1
|
Mahmoudi N, Dadak M, Bronzlik P, Maudsley AA, Sheriff S, Lanfermann H, Ding XQ. Microstructural and Metabolic Changes in Normal Aging Human Brain Studied with Combined Whole-Brain MR Spectroscopic Imaging and Quantitative MR Imaging. Clin Neuroradiol 2023; 33:993-1005. [PMID: 37336867 PMCID: PMC10654209 DOI: 10.1007/s00062-023-01300-3] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to detect age-related brain metabolic and microstructural changes in healthy human brains by the use of whole-brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H‑MRSI) and quantitative MR imaging (qMRI). METHODS In this study, 60 healthy participants with evenly distributed ages (between 21 and 69 years) and sex underwent MRI examinations at 3T including whole-brain 1H‑MRSI. The concentrations of the metabolites N‑acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), total creatine and phosphocreatine (tCr), glutamine and glutamate (Glx), and myo-inositol (mI), as well as the brain relaxation times T2, T2' and T1 were measured in 12 regions of interest (ROI) in each hemisphere. Correlations between measured parameters and age were estimated with linear regression analysis and Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS Significant age-related changes of brain regional metabolite concentrations and tissue relaxation times were found: NAA decreased in eight of twelve ROIs, Cho increased in three ROIs, tCr in four ROIs, and mI in three ROIs. Glx displayed a significant decrease in one ROI and an increase in another ROI. T1 increased in four ROIs and T2 in one ROI, while T2' decreased in two ROIs. A negative correlation of tCr concentrations with T2' relaxation time was found in one ROI as well as the positive correlations of age-related T1 relaxation time with concentrations of tCr, mI, Glx and Cho in another ROI. CONCLUSION Normal aging in human brain is associated with coexistent brain regional metabolic alterations and microstructural changes, which may be related to age-related decline in cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of life in the older population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Mahmoudi
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
| | - M Dadak
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, St. Vincenz Hospital Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany
| | - P Bronzlik
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - A A Maudsley
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - S Sheriff
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - H Lanfermann
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - X-Q Ding
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Frank SM, Becker M, Qi A, Geiger P, Frank UI, Rosedahl LA, Malloni WM, Sasaki Y, Greenlee MW, Watanabe T. Efficient learning in children with rapid GABA boosting during and after training. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5022-5030.e7. [PMID: 36384138 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
It is generally thought that children learn more efficiently than adults. One way to accomplish this is to have learning rapidly stabilized such that it is not interfered with by subsequent learning. Although γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays an important role in stabilization, it has been reported that GABAergic inhibitory processing is not fully matured yet in children compared with adults. Does this finding indicate that more efficient learning in children is not due to more rapid stabilization? Here, we measured the concentration of GABA in early visual cortical areas in a time-resolved fashion before, during, and after visual perceptual learning (VPL) within subjects using functional MRS (fMRS) and then compared the concentrations between children (8 to 11 years old) and adults (18 to 35 years old). We found that children exhibited a rapid boost of GABA during visual training that persisted after training ended, whereas the concentration of GABA in adults remained unchanged. Moreover, behavioral experiments showed that children exhibited rapid development of resilience to retrograde interference, which indicates that children stabilize VPL much faster than adults. These results together suggest that inhibitory processing in children's brains is more dynamic and adapts more quickly to stabilize learning than in adults, making learning more efficient in children.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian M Frank
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Markus Becker
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Andrea Qi
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Patricia Geiger
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike I Frank
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Luke A Rosedahl
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Wilhelm M Malloni
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Yuka Sasaki
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Mark W Greenlee
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Takeo Watanabe
