1
|
Vano LJ, McCutcheon RA, Rutigliano G, Kaar SJ, Finelli V, Nordio G, Wellby G, Sedlacik J, Statton B, Rabiner EA, Ye R, Veronese M, Hopkins SC, Koblan KS, Everall IP, Howes OD. Mesostriatal Dopaminergic Circuit Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: A Multimodal Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and [ 18F]-DOPA Positron Emission Tomography Study. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:674-683. [PMID: 38942349 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Striatal hyperdopaminergia is implicated in the pathoetiology of schizophrenia, but how this relates to dopaminergic midbrain activity is unclear. Neuromelanin (NM)-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging provides a marker of long-term dopamine function. We examined whether midbrain NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging contrast-to-noise ratio (NM-CNR) was higher in people with schizophrenia than in healthy control (HC) participants and whether this correlated with dopamine synthesis capacity. METHODS One hundred fifty-four participants (schizophrenia group: n = 74, HC group: n = 80) underwent NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA). A subset of the schizophrenia group (n = 38) also received [18F]-DOPA positron emission tomography to measure dopamine synthesis capacity (Kicer) in the SN-VTA and striatum. RESULTS SN-VTA NM-CNR was significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC participants (effect size = 0.38, p = .019). This effect was greatest for voxels in the medial and ventral SN-VTA. In patients, SN-VTA Kicer positively correlated with SN-VTA NM-CNR (r = 0.44, p = .005) and striatal Kicer (r = 0.71, p < .001). Voxelwise analysis demonstrated that SN-VTA NM-CNR was positively associated with striatal Kicer (r = 0.53, p = .005) and that this relationship seemed strongest between the ventral SN-VTA and associative striatum in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that NM levels are higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC individuals, particularly in midbrain regions that project to parts of the striatum that receive innervation from the limbic and association cortices. The direct relationship between measures of NM and dopamine synthesis suggests that these aspects of schizophrenia pathophysiology are linked. Our findings highlight specific mesostriatal circuits as the loci of dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia and thus as potential therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Vano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Kaar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Finelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Nordio
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Wellby
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Sedlacik
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Statton
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eugenii A Rabiner
- Invicro, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rong Ye
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Seth C Hopkins
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ian P Everall
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wengler K, Trujillo P, Cassidy CM, Horga G. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI for mechanistic research and biomarker development in psychiatry. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y. [PMID: 39160355 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is a burgeoning non-invasive neuroimaging method with an increasing number of applications in psychiatric research. This MRI modality is sensitive to the concentration of neuromelanin, which is synthesized from intracellular catecholamines and accumulates in catecholaminergic nuclei including the dopaminergic substantia nigra and the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. Emerging data suggest the utility of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy measure for variability in catecholamine metabolism and function, even in the absence of catecholaminergic cell loss. Given the importance of catecholamine function to several psychiatric disorders and their treatments, neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is ideally positioned as an informative and easy-to-acquire catecholaminergic index. In this review paper, we examine basic aspects of neuromelanin and neuromelanin-sensitive MRI and focus on its psychiatric applications in the contexts of mechanistic research and biomarker development. We discuss ongoing debates and state-of-the-art research into the mechanisms of the neuromelanin-sensitive MRI contrast, standardized protocols and optimized analytic approaches, and application of cutting-edge methods such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance the feasibility and predictive power of neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI-based tools. We finally lay out important future directions to allow neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI to fulfill its potential as a key component of the research, and ultimately clinical, toolbox in psychiatry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt, TN, USA
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Freyberg Z, Andreazza AC, McClung CA, Phillips ML. Linking mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotransmitter, neural network abnormalities and mania: Elucidating neurobiological mechanisms of the therapeutic effect of the ketogenic diet in Bipolar Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024:S2451-9022(24)00199-X. [PMID: 39053576 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ketogenic diet as a treatment for Bipolar Disorder (BD), with promising anecdotal and small case study reports of efficacy. Yet, the neurobiological mechanisms by which diet-induced ketosis might ameliorate BD symptoms remain to be determined, particularly in manic and hypomanic states - defining features of BD. Identifying these mechanisms will therefore provide new markers to guide personalized interventions and provide targets for novel treatment developments for individuals with BD. In this critical review, we describe recent findings highlighting two types of neurobiological abnormalities in BD: 1) mitochondrial dysfunction; and 2) neurotransmitter and neural network functional abnormalities. We will consequently link these abnormalities lead to mania/hypomania and depression in BD and then describe the biological underpinnings by which the ketogenic diet might have a beneficial effect in individuals with BD. We end the review by describing future approaches that can be employed to elucidate the neurobiology underlying the therapeutic effect of the ketogenic diet in BD. In so doing, this may provide marker predictors to identify individuals who will respond well to the ketogenic diet, as well as offer neural targets for novel treatment developments for BD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Freyberg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| | - Ana C Andreazza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Colleen A McClung
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Mary L Phillips
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lv Q, Wang X, Lin P, Wang X. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in the study of mental disorder: A systematic review. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2024; 339:111785. [PMID: 38325165 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, but non-invasive study of their neuronal function remains challenging. Recent research suggests that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) techniques may overcome this limitation by enabling the non-invasive imaging of the substantia nigra (SN)/ ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic and locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic systems. A review of 19 studies that met the criteria for NM-MRI application in mental disorders found that despite the use of heterogeneous sequence parameters and metrics, nearly all studies reported differences in contrast ratio (CNR) of LC or SN/VTA between patients with mental disorders and healthy controls. These findings suggest that NM-MRI is a valuable tool in psychiatry, but the differences in sequence parameters across studies hinder comparability, and a standardized analysis pipeline is needed to improve the reliability of results. Further research using standardized methods is needed to better understand the role of dopamine and norepinephrine in mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lv
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xuanyi Wang
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Pan Lin
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.; China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Xiangya), Changsha, Hunan, PR China..
