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Meng X, Zhang S, Zhou S, Ma Y, Yu X, Guan L. Putative Risk Biomarkers of Bipolar Disorder in At-risk Youth. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01219-w. [PMID: 38710851 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01219-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a highly heritable and functionally impairing disease. The recognition and intervention of BD especially that characterized by early onset remains challenging. Risk biomarkers for predicting BD transition among at-risk youth may improve disease prognosis. We reviewed the more recent clinical studies to find possible pre-diagnostic biomarkers in youth at familial or (and) clinical risk of BD. Here we found that putative biomarkers for predicting conversion to BD include findings from multiple sample sources based on different hypotheses. Putative risk biomarkers shown by perspective studies are higher bipolar polygenetic risk scores, epigenetic alterations, elevated immune parameters, front-limbic system deficits, and brain circuit dysfunction associated with emotion and reward processing. Future studies need to enhance machine learning integration, make clinical detection methods more objective, and improve the quality of cohort studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Meng
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Shengmin Zhang
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Shuzhe Zhou
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yantao Ma
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Lili Guan
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China.
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Zhang W, Nery FG, Tallman MJ, Patino LR, Adler CM, Strawn JR, Fleck DE, Barzman DH, Sweeney JA, Strakowski SM, Lui S, DelBello MP. Individual prediction of symptomatic converters in youth offspring of bipolar parents using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2021; 30:55-64. [PMID: 32008167 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-020-01483-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Children of individuals with bipolar disorder (bipolar offspring) are at increased risk for developing mood disorders, but strategies to predict mood episodes are unavailable. In this study, we used support vector machine (SVM) to characterize the potential of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in predicting the first mood episode in youth bipolar offspring. From a longitudinal neuroimaging study, 19 at-risk youth who developed their first mood episode (converters), and 19 without mood episodes during follow-up (non-converters) were selected and matched for age, sex and follow-up time. Baseline 1H-MRS data were obtained from anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). Glutamate (Glu), myo-inositol (mI), choline (Cho), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), and phosphocreatine plus creatine (PCr + Cr) levels were calculated. SVM with a linear kernel was adopted to classify converters and non-converters based on their baseline metabolites. SVM allowed the significant classification of converters and non-converters across all regions for Cho (accuracy = 76.0%), but not for other metabolites. Considering all metabolites within each region, SVM allowed the significant classification of converters and non-converters for left VLPFC (accuracy = 76.5%), but not for right VLPFC or ACC. The combined mI, PCr + Cr, and Cho from left VLPFC achieved the highest accuracy differentiating converters from non-converters (79.0%). Our findings from this exploratory study suggested that 1H-MRS levels of mI, Cho, and PCr + Cr from left VLPFC might be useful to predict the development of first mood episode in youth bipolar offspring using machine learning. Future studies that prospectively examine and validate these metabolites as predictors of mood episodes in high-risk individuals are necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Fabiano G Nery
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Maxwell J Tallman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - L Rodrigo Patino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Caleb M Adler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Strawn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - David E Fleck
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Drew H Barzman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
| | - Stephen M Strakowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas At Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Su Lui
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Melissa P DelBello
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45219, USA
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Nery FG, Weber WA, Blom TJ, Welge J, Patino LR, Strawn JR, Chu WJ, Adler CM, Komoroski RA, Strakowski SM, DelBello MP. Longitudinal proton spectroscopy study of the prefrontal cortex in youth at risk for bipolar disorder before and after their first mood episode. Bipolar Disord 2019; 21:330-341. [PMID: 30864200 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate neurochemical abnormalities in the left and right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of youth at risk for bipolar disorder using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and after their first mood episode. METHODS Children and adolescents offspring of parents with bipolar I disorder (at-risk group, n = 117) and matched healthy controls (HC group, n = 61) were recruited at the University of Cincinnati. At-risk subjects had no lifetime major mood and psychotic disorders at baseline, and were followed up every 4 months to monitor for development of a major depressive, manic, hypomanic, or mixed mood episode. Levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), phosphocreatine plus creatine (PCr + Cr), choline-containing compounds, myo-inositol, and glutamate were determined using LCModel and corrected for partial volume effects. RESULTS There were no baseline differences in metabolite levels for any of the brain regions between at-risk and HC youth. Nineteen at-risk subjects developed a first mood episode during follow-up. Survival analyses showed that baseline PCr + Cr levels in the left VLPFC significantly predicted a mood episode during follow-up in the at-risk group (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27-0.82, P = 0.008). There were no longitudinal changes in metabolites levels in the VLPFC and ACC before and after a mood episode in at-risk subjects. CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence for abnormal proton spectroscopy metabolite levels in the VLPFC and ACC of at-risk youth, prior and after the development of their first mood episode. Preliminary findings of association between baseline PCr + Cr levels in the left VLPFC and risk to develop a mood episode warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiano G Nery
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Wade A Weber
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
| | - Thomas J Blom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Jeffrey Welge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Luis R Patino
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Jeffrey R Strawn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Wen-Jang Chu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Caleb M Adler
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Richard A Komoroski
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Stephen M Strakowski
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
| | - Melissa P DelBello
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
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Teixeira AL, Colpo GD, Fries GR, Bauer IE, Selvaraj S. Biomarkers for bipolar disorder: current status and challenges ahead. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 19:67-81. [PMID: 30451546 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2019.1550361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder marked by clinical and pathophysiological heterogeneity. There is a high expectation that personalized approaches can improve the management of patients with BD. For that, identification and validation of potential biomarkers are fundamental. Areas covered: This manuscript will critically review the current status of different biomarkers for BD, including peripheral, genetic, neuroimaging, and neurophysiological candidates, discussing the challenges to move the field forward. Expert commentary: There are no lab or complementary tests currently recommended for the diagnosis or management of patients with BD. Panels composed by multiple biomarkers will probably contribute to stratifying patients according to their clinical stage, therapeutic response, and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio L Teixeira
- a Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, UT Health , Houston , TX , USA.,b Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Investigação Médica, Faculdade de Medicina , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) , Belo Horizonte , Brazil
| | - Gabriela D Colpo
- a Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, UT Health , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Gabriel R Fries
- a Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, UT Health , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Isabelle E Bauer
- a Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, UT Health , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Sudhakar Selvaraj
- a Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences , McGovern Medical School, UT Health , Houston , TX , USA
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Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe, recurrent mood disorder, associated with a significant morbidity and mortality, with high rates of suicides and medical comorbidities. There is a high risk of mood disorders among the first-degree relatives of patients with BD. In the current clinical practice, the diagnosis of BD is made by history taking, interview and behavioural observations, thereby lacking an objective, biological validation. This approach may result in underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis and eventually poorer outcomes. Due to the heterogeneity of BD, the possibility of developing a single, specific biomarker is still remote; however, there is a set of promising biomarkers which may serve as predictive, prognostic or treatment markers in the future. The review presents a critical appraisal and update on some of the most promising candidates for biomarkers, namely, neuroimaging markers, peripheral biomarkers and genetic markers, including a brief discussion on cognitive endophenotypes as indicative of genetic risk. The lessons learnt from other fields and specialties in medicine need to be applied to psychiatry to translate the knowledge from ‘bench to bedside’ by means of clinically useful biomarkers. Overall, the biomarkers may help in pushing the shift towards personalized medicine for psychiatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Sagar
- Department of Psychiatry, All Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Xu H, Zhang H, Zhang J, Huang Q, Shen Z, Wu R. Evaluation of neuron-glia integrity by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Implications for psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:563-577. [PMID: 27702600 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Revised: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) has been widely applied in human studies. There is now a large literature describing findings of brain MRS studies with mental disorder patients including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. However, the findings are mixed and cannot be reconciled by any of the existing interpretations. Here we proposed the new theory of neuron-glia integrity to explain the findings of brain 1H-MRS stuies. It proposed the neurochemical correlates of neuron-astrocyte integrity and axon-myelin integrity on the basis of update of neurobiological knowledge about neuron-glia communication and of experimental MRS evidence for impairments in neuron-glia integrity from the authors and the other investigators. Following the neuron-glia integrity theories, this review collected evidence showing that glutamate/glutamine change is a good marker for impaired neuron-astrocyte integrity and that changes in N-acetylaspartate and lipid precursors reflect impaired myelination. Moreover, this new theory enables us to explain the differences between MRS findings in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Xu
- The Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, China.
