0.41, P=0.006; PD-MCI: r=0.43, P=0.013) in the PD groups and in the right precuneus (r=0.37, P=0.04) and posterior cingulate (r=0.46, P=0.008) in the PD-MCI group. Conclusions The stronger correlation between NBM/Ch4 and cortical thinning in PD-MCI patients suggests that NBM/Ch4 volume loss may play an important role in PD cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siming Rong
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bing Li
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kun Nie
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Piao Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tongtong Cai
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mingjin Mei
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Neuroscience Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Moss DE, Perez RG. Anti-Neurodegenerative Benefits of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors in Alzheimer's Disease: Nexus of Cholinergic and Nerve Growth Factor Dysfunction. Curr Alzheimer Res 2021; 18:1010-1022. [PMID: 34911424 PMCID: PMC8855657 DOI: 10.2174/1567205018666211215150547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is increasingly viewed as a complex multi-dimensional disease without effective treatments. Recent randomized, placebo-controlled studies have shown volume losses of ~0.7% and ~3.5% per year, respectively, in the basal cholinergic forebrain (CBF) and hippocampus in untreated suspected prodromal AD. One year of donepezil treatment reduced these annualized rates of atrophy to about half of untreated rates. Similar positive although variable results have also been found in volumetric measurements of the cortex and whole brain in patients with mild cognitive impairment as well as more advanced AD stages after treatments with all three currently available acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine). Here we review the anti-neurodegenerative benefits of AChE inhibitors and the expected parallel disease-accelerating impairments caused by anticholinergics, within a framework of the cholinergic hypothesis of AD and AD-associated loss of nerve growth factor (NGF). Consistent with the "loss of trophic factor hypothesis of AD," we propose that AChE inhibitors enhance acetylcholine-dependent release and uptake of NGF, thereby sustaining cholinergic neuronal viability and thus slowing AD-associated degeneration of the CBF, to ultimately delay dementia progression. We propose that improved cholinergic therapies for AD started early in asymptomatic persons, especially those with risk factors, will delay the onset, progression, or emergence of dementia. The currently available competitive and pseudo- irreversible AChE inhibitors are not CNS-selective and thus induce gastrointestinal toxicity that limits cortical AChE inhibition to ~30% (ranges from 19% to 41%) as measured by in vivo PET studies in patients undergoing therapy. These levels of inhibition are marginal relative to what is required for effective symptomatic treatment of dementia or slowing AD-associated neurodegeneration. In contrast, because of the inherently slow de novo synthesis of AChE in the CNS (about one-- tenth the rate of synthesis in peripheral tissues), irreversible AChE inhibitors produce significantly higher levels of inhibition in the CNS than in peripheral tissues. For example, methanesulfonyl fluoride, an irreversible inhibitor reduces CNS AChE activity by ~68% in patients undergoing therapy and ~80% in cortical biopsies of non-human primates. The full therapeutic benefits of AChE inhibitors, whether for symptomatic treatment of dementia or disease-slowing, thus would benefit by producing high levels of CNS inhibition. One way to obtain such higher levels of CNS AChE inhibition would be by using irreversible inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald E. Moss
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 79968 USA
| | - Ruth G. Perez
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Center of Emphasis in Neurosciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, Texas, 79905 USA
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13
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Pre-Brodmann pioneers of cortical cytoarchitectonics I: Theodor Meynert, Vladimir Betz and William Bevan-Lewis. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 226:49-67. [PMID: 33165657 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02168-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study and the sequel paper revisit landmark discoveries that paved the way to the definition of the renowned Brodmann areas in the human cerebral cortex, in an attempt to rectify certain undeserved historical neglects. A 'first period of discoveries,' from 1867 to 1882, is represented by the work of neuropsychiatrists Theodor Meynert (1833-1892) in Vienna, Vladimir Betz (1834-1894) in Kiev and William Bevan-Lewis (1847-1929) in Wakefield. Their classical findings are placed in a modern perspective.
