1
|
Levitis E, Liu S, Whitman ET, Warling A, Torres E, Clasen LS, Lalonde FM, Sarlls J, Alexander DC, Raznahan A. The Variegation of Human Brain Vulnerability to Rare Genetic Disorders and Convergence With Behaviorally Defined Disorders. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:136-146. [PMID: 37480975 PMCID: PMC10799187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.07.008] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diverse gene dosage disorders (GDDs) increase risk for psychiatric impairment, but characterization of GDD effects on the human brain has so far been piecemeal, with few simultaneous analyses of multiple brain features across different GDDs. METHODS Here, through multimodal neuroimaging of 3 aneuploidy syndromes (XXY [total n = 191, 92 control participants], XYY [total n = 81, 47 control participants], and trisomy 21 [total n = 69, 41 control participants]), we systematically mapped the effects of supernumerary X, Y, and chromosome 21 dosage across a breadth of 15 different macrostructural, microstructural, and functional imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs). RESULTS The results revealed considerable diversity in cortical changes across GDDs and IDPs. This variegation of IDP change underlines the limitations of studying GDD effects unimodally. Integration across all IDP change maps revealed highly distinct architectures of cortical change in each GDD along with partial coalescence onto a common spatial axis of cortical vulnerability that is evident in all 3 GDDs. This common axis shows strong alignment with shared cortical changes in behaviorally defined psychiatric disorders and is enriched for specific molecular and cellular signatures. CONCLUSIONS Use of multimodal neuroimaging data in 3 aneuploidies indicates that different GDDs impose unique fingerprints of change in the human brain that differ widely depending on the imaging modality that is being considered. Embedded in this variegation is a spatial axis of shared multimodal change that aligns with shared brain changes across psychiatric disorders and therefore represents a major high-priority target for future translational research in neuroscience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Levitis
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Center for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, UCL, London, UK.
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ethan T Whitman
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Allysa Warling
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Erin Torres
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - François M Lalonde
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Joelle Sarlls
- National Institutes of Health MRI Research Facility, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Daniel C Alexander
- Center for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, UCL, London, UK
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sanchez XC, Montalbano S, Vaez M, Krebs MD, Byberg-Grauholm J, Mortensen PB, Børglum AD, Hougaard DM, Nordentoft M, Geschwind DH, Buil A, Schork AJ, Thompson WK, Raznahan A, Helenius D, Werge T, Ingason A. Associations of psychiatric disorders with sex chromosome aneuploidies in the Danish iPSYCH2015 dataset: a case-cohort study. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:129-138. [PMID: 36697121 PMCID: PMC9976199 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00004-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased prevalence of mental illness has been reported in clinical studies of sex chromosome aneuploidies, but accurate population-based estimates of the prevalence and clinical detection rate of sex chromosome aneuploidies and the associated risks of psychiatric disorders are needed. In this study, we provide such estimates, valid for children and young adults of the contemporary Danish population. METHODS We used the iPSYCH2015 case-cohort dataset, which is based on a source population of single-born individuals born in Denmark between May 1, 1981, and Dec 31, 2008. The case sample comprises all individuals from the source population with a diagnosis of any index psychiatric disorder (schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, or ADHD) by the end of follow-up (Dec 31, 2015), registered in the hospital-based Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register. The cohort consists of individuals randomly selected from the source population, and overlaps with the case sample. Biobanked blood samples for individuals in the case and cohort samples underwent genotyping and quality-control filtering, after which we analysed microarray data to detect sex chromosome aneuploidy karyotypes (45,X, 47,XXX, 47,XXY, and 47,XYY). We estimated the population-valid prevalence of these karyotypes from the cohort sample. Weighted Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risks of each index psychiatric disorder associated with each sex chromosome aneuploidy karyotype, by use of date of first hospitalisation with the index disorder in the respective case group and the cohort as outcome. The clinical detection rate was determined by comparing records of clinical diagnoses of genetic conditions from the Danish National Patient Register with sex chromosome aneuploidy karyotype determined by our study. FINDINGS The assessed sample comprised 119 481 individuals (78 726 in the case sample and 43 326 in the cohort) who had genotyped and quality-control-filtered blood samples, including 64 533 (54%) people of gonadal male sex and 54 948 (46%) of gonadal female sex. Age during follow-up ranged from 0 to 34·7 years (mean 10·9 years [SD 3·5 years]). Information on ethnicity was not available. We identified 387 (0·3%) individuals as carriers of sex chromosome aneuploidies. The overall prevalence of sex chromosome aneuploidies was 1·5 per 1000 individuals. Each sex chromosome aneuploidy karyotype was associated with