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Sun J, Zhang Y. Microbiome and micronutrient in ALS: From novel mechanisms to new treatments. Neurotherapeutics 2024:e00441. [PMID: 39218769 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurot.2024.e00441] [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: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disorder. Despite extensive studies, it remains challenging to treat ALS. Recent ALS studies have shown dysbiosis (e.g., loss of microbial diversity and beneficial function in the gut microbiota) is correlated with intestinal inflammation and change of intestinal integrity in ALS. The novel concepts and the roles of microbiome and microbial metabolites through the gut-microbiome-neuron axis in ALS pathogenesis have been slowly recognized by the neurology research field. Here, we will discuss the recent progress of microbiome, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, in the ALS research. We will discuss our understanding of microbial metabolites in ALS. Micronutrition refers to the intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. We will summarize the literation related to micronutrition and ALS. Furthermore, we will consider the mutual interactions of microbiome and micronutrition in the ALS progression and treatment. We further propose that the mechanistic and translational studies that shift from suspension of disbelief to cogent ingenuity, and from bench study to bed-side application, should allow new strategies of diagnosis and treatment for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Sun
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Yongguo Zhang
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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2
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Montanaro D, Vavla M, Frijia F, Coi A, Baratto A, Pasquariello R, Stefan C, Martinuzzi A. Metabolite profile in hereditary spastic paraplegia analyzed using magnetic resonance spectroscopy: a cross-sectional analysis in a longitudinal study. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1416093. [PMID: 39193522 PMCID: PMC11347332 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1416093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSP) are genetic neurodegenerative disorders affecting the corticospinal tract. No established neuroimaging biomarker is associated with this condition. Methods A total of 46 patients affected by HSP, genetically and clinically evaluated and tested with SPRS scores, and 46 healthy controls (HC) matched by age and gender underwent a single-voxel Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy sampling (MRS) of bilateral pre-central and pre-frontal regions. MRS data were analyzed cross-sectionally (at T0 and T1) and longitudinally (T0 vs. T1). Results Statistically significant data showed that T0 mI/Cr in the pre-central areas of HSP patients was higher than in HC. In the left (L) pre-central area, NAA/Cr was significantly lower in HSP than in HC. In the right (R) pre-frontal area, NAA/Cr was significantly lower in HSP patients than in HC. HSP SPG4 subjects had significantly lower Cho/Cr concentrations in the L pre-central area compared to HC. Among the HSP subjects, non-SPG4 patients had significantly higher mI/Cr in the L pre-central area compared to SPG4 patients. In the R pre-frontal area, NAA/Cr was reduced, and ml/Cr was higher in non-SPG4 patients compared to SPG4 patients. Comparing "pure" and "complex" forms, NAA/Cr was higher in pHSP than in cHSP in the R pre-central and R pre-frontal areas. The longitudinal analysis, which involved fewer patients (n = 30), showed an increase in mI/Cr concentration in the L pre-frontal area among HSP subjects with respect to baseline. The patients had significantly higher SPRS scores at follow-up, with a significant positive correlation between SPRS scores and mI/Cr in the L pre-central area, while in bilateral pre-frontal areas, lower SPRS scores corresponded to higher NAA/Cr concentrations. To explore the discriminating power of MRS in correctly identifying HSP and controls, an inference tree methodology classified HSP subjects and controls with an overall accuracy of 73.9%, a sensitivity of 87.0%, and a specificity of 60.9%. Conclusion This pilot study indicates that brain MRS is a valuable approach that could potentially serve as an objective biomarker in HSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Montanaro
- U.O. Dipartimentale e Servizio Autonomo di Risonanza Magnetica, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze dell’Età Evolutiva, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marinela Vavla
- Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatric Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University Hospital of Padua, Padova, Italy
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS E. Medea Scientific Institute, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Francesca Frijia
- Bioengineering Unit, Fondazione Toscana G. Monasterio, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Coi
- Unit of Epidemiology of Rare Diseases and Congenital Anomalies, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Baratto
- Department of Radiology, S. Maria dei Battuti Hospital- Conegliano, Treviso, Italy
| | - Rosa Pasquariello
- U.O. Dipartimentale e Servizio Autonomo di Risonanza Magnetica, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze dell’Età Evolutiva, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Stefan
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS E. Medea Scientific Institute, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Andrea Martinuzzi
- Department of Neurorehabilitation, IRCCS E. Medea Scientific Institute, Conegliano, Italy
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Calma AD, van den Bos M, Pavey N, Santos Silva C, Menon P, Vucic S. Physiological Biomarkers of Upper Motor Neuron Dysfunction in ALS. Brain Sci 2024; 14:760. [PMID: 39199454 PMCID: PMC11352893 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14080760] [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: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Upper motor neuron (UMN) dysfunction is an important feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for the diagnosis and understanding of pathogenesis. The identification of UMN signs forms the basis of ALS diagnosis, although may be difficult to discern, especially in the setting of severe muscle weakness. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) techniques have yielded objective physiological biomarkers of UMN dysfunction in ALS, enabling the interrogation of cortical and subcortical neuronal networks with diagnostic, pathophysiological, and prognostic implications. Transcranial magnetic stimulation techniques have provided pertinent pathogenic insights and yielded novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Cortical hyperexcitability, as heralded by a reduction in short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and an increase in short interval intracortical facilitation (SICF), has been associated with lower motor neuron degeneration, patterns of disease evolution, as well as the development of specific ALS clinical features including the split hand phenomenon. Reduction in SICI has also emerged as a potential diagnostic aid in ALS. More recently, physiological distinct inhibitory and facilitatory cortical interneuronal circuits have been identified, which have been shown to contribute to ALS pathogenesis. The triple stimulation technique (TST) was shown to enhance the diagnostic utility of conventional TMS measures in detecting UMN dysfunction. Resting-state EEG is a novel neurophysiological technique developed for directly interrogating cortical neuronal networks in ALS, that have yielded potentially useful physiological biomarkers of UMN dysfunction. The present review discusses physiological biomarkers of UMN dysfunction in ALS, encompassing conventional and novel TMS techniques developed to interrogate the functional integrity of the corticomotoneuronal system, focusing on pathogenic, diagnostic, and prognostic utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aicee Dawn Calma
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
| | - Mehdi van den Bos
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
| | - Nathan Pavey
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
| | - Cláudia Santos Silva
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Unidade Local de Saúde de Santa Maria, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Parvathi Menon
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
| | - Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2139, Australia (C.S.S.)
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Dharmadasa T, Pavey N, Tu S, Menon P, Huynh W, Mahoney CJ, Timmins HC, Higashihara M, van den Bos M, Shibuya K, Kuwabara S, Grosskreutz J, Kiernan MC, Vucic S. Novel approaches to assessing upper motor neuron dysfunction in motor neuron disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: IFCN handbook chapter. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 163:68-89. [PMID: 38705104 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Identifying upper motor neuron (UMN) dysfunction is fundamental to the diagnosis and understanding of disease pathogenesis in motor neuron disease (MND). The clinical assessment of UMN dysfunction may be difficult, particularly in the setting of severe muscle weakness. From a physiological perspective, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) techniques provide objective biomarkers of UMN dysfunction in MND and may also be useful to interrogate cortical and network function. Single, paired- and triple pulse TMS techniques have yielded novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in MND, and have provided important pathogenic insights, particularly pertaining to site of disease onset. Cortical hyperexcitability, as heralded by reduced short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and increased short interval intracortical facilitation, has been associated with the onset of lower motor neuron degeneration, along with patterns of disease spread, development of specific clinical features such as the split hand phenomenon, and may provide an indication about the rate of disease progression. Additionally, reduction of SICI has emerged as a potential diagnostic aid in MND. The triple stimulation technique (TST) was shown to enhance the diagnostic utility of conventional TMS measures in detecting UMN dysfunction in MND. Separately, sophisticated brain imaging techniques have uncovered novel biomarkers of neurodegeneration that have bene associated with progression. The present review will discuss the utility of TMS and brain neuroimaging derived biomarkers of UMN dysfunction in MND, focusing on recently developed TMS techniques and advanced neuroimaging modalities that interrogate structural and functional integrity of the corticomotoneuronal system, with an emphasis on pathogenic, diagnostic, and prognostic utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanuja Dharmadasa
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital City Campus, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nathan Pavey
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sicong Tu
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Parvathi Menon
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - William Huynh
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Colin J Mahoney
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Hannah C Timmins
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Mana Higashihara
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mehdi van den Bos
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kazumoto Shibuya
- Neurology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kuwabara
- Neurology, Chiba University, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Precision Neurology, Excellence Cluster Precision Medicine in Inflammation, University of Lübeck, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Australia
| | - Steve Vucic
- Brain and Nerve Research Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
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Hu Y, Chen W, Wei C, Jiang S, Li S, Wang X, Xu R. Pathological mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1036-1044. [PMID: 37862206 PMCID: PMC10749610 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382985] [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: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis refers to a neurodegenerative disease involving the motor system, the cause of which remains unexplained despite several years of research. Thus, the journey to understanding or treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is still a long one. According to current research, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is likely not due to a single factor but rather to a combination of mechanisms mediated by complex interactions between molecular and genetic pathways. The progression of the disease involves multiple cellular processes and the interaction between different complex mechanisms makes it difficult to identify the causative factors of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Here, we review the most common amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated pathogenic genes and the pathways involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as summarize currently proposed potential mechanisms responsible for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease and their evidence for involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In addition, we discuss current emerging strategies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Studying the emergence of these new therapies may help to further our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushu Hu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Wenzhi Chen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Caihui Wei
