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Ye S, Guan X, Xiu M, Wu F, Huang Y. Early efficacy of rTMS intervention at week 2 predicts subsequent responses at week 24 in schizophrenia in a randomized controlled trial. Neurotherapeutics 2024:e00392. [PMID: 38944636 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00392] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique for modulating cortical activities and improving neural plasticity. Several studies investigated the effects of rTMS, etc., but the results are inconsistent. This study was designed to examine whether rTMS applied on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (l-DLPFC) showed an effect on improving cognitive deficits in SZ and whether the early efficacy could predict efficacy at subsequent follow-ups. Cognitive ability was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) scale at baseline, weeks 2, 6, and 24. We found a significant interaction between time (weeks 0, 2, 6, and 24) and intervention on immediate memory and RBANS total scores (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04), indicating that both 10-Hz and 20-Hz rTMS stimulations had a delayed beneficial effect on immediate memory in SZ. Moreover, we found that 20-Hz rTMS stimulation, but not 10-Hz rTMS improved immediate memory at week 6 compared to the sham group (p = 0.029). More importantly, improvements in immediate memory at week 2 were positively correlated with improvements at week 24 (β = 0.461, t = 3.322, p = 0.002). Our study suggests that active rTMS was beneficial for cognitive deficits in patients with SZ. Furthermore, efficacy at week 2 could predict the subsequent efficacy at 24-week follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzhen Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoni Guan
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Meihong Xiu
- Peking University HuiLongGuan Clinical Medical School, Beijing HuiLongGuan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fengchun Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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2
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Tubiolo PN, Williams JC, Van Snellenberg JX. A tale of two n-backs: Diverging associations of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activation with n-back task performance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.23.595597. [PMID: 38826388 PMCID: PMC11142179 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.23.595597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Background In studying the neural correlates of working memory (WM) ability via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in health and disease, it is relatively uncommon for investigators to report associations between brain activation and measures of task performance. Additionally, how the choice of WM task impacts observed activation-performance relationships is poorly understood. We sought to illustrate the impact of WM task on brain-behavior correlations using two large, publicly available datasets. Methods We conducted between-participants analyses of task-based fMRI data from two publicly available datasets: the Human Connectome Project (HCP; n = 866) and the Queensland Twin Imaging (QTIM) Study (n = 459). Participants performed two distinct variations of the n-back WM task with different stimuli, timings, and response paradigms. Associations between brain activation ([2-back - 0-back] contrast) and task performance (2-back % correct) were investigated separately in each dataset, as well as across datasets, within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), medial prefrontal cortex, and whole cortex. Results Global patterns of activation to task were similar in both datasets. However, opposite associations between activation and task performance were observed in bilateral pre-supplementary motor area and left middle frontal gyrus. Within the dlPFC, HCP participants exhibited a significantly greater activation-performance relationship in bilateral middle frontal gyrus relative to QTIM Study participants. Conclusions The observation of diverging activation-performance relationships between two large datasets performing variations of the n-back task serves as a critical reminder for investigators to exercise caution when selecting WM tasks and interpreting neural activation in response to a WM task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip N Tubiolo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
| | - John C Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
| | - Jared X Van Snellenberg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University
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Truong TTT, Liu ZSJ, Panizzutti B, Kim JH, Dean OM, Berk M, Walder K. Network-based drug repurposing for schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:983-992. [PMID: 38321095 PMCID: PMC11039639 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01805-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Despite recent progress, the challenges in drug discovery for schizophrenia persist. However, computational drug repurposing has gained popularity as it leverages the wealth of expanding biomedical databases. Network analyses provide a comprehensive understanding of transcription factor (TF) regulatory effects through gene regulatory networks, which capture the interactions between TFs and target genes by integrating various lines of evidence. Using the PANDA algorithm, we examined the topological variances in TF-gene regulatory networks between individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls. This algorithm incorporates binding motifs, protein interactions, and gene co-expression data. To identify these differences, we subtracted the edge weights of the healthy control network from those of the schizophrenia network. The resulting differential network was then analysed using the CLUEreg tool in the GRAND database. This tool employs differential network signatures to identify drugs that potentially target the gene signature associated with the disease. Our analysis utilised a large RNA-seq dataset comprising 532 post-mortem brain samples from the CommonMind project. We constructed co-expression gene regulatory networks for both schizophrenia cases and healthy control subjects, incorporating 15,831 genes and 413 overlapping TFs. Through drug repurposing, we identified 18 promising candidates for repurposing as potential treatments for schizophrenia. The analysis of TF-gene regulatory networks revealed that the TFs in schizophrenia predominantly regulate pathways associated with energy metabolism, immune response, cell adhesion, and thyroid hormone signalling. These pathways represent significant targets for therapeutic intervention. The identified drug repurposing candidates likely act through TF-targeted pathways. These promising candidates, particularly those with preclinical evidence such as rimonabant and kaempferol, warrant further investigation into their potential mechanisms of action and efficacy in alleviating the symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trang T T Truong
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
| | - Zoe S J Liu
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
| | - Bruna Panizzutti
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
| | - Olivia M Dean
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
| | - Michael Berk
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Ken Walder
- Deakin University, IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, School of Medicine, Geelong, Australia.
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Williams JC, Zheng ZJ, Tubiolo PN, Luceno JR, Gil RB, Girgis RR, Slifstein M, Abi-Dargham A, Van Snellenberg JX. Medial Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction Mediates Working Memory Deficits in Patients With Schizophrenia. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:990-1002. [PMID: 37881571 PMCID: PMC10593895 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2022.10.003] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Schizophrenia (SCZ) is marked by working memory (WM) deficits, which predict poor functional outcome. While most functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of WM in SCZ have focused on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), some recent work suggests that the medial PFC (mPFC) may play a role. We investigated whether task-evoked mPFC deactivation is associated with WM performance and whether it mediates deficits in SCZ. In addition, we investigated associations between mPFC deactivation and cortical dopamine release. Methods Patients with SCZ (n = 41) and healthy control participants (HCs) (n = 40) performed a visual object n-back task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Dopamine release capacity in mPFC was quantified with [11C]FLB457 in a subset of participants (9 SCZ, 14 HCs) using an amphetamine challenge. Correlations between task-evoked deactivation and performance were assessed in mPFC and dorsolateral PFC masks and were further examined for relationships with diagnosis and dopamine release. Results mPFC deactivation was associated with WM task performance, but dorsolateral PFC activation was not. Deactivation in the mPFC was reduced in patients with SCZ relative to HCs and mediated the relationship between diagnosis and WM performance. In addition, mPFC deactivation was significantly and inversely associated with dopamine release capacity across groups and in HCs alone, but not in patients. Conclusions Reduced WM task-evoked mPFC deactivation is a mediator of, and potential substrate for, WM impairment in SCZ, although our study design does not rule out the possibility that these findings could relate to cognition in general rather than WM specifically. We further present preliminary evidence of an inverse association between deactivation during WM tasks and dopamine release capacity in the mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Zu Jie Zheng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Philip N. Tubiolo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Jacob R. Luceno
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Roberto B. Gil
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Ragy R. Girgis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Mark Slifstein
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Jared X. Van Snellenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
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Wagener L, Rinnert P, Veit L, Nieder A. Crows protect visual working memory against interference. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:287069. [PMID: 36806418 PMCID: PMC10038144 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Working memory, the ability to actively maintain and manipulate information across time, is key to intelligent behavior. Because of the limited capacity of working memory, relevant information needs to be protected against distracting representations. Whether birds can resist distractors and safeguard memorized relevant information is unclear. We trained carrion crows in a delayed match-to-sample task to memorize an image while resisting other, interfering stimuli. We found that the repetition of the sample stimulus during the memory delay improved performance accuracy and accelerated reaction time relative to a reference condition with a neutral interfering stimulus. In contrast, the presentation of the image that constituted the subsequent non-match test stimulus mildly weakened performance. However, the crows' robust performance in this most demanding distractor condition indicates that sample information was actively protected from being overwritten by the distractor. These data show that crows can cognitively control and safeguard behaviorally relevant working memory contents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lysann Wagener
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Paul Rinnert
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lena Veit
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Nieder
- Animal Physiology, Institute of Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Barber AD, Gallego JA, DeRosse P, Birnbaum ML, Lencz T, Ali SA, Moyett A, Malhotra AK. Contributions of Parasympathetic Arousal-Related Activity to Cognitive Performance in Patients With First-Episode Psychosis and Control Subjects. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2023; 8:181-188. [PMID: 34728433 PMCID: PMC9054940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment is integral to the pathophysiology of psychosis. Recent findings implicate autonomic arousal-related activity in both momentary fluctuations and individual differences in cognitive performance. Although altered autonomic arousal is common in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP), its contribution to cognitive performance is unknown. METHODS A total of 24 patients with FEP (46% male, age = 24.31 [SD 4.27] years) and 24 control subjects (42% male, age = 27.06 [3.44] years) performed the Multi-Source Interference Task in-scanner with simultaneous pulse oximetry. First-level models included the cardiac-blood oxygen level-dependent regressor, in addition to task (congruent, interference, and error) and nuisance (motion and CompCor physiology) regressors. The cardiac-blood oxygen level-dependent regressor reflected parasympathetic arousal-related activity and was created by convolving the interbeat interval at each heartbeat with the hemodynamic response function. Group models examined the effect of group or cognitive performance (reaction times × error rate) on arousal-related and task activity, while controlling for sex, age, and framewise displacement. RESULTS Parasympathetic arousal-related activity was robust in both groups but localized to different regions for patients with FEP and healthy control subjects. Within both groups, arousal-related activity was significantly associated with cognitive performance across occipital and temporal cortical regions. Greater arousal-related activity in the bilateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 9) was related to better performance in healthy control subjects but not patients with FEP. CONCLUSIONS Autonomic arousal circuits contribute to cognitive performance and the pathophysiology of FEP. Arousal-related functional activity is a novel indicator of cognitive ability and should be incorporated into neurobiological models of cognition in psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita D Barber
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York.
| | - Juan A Gallego
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
| | - Pamela DeRosse
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
| | - Michael L Birnbaum
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
| | - Todd Lencz
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
| | - Sana A Ali
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York
| | - Ashley Moyett
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York
| | - Anil K Malhotra
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, New York; Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, New York; Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York
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7
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Synaptic plasticity and mental health: methods, challenges and opportunities. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:113-120. [PMID: 35810199 PMCID: PMC9700665 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01370-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Activity-dependent synaptic plasticity is a ubiquitous property of the nervous system that allows neurons to communicate and change their connections as a function of past experiences. Through reweighting of synaptic strengths, the nervous system can remodel itself, giving rise to durable memories that create the biological basis for mental function. In healthy individuals, synaptic plasticity undergoes characteristic developmental and aging trajectories. Dysfunctional plasticity, in turn, underlies a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, schizophrenia, addiction, and posttraumatic stress disorder. From a mechanistic standpoint, synaptic plasticity spans the gamut of spatial and temporal scales, from microseconds to the lifespan, from microns to the entire nervous system. With the numbers and strengths of synapses changing on such wide scales, there is an important need to develop measurement techniques with complimentary sensitivities and a growing number of approaches are now being harnessed for this purpose. Through hemodynamic measures, structural and tracer imaging, and noninvasive neuromodulation, it is possible to image structural and functional changes that underlie synaptic plasticity and associated behavioral learning. Here we review the mechanisms of neural plasticity and the historical and future trends in techniques that allow imaging of synaptic changes that accompany psychiatric disorders, highlighting emerging therapeutics and the challenges and opportunities accompanying this burgeoning area of study.
