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Urenda JP, Del Dosso A, Birtele M, Quadrato G. Present and Future Modeling of Human Psychiatric Connectopathies With Brain Organoids. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:606-615. [PMID: 36759258 PMCID: PMC11229385 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells are emerging as a powerful tool to model cellular aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders, including alterations in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and lineage trajectory. To date, most contributions in the field have focused on modeling cellular impairment of the cerebral cortex, with few studies probing dysfunction in local network connectivity. However, it is increasingly more apparent that these psychiatric disorders are connectopathies involving multiple brain structures and the connections between them. Therefore, the lack of reproducible anatomical features in these 3-dimensional cultures represents a major bottleneck for effectively modeling brain connectivity at the micro(cellular) level and at the macroscale level between brain regions. In this perspective, we review the use of current organoid protocols to model neuropsychiatric disorders with a specific emphasis on the potential and limitations of the current strategies to model impairments in functional connectivity. Finally, we discuss the importance of adopting interdisciplinary strategies to establish next-generation, multiregional organoids that can model, with higher fidelity, the dysfunction in the development and functionality of long-range connections within the brain of patients affected by psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Paul Urenda
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Del Dosso
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marcella Birtele
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Giorgia Quadrato
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
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2
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Zorlu N, Bayrakçı A, Karakılıç M, Zalesky A, Seguin C, Tian Y, Gülyüksel F, Yalınçetin B, Oral E, Gelal F, Bora E. Abnormal Structural Network Communication Reflects Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia. Brain Topogr 2023; 36:294-304. [PMID: 36971857 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-023-00954-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia has long been thought to be a disconnection syndrome and several previous studies have reported widespread abnormalities in white matter tracts in individuals with schizophrenia. Furthermore, reductions in structural connectivity may also impair communication between anatomically unconnected pairs of brain regions, potentially impacting global signal traffic in the brain. Therefore, we used different communication models to examine direct and indirect structural connections (polysynaptic) communication in large-scale brain networks in schizophrenia. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired from 62 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 35 controls. In this study, we used five network communication models including, shortest paths, navigation, diffusion, search information and communicability to examine polysynaptic communication in large-scale brain networks in schizophrenia. We showed less efficient communication between spatially widespread brain regions particulary encompassing cortico-subcortical basal ganglia network in schizophrenia group relative to controls. Then, we also examined whether reduced communication efficiency was related to clinical symptoms in schizophrenia group. Among different measures of communication efficiency, only navigation efficiency was associated with global cognitive impairment across multiple cognitive domains including verbal learning, processing speed, executive functions and working memory, in individuals with schizophrenia. We did not find any association between communication efficiency measures and positive or negative symptoms within the schizophrenia group. Our findings are important for improving our mechanistic understanding of neurobiological process underlying cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia.
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Nestor PG, Levin LK, Stone WS, Giuliano AJ, Seidman LJ, Levitt JJ. Brain structural abnormalities of the associative striatum in adolescents and young adults at genetic high-risk of schizophrenia: Implications for illness endophenotypes. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 155:355-362. [PMID: 36179416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Dysfunction in cortico-striatal circuitry represents a core component of the pathophysiology in schizophrenia (SZ) but its potential as a candidate endophenotype of the illness is often confounded by neuroleptic medication. METHODS Accordingly, 26 adolescent and young adult participants at genetic high-risk for schizophrenia, but who were asymptomatic and neuroleptic naïve, and 28 age-matched controls underwent 1.5T structural magnetic resonance imaging of the striatum, manually parcellated into limbic (LST), associative (AST), and sensorimotor (SMST) functional subregions. RESULTS In relation to their age peers, participants at genetic high-risk for schizophrenia showed overall lower striatal gray matter volume with their most pronounced loss, bilaterally in the AST, but not the LST or SMST. Neuropsychological testing revealed reduced executive functioning for genetically at-risk participants, although the groups did not differ significantly in overall intelligence or oral reading. For controls but not for at-genetic high-risk participants, stronger executive functioning correlated with increased bilateral AST volume. CONCLUSIONS Reduced bilateral AST volume in genetic high-risk adolescents and young adults, accompanied by heritable loss of higher cognitive brain-behavior relationships, might serve as a useful endophenotype of SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Nestor