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Shishi Jiang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Shu Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Xinxin Wang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College; The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China
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6
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Sharma S, Mehan S, Khan Z, Gupta GD, Narula AS. Icariin prevents methylmercury-induced experimental neurotoxicity: Evidence from cerebrospinal fluid, blood plasma, brain samples, and in-silico investigations. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24050. [PMID: 38226245 PMCID: PMC10788811 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24050] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes significant neurodegeneration. Methylmercury (MeHg+) is a neurotoxin that induces axonal neurodegeneration and motor nerve degeneration by destroying oligodendrocytes, degenerating white matter, inducing apoptosis, excitotoxicity, and reducing myelin basic protein (MBP). This study examines the inhibition of SIRT-1 (silence information regulator 1), Nrf-2 (nuclear factor E2-related factor 2), HO-1 (heme oxygenase 1), and TDP-43 (TAR-DNA-binding protein 43) accumulation in the context of ALS, as well as the modulation of these proteins by icariin (15 and 30 mg/kg, orally), a glycoside flavonoid with neuroprotective properties. Neuroprotective icariin activates SIRT-1, Nrf-2, and HO-1, mitigating inflammation and neuronal injury in neurodegenerative disorders. In-vivo and in-silico testing of experimental ALS models confirmed icariin efficacy in modulating these cellular targets. The addition of sirtinol 10 mg/kg, an inhibitor of SIRT-1, helps determine the effectiveness of icariin. In this study, we also examined neurobehavioral, neurochemical, histopathological, and LFB (Luxol fast blue) markers in various biological samples, including Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood plasma, and brain homogenates (Cerebral Cortex, Hippocampus, Striatum, mid-brain, and Cerebellum). These results demonstrate that the administration of icariin ameliorates experimental ALS and that the mechanism underlying these benefits is likely related to regulating the SIRT-1, Nrf-2, and HO-1 signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarthak Sharma
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India), Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India), Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Zuber Khan
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy (Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India), Moga, Punjab, India
| | - Ghanshyam Das Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, ISF College of Pharmacy (Affiliated to IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, Punjab, 144603, India), Moga, Punjab, India
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Stringer RN, Weiss N. Pathophysiology of ion channels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Brain 2023; 16:82. [PMID: 38102715 PMCID: PMC10722804 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01070-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) stands as the most prevalent and severe form of motor neuron disease, affecting an estimated 2 in 100,000 individuals worldwide. It is characterized by the progressive loss of cortical, brainstem, and spinal motor neurons, ultimately resulting in muscle weakness and death. Although the etiology of ALS remains poorly understood in most cases, the remodelling of ion channels and alteration in neuronal excitability represent a hallmark of the disease, manifesting not only during the symptomatic period but also in the early pre-symptomatic stages. In this review, we delve into these alterations observed in ALS patients and preclinical disease models, and explore their consequences on neuronal activities. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of ion channels as therapeutic targets in the context of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin N Stringer
- Department of Pathophysiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Norbert Weiss
- Department of Pathophysiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
- Center of Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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8
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Xie M, Pallegar PN, Parusel S, Nguyen AT, Wu LJ. Regulation of cortical hyperexcitability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: focusing on glial mechanisms. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:75. [PMID: 37858176 PMCID: PMC10585818 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00665-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in muscle weakness, atrophy, paralysis, and eventually death. Motor cortical hyperexcitability is a common phenomenon observed at the presymptomatic stage of ALS. Both cell-autonomous (the intrinsic properties of motor neurons) and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms (cells other than motor neurons) are believed to contribute to cortical hyperexcitability. Decoding the pathological relevance of these dynamic changes in motor neurons and glial cells has remained a major challenge. This review summarizes the evidence of cortical hyperexcitability from both clinical and preclinical research, as well as the underlying mechanisms. We discuss the potential role of glial cells, particularly microglia, in regulating abnormal neuronal activity during the disease progression. Identifying early changes such as neuronal hyperexcitability in the motor system may provide new insights for earlier diagnosis of ALS and reveal novel targets to halt the disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manling Xie
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Praveen N Pallegar
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sebastian Parusel
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Aivi T Nguyen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Long-Jun Wu
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
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Sugita K, Anan M, Matsuta H, Shimomura T, Fudaba H, Hata N, Fujiki M. Quantitative GABA magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a measure of motor learning function in the motor cortex after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1173285. [PMID: 37900594 PMCID: PMC10603245 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1173285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying gross and fine motor dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remain unknown. The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficit hypothesis proposes that reduced neuronal GABA concentrations and the subsequent lack of GABA-mediated inhibition cause motor impairment after SAH. This study aimed to explore the correlation between GABA levels and a behavioral measure of motor performance in patients with SAH. Motor cortical GABA levels were assessed in 40 patients with SAH and 10 age-matched healthy controls using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The GABA and N-acetylasparate (NAA) ratio was measured in the normal gray matter within the primary motor cortex. The relationship between GABA concentration and hand-motor performance was also evaluated. Results showed significantly lower GABA levels in patients with SAH's left motor cortex than in controls (GABA/NAA ratio: 0.282 ± 0.085 vs. 0.341 ± 0.031, respectively; p = 0.041). Reaction times (RTs), a behavioral measure of motor performance potentially dependent on GABAergic synaptic transmission, were significantly longer in patients than in controls (936.8 ± 303.8 vs. 440.2 ± 67.3 ms, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, motor cortical GABA levels and RTs exhibited a significant positive linear correlation among patients (r = 0.572, rs = 0.327, p = 0.0001). Therefore, a decrease in GABA levels in the primary motor cortex after SAH may lead to impaired cortical inhibition of neuronal function and indicates that GABA-mediated synaptic transmission in the motor cortex is critical for RT.
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Nagy ZF, Sonkodi B, Pál M, Klivényi P, Széll M. Likely Pathogenic Variants of Ca v1.3 and Na v1.1 Encoding Genes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Could Elucidate the Dysregulated Pain Pathways. Biomedicines 2023; 11:933. [PMID: 36979911 PMCID: PMC10046311 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal multisystem neurodegenerative disease associated with progressive loss of motor neurons, leading to death. Not only is the clinical picture of ALS heterogenous, but also the pain sensation due to different types of pain involvement. ALS used to be considered a painless disease, but research has been emerging and depicting a more complex pain representation in ALS. Pain has been detected even a couple years before the symptomatic stage of ALS, referring to primary pain associated with muscle denervation, although secondary pain due to nociceptive causes is also a part of the clinical picture. A new non-contact dying-back injury mechanism theory of ALS recently postulated that the irreversible intrafusal proprioceptive Piezo2 microinjury could be the primary damage, with underlying genetic and environmental risk factors. Moreover, this Piezo2 primary damage is also proposed to dysregulate the primary pain pathways in the spinal dorsal horn in ALS due to the lost imbalanced subthreshold Ca2+ currents, NMDA activation and lost L-type Ca2+ currents, leading to the lost activation of wide dynamic range neurons. Our investigation is the first to show that the likely pathogenic variants of the Cav1.3 encoding CACNA1D gene may play a role in ALS pathology and the associated dysregulation or loss of the pain sensation. Furthermore, our reanalysis also shows that the SCN1A gene might also contribute to the dysregulated pain sensation in ALS. Finally, the absence of pathogenic variants of Piezo2 points toward the new non-contact dying-back injury mechanism theory of ALS. However, molecular and genetic investigations are needed to identify the functionally diverse features of this proposed novel critical pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Flóra Nagy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Sonkodi
- Department of Health Sciences and Sport Medicine, Hungarian University of Sports Science, 1123 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Margit Pál
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
- ELKH-SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter Klivényi
- Department of Neurology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Márta Széll
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
- ELKH-SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
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11
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Wei JA, Liu L, Song X, Lin B, Cui J, Luo L, Liu Y, Li S, Li X, So KF, Yan S, Zhang L. Physical exercise modulates the microglial complement pathway in mice to relieve cortical circuitry deficits induced by mutant human TDP-43. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112240. [PMID: 36924491 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The aggregation of TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) is related to different neurodegenerative diseases, which leads to microglial activation and neuronal loss. The molecular mechanism driving neuronal death by reactive microglia, however, has not been completely resolved. In this study, we generated a mouse model by overexpressing mutant human TDP-43 (M337V) in the primary motor cortex, leading to prominent motor-learning deficits. In vivo 2-photon imaging shows an active approach of microglia toward parvalbumin interneurons, resulting in disrupted cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance. Proteomics studies suggest that activation of the complement pathway induces microglial activity. To develop an early interventional strategy, treadmill exercise successfully prevents the deterioration of motor dysfunction under enhanced adipocytic release of clusterin to block the complement pathway. These results demonstrate a previously unrecognized pathway by which TDP-43 induces cortical deficits and provide additional insights for the mechanistic explanation of exercise training in disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-An Wei
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Linglin Liu
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xichen Song
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Bilian Lin
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jing Cui
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Lanzhi Luo
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yuchu Liu
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Shihua Li
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Models, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaojiang Li
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Models, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou 510515, China; Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510300, China; Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Institute, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Models, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou 510515, China; Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510300, China; Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Institute, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao 266000, China.
