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Long P, Ma Q, Wang Z, Wang G, Jiang J, Gao L. Genetic patterning in hippocampus of rat undergoing impaired spatial memory induced by long-term heat stress. Heliyon 2024; 10:e37319. [PMID: 39296065 PMCID: PMC11408118 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e37319] [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: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 08/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The organism's normal physiological function is greatly impacted in a febrile environment, leading to the manifestation of pathological conditions including elevated body temperature, dehydration, gastric bleeding, and spermatogenic dysfunction. Numerous lines of evidence indicate that heat stress significantly impacts the brain's structure and function. Previous studies have demonstrated that both animals and humans experience cognitive impairment as a result of exposure to high temperatures. However, there is a lack of research on the effects of prolonged exposure to high-temperature environments on learning and memory function, as well as the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms. In this study, we examined the impact of long-term heat stress exposure on spatial memory function in rats and conducted transcriptome sequencing analysis of rat hippocampal tissues to identify the crucial molecular targets affected by prolonged heat stress exposure. It was found that the long-term heat stress impaired rats' spatial memory function due to the pathological damages and apoptosis of hippocampal neurons at the CA3 region, which is accompanied with the decrease of growth hormone level in peripheral blood. RNA sequencing analysis revealed the signaling pathways related to positive regulation of external stimulation response and innate immune response were dramatically affected by heat stress. Among the verified differentially expressed genes, the knockdown of Arhgap36 in neuronal cell line HT22 significantly enhances the cell apoptosis, suggesting the impaired spatial memory induced by long-term heat stress may at least partially be mediated by the dysregulation of Arhgap36 in hippocampal neurons. The uncovered relationship between molecular changes in the hippocampus and behavioral alterations induced by long-term heat stress may offer valuable insights for the development of therapeutic targets and protective drugs to enhance memory function in heat-exposed individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peihua Long
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
| | - Qunfei Ma
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
| | - Guanqin Wang
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
| | - Jianan Jiang
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
| | - Lu Gao
- Department of Physiology, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, PR China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive Genetics, Shanghai, 200120, PR China
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2
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Gittings LM, Alsop EB, Antone J, Singer M, Whitsett TG, Sattler R, Van Keuren-Jensen K. Cryptic exon detection and transcriptomic changes revealed in single-nuclei RNA sequencing of C9ORF72 patients spanning the ALS-FTD spectrum. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:433-450. [PMID: 37466726 PMCID: PMC10412668 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02599-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The C9ORF72-linked diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by the nuclear depletion and cytoplasmic accumulation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43). Recent studies have shown that the loss of TDP-43 function leads to the inclusion of cryptic exons (CE) in several RNA transcript targets of TDP-43. Here, we show for the first time the detection of CEs in a single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) dataset obtained from frontal and occipital cortices of C9ORF72 patients that phenotypically span the ALS-FTD disease spectrum. We assessed each cellular cluster for detection of recently described TDP-43-induced CEs. Transcripts containing CEs in the genes STMN2 and KALRN were detected in the frontal cortex of all C9ORF72 disease groups with the highest frequency in excitatory neurons in the C9ORF72-FTD group. Within the excitatory neurons, the cluster with the highest proportion of cells containing a CE had transcriptomic similarities to von Economo neurons, which are known to be vulnerable to TDP-43 pathology and selectively lost in C9ORF72-FTD. Differential gene expression and pathway analysis of CE-containing neurons revealed multiple dysregulated metabolic processes. Our findings reveal novel insights into the transcriptomic changes of neurons vulnerable to TDP-43 pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Gittings
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Eric B Alsop
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jerry Antone
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Mo Singer
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Timothy G Whitsett
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Rita Sattler
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, 350 W Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA.
| | - Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, part of City of Hope, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
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3
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Renner J, Rasia-Filho AA. Morphological Features of Human Dendritic Spines. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:367-496. [PMID: 37962801 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spine features in human neurons follow the up-to-date knowledge presented in the previous chapters of this book. Human dendrites are notable for their heterogeneity in branching patterns and spatial distribution. These data relate to circuits and specialized functions. Spines enhance neuronal connectivity, modulate and integrate synaptic inputs, and provide additional plastic functions to microcircuits and large-scale networks. Spines present a continuum of shapes and sizes, whose number and distribution along the dendritic length are diverse in neurons and different areas. Indeed, human neurons vary from aspiny or "relatively aspiny" cells to neurons covered with a high density of intermingled pleomorphic spines on very long dendrites. In this chapter, we discuss the phylogenetic and ontogenetic development of human spines and describe the heterogeneous features of human spiny neurons along the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, hippocampal regions, and neocortical areas. Three-dimensional reconstructions of Golgi-impregnated dendritic spines and data from fluorescence microscopy are reviewed with ultrastructural findings to address the complex possibilities for synaptic processing and integration in humans. Pathological changes are also presented, for example, in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Basic morphological data can be linked to current techniques, and perspectives in this research field include the characterization of spines in human neurons with specific transcriptome features, molecular classification of cellular diversity, and electrophysiological identification of coexisting subpopulations of cells. These data would enlighten how cellular attributes determine neuron type-specific connectivity and brain wiring for our diverse aptitudes and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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4
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López-Ojeda W, Hurley RA. Von Economo Neuron Involvement in Social Cognitive and Emotional Impairments in Neuropsychiatric Disorders. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022; 34:302-306. [PMID: 36239479 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20220136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wilfredo López-Ojeda
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W. G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (López-Ojeda, Hurley); Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (López-Ojeda, Hurley) and Radiology (Hurley), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley)
| | - Robin A Hurley
- Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC) and Research and Academic Affairs Service Line, W. G. Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C. (López-Ojeda, Hurley); Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (López-Ojeda, Hurley) and Radiology (Hurley), Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Hurley)
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5