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA; Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, Brockton, MA, 02301, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Laura K Levin
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - William S Stone
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Anthony J Giuliano
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Larry J Seidman
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - James J Levitt
- Clinical Neuroscience Division, Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton Division, Brockton, MA, 02301, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Yoo T, Joshi S, Prajapati S, Cho YS, Kim J, Park PH, Bae YC, Kim E, Kim SY. A Deficiency of the Psychiatric Risk Gene DLG2/PSD-93 Causes Excitatory Synaptic Deficits in the Dorsolateral Striatum. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:938590. [PMID: 35966008 PMCID: PMC9370999 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.938590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variations resulting in the loss of function of the discs large homologs (DLG2)/postsynaptic density protein-93 (PSD-93) gene have been implicated in the increased risk for schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Previously, we have reported that mice lacking exon 14 of the Dlg2 gene (Dlg2–/– mice) display autistic-like behaviors, including social deficits and increased repetitive behaviors, as well as suppressed spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in the striatum. However, the neural substrate underpinning such aberrant synaptic network activity remains unclear. Here, we found that the corticostriatal synaptic transmission was significantly impaired in Dlg2–/– mice, which did not seem attributed to defects in presynaptic releases of cortical neurons, but to the reduced number of functional synapses in the striatum, as manifested in the suppressed frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents in spiny projection neurons (SPNs). Using transmission electron microscopy, we found that both the density of postsynaptic densities and the fraction of perforated synapses were significantly decreased in the Dlg2–/– dorsolateral striatum. The density of dendritic spines was significantly reduced in striatal SPNs, but notably, not in the cortical pyramidal neurons of Dlg2–/– mice. Furthermore, a DLG2/PSD-93 deficiency resulted in the compensatory increases of DLG4/PSD-95 and decreases in the expression of TrkA in the striatum, but not particularly in the cortex. These results suggest that striatal dysfunction might play a role in the pathology of psychiatric disorders that are associated with a disruption of the Dlg2 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taesun Yoo
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Shambhu Joshi
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | | | - Yi Sul Cho
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jinkyeong Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Pil-Hoon Park
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | - Yong Chul Bae
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, South Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Soo Young Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Soo Young Kim,
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Capellán R, Moreno-Fernández M, Orihuel J, Roura-Martínez D, Ucha M, Ambrosio E, Higuera-Matas A. Ex vivo 1H-MRS brain metabolic profiling in a two-hit model of neurodevelopmental disorders: Prenatal immune activation and peripubertal stress. Schizophr Res 2022; 243:232-240. [PMID: 31787482 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal infections are environmental risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, traumatic experiences during adolescence in individuals exposed to infections during gestation could increase the risk of schizophrenia. It is of the most crucial importance to discover potential markers of the disease in its early stages or before its onset, so that therapeutic strategies may be implemented. In the present study, we combined a proposed two-hit model of schizophrenia-related symptoms with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to discover potential biomarkers. To this end, we i.p. injected 100 μg/kg/ml of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or saline on gestational days 15 and 16 to pregnant rats. Their male offspring were then subjected to five episodes of stress or handling on alternate days during postnatal days (PND) 28-38. Once the animals reached adulthood (PND70), we evaluated prepulse inhibition (PPI). At PND90, we performed an ex vivo 1H-MRS study in the cortex and striatum. While we did not detect alterations in PPI at the age tested, we found neurochemical disturbances induced by LPS, stress or (more interestingly) their interaction. LPS decreased glucose levels in the cortex and striatum and altered glutamate, glutamine and N-acetylaspartate levels. Glutamate and glutamine levels in the left (but not right) striatum were differentially affected by prenatal LPS exposure in a manner that depended on stress experiences. These results suggest that alterations in the glutamate cycle in the striatum could be used as early markers of developmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Capellán
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Moreno-Fernández
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Orihuel
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Roura-Martínez
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcos Ucha
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilio Ambrosio
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Alejandro Higuera-Matas
- Department of Psychobiology, School of Psychology, National University for Distance Education (UNED), C/Juan del Rosal 10, Madrid, Spain.