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Salisbury DF, Curtis M, Longenecker J, Yeh FC, Kim T, Coffman BA. Pathological resting-state executive and language system perfusion in first-episode psychosis. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103261. [PMID: 36451364 PMCID: PMC9668641 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Cortical (e.g., Broca's area and Wernicke's area) and subcortical (e.g., putamen) language-related areas and executive control areas (e.g., inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)) show functional and structural dysconnectivity in long-term psychosis. We examined whether resting-state basal perfusion levels revealed selective pathophysiology (likely hypo- and hyper-activation) of language-related and executive areas in first-episode psychosis (FEP). STUDY DESIGN Basal resting-state perfusion was measured using pseudo-continuous Arterial Spin Labeling (pcASL). Relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was compared between 32 FEP and 34 matched healthy comparison (HC) individuals. Structural and functional MRI scans were acquired using a 3T Prisma scanner during the same session. STUDY RESULTS Whole-brain comparison of resting rCBF identified 8 clusters with significant between-group differences. Reduced rCBF was found in executive control areas in left and right IFG, right DLPFC, and right parietal cortex. Increased rCBF was found in left and right temporal cortex (including Wernicke's area), and left and right putamen. A positive correlation was observed between auditory hallucination severity and rCBF in the left putamen. CONCLUSIONS To the degree that perfusion implies activation, language and auditory processing areas in bilateral temporal lobe and putamen showed pathological hyper-activity, and cognitive control areas (IFG, DLPFC, right parietal) showed pathological hypo-activity in FEP at rest. Pathological basal activity was present across the range of symptom severity, suggesting it may be a common underlying pathology for psychosis that may be targeted with non-invasive brain stimulation to normalize resting activity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dean F Salisbury
- Clinical Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Mark Curtis
- Clinical Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Julia Longenecker
- Clinical Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Fang-Cheng Yeh
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tae Kim
- Department of Radiology, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Presbyterian Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Brian A Coffman
- Clinical Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Hospital, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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9
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Matsubara T, Chen C, Hirotsu M, Watanuki T, Harada K, Watanabe Y, Matsuo K, Nakagawa S. Prefrontal cortex activities during verbal fluency and emotional words tasks in major depressive, adjustment, and bipolar disorders with depressive states. J Affect Disord 2022; 316:109-117. [PMID: 35973508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.08.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It can be difficult to differentiate psychiatric disorders from depressive states, with little knowledge on how to differentiate them. This study aimed to evaluate changes in brain activity during cognitive and emotional tasks in patients with depressive state to help with differential diagnoses. METHODS Sixty-two patients with depressive states [17 with adjustment disorder (AD), 27 with major depressive disorder (MDD), and 18 with bipolar disorder (BD)] and 34 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. We used a verbal fluency task (VFT) and emotional word tasks with happy and threat words. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy measured the relative change in oxygenated hemoglobin in the frontotemporal areas. RESULTS During the VFT, patients with AD or MDD showed significantly reduced activation in the bilateral frontotemporal region (all p < 0.01), whereas patients with BD demonstrated significantly reduced activation in the right frontotemporal areas compared to HC (p < 0.01). During the emotional words task with happy words, patients with MDD showed significantly increased activity in the frontopolar area compared to HC (p = 0.023). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that MDD or BD was significantly associated with brain activity during the happy word task. In distinguishing MDD or BD from HC, the happy words task performed equally well, with an area under the curve of 0.70. LIMITATIONS All study patients were taking psychotropic drugs. CONCLUSIONS Brain activation in response to a combination of cognitive or emotional stimuli could assist in distinguishing patients with depressive states from healthy controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshio Matsubara
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.
| | - Chong Chen
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | - Masako Hirotsu
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | | | - Kenichiro Harada
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | | | - Koji Matsuo
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Shin Nakagawa
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
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10
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Zovetti N, Bellani M, Chowdury A, Alessandrini F, Zoccatelli G, Perlini C, Ricciardi GK, Marzi CA, Diwadkar VA, Brambilla P. Inefficient white matter activity in Schizophrenia evoked during intra and inter-hemispheric communication. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:449. [PMID: 36244980 PMCID: PMC9573867 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02200-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Intensive cognitive tasks induce inefficient regional and network responses in schizophrenia (SCZ). fMRI-based studies have naturally focused on gray matter, but appropriately titrated visuo-motor integration tasks reliably activate inter- and intra-hemispheric white matter pathways. Such tasks can assess network inefficiency without demanding intensive cognitive effort. Here, we provide the first application of this framework to the study of white matter functional responses in SCZ. Event-related fMRI data were acquired from 28 patients (nine females, mean age 43.3, ±11.7) and 28 age- and gender-comparable controls (nine females, mean age 42.1 ± 10.1), using the Poffenberger paradigm, a rapid visual detection task used to induce intra- (ipsi-lateral visual and motor cortex) or inter-hemispheric (contra-lateral visual and motor cortex) transfer. fMRI data were pre- and post-processed to reliably isolate activations in white matter, using probabilistic tractography-based white matter tracts. For intra- and inter-hemispheric transfer conditions, SCZ evinced hyper-activations in longitudinal and transverse white matter tracts, with hyper-activation in sub-regions of the corpus callosum primarily observed during inter-hemispheric transfer. Evidence for the functional inefficiency of white matter was observed in conjunction with small (~50 ms) but significant increases in response times. Functional inefficiencies in SCZ are (1) observable in white matter, with the degree of inefficiency contextually related to task-conditions, and (2) are evoked by simple detection tasks without intense cognitive processing. These cumulative results while expanding our understanding of this dys-connection syndrome, also extend the search of biomarkers beyond the traditional realm of fMRI studies of gray matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Zovetti
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marcella Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Asadur Chowdury
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Franco Alessandrini
- grid.411475.20000 0004 1756 948XNeuroradiology Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giada Zoccatelli
- grid.411475.20000 0004 1756 948XNeuroradiology Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Cinzia Perlini
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe K. Ricciardi
- Pathology and Diagnostics, Section of Neuroradiology, Hospital Trust Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Carlo A. Marzi
- grid.5611.30000 0004 1763 1124Physiology and Psychology Section, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy ,National Institute of Neuroscience, Verona, Italy
| | - Vaibhav A. Diwadkar
- grid.254444.70000 0001 1456 7807Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI USA
| | - Paolo Brambilla
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. .,Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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11
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Burleigh L, Jiang X, Greening SG. Fear in the Theater of the Mind: Differential Fear Conditioning With Imagined Stimuli. Psychol Sci 2022; 33:1423-1439. [PMID: 35895306 DOI: 10.1177/09567976221086513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Many symptoms of anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder are elicited by fearful mental imagery. Yet little is known about how visual imagery of conditioned stimuli (CSs) affects the acquisition of differential fear conditioning. Across three experiments with younger human adults (Experiment 1: n = 33, Experiment 2: n = 27, Experiment 3: n = 26), we observed that participants acquired differential fear conditioning to both viewed and imagined percepts serving as the CSs, as measured via self-reported fear and skin conductance responses. Additionally, this differential conditioning generalized across CS-percept modalities such that differential conditioning acquired in response to visual percepts generalized to the corresponding imagined percepts and vice versa. This is novel evidence that perceived and imagined stimuli engage learning processes in very similar ways and is consistent with the theory that mental imagery is depictive and recruits neural resources shared with visual perception. Our findings also provide new insight into the mechanisms of anxiety and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauryn Burleigh
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Louisiana State University
| | - Xinrui Jiang
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Louisiana State University
| | - Steven G Greening
- Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Louisiana State University.,Department of Psychology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Manitoba
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12
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Effects of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Binaural Beat Brain Stimulation and Short-Term Training on Simultaneously Assessed Visuospatial and Verbal Working Memories, Signal Detection Measures, Response Times, and Intrasubject Response Time Variabilities: A Within-Subject Randomized Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:8588272. [PMID: 35655482 PMCID: PMC9153928 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8588272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Binaural beats (BBs) are phantom sound illusions perceived when two sounds of slightly different frequencies are separately transmitted to the ears. It is suggested that some BB frequencies might entrain the brain and enhance certain cognitive functions such as working memory or attention. Nevertheless, studies in this regard are very scarce, quite controversial, and merely covering a very small portion of this vast field of research (e.g., testing only a few BB frequencies), not to mention adopting some limited methodologies (e.g., no assessment of the loudness of the BB sound, adopting only between-subject analyses, and testing only one perceptual modality). Hence, we aimed to assess the potential effects of alpha, beta, and gamma BBs on cognitive-behavioral parameters of working memory and attention examined simultaneously in two different modalities (visuospatial and auditory-verbal). Methods This within-subject five-arm randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial included 155 trials in 31 healthy right-handed subjects (17 women, 14 men, 30.84 ± 6.16 years old). Each subject listened to 8-minute sessions of 10 Hz, 16 Hz, and 40 Hz binaural beats versus 240 Hz pure tone and silence (in random orders). In each 8-minute block, they played a dual 2-back task with feedback enabled. Their cognitive-behavioral parameters (working memory capacities, signal detection measures (hit rate, false alarm rate, sensitivity, and response bias), and reaction speed measures (response time and intrasubject response time variability)) were calculated. The effects of the sound interventions and short-term training on these working memory and attention measures were assessed statistically using mixed-model linear regressions, repeated-measures ANOVAs and ANCOVAs, Bonferroni post hoc tests, and one-sample t-tests (α = 0.05). Results The following are some major statistically significant findings (P ≤ 0.05): In the visuospatial modality, the 10 Hz BB reduced the response time and intrasubject response time variability and reduced the extent of decline over time in the case of visuospatial working memory, sensitivity, and hit rate. In the auditory-verbal modality, the 10 Hz intervention reduced the hit rate, false alarm rate, and sensitivity. The 10 Hz intervention also caused the lowest intermodality discrepancies in hit rates and false alarm rates, the highest response time discrepancies, and negative discrepancies in working memories and sensitivities (indicating the superiority of the visuospatial modality). The response biases tended to be liberal-to-neutral in the verbal modality and rather conservative in the visuospatial modality. Reactions were faster in the visuospatial modality than the auditory-verbal one, while the intrasubject variability of reaction times was smaller in the auditory-verbal modality. Short-term training can increase the hit rate, working memory, and sensitivity and can decrease the false alarm rate and response time. Aging and reduced sound intervention volume may slow down responses and increase the intrasubject variability of response time. Faster reactions might be correlated with greater hit rates, working memories, and sensitivities and also with lower false alarm rates. Conclusions The 8-minute alpha-band binaural beat entrainment may have a few, slight enhancing effects within the visuospatial modality, but not in both modalities combined. Short-term training can improve working memory and some cognitive parameters of attention. Some BB interventions can affect the intermodality discrepancies. There may be differences between the two modalities in terms of the response speeds and intrasubject response time variabilities. Aging can slow down the response, while increasing the volume of audio interventions may accelerate it.