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Taniguchi M, Iwahashi M, Oka Y, Tiong SYX, Sato M. Fezf2-positive fork cell-like neurons in the mouse insular cortex. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0274170. [PMID: 36067159 PMCID: PMC9447900 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The fork cell and von Economo neuron, which are found in the insular cortex and/or the anterior cingulate cortex, are defined by their unique morphologies. Their shapes are not pyramidal; the fork cell has two primary apical dendrites and the von Economo neurons are spindle-shaped (bipolar). Presence of such neurons are reported only in the higher animals, especially in human and great ape, indicating that they are specific for most evolved species. Although it is likely that these neurons are involved in higher brain function, lack of results with experimental animals makes further investigation difficult. We here ask whether equivalent neurons exist in the mouse insular cortex. In human, Fezf2 has been reported to be highly expressed in these morphologically distinctive neurons and thus, we examined the detailed morphology of Fezf2-positive neurons in the mouse brain. Although von Economo-like neurons were not identified, Fezf2-positive fork cell-like neurons with two characteristic apical dendrites, were discovered. Examination with electron microscope indicated that these neurons did not embrace capillaries, rather they held another cell. We here term such neurons as holding neurons. We further observed several molecules, including neuromedin B (NMB) and gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) that are known to be localized in the fork cells and/or von Economo cells in human, were localized in the mouse insular cortex. Based on these observations, it is likely that an equivalent of the fork cell is present in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Taniguchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Misaki Iwahashi
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Oka
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Molecular Brain Science, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development (UGSCD), Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Sheena Y. X. Tiong
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Molecular Brain Science, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development (UGSCD), Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Makoto Sato
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Molecular Brain Science, Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development (UGSCD), Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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6
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González‐Acosta CA, Ortiz‐Muñoz D, Becerra‐Hernández LV, Casanova MF, Buriticá E. Von Economo neurons: Cellular specialization of human limbic cortices? J Anat 2022; 241:20-32. [PMID: 35178703 PMCID: PMC9178382 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Von Economo neurons (VENs) have been mentioned in the medical literature since the second half of the 19th century; however, it was not until the second decade of the 20th century that their cytomorphology was described in detail. To date, VENs have been found in limbic sectors of the frontal, temporal and insular lobes. In humans, their density seems to decrease in the caudo-rostral and ventro-dorsal direction; that is, from the anterior regions of the cingulate and insular cortices towards the frontal pole and the superior frontal gyrus. Several studies have provided similar descriptions of the shape of the VEN soma, but the size of the soma varies from one cortical region to another. There is consensus among different authors about the selective vulnerability of VENs in certain pathologies, in which a deterioration of the capacities involved in social behaviour is observed. In this review, we propose that the restriction of VENs towards the sectors linked to limbic information processing in Homo sapiens gives them a possible functional role in relation to the structures in which they are located. However, given the divergence in characteristics such as location, density, size and biochemical profile among VENs of different cortical sectors, the activities in which they participate could allow them to partake in a wide spectrum of neurological functions, including autonomic responses and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Ortiz‐Muñoz
- Centro de Estudios Cerebrales, Facultad de SaludUniversidad del ValleCaliColombia
| | | | - Manuel F. Casanova
- Center for Childhood NeurotherapeuticsUniversity of South Carolina School of Medicine GreenvilleGreenvilleSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Efraín Buriticá
- Centro de Estudios Cerebrales, Facultad de SaludUniversidad del ValleCaliColombia
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7
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Berto S, Treacher AH, Caglayan E, Luo D, Haney JR, Gandal MJ, Geschwind DH, Montillo AA, Konopka G. Association between resting-state functional brain connectivity and gene expression is altered in autism spectrum disorder. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3328. [PMID: 35680911 PMCID: PMC9184501 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31053-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression covaries with brain activity as measured by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, it is unclear how genomic differences driven by disease state can affect this relationship. Here, we integrate from the ABIDE I and II imaging cohorts with datasets of gene expression in brains of neurotypical individuals and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with regionally matched brain activity measurements from fMRI datasets. We identify genes linked with brain activity whose association is disrupted in ASD. We identified a subset of genes that showed a differential developmental trajectory in individuals with ASD compared with controls. These genes are enriched in voltage-gated ion channels and inhibitory neurons, pointing to excitation-inhibition imbalance in ASD. We further assessed differences at the regional level showing that the primary visual cortex is the most affected region in ASD. Our results link disrupted brain expression patterns of individuals with ASD to brain activity and show developmental, cell type, and regional enrichment of activity linked genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Berto
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Alex H Treacher
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Emre Caglayan
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Danni Luo
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jillian R Haney
- Program in Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michael J Gandal
- Program in Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Program in Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Albert A Montillo
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Genevieve Konopka
- Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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8
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Gami‐Patel P, Scarioni M, Bouwman FH, Boon BDC, Swieten JC, Rozemuller AJM, Smit AB, Pijnenburg YAL, Hoozemans JJM, Dijkstra AA. The severity of behavioural symptoms in FTD is linked to the loss of GABRQ‐expressing VENs and pyramidal neurons. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2022; 48:e12798. [PMID: 35152451 PMCID: PMC9306948 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Priya Gami‐Patel
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Marta Scarioni
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical, location VUmc Centre Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Femke H. Bouwman
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical, location VUmc Centre Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Baayla D. C. Boon
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical, location VUmc Centre Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - John C. Swieten
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Erasmus MC Rotterdam The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke J. M. Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - August B. Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience VU University Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Yolande A. L. Pijnenburg
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical, location VUmc Centre Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J. M. Hoozemans
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Anke A. Dijkstra
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Amsterdam University Medical Centre, location VUmc Amsterdam The Netherlands
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9
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Fuentealba-Villarroel FJ, Renner J, Hilbig A, Bruton OJ, Rasia-Filho AA. Spindle-Shaped Neurons in the Human Posteromedial (Precuneus) Cortex. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 13:769228. [PMID: 35087390 PMCID: PMC8787311 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.769228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The human posteromedial cortex (PMC), which includes the precuneus (PC), represents a multimodal brain area implicated in emotion, conscious awareness, spatial cognition, and social behavior. Here, we describe the presence of Nissl-stained elongated spindle-shaped neurons (suggestive of von Economo neurons, VENs) in the cortical layer V of the anterior and central PC of adult humans. The adapted "single-section" Golgi method for postmortem tissue was used to study these neurons close to pyramidal ones in layer V until merging with layer VI polymorphic cells. From three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed images, we describe the cell body, two main longitudinally oriented ascending and descending dendrites as well as the occurrence of spines from proximal to distal segments. The primary dendritic shafts give rise to thin collateral branches with a radial orientation, and pleomorphic spines were observed with a sparse to moderate density along the dendritic length. Other spindle-shaped cells were observed with straight dendritic shafts and rare branches or with an axon emerging from the soma. We discuss the morphology of these cells and those considered VENs in cortical areas forming integrated brain networks for higher-order activities. The presence of spindle-shaped neurons and the current discussion on the morphology of putative VENs address the need for an in-depth neurochemical and transcriptomic characterization of the PC cytoarchitecture. These findings would include these spindle-shaped cells in the synaptic and information processing by the default mode network and for general intelligence in healthy individuals and in neuropsychiatric disorders involving the PC in the context of the PMC functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Fuentealba-Villarroel