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Petric PS, Ifteni P, Miron AA, Sechel G, Teodorescu A. Brain Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: A Comparative Imagistic Study. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:564. [PMID: 38674210 PMCID: PMC11052149 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60040564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Neuroimaging reveals a link between psychiatric conditions and brain structural-functional changes, prompting a paradigm shift in viewing schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder. This study aims to identify and compare structural brain changes found during the first schizophrenia episode with those found after more than 5 years of illness. Materials and Methods: This prospective study involved 149 participants enrolled between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021. The participants were categorized into three groups: the first comprises 51 individuals with an initial psychotic episode, the second consists of 49 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia for over 5 years, and a control group comprising 50 individuals without a diagnosis of schizophrenia or any other psychotic disorder. All participants underwent brain CT examinations. Results: The study examined all three groups: first-episode schizophrenia (FES), schizophrenia (SCZ), and the control group. The FES group had a mean age of 26.35 years and a mean duration of illness of 1.2 years. The SCZ group, with a mean age of 40.08 years, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia for an average of 15.12 years. The control group, with a mean age of 34.60 years, had no schizophrenia diagnosis. Structural measurements revealed widening of frontal horns and lateral ventricles in the SCZ group compared to FES and the FES group compared to the control group. Differences in the dimensions of the third ventricle were noted between SCZ and FES, while no distinction was observed between FES and the control group. The fourth ventricle had similar measurements in FES and SCZ groups, both exceeding those of the control group. Our results showed higher densities in the frontal lobe in schizophrenia patients compared to FES and the control group, with the control group consistently displaying the lowest densities. Conclusions: In summary, our comparative imaging analysis of schizophrenia patients, first-episode schizophrenia, and control patients revealed distinct ventricular patterns, with SCZ showing greater widening than FES and FES wider than the control group. Frontal lobe density, assessed via cerebral CT scans, indicated a higher density in the SCZ group in both anterior and posterior cortex portions compared to FES and the control group, while the left posterior cortex in FES had the highest density. These findings highlight unique neuroanatomical features across groups, shedding light on structural differences associated with different stages of schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Simina Petric
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Petru Ifteni
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Ana Aliana Miron
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| | - Gabriela Sechel
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
| | - Andreea Teodorescu
- Facultatea de Medicină, Universitatea Transilvania din Brașov, Bulevardul Eroilor 29, 500036 Brașov, Romania; (P.S.P.); (A.A.M.); (G.S.); (A.T.)