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13
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Gamma camera imaging in psychiatric disorders. Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-822960-6.00222-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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14
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Craeghs L, Callaerts-Vegh Z, Verslegers M, Van der Jeugd A, Govaerts K, Dresselaers T, Wogensen E, Verreet T, Moons L, Benotmane MA, Himmelreich U, D'Hooge R. Prenatal Radiation Exposure Leads to Higher-Order Telencephalic Dysfunctions in Adult Mice That Coincide with Reduced Synaptic Plasticity and Cerebral Hypersynchrony. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:3525-3541. [PMID: 34902856 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab431] [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: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher-order telencephalic circuitry has been suggested to be especially vulnerable to irradiation or other developmentally toxic impact. This report details the adult effects of prenatal irradiation at a sensitive time point on clinically relevant brain functions controlled by telencephalic regions, hippocampus (HPC), and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Pregnant C57Bl6/J mice were whole-body irradiated at embryonic day 11 (start of neurogenesis) with X-ray intensities of 0.0, 0.5, or 1.0 Gy. Female offspring completed a broad test battery of HPC-/PFC-controlled tasks that included cognitive performance, fear extinction, exploratory, and depression-like behaviors. We examined neural functions that are mechanistically related to these behavioral and cognitive changes, such as hippocampal field potentials and long-term potentiation, functional brain connectivity (by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging), and expression of HPC vesicular neurotransmitter transporters (by immunohistochemical quantification). Prenatally exposed mice displayed several higher-order dysfunctions, such as decreased nychthemeral activity, working memory defects, delayed extinction of threat-evoked response suppression as well as indications of perseverative behavior. Electrophysiological examination indicated impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Prenatal irradiation also induced cerebral hypersynchrony and increased the number of glutamatergic HPC terminals. These changes in brain connectivity and plasticity could mechanistically underlie the irradiation-induced defects in higher telencephalic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livine Craeghs
- Department of Brain & Cognition, Research Group Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Zsuzsanna Callaerts-Vegh
- Department of Brain & Cognition, Research Group Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Department of Radiobiology, Institute for Environmental Health and Safety, Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Ann Van der Jeugd
- Department of Brain & Cognition, Research Group Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Kristof Govaerts
- Department of Imaging & Pathology, Research Group Biomedical MRI, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Tom Dresselaers
- Department of Imaging & Pathology, Research Group Biomedical MRI, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Elise Wogensen
- Department of Brain & Cognition, Research Group Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Tine Verreet
- Department of Radiobiology, Institute for Environmental Health and Safety, Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Department of Biology, Research Group Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mohammed A Benotmane
- Department of Radiobiology, Institute for Environmental Health and Safety, Nuclear Research Center (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Department of Imaging & Pathology, Research Group Biomedical MRI, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Rudi D'Hooge
- Department of Brain & Cognition, Research Group Biological Psychology, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
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15
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Rooy M, Lazarevich I, Koukouli F, Maskos U, Gutkin B. Cholinergic modulation of hierarchical inhibitory control over cortical resting state dynamics: Local circuit modeling of schizophrenia-related hypofrontality. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 2:100018. [PMID: 34820636 PMCID: PMC8591733 DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2021.100018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate the cholinergic drive to a hierarchy of inhibitory neurons in the superficial layers of the PFC, critical to cognitive processes. It has been shown that genetic deletions of the various types of nAChRs impact the properties of ultra-slow transitions between high and low PFC activity states in mice during quiet wakefulness. The impact characteristics depend on specific interneuron populations expressing the manipulated receptor subtype. In addition, recent data indicate that a genetic mutation of the α5 nAChR subunit, located on vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) inhibitory neurons, the rs16969968 single nucleotide polymorphism (α5 SNP), plays a key role in the hypofrontality observed in schizophrenia patients carrying the SNP. Data also indicate that chronic nicotine application to α5 SNP mice relieves the hypofrontality. We developed a computational model to show that the activity patterns recorded in the genetically modified mice can be explained by changes in the dynamics of the local PFC circuit. Notably, our model shows that these altered PFC circuit dynamics are due to changes in the stability structure of the activity states. We identify how this stability structure is differentially modulated by cholinergic inputs to the parvalbumin (PV), somatostatin (SOM) or the VIP inhibitory populations. Our model uncovers that a change in amplitude, but not duration of the high activity states can account for the lowered pyramidal (PYR) population firing rates recorded in α5 SNP mice. We demonstrate how nicotine-induced desensitization and upregulation of the β2 nAChRs located on SOM interneurons, as opposed to the activation of α5 nAChRs located on VIP interneurons, is sufficient to explain the nicotine-induced activity normalization in α5 SNP mice. The model further implies that subsequent nicotine withdrawal may exacerbate the hypofrontality over and beyond one caused by the SNP mutation. Prefrontal cortex shows ultra-slow alterations between low and high activity states at rest. This activity is characteristically decreased in schizophrenia patients. Model identifies local circuit origin of hypofrontality associated with schizophrenia and a5 nicotinic receptor malfunction. Decrease in PFC VIP-interneuron excitability drives decrease in high-activity-state stability and overall hypofrontality. Model shows desensitization/upregulation of SOM-expressed β2-NAChRs drive nicotine-induced renormalization of PFC activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rooy
- Ecole Normale Sup'erieure PSL Univeristy, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives INSERM U960, Group for Neural Theory, Paris, France.,Center for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan Lazarevich
- Ecole Normale Sup'erieure PSL Univeristy, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives INSERM U960, Group for Neural Theory, Paris, France.,Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Fani Koukouli
- Institut Pasteur, Neurobiologie integrative des systemes cholinergiques, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR 3571, Paris, France
| | - Uwe Maskos
- Institut Pasteur, Neurobiologie integrative des systemes cholinergiques, Paris, France.,CNRS UMR 3571, Paris, France
| | - Boris Gutkin
- Ecole Normale Sup'erieure PSL Univeristy, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives INSERM U960, Group for Neural Theory, Paris, France.,Center for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
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16
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Frässle S, Aponte EA, Bollmann S, Brodersen KH, Do CT, Harrison OK, Harrison SJ, Heinzle J, Iglesias S, Kasper L, Lomakina EI, Mathys C, Müller-Schrader M, Pereira I, Petzschner FH, Raman S, Schöbi D, Toussaint B, Weber LA, Yao Y, Stephan KE. TAPAS: An Open-Source Software Package for Translational Neuromodeling and Computational Psychiatry. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:680811. [PMID: 34149484 PMCID: PMC8206497 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.680811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychiatry faces fundamental challenges with regard to mechanistically guided differential diagnosis, as well as prediction of clinical trajectories and treatment response of individual patients. This has motivated the genesis of two closely intertwined fields: (i) Translational Neuromodeling (TN), which develops "computational assays" for inferring patient-specific disease processes from neuroimaging, electrophysiological, and behavioral data; and (ii) Computational Psychiatry (CP), with the goal of incorporating computational assays into clinical decision making in everyday practice. In order to serve as objective and reliable tools for clinical routine, computational assays require end-to-end pipelines from raw data (input) to clinically useful information (output). While these are yet to be established in clinical practice, individual components of this general end-to-end pipeline are being developed and made openly available for community use. In this paper, we present the Translational Algorithms for Psychiatry-Advancing Science (TAPAS) software package, an open-source collection of building blocks for computational assays in psychiatry. Collectively, the tools in TAPAS presently cover several important aspects of the desired end-to-end pipeline, including: (i) tailored experimental designs and optimization of measurement strategy prior to data acquisition, (ii) quality control during data acquisition, and (iii) artifact correction, statistical inference, and clinical application after data acquisition. Here, we review the different tools within TAPAS and illustrate how these may help provide a deeper understanding of neural and cognitive mechanisms of disease, with the ultimate goal of establishing automatized pipelines for predictions about individual patients. We hope that the openly available tools in TAPAS will contribute to the further development of TN/CP and facilitate the translation of advances in computational neuroscience into clinically relevant computational assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Frässle
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eduardo A. Aponte
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Saskia Bollmann
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Kay H. Brodersen
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cao T. Do
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivia K. Harrison
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Samuel J. Harrison
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Heinzle
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Iglesias
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Kasper
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ekaterina I. Lomakina
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Computer Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Mathys
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Interacting Minds Center, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Matthias Müller-Schrader
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Inês Pereira
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Frederike H. Petzschner
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sudhir Raman
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Schöbi
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Birte Toussaint
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lilian A. Weber
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yu Yao
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klaas E. Stephan
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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17
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Long Q, Bhinge S, Calhoun VD, Adali T. Relationship between Dynamic Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent Activity and Functional Network Connectivity: Characterization of Schizophrenia Subgroups. Brain Connect 2021; 11:430-446. [PMID: 33724055 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2020.0815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: In this work, we propose the novel use of adaptively constrained independent vector analysis (acIVA) to effectively capture the temporal and spatial properties of dynamic blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity (dBA), and we efficiently quantify the spatial property of dBA (sdBA). We also propose to incorporate dBA into the study of brain dynamics to gain insight into activity-connectivity co-evolution patterns. Introduction: Studies of the dynamics of the human brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have enabled the identification of unique functional network connectivity (FNC) states and provided new insights into mental disorders. There is evidence showing that both BOLD activity, which is captured by fMRI, and FNC are related to mental and cognitive processes. However, a few studies have evaluated the inter-relationships of these two domains of function. Moreover, the identification of subgroups of schizophrenia has gained significant clinical importance due to a need to study the heterogeneity of schizophrenia. Methods: We design a simulation study to verify the effectiveness of acIVA and apply acIVA to the dynamic study of resting-state fMRI data collected from individuals with schizophrenia and healthy controls (HCs) to investigate the relationship between dBA and dynamic FNC (dFNC). Results: The simulation study demonstrates that acIVA accurately captures the spatial variability and provides an efficient quantification of sdBA. The fMRI analysis yields synchronized sdBA-temporal property of dBA (tdBA) patterns and shows that the dBA and dFNC are significantly correlated in the spatial domain. Using these dynamic features, we identify schizophrenia subgroups with significant differences in terms of their clinical symptoms. Conclusion: We find that brain function is abnormally organized in schizophrenia compared with HCs since there are less synchronized sdBA-tdBA patterns in schizophrenia and schizophrenia prefers a component that merges multiple brain regions. Identification of schizophrenia subgroups using dynamic features inspires the use of neuroimaging in studying the heterogeneity of disorders. Impact statement This work introduces the use of joint blind source separation for the study of brain dynamics to enable efficient quantification of the spatial property of dynamic blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activity to provide insight into the relationship of dynamic BOLD activity and dynamic functional network connectivity. The identification of subgroups of schizophrenia using dynamic features allows the study of heterogeneity of schizophrenia, emphasizing the importance of functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis in the study of brain activity and functional connectivity to gain a better understanding of the human brain, especially the brain with a mental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunfang Long
- Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Suchita Bhinge
- Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Vince D Calhoun
- The Mind Research Network, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tülay Adali
- Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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18