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He Y, Huang L, Wang K, Pan X, Cai Q, Zhang F, Yang J, Fang G, Zhao X, You F, Feng Y, Li Y, Chen JF. α-Synuclein Selectively Impairs Motor Sequence Learning and Value Sensitivity: Reversal by the Adenosine A2A Receptor Antagonists. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:808-823. [PMID: 34339491 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized pathologically by alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregates and clinically by the motor as well as cognitive deficits, including impairments in sequence learning and habit learning. Using intracerebral injection of WT and A53T mutant α-Syn fibrils, we investigate the behavioral mechanism of α-Syn for procedure-learning deficit in PD by critically determining the α-Syn-induced effects on model-based goal-directed behavior, model-free (probability-based) habit learning, and hierarchically organized sequence learning. 1) Contrary to the widely held view of habit-learning deficit in early PD, α-Syn aggregates in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) did not affect acquisition of habit learning, but selectively impaired goal-directed behavior with reduced value sensitivity. 2) α-Syn in the DLS (but not DMS) and SNc selectively impaired the sequence learning by affecting sequence initiation with the reduced first-step accuracy. 3) Adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonist KW6002 selectively improved sequence learning by preferentially improving sequence initiation and shift of sequence learning as well as behavioral reactivity. These findings established a casual role of α-Syn in the SN-DLS pathway in sequence-learning deficit and DMS α-Syn in goal-directed behavior deficit and suggest a novel therapeutic strategy to improve sequence-learning deficit in PD with enhanced sequence initiation by A2AR antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Linshan Huang
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Ke Wang
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Xinran Pan
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Qionghui Cai
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Feiyang Zhang
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Jingjing Yang
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Gengjing Fang
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Xinyue Zhao
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Feng You
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Yijia Feng
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China
| | - Jiang-Fan Chen
- The Molecular Neuropharmacology Laboratory and the Eye-Brain Research Center, The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.,Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325001, China
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7
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Li P, Jing RX, Zhao RJ, Shi L, Sun HQ, Ding Z, Lin X, Lu L, Fan Y. Association between functional and structural connectivity of the corticostriatal network in people with schizophrenia and unaffected first-degree relatives. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2020; 45:395-405. [PMID: 32436671 PMCID: PMC7595738 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.190015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dysfunction of the corticostriatal network has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, but findings are inconsistent within and across imaging modalities. We used multimodal neuroimaging to analyze functional and structural connectivity in the corticostriatal network in people with schizophrenia and unaffected first-degree relatives. METHODS We collected resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging scans from people with schizophrenia (n = 47), relatives (n = 30) and controls (n = 49). We compared seed-based functional and structural connectivity across groups within striatal subdivisions defined a priori. RESULTS Compared with controls, people with schizophrenia had altered connectivity between the subdivisions and brain regions in the frontal and temporal cortices and thalamus; relatives showed different connectivity between the subdivisions and the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the left precuneus. Post-hoc t tests revealed that people with schizophrenia had decreased functional connectivity in the ventral loop (ventral striatum-right ACC) and dorsal loop (executive striatum-right ACC and sensorimotor striatum-right ACC), accompanied by decreased structural connectivity; relatives had reduced functional connectivity in the ventral loop and the dorsal loop (right executive striatum-right ACC) and no significant difference in structural connectivity compared with the other groups. Functional connectivity among people with schizophrenia in the bilateral ventral striatum-right ACC was correlated with positive symptom severity. LIMITATIONS The number of relatives included was moderate. Striatal subdivisions were defined based on a relatively low threshold, and structural connectivity was measured based on fractional anisotropy alone. CONCLUSION Our findings provide insight into the role of hypoconnectivity of the ventral corticostriatal system in people with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Li
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Ri-Xing Jing
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Rong-Jiang Zhao
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Le Shi
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Hong-Qiang Sun
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Zengbo Ding
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Xiao Lin
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Lin Lu
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
| | - Yong Fan
- From the Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), and National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University, Beijing, China (Li, Shi, Sun, Lin, Lu); the National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (Jing); the Department of Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China (Zhao); the National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China (Ding); the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China (Lin, Lu); and the Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Fan)
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8
