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Kulisch LK, Arumäe K, Briley DA, Vainik U. Triangulating causality between childhood obesity and neurobehavior: Behavioral genetic and longitudinal evidence. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13392. [PMID: 36950909 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Childhood obesity is a serious health concern that is not yet fully understood. Previous research has linked obesity with neurobehavioral factors such as behavior, cognition, and brain morphology. The causal directions of these relationships remain mostly untested. We filled this gap by using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study cohort comprising 11,875 children aged 9-10. First, correlations between the age- and sex-specific 95th BMI percentile (%BMIp95) and neurobehavioral measures were cross-sectionally analyzed. Effects were then aggregated by neurobehavioral domain for causal analyses. Behavioral genetic Direction of Causation modeling was used to test the direction of each relationship. Findings were validated by longitudinal cross-lagged panel modeling. %BMIp95 correlated with impulsivity, motivation, psychopathology, eating behavior, and cognitive tests (executive functioning, language, memory, perception, working memory). Greater %BMIp95 was also associated with reduced cortical thickness in frontal and temporal brain areas but with increased thickness in parietal and occipital areas. Similar although weaker patterns emerged for cortical surface area and volume. Behavioral genetic modeling suggested causal effects of %BMIp95 on eating behavior (β = 0.26), cognition (β = 0.05), cortical thickness (β = 0.15), and cortical surface area (β = 0.07). Personality/psychopathology (β = 0.09) and eating behavior (β = 0.16) appeared to influence %BMIp95. Longitudinal evidence broadly supported these findings. Results regarding cortical volume were inconsistent. Results supported causal effects of obesity on brain functioning and morphology. The present study highlights the importance of physical health for brain development and may inform interventions aimed at preventing or reducing pediatric obesity. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: A continuous measure related to obesity, %BMIp95, has correlations with various measures of brain functioning and structure Behavioral genetic and longitudinal modeling suggest causal links from personality, psychopathology, and eating behavior to %BMIp95 Results also indicate directional links from %BMIp95 to eating behavior, cognition, cortical thickness, and cortical surface area Obesity may play a role for healthy brain development during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard Konstantin Kulisch
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Wilhem Wundt Institute for Pschology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kadri Arumäe
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Daniel A Briley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Uku Vainik
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Higgins RC, Keller KL, Aruma JC, Masterson TD, Adise S, Fearnbach N, Stein WM, English LK, Fuchs B, Pearce AL. Influence of exclusive breastfeeding on hippocampal structure, satiety responsiveness, and weight status. MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION 2022; 18:e13333. [PMID: 35167726 PMCID: PMC9218327 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Longer exclusive breastfeeding duration has been associated with differences in neural development, better satiety responsiveness, and decreased risk for childhood obesity. Given hippocampus sensitivity to diet and potential role in the integration of satiety signals, hippocampus may play a role in these relationships. We conducted a secondary analysis of 149, 7–11‐year‐olds (73 males) who participated in one of five studies that assessed neural responses to food cues. Hippocampal grey matter volume was extracted from structural scans using CAT12, weight status was assessed using age‐ and sex‐adjusted body mass index (%BMIp85), and parents reported exclusive breastfeeding duration and satiety responsiveness (Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire). Separate path models for left and right hippocampus tested: (1) the direct effect of exclusive breastfeeding on satiety responsiveness and its indirect effect through hippocampal grey matter volume; (2) the direct effect of hippocampal grey matter volume on %BMIp85 and its indirect effect through satiety responsiveness. %BMIp85 was adjusted for maternal education, yearly income, and premature birth while hippocampal grey matter volume was adjusted for total intercranial volume, age, and study from which data were extracted. Longer exclusive breastfeeding duration was associated with greater bilateral hippocampal grey matter volumes. In addition, better satiety responsiveness and greater left hippocampal grey matter volume were both associated with lower %BMIp85. However, hippocampal grey matter volumes were not associated with satiety responsiveness. Although no relationship was found between breastfeeding and child weight status, these results highlight the potential impact of exclusive breastfeeding duration on the hippocampal structure. Longer exclusive breastfeeding was associated with greater bilateral hippocampal grey matter volume but not satiety responsiveness in children. While exclusive breastfeeding duration was not directly associated with weight status, better satiety responsiveness and greater left hippocampal grey matter volume were both associated with lower weight status in children. This study highlights the potential impact of exclusive breastfeeding on hippocampal structure, providing a possible mechanism in which breastfeeding may reduce the risk for excess childhood weight gain. Future studies need to determine the relative impact that complementary periods of breastfeeding may have on regional brain development and satiety responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Higgins
- Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, University Park Campus, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathleen L Keller
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Food Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jane C Aruma
- Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, University Park Campus, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Travis D Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shana Adise
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.,Division of Research on Children, Youth, and Families, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Nicole Fearnbach
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.,Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Wendy M Stein
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Laural K English
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA.,Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review (NESR), Office of Nutrition Guidance and Analysis (ONGA), Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Alexandria, Virginia, USA.,The Panum Group, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Bari Fuchs
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alaina L Pearce
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
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Prathap S, Nagel BJ, Herting MM. Understanding the role of aerobic fitness, spatial learning, and hippocampal subfields in adolescent males. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9311. [PMID: 33927247 PMCID: PMC8084987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88452-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical exercise during adolescence, a critical developmental window, can facilitate neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and astrogliogenesis in Cornu Ammonis (CA) hippocampal subfields of rats, and which have been associated with improved hippocampal dependent memory performance. Recent translational studies in humans also suggest that aerobic fitness is associated with hippocampal volume and better spatial memory during adolescence. However, associations between fitness, hippocampal subfield morphology, and learning capabilities in human adolescents remain largely unknown. Employing a translational study design in 34 adolescent males, we explored the relationship between aerobic fitness, hippocampal subfield volumes, and both spatial and verbal memory. Aerobic fitness, assessed by peak oxygen utilization on a high-intensity exercise test (VO2 peak), was positively associated with the volumetric enlargement of the hippocampal head, and the CA1 head region specifically. Larger CA1 volumes were also associated with spatial learning on a Virtual Morris Water Maze task and verbal learning on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, but not recall memory. In line with previous animal work, the current findings lend support for the long-axis specialization of the hippocampus in the areas of exercise and learning during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Prathap
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA
| | - Bonnie J Nagel
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Megan M Herting
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90023, USA.
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Chenji S, Cox E, Jaworska N, Swansburg RM, MacMaster FP. Body mass index and variability in hippocampal volume in youth with major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2021; 282:415-425. [PMID: 33422817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.12.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus has been implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), in both adults and youth. However, possible sources of variability for the hippocampus have not been well delineated. Here, we explored the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and hippocampal volume in youth with MDD. METHODS Twenty-two controls (9 male, 13 female, 12-24 years), 24 youth with MDD and normal BMI (12 male, 12 female, 14-24 years), and 20 youth with MDD and high BMI (14 male, 6 female, 13-22 years) underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Hippocampal volume was determined through manual tracing of high-resolution anatomical T1 scans, and LCModel quantified neurochemical concentrations. Intracranial volume was used as a covariate in analysis to control for effects of brain volume on hippocampus. RESULTS In youth with MDD and normal BMI, right hippocampal volume was reduced (p = 0.006, Bonferroni) and a trend for reduced left hippocampal volume was noted when compared to healthy controls (p = 0.054, Bonferroni). Left hippocampal volumes were negatively associated with BMI in youth with MDD and high BMI group (r = -0.593, p = 0.006). No associations were found between the right hippocampus and BMI and there were no group differences for metabolite concentrations. LIMITATIONS Larger sample sizes would enable researchers to explore overweight vs obese groups and effect of sex in MDD-BMI groups. CONCLUSIONS BMI may account for some of the variability observed in previous studies of hippocampal volume in MDD, and therefore BMI impacts should be considered in future analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneha Chenji
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emily Cox
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Natalia Jaworska
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rose M Swansburg
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Frank P MacMaster
- Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Addictions and Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network, Alberta, Canada.