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14
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Cantero JL, Atienza M, Ramos-Cejudo J, Fossati S, Wisniewski T, Osorio RS. Plasma tau predicts cerebral vulnerability in aging. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:21004-21022. [PMID: 33147571 PMCID: PMC7695405 DOI: 10.18632/aging.104057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Identifying cerebral vulnerability in late life may help prevent or slow the progression of aging-related chronic diseases. However, non-invasive biomarkers aimed at detecting subclinical cerebral changes in the elderly are lacking. Here, we have examined the potential of plasma total tau (t-tau) for identifying cerebral and cognitive deficits in normal elderly subjects. Patterns of cortical thickness and cortical glucose metabolism were used as outcomes of cerebral vulnerability. We found that increased plasma t-tau levels were associated with widespread reductions of cortical glucose uptake, thinning of the temporal lobe, and memory deficits. Importantly, tau-related reductions of glucose consumption in the orbitofrontal cortex emerged as a determining factor of the relationship between cortical thinning and memory loss. Together, these results support the view that plasma t-tau may serve to identify subclinical cerebral and cognitive deficits in normal aging, allowing detection of individuals at risk for developing aging-related neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose L. Cantero
- Laboratory of Functional Neuroscience, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
- CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mercedes Atienza
- Laboratory of Functional Neuroscience, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
- CIBERNED, Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Ramos-Cejudo
- Division of Brain Aging, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Silvia Fossati
- Alzheimer's Center at Temple, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Thomas Wisniewski
- Departments of Neurology, Pathology and Psychiatry, Center for Cognitive Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ricardo S. Osorio
- Division of Brain Aging, Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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15
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Reduced monoaminergic nuclei MRI signal detectable in pre-symptomatic older adults with future memory decline. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18707. [PMID: 33127923 PMCID: PMC7603335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence from murine models and human post-mortem studies indicates that monoaminergic nuclei undergo degeneration at the pre-symptomatic stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Analysing 129 datasets from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and relying on the Clinical Dementia Rating as group-defining instrument, we hypothesised that the MRI signal of monoaminergic nuclei would be a statistically significant predictor of memory decline in participants initially recruited in ADNI as healthy adults. As opposed to a group of cognitively stable participants, participants developing memory decline had reduced signal in the ventral tegmental area at baseline, before any evidence of functional decline emerged. These findings indicate that monoaminergic degeneration predates the onset of memory decline in an AD-centred initiative, with a crucial involvement of very-early changes of a dopaminergic region. This translates into potential informative avenues for pharmacological treatment of pre-symptomatic AD.
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16
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Yuan R, Biswal BB, Zaborszky L. Functional Subdivisions of Magnocellular Cell Groups in Human Basal Forebrain: Test-Retest Resting-State Study at Ultra-high Field, and Meta-analysis. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:2844-2858. [PMID: 30137295 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterogeneous neuronal subgroups of the basal forebrain corticopetal system (BFcs) have been shown to modulate cortical functions through their cholinergic, gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic, and glutamatergic projections to the entire cortex. Although previous studies suggested that the basalo-cortical projection system influences various cognitive functions, particularly via its cholinergic component, these studies only focused on certain parts of the BFcs or nearby structures, leaving aside a more systematic picture of the functional connectivity of BFcs subcompartments. Moreover, these studies lacked the high-spatial resolution and the probability maps needed to identify specific subcompartments. Recent advances in the ultra-high field 7T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provided potentially unprecedented spatial resolution of functional MRI images to study the subdivision of the BFcs. In this study, the BF space containing corticopetal cells was divided into 3 functionally distinct subdivisions based on functional connection to cortical regions derived from fMRI. The overall functional connection of each BFcs subdivision was examined with a test-retest study. Finally, a meta-analysis was used to study the related functional topics of each BF subdivision. Our results demonstrate distinct functional connectivity patterns of these subdivisions along the rostrocaudal axis of the BF. All three compartments have shown consistent segregation and overlap at specific target regions including the hippocampus, insula, thalamus, and the cingulate gyrus, suggesting functional integration and separation in BFcs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Bharat B Biswal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.,The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA
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17
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Fernández-Cabello S, Kronbichler M, Van Dijk KRA, Goodman JA, Spreng RN, Schmitz TW. Basal forebrain volume reliably predicts the cortical spread of Alzheimer's degeneration. Brain 2020; 143:993-1009. [PMID: 32203580 PMCID: PMC7092749 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration is thought to spread across anatomically and functionally connected brain regions. However, the precise sequence of spread remains ambiguous. The prevailing model used to guide in vivo human neuroimaging and non-human animal research assumes that Alzheimer's degeneration starts in the entorhinal cortices, before spreading to the temporoparietal cortex. Challenging this model, we previously provided evidence that in vivo markers of neurodegeneration within the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM), a subregion of the basal forebrain heavily populated by cortically projecting cholinergic neurons, precedes and predicts entorhinal degeneration. There have been few systematic attempts at directly comparing staging