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Arsalidou M, Yaple Z, Jurcik T, Ushakov V. Cognitive Brain Signatures of Youth With Early Onset and Relatives With Schizophrenia: Evidence From fMRI Meta-analyses. Schizophr Bull 2020; 46:857-868. [PMID: 31978222 PMCID: PMC7345811 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbz130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Deficits in cognitive function are a major characteristic of schizophrenia. Many functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies examine brain correlates of cognitive function in adults with schizophrenia, showing altered implication of associative areas such as the prefrontal cortex and temporal cortex. fMRI studies also examine brain representation of cognitive function in adolescents with early onset schizophrenia and those at risk of the disorder, yet results are often inconsistent. We compile and analyze data from eligible fMRI studies using quantitative meta-analyses to reveal concordant brain activity associated with adolescent relatives of patients with schizophrenia and those with early onset schizophrenia. Results show similar functional hubs of brain activity (eg, precuneus) yet in opposite hemispheres and clusters in ventrolateral rather than dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. Other areas of altered implication include the middle temporal gyrus, insula, and cerebellum. We discuss the findings in reference to the protracted maturation of the prefrontal cortex and possible effects due to the medication status of the two groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Arsalidou
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Armyanskiy per. 4, c2, Moscow, 101000, room 406; tel: 1786-505-9779, e-mail: ; ;
| | - Zachary Yaple
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tomas Jurcik
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vadim Ushakov
- Kurchatov Department of NBICS-nature-like technologies, National Research Centre Kurchatov Institute, Moscow, Russian Federation,Department of Cybernetics, National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI”, Moscow, Russian Federation
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9
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Saarinen AIL, Huhtaniska S, Pudas J, Björnholm L, Jukuri T, Tohka J, Granö N, Barnett JH, Kiviniemi V, Veijola J, Hintsanen M, Lieslehto J. Structural and functional alterations in the brain gray matter among first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients: A multimodal meta-analysis of fMRI and VBM studies. Schizophr Res 2020; 216:14-23. [PMID: 31924374 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We conducted a multimodal coordinate-based meta-analysis (CBMA) to investigate structural and functional brain alterations in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (FRs). METHODS We conducted a systematic literature search from electronic databases to find studies that examined differences between FRs and healthy controls using whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or voxel-based morphometry (VBM). A CBMA of 30 fMRI (754 FRs; 959 controls) and 11 VBM (885 FRs; 775 controls) datasets were conducted using the anisotropic effect-size version of signed differential mapping. Further, we conducted separate meta-analyses about functional alterations in different cognitive tasks: social cognition, executive functioning, working memory, and inhibitory control. RESULTS FRs showed higher fMRI activation in the right frontal gyrus during cognitive tasks than healthy controls. In VBM studies, there were no differences in gray matter density between FRs and healthy controls. Furthermore, multi-modal meta-analysis obtained no differences between FRs and healthy controls. By utilizing the BrainMap database, we showed that the brain region which showed functional alterations in FRs (i) overlapped only slightly with the brain regions that were affected in the meta-analysis of schizophrenia patients and (ii) correlated positively with the brain regions that exhibited increased activity during cognitive tasks in healthy individuals. CONCLUSIONS Based on this meta-analysis, FRs may exhibit only minor functional alterations in the brain during cognitive tasks, and the alterations are much more restricted and only slightly overlapping with the regions that are affected in schizophrenia patients. The familial risk did not relate to structural alterations in the gray matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aino I L Saarinen
- Research Unit of Psychology, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland; Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Sanna Huhtaniska
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Juho Pudas
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Lassi Björnholm
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Tuomas Jukuri
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Jussi Tohka
- A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Niklas Granö
- Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Finland
| | - Jennifer H Barnett
- Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vesa Kiviniemi
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Juha Veijola
- Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | - Johannes Lieslehto
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Section for Neurodiagnostic Applications, Department of Psychiatry, Ludwig Maximilian University, Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Bavaria, Germany
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10
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Kuo HY, Liu FC. Synaptic Wiring of Corticostriatal Circuits in Basal Ganglia: Insights into the Pathogenesis of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0076-19.2019. [PMID: 31097624 PMCID: PMC6553570 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0076-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The striatum is a key hub in the basal ganglia for processing neural information from the sensory, motor, and limbic cortices. The massive and diverse cortical inputs entering the striatum allow the basal ganglia to perform a repertoire of neurological functions ranging from basic level of motor control to high level of cognition. The heterogeneity of the corticostriatal circuits, however, also renders the system susceptible to a repertoire of neurological diseases. Clinical and animal model studies have indicated that defective development of the corticostriatal circuits is linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and schizophrenia. Importantly, many neuropsychiatric disease-risk genes have been found to form the molecular building blocks of the circuit wiring at the synaptic level. It is therefore imperative to understand how corticostriatal connectivity is established during development. Here, we review the construction during development of these corticostriatal circuits at the synaptic level, which should provide important insights into the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders related to the basal ganglia and help the development of appropriate therapies for these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Ying Kuo