| | - Handi Zhang
- The Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- The Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, China
| | - Qingjun Huang
- The Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, China
| | - Zhiwei Shen
- The Department of Radiology, the second affiliated hospital, Shantou University Medical College, China
| | - Renhua Wu
- The Department of Radiology, the second affiliated hospital, Shantou University Medical College, China
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de Sousa RT, Machado-Vieira R, Zarate CA, Manji HK. Targeting mitochondrially mediated plasticity to develop improved therapeutics for bipolar disorder. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2014; 18:1131-47. [PMID: 25056514 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2014.940893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a severe illness with few treatments available. Understanding BPD pathophysiology and identifying potential relevant targets could prove useful for developing new treatments. Remarkably, subtle impairments of mitochondrial function may play an important role in BPD pathophysiology. AREAS COVERED This article focuses on human studies and reviews evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in BPD as a promising target for the development of new, improved treatments. Mitochondria are crucial for energy production, generated mainly through the electron transport chain (ETC) and play an important role in regulating apoptosis and calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling as well as synaptic plasticity. Mitochondria move throughout the neurons to provide energy for intracellular signaling. Studies showed polymorphisms of mitochondria-related genes as risk factors for BPD. Postmortem studies in BPD also show decreased ETC activity/expression and increased nitrosative and oxidative stress (OxS) in patient brains. BPD has been also associated with increased OxS, Ca²⁺ dysregulation and increased proapoptotic signaling in peripheral blood. Neuroimaging studies consistently show decreased energy levels and pH in brains of BPD patients. EXPERT OPINION Targeting mitochondrial function, and their role in energy metabolism, synaptic plasticity and cell survival, may be an important avenue for development of new mood-stabilizing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael T de Sousa
- University of Sao Paulo, Institute and Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neuroscience, LIM-27, Faculty of Medicine , Paulo Rua Ovidio Pires de Campos 785, São Paulo, SP , Brazil
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Kondo DG, Hellem TL, Shi XF, Sung YH, Prescot AP, Kim TS, Huber RS, Forrest LN, Renshaw PF. A review of MR spectroscopy studies of pediatric bipolar disorder. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2014; 35:S64-80. [PMID: 24557702 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a3844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pediatric bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness whose pathophysiology is poorly understood and for which there is an urgent need for improved diagnosis and treatment. MR spectroscopy is a neuroimaging method capable of in vivo measurement of neurochemicals relevant to bipolar disorder neurobiology. MR spectroscopy studies of adult bipolar disorder provide consistent evidence for alterations in the glutamate system and mitochondrial function. In bipolar disorder, these 2 phenomena may be linked because 85% of glucose in the brain is consumed by glutamatergic neurotransmission and the conversion of glutamate to glutamine. The purpose of this article is to review the MR spectroscopic imaging literature in pediatric bipolar disorder, at-risk samples, and severe mood dysregulation, with a focus on the published findings that are relevant to glutamatergic and mitochondrial functioning. Potential directions for future MR spectroscopy studies of the glutamate system and mitochondrial dysfunction in pediatric bipolar disorder are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- D G Kondo
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahDepartments of Psychiatry (D.G.K., X.F.S., Y.H.S., P.F.R.)
| | - T L Hellem
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - X-F Shi
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahDepartments of Psychiatry (D.G.K., X.F.S., Y.H.S., P.F.R.)
| | - Y H Sung
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahDepartments of Psychiatry (D.G.K., X.F.S., Y.H.S., P.F.R.)
| | - A P Prescot
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahRadiology (A.P.P.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - T S Kim
- and Department of Psychiatry (T.S.K.), Catholic University of Korea Graduate School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - R S Huber
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - L N Forrest
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - P F Renshaw
- From The Brain Institute (D.G.K., T.L.H., X.F.S., Y.H.S., A.P.P., R.S.H., L.N.F., P.F.R), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UtahDepartments of Psychiatry (D.G.K., X.F.S., Y.H.S., P.F.R.)Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research (P.F.R.), Education and Clinical Center, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Hajek T, Bauer M, Simhandl C, Rybakowski J, O'Donovan C, Pfennig A, König B, Suwalska A, Yucel K, Uher R, Young LT, MacQueen G, Alda M. Neuroprotective effect of lithium on hippocampal volumes in bipolar disorder independent of long-term treatment response. Psychol Med 2014; 44:507-517. [PMID: 23721695 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291713001165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated an association between lithium (Li) treatment and brain structure in human subjects. A crucial unresolved question is whether this association reflects direct neurochemical effects of Li or indirect effects secondary to treatment or prevention of episodes of bipolar disorder (BD). METHOD To address this knowledge gap, we compared manually traced hippocampal volumes in 37 BD patients with at least 2 years of Li treatment (Li group), 19 BD patients with <3 months of lifetime Li exposure over 2 years ago (non-Li group) and 50 healthy controls. All BD participants were followed prospectively and had at least 10 years of illness and a minimum of five episodes. We established illness course and long-term treatment response to Li using National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) life charts. RESULTS The non-Li group had smaller hippocampal volumes than the controls or the Li group (F 2,102 = 4.97, p = 0.009). However, the time spent in a mood episode on the current mood stabilizer was more than three times longer in the Li than in the non-Li group (t(51) = 2.00, p = 0.05). Even Li-treated patients with BD episodes while on Li had hippocampal volumes comparable to healthy controls and significantly larger than non-Li patients (t(43) = 2.62, corrected p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support the neuroprotective effects of Li. The association between Li treatment and hippocampal volume seems to be independent of long-term treatment response and occurred even in subjects with episodes of BD while on Li. Consequently, these effects of Li on brain structure may generalize to patients with neuropsychiatric illnesses other than BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hajek
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - M Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - C Simhandl
- Psychiatrische Abteilung, Krankenhaus Neunkirchen, Austria
| | - J Rybakowski
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
| | - C O'Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - A Pfennig
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
| | - B König
- Psychiatrische Abteilung, Krankenhaus Neunkirchen, Austria
| | - A Suwalska
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
| | - K Yucel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - R Uher
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - L T Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - G MacQueen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - M Alda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Shi XF, Forrest LN, Kuykendall MD, Prescot AP, Sung YH, Huber RS, Hellem TL, Jeong EK, Renshaw PF, Kondo DG. Anterior cingulate cortex choline levels in female adolescents with unipolar versus bipolar depression: a potential new tool for diagnosis. J Affect Disord 2014; 167:25-9. [PMID: 25082110 PMCID: PMC4699311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2014.05.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed diagnosis in bipolar disorder (BD) due to misdiagnosis as major depressive disorder (MDD) is a significant public health concern. Thus, identification of relevant diagnostic biomarkers is a critical unmet need, particularly early in the course of illness. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is thought to play an important role in mood disorder pathophysiology. Case-control studies utilizing proton-1 magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) have found increased total choline levels in several brain regions in MDD. However, there are no published (1)H-MRS reports directly comparing adolescents with MDD and BD. We hypothesized that ACC choline levels would be increased in adolescents with unipolar versus bipolar depression. METHODS We studied depressed adolescents with MDD (n=28; mean age 17.0±2.1 years) and BD (n=9; 17.3±3.1 years). A Siemens Verio 3-Tesla clinical MRI system was used to acquire scans, using a single-voxel PRESS sequence. The voxel (18.75 cm(3)) was positioned on the ACC in the midsagittal plane. To remove potential gender effects, only female adolescent participants were included. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests. RESULTS A significantly increased ACC choline/creatine ratio was observed in participants with MDD (mean=0.253±0.021) compared to BD (mean=0.219±0.020) (p=0.0002). There were no significant differences in the other (1)H-MRS metabolites. LIMITATIONS Cross sectional design, single gender sample, limited sample size. CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest that ACC total choline may have the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker in adolescent mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Feng Shi