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12
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Sako W, Haji S, Abe T, Osaki Y, Matsumoto Y, Harada M, Izumi Y. M1/precuneus ratio as a surrogate marker of upper motor neuron sign in ALS. J Neurol Sci 2023; 445:120548. [PMID: 36640663 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2023.120548] [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: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether primary motor cortex (M1) volume measured with an automated approach in MRI reflects upper motor neuron dysfunction and whether it can serve as a potential diagnostic and/or disease-tracking biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS In this retrospective study, we enrolled 95 subjects, including 33 possible or laboratory supported probable ALS, 26 probable or definite ALS (Prob/Def), 2 primary lateral sclerosis patients, 8 progressive muscular atrophy patients, 19 normal controls (NC) and 7 ALS patients having a second structural MRI scan. Some subjects also underwent functional MRI. We calculated M1, primary sensory cortex, precuneus volumes, and total gray matter volume (TGMV) with FreeSurfer. The sensorimotor network (SMN) was identified using independent component analysis. RESULTS The M1/precuneus ratio showed a significant difference between the NC and Prob/Def groups (p < 0.05). The diagnostic accuracy of the M1/precuneus ratio was moderate for distinguishing Prob/Def from NC (cutoff = 1.00, sensitivity = 0.42, specificity = 0.90). Two of eight cases without upper motor neuron dysfunction could be diagnosed with ALS using M1/precuneus ratio as a surrogate marker. A negative correlation between M1/precuneus ratio and functional activity was found in Brodmann area 6 in the SMN in all subjects. TGMV tended to decrease with disease progression (p = 0.04). INTERPRETATION The M1/precuneus volume ratio, associated with the SMN, may have potential as a surrogate biomarker of upper motor neuron dysfunction in ALS. Furthermore, TGMV may serve as an ALS disease-tracking biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Sako
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan.
| | - Shotaro Haji
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Takashi Abe
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yusuke Osaki
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuki Matsumoto
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Masafumi Harada
- Department of Radiology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
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13
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Ghaffari LT, Trotti D, Haeusler AR, Jensen BK. Breakdown of the central synapses in C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1005112. [PMID: 36187344 PMCID: PMC9523884 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1005112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to the death of motor and cortical neurons. The clinical manifestations of ALS are heterogenous, and efficacious treatments to significantly slow the progression of the disease are lacking. Cortical hyper-excitability is observed pre-symptomatically across disease-causative genetic variants, as well as in the early stages of sporadic ALS, and typically precedes motor neuron involvement and overt neurodegeneration. The causes of cortical hyper-excitability are not yet fully understood but is mainly agreed to be an early event. The identification of the nucleotide repeat expansion (GGGGCC)n in the C9ORF72 gene has provided evidence that ALS and another neurodegenerative disease, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), are part of a disease spectrum with common genetic origins. ALS and FTD are diseases in which synaptic dysfunction is reported throughout disease onset and stages of progression. It has become apparent that ALS/FTD-causative genes, such as C9ORF72, may have roles in maintaining the normal physiology of the synapse, as mutations in these genes often manifest in synaptic dysfunction. Here we review the dysfunctions of the central nervous system synapses associated with the nucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 observed in patients, organismal, and cellular models of ALS and FTD.
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14
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Oxidative Stress as a Potential Mechanism Underlying Membrane Hyperexcitability in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11081511. [PMID: 36009230 PMCID: PMC9405356 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11081511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by gradually progressive, selective loss of anatomically or physiologically related neuronal systems that produce brain damage from which there is no recovery. Despite the differences in clinical manifestations and neuronal vulnerability, the pathological processes appear to be similar, suggesting common neurodegenerative pathways. It is well known that oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen radicals plays a key role in neuronal cell damage. It has been proposed that this stress, among other mechanisms, could contribute to neuronal degeneration and might be one of the factors triggering the development of these pathologies. Another common feature in most neurodegenerative diseases is neuron hyperexcitability, an aberrant electrical activity. This review, focusing mainly on primary motor cortex pyramidal neurons, critically evaluates the idea that oxidative stress and inflammation may be involved in neurodegeneration via their capacity to increase membrane excitability.
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15
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Pun FW, Liu BHM, Long X, Leung HW, Leung GHD, Mewborne QT, Gao J, Shneyderman A, Ozerov IV, Wang J, Ren F, Aliper A, Bischof E, Izumchenko E, Guan X, Zhang K, Lu B, Rothstein JD, Cudkowicz ME, Zhavoronkov A. Identification of Therapeutic Targets for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using PandaOmics – An AI-Enabled Biological Target Discovery Platform. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:914017. [PMID: 35837482 PMCID: PMC9273868 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.914017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease with ill-defined pathogenesis, calling for urgent developments of new therapeutic regimens. Herein, we applied PandaOmics, an AI-driven target discovery platform, to analyze the expression profiles of central nervous system (CNS) samples (237 cases; 91 controls) from public datasets, and direct iPSC-derived motor neurons (diMNs) (135 cases; 31 controls) from Answer ALS. Seventeen high-confidence and eleven novel therapeutic targets were identified and will be released onto ALS.AI (http://als.ai/). Among the proposed targets screened in the c9ALS Drosophila model, we verified 8 unreported genes (KCNB2, KCNS3, ADRA2B, NR3C1, P2RY14, PPP3CB, PTPRC, and RARA) whose suppression strongly rescues eye neurodegeneration. Dysregulated pathways identified from CNS and diMN data characterize different stages of disease development. Altogether, our study provides new insights into ALS pathophysiology and demonstrates how AI speeds up the target discovery process, and opens up new opportunities for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank W. Pun
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bonnie Hei Man Liu
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xi Long
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hoi Wing Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Geoffrey Ho Duen Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Quinlan T. Mewborne
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Junli Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Anastasia Shneyderman
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ivan V. Ozerov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ju Wang
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alexander Aliper
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Evelyne Bischof
- College of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
- International Center for Multimorbidity and Complexity in Medicine (ICMC), Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Xiaoming Guan
- 4B Technologies Limited, Suzhou BioBay, Suzhou, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Bai Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jeffrey D. Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Merit E. Cudkowicz
- Healey & AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Merit E. Cudkowicz,
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, United States
- Alex Zhavoronkov,
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16
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Shibuya K, Otani R, Suzuki YI, Kuwabara S, Kiernan MC. Neuronal Hyperexcitability and Free Radical Toxicity in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Established and Future Targets. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15040433. [PMID: 35455429 PMCID: PMC9025031 DOI: 10.3390/ph15040433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease with evidence of degeneration involving upper and lower motor neuron compartments of the nervous system. Presently, two drugs, riluzole and edaravone, have been established as being useful in slowing disease progression in ALS. Riluzole possesses anti-glutamatergic properties, while edaravone eliminates free radicals (FRs). Glutamate is the excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord and binds to several inotropic receptors. Excessive activation of these receptors generates FRs, inducing neurodegeneration via damage to intracellular organelles and upregulation of proinflammatory mediators. FRs bind to intracellular structures, leading to cellular impairment that contributes to neurodegeneration. As such, excitotoxicity and FR toxicities have been considered as key pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to the cascade of degeneration that envelopes neurons in ALS. Recent advanced technologies, including neurophysiological, imaging, pathological and biochemical techniques, have concurrently identified evidence of increased excitability in ALS. This review focuses on the relationship between FRs and excitotoxicity in motor neuronal degeneration in ALS and introduces concepts linked to increased excitability across both compartments of the human nervous system. Within this cellular framework, future strategies to promote therapeutic development in ALS, from the perspective of neuronal excitability and function, will be critically appraised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumoto Shibuya
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8677, Japan; (K.S.); (R.O.); (Y.-i.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Ryo Otani
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8677, Japan; (K.S.); (R.O.); (Y.-i.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Yo-ichi Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8677, Japan; (K.S.); (R.O.); (Y.-i.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Satoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba 260-8677, Japan; (K.S.); (R.O.); (Y.-i.S.); (S.K.)
| | - Matthew C. Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, Department of Neurology, University of Sydney, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney 2050, Australia
- Correspondence:
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17
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Cortical Hyperexcitability in the Driver’s Seat in ALS. CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/ctn6010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease characterized by the degeneration of cortical and spinal motor neurons. With no effective treatment available to date, patients face progressive paralysis and eventually succumb to the disease due to respiratory failure within only a few years. Recent research has revealed the multifaceted nature of the mechanisms and cell types involved in motor neuron degeneration, thereby opening up new therapeutic avenues. Intriguingly, two key features present in both ALS patients and rodent models of the disease are cortical hyperexcitability and hyperconnectivity, the mechanisms of which are still not fully understood. We here recapitulate current findings arguing for cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous mechanisms causing cortical excitation and inhibition imbalance, which is involved in the degeneration of motor neurons in ALS. Moreover, we will highlight recent evidence that strongly indicates a cardinal role for the motor cortex as a main driver and source of the disease, thus arguing for a corticofugal trajectory of the pathology.
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18
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Schiel KA. A beneficial role for elevated extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and cerebral ischemia. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100127. [PMID: 34585427 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This hypothesis proposes that increased extracellular glutamate in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and cerebral ischemia, currently viewed as a trigger for excitotoxicity, is actually beneficial as it stimulates the utilization of glutamate as metabolic fuel. Renewed appreciation of glutamate oxidation by ischemic neurons has raised questions regarding the role of extracellular glutamate in ischemia. Is it detrimental, as suggested by excitotoxicity in early in vitro studies, or beneficial, as suggested by its oxidation in later in vivo studies? The answer may depend on the activity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Early in vitro procedures co-activated NMDA receptors (NMDARs) containing 2A (GluN2A) and 2B (GluN2B) subunits, an event now believed to trigger excitotoxicity; however, during in vivo ischemia D-serine and zinc molecules are released and these ensure only GluN2B receptors are stimulated. This not only prevents excitotoxicity but also initiates signaling cascades that allow ischemic neurons to import and oxidize glutamate.
