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Chmiel J, Rybakowski F, Leszek J. EEG in Down Syndrome-A Review and Insights into Potential Neural Mechanisms. Brain Sci 2024; 14:136. [PMID: 38391711 PMCID: PMC10886507 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Down syndrome (DS) stands out as one of the most prevalent genetic disorders, imposing a significant burden on both society and the healthcare system. Scientists are making efforts to understand the neural mechanisms behind the pathophysiology of this disorder. Among the valuable methods for studying these mechanisms is electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive technique that measures the brain's electrical activity, characterised by its excellent temporal resolution. This review aims to consolidate studies examining EEG usage in individuals with DS. The objective was to identify shared elements of disrupted EEG activity and, crucially, to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning these deviations. Searches were conducted on Pubmed/Medline, Research Gate, and Cochrane databases. Results: The literature search yielded 17 relevant articles. Despite the significant time span, small sample size, and overall heterogeneity of the included studies, three common features of aberrant EEG activity in people with DS were found. Potential mechanisms for this altered activity were delineated. Conclusions: The studies included in this review show altered EEG activity in people with DS compared to the control group. To bolster these current findings, future investigations with larger sample sizes are imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Chmiel
- Institute of Neurofeedback and tDCS Poland, 70-393 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Filip Rybakowski
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Jerzy Leszek
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, 54-235 Wrocław, Poland
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Serrano ME, Kim E, Siow B, Ma D, Rojo L, Simmons C, Hayward D, Gibbins D, Singh N, Strydom A, Fisher EM, Tybulewicz VL, Cash D. Investigating brain alterations in the Dp1Tyb mouse model of Down syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 188:106336. [PMID: 38317803 PMCID: PMC7615598 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most common birth defects and the most prevalent genetic form of intellectual disability. DS arises from trisomy of chromosome 21, but its molecular and pathological consequences are not fully understood. In this study, we compared Dp1Tyb mice, a DS model, against their wild-type (WT) littermates of both sexes to investigate the impact of DS-related genetic abnormalities on the brain phenotype. We performed in vivo whole brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and hippocampal 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) on the animals at 3 months of age. Subsequently, ex vivo MRI scans and histological analyses were conducted post-mortem. Our findings unveiled the following neuroanatomical and biochemical alterations in the Dp1Tyb brains: a smaller surface area and a rounder shape compared to WT brains, with DS males also presenting smaller global brain volume compared with the counterpart WT. Regional volumetric analysis revealed significant changes in 26 out of 72 examined brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus. These alterations were consistently observed in both in vivo and ex vivo imaging data. Additionally, high-resolution ex vivo imaging enabled us to investigate cerebellar layers and hippocampal sub-regions, revealing selective areas of decrease and remodelling in these structures. An analysis of hippocampal metabolites revealed an elevation in glutamine and the glutamine/glutamate ratio in the Dp1Tyb mice compared to controls, suggesting a possible imbalance in the excitation/inhibition ratio. This was accompanied by the decreased levels of taurine. Histological analysis revealed fewer neurons in the hippocampal CA3 and DG layers, along with an increase in astrocytes and microglia. These findings recapitulate multiple neuroanatomical and biochemical features associated with DS, enriching our understanding of the potential connection between chromosome 21 trisomy and the resultant phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elisa Serrano
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eugene Kim
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bernard Siow
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Da Ma
- Department of Internal Medicine Section of Gerontology and Geriatric Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Loreto Rojo
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Camilla Simmons
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Nisha Singh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Andre Strydom
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth M.C. Fisher
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | | | - Diana Cash
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Victorino DB, Faber J, Pinheiro DJLL, Scorza FA, Almeida ACG, Costa ACS, Scorza CA. Toward the Identification of Neurophysiological Biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease in Down Syndrome: A Potential Role for Cross-Frequency Phase-Amplitude Coupling Analysis. Aging Dis 2023; 14:428-449. [PMID: 37008053 PMCID: PMC10017148 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.0906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-frequency coupling (CFC) mechanisms play a central role in brain activity. Pathophysiological mechanisms leading to many brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), may produce unique patterns of brain activity detectable by electroencephalography (EEG). Identifying biomarkers for AD diagnosis is also an ambition among research teams working in Down syndrome (DS), given the increased susceptibility of people with DS to develop early-onset AD (DS-AD). Here, we review accumulating evidence that altered theta-gamma phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) may be one of the earliest EEG signatures of AD, and therefore may serve as an adjuvant tool for detecting cognitive decline in DS-AD. We suggest that this field of research could potentially provide clues to the biophysical mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in DS-AD and generate opportunities for identifying EEG-based biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic utility in DS-AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella B Victorino
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Jean Faber
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Daniel J. L. L Pinheiro
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Fulvio A Scorza
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Antônio C. G Almeida
- Department of Biosystems Engineering, Federal University of São João Del Rei, Minas Gerais, MG, Brazil.