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chin Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
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11
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Karcher NR, Hua JPY, Kerns JG. Probabilistic Category Learning and Striatal Functional Activation in Psychosis Risk. Schizophr Bull 2019; 45:396-404. [PMID: 29590478 PMCID: PMC6403050 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sby033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosis risk is associated with striatal dysfunction, including a previous behavioral study that found that psychosis risk is associated with impaired performance on a probabilistic category learning task (PCLT; ie, the Weather Prediction Task), a task strongly associated with striatal activation. The current study examined whether psychosis risk based on symptom levels was associated with both poor behavioral performance and task-related physiological dysfunction in specific regions of the striatum while performing the PCLT. METHODS There were 2 groups of participants: psychosis risk (n = 21) who had both (a) extreme levels of self-reported psychotic-like beliefs and experiences and (b) interview-rated current attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS); and a comparison group (n = 20) who had average levels of self-reported psychotic-like beliefs and experiences. Participants completed the PCLT during fMRI scanning. RESULTS The current research replicated previous work finding behavioral PCLT deficits at the end of the task in psychosis risk. Furthermore, as expected, the psychosis risk group exhibited decreased striatal activation on the task, especially in the associative striatum. The psychosis risk group also displayed decreased activation in a range of cortical regions connected to the associative striatum. In contrast, the psychosis risk group exhibited greater activation predominantly in cortical regions not connected to the associative striatum. CONCLUSIONS Psychosis risk was associated with both behavioral and striatal dysfunction during performance on the PCLT, suggesting that behavioral and imaging measures using this task could be a marker for psychosis risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole R Karcher
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO,Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 214 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO 65211; tel: 573-882-8846, fax: 573-882-7710, e-mail:
| | - Jessica P Y Hua
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - John G Kerns
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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13
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Neuroimaging findings from childhood onset schizophrenia patients and their non-psychotic siblings. Schizophr Res 2016; 173:124-131. [PMID: 25819937 PMCID: PMC4583796 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Childhood onset schizophrenia (COS), with onset of psychosis before age 13, is a rare form of schizophrenia that represents a more severe and chronic form of the adult onset illness. In this review we examine structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of COS and non-psychotic siblings of COS patients in the context of studies of schizophrenia as a whole. Studies of COS to date reveal progressive loss of gray matter volume and cortical thinning, ventricular enlargement, progressive decline in cerebellar volume and a significant but fixed deficit in hippocampal volume. COS is also associated with a slower rate of white matter growth and disrupted local connectivity strength. Sibling studies indicate that non-psychotic siblings of COS patients share many of these brain abnormalities, including decreased cortical thickness and disrupted white matter growth, yet these abnormalities normalize with age. Cross-sectional and longitudinal neuroimaging studies remain some of the few methods for assessing human brain function and play a pivotal role in the quest for understanding the neurobiology of schizophrenia as well as other psychiatric disorders. Parallel studies in non-psychotic siblings provide a unique opportunity to understand both risk and resilience in schizophrenia.
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14
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Augmenting NMDA receptor signaling boosts experience-dependent neuroplasticity in the adult human brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:15331-6. [PMID: 26621715 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1509262112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Experience-dependent plasticity is a fundamental property of the brain. It is critical for everyday function, is impaired in a range of neurological and psychiatric disorders, and frequently depends on long-term potentiation (LTP). Preclinical studies suggest that augmenting N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) signaling may promote experience-dependent plasticity; however, a lack of noninvasive methods has limited our ability to test this idea in humans until recently. We examined the effects of enhancing NMDAR signaling using d-cycloserine (DCS) on a recently developed LTP EEG paradigm that uses high-frequency visual stimulation (HFvS) to induce neural potentiation in visual cortex neurons, as well as on three cognitive tasks: a weather prediction task (WPT), an information integration task (IIT), and a n-back task. The WPT and IIT are learning tasks that require practice with feedback to reach optimal performance. The n-back assesses working memory. Healthy adults were randomized to receive DCS (100 mg; n = 32) or placebo (n = 33); groups were similar in IQ and demographic characteristics. Participants who received DCS showed enhanced potentiation of neural responses following repetitive HFvS, as well as enhanced performance on the WPT and IIT. Groups did not differ on the n-back. Augmenting NMDAR signaling using DCS therefore enhanced activity-dependent plasticity in human adults, as demonstrated by lasting enhancement of neural potentiation following repetitive HFvS and accelerated acquisition of two learning tasks. Results highlight the utility of considering cellular mechanisms underlying distinct cognitive functions when investigating potential cognitive enhancers.