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Arlete Hilbig
- Department of Medical Clinics/Neurology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Oliver J Bruton
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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10
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Singleton EH, Pijnenburg YAL, Gami-Patel P, Boon BDC, Bouwman F, Papma JM, Seelaar H, Scheltens P, Grinberg LT, Spina S, Nana AL, Rabinovici GD, Seeley WW, Ossenkoppele R, Dijkstra AA. The behavioral variant of Alzheimer's disease does not show a selective loss of Von Economo and phylogenetically related neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex. Alzheimers Res Ther 2022; 14:11. [PMID: 35057846 PMCID: PMC8772094 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-021-00947-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurobiological origins of the early and predominant behavioral changes seen in the behavioral variant of Alzheimer's disease (bvAD) remain unclear. A selective loss of Von Economo neurons (VENs) and phylogenetically related neurons have been observed in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and several psychiatric diseases. Here, we assessed whether these specific neuronal populations show a selective loss in bvAD. METHODS VENs and GABA receptor subunit theta (GABRQ)-immunoreactive pyramidal neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were quantified in post-mortem tissue of patients with bvAD (n = 9) and compared to typical AD (tAD, n = 6), bvFTD due to frontotemporal lobar degeneration based on TDP-43 pathology (FTLD, n = 18) and controls (n = 13) using ANCOVAs adjusted for age and Bonferroni corrected. In addition, ratios of VENs and GABRQ-immunoreactive (GABRQ-ir) pyramidal neurons over all Layer 5 neurons were compared between groups to correct for overall Layer 5 neuronal loss. RESULTS The number of VENs or GABRQ-ir neurons did not differ significantly between bvAD (VENs: 26.0 ± 15.3, GABRQ-ir pyramidal: 260.4 ± 87.1) and tAD (VENs: 32.0 ± 18.1, p = 1.00, GABRQ-ir pyramidal: 349.8 ± 109.6, p = 0.38) and controls (VENs: 33.5 ± 20.3, p = 1.00, GABRQ-ir pyramidal: 339.4 ± 95.9, p = 0.37). Compared to bvFTD, patients with bvAD showed significantly more GABRQ-ir pyramidal neurons (bvFTD: 140.5 ± 82.658, p = 0.01) and no significant differences in number of VENs (bvFTD: 10.9 ± 13.8, p = 0.13). Results were similar when assessing the number of VENs and GABRQ-ir relative to all neurons of Layer 5. DISCUSSION VENs and phylogenetically related neurons did not show a selective loss in the ACC in patients with bvAD. Our results suggest that, unlike in bvFTD, the clinical presentation in bvAD may not be related to the loss of VENs and related neurons in the ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. H. Singleton
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Y. A. L. Pijnenburg
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P. Gami-Patel
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - B. D. C. Boon
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - F. Bouwman
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J. M. Papma
- grid.5645.2000000040459992XNeurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.5645.2000000040459992XRadiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - H. Seelaar
- grid.5645.2000000040459992XNeurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P. Scheltens
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - L. T. Grinberg
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - S. Spina
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - A. L. Nana
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - G. D. Rabinovici
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - W. W. Seeley
- grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Departments of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - R. Ossenkoppele
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands ,grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Clinical Memory Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - A. A. Dijkstra
- grid.509540.d0000 0004 6880 3010Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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11
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Hu Y, Tan H, Li C, Zhang H. Identifying genetic risk variants associated with brain volumetric phenotypes via K-sample Ball Divergence method. Genet Epidemiol 2021; 45:710-720. [PMID: 34184773 PMCID: PMC8434958 DOI: 10.1002/gepi.22423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Regional human brain volumes including total area, average thickness, and total volume are heritable and associated with neurological disorders. However, the genetic architecture of brain structure and function is still largely unknown and worthy of exploring. The Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition, and Genetics (PING) data set provides an excellent resource with genome-wide genetic data and related neuroimaging data. In this study, we perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 315 brain volumetric phenotypes from the PING data set including 1036 samples with 539,865 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We introduce a nonparametric test based on K-sample Ball Divergence (KBD) to identify genetic risk variants that influence regional brain volumes. We carry out simulations to demonstrate that KBD is a powerful test for identifying significant SNPs associated with multivariate phenotypes although controlling the type I error rate. We successfully identify nine SNPs below a significance level of 5 × 10-5 for the PING data. Among the nine identified genetic variants, two SNPs rs486179 and rs562110 are located in the ADRA1A gene that is a well-known risk factor of mental illness, such as schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Our study suggests that the nonparametric test KBD is an effective method for identifying genetic variants associated with complex diseases in large-scale GWAS of multiple phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511
| | - Haizhu Tan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Xinling Road 22, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Cai Li
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511
| | - Heping Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, 06511
- Correspondence Author: Heping Zhang, 300 George Street, Ste 523, New Haven, CT, 06511. . Phone: 203-785-5185
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12
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Banovac I, Sedmak D, Judaš M, Petanjek Z. Von Economo Neurons - Primate-Specific or Commonplace in the Mammalian Brain? Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:714611. [PMID: 34539353 PMCID: PMC8440978 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.714611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The pioneering work by von Economo in 1925 on the cytoarchitectonics of the cerebral cortex revealed a specialized and unique cell type in the adult human fronto-insular (FI) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). In modern studies, these neurons are termed von Economo neurons (VENs). In his work, von Economo described them as stick, rod or corkscrew cells because of their extremely elongated and relatively thin cell body clearly distinguishable from common oval or spindle-shaped infragranular principal neurons. Before von Economo, in 1899 Cajal depicted the unique somato-dendritic morphology of such cells with extremely elongated soma in the FI. However, although VENs are increasingly investigated, Cajal’s observation is still mainly being neglected. On Golgi staining in humans, VENs have a thick and long basal trunk with horizontally oriented terminal branching (basilar skirt) from where the axon arises. They are clearly distinguishable from a spectrum of modified pyramidal neurons found in infragranular layers, including oval or spindle-shaped principal neurons. Spindle-shaped cells with highly elongated cell body were also observed in the ACC of great apes, but despite similarities in soma shape, their dendritic and axonal morphology has still not been described in sufficient detail. Studies identifying VENs in non-human species are predominantly done on Nissl or anti-NeuN staining. In most of these studies, the dendritic and axonal morphology of the analyzed cells was not demonstrated and many of the cells found on Nissl or anti-NeuN staining had a cell body shape characteristic for common oval or spindle-shaped cells. Here we present an extensive literature overview on VENs, which demonstrates that human VENs are specialized elongated principal cells with unique somato-dendritic morphology found abundantly in the FI and ACC of the human brain. More research is needed to properly evaluate the presence of such specialized cells in other primates and non-primate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Banovac