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19
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TDP-43 regulates GAD1 mRNA splicing and GABA signaling in Drosophila CNS. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18761. [PMID: 34548578 PMCID: PMC8455590 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98241-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the function of the RNA-binding protein TDP-43 are largely associated with the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating disease of the human motor system that leads to motoneurons degeneration and reduced life expectancy by molecular mechanisms not well known. In our previous work, we found that the expression levels of the glutamic acid decarboxylase enzyme (GAD1), responsible for converting glutamate to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), were downregulated in TBPH-null flies and motoneurons derived from ALS patients carrying mutations in TDP-43, suggesting that defects in the regulation of GAD1 may lead to neurodegeneration by affecting neurotransmitter balance. In this study, we observed that TBPH was required for the regulation of GAD1 pre-mRNA splicing and the levels of GABA in the Drosophila central nervous system (CNS). Interestingly, we discovered that pharmacological treatments aimed to potentiate GABA neurotransmission were able to revert locomotion deficiencies in TBPH-minus flies, revealing novel mechanisms and therapeutic strategies in ALS.
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20
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Caldwell S, Rothman DL. 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Understand the Biological Basis of ALS, Diagnose Patients Earlier, and Monitor Disease Progression. Front Neurol 2021; 12:701170. [PMID: 34512519 PMCID: PMC8429815 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.701170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
At present, limited biomarkers exist to reliably understand, diagnose, and monitor the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurological disease characterized by motor neuron death. Standard MRI technology can only be used to exclude a diagnosis of ALS, but 1H-MRS technology, which measures neurochemical composition, may provide the unique ability to reveal biomarkers that are specific to ALS and sensitive enough to diagnose patients at early stages in disease progression. In this review, we present a summary of current theories of how mitochondrial energetics and an altered glutamate/GABA neurotransmitter flux balance play a role in the pathogenesis of ALS. The theories are synthesized into a model that predicts how pathogenesis impacts glutamate and GABA concentrations. When compared with the results of all MRS studies published to date that measure the absolute concentrations of these neurochemicals in ALS patients, results were variable. However, when normalized for neuronal volume using the MRS biomarker N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), there is clear evidence for an elevation of neuronal glutamate in nine out of thirteen studies reviewed, an observation consistent with the predictions of the model of increased activity of glutamatergic neurons and excitotoxicity. We propose that this increase in neuronal glutamate concentration, in combination with decreased neuronal volume, is specific to the pathology of ALS. In addition, when normalized to glutamate levels, there is clear evidence for a decrease in neuronal GABA in three out of four possible studies reviewed, a finding consistent with a loss of inhibitory regulation contributing to excessive neuronal excitability. The combination of a decreased GABA/Glx ratio with an elevated Glx/NAA ratio may enhance the specificity for 1H-MRS detection of ALS and ability to monitor glutamatergic and GABAergic targeted therapeutics. Additional longitudinal studies calculating the exact value of these ratios are needed to test these hypotheses and understand how ratios may change over the course of disease progression. Proposed modifications to the experimental design of the reviewed 1H MRS studies may also increase the sensitivity of the technology to changes in these neurochemicals, particularly in early stages of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Caldwell
- Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Douglas L Rothman
- Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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21
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Differential NPY-Y1 Receptor Density in the Motor Cortex of ALS Patients and Familial Model of ALS. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11080969. [PMID: 34439588 PMCID: PMC8393413 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11080969] [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: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Destabilization of faciliatory and inhibitory circuits is an important feature of corticomotor pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While GABAergic inputs to upper motor neurons are reduced in models of the disease, less understood is the involvement of peptidergic inputs to upper motor neurons in ALS. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) system has been shown to confer neuroprotection against numerous pathogenic mechanisms implicated in ALS. However, little is known about how the NPY system functions in the motor system. Herein, we investigate post-synaptic NPY signaling on upper motor neurons in the rodent and human motor cortex, and on cortical neuron populations in vitro. Using immunohistochemistry, we show the increased density of NPY-Y1 receptors on the soma of SMI32-positive upper motor neurons in post-mortem ALS cases and SOD1G93A excitatory cortical neurons in vitro. Analysis of receptor density on Thy1-YFP-H-positive upper motor neurons in wild-type and SOD1G93A mouse tissue revealed that the distribution of NPY-Y1 receptors was changed on the apical processes at early-symptomatic and late-symptomatic disease stages. Together, our data demonstrate the differential density of NPY-Y1 receptors on upper motor neurons in a familial model of ALS and in ALS cases, indicating a novel pathway that may be targeted to modulate upper motor neuron activity.
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22
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Minj E, Upadhayay S, Mehan S. Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Activator Acetyl-11-keto-beta Boswellic Acid (AKBA)-Mediated Neuroprotection in Methyl Mercury-Induced Experimental Model of ALS. Neurochem Res 2021; 46:2867-2884. [PMID: 34075522 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-021-03366-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that causes neurotoxicity and neuronal cell death. MeHg exposure also leads to oligodendrocyte destruction, glial cell overactivation, and demyelination of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord. As a result, MeHg plays an important role in the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-like neurocomplications. ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder in which neuroinflammation is the leading cause of further CNS demyelination. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2)/Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway was thought to be a potential target for neuroprotection in ALS. Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) is a multi-component pentacyclic triterpenoid mixture derived from Boswellia serrata with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The research aimed to investigate whether AKBA, as a Nrf2 / HO-1 activator, can provide protection against ALS. Thus, we explored the role of AKBA on the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in a MeHg-induced experimental ALS model. In this study, ALS was induced in Wistar rats by oral gavage of MeHg 5 mg/kg for 21 days. An open field test, force swim test, and grip strength were performed to observe experimental rats' motor coordination behaviors. In contrast, a morris water maze was performed for learning and memory. Administration of AKBA 50 mg/kg and AKBA 100 mg/kg continued from day 22 to 42. Neurochemical parameters were evaluated in the rat's brain homogenate. In the meantime, post-treatment with AKBA significantly improved behavioral, neurochemical, and gross pathological characteristics in the brain of rats by increasing the amount of Nrf2/HO-1 in brain tissue. Collectively, our findings indicated that AKBA could potentially avoid demyelination and encourage remyelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Minj
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Shubham Upadhayay
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India
| | - Sidharth Mehan
- Neuropharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga, 142001, Punjab, India.
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Dharmadasa T. Cortical Excitability across the ALS Clinical Motor Phenotypes. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11060715. [PMID: 34071187 PMCID: PMC8230203 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11060715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by its marked clinical heterogeneity. Although the coexistence of upper and lower motor neuron signs is a common clinical feature for most patients, there is a wide range of atypical motor presentations and clinical trajectories, implying a heterogeneity of underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Corticomotoneuronal dysfunction is increasingly postulated as the harbinger of clinical disease, and neurophysiological exploration of the motor cortex in vivo using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has suggested that motor cortical hyperexcitability may be a critical pathogenic factor linked to clinical features and survival. Region-specific selective vulnerability at the level of the motor cortex may drive the observed differences of clinical presentation across the ALS motor phenotypes, and thus, further understanding of phenotypic variability in relation to cortical dysfunction may serve as an important guide to underlying disease mechanisms. This review article analyses the cortical excitability profiles across the clinical motor phenotypes, as assessed using TMS, and explores this relationship to clinical patterns and survival. This understanding will remain essential to unravelling central disease pathophysiology and for the development of specific treatment targets across the ALS clinical motor phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanuja Dharmadasa
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK;
- Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
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Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Cortical Hyper-Excitability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Review. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11050549. [PMID: 33925493 PMCID: PMC8145013 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11050549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromotor disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs), resulting in muscle paralysis and death. Early cortical hyper-excitability is a common pathological process observed clinically and in animal disease models. Although the mechanisms that underlie cortical hyper-excitability are not completely understood, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause enhanced neuronal intrinsic excitability and changes in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity are starting to emerge. Here, we review the evidence for an anterograde glutamatergic excitotoxic process, leading to cortical hyper-excitability via intrinsic cellular and synaptic mechanisms and for the role of interneurons in establishing disinhibition in clinical and experimental settings. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to these complex pathological processes will likely produce key insights towards developing novel therapeutic strategies to rescue upper MNs, thus alleviating the impact of this fatal disease.
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MR spectroscopy and imaging-derived measurements in the supplementary motor area for biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurol Sci 2021; 42:4257-4263. [PMID: 33594539 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05107-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) requires both upper and lower motor neuron signs. However, quite a few patients with ALS lack the upper motor neuron sign during the disease. This study sought to investigate whether metabolites, including glutamate (Glu), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), in the supplementary motor area (SMA) measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), could be a surrogate biomarker for ALS. Twenty-five patients with ALS and 12 controls underwent 3.0-T MR scanning, which measured Glu, NAA, and GABA. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were created and the area under curve (AUC) was calculated to assess the diagnostic power. Logistic regression analysis revealed the usefulness of both Glu and NAA for the differentiation of ALS from controls (Glu, P = 0.009; NAA, P = 0.033). The ratio of Glu to NAA or GABA was significantly increased in patients with ALS (Glu/NAA, P = 0.027; Glu/GABA, P = 0.003). Both the AUCs were more than 0.7, with high specificity but low sensitivity. The present findings might indicate that both the Glu/NAA and the Glu/GABA ratios in the SMA could be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of ALS.