an increased risk of at least one index psychiatric disorder, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 2·20 (95% CI 1·42-3·39) for 47,XXY; 2·73 (1·25-6·00) for 47,XXX; 3·56 (1·01-12·53) for 45,X; and 4·30 (2·48-7·55) for 47,XYY. All karyotypes were associated with an increased risk of ADHD (HRs ranging from 1·99 [1·24-3·19] to 6·15 [1·63-23·19]), autism spectrum disorder (2·72 [1·72-4·32] to 8·45 [2·49-28·61]), and schizophrenia spectrum disorder (1·80 [1·15-2·80] to 4·60 [1·57-13·51]). Increased risk of major depressive disorder was found for individuals with 47,XXY (1·88 [1·07-3·33]) and 47,XYY (2·65 [1·12-5·90]), and of bipolar disorder for those with 47,XXX (4·32 [1·12-16·62]). The proportion of sex chromosome aneuploidy carriers who had been clinically diagnosed was 93% for 45,X, but lower for 47,XXY (22%), 47,XXX (15%), and 47,XYY (15%). Among carriers, the risk of diagnosis of at least one index psychiatric disorder did not significantly differ between those who had and had not been clinically diagnosed with sex chromosome aneuploidies (p=0·65). INTERPRETATION Increased risks of psychiatric disorders associated with sex chromosome aneuploidies, combined with low rates of clinical diagnosis of sex chromosome aneuploidies, compromise the adequate provision of necessary health care and counselling to affected individuals and their families, which might be helped by increased application of genetic testing in clinical settings. FUNDING Lundbeck Foundation and National Institutes of Health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Calle Sanchez
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Simone Montalbano
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morteza Vaez
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Morten Dybdahl Krebs
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jonas Byberg-Grauholm
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Preben B. Mortensen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- National Centre for Register-based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders D. Børglum
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine – Human Genetics and the iSEQ Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - David M. Hougaard
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Neonatal Screening, Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Daniel H Geschwind
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Center for Human Development, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Program in Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alfonso Buil
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Center for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrew J. Schork
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Center for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Wesley K. Thompson
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Dorte Helenius
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas Werge
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Center for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrés Ingason
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services, Copenhagen University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark
- Lundbeck Foundation Center for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Xenophontos A, Seidlitz J, Liu S, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Giedd JN, Alexander-Bloch A, Raznahan A. Altered Sex Chromosome Dosage Induces Coordinated Shifts in Cortical Anatomy and Anatomical Covariance. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:2215-2228. [PMID: 31828307 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome dosage (SCD) variation increases risk for neuropsychiatric impairment, which may reflect direct SCD effects on brain organization. Here, we 1) map cumulative X- and Y-chromosome dosage effects on regional cortical thickness (CT) and investigate potential functional implications of these effects using Neurosynth, 2) test if this map is organized by patterns of CT covariance that are evident in health, and 3) characterize SCD effects on CT covariance itself. We modeled SCD effects on CT and CT covariance for 308 equally sized regions of the cortical sheet using structural neuroimaging data from 301 individuals with varying numbers of sex chromosomes (169 euploid, 132 aneuploid). Mounting SCD increased CT in the rostral frontal cortex and decreased CT in the lateral temporal cortex, bilaterally. Regions targeted by SCD were associated with social functioning, language processing, and comprehension. Cortical regions with a similar degree of SCD-sensitivity showed heightened CT covariance in health. Finally, greater SCD also increased covariance among regions similarly affected by SCD. Our study both 1) develops novel methods for comparing typical and disease-related structural covariance networks in the brain and 2) uses these techniques to resolve and identify organizing principles for SCD effects on regional cortical anatomy and anatomical covariance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Xenophontos