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research and Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research and Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Miloš Judaš
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research and Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research and Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
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13
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Jacob J, Kent M, Benson-Amram S, Herculano-Houzel S, Raghanti MA, Ploppert E, Drake J, Hindi B, Natale NR, Daniels S, Fanelli R, Miller A, Landis T, Gilbert A, Johnson S, Lai A, Hyer M, Rzucidlo A, Anchor C, Gehrt S, Lambert K. Cytoarchitectural characteristics associated with cognitive flexibility in raccoons. J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:3375-3388. [PMID: 34076254 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
With rates of psychiatric illnesses such as depression continuing to rise, additional preclinical models are needed to facilitate translational neuroscience research. In the current study, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) was investigated due to its similarities with primate brains, including comparable proportional neuronal densities, cortical magnification of the forepaw area, and cortical gyrification. Specifically, we report on the cytoarchitectural characteristics of raccoons profiled as high, intermediate, or low solvers in a multiaccess problem-solving task. Isotropic fractionation indicated that high-solvers had significantly more cells in the hippocampus (HC) than the other solving groups; further, a nonsignificant trend suggested that this increase in cell profile density was due to increased nonneuronal (e.g., glial) cells. Group differences were not observed in the cellular density of the somatosensory cortex. Thionin-based staining confirmed the presence of von Economo neurons (VENs) in the frontoinsular cortex, although no impact of solving ability on VEN cell profile density levels was observed. Elongated fusiform cells were quantified in the HC dentate gyrus where high-solvers were observed to have higher levels of this cell type than the other solving groups. In sum, the current findings suggest that varying cytoarchitectural phenotypes contribute to cognitive flexibility. Additional research is necessary to determine the translational value of cytoarchitectural distribution patterns on adaptive behavioral outcomes associated with cognitive performance and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jacob
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Molly Kent
- Department of Biology, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, USA
| | - Sarah Benson-Amram
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Mary Ann Raghanti
- Department of Anthropology, School of Biomedical Sciences, and Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA
| | - Emily Ploppert
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Jack Drake
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Bilal Hindi
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Nick R Natale
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Sarah Daniels
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Rachel Fanelli
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
| | - Anderson Miller
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Tim Landis
- Department of Psychology, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, USA
| | - Amy Gilbert
- USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Shylo Johnson
- USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Annie Lai
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Molly Hyer
- Department of Psychology, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, USA
| | - Amanda Rzucidlo
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County, River Forest, Illinois, USA
| | - Chris Anchor
- Forest Preserve District of Cook County, River Forest, Illinois, USA
| | - Stan Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Kelly Lambert
- Department of Psychology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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14
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Is there a “g-neuron”? Establishing a systematic link between general intelligence (g) and the von Economo neuron. INTELLIGENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.intell.2021.101540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Jacot-Descombes S, Keshav N, Brosch CMS, Wicinski B, Warda T, Norcliffe-Kaufmann L, Kaufmann H, Varghese M, Hof PR. Von Economo Neuron Pathology in Familial Dysautonomia: Quantitative Assessment and Possible Implications. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2021; 79:1072-1083. [PMID: 32954436 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlaa095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Von Economo neurons (VENs) and fork cells are principally located in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the frontoinsular cortex (FI). Both of these regions integrate inputs from the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and are involved in decision-making and perception of the emotional states of self and others. Familial dysautonomia (FD) is an orphan disorder characterized by autonomic dysfunction and behavioral abnormalities including repetitive behavior and emotional rigidity, which are also seen in autism spectrum disorder. To understand a possible link between the ANS and the cortical regions implicated in emotion regulation we studied VENs and fork cells in an autonomic disorder. We determined the densities of VENs, fork cells, and pyramidal neurons and the ratio of VENs and fork cells to pyramidal neurons in ACC and FI in 4 FD patient and 6 matched control brains using a stereologic approach. We identified alterations in densities of VENs and pyramidal neurons and their distributions in the ACC and FI in FD brains. These data suggest that alterations in migration and numbers of VENs may be involved in FD pathophysiology thereby supporting the notion of a functional link between VENs, the ANS and the peripheral nervous system in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Jacot-Descombes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute.,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne - Geneva, Geneva University Hospitals
| | - Neha Keshav
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute.,Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment
| | - Carla Micaela Santos Brosch
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals and School of Medicine Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bridget Wicinski
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Tahia Warda
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Lucy Norcliffe-Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Dysautonomia Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Horacio Kaufmann
- Department of Neurology, Dysautonomia Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Merina Varghese
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience.,Friedman Brain Institute.,Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment
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16
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Shafi R, Crawley AP, Tartaglia MC, Tator CH, Green RE, Mikulis DJ, Colantonio A. Sex-specific differences in resting-state functional connectivity of large-scale networks in postconcussion syndrome. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21982. [PMID: 33319807 PMCID: PMC7738671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77137-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Concussions are associated with a range of cognitive, neuropsychological and behavioral sequelae that, at times, persist beyond typical recovery times and are referred to as postconcussion syndrome (PCS). There is growing support that concussion can disrupt network-based connectivity post-injury. To date, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the sex-specific impact of concussion on resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC). The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the injury-based rs-FC differences across three large-scale neural networks and (2) explore the sex-specific impact of injury on network-based connectivity. MRI data was collected from a sample of 80 concussed participants who fulfilled the criteria for postconcussion syndrome and 31 control participants who did not have any history of concussion. Connectivity maps between network nodes and brain regions were used to assess connectivity using the Functional Connectivity (CONN) toolbox. Network based statistics showed that concussed participants were significantly different from healthy controls across both salience and fronto-parietal network nodes. More specifically, distinct subnetwork components were identified in the concussed sample, with hyperconnected frontal nodes and hypoconnected posterior nodes across both the salience and fronto-parietal networks, when compared to the healthy controls. Node-to-region analyses showed sex-specific differences across association cortices, however, driven by distinct networks. Sex-specific network-based alterations in rs-FC post concussion need to be examined to better understand the underlying mechanisms and associations to clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reema Shafi
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada. .,KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada.