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Lauren N. Forrest
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - M. Danielle Kuykendall
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Andrew P. Prescot
- Department of Radiology, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Young-Hoon Sung
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Rebekah S. Huber
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Tracy L. Hellem
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Eun-Kee Jeong
- Department of Radiology, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Perry F. Renshaw
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA,VISN 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Douglas G. Kondo
- The Brain Institute, University of Utah, 383 Colorow Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA,VISN 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Prospective neurochemical characterization of child offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Res 2013; 214:153-60. [PMID: 24028795 PMCID: PMC3796054 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2012] [Revised: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We wished to determine whether decreases in N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) and increases in myoinositol (mI) concentrations as a ratio of creatine (Cr) occurred in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of pediatric offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (BD) and a healthy comparison group (HC) over a 5-year period using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). Paticipants comprised 64 offspring (9-18 years old) of parents with BD (36 with established BD, and 28 offspring with symptoms subsyndromal to mania) and 28 HCs, who were examined for group differences in NAA/Cr and mI/Cr in the DLPFC at baseline and follow-up at either 8, 10, 12, 52, 104, 156, 208, or 260 weeks. No significant group differences were found in metabolite concentrations at baseline or over time. At baseline, BD offspring had trends for higher mI/Cr concentrations in the right DLPFC than the HC group. mI/Cr concentrations increased with age, but no statistically significant group differences were found between groups on follow-up. It may be the case that with intervention youth at risk for BD are normalizing otherwise potentially aberrant neurochemical trajectories in the DLPFC. A longer period of follow-up may be required before observing any group differences.
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12
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Thermenos HW, Keshavan MS, Juelich RJ, Molokotos E, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Brent BK, Makris N, Seidman LJ. A review of neuroimaging studies of young relatives of individuals with schizophrenia: a developmental perspective from schizotaxia to schizophrenia. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2013; 162B:604-35. [PMID: 24132894 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to identify the developing abnormalities preceding psychosis, Dr. Ming T. Tsuang and colleagues at Harvard expanded Meehl's concept of "schizotaxia," and examined brain structure and function in families affected by schizophrenia (SZ). Here, we systematically review genetic (familial) high-risk (HR) studies of SZ using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), examine how findings inform models of SZ etiology, and suggest directions for future research. Neuroimaging studies of youth at HR for SZ through the age of 30 were identified through a MEDLINE (PubMed) search. There is substantial evidence of gray matter volume abnormalities in youth at HR compared to controls, with an accelerated volume reduction over time in association with symptoms and cognitive deficits. In structural neuroimaging studies, prefrontal cortex (PFC) alterations were the most consistently reported finding in HR. There was also consistent evidence of smaller hippocampal volume. In functional studies, hyperactivity of the right PFC during performance of diverse tasks with common executive demands was consistently reported. The only longitudinal fMRI study to date revealed increasing left middle temporal activity in association with the emergence of psychotic symptoms. There was preliminary evidence of cerebellar and default mode network alterations in association with symptoms. Brain abnormalities in structure, function and neurochemistry are observed in the premorbid period in youth at HR for SZ. Future research should focus on the genetic and environmental contributions to these alterations, determine how early they emerge, and determine whether they can be partially or fully remediated by innovative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- H W Thermenos
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Division of Public Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Xu J, Dydak U, Harezlak J, Nixon J, Dzemidzic M, Gunn AD, Karne HS, Anand A. Neurochemical abnormalities in unmedicated bipolar depression and mania: a 2D 1H MRS investigation. Psychiatry Res 2013; 213:235-41. [PMID: 23810639 PMCID: PMC3729606 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Revised: 01/13/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The neurobiology and neurochemistry of bipolar disorder and its different phases are poorly understood. This study investigated metabolite abnormalities in both unmedicated bipolar depression as well as mania using 2D 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (MRSI). MRSI data were obtained from 24 unmedicated bipolar disorder (BP) subjects (12 (hypo)manic (BPM)) and 12 depressed (BPD), and 20 closely matched healthy controls. 2D 1H MRSI data were collected from a 15-mm axial slice placed along the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) line to measure brain metabolites bilaterally in the thalamus and also the anterior and posterior cingulate cortex (ACC and PCC). Brain Lac/Cr levels were significantly increased in the BP group as a whole compared to healthy controls. Glutamate abnormalities varied across bipolar state as well as brain region: significantly increased Glx/Cr values were found in the left thalamus in BPD, but BPM had decreased Glu/Cr and Glx/Cr levels in the PCC when compared to healthy controls and decreased Glu/Cr levels even when compared to the BPD subjects group. The findings of the study point to state-related abnormalities of oxidative and glutamate metabolism in bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Xu
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University
| | - Ulrike Dydak
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University
| | | | | | - Mario Dzemidzic
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Abigail D. Gunn
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Harish S Karne
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Amit Anand
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
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14
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Neurochemical effects of quetiapine in patients with bipolar mania: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2013; 33:528-32. [PMID: 23764689 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e3182905b77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although the neurophysiology underlying pharmacotherapy for bipolar disorder remains poorly understood, recent studies suggest that therapeutic mechanisms may be reflected in changes in concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a putative measure of neuronal integrity and metabolism. In this study, we used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to examine prefrontal NAA in patients receiving quetiapine for bipolar mania. On the basis of previous findings, we hypothesized that remission would be associated with increased NAA concentrations in the prefrontal cortex. Thirty-one manic bipolar patients and 13 healthy subjects were recruited to participate in this prospective study. All subjects participated in MRS at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment. Bipolar subjects received open-label quetiapine monotherapy (mean dose [SD], 584 [191] mg). Fourteen patients remitted (Young Mania Rating Scale ≤ 12) ("remitters"), 11 patients did not ("nonremitters"), and 6 patients were lost to follow-up. Bipolar and healthy subjects did not significantly differ in baseline NAA or degree of change during the 8 weeks. Remitters showed greater mean baseline NAA concentrations in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex compared with nonremitters (P < 0.05). In the anterior cingulate, remitters showed near significantly decreased baseline NAA concentrations at baseline (P < 0.06), and significant differences in NAA change during the 8 weeks of treatment (P < 0.03). Manic patients who remitted with quetiapine treatment in the course of this study exhibited distinct patterns of baseline prefrontal NAA concentration, coupled with decreased NAA in the anterior cingulate with treatment; the latter possibly reflecting disparate effects of quetiapine on neuronal metabolism. These data support suggestions that therapeutic effects of quetiapine involve metabolic effects on specific prefrontal regions.