models using in vivo longitudinal biomarker data, and none to our knowledge testing if comparative evidence generalizes across independent samples. Here we addressed the sequence of pathological staging in Alzheimer's disease using two independent samples of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (n1 = 284; n2 = 553) with harmonized CSF assays of amyloid-β and hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau), and longitudinal structural MRI data over 2 years. We derived measures of grey matter degeneration in a priori NbM and the entorhinal cortical regions of interest. To examine the spreading of degeneration, we used a predictive modelling strategy that tests whether baseline grey matter volume in a seed region accounts for longitudinal change in a target region. We demonstrated that predictive spread favoured the NbM→entorhinal over the entorhinal→NbM model. This evidence generalized across the independent samples. We also showed that CSF concentrations of pTau/amyloid-β moderated the observed predictive relationship, consistent with evidence in rodent models of an underlying trans-synaptic mechanism of pathophysiological spread. The moderating effect of CSF was robust to additional factors, including clinical diagnosis. We then applied our predictive modelling strategy to an exploratory whole-brain voxel-wise analysis to examine the spatial specificity of the NbM→entorhinal model. We found that smaller baseline NbM volumes predicted greater degeneration in localized regions of the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices. By contrast, smaller baseline entorhinal volumes predicted degeneration in the medial temporal cortex, recapitulating a prior influential staging model. Our findings suggest that degeneration of the basal forebrain cholinergic projection system is a robust and reliable upstream event of entorhinal and neocortical degeneration, calling into question a prevailing view of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Fernández-Cabello
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Martin Kronbichler
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Neuroscience Institute, Christian-Doppler Medical Centre, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Koene R A Van Dijk
- Clinical and Translational Imaging, Early Clinical Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James A Goodman
- Clinical and Translational Imaging, Early Clinical Development, Pfizer Inc, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - R Nathan Spreng
- Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, Montreal Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Taylor W Schmitz
- Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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18
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Englot DJ, Morgan VL, Chang C. Impaired vigilance networks in temporal lobe epilepsy: Mechanisms and clinical implications. Epilepsia 2020; 61:189-202. [PMID: 31901182 DOI: 10.1111/epi.16423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is a neurological disorder in which patients suffer from frequent consciousness-impairing seizures, broad neurocognitive deficits, and diminished quality of life. Although seizures in mTLE originate focally in the hippocampus or amygdala, mTLE patients demonstrate cognitive deficits that extend beyond temporal lobe function-such as decline in executive function, cognitive processing speed, and attention-as well as diffuse decreases in neocortical metabolism and functional connectivity. Given prior observations that mTLE patients exhibit impairments in vigilance, and that seizures may disrupt the activity and long-range connectivity of subcortical brain structures involved in vigilance regulation, we propose that subcortical activating networks underlying vigilance play a critical role in mediating the widespread neural and cognitive effects of focal mTLE. Here, we review evidence for impaired vigilance in mTLE, examine clinical implications and potential network underpinnings, and suggest neuroimaging strategies for determining the relationship between vigilance, brain connectivity, and neurocognition in patients and healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario J Englot
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Victoria L Morgan
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Catie Chang
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
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19
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Rescuing the attentional performance of rats with cholinergic losses by the M1 positive allosteric modulator TAK-071. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:137-153. [PMID: 31620809 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05354-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Loss of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons contributes to the severity of the cognitive decline in age-related dementia and, in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), to impairments in gait and balance and the resulting risks for falls. Contrasting with the extensive evidence indicating an essential role of cholinergic activity in mediating cognitive, specifically attentional abilities, treatment with conventional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) has not fulfilled the promise of efficacy of pro-cholinergic treatments. OBJECTIVES Here, we investigated the potential usefulness of a muscarinic M1 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) in an animal model of cholinergic loss-induced impairments in attentional performance. Given evidence indicating that fast, transient cholinergic signaling mediates the detection of cues in attentional contexts, we hypothesized that a M1 PAM amplifies such transient signaling and thereby rescues attentional performance. RESULTS Rats performed an operant sustained attention task (SAT), including in the presence of a distractor (dSAT) and during a post-distractor (post-dSAT) period. The post-dSAT period served to assess the capacity for recovering performance following a disruptive event. Basal forebrain infusions of the cholino-specific immunotoxin 192 IgG-saporin impaired SAT performance, and greater cholinergic losses predicted lower post-dSAT performance. Administration of TAK-071 (0.1, 0.3 mg/kg, p.o., administered over 6-day blocks) improved the performance of all rats during the post-dSAT period (main effect of dose). Drug-induced improvement of post-dSAT performance was relatively greater in lesioned rats, irrespective of sex, but also manifested in female control rats. TAK-071 primarily improved perceptual sensitivity (d') in lesioned rats and facilitated the adoption of a more liberal response bias (B˝D) in all female rats. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that TAK-071 may benefit the attentional performance of patients with partial cholinergic losses and specifically in situations that tax top-down, or goal-driven, attentional control.