| | - Adrian P Crawley
- Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Maria Carmela Tartaglia
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Krembil Discovery Tower, 60 Leonard Ave, Toronto, ON, M5T 0S8, Canada.,Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Division of Brain, Imaging and Behaviour-Systems Neuroscience, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Charles H Tator
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Division of Neurology, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Robin E Green
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada.,KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada.,Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - David J Mikulis
- Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.,Canadian Concussion Center, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON, M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Angela Colantonio
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada.,KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada.,Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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17
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Banovac I, Sedmak D, Džaja D, Jalšovec D, Jovanov Milošević N, Rašin MR, Petanjek Z. Somato-dendritic morphology and axon origin site specify von Economo neurons as a subclass of modified pyramidal neurons in the human anterior cingulate cortex. J Anat 2020; 235:651-669. [PMID: 31435943 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Von Economo neurons (VENs) are modified pyramidal neurons characterized by an extremely elongated rod-shaped soma. They are abundant in layer V of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and fronto-insular cortex (FI) of the human brain, and have long been described as a human-specific neuron type. Recently, VENs have been reported in the ACC of apes and the FI of macaque monkeys. The first description of the somato-dendritic morphology of VENs in the FI by Cajal in 1899 (Textura del Sistema Nervioso del Hombre y de los Vertebrados, Tomo II. Madrid: Nicolas Moya) strongly suggested that they were a unique neuron subtype with specific morphological features. It is surprising that a clarification of this extremely important observation has not yet been attempted, especially as possible misidentification of other oval or fusiform cells as VENs has become relevant in many recently published studies. Here, we analyzed sections of Brodmann area 24 (ACC) stained with rapid Golgi and Golgi-Cox in five adult human specimens, and confirmed Cajal's observations. In addition, we established a comprehensive morphological description of VENs. VENs have a distinct somato-dendritic morphology that allows their clear distinction from other modified pyramidal neurons. We established that VENs have a perpendicularly oriented, stick-shaped core part consisting of the cell body and two thick extensions - an apical and basal stem. The perpendicular length of the core part was 150-250 μm and the thickness was 10-21 μm. The core part was characterized by a lack of clear demarcation between the cell body and the two extensions. Numerous thin, spiny and horizontally oriented side dendrites arose from the cell body. The basal extension of the core part typically ended by giving numerous smaller dendrites with a brush-like branching pattern. The apical extension had a topology typical for apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons. The dendrites arising from the core part had a high dendritic spine density. The most distinct feature of VENs was the distant origin site of the axon, which arose from the ending of the basal extension, often having a common origin with a dendrite. Quantitative analysis found that VENs could be divided into two groups based on total dendritic length - small VENs with a peak total dendritic length of 1500-2500 μm and large VENs with a peak total dendritic length of 5000-6000 μm. Comparative morphological analysis of VENs and other oval and fusiform modified pyramidal neurons showed that on Nissl sections small VENs might be difficult to identify, and that oval and fusiform neurons could be misidentified as VENs. Our analysis of Golgi slides of Brodmann area 9 from a total of 32 adult human subjects revealed only one cell resembling VEN morphology. Thus, our data show that the numerous recent reports on the presence of VENs in non-primates in other layers and regions of the cortex need further confirmation by showing the dendritic and axonal morphology of these cells. In conclusion, our study provides a foundation for further comprehensive morphological and functional studies on VENs between different species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Banovac
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dora Sedmak
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Domagoj Džaja
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dubravko Jalšovec
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nataša Jovanov Milošević
- Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mladen Roko Rašin
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Zdravko Petanjek
- Department of Anatomy and Clinical Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.,Center of Excellence for Basic, Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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18
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Correa-Júnior ND, Renner J, Fuentealba-Villarroel F, Hilbig A, Rasia-Filho AA. Dendritic and Spine Heterogeneity of von Economo Neurons in the Human Cingulate Cortex. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2020; 12:25. [PMID: 32733229 PMCID: PMC7360805 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2020.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The human cingulate cortex (CC), included in the paralimbic cortex, participates in emotion, visceral responses, attention, cognition, and social behaviors. The CC has spindle-shaped/fusiform cell body neurons in its layer V, the von Economo neurons (VENs). VENs have further developed in primates, and the characterization of human VENs can benefit from the detailed descriptions of the shape of dendrites and spines. Here, we advance this issue and studied VENs in the anterior and midcingulate cortex from four neurologically normal adult subjects. We used the thionin technique and the adapted “single-section” Golgi method for light microscopy. Three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions were carried out for the visualization of Golgi-impregnated VENs’ cell body, ascending and descending dendrites, and collateral branches. We also looked for the presence, density, and shape of spines from proximal to distal dendrites. These neurons have a similar aspect for the soma, but features of spiny dendrites evidenced a morphological heterogeneity of CC VENs. Only for the description of this continuum of shapes, we labeled the most common feature as VEN 1, which has main dendritic shafts but few branches and sparse spines. VEN 2 shows an intermediate aspect, whereas VEN 3 displays the most profuse dendritic ramification and more spines with varied shapes from proximal to distal branches. Morphometric data exemplify the dendritic features of these cells. The heterogeneity of the dendritic architecture and spines suggests additional functional implications for the synaptic and information processing in VENs in integrated networks of normal and, possibly, neurological/psychiatric conditions involving the human CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivaldo D Correa-Júnior
- Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Josué Renner
- Laboratory of Morphology and Physiology, Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Arlete Hilbig
- Department of Medical Clinics/Neurology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Laboratory of Morphology and Physiology, Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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19