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jay N Giedd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Warling A, Yavi M, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Lalonde FM, Raznahan A, Liu S. Sex Chromosome Dosage Effects on White Matter Structure in the Human Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5339-5353. [PMID: 34117759 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome aneuploidies, a group of neurogenetic conditions characterized by aberrant sex chromosome dosage (SCD), are associated with increased risks for psychopathology as well as alterations in gray matter structure. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of potential SCD-associated changes in white matter structure, or knowledge of how these changes might relate to known alterations in gray matter anatomy. Thus, here, we use voxel-based morphometry on structural neuroimaging data to provide the first comprehensive maps of regional white matter volume (WMV) changes across individuals with varying SCD (n = 306). We show that mounting X- and Y-chromosome dosage are both associated with widespread WMV decreases, including in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar tracts, as well as WMV increases in the genu of the corpus callosum and posterior thalamic radiation. We also correlate X- and Y-chromosome-linked WMV changes in certain regions to measures of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Finally, we demonstrate that SCD-driven WMV changes show a coordinated coupling with SCD-driven gray matter volume changes. These findings represent the most complete maps of X- and Y-chromosome effects on human white matter to date, and show how such changes connect to psychopathological symptoms and gray matter anatomy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allysa Warling
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mani Yavi
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - François M Lalonde
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Warling A, Liu S, Wilson K, Whitman E, Lalonde FM, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Raznahan A. Sex chromosome aneuploidy alters the relationship between neuroanatomy and cognition. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:493-505. [PMID: 32515138 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosome aneuploidy (SCA) increases the risk for cognitive deficits, and confers changes in regional cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA). Neuroanatomical correlates of inter-individual variation in cognitive ability have been described in health, but are not well-characterized in SCA. Here, we modeled relationships between general cognitive ability (estimated using full-scale IQ [FSIQ] from Wechsler scales) and regional estimates of SA and CT (from structural MRI scans) in both aneuploid (28 XXX, 55 XXY, 22 XYY, 19 XXYY) and typically-developing euploid (79 XX, 85 XY) individuals. Results indicated widespread decoupling of normative anatomical-cognitive relationships in SCA: we found five regions where SCA significantly altered SA-FSIQ relationships, and five regions where SCA significantly altered CT-FSIQ relationships. The majority of areas were characterized by the presence of positive anatomy-IQ relationships in health, but no or slightly negative anatomy-IQ relationships in SCA. Disrupted anatomical-cognitive relationships generalized from the full cohort to karyotypically defined subcohorts (i.e., XX-XXX; XY-XYY; XY-XXY), demonstrating continuity across multiple supernumerary SCA conditions. As the first direct evidence of altered regional neuroanatomical-cognitive relationships in supernumerary SCA, our findings shed light on potential genetic and structural correlates of the cognitive phenotype in SCA, and may have implications for other neurogenetic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allysa Warling
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen Wilson
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ethan Whitman
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - François M Lalonde
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tartaglia N, Howell S, Davis S, Kowal K, Tanda T, Brown M, Boada C, Alston A, Crawford L, Thompson T, van Rijn S, Wilson R, Janusz J, Ross J. Early neurodevelopmental and medical profile in children with sex chromosome trisomies: Background for the prospective eXtraordinarY babies study to identify early risk factors and targets for intervention. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:428-443. [PMID: 32506668 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosome trisomies (SCT), including Klinefelter syndrome/XXY, Trisomy X, and XYY syndrome, occur in 1 of every 500 births. The past decades of research have resulted in a broadening of known associated medical comorbidities as well as advances in psychological research. This review summarizes what is known about early neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and medical manifestations in young children with SCT. We focus on recent research and unanswered questions related to the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders that commonly present in the first years of life and discuss the medical and endocrine manifestations of SCT at this young age. The increasing rate of prenatal SCT diagnoses provides the opportunity to address gaps in the existing literature in a new birth cohort, leading to development of the eXtraordinarY Babies Study. This study aims to better describe and compare the natural history of SCT conditions, identify predictors of positive and negative outcomes in SCT, evaluate developmental and autism screening measures commonly used in primary care practices for the SCT population, and build a rich data set linked to a bank of biological samples for future study. Results from this study and ongoing international research efforts will inform evidence-based care and improve health and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Tartaglia
- eXtraordinarY Kids Clinic, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Susan Howell
- eXtraordinarY Kids Clinic, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Shanlee Davis
- eXtraordinarY Kids Clinic, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Karen Kowal
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Nemours-Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tanea Tanda
- Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Mariah Brown
- Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Cristina Boada
- Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Amanda Alston
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Nemours-Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Leah Crawford
- Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Talia Thompson
- Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Sophie van Rijn
- Clinical Neurodevelopment Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca Wilson
- eXtraordinarY Kids Clinic, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Developmental Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Jennifer Janusz
- eXtraordinarY Kids Clinic, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Neurology and Neuropsychology, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Judith Ross
- Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, Colorado, USA.,Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Nemours-Dupont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cognitive Profile, Emotional-Behavioral Features, and Parental Stress in Boys With 47,XYY Syndrome. Cogn Behav Neurol 2020; 32:87-94. [PMID: 31205122 DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe (a) the observed cognitive, emotional, and behavioral phenotype in a cohort of male children with 47,XYY syndrome and (b) stress levels in their parents. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional observational study of 11 boys diagnosed with 47,XYY syndrome and compared them with 11 age-matched boys with normal karyotype (46,XY). The participants performed standardized assessments of cognitive function, emotional state, and behavioral features; the parents completed a questionnaire evaluating parental stress. All data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. RESULTS All of the boys exhibited a normal cognitive profile. However, emotional-behavioral profiling revealed that internalizing and externalizing problems were more prevalent in the 47,XYY group. In addition, the stress levels of the parents of the 47,XYY group were reportedly higher than those of the parents of the 46,XY group. We also found that the time of the diagnosis had an effect on the mothers' stress levels; that is, postnatal fetal 47,XYY diagnosis was associated with higher maternal stress, whereas prenatal fetal 47,XYY diagnosis was not. CONCLUSIONS Generally, 47,XYY syndrome is associated with certain cognitive, emotional, and behavioral features. High stress levels have been reported by the mothers of 47,XYY boys who had been diagnosed postnatally because of unexpected developmental delay and/or learning difficulties. The present study highlights the need to better define the neuropsychiatric phenotype of 47,XYY children; namely, the effect of the chromosomal abnormality on their cognitive function and emotional-behavioral (internalizing and externalizing) features. This study could improve prenatal counseling and pediatric surveillance.
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang Q, Zhang J, Liu Z, Crow TJ, Zhang K, Palaniyappan L, Li M, Zhao L, Li X, Deng W, Guo W, Ma X, Cheng W, Ma L, Wan L, Lu G, Liu Z, Wang J, Feng J, Li T. "Brain Connectivity Deviates by Sex and Hemisphere in the First Episode of Schizophrenia"-A Route to the Genetic Basis of Language and Psychosis? Schizophr Bull 2019; 45:484-494. [PMID: 29939349 PMCID: PMC6403095 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sby061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is genetic in origin and associated with a fecundity disadvantage. The deficits in schizophrenia have been attributed to variation related to the human capacity for language or brain laterality. How sex influences the relative connectivity of the 2 hemispheres is a route to understanding these 2 functions. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we searched for sex- and hemisphere-specific changes in whole-brain functional-connectivity in multi-site datasets (altogether 672 subjects including 286 patients, all right-handed) in the first-episode schizophrenia (illness duration ≤ 1 year, mostly drug naive) and in chronic stages of schizophrenia (illness duration > 1 year), respectively. We used meta-analyses to integrate data from different sources concerning individuals at the same illness stage. We found first-episode male patients are predominantly left-lateralized in aberrant connectivity with a focus on Broca's area. Female patients show a lesser degree of lateralization than males, but to the right particularly in orbital frontal cortex. In the chronic stage, the focus of aberrant connectivity shifted from anterior to posterior structures with prominent involvement of the thalamus and pre- and post-central gyri bilaterally and in both sexes. While the "deviant connectivity" is right-sided in both the first-episode and the chronic stages in females, in males there is a shift between stages from the left to the right hemisphere. We hypothesized that the pathophysiology of schizophrenia may lie in the interaction between sex and lateralization, ie, in genetic mechanisms located on the X and Y chromosomes, intrinsic to the evolution of language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wang
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and BrainInspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, PR China
| | - Zhaowen Liu
- Life Science Research Center, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, PR China,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, PR China,School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, PR China
| | - Tim J Crow
- POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Lena Palaniyappan
- Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario & Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada,Centre for Translational Neuroimaging, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Mingli Li
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Liansheng Zhao
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Wei Deng
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Wanjun Guo
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Xiaohong Ma