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Cheng L, Yuan Y, Tang X, Zhou Y, Luo C, Liu D, Zhang Y, Zhang J. Structural and functional underpinnings of precentral abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Eur J Neurol 2021; 28:1528-1536. [PMID: 33404153 DOI: 10.1111/ene.14717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons. Studies using various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analytical approaches have consistently identified significant precentral abnormalities in ALS, whereas their structural and functional underpinnings remain poorly understood. METHODS Using cortical thickness, fractional anisotropy (FA), and effective connectivity, we performed a multimodal MRI study to examine the structural and functional alterations associated with precentral abnormalities in patients with ALS (n = 60) compared with healthy controls (n = 60). RESULTS Cortical thickness analysis revealed significant cortical thinning in the right precentral gyrus (PCG), superior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus in patients with ALS. Tractwise white matter microstructure analyses revealed decreased FA in the tracts connected to the PCG cluster in patients with ALS involving the right corticospinal tract and the middle posterior body of the corpus callosum. Additionally, the cortical thickness of the PCG cluster was found to be positively correlated with FA of the tracts connected to the PCG cluster, suggesting that these two structural features are tightly coupled. Using spectral dynamic causal modelling, effective connectivity analysis among the three regions with cortical thinning revealed decreased self-inhibitory influence in the PCG cluster in patients with ALS, which might be an endophenotypic manifestation of an imbalance in inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in this region. CONCLUSIONS The present data shed new light on the structural and functional underpinnings of precentral abnormalities in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Cheng
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yumin Yuan
- School of Intelligent Technology and Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, China
| | - Xie Tang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunxia Luo
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
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27
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Crabé R, Aimond F, Gosset P, Scamps F, Raoul C. How Degeneration of Cells Surrounding Motoneurons Contributes to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9122550. [PMID: 33260927 PMCID: PMC7760029 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of upper and lower motoneurons. Despite motoneuron death being recognized as the cardinal event of the disease, the loss of glial cells and interneurons in the brain and spinal cord accompanies and even precedes motoneuron elimination. In this review, we provide striking evidence that the degeneration of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, in addition to inhibitory and modulatory interneurons, disrupt the functionally coherent environment of motoneurons. We discuss the extent to which the degeneration of glial cells and interneurons also contributes to the decline of the motor system. This pathogenic cellular network therefore represents a novel strategic field of therapeutic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxane Crabé
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier, INSERM, UMR1051, University of Montpellier, 34091 Montpellier, France; (R.C.); (F.A.); (P.G.); (F.S.)
| | - Franck Aimond
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier, INSERM, UMR1051, University of Montpellier, 34091 Montpellier, France; (R.C.); (F.A.); (P.G.); (F.S.)
| | - Philippe Gosset
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier, INSERM, UMR1051, University of Montpellier, 34091 Montpellier, France; (R.C.); (F.A.); (P.G.); (F.S.)
| | - Frédérique Scamps
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier, INSERM, UMR1051, University of Montpellier, 34091 Montpellier, France; (R.C.); (F.A.); (P.G.); (F.S.)
| | - Cédric Raoul
- The Neuroscience Institute of Montpellier, INSERM, UMR1051, University of Montpellier, 34091 Montpellier, France; (R.C.); (F.A.); (P.G.); (F.S.)
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Kazan Federal University, 420008 Kazan, Russia
- Correspondence:
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28
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Gunes ZI, Kan VWY, Ye X, Liebscher S. Exciting Complexity: The Role of Motor Circuit Elements in ALS Pathophysiology. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:573. [PMID: 32625051 PMCID: PMC7311855 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease, characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. Despite decades of research, we still to date lack a cure or disease modifying treatment, emphasizing the need for a much-improved insight into disease mechanisms and cell type vulnerability. Altered neuronal excitability is a common phenomenon reported in ALS patients, as well as in animal models of the disease, but the cellular and circuit processes involved, as well as the causal relevance of those observations to molecular alterations and final cell death, remain poorly understood. Here, we review evidence from clinical studies, cell type-specific electrophysiology, genetic manipulations and molecular characterizations in animal models and culture experiments, which argue for a causal involvement of complex alterations of structure, function and connectivity of different neuronal subtypes within the cortical and spinal cord motor circuitries. We also summarize the current knowledge regarding the detrimental role of astrocytes and reassess the frequently proposed hypothesis of glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity with respect to changes in neuronal excitability. Together, these findings suggest multifaceted cell type-, brain area- and disease stage- specific disturbances of the excitation/inhibition balance as a cardinal aspect of ALS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynep I Gunes
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa W Y Kan
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - XiaoQian Ye
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sabine Liebscher
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Biomedical Center, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
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29
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Rei N, Rombo DM, Ferreira MF, Baqi Y, Müller CE, Ribeiro JA, Sebastião AM, Vaz SH. Hippocampal synaptic dysfunction in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Reversal by adenosine A 2AR blockade. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108106. [PMID: 32311420 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) mostly affects motor neurons, but non-motor neural and cognitive alterations have been reported in ALS mouse models and patients. Here, we evaluated if time-dependent biphasic changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity occur in hippocampal synapses of ALS SOD1G93A mice. Recordings were performed in hippocampal slices of SOD1G93A and age-matched WT mice, in the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic stages. We found an enhancement of pre-synaptic function and increased adenosine A2A receptor levels in the hippocampus of pre-symptomatic mice. In contrast, in symptomatic mice, there was an impairment of long-term potentiation (LTP) and a decrease in NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents, with A2AR levels also being increased. Chronic treatment with the A2AR antagonist KW-6002, rescued LTP and A2AR values. Altogether, these findings suggest an increase in synaptic function during the pre-symptomatic stage, followed by a decrease in synaptic plasticity in the symptomatic stage, which involves over-activation of A2AR from early disease stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Rei
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - D M Rombo
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M F Ferreira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Y Baqi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 36, Postal Code 123, Muscat, Oman
| | - C E Müller
- Pharma-Zentrum Bonn, Pharmazeutisches Institut, Pharmazeutische Chemie I, University of Bonn, Germany
| | - J A Ribeiro
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - A M Sebastião
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - S H Vaz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
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30
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Nardone R, Golaszewski S, Thomschewski A, Sebastianelli L, Versace V, Brigo F, Orioli A, Saltuari L, Höller Y, Trinka E. Disinhibition of sensory cortex in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurosci Lett 2020; 722:134860. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.134860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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31
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Swash M, Burke D, Turner MR, Grosskreutz J, Leigh PN, deCarvalho M, Kiernan MC. Occasional essay: Upper motor neuron syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2020; 91:227-234. [PMID: 32054724 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2019-321938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Swash
- Barts and the London School of Medicine, QMUL, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, London, UK
| | - David Burke
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julian Grosskreutz
- Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- Trafford Centre for Biomedical Research, Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Mamede deCarvalho
- Instituto de Fisiologia, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Univeridade de Lisboa, and Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- University of Sydney and Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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32
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Luo C, Hu N, Xiao Y, Zhang W, Gong Q, Lui S. Comparison of Gray Matter Atrophy in Behavioral Variant Frontal Temporal Dementia and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Coordinate-Based Meta-Analysis. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:14. [PMID: 32116647 PMCID: PMC7026505 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There is growing evidence supporting behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as extreme points of a disease spectrum. The aim of this study was to delineate the common and different patterns of gray matter atrophy associated with bvFTD and with ALS by pooling together the results of previous voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies. Methods: We retrieved VBM studies that investigated gray matter atrophy in bvFTD patients vs. controls and in ALS patients vs. controls. Stereotactic data were extracted from those studies and subsequently tested for convergence and differences using activation likelihood estimation (ALE). A behavioral analysis using the BrainMap database was performed to assess the functional roles of the regions affected by bvFTD and/or ALS. Results: Our study demonstrated a convergence of gray matter atrophy in the frontolimbic structures that involve the bilateral anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex. Comparing the pattern of GM atrophy in bvFTD and ALS patients revealed greater atrophy in the frontomedial cortex, bilateral caudate, left anterior insula, and right thalamus in those with bvFTD and a higher degree of atrophy in the right motor cortex of those with ALS. Behavioral analysis revealed that the pattern of the affected regions contributed to the dysfunction of emotional and cognitive processing in bvFTD patients and the dysfunction of motor execution in ALS patients. Conclusion: Our results revealed a shared neural basis between bvFTD and ALS subjects, as well as a specific and distinct neural signature that underpinned the clinical manifestations of those two diseases. Those findings outlined the role of the frontomedial-caudate circuit in the development of bvFTD-like deficits in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Luo
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Na Hu
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuan Xiao
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Su Lui
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of Radiology, Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Psychoradiology Research Unit of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2018RU011), West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Civardi C, Collini A, Mazzini L, Monaco F, Geda C. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2019; 61:330-337. [PMID: 31837153 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one of the best methods to identify changes in the corticospinal tract. We used single-pulse TMS at the beginning of the disease and in the follow-up in a group of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS We evaluated the corticospinal tract in the bulbar, upper, and lower regions in 55 patients with ALS, and we monitored them for a period of 24 months. Data were correlated with clinical scales. RESULTS An increase of central motor conduction time (CMCT) was the most sensitive marker of upper motor neuron involvement. The resting motor threshold, CMCT, and the central silent period increased linearly with disease duration and upper/lower motor neuron involvement. DISCUSSION Transcranial magnetic stimulation could be an essential neurophysiological technique in the early phase of ALS because it has been shown to be useful in detecting subclinical upper motor neuron involvement. Multiple evaluations of several regions increase TMS sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Letizia Mazzini
- ALS Centre Department of Neurology Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesco Monaco
- Department of Neurology Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy
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Blicher JU, Eskildsen SF, Stærmose TG, Møller AT, Figlewski K, Near J. Short echo-time Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in ALS, simultaneous quantification of glutamate and GABA at 3 T. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17593. [PMID: 31772352 PMCID: PMC6879471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical hyperexcitability has been found in early Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and is hypothesized to be a key factor in pathogenesis. The current pilot study aimed to investigate cortical inhibitory/excitatory balance in ALS using short-echo Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). Patients suffering from ALS were scanned on a 3 T Trio Siemens MR scanner using Spin Echo Full Intensity Acquired Localized (SPECIAL) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in primary motor cortex and the occipital lobe. Data was compared to a group of healthy subjects. Nine patients completed the scan. MRS data was of an excellent quality allowing for quantification of a range of metabolites of interest in ALS. In motor cortex, patients had Glutamate/GABA and GABA/Cr- ratios comparable to healthy subjects. However, Glutamate/Cr (p = 0.002) and the neuronal marker N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA/Cr) (p = 0.034) were low, possibly due to grey-matter atrophy, whereas Glutathione/Cr (p = 0.04) was elevated. In patients, NAA levels correlated significantly with both hand strength (p = 0.027) and disease severity (p = 0.016). In summary SPECIAL MRS at 3 T allows of reliable quantification of a range of metabolites of interest in ALS, including both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. The method is a promising new technique as a biomarker for future studies on ALS pathophysiology and monitoring of disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- J U Blicher
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. .,Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - S F Eskildsen
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - T G Stærmose
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience (CFIN), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - A T Møller
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - K Figlewski
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - J Near
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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Longitudinal assessment of 1H-MRS (GABA and Glx) and TMS measures of cortical inhibition and facilitation in the sensorimotor cortex. Exp Brain Res 2019; 237:3461-3474. [PMID: 31734787 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-019-05691-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the long-term stability of water-referenced GABA and Glx neurometabolite concentrations in the sensorimotor cortex using MRS and to assess the long-term stability of GABA- and glutamate-related intracortical excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Healthy individuals underwent two sessions of MRS and TMS at a 3-month interval. A MEGA-PRESS sequence was used at 3 T to acquire MRS signals in the sensorimotor cortex. Metabolites were quantified by basis spectra fitting and metabolite concentrations were derived using unsuppressed water reference scans accounting for relaxation and partial volume effects. TMS was performed using published standards. After performing stability and reliability analyses for MRS and TMS, reliable change indexes were computed for all measures with a statistically significant test-retest correlation. No significant effect of time was found for GABA, Glx and TMS measures. There was an excellent ICC and a strong correlation across time for GABA and Glx. Analysis of TMS measure stability revealed an excellent ICC for rMT CSP and %MSO and a fair ICC for 2 ms SICI. There was no significant correlation between MRS and TMS measures at any time point. This study shows that MRS-GABA and MRS-Glx of the sensorimotor cortex have good stability over a 3-month period, with variability across time comparable to that reported in other brain areas. While resting motor threshold, %MSO and CSP were found to be stable and reliable, other TMS measures had greater variability and lesser reliability.