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Záborszky L, Gombkoto P, Varsanyi P, Gielow MR, Poe G, Role LW, Ananth M, Rajebhosale P, Talmage DA, Hasselmo ME, Dannenberg H, Minces VH, Chiba AA. Specific Basal Forebrain-Cortical Cholinergic Circuits Coordinate Cognitive Operations. J Neurosci 2018; 38:9446-9458. [PMID: 30381436 PMCID: PMC6209837 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1676-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on recent molecular genetics, as well as functional and quantitative anatomical studies, the basal forebrain (BF) cholinergic projections, once viewed as a diffuse system, are emerging as being remarkably specific in connectivity. Acetylcholine (ACh) can rapidly and selectively modulate activity of specific circuits and ACh release can be coordinated in multiple areas that are related to particular aspects of cognitive processing. This review discusses how a combination of multiple new approaches with more established techniques are being used to finally reveal how cholinergic neurons, together with other BF neurons, provide temporal structure for behavior, contribute to local cortical state regulation, and coordinate activity between different functionally related cortical circuits. ACh selectively modulates dynamics for encoding and attention within individual cortical circuits, allows for important transitions during sleep, and shapes the fidelity of sensory processing by changing the correlation structure of neural firing. The importance of this system for integrated and fluid behavioral function is underscored by its disease-modifying role; the demise of BF cholinergic neurons has long been established in Alzheimer's disease and recent studies have revealed the involvement of the cholinergic system in modulation of anxiety-related circuits. Therefore, the BF cholinergic system plays a pivotal role in modulating the dynamics of the brain during sleep and behavior, as foretold by the intricacies of its anatomical map.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laszlo Záborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark 07102,
| | - Peter Gombkoto
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark 07102
| | - Peter Varsanyi
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark 07102
| | - Matthew R Gielow
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark 07102
| | - Gina Poe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095
| | - Lorna W Role
- Department of Neurobiology and Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794
| | - Mala Ananth
- Program in Neuroscience and Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794
| | - Prithviraj Rajebhosale
- Program in Neuroscience and Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794
| | - David A Talmage
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences and Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794
| | - Michael E Hasselmo
- Center for Systems Neuroscience and Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, and
| | - Holger Dannenberg
- Center for Systems Neuroscience and Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, and
| | - Victor H Minces
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego 92093
| | - Andrea A Chiba
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego 92093
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21
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Lammers F, Borchers F, Feinkohl I, Hendrikse J, Kant IMJ, Kozma P, Pischon T, Slooter AJC, Spies C, van Montfort SJT, Zacharias N, Zaborszky L, Winterer G. Basal forebrain cholinergic system volume is associated with general cognitive ability in the elderly. Neuropsychologia 2018; 119:145-156. [PMID: 30096414 PMCID: PMC6338214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE At the present, it is unclear whether association of basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) volume with cognitive performance exists in healthy as well as in cognitively impaired elderly subjects. Whereas one small study reported an association of BFCS volume with general cognitive ability 'g' in healthy ageing, effects on specific cognitive domains have only been found in subjects with cognitive decline. Here we aim to clarify whether an association of BFCS volume and 'g' is present in a larger sample of elderly subjects without obvious symptoms of dementia and whether similar associations can also be observed in specific cognitive domains. METHODS 282 pre-surgical patients from the BioCog study (aged 72.7 ± 4.9 years with a range of 65-87 years, 110 women) with a median MMSE score of 29 points (range 24-30) were investigated. BFCS and brain volume as well as brain parenchymal fraction were assessed in T1-weighted MR images using SPM12 and a probabilistic map of the BFCS. Neuropsychological assessment comprised the CANTAB cognitive battery and paper-and-pencil based tests. For data analysis, generalised linear models and quantile regression were applied. RESULTS Significant associations of BFCS volume with 'g' and several cognitive domains were found, with the strongest association found for 'g'. BFCS volume explained less variance in cognitive performance than brain volume. The association was not confounded by brain parenchymal fraction. Furthermore, the association of BFCS volume and 'g' was similar in high- and low-performers. CONCLUSION Our results extend previous study findings on BFCS volume associations with cognition in elderly subjects. Despite the observed associations of BFCS volume and cognitive performance, this association seems to reflect a more general association of brain volume and cognition. Accordingly, a specific association of BFCS volume and cognition in non-demented elderly subjects is questionable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lammers
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Pharmaimage Biomarker Solutions GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Friedrich Borchers