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Brandt SJ, Oral HY, Arellano-Bravo C, Plawecki MH, Hummer TA, Francis MM. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation as a Therapeutic and Probe in Schizophrenia: Examining the Role of Neuroimaging and Future Directions. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:827-844. [PMID: 33844154 PMCID: PMC8423934 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex condition associated with perceptual disturbances, decreased motivation and affect, and disrupted cognition. Individuals living with schizophrenia may experience myriad poor outcomes, including impairment in independent living and function as well as decreased life expectancy. Though existing treatments may offer benefit, many individuals still experience treatment resistant and disabling symptoms. In light of the negative outcomes associated with schizophrenia and the limitations in currently available treatments, there is a significant need for novel therapeutic interventions. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that can modulate the activity of discrete cortical regions, allowing direct manipulation of local brain activation and indirect manipulation of the target's associated neural networks. rTMS has been studied in schizophrenia for the treatment of auditory hallucinations, negative symptoms, and cognitive deficits, with mixed results. The field's inability to arrive at a consensus on the use rTMS in schizophrenia has stemmed from a variety of issues, perhaps most notably the significant heterogeneity amongst existing trials. In addition, it is likely that factors specific to schizophrenia, rather than the rTMS itself, have presented barriers to the interpretation of existing results. However, advances in approaches to rTMS as a biologic probe and therapeutic, many of which include the integration of neuroimaging with rTMS, offer hope that this technology may still play a role in improving the understanding and treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Brandt
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Halimah Y Oral
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Carla Arellano-Bravo
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Martin H Plawecki
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Tom A Hummer
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Michael M Francis
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 355W 16 St., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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19
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Meyer L, Lakatos P, He Y. Language Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: Assessing Neural Tracking to Characterize the Underlying Disorder(s)? Front Neurosci 2021; 15:640502. [PMID: 33692672 PMCID: PMC7937925 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.640502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficits in language production and comprehension are characteristic of schizophrenia. To date, it remains unclear whether these deficits arise from dysfunctional linguistic knowledge, or dysfunctional predictions derived from the linguistic context. Alternatively, the deficits could be a result of dysfunctional neural tracking of auditory information resulting in decreased auditory information fidelity and even distorted information. Here, we discuss possible ways for clinical neuroscientists to employ neural tracking methodology to independently characterize deficiencies on the auditory-sensory and abstract linguistic levels. This might lead to a mechanistic understanding of the deficits underlying language related disorder(s) in schizophrenia. We propose to combine naturalistic stimulation, measures of speech-brain synchronization, and computational modeling of abstract linguistic knowledge and predictions. These independent but likely interacting assessments may be exploited for an objective and differential diagnosis of schizophrenia, as well as a better understanding of the disorder on the functional level-illustrating the potential of neural tracking methodology as translational tool in a range of psychotic populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Meyer
- Research Group Language Cycles, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Clinic for Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Peter Lakatos
- Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States
| | - Yifei He
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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20
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Kumar V, Nichenmetla S, Chhabra H, Sreeraj VS, Rao NP, Kesavan M, Varambally S, Venkatasubramanian G, Gangadhar BN. Prefrontal cortex activation during working memory task in schizophrenia: A fNIRS study. Asian J Psychiatr 2021; 56:102507. [PMID: 33388563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Neurocognitive cognitive deficits including working memory (WM) impairment is a key component of schizophrenia (SCZ). Though a prefrontal cortex (PFC) abnormality is recognised to contribute to WM impairment, the exact nature of its neurobiological basis in SCZ is not well established. Functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an emerging low-cost neuroimaging tool to study neuro-hemodynamics. In this background, we examined the hemodynamic activity during a WM task in schizophrenia using fNIRS. fNIRS was acquired during computerised N-back (zero-, one- & two-back) task in 15 SCZ patients and compared with 22 healthy controls. Performance in N-back test were calculated using signal detection theory alongside the mean reaction times. Concentration and latencies of oxy-, deoxy-, and totalhaemoglobin, and oxygen saturation were computed from 8*8 optodes positioned over bilateral PFC. SCZ performed poorly as measured by most of the WM parameters (p < 0.05). Lesser deoxyhemoglobin concentration (two > zero, at right BA10, p = 0.006) was noted in the right frontopolar cortex in SCZ surviving multiple-comparison correction. In addition, olanzapine equivalent doses correlated negatively with right frontopolar cortex activation (two > zero back, BA10, ρ = 0.70, p = 0.004) and better performance in two back (false alarm rate, ρ = 0.61, p = 0.015). A delayed but compensatory hyperactivation of right frontopolar cortex noted in SCZ may underlie the WM deficit in SCZ. Future studies are recommended to replicate the role of right frontopolar cortex in WM using larger samples and systematically explore the effect of antipsychotics on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India.
| | - Sonika Nichenmetla
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Harleen Chhabra
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Vanteemar S Sreeraj
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Naren P Rao
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Muralidharan Kesavan
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Shivarama Varambally
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Ganesan Venkatasubramanian
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | - Bangalore N Gangadhar
- InSTAR Program, Schizophrenia Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of mental health and neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
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21
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Abnormal semantic processing of threat words associated with excitement and hostility symptoms in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2021; 228:394-402. [PMID: 33549981 PMCID: PMC7988509 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with devastating emotional, cognitive and language impairments. Understanding the deficits in each domain and their interactions is important for developing novel, targeted psychotherapies. This study tested whether negative-threat word processing is altered in individuals with SZ compared to healthy controls (HC), in relation to SZ symptom severity across domains. METHODS Thirty-one SZ and seventeen HC subjects were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging while silently reading negative-threat and neutral words. Post-scan, subjects rated the valence of each word. The effects of group (SZ, HC), word type (negative, neutral), task period (early, late), and severity of clinical symptoms (positive, negative, excitement/hostility, cognitive, depression/anxiety), on word valence ratings and brain activation, were analyzed. RESULTS SZ and HC subjects rated negative versus neutral words as more negative. The SZ subgroup with severe versus mild excitement/hostility symptoms rated the negative words as more negative. SZ versus HC subjects hyperactivated left language areas (angular gyrus, middle/inferior temporal gyrus (early period)) and the amygdala (early period) to negative words, and the amygdala (late period) to neutral words. In SZ, activation to negative versus neutral words in left dorsal temporal pole and dorsal anterior cingulate was positively correlated with excitement/hostility scores. CONCLUSIONS A negatively-biased behavioral response to negative-threat words was seen in SZ with severe versus mild excitement/hostility symptoms. The biased behavioral response was mediated by hyperactivation of brain networks associated with semantic processing of emotion concepts. Thus, word-level semantic processing may be a relevant psychotherapeutic target in SZ.
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22
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Pei JC, Luo DZ, Gau SS, Chang CY, Lai WS. Directly and Indirectly Targeting the Glycine Modulatory Site to Modulate NMDA Receptor Function to Address Unmet Medical Needs of Patients With Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:742058. [PMID: 34658976 PMCID: PMC8517243 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.742058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects ~1% of the world's population. It is clinically characterized by positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Currently available antipsychotic medications are relatively ineffective in improving negative and cognitive deficits, which are related to a patient's functional outcomes and quality of life. Negative symptoms and cognitive deficits are unmet by the antipsychotic medications developed to date. In recent decades, compelling animal and clinical studies have supported the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction hypothesis of schizophrenia and have suggested some promising therapeutic agents. Notably, several NMDAR-enhancing agents, especially those that function through the glycine modulatory site (GMS) of NMDAR, cause significant reduction in psychotic and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Given that the NMDAR-mediated signaling pathway has been implicated in cognitive/social functions and that GMS is a potential therapeutic target for enhancing the activation of NMDARs, there is great interest in investigating the effects of direct and indirect GMS modulators and their therapeutic potential. In this review, we focus on describing preclinical and clinical studies of direct and indirect GMS modulators in the treatment of schizophrenia, including glycine, D-cycloserine, D-serine, glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitors, and D-amino acid oxidase (DAO or DAAO) inhibitors. We highlight some of the most promising recently developed pharmacological compounds designed to either directly or indirectly target GMS and thus augment NMDAR function to treat the cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Overall, the current findings suggest that indirectly targeting of GMS appears to be more beneficial and leads to less adverse effects than direct targeting of GMS to modulate NMDAR functions. Indirect GMS modulators, especially GlyT1 inhibitors and DAO inhibitors, open new avenues for the treatment of unmet medical needs for patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Chun Pei
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Da-Zhong Luo
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shiang-Shin Gau
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yuan Chang
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Sung Lai
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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23
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Voineskos AN, Blumberger DM, Schifani C, Hawco C, Dickie EW, Rajji TK, Mulsant BH, Foussias G, Wang W, Daskalakis ZJ. Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Working Memory Performance and Brain Structure in People With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2020; 6:449-458. [PMID: 33551284 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are currently no approved treatments for working memory deficits in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs). The objective of the present study was to assess whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in people with SSDs 1) improves working memory deficits and 2) changes brain structure. METHODS We conducted a double-blind, parallel, randomized, sham-controlled study at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. We randomized 83 participants with SSDs to receive either active 20 Hz rTMS applied to the bilateral DLPFC or sham rTMS for 4 weeks. The participants also completed pre/posttreatment magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical and cognitive assessments were performed at baseline, treatment end, and 1 month later. The primary outcome was change in verbal n-back working memory performance accuracy (d-prime). The secondary outcome measures were change in DLPFC thickness and fractional anisotropy of white matter tracts connecting to the DLPFC. Prespecified exploratory outcome measures were changes in general cognition; positive, negative, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS Compared with sham treatment, active rTMS did not lead to significant change in working memory performance; it was associated with an increase in right DLPFC thickness but not fractional anisotropy. Prespecified exploratory analysis showed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in the active group; the decrease in depressive symptoms was correlated with an increase in right DLPFC thickness. CONCLUSIONS Although rTMS applied to the bilateral DLPFC was not efficacious in treating working memory deficits in SSDs, it did increase right DLPFC thickness and decrease depressive symptoms. These findings deserve further study given the lack of efficacy of antidepressant medications in SSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristotle N Voineskos
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Daniel M Blumberger
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christin Schifani
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Colin Hawco
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin W Dickie
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tarek K Rajji
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Benoit H Mulsant
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - George Foussias
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wei Wang
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zafiris J Daskalakis
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California
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24
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Dynamic Changes of Brain Networks during Working Memory Tasks in Schizophrenia. Neuroscience 2020; 453:187-205. [PMID: 33249224 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Electroencephalograph (EEG) signals and graph theory measures have been widely used to characterize the brain functional networks of healthy individuals and patients by calculating the correlations between different electrodes over an entire time series. Although EEG signals have a high temporal resolution and can provide relatively stable results, the process of constructing and analyzing brain functional networks is inevitably complicated by high time complexity. Our goal in this research was to distinguish the brain function networks of schizophrenia patients from those of healthy participants during working memory tasks. Consequently, we utilized a method involving microstates, which are each characterized by a unique topography of electric potentials over an entire channel array, to reduce the dimension of the EEG signals during working memory tasks and then compared and analyzed the brain functional networks using the microstates time series (MTS) and original time series (OTS) of the schizophrenia patients and healthy individuals. We found that the right frontal and parietal-occipital regions neurons of the schizophrenia patients were less active than those of the healthy participants during working memory tasks. Notably, compared with OTS, the time needed to construct the brain functional networks was significantly reduced by using MTS. In conclusion, our results show that, like OTS, MTS can well distinguish the brain functional network of schizophrenia patients from those of healthy individuals during working memory tasks while greatly decreasing time complexity. MTS can thus provide a method for characterizing the original time series for the construction and analysis of EEG brain functional networks.