| | - Alberto C. S Costa
- Division of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
- Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Carla A Scorza
- Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Federal University of São Paulo / Paulista Medical School, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Fernández A, Ramírez-Toraño F, Bruña R, Zuluaga P, Esteba-Castillo S, Abásolo D, Moldenhauer F, Shumbayawonda E, Maestú F, García-Alba J. Brain signal complexity in adults with Down syndrome: Potential application in the detection of mild cognitive impairment. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:988540. [PMID: 36337705 PMCID: PMC9631477 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.988540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Down syndrome (DS) is considered the most frequent cause of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the typical pathophysiological signs are present in almost all individuals with DS by the age of 40. Despite of this evidence, the investigation on the pre-dementia stages in DS is scarce. In the present study we analyzed the complexity of brain oscillatory patterns and neuropsychological performance for the characterization of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in DS. Materials and methods Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) values from resting-state magnetoencephalography recordings and the neuropsychological performance in 28 patients with DS [control DS group (CN-DS) (n = 14), MCI group (MCI-DS) (n = 14)] and 14 individuals with typical neurodevelopment (CN-no-DS) were analyzed. Results Lempel-Ziv complexity was lowest in the frontal region within the MCI-DS group, while the CN-DS group showed reduced values in parietal areas when compared with the CN-no-DS group. Also, the CN-no-DS group exhibited the expected pattern of significant increase of LZC as a function of age, while MCI-DS cases showed a decrease. The combination of reduced LZC values and a divergent trajectory of complexity evolution with age, allowed the discrimination of CN-DS vs. MCI-DS patients with a 92.9% of sensitivity and 85.7% of specificity. Finally, a pattern of mnestic and praxic impairment was significantly associated in MCI-DS cases with the significant reduction of LZC values in frontal and parietal regions (p = 0.01). Conclusion Brain signal complexity measured with LZC is reduced in DS and its development with age is also disrupted. The combination of both features might assist in the detection of MCI within this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández
- Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Sanitary Investigation (IdISSC), Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico Ramírez-Toraño
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Bruña
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Radiology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Industrial Engineering & IUNE & ITB, Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Pilar Zuluaga
- Statistics & Operations Research Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susanna Esteba-Castillo
- Neurodevelopmental Group, Girona Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBGI, Institute of Health Assistance (IAS), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Girona, Spain
| | - Daniel Abásolo
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Moldenhauer
- Adult Down Syndrome Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Health Research Institute, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Shumbayawonda
- Centre for Biomedical Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Alba
- Department of Research and Psychology in Education, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Javier García-Alba,
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Bartesaghi R. Brain circuit pathology in Down syndrome: from neurons to neural networks. Rev Neurosci 2022; 34:365-423. [PMID: 36170842 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), a genetic pathology caused by triplication of chromosome 21, is characterized by brain hypotrophy and impairment of cognition starting from infancy. While studies in mouse models of DS have elucidated the major neuroanatomical and neurochemical defects of DS, comparatively fewer investigations have focused on the electrophysiology of the DS brain. Electrical activity is at the basis of brain functioning. Therefore, knowledge of the way in which brain circuits operate in DS is fundamental to understand the causes of behavioral impairment and devise targeted interventions. This review summarizes the state of the art regarding the electrical properties of the DS brain, starting from individual neurons and culminating in signal processing in whole neuronal networks. The reported evidence derives from mouse models of DS and from brain tissues and neurons derived from individuals with DS. EEG data recorded in individuals with DS are also provided as a key tool to understand the impact of brain circuit alterations on global brain activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Bartesaghi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Smeyne