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Yang L, Yang Y, Yuan J, Sun Y, Dai J, Su B. Transcriptomic Landscape of von Economo Neurons in Human Anterior Cingulate Cortex Revealed by Microdissected-Cell RNA Sequencing. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:838-851. [PMID: 30535007 PMCID: PMC6319179 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The von Economo neurons (VENs) are specialized large bipolar projection neurons with restricted distribution in the human brain, and they are far more abundant in humans than in non-human primates. However, VEN functions remain elusive due to the difficulty of isolating VENs and dissecting their connections in the brain. Here, we combined laser-capture-microdissection with RNA sequencing to describe the transcriptomic profile of VENs from human anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Using pyramidal neurons as reference cells, we identified 344 genes with VEN-associated expression differences, including 215 higher and 129 lower expression genes. Functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction network analyses showed that these genes with VEN-associated expression differences are involved in VEN morphogenesis and functions, such as dendrite branching and axon myelination, and many of them are associated with human social-emotional disorders. With the use of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry assays, we validated four novel VEN markers (VAT1L, CHST8, LYPD1, and SULF2). Collectively, we generated a full-spectrum expression profile of VENs from human ACC, greatly enlarging the pool of genes with VEN-associated expression differences that can help researchers to understand the role of VENs in normal and disordered human brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yandong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jiamiao Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Sun
- Chinese Brain Bank Center, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiapei Dai
- Chinese Brain Bank Center, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
| | - Bing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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20
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Hodge RD, Miller JA, Novotny M, Kalmbach BE, Ting JT, Bakken TE, Aevermann BD, Barkan ER, Berkowitz-Cerasano ML, Cobbs C, Diez-Fuertes F, Ding SL, McCorrison J, Schork NJ, Shehata SI, Smith KA, Sunkin SM, Tran DN, Venepally P, Yanny AM, Steemers FJ, Phillips JW, Bernard A, Koch C, Lasken RS, Scheuermann RH, Lein ES. Transcriptomic evidence that von Economo neurons are regionally specialized extratelencephalic-projecting excitatory neurons. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1172. [PMID: 32127543 PMCID: PMC7054400 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14952-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
von Economo neurons (VENs) are bipolar, spindle-shaped neurons restricted to layer 5 of human frontoinsula and anterior cingulate cortex that appear to be selectively vulnerable to neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases, although little is known about other VEN cellular phenotypes. Single nucleus RNA-sequencing of frontoinsula layer 5 identifies a transcriptomically-defined cell cluster that contained VENs, but also fork cells and a subset of pyramidal neurons. Cross-species alignment of this cell cluster with a well-annotated mouse classification shows strong homology to extratelencephalic (ET) excitatory neurons that project to subcerebral targets. This cluster also shows strong homology to a putative ET cluster in human temporal cortex, but with a strikingly specific regional signature. Together these results suggest that VENs are a regionally distinctive type of ET neuron. Additionally, we describe the first patch clamp recordings of VENs from neurosurgically-resected tissue that show distinctive intrinsic membrane properties relative to neighboring pyramidal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Brian E Kalmbach
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jonathan T Ting
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Charles Cobbs
- The Ben and Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment, Swedish Neuroscience Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Amy Bernard
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Richard H Scheuermann
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA.
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21
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André N, Audiffren M, Baumeister RF. An Integrative Model of Effortful Control. Front Syst Neurosci 2019; 13:79. [PMID: 31920573 PMCID: PMC6933500 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents an integrative model of effortful control, a resource-limited top-down control mechanism involved in mental tasks and physical exercises. Based on recent findings in the fields of neuroscience, social psychology and cognitive psychology, this model posits the intrinsic costs related to a weakening of the connectivity of neural networks underpinning effortful control as the main cause of mental fatigue in long and high-demanding tasks. In this framework, effort reflects three different inter-related aspects of the same construct. First, effort is a mechanism comprising a limited number of interconnected processing units that integrate information regarding the task constraints and subject’s state. Second, effort is the main output of this mechanism, namely, the effort signal that modulates neuronal activity in brain regions involved in the current task to select pertinent information. Third, effort is a feeling that emerges in awareness during effortful tasks and reflects the costs associated with goal-directed behavior. Finally, the model opens new avenues for research investigating effortful control at the behavioral and neurophysiological levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie André
- Research Centre on Cognition and Learning, UMR CNRS 7295, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Michel Audiffren
- Research Centre on Cognition and Learning, UMR CNRS 7295, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Roy F Baumeister
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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22
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23
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Gami-Patel P, van Dijken I, van Swieten JC, Pijnenburg YAL, Rozemuller AJM, Hoozemans JJM, Dijkstra AA. Von Economo neurons are part of a larger neuronal population that are selectively vulnerable in C9orf72 frontotemporal dementia. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2019; 45:671-680. [PMID: 31066065 PMCID: PMC6915913 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia with a C9orf72 expansion (C9-bvFTD) is characterised by early changes in social-emotional cognition that are linked to the loss of von Economo neurons (VENs). Together with a subset of neighbouring pyramidal neurons, VENs express the GABA receptor subunit theta (GABRQ). It is not known if the selective vulnerability of VENs in C9-bvFTD also includes this GABRQ-expressing population. METHODS We quantified VENs and GABRQ immunopositive neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in C9-bvFTD (n = 16), controls (n = 12) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 7). Second, we assessed VENs and GABRQ-expressing populations in relation to the clinicopathological profiles. RESULTS We found the number of VENs and GABRQ-expressing neurons and their ratio over the total layer 5 neuronal population was lower in C9-bvFTD compared to control and AD. C9-bvFTD donors with underlying TDP43 type A pathology in the ACC showed the highest loss of GABRQ-expressing neurons. C9-bvFTD donors that did not present with motor neuron disease (MND) symptoms in the first half of their disease course showed a prominent loss of GABRQ-expressing neurons compared to controls. C9-bvFTD donors with no symptoms of psychosis showed a higher loss compared to controls. Across all donors, the number of VENs correlated strongly with the number of GABRQ-expressing neurons. CONCLUSION We show that VENs, together with GABRQ-expressing neurons, are selectively vulnerable in C9-bvFTD but are both spared in AD. This suggests they are related and that this GABRQ-expressing population of VENs and pyramidal neurons, is a key modulator of social-emotional functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gami-Patel
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - I van Dijken
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J C van Swieten
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Y A L Pijnenburg
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J J M Hoozemans
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A A Dijkstra
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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24
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Abstract