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25
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Finn ES, Huber L, Bandettini PA. Higher and deeper: Bringing layer fMRI to association cortex. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 207:101930. [PMID: 33091541 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in fMRI have enabled non-invasive measurements of brain function in awake, behaving humans at unprecedented spatial resolutions, allowing us to separate activity in distinct cortical layers. While most layer fMRI studies to date have focused on primary cortices, we argue that the next big steps forward in our understanding of cognition will come from expanding this technology into higher-order association cortex, to characterize depth-dependent activity during increasingly sophisticated mental processes. We outline phenomena and theories ripe for investigation with layer fMRI, including perception and imagery, selective attention, and predictive coding. We discuss practical and theoretical challenges to cognitive applications of layer fMRI, including localizing regions of interest in the face of substantial anatomical heterogeneity across individuals, designing appropriate task paradigms within the confines of acquisition parameters, and generating hypotheses for higher-order brain regions where the laminar circuitry is less well understood. We consider how applying layer fMRI in association cortex may help inform computational models of brain function as well as shed light on consciousness and mental illness, and issue a call to arms to our fellow methodologists and neuroscientists to bring layer fMRI to this next frontier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Finn
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
| | - Laurentius Huber
- MR-Methods Group, Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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26
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Raveendranathan D, Joseph J, Machado T, Mysore A. Neurocognitive and clinical correlates of insight in schizophrenia. Indian J Psychiatry 2020; 62:131-136. [PMID: 32382171 PMCID: PMC7197834 DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_238_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by various symptom dimensions and neurocognitive deficits. Impairment of insight is a core clinical symptom of the disorder. There has been an increasing focus on neurocognition and insight in schizophrenia; although, many studies fail to control for premorbid cognitive status. MATERIALS AND METHODS Schizophrenia patients (n = 60) selected for adequate background education were recruited from outpatient services of a tertiary care hospital and community care homes in Southern India. These patients were comprehensively assessed using a neurocognitive battery. Clinical assessments were done using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Schedule for the Assessment of Insight-expanded version (SAI-E). Partial correlation was performed to examine the relationship of insight with clinical and neurocognitive measures. Statistical significance was set at P = 0.004 (Bonferroni correction for 12 tests of association). Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the predictors of insight. RESULTS The mean PANSS positive, negative, general psychopathology, and total scores were 14.2 ± 4.9, 17.4 ± 5.0, 34.3 ± 6.8, and 65.8 ± 13.9, respectively. Mean insight score (SAI-E) was 8.5 ± 2.9. In partial correlation done after controlling for IQ, significant negative correlations were observed between insight score and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) total errors (P = 0.001), WCST perseverative errors (P < 0.001). Insight scores had negative correlations with PANSS negative (P < 0.002) and total scores (P < 0.002). WCST perseverative errors were the primary predictor of insight in the regression analysis. CONCLUSION Insight has a strong relationship with executive functioning in schizophrenia. This could indicate shared neurobiological substrates for insight and executive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessie Joseph
- Consultant Psychiatrist, St. Isabel's Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Tanya Machado
- Department of Psychiatry, St. John's Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ashok Mysore
- Department of Psychiatry, St. John's Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
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27
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Singh A, Trapp NT, De Corte B, Cao S, Kingyon J, Boes AD, Parker KL. Cerebellar Theta Frequency Transcranial Pulsed Stimulation Increases Frontal Theta Oscillations in Patients with Schizophrenia. THE CEREBELLUM 2019; 18:489-499. [PMID: 30825131 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-019-01013-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a pervasive and disabling aspect of schizophrenia without adequate treatments. A recognized correlate to cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia is attenuated frontal theta oscillations. Neuromodulation to normalize these frontal rhythms represents a potential novel therapeutic strategy. Here, we evaluate whether noninvasive neuromodulation of the cerebellum in patients with schizophrenia can enhance frontal theta oscillations, with the future goal of targeting the cerebellum as a possible therapy for cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. We stimulated the midline cerebellum using transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS), a noninvasive transcranial direct current that can be delivered in a frequency-specific manner. A single 20-min session of theta frequency stimulation was delivered in nine patients with schizophrenia (cathode on right shoulder). Delta frequency tPCS was also delivered as a control to evaluate for frequency-specific effects. EEG signals from midfrontal electrode Cz were analyzed before and after cerebellar tPCS while patients estimated the passage of 3- and 12-s intervals. Theta oscillations were significantly larger following theta frequency cerebellar tPCS in the midfrontal region, which was not seen with delta frequency stimulation. As previously reported, patients with schizophrenia showed a baseline reduction in accuracy estimating 3- and 12-s intervals relative to control subjects, which did not significantly improve following a single-session theta or delta frequency cerebellar tPCS. These preliminary results suggest that single-session theta frequency cerebellar tPCS may modulate task-related oscillatory activity in the frontal cortex in a frequency-specific manner. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation to evaluate whether multiple sessions delivered daily may have an impact on cognitive performance and have therapeutic implications for schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Singh
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Nicholas T Trapp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, 169 Newton Road, 2336 PBDB, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.,Iowa Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Benjamin De Corte
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.,Iowa Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Scarlett Cao
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Johnathon Kingyon
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.,Iowa Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Aaron D Boes
- Department of Pediatrics, Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.,Iowa Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA
| | - Krystal L Parker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, 169 Newton Road, 2336 PBDB, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA. .,Iowa Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
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28
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Selective optogenetic inhibition of medial prefrontal glutamatergic neurons reverses working memory deficits induced by neuropathic pain. Pain 2019; 160:805-823. [PMID: 30681984 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Stability of local medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) network activity is believed to be critical for sustaining cognitive processes such as working memory (WM) and decision making. Dysfunction of the mPFC has been identified as a leading cause to WM deficits in several chronic pain conditions; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely undetermined. Here, to address this issue, we implanted multichannel arrays of electrodes in the prelimbic region of the mPFC and recorded the neuronal activity during a food-reinforced delayed nonmatch to sample (DNMS) task of spatial WM. In addition, we used an optogenetic technique to selectively suppress the activity of excitatory pyramidal neurons that are considered the neuronal substrate for memory retention during the delay period of the behavioral task. Within-subject behavioral performance and pattern of neuronal activity were assessed after the onset of persistent pain using the spared nerve injury model of peripheral neuropathy. Our results show that the nerve lesion caused a disruption in WM and prelimbic spike activity and that this disruption was reversed by the selective inhibition of prelimbic glutamatergic pyramidal neurons during the delay period of the WM task. In spared nerve injury animals, photoinhibition of excitatory neurons improved the performance level and restored neural activity to a similar profile observed in the control animals. In addition, we found that selective inhibition of excitatory neurons does not produce antinociceptive effects. Together, our findings suggest that disruption of balance in local prelimbic networks may be crucial for the neurological and cognitive deficits observed during painful syndromes.