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and BrainInspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, PR China
| | - Liang Ma
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Lin Wan
- POWIC, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK,Interdisciplinary Sciences, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Guangming Lu
- Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA,Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Zhening Liu
- Mental Health Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Jijun Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders (No. 13dz2260500), Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jianfeng Feng
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China,Key Laboratory of Computational Neuroscience and BrainInspired Intelligence (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, PR China,Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK,Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China,Shanghai Center for Mathematical Sciences, Shanghai, PR China,Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Jianfeng Feng: Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, and Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; tel:+86-21-65648379, e-mail: and Tao Li: Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China; tel: +86-28-85423561, e-mail:
| | - Tao Li
- Mental Health Center and Psychiatric Laboratory, the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,West China Brain Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Jianfeng Feng: Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, and Institute of Science and Technology for Brain Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China; tel:+86-21-65648379, e-mail: and Tao Li: Mental Health Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, PR China; tel: +86-28-85423561, e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Green T, Flash S, Reiss AL. Sex differences in psychiatric disorders: what we can learn from sex chromosome aneuploidies. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:9-21. [PMID: 30127341 PMCID: PMC6235860 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0153-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The study of sexual dimorphism in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders is challenging due to the complex interplay of diverse biological, psychological, and social factors. Males are more susceptible to neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit activity disorder. Conversely, after puberty, females are more prone to major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders compared to males. One major biological factor contributing to sex differences is the sex chromosomes. First, the X and Y chromosomes have unique and specific genetic effects as well as downstream gonadal effects. Second, males have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. Thus, sex chromosome constitution also differs between the sexes. Due to this complexity, determining genetic and downstream biological influences on sexual dimorphism in humans is challenging. Sex chromosome aneuploidies, such as Turner syndrome (X0) and Klinefelter syndrome (XXY), are common genetic conditions in humans. The study of individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies provides a promising framework for studying sexual dimorphism in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Here we will review and contrast four syndromes caused by variation in the number of sex chromosomes: Turner syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, XYY syndrome, and XXX syndrome. Overall we describe an increased rate of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder, along with the increased rates of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders in one or more of these conditions. In addition to contributing unique insights about sexual dimorphism in neuropsychiatric disorders, awareness of the increased risk of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in sex chromosome aneuploidies can inform appropriate management of these common genetic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Green
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Shira Flash
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Allan L Reiss
- Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wilson AC, Bishop DVM. Sex chromosome trisomies are not associated with atypical lateralization for language. Dev Med Child Neurol 2018; 60:1132-1139. [PMID: 29888392 PMCID: PMC6220794 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.13929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM To test the hypothesis that sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) are associated with reduced left lateralization for language. METHOD Using a cross-sectional design, language laterality was measured during an animation description task using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Data were available for 75 children with an SCT (47,XXX females [n=26], 47,XXY males [n=25], 47,XYY males [n=24]; mean age 11y 4mo [SD 3y 10mo]) and 132 comparison children with typical karyotypes (69 males, 63 females; mean age 9y 1mo [SD 1y 7mo]). RESULTS Lateralization for language did not differ between the SCT and comparison groups, either in mean laterality index or relative frequency of each laterality category. There were no differences when splitting the group with an SCT by trisomy. Handedness showed no group effects. INTERPRETATION Our data provide no evidence for disrupted lateralization for language in SCTs. The brain basis of the cognitive phenotype in SCTs is unlikely to be a failure of the left hemisphere to specialize for language, as previously suggested. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Children with a sex chromosome trisomy (SCT) have typically lateralized language. This disproves theories linking language problems to hemispheric specialization in SCTs.