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15
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Frey BN, Andreazza AC, Houenou J, Jamain S, Goldstein BI, Frye MA, Leboyer M, Berk M, Malhi GS, Lopez-Jaramillo C, Taylor VH, Dodd S, Frangou S, Hall GB, Fernandes BS, Kauer-Sant'Anna M, Yatham LN, Kapczinski F, Young LT. Biomarkers in bipolar disorder: a positional paper from the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Biomarkers Task Force. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2013; 47:321-32. [PMID: 23411094 DOI: 10.1177/0004867413478217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Although the etiology of bipolar disorder remains uncertain, multiple studies examining neuroimaging, peripheral markers and genetics have provided important insights into the pathophysiologic processes underlying bipolar disorder. Neuroimaging studies have consistently demonstrated loss of gray matter, as well as altered activation of subcortical, anterior temporal and ventral prefrontal regions in response to emotional stimuli in bipolar disorder. Genetics studies have identified several potential candidate genes associated with increased risk for developing bipolar disorder that involve circadian rhythm, neuronal development and calcium metabolism. Notably, several groups have found decreased levels of neurotrophic factors and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress markers. Together these findings provide the background for the identification of potential biomarkers for vulnerability, disease expression and to help understand the course of illness and treatment response. In other areas of medicine, validated biomarkers now inform clinical decision-making. Although the findings reviewed herein hold promise, further research involving large collaborative studies is needed to validate these potential biomarkers prior to employing them for clinical purposes. Therefore, in this positional paper from the ISBD-BIONET (biomarkers network from the International Society for Bipolar Disorders), we will discuss our view of biomarkers for these three areas: neuroimaging, peripheral measurements and genetics; and conclude the paper with our position for the next steps in the search for biomarkers for bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benicio N Frey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
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16
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Özdel O, Kalayci D, Sözeri-Varma G, Kiroğlu Y, Tümkaya S, Toker-Uğurlu T. Neurochemical metabolites in the medial prefrontal cortex in bipolar disorder: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Neural Regen Res 2012; 7:2929-36. [PMID: 25317146 PMCID: PMC4190952 DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.36.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2012] [Accepted: 11/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy metabolite values in the medial prefrontal cortex of individuals with euthymic bipolar disorder. The subjects consisted of 15 patients with euthymic bipolar disorder type I and 15 healthy controls. We performed proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and measured levels of N-acetyl aspartate, choline and creatine. Levels of these three metabolites in the medial prefrontal cortex were found to be lower in patients with bipolar disorder compared with healthy controls. A positive correlation was found between illness duration and choline levels in the right medial prefrontal cortex. Our study suggests that during the euthymic period, there are abnormalities in cellular energy and membrane phospholipid metabolism in the medial prefrontal cortex, and that this may impair neuronal activity and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman Özdel
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey
| | - Demet Kalayci
- Department of Psychiatry, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, Antalya 07050, Turkey
| | - Gülfizar Sözeri-Varma
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey
| | - Yilmaz Kiroğlu
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey
| | - Selim Tümkaya
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey
| | - Tugçe Toker-Uğurlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli 20100, Turkey
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17
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Hajek T, Bauer M, Pfennig A, Cullis J, Ploch J, O’Donovan C, Bohner G, Klingebiel R, Young LT, MacQueen GM, Alda M. Large positive effect of lithium on prefrontal cortex N-acetylaspartate in patients with bipolar disorder: 2-centre study. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2012; 37:185-92. [PMID: 22353634 PMCID: PMC3341410 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.110097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroprotective effects of lithium (Li) have been well documented in tissue cultures and animal models, whereas human data continue to be limited. Previous studies investigating the association between Li treatment and brain N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a putative neuronal marker, showed mixed results because of methodological heterogeneity. METHODS To investigate the effects of Li on prefrontal cortex NAA levels, we compared patients with bipolar disorder from specialized Li clinics in Berlin and Halifax with at least 2 years of ongoing Li treatment (Li group), patients with lifetime Li exposure of less than 3 months more than 2 years ago (non-Li group) and healthy controls. Participants in both patient groups had at least 10 years of illness and 5 episodes. We measured left prefrontal NAA levels using 1.5-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS We enrolled 27 participants in the Li, 16 in the non-Li and 21 in the healthy control groups. The non-Li group had lower prefrontal NAA levels than the Li group (t41 = -3.44, corrected p < 0.01) or control participants (t35 = -2.91, corrected p < 0.05), who did not differ from the Li group (t46 = -0.14, p = 0.89). The same pattern of prefrontal NAA differences was replicated in both sites. In addition, there was a negative correlation between prefrontal NAA and duration of illness in the non-Li group (r = -0.60, p = 0.019) but not in the Li group (r = 0.07, p = 0.74). LIMITATIONS Study limitations include the crosssectional design and exposure to other medications. CONCLUSION Whereas patients with bipolar disorder, substantial illness burden and limited lifetime Li exposure had significantly lower prefrontal NAA levels than controls, Li-treated patients with similar illness burden showed prefrontal NAA levels comparable to those of healthy controls. These findings provide indirect support for neuroprotective effects of Li and for negative effects of illness burden on prefrontal NAA levels in patients with bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Hajek
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
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18
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Hajek T, Cullis J, Novak T, Kopecek M, Höschl C, Blagdon R, O’Donovan C, Bauer M, Young LT, MacQueen G, Alda M. Hippocampal volumes in bipolar disorders: opposing effects of illness burden and lithium treatment. Bipolar Disord 2012; 14:261-70. [PMID: 22548899 PMCID: PMC3525647 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2012.01013.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hippocampal volume decrease associated with illness burden is among the most replicated findings in unipolar depression. The absence of hippocampal volume changes in most studies of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) may reflect neuroprotective effects of lithium (Li). METHODS We recruited 17 BD patients from specialized Li clinics, with at least two years of regularly monitored Li treatment (Li group), and compared them to 12 BD participants with < 3 months of lifetime Li exposure and no Li treatment within two years prior to the scanning (non-Li group) and 11 healthy controls. All BD patients had at least 10 years of illness and five episodes. We also recruited 13 Li-naïve, young BD participants (15-30 years of age) and 18 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. We compared hippocampal volumes obtained from 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using optimized voxel-based morphometry with small volume correction. RESULTS The non-Li group had smaller left hippocampal volumes than controls (corrected p < 0.05), with a trend for lower volumes than the Li group (corrected p < 0.1), which did not differ from controls. Young, Li-naïve BD patients close to the typical age of onset had comparable hippocampal volumes to controls. CONCLUSIONS Whereas patients with limited lifetime Li exposure had significantly lower hippocampal volumes than controls, patients with comparable illness burden, but with over two years of Li treatment, or young Li-naïve BD patients, showed hippocampal volumes comparable to controls. These results provide indirect support for neuroprotective effects of Li and negative effects of illness burden on hippocampal volumes in bipolar disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Hajek