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Insa Feinkohl
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jeroen Hendrikse
- Department of Radiology and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ilse M J Kant
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Petra Kozma
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Pischon
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Germany; MDC/BIH Biobank, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Arjen J C Slooter
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Claudia Spies
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone J T van Montfort
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Norman Zacharias
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Pharmaimage Biomarker Solutions GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, 197 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - Georg Winterer
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Pharmaimage Biomarker Solutions GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
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Chaves-Coira I, Martín-Cortecero J, Nuñez A, Rodrigo-Angulo ML. Basal Forebrain Nuclei Display Distinct Projecting Pathways and Functional Circuits to Sensory Primary and Prefrontal Cortices in the Rat. Front Neuroanat 2018; 12:69. [PMID: 30158859 PMCID: PMC6104178 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence supports that specific projections between different basal forebrain (BF) nuclei and their cortical targets are necessary to modulate cognitive functions in the cortex. We tested the hypothesis of the existence of specific neuronal populations in the BF linking with specific sensory, motor, and prefrontal cortices in rats. Neuronal tracing techniques were performed using retrograde tracers injected in the primary somatosensory (S1), auditory (A1), and visual (V1) cortical areas, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as in BF nuclei. Results indicate that the vertical and horizontal diagonal band of Broca (VDB/HDB) nuclei target specific sensory cortical areas and maintains reciprocal projections with the prelimbic/infralimbic (PL/IL) area of the mPFC. The basal magnocellular nucleus (B nucleus) has more widespread targets in the sensory-motor cortex and does not project to the PL/IL cortex. Optogenetic stimulation was used to establish if BF neurons modulate whisker responses recorded in S1 and PL/IL cortices. We drove the expression of high levels of channelrhodopsin-2, tagged with a fluorescent protein (ChR2-eYFP) by injection of a virus in HDB or B nuclei. Blue-light pulses were delivered to the BF through a thin optic fiber to stimulate these neurons. Blue-light stimulation directed toward the HDB facilitated whisker responses in S1 cortex through activation of muscarinic receptors. The same optogenetic stimulation of HDB induced an inhibition of whisker responses in mPFC by activation of nicotinic receptors. Blue-light stimulation directed toward the B nucleus had lower effects than HDB stimulation. Our findings pointed the presence of specific neuronal networks between the BF and the cortex that may play different roles in the control of cortical activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Chaves-Coira
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Martín-Cortecero
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Angel Nuñez
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Margarita L Rodrigo-Angulo
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Tiernan CT, Mufson EJ, Kanaan NM, Counts SE. Tau Oligomer Pathology in Nucleus Basalis Neurons During the Progression of Alzheimer Disease. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2018; 77:246-259. [PMID: 29378005 PMCID: PMC6251641 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlx120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although tau is the primary constituent of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), evidence suggests that its toxic moiety is oligomeric in Alzheimer disease (AD). In this regard, tau oligomers correlate more strongly with neuronal loss than NFTs and exhibit neurotoxicity in preclinical AD models. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal progression of oligomeric tau accumulation within the highly vulnerable cholinergic neurons of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) in AD. Tissue from subjects who died with a clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or AD was immunostained with the tau oligomeric complex 1 (TOC1) antibody, a marker of tau oligomers, and p75NTR, a cholinergic cell marker. Stereological estimates revealed a significant increase in the number of TOC1 nbM immunopositive (+) neurons with a concomitant decrease in p75NTR+ nbM neurons during the transition from mild cognitive impairment to AD. Immunofluorescence identified TOC1+ neurons that colocalized with the pretangle tau marker phospho-Ser422, which persisted into late stage NFTs immunoreactive for MN423. Analysis of the nbM subfields revealed a topographical caudal to rostral gradient of TOC1+ neurons during disease progression. Taken together, these data suggest that toxic tau oligomers accumulate caudorostrally in selectively vulnerable nbM neurons during the onset of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elliott J Mufson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Nicholas M Kanaan
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine
- Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Hospital, Hauenstein Neurosciences Center, Grand Rapids
| | - Scott E Counts
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine
- Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Hospital, Hauenstein Neurosciences Center, Grand Rapids
- Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Core Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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24