CN, Esbensen AJ, Schworer EK, Belizaire S, Hoffman EK, Beebe DW, Wiley S. Evaluating Verbal Fluency Outcome Measures in Children With Down Syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2022; 127:328-344. [PMID: 36122330 PMCID: PMC9487840 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-127.4.328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the psychometric properties of a verbal fluency task for potential use as an outcome measure in future clinical trials involving children with Down syndrome. Eighty-five participants attempted a modified version of the Neuropsychological Assessment of Children, Second Edition Word Generation Task at two time points. In the full sample, the measure fell below a priori reliability and feasibility criteria, though feasibility of the semantic trials were higher than feasibility of the phonemic trials. Performance on the measure correlated with chronological age and IQ scores, and no sex-related effects were found. Additional analyses suggested that the semantic verbal fluency trials might be appropriate for children with Down syndrome 10 years of age and older.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catelyn N. Smeyne
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
| | - Anna J. Esbensen
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Emily K. Schworer
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
| | - Shequanna Belizaire
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
| | - Emily K. Hoffman
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
| | - Dean W. Beebe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
| | - Susan Wiley
- Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
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Pinotsis DA, Miller EK. Beyond dimension reduction: Stable electric fields emerge from and allow representational drift. Neuroimage 2022; 253:119058. [PMID: 35272022 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that the exact neurons maintaining a given memory (the neural ensemble) change from trial to trial. This raises the question of how the brain achieves stability in the face of this representational drift. Here, we demonstrate that this stability emerges at the level of the electric fields that arise from neural activity. We show that electric fields carry information about working memory content. The electric fields, in turn, can act as "guard rails" that funnel higher dimensional variable neural activity along stable lower dimensional routes. We obtained the latent space associated with each memory. We then confirmed the stability of the electric field by mapping the latent space to different cortical patches (that comprise a neural ensemble) and reconstructing information flow between patches. Stable electric fields can allow latent states to be transferred between brain areas, in accord with modern engram theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris A Pinotsis
- Centre for Mathematical Neuroscience and Psychology and Department of Psychology, City-University of London, London EC1V 0HB, United Kingdom; The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Earl K Miller
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Kristensen K, Lorenz KM, Zhou X, Piro-Gambetti B, Hartley SL, Godar SP, Diel S, Neubauer E, Litovsky RY. Language and executive functioning in young adults with Down syndrome. JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH : JIDR 2022; 66:151-161. [PMID: 34288180 PMCID: PMC8766869 DOI: 10.1111/jir.12868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study examined the association between executive functioning and language in young adults with Down syndrome (DS). METHOD Nineteen young adults with DS (aged 19-24 years) completed standardised measures of overall cognition, vocabulary, verbal fluency and executive function skills. RESULTS Friedman's analysis of variance (χ2 (3) = 28.15, P < .001) and post hoc comparisons indicated that, on average, participants had a significantly lower overall non-verbal than verbal cognitive age equivalent and lower expressive than receptive vocabulary skills. Using Spearman correlations, performance on a verbal measure of cognition inhibition was significantly negatively related to receptive vocabulary (ρ = -.529, adjusted P = .036) and verbal fluency (ρ = -.608, adjusted P = .022). Attention was significantly positively correlated with receptive (ρ = .698, adjusted-p = .005) and expressive (ρ = .542, adjusted P = .027) vocabulary. Verbal working memory was significantly positively associated with receptive vocabulary (ρ = .585, adjusted P = .022) and verbal fluency (ρ = .737, adjusted P = .003). Finally, visuospatial working memory was significantly associated with receptive vocabulary (ρ = .562, adjusted P = .027). CONCLUSIONS Verbal and non-verbal measures of executive functioning skills had important associations with language ability in young adults with DS. Future translational research is needed to investigate causal pathways underlying these relationships. Research should explore if interventions aimed at increasing executive functioning skills (e.g. attention, inhibition and working memory) have the potential to lead to increases in language for young adults with DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Kristensen