Long perceived as a primitive and poorly differentiated brain structure, the primate insular cortex recently emerged as a highly evolved, organized and richly connected cortical hub interfacing bodily states with sensorimotor, environmental, and limbic activities. This insular interface likely substantiates emotional embodiment and has the potential to have a key role in the interoceptive shaping of cognitive processes, including perceptual awareness. In this review, we present a novel working model of the insular cortex, based on an accumulation of neuroanatomical and functional evidence obtained essentially in the macaque monkey. This model proposes that interoceptive afferents that represent the ongoing physiological status of all the organs of the body are first being received in the granular dorsal fundus of the insula or “primary interoceptive cortex,” then processed through a series of dysgranular poly-modal “insular stripes,” and finally integrated in anterior agranular areas that serve as an additional sensory platform for visceral functions and as an output stage for efferent autonomic regulation. One of the agranular areas hosts the specialized von Economo and Fork neurons, which could provide a decisive evolutionary advantage for the role of the anterior insula in the autonomic and emotional binding inherent to subjective awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry C Evrard
- Functional and Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
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25
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McCutcheon RA, Nour MM, Dahoun T, Jauhar S, Pepper F, Expert P, Veronese M, Adams RA, Turkheimer F, Mehta MA, Howes OD. Mesolimbic Dopamine Function Is Related to Salience Network Connectivity: An Integrative Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Study. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:368-378. [PMID: 30389131 PMCID: PMC6360933 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, from schizophrenia to drug addiction, involve abnormalities in both the mesolimbic dopamine system and the cortical salience network. Both systems play a key role in the detection of behaviorally relevant environmental stimuli. Although anatomical overlap exists, the functional relationship between these systems remains unknown. Preclinical research has suggested that the firing of mesolimbic dopamine neurons may activate nodes of the salience network, but in vivo human research is required given the species-specific nature of this network. METHODS We employed positron emission tomography to measure both dopamine release capacity (using the D2/3 receptor ligand 11C-PHNO, n = 23) and dopamine synthesis capacity (using 18F-DOPA, n = 21) within the ventral striatum. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was also undertaken in the same individuals to investigate salience network functional connectivity. A graph theoretical approach was used to characterize the relationship between dopamine measures and network connectivity. RESULTS Dopamine synthesis capacity was associated with greater salience network connectivity, and this relationship was particularly apparent for brain regions that act as information-processing hubs. In contrast, dopamine release capacity was associated with weaker salience network connectivity. There was no relationship between dopamine measures and visual and sensorimotor networks, indicating specificity of the findings. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate a close relationship between the salience network and mesolimbic dopamine system, and they are relevant to neuropsychiatric illnesses in which aberrant functioning of both systems has been observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Matthew M Nour
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tarik Dahoun
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sameer Jauhar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Pepper
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom; Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Expert
- Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; EPSRC Centre for Mathematics of Precision Healthcare, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rick A Adams
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mitul A Mehta
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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26
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Nana AL, Sidhu M, Gaus SE, Hwang JHL, Li L, Park Y, Kim EJ, Pasquini L, Allen IE, Rankin KP, Toller G, Kramer JH, Geschwind DH, Coppola G, Huang EJ, Grinberg LT, Miller BL, Seeley WW. Neurons selectively targeted in frontotemporal dementia reveal early stage TDP-43 pathobiology. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 137:27-46. [PMID: 30511086 PMCID: PMC6339592 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-018-1942-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) aggregation is the most common pathological hallmark in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and characterizes nearly all patients with motor neuron disease (MND). The earliest stages of TDP-43 pathobiology are not well-characterized, and whether neurodegeneration results from TDP-43 loss-of-function or aggregation remains unclear. In the behavioral variant of FTD (bvFTD), patients undergo selective dropout of von Economo neurons (VENs) and fork cells within the frontoinsular (FI) and anterior cingulate cortices. Here, we examined TDP-43 pathobiology within these vulnerable neurons in the FI across a clinical spectrum including 17 patients with sporadic bvFTD, MND, or both. In an exploratory analysis based on our initial observations, we further assessed ten patients with C9orf72-associated bvFTD/MND. VENs and fork cells showed early, disproportionate TDP-43 aggregation that correlated with anatomical and clinical severity, including loss of emotional empathy. The presence of a TDP-43 inclusion was associated with striking nuclear and somatodendritic atrophy. An intriguing minority of neurons lacked detectable nuclear TDP-43 despite the apparent absence of a cytoplasmic TDP-43 inclusion. These cells showed neuronal atrophy comparable to inclusion-bearing neurons, suggesting that the loss of nuclear TDP-43 function promotes neurodegeneration, even when TDP-43 aggregation is inconspicuous or absent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa L Nana
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Manu Sidhu
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie E Gaus
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ji-Hye L Hwang
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Libo Li
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Qiqihar Medical University, Qiqihar, China
| | - Youngsoon Park
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eun-Joo Kim
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Pasquini
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Isabel E Allen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Katherine P Rankin
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gianina Toller
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Joel H Kramer
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Neurogenetics Program, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Neurogenetics Program, Department of Neurology and Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eric J Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lea T Grinberg
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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27
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Issa HA, Staes N, Diggs-Galligan S, Stimpson CD, Gendron-Fitzpatrick A, Taglialatela JP, Hof PR, Hopkins WD, Sherwood CC. Comparison of bonobo and chimpanzee brain microstructure reveals differences in socio-emotional circuits. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 224:239-251. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1751-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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28