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
| | - Jeffrey Cullis
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Tomas Novak
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Prague Psychiatric Centre, 3rd School of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslav Kopecek
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Prague Psychiatric Centre, 3rd School of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cyril Höschl
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Prague Psychiatric Centre, 3rd School of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan Blagdon
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Claire O’Donovan
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - L Trevor Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - Glenda MacQueen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Martin Alda
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada,Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Prague Psychiatric Centre, 3rd School of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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19
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Fusar-Poli P, Howes O, Bechdolf A, Borgwardt S. Mapping vulnerability to bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2012; 37:170-84. [PMID: 22297067 PMCID: PMC3341409 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.110061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although early interventions in individuals with bipolar disorder may reduce the associated personal and economic burden, the neurobiologic markers of enhanced risk are unknown. METHODS Neuroimaging studies involving individuals at enhanced genetic risk for bipolar disorder (HR) were included in a systematic review. We then performed a region of interest (ROI) analysis and a whole-brain meta-analysis combined with a formal effect-sizes meta-analysis in a subset of studies. RESULTS There were 37 studies included in our systematic review. The overall sample for the systematic review included 1258 controls and 996 HR individuals. No significant differences were detected between HR individuals and controls in the selected ROIs: striatum, amygdala, hippocampus, pituitary and frontal lobe. The HR group showed increased grey matter volume compared with patients with established bipolar disorder. The HR individuals showed increased neural response in the left superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus and left insula compared with controls, independent from the functional magnetic resonance imaging task used. There were no publication biases. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these results. LIMITATIONS As the included studies were cross-sectional, it remains to be determined whether the observed neurofunctional and structural alterations represent risk factors that can be clinically used in preventive interventions for prodromal bipolar disorder. CONCLUSION Accumulating structural and functional imaging evidence supports the existence of neurobiologic trait abnormalities in individuals at genetic risk for bipolar disorder at various scales of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychosis Studies, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
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20
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Diwadkar VA, Goradia D, Hosanagar A, Mermon D, Montrose DM, Birmaher B, Axelson D, Rajarathinem R, Haddad L, Amirsadri A, Zajac-Benitez C, Rajan U, Keshavan MS. Working memory and attention deficits in adolescent offspring of schizophrenia or bipolar patients: comparing vulnerability markers. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2011; 35:1349-54. [PMID: 21549798 PMCID: PMC3126676 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2011.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2011] [Revised: 04/15/2011] [Accepted: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Working memory deficits abound in schizophrenia and attention deficits have been documented in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Adolescent offspring of patients may inherit vulnerabilities in brain circuits that subserve these cognitive domains. Here we assess impairments in offspring of schizophrenia (SCZ-Offspring) or bipolar (BP-Offspring) patients compared to controls (HC) with no family history of mood or psychotic disorders to the second degree. METHODS Three groups (n=100 subjects; range: 10-20 yrs) of HC, SCZ-Offspring and BP-Offspring gave informed consent. Working memory was assessed using a delayed spatial memory paradigm with two levels of delay (2s & 12s); sustained attention processing was assessed using the Continuous Performance Task-Identical Pairs version. RESULTS SCZ-Offspring (but not BP-Offspring) showed impairments in working memory (relative to HC) at the longer memory delay indicating a unique deficit. Both groups showed reduced sensitivity during attention but only BP-Offspring significantly differed from controls. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest unique (working memory/dorsal frontal cortex) and potentially overlapping (attention/fronto-striatal cortex) vulnerability pathways in adolescent offspring of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Working memory and attention assessments in these offspring may assist in the clinical characterization of the adolescents vulnerable to SCZ or BP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav A. Diwadkar
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM,Dept of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh SOM,Address Correspondence to: Vaibhav A. Diwadkar, PhD, Division of Brain Research & Imaging Neuroscience, Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM, UHC 9B, 4201 St. Antoine Blvd, Detroit MI 48301, U.S.A., Ph: 1.313.577.0164, Fax: 1.313.577.5900,
| | - Dhruman Goradia
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM
| | | | - Diana Mermon
- Dept of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh SOM
| | | | | | | | - R. Rajarathinem
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM
| | - Luay Haddad
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM
| | - Ali Amirsadri
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM
| | | | - Usha Rajan
- Dept of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University SOM
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21
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Singh MK, Spielman D, Libby A, Adams E, Acquaye T, Howe M, Kelley R, Reiss A, Chang KD. Neurochemical deficits in the cerebellar vermis in child offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2011; 13:189-97. [PMID: 21443573 PMCID: PMC3066452 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2011.00902.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to compare concentrations of N-acetyl aspartate, myo-inositol, and other neurometabolites in the cerebellar vermis of offspring at risk for bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls to examine whether changes in these neuronal metabolite concentrations occur in at-risk offspring prior to the onset of mania. METHODS A total of 22 children and adolescents aged 9-17 years with a familial risk for bipolar I or II disorder [at-risk offspring with non-bipolar I disorder mood symptoms (AR)], and 25 healthy controls (HC) were examined using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T to study metabolite concentrations in an 8-cc voxel in the cerebellar vermis. RESULTS Decreased myo-inositol and choline concentrations in the vermis were seen in the AR group compared to HC (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Decreased cellular metabolism and interference with second messenger pathways may be present in the cerebellar vermis in youth at risk for BD as evident by decreased myo-inositol and choline concentrations in this region. These results may be limited by a cross-sectional design, co-occurring diagnoses, and medication exposure. Longitudinal studies are necessary to determine whether early neurochemical changes can predict the development of mania. Improved methods for identifying children with certain neurochemical vulnerabilities may inform preventive and early intervention strategies prior to the onset of mania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet K Singh
- Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Research Program, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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22
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Keshavan MS, DeLisi LE, Seidman LJ. Early and broadly defined psychosis risk mental states. Schizophr Res 2011; 126:1-10. [PMID: 21123033 PMCID: PMC3388534 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2010.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2010] [Revised: 09/29/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Current definitions of the prodromal (or at-risk mental state) phase of schizophrenia include attenuated and/or transient psychotic symptoms as well as a combination of different risk indicators and a recent significant deterioration in global functioning. Data accumulated to date suggest rates of conversion to frank psychosis within two years in 25 to 40% of cases supporting the validity of these criteria. However, at this late phase of illness, functional deterioration is often already pronounced, highlighting the need for earlier identification. Moreover, negative symptoms and social impairments, cognitive deficits, other non-psychotic psychopathology and/or functional decline and non-specific biological indicators, often can be detected well before the at-risk mental state as currently defined; indicating that a broad characterization of an earlier stage may be possible. Identifying specific criteria to define this group of individuals, starting from the framework of familial high-risk, can help define a broader group of people, including earlier at-risk mental states, for future research. The hope is that this research will help facilitate intervention at earlier stages that may in turn minimize functional deterioration, and delay, attenuate or even prevent transition to psychosis. The disadvantages as well as the potential benefits of this approach are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matcheri S. Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts Mental Health Center; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Correspondence: Matcheri S. Keshavan, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center 401 Park Drive, Room 2P12 The Landmark Center Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Lynn E. DeLisi
- Department of Psychiatry, VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, Mass; Visiting Professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Larry J. Seidman
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts Mental Health Center; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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23
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Caetano SC, Olvera RL, Hatch JP, Sanches M, Chen HH, Nicoletti M, Stanley JA, Fonseca M, Hunter K, Lafer B, Pliszka SR, Soares JC. Lower N-acetyl-aspartate levels in prefrontal cortices in pediatric bipolar disorder: a ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2011; 50:85-94. [PMID: 21156273 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2010.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2009] [Revised: 10/15/2010] [Accepted: 10/19/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The few studies applying single-voxel ¹H spectroscopy in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD) have reported low N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and high myo-inositol / phosphocreatine plus creatine (PCr+Cr) ratios in the anterior cingulate. The aim of this study was to evaluate NAA, glycerophosphocholine plus phosphocholine (GPC+PC) and PCr+Cr in various frontal cortical areas in children and adolescents with BD. We hypothesized that NAA levels within the prefrontal cortex are lower in BD patients than in healthy controls, indicating neurodevelopmental alterations in the former. METHOD We studied 43 pediatric patients with DSM-IV BD (19 female, mean age 13.2 ± 2.9 years) and 38 healthy controls (19 female, mean age 13.9 ± 2.7 years). We conducted multivoxel in vivo ¹H spectroscopy measurements at 1.5 Tesla using a long echo time of 272 ms to obtain bilateral metabolite levels from the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), DLPFC (white and gray matter), cingulate (anterior and posterior), and occipital lobes. We used the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test to compare neurochemical levels between groups. RESULTS In pediatric BD patients, NAA and GPC+PC levels in the bilateral MPFC, and PCr+Cr levels in the left MPFC were lower than those seen in the controls. In the left DLPFC white matter, levels of NAA and PCr+Cr were also lower in BD patients than in controls. CONCLUSIONS Lower NAA and PCr+Cr levels in the PFC of children and adolescents with BD may be indicative of abnormal dendritic arborization and neuropil, suggesting neurodevelopmental abnormalities.
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Singh M, Spielman D, Adleman N, Alegria D, Howe M, Reiss A, Chang K. Brain glutamatergic characteristics of pediatric offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. Psychiatry Res 2010; 182:165-71. [PMID: 20413280 PMCID: PMC2866778 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2009] [Revised: 11/13/2009] [Accepted: 01/12/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We wished to determine whether decreases in prefrontal glutamate concentrations occur in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder with and at high risk for mania. Sixty children and adolescents, 9-18 years old, of parents with bipolar I or II disorder (20 offspring with established history of mania, "BD", 20 offspring with symptoms subsyndromal to mania, "SS", and 20 healthy controls "HC") were examined using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3T to study glutamatergic metabolite concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). A signal for reductions in absolute glutamate concentrations in the ACC was seen in the BD compared with HC and SS groups. No other statistically significant differences among groups were found. Offspring of parents with BD with prior histories of mania may have disruptions in glutamatergic function compared with HC or children at risk for BD who have not yet developed mania. Longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm whether prefrontal glutamate decreases only after the onset of full mania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet Singh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Limbic and corpus callosum aberrations in adolescents with bipolar disorder: a tract-based spatial statistics analysis. Biol Psychiatry 2009; 66:238-44. [PMID: 19389661 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2008] [Revised: 02/17/2009] [Accepted: 02/22/2009] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bipolar disorder (BD) is a common and debilitating condition, often beginning in adolescence. Converging evidence from genetic and neuroimaging studies indicates that white matter abnormalities may be involved in BD. In this study, we investigated white matter structure in adolescents with familial bipolar disorder using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a whole brain analysis. METHODS We analyzed DTI images using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS), a whole-brain voxel-by-voxel analysis, to investigate white matter structure in 21 adolescents with BD, who also were offspring of at least one parent with BD, and 18 age- and IQ-matched control subjects. Fractional anisotropy (FA; a measure of diffusion anisotropy), trace values (average diffusivity), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC; a measure of overall diffusivity) were used as variables in this analysis. In a post hoc analysis, we correlated between FA values, behavioral measures, and medication exposure. RESULTS Adolescents with BD had lower FA values than control subjects in the fornix, the left mid-posterior cingulate gyrus, throughout the corpus callosum, in fibers extending from the fornix to the thalamus, and in parietal and occipital corona radiata bilaterally. There were no significant between-group differences in trace or ADC values and no significant correlation between behavioral measures, medication exposure, and FA values. CONCLUSIONS Significant white matter tract alterations in adolescents with BD were observed in regions involved in emotional, behavioral, and cognitive regulation. These results suggest that alterations in white matter are present early in the course of disease in familial BD.