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - K M Lorenz
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - X Zhou
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - B Piro-Gambetti
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - S L Hartley
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - S P Godar
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - S Diel
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - E Neubauer
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - R Y Litovsky
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Hamburg S, Bush D, Strydom A, Startin CM. Comparison of resting-state EEG between adults with Down syndrome and typically developing controls. J Neurodev Disord 2021; 13:48. [PMID: 34649497 PMCID: PMC8518326 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-021-09392-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability (ID) worldwide. Understanding electrophysiological characteristics associated with DS provides potential mechanistic insights into ID, helping inform biomarkers and targets for intervention. Currently, electrophysiological characteristics associated with DS remain unclear due to methodological differences between studies and inadequate controls for cognitive decline as a potential cofounder. Methods Eyes-closed resting-state EEG measures (specifically delta, theta, alpha, and beta absolute and relative powers, and alpha peak amplitude, frequency and frequency variance) in occipital and frontal regions were compared between adults with DS (with no diagnosis of dementia or evidence of cognitive decline) and typically developing (TD) matched controls (n = 25 per group). Results We report an overall ‘slower’ EEG spectrum, characterised by higher delta and theta power, and lower alpha and beta power, for both regions in people with DS. Alpha activity in particular showed strong group differences, including lower power, lower peak amplitude and greater peak frequency variance in people with DS. Conclusions Such EEG ‘slowing’ has previously been associated with cognitive decline in both DS and TD populations. These findings indicate the potential existence of a universal EEG signature of cognitive impairment, regardless of origin (neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative), warranting further exploration. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-021-09392-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hamburg
- The London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS), London, UK.
| | - Daniel Bush
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK.,Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andre Strydom
- The London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS), London, UK.,Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Carla M Startin
- The London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS), London, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, London, UK
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Peng X, Feng Y, Ji S, Amos JT, Wang W, Li M, Ai S, Qiu X, Dong Y, Ma D, Yao D, Valdes-Sosa PA, Ren P. Gait Analysis by Causal Decomposition. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2021; 29:953-964. [PMID: 34029190 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2021.3082936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have investigated bilateral gaits based on the causality analysis of kinetic (or kinematic) signals recorded using both feet. However, these approaches have not considered the influence of their simultaneous causation, which might lead to inaccurate causality inference. Furthermore, the causal interaction of these signals has not been investigated within their frequency domain. Therefore, in this study we attempted to employ a causal-decomposition approach to analyze bilateral gait. The vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) signals of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and healthy control (HC) individuals were taken as an example to illustrate this method. To achieve this, we used ensemble empirical mode decomposition to decompose the left and right VGRF signals into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) from the high to low frequency bands. The causal interaction strength (CIS) between each pair of IMFs was then assessed through the use of their instantaneous phase dependency. The results show that the CISes between pairwise IMFs decomposed in the high frequency band of VGRF signals can not only markedly distinguish PD patients from HC individuals, but also found a significant correlation with disease progression, while other pairwise IMFs were not able to produce this. In sum, we found for the first time that the frequency specific causality of bilateral gait may reflect the health status and disease progression of individuals. This finding may help to understand the underlying mechanisms of walking and walking-related diseases, and offer broad applications in the fields of medicine and engineering.