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Bonham LW, Steele NZR, Karch CM, Manzoni C, Geier EG, Wen N, Ofori-Kuragu A, Momeni P, Hardy J, Miller ZA, Hess CP, Lewis P, Miller BL, Seeley WW, Baranzini SE, Desikan RS, Ferrari R, Yokoyama JS. Protein network analysis reveals selectively vulnerable regions and biological processes in FTD. Neurol Genet 2018; 4:e266. [PMID: 30283816 PMCID: PMC6167176 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The neuroanatomical profile of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) suggests a common biological etiology of disease despite disparate pathologic causes; we investigated the genetic underpinnings of this selective regional vulnerability to identify new risk factors for bvFTD. METHODS We used recently developed analytical techniques designed to address the limitations of genome-wide association studies to generate a protein interaction network of 63 bvFTD risk genes. We characterized this network using gene expression data from healthy and diseased human brain tissue, evaluating regional network expression patterns across the lifespan as well as the cell types and biological processes most affected in bvFTD. RESULTS We found that bvFTD network genes show enriched expression across the human lifespan in vulnerable neuronal populations, are implicated in cell signaling, cell cycle, immune function, and development, and are differentially expressed in pathologically confirmed frontotemporal lobar degeneration cases. Five of the genes highlighted by our differential expression analyses, BAIAP2, ERBB3, POU2F2, SMARCA2, and CDC37, appear to be novel bvFTD risk loci. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the cumulative burden of common genetic variation in an interacting protein network expressed in specific brain regions across the lifespan may influence susceptibility to bvFTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke W Bonham
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Natasha Z R Steele
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Claudia Manzoni
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Ethan G Geier
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Natalie Wen
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Aaron Ofori-Kuragu
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Parastoo Momeni
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - John Hardy
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Zachary A Miller
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Christopher P Hess
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Patrick Lewis
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Sergio E Baranzini
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Rahul S Desikan
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Raffaele Ferrari
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
| | - Jennifer S Yokoyama
- Department of Neurology (L.W.B., N.Z.R.S., E.G.G., Z.A.M., B.L.M., W.W.S., J.S.Y.), Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco; Department of Psychiatry (C.M.K., N.W., A.O.-K.), Washington University, St. Louis, MO; School of Pharmacy (C.M., P.L.), University of Reading, Reading, UK; Laboratory of Neurogenetics (P.M.), Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock; Department of Molecular Neuroscience (C.M., J.H., P.L., R.F.), UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Neuroradiology Section (C.P.H., R.S.D.), University of California, San Francisco; and Department of Neurology (S.E.B.), University of California, San Francisco
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29
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Fathy YY, Jonker AJ, Oudejans E, de Jong FJJ, van Dam AMW, Rozemuller AJM, van de Berg WDJ. Differential insular cortex subregional vulnerability to α-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2018; 45:262-277. [PMID: 29797340 PMCID: PMC7380008 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Aim The insular cortex consists of a heterogenous cytoarchitecture and diverse connections and is thought to integrate autonomic, cognitive, emotional and interoceptive functions to guide behaviour. In Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), it reveals α‐synuclein pathology in advanced stages. The aim of this study is to assess the insular cortex cellular and subregional vulnerability to α‐synuclein pathology in well‐characterized PD and DLB subjects. Methods We analysed postmortem insular tissue from 24 donors with incidental Lewy body disease, PD, PD with dementia (PDD), DLB and age‐matched controls. The load and distribution of α‐synuclein pathology and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) cells were studied throughout the insular subregions. The selective involvement of von Economo neurons (VENs) in the anterior insula and astroglia was assessed in all groups. Results A decreasing gradient of α‐synuclein pathology load from the anterior periallocortical agranular towards the intermediate dysgranular and posterior isocortical granular insular subregions was found. Few VENs revealed α‐synuclein inclusions while astroglial synucleinopathy was a predominant feature in PDD and DLB. TH neurons were predominant in the agranular and dysgranular subregions but did not reveal α‐synuclein inclusions or significant reduction in density in patient groups. Conclusions Our study highlights the vulnerability of the anterior agranular insula to α‐synuclein pathology in PD, PDD and DLB. Whereas VENs and astrocytes were affected in advanced disease stages, insular TH neurons were spared. Owing to the anterior insula's affective, cognitive and autonomic functions, its greater vulnerability to pathology indicates a potential contribution to nonmotor deficits in PD and DLB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Y Fathy
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J Jonker
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E Oudejans
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - F J J de Jong
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A-M W van Dam
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A J M Rozemuller
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W D J van de Berg
- Section Clinical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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30
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Gefen T, Papastefan ST, Rezvanian A, Bigio EH, Weintraub S, Rogalski E, Mesulam MM, Geula C. Von Economo neurons of the anterior cingulate across the lifespan and in Alzheimer's disease. Cortex 2018; 99:69-77. [PMID: 29175073 PMCID: PMC5801202 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Throughout the human aging lifespan, neurons acquire an unusually high burden of wear and tear; this is likely why age is considered the strongest risk factor for the development of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Von Economo neurons (VENs) are rare, spindle-shaped cells mostly populated in anterior cingulate cortex. In a prior study, "SuperAgers" (individuals older than 80 years of age with outstanding memory ability) showed higher VEN densities compared to elderly controls with average memory, and those with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). The intrinsic vulnerabilities of these neurons are unclear, and their contribution to neurodegeneration is unknown. The current study investigated the influence of age and the severity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on VEN density. METHODS VEN and total neuronal densities were quantitated using unbiased stereological methods in the anterior cingulate cortex of postmortem samples from the following subject groups: younger controls (age 20-60), SuperAgers, cognitively average elderly controls (age 65+), individuals diagnosed antemortem with aMCI, and individuals diagnosed antemortem with dementia of AD (N = 5, per group). RESULTS The AD group showed significantly lower VEN density compared to younger and older controls (p < .05), but not compared to the aMCI group, and VENs bearing neurofibrillary tangles were discovered in AD cases. The aMCI group showed lower VEN density than elderly controls, but this was not significant. There was a significant negative correlation between VEN density and Braak stages of AD (p < .001). Consistent with prior findings, SuperAgers showed highest mean VEN density, even when compared to younger cases. CONCLUSIONS VENs in human anterior cingulate cortex are vulnerable to AD pathology, particularly in later stages of pathogenesis. Their densities do not change throughout aging in individuals with average cognition, and they are more numerous in SuperAgers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Gefen
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Steven T Papastefan
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Aras Rezvanian
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Eileen H Bigio
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Sandra Weintraub
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Emily Rogalski
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - M-Marsel Mesulam
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Changiz Geula
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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