- Brown University, Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences, 190 Thayer Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Valkenborghs SR, Hillman CH, Al‐Iedani O, Nilsson M, Smith JJ, Leahy AA, Harries SK, Ramadan S, Lubans DR. Effect of high-intensity interval training on hippocampal metabolism in older adolescents. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14090. [PMID: 35599295 PMCID: PMC9787522 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Although well-evidenced in older adults, the effects of exercise on the hippocampus in youth are relatively unknown. This study examined the impact of a 6-month school-based physical activity intervention on hippocampal metabolism in adolescents using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A subset of lower fit older adolescents [N = 56, 61% female, 16.1 ± 0.4 years] was included from four secondary schools (10 classes) in New South Wales, Australia, who were participating in a larger cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized to the Burn 2 Learn (B2L) intervention (five classes, 30 participants) or a control group (five classes, 26 participants). Changes in hippocampal metabolism were assessed using linear mixed models adjusted for clustering at the class level. We observed group-by-time effects for the B2L intervention on N-acetylaspartate (NAA) (+2.66 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.20 to 5.11, d = 0.66) and glutamate+glutamine (Glx) (+3.38 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.34 to 6.42, d = 0.67) in the left hippocampus. Increases in left hippocampal NAA and Glx concentrations were associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (NAA: rs = 0.52, p = .016; Glx: rs = 0.57, p = .007), lower body muscular fitness (NAA: rs = 0.49, p = .018; Glx: rs = 0.59, p = .003), and working memory (NAA: rs = 0.42, p = .032; Glx: rs = 0.43, p = .028) in the intervention group. Our findings suggest physical activity may improve hippocampal metabolism in lower fit older adolescents with implications for working memory. Further studies involving larger samples are needed to replicate our findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Ruth Valkenborghs
- School of Biomedical Sciences and PharmacyThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Charles H. Hillman
- Center for Cognitive & Brain Health, Department of Psychology, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation SciencesNortheastern UniversityBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Oun Al‐Iedani
- School of Health SciencesThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Michael Nilsson
- Centre for Rehab InnovationsThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,Priority Research Centre for Stroke and Brain InjuryThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of Medicine and Public HealthThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jordan J. Smith
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Angus Aaron Leahy
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Simon K. Harries
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Saadallah Ramadan
- School of Health SciencesThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David Revalds Lubans
- Centre for Active Living and LearningThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia,School of EducationThe University of NewcastleCallaghanNew South WalesAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang Z, Li Y, Lam F. High-resolution, 3D multi-TE 1 H MRSI using fast spatiospectral encoding and subspace imaging. Magn Reson Med 2021; 87:1103-1118. [PMID: 34752641 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop a novel method to achieve fast, high-resolution, 3D multi-TE 1 H-MRSI of the brain. METHODS A new multi-TE MRSI acquisition strategy was developed that integrates slab selective excitation with adiabatic refocusing for better volume coverage, rapid spatiospectral encoding, sparse multi-TE sampling, and interleaved water navigators for field mapping and calibration. Special data processing strategies were developed to interpolate the sparsely sampled data, remove nuisance signals, and reconstruct multi-TE spatiospectral distributions with high SNR. Phantom and in vivo experiments have been carried out to demonstrate the capability of the proposed method. RESULTS The proposed acquisition can produce multi-TE 1 H-MRSI data with three TEs at a nominal spatial resolution of 3.4 × 3.4 × 5.3 mm3 in around 20 min. High-SNR brain metabolite spatiospectral reconstructions can be obtained from both a metabolite phantom and in vivo experiments by the proposed method. CONCLUSION High-resolution, 3D multi-TE 1 H-MRSI of the brain can be achieved within clinically feasible time. This capability, with further optimizations, could be translated to clinical applications and neuroscience studies where simultaneously mapping metabolites and neurotransmitters and TE-dependent molecular spectral changes are of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zepeng Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yahang Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Fan Lam
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.,Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
de Godoy LL, Studart-Neto A, Wylezinska-Arridge M, Tsunemi MH, Moraes NC, Yassuda MS, Coutinho AM, Buchpiguel CA, Nitrini R, Bisdas S, da Costa Leite C. The Brain Metabolic Signature in Superagers Using In Vivo 1H-MRS: A Pilot Study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2021; 42:1790-1797. [PMID: 34446458 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Youthful memory performance in older adults may reflect an underlying resilience to the conventional pathways of aging. Subjects having this unusual characteristic have been recently termed "superagers." This study aimed to explore the significance of imaging biomarkers acquired by 1H-MRS to characterize superagers and to differentiate them from their normal-aging peers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty-five patients older than 80 years of age were screened using a detailed neuropsychological protocol, and 25 participants, comprising 12 superagers and 13 age-matched controls, were statistically analyzed. We used state-of-the-art 3T 1H-MR spectroscopy to quantify 18 neurochemicals in the posterior cingulate