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29
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Oh SJ, Fan X. The Possible Role of the Angiotensin System in the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia: Implications for Pharmacotherapy. CNS Drugs 2019; 33:539-547. [PMID: 30993607 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-019-00632-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has elucidated the involvement of the central renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in various neuropsychiatric diseases. While consensus on the exact mechanism of the central RAS in schizophrenia pathophysiology does not currently exist, increasing evidence reveals promise in harnessing the therapeutic potential of RAS modulation in the treatment of schizophrenia. In this review, we examine how the central RAS affects inflammation, glutamate, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, all of which are associated with schizophrenia etiology. In addition, a recent study has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of RAS modulators, especially angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs), as adjunctive therapy to the currently available antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia treatment. With a greater understanding of how RAS inhibition directly modulates neurotransmitter balance in the brain, it is possible that compounds with RAS-inhibiting properties could be used to optimize physiological levels of glutamate, dopamine, and GABA, and the balance among the three neurotransmitters, analogously to how antipsychotic medications mediate the dopaminergic pathways. It can be hoped that a novel approach based on this concept, such as adjunctive telmisartan therapy, may offer practical interventional strategies to address currently unmet therapeutic needs in patients with schizophrenia, especially those with treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiaoduo Fan
- Psychotic Disorders Program, UMASS Memorial Medical Center, Biotech One, Suite 100, 365 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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30
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Yang GJ, Murray JD, Glasser M, Pearlson GD, Krystal JH, Schleifer C, Repovs G, Anticevic A. Altered Global Signal Topography in Schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:5156-5169. [PMID: 27702810 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a disabling neuropsychiatric disease associated with disruptions across distributed neural systems. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging has identified extensive abnormalities in the blood-oxygen level-dependent signal in SCZ patients, including alterations in the average signal over the brain-i.e. the "global" signal (GS). It remains unknown, however, if these "global" alterations occur pervasively or follow a spatially preferential pattern. This study presents the first network-by-network quantification of GS topography in healthy subjects and SCZ patients. We observed a nonuniform GS contribution in healthy comparison subjects, whereby sensory areas exhibited the largest GS component. In SCZ patients, we identified preferential GS representation increases across association regions, while sensory regions showed preferential reductions. GS representation in sensory versus association cortices was strongly anti-correlated in healthy subjects. This anti-correlated relationship was markedly reduced in SCZ. Such shifts in GS topography may underlie profound alterations in neural information flow in SCZ, informing development of pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve J Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - John D Murray
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Matthew Glasser
- Department of Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA
| | - Godfrey D Pearlson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.,Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford Hospital, 200 Retreat Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106, USA
| | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,NIAAA Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Charlie Schleifer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Grega Repovs
- Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alan Anticevic
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.,Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.,Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford Hospital, 200 Retreat Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106, USA.,NIAAA Center for the Translational Neuroscience of Alcoholism, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.,Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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31
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Dauvermann MR, Moorhead TW, Watson AR, Duff B, Romaniuk L, Hall J, Roberts N, Lee GL, Hughes ZA, Brandon NJ, Whitcher B, Blackwood DH, McIntosh AM, Lawrie SM. Verbal working memory and functional large-scale networks in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 270:86-96. [PMID: 29111478 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Revised: 09/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test whether bilinear and nonlinear effective connectivity (EC) measures of working memory fMRI data can differentiate between patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and healthy controls (HC). We applied bilinear and nonlinear Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) for the analysis of verbal working memory in 16 SZ and 21 HC. The connection strengths with nonlinear modulation between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) were evaluated. We used Bayesian Model Selection at the group and family levels to compare the optimal bilinear and nonlinear models. Bayesian Model Averaging was used to assess the connection strengths with nonlinear modulation. The DCM analyses revealed that SZ and HC used different bilinear networks despite comparable behavioral performance. In addition, the connection strengths with nonlinear modulation between the DLPFC and the VTA/SN area showed differences between SZ and HC. The adoption of different functional networks in SZ and HC indicated neurobiological alterations underlying working memory performance, including different connection strengths with nonlinear modulation between the DLPFC and the VTA/SN area. These novel findings may increase our understanding of connectivity in working memory in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria R Dauvermann
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK; School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland; McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Thomas Wj Moorhead
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Andrew R Watson
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Barbara Duff
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Liana Romaniuk
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK; Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Graham L Lee
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Zoë A Hughes
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA; IMED Neuroscience Unit, AstraZeneca, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Brandon Whitcher
- Clinical and Translational Imaging, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Douglas Hr Blackwood
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Andrew M McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Division of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK
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Analysis of LINE-1 Elements in DNA from Postmortem Brains of Individuals with Schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:2602-2611. [PMID: 28585566 PMCID: PMC5686486 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Whereas some rare genetic variants convey high risk for schizophrenia (SZ), common alleles conveying even moderate risk remain elusive. Long interspersed element-1s (L1) are mobile retrotransposons comprising ~17% of the human genome. L1 retrotransposition can cause somatic mosaicism during neurodevelopment by insertional mutagenesis. We hypothesized that, compared to controls, patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (PDS) may have increased numbers of deleterious L1 insertions, perhaps occurring de novo, in brain-expressed genes of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) neurons. Neuronal and non-neuronal nuclei were separated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting from postmortem DLPFC of 36 PDS and 26 age-matched controls. Genomic sequences flanking the 3'-side of L1s were amplified from neuronal DNA, and neuronal L1 libraries were sequenced. Aligned sequences were analyzed for L1 insertions using custom bioinformatics programs. Ontology and pathway analyses were done on lists of genes putatively disrupted by L1s in PDS and controls. Cellular or population allele frequencies of L1s were assessed by droplet digital PCR or Taqman genotyping. We observed a statistically significant increase in the proportion of intragenic novel L1s in DLPFC of PDS. We found over-representation of L1 insertions within the gene ontologies 'cell projection' and 'postsynaptic membrane' in the gene lists derived from PDS samples, but not from controls. Cellular allele frequencies of examined L1 insertions indicated heterozygosity in genomes of DLPFC cells. An L1 within ERI1 exoribonuclease family member 3 (ERI3) was found to associate with SZ. These results extend prior work documenting increased L1 genetic burden in the brains of PDS and also identify unique genes that may provide new insight into the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
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Murphy M, Mills S, Winstone J, Leishman E, Wager-Miller J, Bradshaw H, Mackie K. Chronic Adolescent Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Treatment of Male Mice Leads to Long-Term Cognitive and Behavioral Dysfunction, Which Are Prevented by Concurrent Cannabidiol Treatment. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2017; 2:235-246. [PMID: 29098186 PMCID: PMC5655843 DOI: 10.1089/can.2017.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The high prevalence of adolescent cannabis use, the association between this use and later psychiatric disease, and increased access to high-potency cannabis highlight the need for a better understanding of the long-term effects of adolescent cannabis use on cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Furthermore, increasing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in high-potency cannabis is accompanied by a decrease in cannabidiol (CBD), thus an understanding of the interactions between CBD and THC in the neurodevelopmental effects of THC is also important. The current study examined the immediate and long-term behavioral consequences of THC, CBD, and their combination in a mouse model of adolescent cannabis use. Materials and Methods: Male CD1 mice received daily injections of THC (3 mg/kg), CBD (3 mg/kg), CBD+THC (3 mg/kg each), vehicle, or remained undisturbed in their home cage (no handling/injections), either during adolescence (postnatal day [PND] 28-48) or during early adulthood (PND 69-89). Animals were then evaluated with a battery of behavioral tests 1 day after drug treatment, and again after 42 drug-free days. The tests included the following: open field (day 1), novel object recognition (NOR; day 2), marble burying (day 3), elevated plus maze (EPM; day 4), and Nestlet shredding (day 5). Results: Chronic administration of THC during adolescence led to immediate and long-term impairments in object recognition/working memory, as measured by the NOR task. In contrast, adult administration of THC caused immediate, but not long term, impairment of object/working memory. Adolescent chronic exposure to THC increased repetitive and compulsive-like behaviors, as measured by the Nestlet shredding task. Chronic administration of THC, either during adolescence or during adulthood, led to a delayed increase in anxiety as measured by the EPM. All THC-induced behavioral abnormalities were prevented by the coadministration of CBD+THC, whereas CBD alone did not influence behavioral outcomes. Conclusion: These data suggest that chronic exposure to THC during adolescence leads to some of the behavioral abnormalities common in schizophrenia. Interestingly, CBD appeared to antagonize all THC-induced behavioral abnormalities. These findings support the hypothesis that adolescent THC use can impart long-term behavioral deficits; however, cotreatment with CBD prevents these deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Murphy
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Sierra Mills
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Joanna Winstone
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Emma Leishman
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Jim Wager-Miller
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Gill Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Heather Bradshaw
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Ken Mackie
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
- Gill Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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Kim YK, Na KS. Neuroprotection in Schizophrenia and Its Therapeutic Implications. Psychiatry Investig 2017; 14:383-391. [PMID: 28845163 PMCID: PMC5561394 DOI: 10.4306/pi.2017.14.4.383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating mental disorder. The persisting negative and cognitive symptoms that are unresponsive to pharmacotherapy reveal the impairment of neuroprotective aspects of schizophrenia. In this review, of the several neuroprotective factors, we mainly focused on neuroinflammation, neurogenesis, and oxidative stress. We conducted a narrative and selective review. Neuroinflammation is mainly mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglia. Unlike peripheral inflammatory responses, neuroinflammation has a role in various neuronal activities such as neurotransmission neurogenesis. The cross-talk between neuroinflammation and neurogenesis usually has beneficial effects in the CNS under physiological conditions. However, uncontrolled and chronic neuroinflammation exert detrimental effects such as neuronal loss, inhibited neurogenesis, and excessive oxidative stress. Neurogenesis is also a major component of neuroprotection. Adult neurogenesis mainly occurs in the hippocampal region, which has an important role in memory formation and processing. Impaired neurogenesis and an ineffective response to antipsychotics may be thought to indicate a deteriorating course of schizophrenia. Oxidative stress and excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission may create a vicious cycle and consequently disturb NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission. Based on the current evidences, several neuroprotective therapeutic approaches have been reported to be efficacious for improving psychopathology, but further longitudinal and large-sample based studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Ku Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung-Sae Na
- Department of Psychiatry, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea
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Burminskiy DS, Morozova MA. [Positive changes in the severity of residual psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients switched to treatment with risperidone]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2017; 117:23-27. [PMID: 28617374 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20171174123-27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the effect of changing therapy from typical antipsychotics to the atypical antipsychotic risperidone in the treatment of difficult-to-treat residual psychotic symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 15 patients, 8 men and 7 women, mean age 49.1±10.25 years, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, partial remission (ICD-10 F20.04). At the beginning all participants received regular maintenance antipsychotic therapy with typical antipsychotics. The patient assessment with the PANSS, CGI scale and GAF scale was performed at the beginning (before the change of antipsychotics to risperidone) and in the end of the study. The primary efficacy endpoint was a reduction in scores on the PANSS items P1 'delusions' and P3 'hallucinatory behavior' to 1 (no such symptom) or 2 (minimal residual symptom). Secondary criteria were positive changes in the severity of other psychopathological symptoms and an increase in the social functioning level. The average dose of risperidone was 4.62±1.35 mg. The duration of treatment was 2 month. RESULTS After switching from typical antipsychotics to risperidone and two months monotherapy, there were significant positive changes in the total PANSS score as well as in positive subscale score and CGI-S score. The small, but statistically significant, changes were detected in the overall functioning of the patients (the increase in the GAF score). The dynamics of residual psychotic symptoms was unequal: the severity of hallucinatory symptoms decreased significantly while the delusional symptoms remained unchanged. CONCLUSION The authors suggest that excessive dopaminergic blockade might play a significant role in the pathogenesis of residual symptoms. This fact may explain the positive effect of treatment in the cases with the less degree of dopaminergic blockade. If it is true, the treatment strategy in the maintenance phase should not be a direct continuation of acute phase therapy and switching to other drugs and changing of the dose are needed.