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36
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Tefera TW, Borges K. Neuronal glucose metabolism is impaired while astrocytic TCA cycling is unaffected at symptomatic stages in the hSOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2019; 39:1710-1724. [PMID: 29553298 PMCID: PMC6727138 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x18764775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although alterations in energy metabolism are known in ALS, the specific mechanisms leading to energy deficit are not understood. We measured metabolite levels derived from injected [1-13C]glucose and [1,2-13C]acetate (i.p.) in cerebral cortex and spinal cord extracts of wild type and hSOD1G93A mice at onset and mid disease stages using high-pressure liquid chromatography, 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Levels of spinal and cortical CNS total lactate, [3-13C]lactate, total alanine and [3-13C]alanine, but not cortical glucose and [1-13C]glucose, were reduced mostly at mid stage indicating impaired glycolysis. The [1-13C]glucose-derived [4-13C]glutamate, [4-13C]glutamine and [2-13C]GABA amounts were diminished at mid stage in cortex and both time points in spinal cord, suggesting decreased [3-13C]pyruvate entry into the TCA cycle. Lack of changes in [1,2-13C]acetate-derived [4,5-13C]glutamate, [4,5-13C]glutamine and [1,2-13C]GABA levels indicate unchanged astrocytic 13C-acetate metabolism. Reduced levels of leucine, isoleucine and valine in CNS suggest compensatory breakdown to refill TCA cycle intermediate levels. Unlabelled, [2-13C] and [4-13C]GABA concentrations were decreased in spinal cord indicating that impaired glucose metabolism contributes to hyperexcitability and supporting the use of treatments which increase GABA amounts. In conclusion, CNS glucose metabolism is compromised, while astrocytic TCA cycling appears to be normal in the hSOD1G93A mouse model at symptomatic disease stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesfaye W Tefera
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Karin Borges
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Kiernan MC, Ziemann U, Eisen A. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Origins traced to impaired balance between neural excitation and inhibition in the neonatal period. Muscle Nerve 2019; 60:232-235. [PMID: 31233613 DOI: 10.1002/mus.26617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult onset disease but with an increasingly recognized preclinical prodrome. A wide spectrum of investigative approaches has identified loss of inhibitory function at the heart of ALS. In developing an explanation for the onset of ALS, it remains a consideration that ALS has its origins in neonatal derangement of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic system, with delayed conversion from excitatory to mature inhibitory GABA and impaired excitation/inhibition balance. If this is so, the resulting chronic excitotoxicity could marginalize cortical network functioning very early in life, laying the path for neurodegeneration. The possibility that adult-onset neurodegenerative conditions might have their roots in early developmental derangements is worthy of consideration, particularly in relation to current models of disease pathogenesis. Unraveling the very early molecular events will be crucial in developing a better understanding of ALS and other adult neurodegenerative disorders. Muscle Nerve, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Kiernan
- The University of Sydney School of Medicine Brain and Mind Centre, Building F, Level 4, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ulf Ziemann
- Department of Neurology & Stroke, and Hertie-Institute for clinical brain research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrew Eisen
- Division of Neurology (Emeritus), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Qiu T, Zhang Y, Tang X, Liu X, Wang Y, Zhou C, Luo C, Zhang J. Precentral degeneration and cerebellar compensation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A multimodal MRI analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:3464-3474. [PMID: 31020731 PMCID: PMC6865414 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and intractable neurodegenerative disease of human motor system characterized by progressive muscular weakness and atrophy. A considerable body of research has demonstrated significant structural and functional abnormalities of the primary motor cortex in patients with ALS. In contrast, much less attention has been paid to the abnormalities of cerebellum in this disease. Using multimodal magnetic resonance imagining data of 60 patients with ALS and 60 healthy controls, we examined changes in gray matter volume (GMV), white matter (WM) fractional anisotropy (FA), and functional connectivity (FC) in patients with ALS. Compared with healthy controls, patients with ALS showed decreased GMV in the left precentral gyrus and increased GMV in bilateral cerebellum, decreased FA in the left corticospinal tract and body of corpus callosum, and decreased FC in multiple brain regions, involving bilateral postcentral gyrus, precentral gyrus and cerebellum anterior lobe, among others. Meanwhile, we found significant intermodal correlations among GMV of left precentral gyrus, FA of altered WM tracts, and FC of left precentral gyrus, and that WM microstructural alterations seem to play important roles in mediating the relationship between GMV and FC of the precentral gyrus, as well as the relationship between GMVs of the precentral gyrus and cerebellum. These findings provided evidence for the precentral degeneration and cerebellar compensation in ALS, and the involvement of WM alterations in mediating the relationship between pathologies of the primary motor cortex and cerebellum, which may contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Qiu
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xie Tang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoping Liu
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and TechnologyUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduPeople's Republic of China
| | - Chaoyang Zhou
- Department of RadiologySouthwest Hospital, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqingPeople's Republic of China
| | - Chunxia Luo
- Department of NeurologySouthwest Hospital, Third Military Medical UniversityChongqingPeople's Republic of China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of RadiologyChongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer HospitalChongqingPeople's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education (Chongqing University)Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer HospitalChongqingPeople's Republic of China
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Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides a means of measuring cerebral metabolites relevant to neurodegeneration in vivo. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neurochemical changes reflecting neuronal loss or dysfunction (decreased N-actylaspartate [NAA]) is most significant in the motor cortex and corticospinal tracts. Other neurochemical changes observed include increased myo-inositol (mIns), a putative marker of gliosis. MRS confirmation of involvement of non-motor regions such as the frontal lobes, thalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulum are consistent with the multi-system facet of motor neuron disease with ALS being part of a MND-FTD spectrum. MRS-derived markers exhibit an encouraging discriminatory ability to identify patients from healthy controls, however more data is needed to determine its ability to assist with the diagnosis in early stages when upper motor neuron signs are limited, and in distinguishing from disease mimics. Longitudinal change of NAA and mIns do not appear to be reliable in monitoring disease progression. Technological advances in hardware and high field scanning are increasing the number of accessible metabolites available for interrogation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kalra
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Verber NS, Shepheard SR, Sassani M, McDonough HE, Moore SA, Alix JJP, Wilkinson ID, Jenkins TM, Shaw PJ. Biomarkers in Motor Neuron Disease: A State of the Art Review. Front Neurol 2019; 10:291. [PMID: 31001186 PMCID: PMC6456669 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron disease can be viewed as an umbrella term describing a heterogeneous group of conditions, all of which are relentlessly progressive and ultimately fatal. The average life expectancy is 2 years, but with a broad range of months to decades. Biomarker research deepens disease understanding through exploration of pathophysiological mechanisms which, in turn, highlights targets for novel therapies. It also allows differentiation of the disease population into sub-groups, which serves two general purposes: (a) provides clinicians with information to better guide their patients in terms of disease progression, and (b) guides clinical trial design so that an intervention may be shown to be effective if population variation is controlled for. Biomarkers also have the potential to provide monitoring during clinical trials to ensure target engagement. This review highlights biomarkers that have emerged from the fields of systemic measurements including biochemistry (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine analysis); imaging and electrophysiology, and gives examples of how a combinatorial approach may yield the best results. We emphasize the importance of systematic sample collection and analysis, and the need to correlate biomarker findings with detailed phenotype and genotype data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick S Verber
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie R Shepheard
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Matilde Sassani
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Harry E McDonough
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie A Moore
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - James J P Alix
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Iain D Wilkinson
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Tom M Jenkins
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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41
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Saleh MG, Rimbault D, Mikkelsen M, Oeltzschner G, Wang AM, Jiang D, Alhamud A, Near J, Schär M, Noeske R, Murdoch JB, Ersland L, Craven AR, Dwyer GE, Grüner ER, Pan L, Ahn S, Edden RAE. Multi-vendor standardized sequence for edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Neuroimage 2019; 189:425-431. [PMID: 30682536 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spectral editing allows direct measurement of low-concentration metabolites, such as GABA, glutathione (GSH) and lactate (Lac), relevant for understanding brain (patho)physiology. The most widely used spectral editing technique is MEGA-PRESS, which has been diversely implemented across research sites and vendors, resulting in variations in the final resolved edited signal. In this paper, we describe an effort to develop a new universal MEGA-PRESS sequence with HERMES functionality for the major MR vendor platforms with standardized RF pulse shapes, durations, amplitudes and timings. New RF pulses were generated for the universal sequence. Phantom experiments were conducted on Philips, Siemens, GE and Canon 3 T MRI scanners using 32-channel head coils. In vivo experiments were performed on the same six subjects on Philips and Siemens scanners, and on two additional subjects, one on GE and one on Canon scanners. On each platform, edited MRS experiments were conducted with the vendor-native and universal MEGA-PRESS sequences for GABA (TE = 68 ms) and Lac editing (TE = 140 ms). Additionally, HERMES for GABA and GSH was performed using the universal sequence at TE = 80 ms. The universal sequence improves inter-vendor similarity of GABA-edited and Lac-edited MEGA-PRESS spectra. The universal HERMES sequence yields both GABA- and GSH-edited spectra with negligible levels of crosstalk on all four platforms, and with strong agreement among vendors for both edited spectra. In vivo GABA+/Cr, Lac/Cr and GSH/Cr ratios showed relatively low variation between scanners using the universal sequence. In conclusion, phantom and in vivo experiments demonstrate successful implementation of the universal sequence across all four major vendors, allowing editing of several metabolites across a range of TEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad G Saleh