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Samara A, Li X, Pivik RT, Badger TM, Ou X. Brain activation to high-calorie food images in healthy normal weight and obese children: a fMRI study. BMC OBESITY 2018; 5:31. [PMID: 30524736 PMCID: PMC6276149 DOI: 10.1186/s40608-018-0209-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding how normal weight and obese young children process high-calorie food stimuli may provide information relevant to the neurobiology of eating behavior contributing to childhood obesity. In this study, we used fMRI to evaluate whether brain activation to high-calorie food images differs between normal weight and obese young children. METHODS Brain activation maps in response to high-calorie food images and non-food images for 22 healthy, 8-10-years-old children (N = 11/11 for normal weight/obese respectively) were generated and compared between groups. RESULTS When comparing brain activation differences in response to viewing high-calorie food versus non-food images between normal weight and obese children, group differences were observed in areas related to memory and cognitive control. Specifically, normal weight children showed higher activation of posterior parahippocampal gyri (PPHG) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC). Further ROI analyses indicated higher activation strength (Z scores) in the right PPHG (p = 0.01) and higher activation strength (p < 0.001) as well as a larger activation area (p = 0.02) in the DMPFC in normal weight than obese children. CONCLUSIONS Normal weight and obese children process high-calorie food stimuli differently even from a young age. Normal weight children exhibit increased brain activation in regions associated with memory and cognitive control when viewing high-calorie food images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Samara
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Xuehua Li
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - R. T. Pivik
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Thomas M. Badger
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
| | - Xiawei Ou
- Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR USA
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR USA
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Perlaki G, Molnar D, Smeets PAM, Ahrens W, Wolters M, Eiben G, Lissner L, Erhard P, van Meer F, Herrmann M, Janszky J, Orsi G. Volumetric gray matter measures of amygdala and accumbens in childhood overweight/obesity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205331. [PMID: 30335775 PMCID: PMC6193643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Neuroimaging data suggest that pediatric overweight and obesity are associated with morphological alterations in gray matter (GM) brain structures, but previous studies using mainly voxel-based morphometry (VBM) showed inconsistent results. Here, we aimed to examine the relationship between youth obesity and the volume of predefined reward system structures using magnetic resonance (MR) volumetry. We also aimed to complement volumetry with VBM-style analysis. Methods Fifty-one Caucasian young subjects (32 females; mean age: 13.8±1.9, range: 10.2–16.5 years) were included. Subjects were selected from a subsample of the I.Family study examined in the Hungarian center. A T1-weighted 1 mm3 isotropic resolution image was acquired. Age- and sex-standardized body mass index (zBMI) was assessed at the day of MRI and ~1.89 years (mean±SD: 689±188 days) before the examination. Obesity related GM alterations were investigated using MR volumetry in five predefined brain structures presumed to play crucial roles in body weight regulation (hippocampus, amygdala, accumbens, caudate, putamen), as well as whole-brain and regional VBM. Results The volumes of accumbens and amygdala showed significant positive correlations with zBMI, while their GM densities were inversely related to zBMI. Voxel-based GM mass also showed significant negative correlation with zBMI when investigated in the predefined amygdala region, but this relationship was mediated by GM density. Conclusions Overweight/obesity related morphometric brain differences already seem to be present in children/adolescents. Our work highlights the disparity between volume and VBM-derived measures and that GM mass (combination of volume and density) is not informative in the context of obesity related volumetric changes. To better characterize the association between childhood obesity and GM morphometry, a combination of volumetric segmentation and VBM methods, as well as future longitudinal studies are necessary. Our results suggest that childhood obesity is associated with enlarged structural volumes, but decreased GM density in the reward system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Perlaki
- MTA-PTE Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pecs, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, University of Pecs, Medical School, Pecs, Hungary
- * E-mail:
| | - Denes Molnar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pecs, Medical School, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Paul A. M. Smeets
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Wolfgang Ahrens
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Maike Wolters
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology—BIPS, Bremen, Germany
| | - Gabriele Eiben
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biomedicine and Public Health, School of Health and Education, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Lauren Lissner
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peter Erhard
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Department of Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Floor van Meer
- Image Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Manfred Herrmann
- Center for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Department of Neuropsychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Jozsef Janszky
- MTA-PTE Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pecs, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, University of Pecs, Medical School, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Gergely Orsi
- MTA-PTE Clinical Neuroscience MR Research Group, Pecs, Hungary
- Department of Neurology, University of Pecs, Medical School, Pecs, Hungary
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The Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome on the Dentate Gyrus and Learning and Memory in Children. J Neurosci 2017; 37:4280-4288. [PMID: 28320844 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3583-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with intermittent hypoxia and sleep loss. In children, impairments of cognitive function are important manifestations, but the underlying pathology is unknown. We hypothesized that OSAS would affect the dentate gyrus, a hippocampal subdivision essential to neurogenesis and cognition, and that this impact would further affect cognitive function in children. In children with OSAS (n = 11) and control subjects (n = 12; age and sex matched), we performed diffusion tensor imaging and structural MRI, polysomnography, and neuropsychological assessments. We found that OSAS was associated with decreased mean diffusivity of the left dentate gyrus (p = 0.002; false discovery rate corrected; adjusting for sex, age, and body mass index), showing a large effect size (partial η2 = 0.491), but not with any other structural measures across the brain. Decreased dentate gyrus mean diffusivity correlated with a higher apnea hypopnea index (Spearman's r = -0.50, p = 0.008) and a greater arousal index (r = -0.44, p = 0.017). OSAS did not significantly affect neuropsychological measures (p values >0.5); however, a lower verbal learning score correlated with lower dentate gyrus mean diffusivity (r = 0.54, p = 0.004). Path analysis demonstrated that dentate gyrus mean diffusivity mediates the impact of OSAS on verbal learning capacity. Finally, the diagnostic accuracy of a regression model based on dentate gyrus mean diffusivity reached 85.8% (cross validated). This study demonstrates a likely pathway of effects of OSAS on neurocognitive function in children, as well as potential utility of the dentate gyrus mean diffusivity as an early marker of brain pathology in children with OSAS.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study we investigate the relationships between dentate gyrus structure, hippocampus-dependent cognition, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We demonstrate lower mean diffusivity of the dentate gyrus in children with OSAS, which correlates with a lower verbal learning and memory score. This study provides new evidence of disrupted microstructure of the dentate gyrus in children with OSAS that may help explain some of the neurocognitive deficits described in these children.