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Adamczyk P, Wyczesany M, Domagalik A, Daren A, Cepuch K, Błądziński P, Cechnicki A, Marek T. Neural circuit of verbal humor comprehension in schizophrenia - an fMRI study. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 15:525-540. [PMID: 28652967 PMCID: PMC5473647 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia exhibit problems with understanding the figurative meaning of language. This study evaluates neural correlates of diminished humor comprehension observed in schizophrenia. The study included chronic schizophrenia (SCH) outpatients (n = 20), and sex, age and education level matched healthy controls (n = 20). The fMRI punchline based humor comprehension task consisted of 60 stories of which 20 had funny, 20 nonsensical and 20 neutral (not funny) punchlines. After the punchlines were presented, the participants were asked to indicate whether the story was comprehensible and how funny it was. Three contrasts were analyzed in both groups reflecting stages of humor processing: abstract vs neutral stories - incongruity detection; funny vs abstract - incongruity resolution and elaboration; and funny vs neutral - complete humor processing. Additionally, parametric modulation analysis was performed using both subjective ratings separately. Between-group comparisons revealed that the SCH subjects had attenuated activation in the right posterior superior temporal gyrus (BA 41) in case of irresolvable incongruity processing of nonsensical puns; in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) in case of incongruity resolution and elaboration processing of funny puns; and in the interhemispheric dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24) in case of complete processing of funny puns. Additionally, during comprehensibility ratings the SCH group showed a suppressed activity in the left dorsomedial middle and superior frontal gyri (BA 8/9) and revealed weaker activation during funniness ratings in the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 24). Interestingly, these differences in the SCH group were accompanied behaviorally by a protraction of time in both types of rating responses and by indicating funny punchlines less comprehensible. Summarizing, our results indicate neural substrates of humor comprehension processing impairments in schizophrenia, which is accompanied by fronto-temporal hypoactivation.
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Key Words
- ABS, absurd/nonsensical punchline
- ACC, anterior cingulate cortex
- BA, Brodmann's area
- CON, healthy controls/control group
- Communication skills
- EEG, electroencephalography
- ERPs, EEG event-related potentials
- FDR, False Discovery Rate
- FUN, funny punchline
- FWHM, full-width-at-half-maximum
- Figurative meaning
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- GLM, general linear model
- Humor
- IFG, inferior frontal gyrus
- IPL, Inferior Parietal Lobule
- ISI, interstimulus-interval
- L, left hemisphere
- MFG, medial frontal gyrus
- MNI, Montreal Neurological Institute coordinates
- MOG, middle occipital gyrus
- MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
- MTG, middle temporal gyrus
- MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- NEU, neutral/unfunny punchline
- PANSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale
- PFC, prefrontal cortex
- R, right hemisphere
- RHLB, Right Hemisphere Language Battery
- RT, reaction time
- SCH, schizophrenia outpatients/clinical group
- SD, standard deviations
- SEM, standard error of the mean
- SFG, Superior Frontal Gyrus
- SOA, stimulus onset asynchrony
- STG, superior temporal gyrus
- Schizophrenia
- TP, temporal pole
- TPJ, temporoparietal junction
- ToM, theory of mind.
- dACC, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex
- dlPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
- dmMFG, dorsomedial Middle Frontal Gyrus
- fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging
- fNIRS, functional near-infrared spectroscopy
- k, number of voxels in analyzed cluster size
- ns, non-significant group difference
- pSTG, posterior Superior Temporal Gyrus
- sLORETA, standardized low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography analysis
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemysław Adamczyk
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland.
| | - Miroslaw Wyczesany
- Psychophysiology Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Domagalik
- Neurobiology Department, The Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Artur Daren
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland
| | - Kamil Cepuch
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Błądziński
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Cechnicki
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Psychosis Research and Psychotherapy Unit, Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Community Care, Krakow, Poland
| | - Tadeusz Marek
- Neurobiology Department, The Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroergonomics, Institute of Applied Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
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Meule A. Reporting and Interpreting Working Memory Performance in n-back Tasks. Front Psychol 2017; 8:352. [PMID: 28326058 PMCID: PMC5339218 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Meule
- Department of Psychology, University of SalzburgSalzburg, Austria; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of SalzburgSalzburg, Austria
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Milioni ALV, Nagy BV, Moura ALA, Zachi EC, Barboni MT, Ventura DF. Neurotoxic impact of mercury on the central nervous system evaluated by neuropsychological tests and on the autonomic nervous system evaluated by dynamic pupillometry. Neurotoxicology 2017; 59:263-269. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ramsay IS, Nienow TM, Marggraf MP, MacDonald AW. Neuroplastic changes in patients with schizophrenia undergoing cognitive remediation: triple-blind trial. Br J Psychiatry 2017; 210:216-222. [PMID: 28153927 PMCID: PMC5331188 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.171496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Revised: 06/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundPatients with schizophrenia have shown cognitive improvements following cognitive remediation, but the neuroplastic changes that support these processes are not fully understood.AimsTo use a triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial to examine neural activation before and after cognitive remediation or a computer skills training (CST) placebo (trial registration: NCT00995553)).MethodTwenty-seven participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after being randomised to either cognitive remediation intervention or CST. Participants completed two variants of the N-back task during scanning and were assessed on measures of cognition, functional capacity, community functioning and symptoms.ResultsWe observed a group × time interaction in the left prefrontal cortex, wherein the cognitive remediation group showed increased activation. These changes correlated with improved task accuracy within the cognitive remediation group, whereas there was no relationship between changes in activation in untrained cognitive measures. Significant changes were not observed in other hypothesised areas for the cognitive remediation group.ConclusionsWe replicated the finding that cognitive remediation increases left lateral prefrontal activation during a working memory task in patients with schizophrenia, suggesting this may be an important neural target for these types of interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Angus W. MacDonald
- Correspondence: Angus W. MacDonald, Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N219 Elliot Hall 75 E. River Rd, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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Van Snellenberg JX, Girgis RR, Horga G, van de Giessen E, Slifstein M, Ojeil N, Weinstein JJ, Moore H, Lieberman JA, Shohamy D, Smith EE, Abi-Dargham A. Mechanisms of Working Memory Impairment in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 80:617-26. [PMID: 27056754 PMCID: PMC4995154 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neural correlates of working memory (WM) impairment in schizophrenia remain a key puzzle in understanding the cognitive deficits and dysfunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex observed in this disorder. We sought to determine whether patients with schizophrenia exhibit an alteration in the inverted-U relationship between WM load and activation that we recently observed in healthy individuals and whether this could account for WM deficits in this population. METHODS Medicated (n = 30) and unmedicated (n = 21) patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects (n = 45) performed the self-ordered WM task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We identified regions exhibiting an altered fit to an inverted-U relationship between WM load and activation that were also predictive of WM performance. RESULTS A blunted inverted-U response was observed in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients and was associated with behavioral deficits in WM capacity. In addition, suppression of medial prefrontal cortex during WM was reduced in patients and was associated with poorer WM capacity in patients. Finally, activation of visual cortex in the cuneus was elevated in patients and associated with improved WM capacity. Together, these findings explained 55% of the interindividual variance in WM capacity when combined with diagnostic and medication status, which alone accounted for only 22% of the variance in WM capacity. CONCLUSIONS These findings identify a novel biomarker and putative mechanism of WM deficits in patients with schizophrenia, a reduction or flattening of the inverted-U relationship between activation and WM load observed in healthy individuals in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared X Van Snellenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York; Cognitive Neuroscience, New York, New York.
| | - Ragy R Girgis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
| | - Elsmarieke van de Giessen
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York; Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Slifstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
| | - Najate Ojeil
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
| | - Jodi J Weinstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
| | - Holly Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Integrative Neuroscience, New York, New York
| | - Jeffrey A Lieberman
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Daphna Shohamy
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Edward E Smith
- Cognitive Neuroscience, New York, New York; Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York; Divisions of Translational Imaging, New York, New York
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Disrupted Working Memory Circuitry in Schizophrenia: Disentangling fMRI Markers of Core Pathology vs Other Aspects of Impaired Performance. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2411-20. [PMID: 27103065 PMCID: PMC4946071 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) impairment, a core feature of schizophrenia, is often associated with aberrant dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) activation. Reduced resting-state connectivity within the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) has also been reported in schizophrenia. However, interpretation of WM-related dlPFC dysfunction has been limited by performance differences between patients and controls, and by uncertainty over the relevance of resting-state connectivity to network engagement during task. We contrasted brain activation in 40 schizophrenia patients and 40 controls during verbal WM performance, and evaluated underlying functional connectivity during rest and task. During correct trials, patients demonstrated normal FPCN activation, despite an inverse relationship between positive symptoms and activation. FPCN activation differed between the groups only during error trials (controls>patients). In contrast, controls demonstrated stronger deactivation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) during correct and error trials. Functional connectivity analysis indicated impaired resting-state FPCN connectivity in patients, but normal connectivity during task. However, patients showed abnormal connectivity among regions such as vmPFC, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and parahippocampal gyrus (PHG) during both rest and task. During task, patients also exhibited altered thalamic connectivity to PHG and FPCN. Activation and connectivity patterns that were more characteristic of controls generally correlated with better performance. In summary, patients demonstrated normal FPCN activation when they remained on-task, and exhibited normal FPCN connectivity during WM, whereas vmPFC deactivation differences persisted regardless of WM performance. Our findings suggest that altered FPCN activation in patients reflects performance difference, and that limbic and thalamic dysfunction is critically involved in WM deficits in schizophrenia.