- Spitalul Clinic de Psihiatrie și Neurologie Brașov, Str. Prundului No. 7-9, 500123 Brașov, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Trujillo P, Aumann MA, Claassen DO. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a promising biomarker of catecholamine function. Brain 2024; 147:337-351. [PMID: 37669320 PMCID: PMC10834262 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions to dopamine and noradrenergic neurotransmission are noted in several neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Neuromelanin-sensitive (NM)-MRI offers a non-invasive approach to visualize and quantify the structural and functional integrity of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. This method may aid in the diagnosis and quantification of longitudinal changes of disease and could provide a stratification tool for predicting treatment success of pharmacological interventions targeting the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems. Given the growing clinical interest in NM-MRI, understanding the contrast mechanisms that generate this signal is crucial for appropriate interpretation of NM-MRI outcomes and for the continued development of quantitative MRI biomarkers that assess disease severity and progression. To date, most studies associate NM-MRI measurements to the content of the neuromelanin pigment and/or density of neuromelanin-containing neurons, while recent studies suggest that the main source of the NM-MRI contrast is not the presence of neuromelanin but the high-water content in the dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons. In this review, we consider the biological and physical basis for the NM-MRI contrast and discuss a wide range of interpretations of NM-MRI. We describe different acquisition and image processing approaches and discuss how these methods could be improved and standardized to facilitate large-scale multisite studies and translation into clinical use. We review the potential clinical applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders and the promise of NM-MRI as a biomarker of disease, and finally, we discuss the current limitations of NM-MRI that need to be addressed before this technique can be utilized as a biomarker and translated into clinical practice and offer suggestions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Megan A Aumann
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Choi S, Kim M, Kim T, Choi EJ, Lee J, Moon SY, Cho SS, Lee J, Kwon JS. Fronto-striato-thalamic circuit connectivity and neuromelanin in schizophrenia: an fMRI and neuromelanin-MRI study. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:81. [PMID: 37945576 PMCID: PMC10636101 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00410-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopamine and fronto-striato-thalamic (FST) circuit functional connectivity are prominent in schizophrenia. Dopamine is thought to underlie connectivity changes, but experimental evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. Previous studies examined the association in some of the connections using positron emission tomography (PET) and functional MRI (fMRI); however, PET has disadvantages in scanning patients, such as invasiveness. Excessive dopamine induces neuromelanin (NM) accumulation, and NM-MRI is suggested as a noninvasive proxy measure of dopamine function. We aimed to investigate the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity at the network level in patients with schizophrenia. We analysed substantia nigra NM-MRI and resting-state fMRI data from 29 schizophrenia patients and 63 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). We identified the FST subnetwork with abnormal connectivity found in schizophrenia patients compared to that of HCs and investigated the relationship between constituting connectivity and NM-MRI signal. We found a higher NM signal (t = -2.12, p = 0.037) and a hypoconnected FST subnetwork (FWER-corrected p = 0.014) in schizophrenia patients than in HCs. In the hypoconnected subnetwork of schizophrenia patients, lower left supplementary motor area-left caudate connectivity was associated with a higher NM signal (β = -0.38, p = 0.042). We demonstrated the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity. Considering that the NM-MRI signal reflects dopamine function, our results suggest that dopamine underlies changes in FST circuit connectivity, which supports the dopamine hypothesis. In addition, this study reveals implications for the future use of NM-MRI in investigations of the dopamine system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sunah Choi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taekwan Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jung Choi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungha Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Young Moon
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Soo Cho
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, SNU-MRC, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
García Saborit M, Jara A, Muñoz N, Milovic C, Tepper A, Alliende LM, Mena C, Iruretagoyena B, Ramirez-Mahaluf JP, Diaz C, Nachar R, Castañeda CP, González A, Undurraga J, Crossley N, Tejos C. Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping MRI in Deep-Brain Nuclei in First-Episode Psychosis. Schizophr Bull 2023; 49:1355-1363. [PMID: 37030007 PMCID: PMC10483330 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosis is related to neurochemical changes in deep-brain nuclei, particularly suggesting dopamine dysfunctions. We used an magnetic resonance imaging-based technique called quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to study these regions in psychosis. QSM quantifies magnetic susceptibility in the brain, which is associated with iron concentrations. Since iron is a cofactor in dopamine pathways and co-localizes with inhibitory neurons, differences in QSM could reflect changes in these processes. METHODS We scanned 83 patients with first-episode psychosis and 64 healthy subjects. We reassessed 22 patients and 21 control subjects after 3 months. Mean susceptibility was measured in 6 deep-brain nuclei. Using linear mixed models, we analyzed the effect of case-control differences, region, age, gender, volume, framewise displacement (FD), treatment duration, dose, laterality, session, and psychotic symptoms on QSM. RESULTS Patients showed a significant susceptibility reduction in the putamen and globus pallidus externa (GPe). Patients also showed a significant R2* reduction in GPe. Age, gender, FD, session, group, and region are significant predictor variables for QSM. Dose, treatment duration, and volume were not predictor variables of QSM. CONCLUSIONS Reduction in QSM and R2* suggests a decreased iron concentration in the GPe of patients. Susceptibility reduction in putamen cannot be associated with iron changes. Since changes observed in putamen and GPe were not associated with symptoms, dose, and treatment duration, we hypothesize that susceptibility may be a trait marker rather than a state marker, but this must be verified with long-term studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marisleydis García Saborit
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alejandro Jara
- Department of Statistics, Mathematics Faculty, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Néstor Muñoz
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Milovic
- School of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Angeles Tepper