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Abstract
Clinicians have long used lithium to treat manic depression. They have also observed that lithium causes granulocytosis and lymphopenia while it enhances immunological activities of monocytes and lymphocytes. In fact, clinicians have long used lithium to treat granulocytopenia resulting from radiation and chemotherapy, to boost immunoglobulins after vaccination, and to enhance natural killer activity. Recent studies revealed a mechanism that ties together these disparate effects of lithium. Lithium acts through multiple pathways to inhibit glycogen synthetase kinase-3beta (GSK3 beta). This enzyme phosphorylates and inhibits nuclear factors that turn on cell growth and protection programs, including the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and WNT/beta-catenin. In animals, lithium upregulates neurotrophins, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor, neurotrophin-3 (NT3), as well as receptors to these growth factors in brain. Lithium also stimulates proliferation of stem cells, including bone marrow and neural stem cells in the subventricular zone, striatum, and forebrain. The stimulation of endogenous neural stem cells may explain why lithium increases brain cell density and volume in patients with bipolar disorders. Lithium also increases brain concentrations of the neuronal markers n-acetyl-aspartate and myoinositol. Lithium also remarkably protects neurons against glutamate, seizures, and apoptosis due to a wide variety of neurotoxins. The effective dose range for lithium is 0.6-1.0 mM in serum and >1.5 mM may be toxic. Serum lithium levels of 1.5-2.0 mM may have mild and reversible toxic effects on kidney, liver, heart, and glands. Serum levels of >2 mM may be associated with neurological symptoms, including cerebellar dysfunction. Prolonged lithium intoxication >2 mM can cause permanent brain damage. Lithium has low mutagenic and carcinogenic risk. Lithium is still the most effective therapy for depression. It "cures" a third of the patients with manic depression, improves the lives of about a third, and is ineffective in about a third. Recent studies suggest that some anticonvulsants (i.e., valproate, carbamapazine, and lamotrigene) may be useful in patients that do not respond to lithium. Lithium has been reported to be beneficial in animal models of brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and other conditions. Clinical trials assessing the effects of lithium are under way. A recent clinical trial suggests that lithium stops the progression of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wise Young
- W. M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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Berk M, Malhi GS, Hallam K, Gama CS, Dodd S, Andreazza AC, Frey BN, Kapczinski F. Early intervention in bipolar disorders: clinical, biochemical and neuroimaging imperatives. J Affect Disord 2009; 114:1-13. [PMID: 18819715 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2008.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2008] [Revised: 08/18/2008] [Accepted: 08/18/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In the absence of clear targets for primary prevention of many psychiatric illnesses, secondary prevention becomes the most feasible therapeutic target, and is best encompassed by the concept of early intervention. This construct encompasses the goals of minimising diagnostic delay and the prompt initiation of clinically appropriate therapy. This paper develops the rationale for early intervention in bipolar disorder. Three interrelated themes are discussed; the clinical data supporting the value of prompt diagnosis and treatment in bipolar disorder, the putative biochemical mechanisms underlying the pathophysiological processes, and the parallel concept of neuroprotection, and the developing neuroimaging data that supports early intervention. Early initiation of appropriate therapy may potentially facilitate improved clinical outcomes, and further might allow the secondary prevention of the sequelae of untreated illness, which include the deleterious impact on family relationships, psychosexual and vocational development, identity and self-concept and self-stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Berk
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Melbourne, PO Box 281, Geelong, Australia
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Chang K, Karchemskiy A, Kelley R, Howe M, Garrett A, Adleman N, Reiss A. Effect of divalproex on brain morphometry, chemistry, and function in youth at high-risk for bipolar disorder: a pilot study. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2009; 19:51-9. [PMID: 19232023 PMCID: PMC2709238 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2008.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Divalproex has been found efficacious in treating adolescents with and at high risk for bipolar disorder (BD), but little is known about the effects of mood stabilizers on the brain itself. We sought to examine the effects of divalproex on the structure, chemistry, and function of specific brain regions in children at high-risk for BD. METHODS A total of 24 children with mood dysregulation but not full BD, all offspring of a parent with BD, were treated with divalproex monotherapy for 12 weeks. A subset of 11 subjects and 6 healthy controls were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS], and functional MRI [fMRI]) at baseline and after 12 weeks. RESULTS There were no significant changes in amygdalar or cortical volume found over 12 weeks. Furthermore, no changes in neurometabolite ratios were found. However, we found the degree of decrease in prefrontal brain activation to correlate with degree of decrease in depressive symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS Bipolar offspring at high risk for BD did not show gross morphometric, neurometabolite, or functional changes after 12 weeks of treatment with divalproex. Potential reasons include small sample size, short exposure to medications, or lack of significant neurobiological impact of divalproex in this particular population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiki Chang
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5540, USA.
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Salvadore G, Drevets WC, Henter ID, Zarate CA, Manji HK. Early intervention in bipolar disorder, part I: clinical and imaging findings. Early Interv Psychiatry 2008; 2:122-35. [PMID: 19649152 PMCID: PMC2613320 DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-7893.2008.00071.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The concept of prevention is not new to psychiatry and has long been recognized in general medicine. Recent evidence has highlighted that early pharmacological and psychosocial treatment dramatically ameliorates poor prognosis and outcome for individuals with psychotic disorders, reducing conversion rates to full-blown illness and decreasing symptom severity. Nevertheless, despite the many recent advances in our thinking about early intervention, the need for early intervention in bipolar disorder (BPD) is an area that has been relatively neglected. This review attempts to synthesize what is currently known about early intervention in BPD. We discuss methodological issues pertaining to this topic, review clinical studies that focus on high-risk subjects as well as first-episode patients and review findings from brain imaging studies in the offspring of individuals with BPD as well as in first-episode patients. A companion paper discusses the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of agents with neurotrophic and neuroplastic properties, with a particular emphasis on lithium and valproate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Salvadore
- Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a serious and difficult-to-treat condition in any age group. In childhood and adolescence, diagnosis and treatment present specific challenges, as the disorder often manifests in atypical presentations, such as marked irritability and frequent alterations of mood states not typically seen in adults. The lack of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in pediatric populations also leads to many difficult pharmacologic challenges. In this paper, we review available studies in neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neurocognitive functioning, and genetics to further explore the underlying neurobiologic mechanisms of child and adolescent bipolar disorder. Future investigation should elicit distinct mechanisms for diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder from a neurobiologic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Kloos
- Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 833 Chestnut Street, Suite 210, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
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Patel NC, DelBello MP, Cecil KM, Stanford KE, Adler CM, Strakowski SM. Temporal change in N-acetyl-aspartate concentrations in adolescents with bipolar depression treated with lithium. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2008; 18:132-9. [PMID: 18439111 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2007.0088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) study identified the in vivo effects of lithium on N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) concentrations in adolescent bipolar depression. METHOD Twenty eight adolescents with bipolar I disorder in a depressive episode received open-label lithium 30 mg/kg, adjusted to achieve serum levels of 1.0-1.2 mEq/L. Medial ventral and ventral lateral prefrontal NAA concentrations were measured at baseline, day 7, and day 42 of treatment. Temporal changes in NAA concentrations were analyzed and effect sizes (Cohen's d) were calculated. RESULTS Medial ventral prefrontal NAA concentrations decreased over time (p = 0.03), with day-42 concentrations significantly lower than baseline concentrations (p = 0.01, d = 0.7). No significant time effects on NAA concentrations were observed in the left (p = 0.2) or right ventral lateral (p = 0.3) prefrontal cortices. CONCLUSIONS In contrast with prior studies of bipolar adults, this study observes that ventral prefrontal NAA concentrations do not significantly increase from baseline following lithium treatment in adolescent bipolar depression. The results should be viewed in the context of the study's limitations, including the lack of a matched healthy control group. Additional longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging studies are warranted to understand better the role of NAA in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and neurochemical mechanisms by which lithium stabilizes mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick C Patel
- College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912-2450, USA.