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Hashimoto T, Fukui K, Takeuchi H, Yokota S, Kikuchi Y, Tomita H, Taki Y, Kawashima R. Effects of the BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism on Gray Matter Volume in Typically Developing Children and Adolescents. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:1795-803. [PMID: 26830347 PMCID: PMC4785961 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Val66Met polymorphism of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is associated with psychiatric disorders and regional gray matter volume (rGMV) in adults. However, the relationship between BDNF and rGMV in children has not been clarified. In this 3-year cross-sectional/longitudinal (2 time points) study, we investigated the effects of BDNF genotypes on rGMV in 185 healthy Japanese children aged 5.7-18.4 using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses. We found that the volume of the right cuneus in Met homozygotes (Met/Met) was greater than in Val homozygotes (Val/Val) in both exams, and the left insula and left ventromedial prefrontal cortex volumes were greater in Val homozygotes versus Met homozygotes in Exam l. In addition, Met homozygous subjects exhibited higher processing speed in intelligence indices than Val homozygotes and Val/Met heterozygotes at both time points. Longitudinal analysis showed that the left temporoparietal junction volume of Val/Met heterozygotes increased more substantially over the 3-year study period than in Val homozygotes, and age-related changes were observed for the Val/Met genotype. Our findings suggest that the presence of 2 Met alleles may have a positive effect on rGMV at the developmental stages analyzed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kento Fukui
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Institute Development, Aging and Cancer
| | | | | | - Yoshie Kikuchi
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science
| | - Hiroaki Tomita
- Department of Disaster Psychiatry, International Research Institute of Disaster Science
| | - Yasuyuki Taki
- Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Institute Development, Aging and Cancer Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, 980-8575 Sendai, Japan
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Fillmore PT, Richards JE, Phillips-Meek MC, Cryer A, Stevens M. Stereotaxic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Atlases for Infants from 3 to 12 Months. Dev Neurosci 2015; 37:515-32. [PMID: 26440296 DOI: 10.1159/000438749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accurate labeling of brain structures within an individual or group is a key issue in neuroimaging. Methods for labeling infant brains have depended on the labels done on adult brains or average magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) templates based on adult brains. However, the features of adult brains differ in several ways from infant brains, so the creation of a labeled stereotaxic atlas based on infants would be helpful. The current work builds on the recent creation of age-appropriate average MRI templates during the first year (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, and 12 months) by creating anatomical label sets for each template. METHODS We created stereotaxic atlases for the age-specific average MRI templates. Manual delineation of cortical and subcortical areas was done on the average templates based on infants during the first year. We also applied a procedure for automatic computation of macroanatomical atlases for individual infant participants using two manually segmented adult atlases (Hammers, LONI Probabilistic Brain Atlas-LPBA40). To evaluate our methods, we did manual delineation of several cortical areas on selected individuals from each age. Linear and nonlinear registration of the individual and average template was used to transform the average atlas into the individual participant's space, and the average-transformed atlas was compared to the individual manually delineated brain areas. We also applied these methods to an external data set - not used in the atlas creation - to test generalizability of the atlases. RESULTS Age-appropriate manual atlases were the best fit to the individual manually delineated regions, with more error seen at greater age discrepancy. There was a close fit between the manually delineated and the automatically labeled regions for individual participants and for the age-appropriate template-based atlas transformed into participant space. There was close correspondence between automatic labeling of individual brain regions and those from the age-appropriate template. These relationships held even when tested on an external set of images. CONCLUSION We have created age-appropriate labeled templates for use in the study of infant development at 6 ages (3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9, and 12 months). Comparison with manual methods was quite good. We developed three stereotaxic atlases (one manual, two automatic) for each infant age, which should allow more fine-grained analysis of brain structure for these populations than was previously possible with existing tools. The template-based atlases constructed in the current study are available online (http://jerlab.psych.sc.edu/NeurodevelopmentalMRIDatabase).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Fillmore
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., USA
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