cortex of our subjects. All 1H-MR spectroscopy data were analyzed using LCModel. Results were further processed using 2 approaches to investigate the technique accuracy: 1) comparison of the average concentration of metabolites estimated with Cramer-Rao lower bounds <20%; and 2) calculation and comparison of the weighted means of metabolites' concentrations. RESULTS The main finding observed was a higher total N-acetyl aspartate concentration in superagers than in age-matched controls using both approaches (P = .02 and P = .03 for the weighted means), reflecting a positive association of total N-acetyl aspartate with higher cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS 1H-MR spectroscopy emerges as a promising technique to unravel neurochemical mechanisms related to cognitive aging in vivo and providing a brain metabolic signature in superagers. This may contribute to monitoring future interventional therapies to avoid or postpone the pathologic processes of aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L L de Godoy
- From the Department of Radiology and Oncology (L.L.d.G., C.d.C.L.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- The National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery (M.W.-A., S.B.), University College London, London, UK
| | - A Studart-Neto
- Department of Neurology (A.S.-N., N.C.M., M.S.Y., R.N.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - M Wylezinska-Arridge
- The National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery (M.W.-A., S.B.), University College London, London, UK
| | - M H Tsunemi
- Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Biosciences (M.H.T.), Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - N C Moraes
- Department of Neurology (A.S.-N., N.C.M., M.S.Y., R.N.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - M S Yassuda
- Department of Neurology (A.S.-N., N.C.M., M.S.Y., R.N.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - A M Coutinho
- Division and Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine (A.M.C., C.A.B.), Department of Radiology and Oncology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - C A Buchpiguel
- Division and Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine (A.M.C., C.A.B.), Department of Radiology and Oncology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - R Nitrini
- Department of Neurology (A.S.-N., N.C.M., M.S.Y., R.N.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - S Bisdas
- The National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery (M.W.-A., S.B.), University College London, London, UK
| | - C da Costa Leite
- From the Department of Radiology and Oncology (L.L.d.G., C.d.C.L.), Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zacharopoulos G, Emir U, Cohen Kadosh R. The cross-sectional interplay between neurochemical profile and brain connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:2722-2733. [PMID: 33835605 PMCID: PMC8127145 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurochemical profile and brain connectivity are both critical aspects of brain function. However, our knowledge of their interplay across development is currently poor. We combined single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy and resting functional magnetic resonance imaging in a cross-sectional sample spanning from childhood to adulthood which was reassessed in ~1.5 years (N = 293). We revealed the developmental trajectories of 20 neurochemicals in two key developmental brain regions (the intraparietal sulcus, IPS, and the middle frontal gyrus, MFG). We found that certain neurochemicals exhibited similar developmental trajectories across the two regions, while other trajectories were region-specific. Crucially, we mapped the connectivity of the brain regions IPS and MFG to the rest of the brain across development as a function of regional glutamate and GABA concentration. We demonstrated that glutamate concentration within the IPS is modulated by age in explaining IPS connectivity with frontal, temporal and parietal regions. In mature participants, higher glutamate within the IPS was related to more negative connectivity while the opposite pattern was found for younger participants. Our findings offer specific developmental insights on the interplay between the brain's resting activity and the glutamatergic system both of which are crucial for regulating normal functioning and are dysregulated in several clinical conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George Zacharopoulos
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Uzay Emir
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Human SciencesPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Roi Cohen Kadosh
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Experimental PsychologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
DeMayo MM, Pokorski I, Song YJC, Thapa R, Patel S, Ambarchi Z, Soligo D, Sadeli I, Thomas EE, Hickie IB, Guastella AJ. The Feasibility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Non-Selective Comprehensive Clinical Trial in Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:1211-1222. [PMID: 33903957 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-05028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a tool for precision medicine in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the feasibility of MRI scanning in a large comprehensive, inclusive and test heavy clinical trial for children (aged 3-12 years) with ASD, without functioning constraints for participation. Of the 71 participants enrolled who consented to the MRI, 24 participants (38%) successfully completed an MRI scan at baseline along with other assessments. This scanning followed a familiarization procedure at two preceding visits. At post-treatment, 21 participants successfully completed the MRI scan. This study highlights the challenge of completing MRI assessments in ASD populations when conducted as one of a number of tests in a clinical trial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marilena M DeMayo