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Pinotsis DA, Miller EK. Differences in visually induced MEG oscillations reflect differences in deep cortical layer activity. Commun Biol 2020; 3:707. [PMID: 33239652 PMCID: PMC7688644 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01438-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural activity is organized at multiple scales, ranging from the cellular to the whole brain level. Connecting neural dynamics at different scales is important for understanding brain pathology. Neurological diseases and disorders arise from interactions between factors that are expressed in multiple scales. Here, we suggest a new way to link microscopic and macroscopic dynamics through combinations of computational models. This exploits results from statistical decision theory and Bayesian inference. To validate our approach, we used two independent MEG datasets. In both, we found that variability in visually induced oscillations recorded from different people in simple visual perception tasks resulted from differences in the level of inhibition specific to deep cortical layers. This suggests differences in feedback to sensory areas and each subject's hypotheses about sensations due to differences in their prior experience. Our approach provides a new link between non-invasive brain imaging data, laminar dynamics and top-down control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris A Pinotsis
- Centre for Mathematical Neuroscience and Psychology and Department of Psychology, City -University of London, London, EC1V 0HB, UK.
- The Picower Institute for Learning & Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Earl K Miller
- The Picower Institute for Learning & Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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12
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Limanowski J, Litvak V, Friston K. Cortical beta oscillations reflect the contextual gating of visual action feedback. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117267. [PMID: 32818621 PMCID: PMC7779369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We decouple seen and felt hand postures during action via virtual reality. Vision of the hand is either task-relevant or a distractor. Task-relevance of vision is reflected by in- or decreases of occipital beta power. DCM suggests underlying changes in cortical (visual) excitability. Occipital beta may indicate the contextual gating of visual action feedback.
In sensorimotor integration, the brain needs to decide how its predictions should accommodate novel evidence by ‘gating’ sensory data depending on the current context. Here, we examined the oscillatory correlates of this process by recording magnetoencephalography (MEG) data during a new task requiring action under intersensory conflict. We used virtual reality to decouple visual (virtual) and proprioceptive (real) hand postures during a task in which the phase of grasping movements tracked a target (in either modality). Thus, we rendered visual information either task-relevant or a (to-be-ignored) distractor. Under visuo-proprioceptive incongruence, occipital beta power decreased (relative to congruence) when vision was task-relevant but increased when it had to be ignored. Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) revealed that this interaction was best explained by diametrical, task-dependent changes in visual gain. These results suggest a crucial role for beta oscillations in the contextual gating (i.e., gain or precision control) of visual vs proprioceptive action feedback, depending on current behavioral demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Limanowski
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom; Centre for Tactile Internet with Human-in-the-Loop, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Vladimir Litvak
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
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García-Alba J, Rubio-Valdehita S, Sánchez MJ, García AIM, Esteba-Castillo S, Gómez-Caminero M. Cognitive training in adults with intellectual disability: pilot study applying a cognitive tele-rehabilitation program. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2020; 68:301-308. [PMID: 35602993 PMCID: PMC9122373 DOI: 10.1080/20473869.2020.1764242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This pilot study analyzes the effect of a cognitive training program in adults with intellectual disability (ID). METHOD Twenty subjects (mean age 52.7 ± 9.77 years) with mild and moderate ID were divided in control and experimental group. Only the experimental group received the training program. This program was applied through the GNPT® (Guttmann, NeuroPersonalTrainer®) platform for people with ID. RESULTS The results revealed a significant improvement in the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test-2 scores (Matrices subtest) in the experimental group [Z = 2.12; p = .03] after the intervention, indicating an enhancement in fluid ability due to effect of cognitive training program. CONCLUSION Findings provide evidence of the importance of applying these programs in a systematized way in adults with ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Alba
- Research and Psychology in Education Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Rubio-Valdehita
- Department of Social, Work and Differential Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Julia Sánchez
- Psychology Department, Juan XXIII Roncalli Foundation, Madrid, Spain
| | - Amelia I. M. García
- Department of Social, Work and Differential Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susanna Esteba-Castillo
- Specialized Department in Mental Health and Intellectual Disability, Parc Hospitalari Martí I Julia, Girona, Spain