Collapse
|
11
|
Medina-Andrade A, Villanueva-Mendoza C, Arenas S, Cortés-González V. Cataract in a patient with 47,XYY sex chromosome aneuploidy. ARCHIVOS DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE OFTALMOLOGIA 2018; 93:303-306. [PMID: 29397244 DOI: 10.1016/j.oftal.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
CASE REPORT The case concerns a 16 year-old boy with a history of high myopia and unilateral congenital cataract, tall stature for age, facial dysmorphism, hypermobile metacarpal-phalangeal joints, as well as behavioural problems. The mother had a history of recurrent pregnancy loss. Chromosomal analysis of the peripheral blood lymphocytes reported 47,XYY. DISCUSSION Patients with sex chromosome aneuploidy 47,XYY have higher risk of congenital malformations, although ophthalmological anomalies are unusual. Evaluation of patients with tall stature and behavioural problems should include a chromosomal analysis in order to determine the aetiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Medina-Andrade
- Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Institución de Asistencia Privada, Hospital Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - C Villanueva-Mendoza
- Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Institución de Asistencia Privada, Hospital Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Ciudad de México, México
| | - S Arenas
- Laboratorio de Medicina Genómica, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación, Ciudad de México, México
| | - V Cortés-González
- Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en México, Institución de Asistencia Privada, Hospital Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Ciudad de México, México.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hänggi J, Langer N, Lutz K, Birrer K, Mérillat S, Jäncke L. Structural brain correlates associated with professional handball playing. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124222. [PMID: 25915906 PMCID: PMC4411074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is no doubt that good bimanual performance is very important for skilled handball playing. The control of the non-dominant hand is especially demanding since efficient catching and throwing needs both hands. Methodology/Hypotheses We investigated training-induced structural neuroplasticity in professional handball players using several structural neuroimaging techniques and analytic approaches and also provide a review of the literature about sport-induced structural neuroplastic alterations. Structural brain adaptations were expected in regions relevant for motor and somatosensory processing such as the grey matter (GM) of the primary/secondary motor (MI/supplementary motor area, SMA) and somatosensory cortex (SI/SII), basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum and in the white matter (WM) of the corticospinal tract (CST) and corpus callosum, stronger in brain regions controlling the non-dominant left hand. Results Increased GM volume in handball players compared with control subjects were found in the right MI/SI, bilateral SMA/cingulate motor area, and left intraparietal sulcus. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity were increased within the right CST in handball players compared with control women. Age of handball training commencement correlated inversely with GM volume in the right and left MI/SI and years of handball training experience correlated inversely with radial diffusivity in the right CST. Subcortical structures tended to be larger in handball players. The anatomical measures of the brain regions associated with handball playing were positively correlated in handball players, but not interrelated in control women. Discussion/Conclusion Training-induced structural alterations were found in the somatosensory-motor network of handball players, more pronounced in the right hemisphere controlling the non-dominant left hand. Correlations between handball training-related measures and anatomical differences suggest neuroplastic adaptations rather than a genetic predisposition for a ball playing affinity. Investigations of neuroplasticity specifically in sportsmen might help to understand the neural mechanisms of expertise in general.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Hänggi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicolas Langer
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neural Systems Lab, The City College of New York, New York, NY, United States of America
- Child Mind Institute, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Kai Lutz
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Neurology and Rehabilitation, cereneo AG, Vitznau, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karin Birrer
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Rehabilitation Center Affoltern am Albis, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Affoltern am Albis, Switzerland
| | - Susan Mérillat
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP), Dynamic of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Special Education, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Mowery TM, Wilson SM, Kostylev PV, Dina B, Buchholz JB, Prieto AL, Garraghty PE. Embryological exposure to valproic acid disrupts morphology of the deep cerebellar nuclei in a sexually dimorphic way. Int J Dev Neurosci 2014; 40:15-23. [PMID: 25447790 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is diagnosed in males at a much higher rate than females. For this reason, the majority of autism research has used male subjects exclusively. However; more recent studies using genetic sex as a factor find that the development of the male and female brain is differentially affected by ASD. That is, the natural sex-specific differences that exist between male and female brains lead to sexually dimorphic expressions of autism. Here we investigate the putative sexual dimorphism that exists in the deep cerebellar nuclei of male and female rats exposed to valproic acid (VPA) on embryological day 12.5. We find natural sex-specific differences in adult nucleus area, length, and estimated cell populations. Therefore VPA exposure during embryology creates some sex-specific deficits such as higher cell counts in the VPA males and lower cell counts in the VPA females. At the same time, some effects of VPA exposure occur regardless of sex. That is, smaller nucleus area and length lead to truncated nuclei in both VPA males and females. These deficits are more pronounced in the VPA males suggesting that genetic sex could play a role in teratogenic susceptibility to VPA. Taken together our results suggests that VPA exposure induces sexually dimorphic aberrations in morphological development along a mediolateral gradient at a discrete region of the hindbrain approximate to rhombomere (R) 1 and 2. Sex-specific disruption of the local and long-range projections emanating from this locus of susceptibility could offer a parsimonious explanation for the brain-wide neuroanatomical variance reported in males and females with ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Mowery
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.
| | - Sarah M Wilson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Polina V Kostylev
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Blair Dina
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Jennifer B Buchholz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Anne L Prieto
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Preston E Garraghty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| |
Collapse
|