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Izabella Pokorski
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Yun J C Song
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Rinku Thapa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Shrujna Patel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Zahava Ambarchi
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | | | - Indra Sadeli
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Emma E Thomas
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Adam J Guastella
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Brain and Mind Centre, Children's Hospital Westmead Clinical School, Autism Clinic for Translational Research, University of Sydney, 100 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Regional Myo-Inositol, Creatine, and Choline Levels Are Higher at Older Age and Scale Negatively with Visuospatial Working Memory: A Cross-Sectional Proton MR Spectroscopy Study at 7 Tesla on Normal Cognitive Ageing. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8149-8159. [PMID: 32994337 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2883-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) has been used to assess regional neurochemical brain changes during normal ageing, but results have varied. Exploiting the increased sensitivity at ultra-high field, we performed 1H-MRS in 60 healthy human volunteers to asses age-related differences in metabolite levels and their relation to cognitive ageing. Sex was balanced, and participants were assigned to a younger, middle, and older group according to their age, ranging from 18 to 79 years. They underwent 7T 1H-MRS of the ACC, DLPFC, hippocampus, and thalamus and performed a visuospatial working memory task outside the scanner. A multivariate ANCOVA revealed a significant overall effect of age group on metabolite levels in all regions. Higher levels in the middle than the younger group were observed for myo-inositol (mIns) in DLPFC and hippocampus and total choline (tCho) in ACC. Higher levels in the older than the younger group were observed for mIns in hippocampus and thalamus, total creatine (tCr) and tCho in ACC and hippocampus; lower levels of glutamate (Glu) were observed in DLPFC. Higher levels in the older than the middle group were observed for mIns in hippocampus, tCr in ACC and hippocampus, tCho in hippocampus, and total N-acetyl aspartate (tNAA) in hippocampus. Working memory performance correlated negatively with tCr and tCho levels in ACC and mIns levels in hippocampus and thalamus, but not with tNAA or glutamate levels. As NAA and Glu are commonly regarded to reflect neuronal health and function and concentrations of mIns, tCr, and tCho are higher in glia than neurons, the findings of this study suggest a potential in vivo connection between cognitive ageing and higher regional levels of glia-related metabolites.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neurochemical ageing is an integral component of age-related cognitive decline. Proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies of in vivo neurochemical changes across the lifespan have, however, yielded inconclusive results. 1H-MRS at ultra-high field strength can potentially improve the consistency of findings. Using 7T 1H-MRS, we assessed levels of mIns, tCr, and tCho (glia-related metabolites) and tNAA and Glu (neuron-related metabolites) in ACC, DLPFC, hippocampus, and thalamus. We found higher levels of glia-related metabolites in all brain regions in older individuals. Working memory performance correlated negatively with regional levels of glia-related metabolites. This study is the first to investigate normal ageing in these brain regions using 7T 1H-MRS and findings indicate that glia-related metabolites could be valuable in cognitive ageing studies.
Collapse
|
9
|
Cichocka M, Bereś A. From fetus to older age: A review of brain metabolic changes across the lifespan. Ageing Res Rev 2018; 46:60-73. [PMID: 29864489 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The knowledge of metabolic changes across the lifespan is poorly understood. Thus we systematically reviewed the available literature to determine the changes in brain biochemical composition from fetus to older age and tried to explain them in the context of neural, cognitive, and behavioural changes. METHODS The search identified 1262 articles regarding proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) examinations through December 2017. The following data was extracted: age range of the subjects, number of subjects studied, brain regions studied, MRS sequence used, echo time, MR system, method of statistical analysis, metabolites analyzed, significant differences in metabolites concentrations with age as well as the way of presentation of the results. RESULTS 82 studies that described brain metabolite changes with age were identified. Reports on metabolic changes related to healthy aging were analyzed and discussed among six basic age groups: fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly as well as between groups and during the whole lifetime. DISCUSSION The results presented in the reviewed papers provide evidence that normal aging is associated with a number of metabolic changes characteristic for every period of life. Therefore, it can be concluded that the age matching is essential for comparative studies of disease states using 1H MRS.