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Miklowitz DJ, Chang KD. Prevention of bipolar disorder in at-risk children: theoretical assumptions and empirical foundations. Dev Psychopathol 2008; 20:881-97. [PMID: 18606036 PMCID: PMC2504732 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579408000424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This article examines how bipolar symptoms emerge during development, and the potential role of psychosocial and pharmacological interventions in the prevention of the onset of the disorder. Early signs of bipolarity can be observed among children of bipolar parents and often take the form of subsyndromal presentations (e.g., mood lability, episodic elation or irritability, depression, inattention, and psychosocial impairment). However, many of these early presentations are diagnostically nonspecific. The few studies that have followed at-risk youth into adulthood find developmental discontinuities from childhood to adulthood. Biological markers (e.g., amygdalar volume) may ultimately increase our accuracy in identifying children who later develop bipolar I disorder, but few such markers have been identified. Stress, in the form of childhood adversity or highly conflictual families, is not a diagnostically specific causal agent but does place genetically and biologically vulnerable individuals at risk for a more pernicious course of illness. A preventative family-focused treatment for children with (a) at least one first-degree relative with bipolar disorder and (b) subsyndromal signs of bipolar disorder is described. This model attempts to address the multiple interactions of psychosocial and biological risk factors in the onset and course of bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Miklowitz
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
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Olvera RL, Caetano SC, Fonseca M, Nicoletti M, Stanley JA, Chen HH, Hatch JP, Hunter K, Pliszka SR, Soares JC. Low levels of N-acetyl aspartate in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of pediatric bipolar patients. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2007; 17:461-73. [PMID: 17822341 DOI: 10.1089/cap.2007.0102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests abnormalities in the structure, function, and neurochemistry of the frontal cortex in pediatric bipolar (BP) patients. We conducted a single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of pediatric BP patients, expecting lower N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels within that brain region compared to healthy comparison subjects. METHODS We studied 35 pediatric BP (23 BP type I, 12 BP type II; mean age +/- SD = 13.2 +/- 2.9 years; 18 females) and 36 healthy controls (mean age +/- SD = 13.7 +/- 2.6 years, 17 females). A short echo time, single-voxel (1)H spectroscopy approach point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) sequence, measurements of metabolites was performed on a 1.5T Philips MR system. RESULTS BP subjects had significantly lower NAA levels in the left DLPFC compared to healthy controls (F = 4.21, df = 1, 68, p = 0.04). There was not a significant difference between groups for phosphocreatine + creatine (PCr+Cr), glycerolphosphocholine + phosphocholine (GPC + PC), myo-inositol (mI), or glutamate. Further analyses revealed a significant reduction of NAA in our early puberty group compared to controls (Mann-Whitney U-test statistic = 52.00, p = 0.014), but not for BP versus controls in other pubertal groups. CONCLUSIONS BP subjects have lower NAA levels in the left DLPFC compared to healthy subjects, suggesting neuronal dysfunction in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rene L Olvera
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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Correll CU, Penzner JB, Lencz T, Auther A, Smith CW, Malhotra AK, Kane JM, Cornblatt BA. Early identification and high-risk strategies for bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disord 2007; 9:324-38. [PMID: 17547579 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2007.00487.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe and compare the relative merits of different identification strategies for individuals at risk for bipolar disorder (BPD). METHODS Selective review of data that support early identification in BPD, with a particular focus on emerging clinical high-risk strategies. RESULTS Early detection of individuals at risk for BPD can utilize genetic, endophenotypic and clinical methods. Most published work focuses on genetic familial endophenotypic risk markers for BPD. However, despite encouraging results, problems with specificity and sensitivity limit the application of these data to early prevention programs. In addition, offspring studies of BPD patients systematically exclude the majority of subjects without a first-degree bipolar relative. On the other hand, emerging work in the clinical-high-risk arena has already produced encouraging results. Although still preliminary, the identification of individuals in subsyndromal or attenuated symptom 'prodromal' stages of BPD seems to be an under-researched area that holds considerable promise deserving increased attention. Required next steps include the development of rating tools for attenuated and subsyndromal manic and depressive symptoms and of prodromal criteria that will allow prodromal symptomatology to be systematically studied in patients with recent-onset bipolar, as well as in prospective population-based phenomenology trials and attenuated symptom-based high-risk studies. CONCLUSIONS Given the current limitations of each early identification method, combining clinical, endophenotypic and genetic strategies will increase prediction accuracy. Since reliable biological markers for BPD have not been established and since most patients with BPD lack a first-degree relative with this disorder, clinical high-risk approaches have great potential to inform early identification and intervention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph U Correll
- The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Psychiatry Research, North Shore - Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA.
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Chang K, Adleman N, Wagner C, Barnea-Goraly N, Garrett A. Will neuroimaging ever be used to diagnose pediatric bipolar disorder? Dev Psychopathol 2007; 18:1133-46. [PMID: 17064431 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579406060548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
There is a great need for discovery of biological markers that could be used diagnostically for pediatric onset disorders, particularly those with potentially confusing phenomenology such as pediatric-onset bipolar disorder (BD). Obtaining these markers would help overcome current subjective diagnostic techniques of relying on parent and child interview and symptomatic history. Brain imaging may be the most logical choice for a diagnostic tool, and certain neurobiological abnormalities have already been found in pediatric BD. However, much work remains to be done before neuroimaging can be used reliably to diagnose this disorder, and because of the nature of BD and the limitations of imaging technology and technique, neuroimaging will likely at most be only a diagnostic aide in the near future. In this paper we discuss the characteristics of pediatric BD that complicate the use of biological markers as diagnostic tools, how neuroimaging techniques have been used to study pediatric BD so far, and the limitations and potential of such techniques for future diagnostic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiki Chang
- Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5540, USA.
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Chang K, Howe M, Gallelli K, Miklowitz D. Prevention of Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Integration of Neurobiological and Psychosocial Processes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2006; 1094:235-47. [PMID: 17347355 DOI: 10.1196/annals.1376.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a prevalent condition in the United States that typically begins before the age of 18 years and is being increasingly recognized in children and adolescents. Despite great efforts in discovering more effective treatments for BD, it remains a difficult-to-treat condition with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it appears prudent to focus energies into developing interventions designed to prevent individuals from ever fully developing BD. Such interventions early in the development of the illness might prevent inappropriate interventions that may worsen or hasten development of BD, delay the onset of first manic episode, and/or prevent development of full BD. Studies of populations at high-risk for BD development have indicated that children with strong family histories of BD, who are themselves experiencing symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and/or depression or have early mood dysregulation, may be experiencing prodromal states of BD. Understanding the neurobiological and genetic underpinnings that create risk for BD development would help with more accurate identification of this prodromal population, which could then lead to suitable preventative interventions. Such interventions could be pharmacologic or psychosocial in nature. Reductions in stress and increases in coping abilities through psychosocial interventions could decrease the chance of a future manic episode. Similarly, psychotropic medications may decrease negative sequelae of stress and have potential for neuroprotective and neurogenic effects that may contribute to prevention of fully expressed BD. Further research into the biologic and environmental mechanisms of BD development as well as controlled early intervention studies are needed to ameliorate this significant public health problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiki Chang
- Pediatric Bipolar Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
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Abstract
Advances in postgenomic technologies have radically changed the information output from complex biological systems, generating vast amounts of high complexity data that can be interpreted by means of chemometric and bioinformatic methods to achieve disease diagnosis and prognosis. High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of biofluids such as plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and urine can generate robust, interpretable metabolic fingerprints that contain latent information relating to physiological or pathological status. This technology has been successfully applied to both preclinical and clinical studies of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy, and cerebellar ataxia. An extension of this technology, (1)H magic-angle-spinning (HRMAS) NMR spectroscopy, can be used to generate metabolic information on small intact tissue samples, providing a metabolic link between metabolic profiling of biofluids and histology. In this review we provide a summary of high-resolution NMR studies in neurodegenerative disease and explore the potential of metabonomics in evaluating disease progression with respect to therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Holmes
- Biological Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences Division, Faculty of Natural Science, Imperial College London, South Kensington, UK.
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