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The Basal Forebrain Regulates Global Resting-State fMRI Fluctuations. Neuron 2018; 97:940-952.e4. [PMID: 29398365 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 12/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of spontaneous brain activity, typically measured in humans at rest with fMRI, are used routinely to assess the brain's functional organization. The mechanisms that generate and coordinate the underlying neural fluctuations are largely unknown. Here we investigate the hypothesis that the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), the principal source of widespread cholinergic and GABAergic projections to the cortex, contributes critically to such activity. We reversibly inactivated two distinct sites of the NBM in macaques while measuring fMRI activity across the brain. We found that inactivation led to strong, regionalized suppression of shared or "global" signal components of cortical fluctuations ipsilateral to the injection. At the same time, the commonly studied resting-state networks retained their spatial structure under this suppression. The results indicate that the NBM contributes selectively to the global component of functional connectivity but plays little if any role in the specific correlations that define resting-state networks.
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25
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Grothe MJ, Kilimann I, Grinberg L, Heinsen H, Teipel S. In Vivo Volumetry of the Cholinergic Basal Forebrain. NEUROMETHODS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7674-4_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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26
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Kwakowsky A, Milne MR, Waldvogel HJ, Faull RL. Effect of Estradiol on Neurotrophin Receptors in Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Neurons: Relevance for Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E2122. [PMID: 27999310 PMCID: PMC5187922 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17122122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The basal forebrain is home to the largest population of cholinergic neurons in the brain. These neurons are involved in a number of cognitive functions including attention, learning and memory. Basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCNs) are particularly vulnerable in a number of neurological diseases with the most notable being Alzheimer's disease, with evidence for a link between decreasing cholinergic markers and the degree of cognitive impairment. The neurotrophin growth factor system is present on these BFCNs and has been shown to promote survival and differentiation on these neurons. Clinical and animal model studies have demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on neurodegeneration in BFCNs. It is believed that E2 interacts with neurotrophin signaling on cholinergic neurons to mediate these beneficial effects. Evidence presented in our recent study confirms that altering the levels of circulating E2 levels via ovariectomy and E2 replacement significantly affects the expression of the neurotrophin receptors on BFCN. However, we also showed that E2 differentially regulates neurotrophin receptor expression on BFCNs with effects depending on neurotrophin receptor type and neuroanatomical location. In this review, we aim to survey the current literature to understand the influence of E2 on the neurotrophin system, and the receptors and signaling pathways it mediates on BFCN. In addition, we summarize the physiological and pathophysiological significance of E2 actions on the neurotrophin system in BFCN, especially focusing on changes related to Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Kwakowsky
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Michael R Milne
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland Brain Institute, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, QLD, Australia.
| | - Henry J Waldvogel
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Richard L Faull
- Centre for Brain Research, Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
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Atrophy of amygdala and abnormal memory-related alpha oscillations over posterior cingulate predict conversion to Alzheimer's disease. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31859. [PMID: 27546195 PMCID: PMC4992828 DOI: 10.1038/srep31859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic dysfunction, a key pathophysiological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), may account for abnormal memory-related EEG patterns in prodromal AD. Here, we investigate to what extent oscillatory EEG changes during memory encoding and/or retrieval enhance the accuracy of medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy in predicting conversion from amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) to AD. As expected, aMCI individuals that, within a 2-year follow-up period, developed dementia (N = 16) compared to healthy older (HO) (N = 26) and stable aMCI (N = 18) showed poorer associative memory, greater MTL atrophy, and lower capacity to recruit alpha oscillatory cortical networks. Interestingly, encoding-induced abnormal alpha desynchronized activity over the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) at baseline showed significantly higher accuracy in predicting AD than the magnitude of amygdala atrophy. Nevertheless, the best accuracy was obtained when the two markers were fitted into the model (sensitivity = 78%, specificity = 82%). These results support the idea that synaptic integrity/function in the PCC is affected during prodromal AD and has the potential of improving early detection when combined with MRI biomarkers.
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