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Daniel Rimbault
- Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Georg Oeltzschner
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna M Wang
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dengrong Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ali Alhamud
- Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya
| | - Jamie Near
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute and Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Michael Schär
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Lars Ersland
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Engineering, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Alexander R Craven
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Gerard Eric Dwyer
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eli Renate Grüner
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Physics and Technology, University of Bergen, Norway
| | - Li Pan
- Siemens Healthineers, USA
| | | | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Zhang Y, Qiu T, Yuan X, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhang N, Zhou C, Luo C, Zhang J. Abnormal topological organization of structural covariance networks in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 21:101619. [PMID: 30528369 PMCID: PMC6411656 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.101619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have shown widespread alterations in structure, function, and connectivity in both motor and non-motor brain regions, suggesting multi-systemic neurobiological abnormalities that might impact large-scale brain networks. Here, we examined the alterations in the topological organization of structural covariance networks of ALS patients (N = 60) compared with normal controls (N = 60). We found that structural covariance networks of ALS patients showed a consistent rearrangement towards a regularized architecture evidenced by increased path length, clustering coefficient, small-world index, and modularity, as well as decreased global efficiency, suggesting inefficient global integration and increased local segregation. Locally, ALS patients showed decreased nodal degree and betweenness in the gyrus rectus and/or Heschl's gyrus, and increased betweenness in the supplementary motor area, triangular part of the inferior frontal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus and posterior cingulate cortex. In addition, we identified a different number and distribution of hubs in ALS patients, showing more frontal and subcortical hubs than in normal controls. In conclusion, we reveal abnormal topological organization of structural covariance networks in ALS patients, and provide network-level evidence for the concept that ALS is a multisystem disorder with a cerebral involvement extending beyond the motor areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Ting Qiu
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Xinru Yuan
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Jinlei Zhang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Yue Wang
- Key Laboratory for NeuroInformation of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Na Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Chaoyang Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Chunxia Luo
- Department of Neurology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing 400030, PR China; Key Laboratory for Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education (Chongqing University), Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing Cancer Institute, Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing 400044, PR China.
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43
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Mazón M, Vázquez Costa JF, Ten-Esteve A, Martí-Bonmatí L. Imaging Biomarkers for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Example of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:784. [PMID: 30410433 PMCID: PMC6209630 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) comprises a heterogeneous group of fatal neurodegenerative disorders of largely unknown etiology characterized by the upper motor neurons (UMN) and/or lower motor neurons (LMN) degeneration. The development of brain imaging biomarkers is essential to advance in the diagnosis, stratification and monitoring of ALS, both in the clinical practice and clinical trials. In this review, the characteristics of an optimal imaging biomarker and common pitfalls in biomarkers evaluation will be discussed. Moreover, the development and application of the most promising brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging biomarkers will be reviewed. Finally, the integration of both qualitative and quantitative multimodal brain MR biomarkers in a structured report will be proposed as a support tool for ALS diagnosis and stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Mazón
- Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital and La Fe Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Francisco Vázquez Costa
- Neuromuscular Research Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
- ALS Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Amadeo Ten-Esteve
- Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital and La Fe Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luis Martí-Bonmatí
- Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital and La Fe Health Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
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Li W, Zhang J, Zhou C, Hou W, Hu J, Feng H, Zheng X. Abnormal Functional Connectivity Density in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:215. [PMID: 30065647 PMCID: PMC6056617 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuro-degenerative disorder that also damages extra-motor neural pathways. A significant proportion of existing evidence describe alterations in the strengths of functional connectivity, whereas the changes in the density of these functional connections have not been explored. Therefore, our study seeks to identify ALS-induced alternations in the resting-state functional connectivity density (FCD). Methods: Two groups comprising of 38 ALS patients and 35 healthy participants (age and gender matched) were subjected to the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. An ultra-fast graph theory method known as FCD mapping was utilized to calculate the voxel-wise short- and long-range FCD values of the brain for each participant. FCD values of patients and controls were compared based on voxels in order to discern cerebral regions that possessed significant FCD alterations. For areas demonstrating a group effect of atypical FCD in ALS, seed-based functional connectivity analysis was then investigated. Partial correlation analyses were carried out between aberrant FCDs and several clinical variables, controlling for age, gender, and total intracranial volume. Results: Patients with ALS were found to have decreased short-range FCD in the primary motor cortex and increased long-range FCD in the premotor cortex. Extra-motor areas that also displayed extensive FCD alterations encompassed the temporal cortex, insula, cingulate gyrus, occipital cortex, and inferior parietal lobule. Seed-based correlation analysis further demonstrated that these regions also possessed disrupted functional connectivity. However, no significant correlations were identified between aberrant FCDs and clinical variables. Conclusion: FCD changes in the regions identified represent communication deficits and impaired functional brain dynamics, which might underlie the motor, motor control, language, visuoperceptual and high-order cognitive deficits in ALS. These findings support the fact that ALS is a disorder affecting multiple systems. We gain a deeper insight of the neural mechanisms underlying ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Li
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.,Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Chaoyang Zhou
- Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China.,Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Wensheng Hou
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China.,Department of Neurology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hua Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Army Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaolin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Chongqing, China
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45
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Driven to decay: Excitability and synaptic abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Res Bull 2018; 140:318-333. [PMID: 29870780 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common motor neuron (MN) disease and is clinically characterised by the death of corticospinal motor neurons (CSMNs), spinal and brainstem MNs and the degeneration of the corticospinal tract. Degeneration of CSMNs and MNs leads inexorably to muscle wastage and weakness, progressing to eventual death within 3-5 years of diagnosis. The CSMNs, located within layer V of the primary motor cortex, project axons constituting the corticospinal tract, forming synaptic connections with brainstem and spinal cord interneurons and MNs. Clinical ALS may be divided into familial (∼10% of cases) or sporadic (∼90% of cases), based on apparent random incidence. The emergence of transgenic murine models, expressing different ALS-associated mutations has accelerated our understanding of ALS pathogenesis, although precise mechanisms remain elusive. Multiple avenues of investigation suggest that cortical electrical abnormalities have pre-eminence in the pathophysiology of ALS. In addition, glutamate-mediated functional and structural alterations in both CSMNs and MNs are present in both sporadic and familial forms of ALS. This review aims to promulgate debate in the field with regard to the common aetiology of sporadic and familial ALS. A specific focus on a nexus point in ALS pathogenesis, namely, the synaptic and intrinsic hyperexcitability of CSMNs and MNs and alterations to their structure are comprehensively detailed. The association of extramotor dysfunction with neuronal structural/functional alterations will be discussed. Finally, the implications of the latest research on the dying-forward and dying-back controversy are considered.