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Jentsch JD, Taylor JR, Roth RH. Phencyclidine Model of Frontal Cortical Dysfunction in Nonhuman Primates. Neuroscientist 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/107385840000600409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Long-term intake of noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)/glutamate receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine (PCP), can simulate schizophrenia-like symptomatology in human subjects and can produce aberrant behavior in animals. The behavioral changes produced by PCP in animals have been suggested to model certain primary symptoms of idiopathic psychotic disorders, and the neurobiological substrates affected by PCP have been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This review considers the validity of PCP-induced behaviors in animals as a model of the human disorder, and a developing hypothesis of PCP-induced neurochemical dysfunction within the prefrontal cortex is presented. The behavioral and neurochemical effects of PCP may support the notion that altered glutamatergic/dopaminergic interactions within prefrontal cortex contribute to the cognitive dysfunction of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. David Jentsch
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jane R. Taylor
- Department of Pyschiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Robert H. Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Pyschiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut,
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Rossi R, Zammit S, Button KS, Munafò MR, Lewis G, David AS. Psychotic Experiences and Working Memory: A Population-Based Study Using Signal-Detection Analysis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153148. [PMID: 27120349 PMCID: PMC4847914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychotic Experiences (PEs) during adolescence index increased risk for psychotic disorders and schizophrenia in adult life. Working memory (WM) deficits are a core feature of these disorders. Our objective was to examine the relationship between PEs and WM in a general population sample of young people in a case control study. 4744 individuals of age 17–18 from Bristol and surrounding areas (UK) were analyzed in a cross-sectional study nested within the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort study. The dependent variable was PEs, assessed using the semi-structured Psychosis-Like Symptom Interview (PLIKSi). The independent variable was performance on a computerized numerical n-back working memory task. Signal-Detection Theory indices, including standardized hits rate, false alarms rate, discriminability index (d’) and response bias (c) from 2-Back and 3-Back tasks were calculated. 3576 and 3527 individuals had complete data for 2-Back and 3-Back respectively. Suspected/definite PEs prevalence was 7.9% (N = 374). Strongest evidence of association was seen between PEs and false alarms on the 2-Back, (odds ratio (OR) = 1.17 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.01, 1.35]) and 3-back (OR = 1.35 [1.18, 1.54]) and with c (OR = 1.59 [1.09, 2.34]), and lower d’ (OR = 0.76 [0.65, 0.89]), on the 3-Back. Adjustment for several potential confounders, including general IQ, drug exposure and different psycho-social factors, and subsequent multiple imputation of missing data did not materially alter the results. WM is impaired in young people with PEs in the general population. False alarms, rather than poor accuracy, are more closely related to PEs. Such impairment is consistent with different neuropsychological models of psychosis focusing on signal-to-noise discrimination, probabilistic reasoning and impaired reality monitoring as a basis of psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Rossi
- Section of Psychiatry, University School of Medicine Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Stanley Zammit
- School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Marcus R. Munafò
- UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) at the University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Glyn Lewis
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony S. David
- Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College, London, United Kingdom
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44
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Bryden DW, Burton AC, Barnett BR, Cohen VJ, Hearn TN, Jones EA, Kariyil RJ, Kunin A, In Kwak S, Lee J, Lubinski BL, Rao GK, Zhan A, Roesch MR. Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Impairs Executive Control Signals in Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:716-25. [PMID: 26189451 PMCID: PMC4707818 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) is linked to numerous psychiatric disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Current literature suggests that core deficits observed in ADHD reflect abnormal inhibitory control governed by the prefrontal cortex. Yet, it is unclear how neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is modulated during tasks that assess response inhibition or if these neural correlates, along with behavior, are affected by PNE. To address this issue, we recorded from single mPFC neurons in control and PNE rats as they performed a stop-signal task. We found that PNE rats were faster for all trial-types, made more premature responses, and were less likely to inhibit behavior on 'STOP' trials during which rats had to inhibit an already initiated response. Activity in mPFC was modulated by response direction and was positively correlated with accuracy and movement time in control but not PNE rats. Although the number of single neurons correlated with response direction was significantly reduced by PNE, neural activity observed on general STOP trials was largely unaffected. However, dramatic behavioral deficits on STOP trials immediately following non-conflicting (GO) trials in the PNE group appear to be mediated by the loss of conflict monitoring signals in mPFC. We conclude that prenatal nicotine exposure makes rats impulsive and disrupts firing of mPFC neurons that carry signals related to response direction and conflict monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Bryden
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA,Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, Bio-psyc Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA, Tel: 301 405 2274, Fax: 301 314 9566, E-mail: or
| | - Amanda C Burton
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Brian R Barnett
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Valerie J Cohen
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Taylor N Hearn
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Emily A Jones
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Reshma J Kariyil
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Alice Kunin
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Sae In Kwak
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jessica Lee
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Brooke L Lubinski
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gautam K Rao
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ashley Zhan
- Gemstone Honors Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Matthew R Roesch
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA,Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, Bio-psyc Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA, Tel: 301 405 2274, Fax: 301 314 9566, E-mail: or
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45
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Shasteen JR, Pinkham AE, Kelsven S, Ludwig K, Payne BK, Penn DL. Intact implicit processing of facial threat cues in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2016; 170:150-5. [PMID: 26673971 PMCID: PMC4812666 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
An emerging body of research suggests that people with schizophrenia retain the ability to implicitly perceive facial affect, despite well-documented difficulty explicitly identifying emotional expressions. It remains unclear, however, whether such functional implicit processing extends beyond emotion to other socially relevant facial cues. Here, we constructed two novel versions of the Affect Misattribution Procedure, a paradigm in which affective responses to primes are projected onto neutral targets. The first version included three face primes previously validated to elicit varying inferences of threat from healthy individuals via emotion-independent structural modification (e.g., nose and eye size). The second version included the threat-relevant emotional primes of angry, neutral, and happy faces. Data from 126 participants with schizophrenia and 84 healthy controls revealed that although performing more poorly on an assessment of explicit emotion recognition, patients showed normative implicit threat processing for both non-emotional and emotional facial cues. Collectively, these results support recent hypotheses postulating that the initial perception of salient facial information remains intact in schizophrenia, but that deficits arise at subsequent stages of contextual integration and appraisal. Such a breakdown in the stream of face processing has important implications for mechanistic models of social cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and treatment strategies aiming to improve functional outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon R. Shasteen
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, USA, 75080
| | - Amy E. Pinkham
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, USA, 75080
| | - Skylar Kelsven
- The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX 75080, USA.
| | - Kelsey Ludwig
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - B. Keith Payne
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
| | - David L. Penn
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, 27599
,Australia Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, AUS
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46
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An investigation into aripiprazole's partial D₂ agonist effects within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during working memory in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:1415-26. [PMID: 26900078 PMCID: PMC4819596 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4234-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Working memory impairments in schizophrenia have been attributed to dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) which in turn may be due to low DLPFC dopamine innervation. Conventional antipsychotic drugs block DLPFC D2 receptors, and this may lead to further dysfunction and working memory impairments. Aripiprazole is a D2 receptor partial agonist hypothesised to enhance PFC dopamine functioning, possibly improving working memory. OBJECTIVES We probed the implications of the partial D2 receptor agonist actions of aripiprazole within the DLPFC during working memory. Investigations were carried out in healthy volunteers to eliminate confounds of illness or medication status. Aripiprazole's prefrontal actions were compared with the D2/5-HT2A blocker risperidone to separate aripiprazole's unique prefrontal D2 agonist actions from its serotinergic and striatal D2 actions that it shares with risperidone. METHOD A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design was implemented. Participants received a single dose of either 5 mg aripiprazole, 1 mg risperidone or placebo before performing the n-back task whilst undergoing fMRI scanning. RESULTS Compared with placebo, the aripiprazole group demonstrated enhanced DLPFC activation associated with a trend for improved discriminability (d') and speeded reaction times. In contrast to aripiprazole's neural effects, the risperidone group demonstrated a trend for reduced DLPFC recruitment. Unexpectedly, the risperidone group demonstrated similar effects to aripiprazole on d' and additionally had reduced errors of commission compared with placebo. CONCLUSION Aripiprazole has unique DLPFC actions attributed to its prefrontal D2 agonist action. Risperidone's serotinergic action that results in prefrontal dopamine release may have protected against any impairing effects of its prefrontal D2 blockade.
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47
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Yu X, Qiao S, Wang D, Dai J, Wang J, Zhang R, Wang L, Li L. A metabolomics-based approach for ranking the depressive level in a chronic unpredictable mild stress rat model. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra00665e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An untargeted metabolomics study to investigate the metabolome change in plasma, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) in an animal model with a major depressive disorder (MDD) had been conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yu
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Shanlei Qiao
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Jiayong Dai
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Jun Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology
- Ministry of Education
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing 211166
| | - Rutan Zhang
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Hygiene Analysis and Detection
- School of Public Health
- Nanjing Medical University
- Nanjing
- P. R. China
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48
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Schwarz E, Tost H, Meyer-Lindenberg A. Working memory genetics in schizophrenia and related disorders: An RDoC perspective. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2016; 171B:121-31. [PMID: 26365198 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Improved classification of mental disorders through neurobiological measures will require a set of traits that map to transdiagnostic subgroups of patients and align with heritable, core psychopathological processes at the center of the disorders of interest. A promising candidate is working memory (WM) function, for which deficits have been reported across multiple diagnostic entities including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, and major depressive disorder. Here we review genetic working memory associations and their brain functional correlates from the perspective of identifying patient subgroups across conventional diagnostic boundaries, explore the utility of multimodal investigations integrating functional information at the neural systems level and explore potential limitations as well as future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuel Schwarz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Heike Tost
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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49
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Poudel GR, Driscoll S, Domínguez D JF, Stout JC, Churchyard A, Chua P, Egan GF, Georgiou-Karistianis N. Functional Brain Correlates of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Presymptomatic Huntington’s Disease: The IMAGE-HD Study. J Huntingtons Dis 2015; 4:325-32. [DOI: 10.3233/jhd-150154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Govinda R. Poudel
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Life Sciences Computation Centre, Victorian Life Sciences Computation Initiative (VLSCI), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shannon Driscoll
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Juan F. Domínguez D
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie C. Stout
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew Churchyard
- Department of Neurology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Phyllis Chua
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary F. Egan
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences/School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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50
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Frankle WG, Cho RY, Prasad KM, Mason NS, Paris J, Himes ML, Walker C, Lewis DA, Narendran R. In vivo measurement of GABA transmission in healthy subjects and schizophrenia patients. Am J Psychiatry 2015; 172:1148-59. [PMID: 26133962 PMCID: PMC5070491 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.14081031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Postmortem studies in schizophrenia reveal alterations in gene products that regulate the release and extracellular persistence of GABA. However, results of in vivo studies of schizophrenia measuring total tissue GABA with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have been inconsistent. Neither the postmortem nor the MRS studies directly address the physiological properties of GABA neurotransmission. The present study addresses this question through an innovative positron emission tomography (PET) paradigm. METHOD The binding of [(11)C]flumazenil, a benzodiazepine-specific PET radiotracer, was measured before and after administration of tiagabine (0.2 mg/kg of body weight), a GABA membrane transporter (GAT1) blocker, in 17 off-medication patients with schizophrenia and 22 healthy comparison subjects. Increased extracellular GABA, through GAT1 blockade, enhances the affinity of GABAA receptors for benzodiazepine ligands, detected as an increase in [(11)C]flumazenil tissue distribution volume (VT). RESULTS [(11)C]Flumazenil VT was significantly increased across all cortical brain regions in the healthy comparison group but not in the schizophrenia group. This lack of effect was most prominent in the antipsychotic-naive schizophrenia group. In this subgroup, [(11)C]flumazenil ΔVT in the medial temporal lobe was correlated with positive symptoms, and baseline [(11)C]flumazenil VT in the medial temporal lobe was negatively correlated with visual learning. In the healthy comparison group but not the schizophrenia group, [(11)C]flumazenil ΔVT was positively associated with gamma-band oscillation power. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates, for the first time, an in vivo impairment in GABA transmission in schizophrenia, most prominent in antipsychotic-naive individuals. The impairment in GABA transmission appears to be linked to clinical symptoms, disturbances in cortical oscillations, and cognition.
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