Collapse
|
10
|
Tristano I, Cedrone G, Ursitti F, Chiarelli A, Biancone DM, Spalice A. Teaching NeuroImages: A case of isolated hemithalamic overgrowth. Neurology 2018; 91:e492-e493. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000005912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
|
11
|
Kontos AP, Van Cott AC, Roberts J, Pan JW, Kelly MB, McAllister-Deitrick J, Hetherington HP. Clinical and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging Findings in Veterans With Blast Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Mil Med 2018; 182:99-104. [PMID: 28291459 DOI: 10.7205/milmed-d-16-00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) findings from the hippocampal regions of military veterans with blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (blast mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to those with PTSD only; and to examine the relationship of MRSI findings to cognitive and neuromotor impairment. METHODS 35 military veterans-23 with blast mTBI and PTSD (blast mTBI/PTSD) and 12 with PTSD only participated in the study. Whole plane MRSI data including N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) and choline (Ch) were acquired at 7T for the hippocampus. Concurrent cognitive and neuromotor data were collected using established assessments. General linear models (GLMs) with Bonferroni correction were used to compare the two groups on NAA/Ch ratios across regions of the hippocampus. Spearman's correlations were used to examine correlations between NAA/Ch and cognitive and neuromotor impairment. RESULTS The NAA/Ch results for the left hippocampus were lower in the blast mTBI/PTSD group than the PTSD-only group. The blast mTBI/PTSD group also scored worse on the WAIS-IV-vocabulary. Significant correlations between NAA/Ch and neuromotor outcomes-including vestibular impairment-were supported. CONCLUSIONS Combined MRSI and cognitive and neuromotor data may help inform more objective and accurate diagnoses and effective treatments for patients with blast mTBI and PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony P Kontos
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, 3471 Fifth Avenue, #1010, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Anne C Van Cott
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
| | - Jodilyn Roberts
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
| | - Jullie W Pan
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, 811 Kaufmann Medical Building, 3471 Fifth Avenue #810, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Monique B Kelly
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
| | - Jamie McAllister-Deitrick
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, 3471 Fifth Avenue, #1010, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Hoby P Hetherington
- Magnetic Resonance Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Evidencing different neurochemical profiles between thalamic nuclei using high resolution 2D-PRESS semi-LASER (1)H-MRSI at 7 T. MAGNETIC RESONANCE MATERIALS IN PHYSICS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2016; 29:491-501. [PMID: 27059982 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-016-0556-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To demonstrate that high resolution (1)H semi-LASER MRSI acquired at 7 T permits discrimination of metabolic patterns of different thalamic nuclei. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirteen right-handed healthy volunteers were explored at 7 T using a high-resolution 2D-semi-LASER (1)H-MRSI sequence to determine the relative levels of N-Acetyl Aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine-phosphocreatine (Cr) in eight VOIs (volume <0.3 ml) centered on four different thalamic nuclei located on the Oxford thalamic connectivity atlas. Post-processing was done using the CSIAPO software. Chemical shift displacement of metabolites was evaluated on a phantom and correction factors were applied to in vivo data. RESULTS The global assessment (ANOVA p < 0.05) of the neurochemical profiles (NAA, Cho and Cr levels) with thalamic nuclei and hemispheres as factors showed a significant global effect (F = 11.98, p < 0.0001), with significant effect of nucleus type (p < 0.0001) and hemisphere (p < 0.0001). Post hoc analyses showed differences in neurochemical profiles between the left and the right hemisphere (p < 0.05), and differences in neurochemical profiles between nuclei within each hemisphere (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION For the first time, using high resolution 2D-PRESS semi-LASER (1)H-MRSI acquired at 7 T, we demonstrated that the neurochemical profiles were different between thalamic nuclei, and that these profiles were dependent on the brain hemisphere.
Collapse
|