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Dharmadasa T, Huynh W, Tsugawa J, Shimatani Y, Ma Y, Kiernan MC. Implications of structural and functional brain changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:407-419. [PMID: 29667443 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1464912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness and disability, eventually leading to death. Heterogeneity of disease has become a major barrier to understanding key clinical questions such as prognosis and disease spread, and has disadvantaged clinical trials in search of therapeutic intervention. Patterns of disease have been explored through recent advances in neuroimaging, elucidating structural, molecular and functional changes. Unique brain signatures have emerged that have lent a greater understanding of critical disease mechanisms, offering opportunities to improve diagnosis, guide prognosis, and establish candidate biomarkers to direct future therapeutic strategies. Areas covered: This review explores patterns of cortical and subcortical change in ALS through advanced neuroimaging techniques and discusses the implications of these findings. Expert commentary: Cortical and subcortical signatures and patterns of atrophy are now consistently recognised, providing important pathophysiological insight into this heterogenous disease. The spread of cortical change, particularly involving frontotemporal networks, correlates with cognitive impairment and poorer prognosis. Cortical differences are also evident between ALS phenotypes and genotypes, which may partly explain the heterogeneity of prognosis. Ultimately, multimodal approaches with larger cohorts will be needed to provide sensitive biomarkers of disease spread at the level of the individual patient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William Huynh
- a Brain and Mind Centre , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Jun Tsugawa
- c Department of Neurology , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka city , Japan
| | - Yoshimitsu Shimatani
- d Department of Neurology , Tokushima Prefectural Hospital , Tokushima city , Japan
| | - Yan Ma
- a Brain and Mind Centre , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- a Brain and Mind Centre , The University of Sydney , Sydney , Australia.,b Department of Neurology , Royal Prince Alfred Hospital , Sydney , Australia
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Agosta F, Spinelli EG, Filippi M. Neuroimaging in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: current and emerging uses. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:395-406. [PMID: 29630421 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1463160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several neuroimaging techniques have been used to define in vivo markers of pathological alterations underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Growing evidence supports the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) for the non-invasive detection of central nervous system involvement in patients with ALS. Areas covered: A comprehensive overview of structural and functional neuroimaging applications in ALS is provided, focusing on motor and extra-motor involvement in the brain and the spinal cord. Implications for pathogenetic models, patient diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and the design of clinical trials are discussed. Expert commentary: State-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques provide fundamental instruments for the detection and quantification of upper motor neuron and extra-motor brain involvement in ALS, with relevance for both pathophysiologic investigation and clinical practice. Network-based analysis of structural and functional connectivity alterations and multimodal approaches combining several neuroimaging measures are promising tools for the development of novel diagnostic and prognostic markers to be used at the individual patient level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Agosta
- a Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience , San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- a Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience , San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy.,b Department of Neurology, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience , San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- a Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience , San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy.,b Department of Neurology, Institute of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience , San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University , Milan , Italy
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Saleh MG, Mikkelsen M, Oeltzschner G, Chan KL, Berrington A, Barker PB, Edden RAE. Simultaneous editing of GABA and glutathione at 7T using semi-LASER localization. Magn Reson Med 2017; 80:474-479. [PMID: 29285783 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To demonstrate simultaneous editing of the two most commonly edited and overlapping signals, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutathione (GSH), with Hadamard encoding and reconstruction of MEGA-edited spectroscopy (HERMES) using sLASER localization at 7T. METHODS Density matrix simulations of HERMES at 7T were carried out and compared with phantom experiments. Additional phantom experiments were performed to characterize the echo time (TE) -dependent modulation of GABA- and GSH-edited HERMES spectra at TE of 80-160 ms. In vivo experiments were performed in 10 healthy volunteers, comparing HERMES (11 min) to sequentially acquired MEGA-sLASER detection of GABA and GSH (2 × 11 min). RESULTS Simulations of HERMES show GABA- and GSH-edited spectra with negligible levels of crosstalk, and give modest agreement with phantom spectra. The TE series of GABA- and GSH-edited HERMES spectra modulate as a result of T2 relaxation and coupling evolution, with GABA showing a stronger TE-dependence. In vivo HERMES experiments show well-edited GABA and GSH signals. Measured concentrations are not statistically different between HERMES and MEGA-sLASER for GABA (1. 051 ± 0.254 i.u. and 1.053 ± 0.248 i.u; P > 0.985) or GSH (0.300 ± 0.091 i.u. and 0.302 ± 0.093 i.u; P > 0.940). CONCLUSION Simulated, phantom and in vivo measurements of HERMES show excellent segregation of GABA- and GSH-edited signals, and excellent agreement with separately acquired MEGA-sLASER data. HERMES allows two-fold acceleration of editing while maintaining spectral quality compared with sequentially acquired MEGA-sLASER measurements. Magn Reson Med 80:474-479, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad G Saleh
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Georg Oeltzschner
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kimberly L Chan
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adam Berrington
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter B Barker
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Mikkelsen M, Barker PB, Bhattacharyya PK, Brix MK, Buur PF, Cecil KM, Chan KL, Chen DYT, Craven AR, Cuypers K, Dacko M, Duncan NW, Dydak U, Edmondson DA, Ende G, Ersland L, Gao F, Greenhouse I, Harris AD, He N, Heba S, Hoggard N, Hsu TW, Jansen JFA, Kangarlu A, Lange T, Lebel RM, Li Y, Lin CYE, Liou JK, Lirng JF, Liu F, Ma R, Maes C, Moreno-Ortega M, Murray SO, Noah S, Noeske R, Noseworthy MD, Oeltzschner G, Prisciandaro JJ, Puts NAJ, Roberts TPL, Sack M, Sailasuta N, Saleh MG, Schallmo MP, Simard N, Swinnen SP, Tegenthoff M, Truong P, Wang G, Wilkinson ID, Wittsack HJ, Xu H, Yan F, Zhang C, Zipunnikov V, Zöllner HJ, Edden RAE. Big GABA: Edited MR spectroscopy at 24 research sites. Neuroimage 2017; 159:32-45. [PMID: 28716717 PMCID: PMC5700835 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is the only biomedical imaging method that can noninvasively detect endogenous signals from the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the human brain. Its increasing popularity has been aided by improvements in scanner hardware and acquisition methodology, as well as by broader access to pulse sequences that can selectively detect GABA, in particular J-difference spectral editing sequences. Nevertheless, implementations of GABA-edited MRS remain diverse across research sites, making comparisons between studies challenging. This large-scale multi-vendor, multi-site study seeks to better understand the factors that impact measurement outcomes of GABA-edited MRS. An international consortium of 24 research sites was formed. Data from 272 healthy adults were acquired on scanners from the three major MRI vendors and analyzed using the Gannet processing pipeline. MRS data were acquired in the medial parietal lobe with standard GABA+ and macromolecule- (MM-) suppressed GABA editing. The coefficient of variation across the entire cohort was 12% for GABA+ measurements and 28% for MM-suppressed GABA measurements. A multilevel analysis revealed that most of the variance (72%) in the GABA+ data was accounted for by differences between participants within-site, while site-level differences accounted for comparatively more variance (20%) than vendor-level differences (8%). For MM-suppressed GABA data, the variance was distributed equally between site- (50%) and participant-level (50%) differences. The findings show that GABA+ measurements exhibit strong agreement when implemented with a standard protocol. There is, however, increased variability for MM-suppressed GABA measurements that is attributed in part to differences in site-to-site data acquisition. This study's protocol establishes a framework for future methodological standardization of GABA-edited MRS, while the results provide valuable benchmarks for the MRS community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Mikkelsen
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter B Barker
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pallab K Bhattacharyya
- Imaging Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA; Radiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Maiken K Brix
- Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Pieter F Buur
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kimberly L Chan
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David Y-T Chen
- Department of Radiology, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Alexander R Craven
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Michael Dacko
- Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Niall W Duncan
- Brain and Consciousness Research Centre, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ulrike Dydak
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - David A Edmondson
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Gabriele Ende
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lars Ersland
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; NORMENT - Norwegian Center for Mental Disorders Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Engineering, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Fei Gao
- Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ian Greenhouse
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ashley D Harris
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Naying He
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Stefanie Heba
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nigel Hoggard
- Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tun-Wei Hsu
- Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jacobus F A Jansen
- Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Alayar Kangarlu
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas Lange
- Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Yan Li
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Jy-Kang Liou
- Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jiing-Feng Lirng
- Department of Radiology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng Liu
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ruoyun Ma
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Celine Maes
- Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Scott O Murray
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sean Noah
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael D Noseworthy
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Georg Oeltzschner
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James J Prisciandaro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Timothy P L Roberts
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Markus Sack
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Napapon Sailasuta
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Muhammad G Saleh
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Nicholas Simard
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Department of Kinesiology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience & Disease (LIND), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Martin Tegenthoff
- Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
| | - Peter Truong
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Guangbin Wang
- Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Iain D Wilkinson
- Academic Unit of Radiology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hans-Jörg Wittsack
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Hongmin Xu
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chencheng Zhang
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Vadim Zipunnikov
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Helge J Zöllner
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany; Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Young PE, Kum Jew S, Buckland ME, Pamphlett R, Suter CM. Epigenetic differences between monozygotic twins discordant for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) provide clues to disease pathogenesis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182638. [PMID: 28797086 PMCID: PMC5552194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating late-onset neurodegenerative disorder in which only a small proportion of patients carry an identifiable causative genetic lesion. Despite high heritability estimates, a genetic etiology for most sporadic ALS remains elusive. Here we report the epigenetic profiling of five monozygotic twin pairs discordant for ALS, four with classic ALS and one with the progressive muscular atrophy ALS variant, in whom previous whole genome sequencing failed to uncover a genetic basis for their disease discordance. By studying cytosine methylation patterns in peripheral blood DNA we identified thousands of large between-twin differences at individual CpGs. While the specific sites of differences were mostly idiosyncratic to a twin pair, a proportion involving GABA signalling were common to all ALS individuals. For both idiosyncratic and common sites the differences occurred within genes and pathways related to neurobiological functions or dysfunctions, some of particular relevance to ALS such as glutamate metabolism and the Golgi apparatus. All four classic ALS patients were epigenetically older than their unaffected co-twins, suggesting accelerated aging in multiple tissues in this disease. In conclusion, widespread changes in methylation patterns were found in ALS-affected co-twins, consistent with an epigenetic contribution to disease. These DNA methylation findings could be used to develop blood-based ALS biomarkers, gain insights into disease pathogenesis, and provide a reference for future large-scale ALS epigenetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Young
- Division of Molecular Structural and Computational Biology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen Kum Jew
- Discipline of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, Brain and Mind Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael E. Buckland
- Discipline of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, Brain and Mind Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger Pamphlett
- Discipline of Pathology, Sydney Medical School, Brain and Mind Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail: (CMS); (RP)
| | - Catherine M. Suter
- Division of Molecular Structural and Computational Biology, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail: (CMS); (RP)
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