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15
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Skilleter AJ, Weickert CS, Vercammen A, Lenroot R, Weickert TW. Peripheral BDNF: a candidate biomarker of healthy neural activity during learning is disrupted in schizophrenia. Psychol Med 2015; 45:841-854. [PMID: 25162472 PMCID: PMC4413857 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291714001925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important regulator of synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity underlying learning. However, a relationship between circulating BDNF levels and brain activity during learning has not been demonstrated in humans. Reduced brain BDNF levels are found in schizophrenia and functional neuroimaging studies of probabilistic association learning in schizophrenia have demonstrated reduced activity in a neural network that includes the prefrontal and parietal cortices and the caudate nucleus. We predicted that brain activity would correlate positively with peripheral BDNF levels during probabilistic association learning in healthy adults and that this relationship would be altered in schizophrenia. METHOD Twenty-five healthy adults and 17 people with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder performed a probabilistic association learning test during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Plasma BDNF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS We found a positive correlation between circulating plasma BDNF levels and brain activity in the parietal cortex in healthy adults. There was no relationship between plasma BDNF levels and task-related activity in the prefrontal, parietal or caudate regions in schizophrenia. A direct comparison of these relationships between groups revealed a significant diagnostic difference. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to show a relationship between peripheral BDNF levels and cortical activity during learning, suggesting that plasma BDNF levels may reflect learning-related brain activity in healthy humans. The lack of relationship between plasma BDNF and task-related brain activity in patients suggests that circulating blood BDNF may not be indicative of learning-dependent brain activity in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. J. Skilleter
- School of Psychiatry,
University of New South Wales, Kensington,
NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia,
Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute,
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - C. S. Weickert
- School of Psychiatry,
University of New South Wales, Kensington,
NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia,
Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute,
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - A. Vercammen
- School of Psychiatry,
University of New South Wales, Kensington,
NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia,
Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute,
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - R. Lenroot
- School of Psychiatry,
University of New South Wales, Kensington,
NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia,
Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute,
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - T. W. Weickert
- School of Psychiatry,
University of New South Wales, Kensington,
NSW, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia,
Randwick, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute,
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
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16
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Wagshal D, Knowlton BJ, Cohen JR, Bookheimer SY, Bilder RM, Fernandez VG, Asarnow RF. Cognitive correlates of gray matter abnormalities in adolescent siblings of patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2015; 161:345-50. [PMID: 25541139 PMCID: PMC4405249 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Patients with childhood onset schizophrenia (COS) display widespread gray matter (GM) structural brain abnormalities. Healthy siblings of COS patients share some of these structural abnormalities, suggesting that GM abnormalities are endophenotypes for schizophrenia. Another possible endophenotype for schizophrenia that has been relatively unexplored is corticostriatal dysfunction. The corticostriatal system plays an important role in skill learning. Our previous studies have demonstrated corticostriatal dysfunction in COS siblings with a profound skill learning deficit and abnormal pattern of brain activation during skill learning. This study investigated whether structural abnormalities measured using volumetric brain morphometry (VBM) were present in siblings of COS patients and whether these were related to deficits in cognitive skill learning. Results revealed smaller GM volume in COS siblings relative to controls in a number of regions, including occipital, parietal, and subcortical regions including the striatum, and greater GM volume relative to controls in several subcortical regions. Volume in the right superior frontal gyrus and cerebellum were related to performance differences between groups on the weather prediction task, a measure of cognitive skill learning. Our results support the idea that corticostriatal and cerebellar impairment in unaffected siblings of COS patients are behaviorally relevant and may reflect genetic risk for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Wagshal
- University of California San Francisco, United States.
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