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Prefrontal-hippocampal functional connectivity encodes recognition memory and is impaired in intellectual disability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:11788-11798. [PMID: 32393630 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1921314117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) is the most common form of intellectual disability. The cognitive alterations in DS are thought to depend on brain regions critical for learning and memory such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HPC). Neuroimaging studies suggest that increased brain connectivity correlates with lower intelligence quotients (IQ) in individuals with DS; however, its contribution to cognitive impairment is unresolved. We recorded neural activity in the PFC and HPC of the trisomic Ts65Dn mouse model of DS during quiet wakefulness, natural sleep, and the performance of a memory test. During rest, trisomic mice showed increased theta oscillations and cross-frequency coupling in the PFC and HPC while prefrontal-hippocampal synchronization was strengthened, suggesting hypersynchronous local and cross-regional processing. During sleep, slow waves were reduced, and gamma oscillations amplified in Ts65Dn mice, likely reflecting prolonged light sleep. Moreover, hippocampal sharp-wave ripples were disrupted, which may have further contributed to deficient memory consolidation. Memory performance in euploid mice correlated strongly with functional connectivity measures that indicated a hippocampal control over memory acquisition and retrieval at theta and gamma frequencies, respectively. By contrast, trisomic mice exhibited poor memory abilities and disordered prefrontal-hippocampal functional connectivity. Memory performance and key neurophysiological alterations were rescued after 1 month of chronic administration of a green tea extract containing epigallocatequin-3-gallate (EGCG), which improves executive function in young adults with DS and Ts65Dn mice. Our findings suggest that abnormal prefrontal-hippocampal circuit dynamics are candidate neural mechanisms for memory impairment in DS.
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García-Alba J, Ramírez-Toraño F, Esteba-Castillo S, Bruña R, Moldenhauer F, Novell R, Romero-Medina V, Maestú F, Fernández A. Neuropsychological and neurophysiological characterization of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in Down syndrome. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 84:70-79. [PMID: 31518951 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) has been considered a unique model for the investigation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) but intermediate stages in the continuum are poorly defined. Considering this, we investigated the neurophysiological (i.e., magnetoencephalography [MEG]) and neuropsychological patterns of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD in middle-aged adults with DS. The sample was composed of four groups: Control-DS (n = 14, mean age 44.64 ± 3.30 years), MCI-DS (n = 14, 51.64 ± 3.95 years), AD-DS (n = 13, 53.54 ± 6.58 years), and Control-no-DS (healthy controls, n = 14, 45.21 ± 4.39 years). DS individuals were studied with neuropsychological tests and MEG, whereas the Control-no-DS group completed only the MEG session. Our results showed that the AD-DS group exhibited a significantly poorer performance as compared with the Control-DS group in all tests. Furthermore, this effect was crucially evident in AD-DS individuals when compared with the MCI-DS group in verbal and working memory abilities. In the neurophysiological domain, the Control-DS group showed a widespread increase of theta activity when compared with the Control-no-DS group. With disease progression, this increased theta was substituted by an augmented delta, accompanied with a reduction of alpha activity. Such spectral pattern-specifically observed in occipital, posterior temporal, cuneus, and precuneus regions-correlated with the performance in cognitive tests. This is the first MEG study in the field incorporating both neuropsychological and neurophysiological information, and demonstrating that this combination of markers is sensitive enough to characterize different stages along the AD continuum in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier García-Alba
- Research and Psychology in Education Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Federico Ramírez-Toraño
- Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain; Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susanna Esteba-Castillo
- Specialized Department in Mental Health and Intellectual Disability, Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià - Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària (IAS), Girona, Spain; Neurodevelopment group [Girona Biomedical Research Institute]-IDIBGI, Institute of Health Assistance (IAS), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Girona, Spain
| | - Ricardo Bruña
- Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain; Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Moldenhauer
- Internal Medicine Department, Adult Down Syndrome Unit, La Princesa University Hospital, Health Research Institute, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Novell
- Specialized Department in Mental Health and Intellectual Disability, Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià - Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Institut d'Assistència Sanitària (IAS), Girona, Spain; Neurodevelopment group [Girona Biomedical Research Institute]-IDIBGI, Institute of Health Assistance (IAS), Parc Hospitalari Martí i Julià, Girona, Spain
| | - Verónica Romero-Medina
- Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain; Department of Experimental Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain; Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández
- Center for Biomedical Technology, Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Technical University of Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain; Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, Madrid, Spain
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