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luz María Alliende
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Mena
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bárbara Iruretagoyena
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Camila Diaz
- Pharmacovigilance, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr. J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ruben Nachar
- Pharmacovigilance, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr. J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Alfonso González
- Early Intervention Program, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
- School of Medicine, Universidad Finis Terrae, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Undurraga
- Early Intervention Program, Instituto Psiquiátrico Dr J. Horwitz Barak, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolas Crossley
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Tejos
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pagliaccio D, Wengler K, Durham K, Fontaine M, Rueppel M, Becker H, Bilek E, Pieper S, Risdon C, Horga G, Fitzgerald KD, Marsh R. Probing midbrain dopamine function in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder via neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3075-3082. [PMID: 37198261 PMCID: PMC10189717 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02105-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an impairing psychiatric condition, which often onsets in childhood. Growing research highlights dopaminergic alterations in adult OCD, yet pediatric studies are limited by methodological constraints. This is the first study to utilize neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy for dopaminergic function among children with OCD. N = 135 youth (6-14-year-olds) completed high-resolution neuromelanin-sensitive MRI across two sites; n = 64 had an OCD diagnosis. N = 47 children with OCD completed a second scan after cognitive-behavioral therapy. Voxel-wise analyses identified that neuromelanin-MRI signal was higher among children with OCD compared to those without (483 voxels, permutation-corrected p = 0.018). Effects were significant within both the substania nigra pars compacta (p = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.51) and ventral tegmental area (p = 0.006, d = 0.50). Follow-up analyses indicated that more severe lifetime symptoms (t = -2.72, p = 0.009) and longer illness duration (t = -2.22, p = 0.03) related to lower neuromelanin-MRI signal. Despite significant symptom reduction with therapy (p < 0.001, d = 1.44), neither baseline nor change in neuromelanin-MRI signal associated with symptom improvement. Current results provide the first demonstration of the utility of neuromelanin-MRI in pediatric psychiatry, specifically highlighting in vivo evidence for midbrain dopamine alterations in treatment-seeking youth with OCD. Neuromelanin-MRI likely indexes accumulating alterations over time, herein, implicating dopamine hyperactivity in OCD. Given evidence of increased neuromelanin signal in pediatric OCD but negative association with symptom severity, additional work is needed to parse potential longitudinal or compensatory mechanisms. Future studies should explore the utility of neuromelanin-MRI biomarkers to identify early risk prior to onset, parse OCD subtypes or symptom heterogeneity, and explore prediction of pharmacotherapy response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Pagliaccio
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Durham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martine Fontaine
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meryl Rueppel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hannah Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sarah Pieper
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caroline Risdon
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kate D Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Marsh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Khan A, Zahid S, Hasan B, Asif AR, Ahmed N. Mass Spectrometry based identification of site-specific proteomic alterations and potential pathways underlying the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:4931-4943. [PMID: 37076706 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08431-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex multifactorial disorder that affects 1% of the population worldwide with no available effective treatment. Although proteomic alterations are reported in SZ however proteomic expression aberrations among different brain regions are not fully determined. Therefore, the present study aimed spatial differential protein expression profiling of three distinct regions of SZ brain and identification of associated affected biological pathways in SZ progression. METHODS AND RESULTS Comparative protein expression profiling of three distinct autopsied human brain regions (i.e., substantia nigra, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex) of SZ was performed with respective healthy controls. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE)-based nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (Nano-LC MS /MS) analysis, 1443 proteins were identified out of which 58 connote to be significantly dysregulated, representing 26 of substantia nigra,14 of hippocampus and 18 of prefrontal cortex. The 58 differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed using Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). The IPA analysis provided protein-protein interaction networks of several proteins including nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kb), extracellular signal regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2), alpha serine / Threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), cellular tumor antigen p53 (TP53) and amyloid precursor protein (APP), holding prime positions in networks and interacts with most of the identified proteins and their closely interacting partners. CONCLUSION These findings provide conceptual insights of novel SZ related pathways and the cross talk of co and contra regulated proteins. This spatial proteomic analysis will further broaden the conceptual framework for schizophrenia research in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Khan
- Neurochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Saadia Zahid
- Neurochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Beena Hasan
- Neurochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Abdul R Asif
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075, Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nikhat Ahmed
- Neurochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Brown NK, Roche JK, Farmer CB, Roberts RC. Evidence for upregulation of excitatory synaptic transmission in the substantia nigra in Schizophrenia: a postmortem ultrastructural study. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2023; 130:561-573. [PMID: 36735096 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02593-x] [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: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that psychotic symptoms originate from dysregulation of dopaminergic activity, which may be controlled by upstream innervation. We hypothesized that we would find anatomical evidence for the hyperexcitability seen in the SN. We examined and quantified synaptic morphology, which correlates with function, in the postmortem substantia nigra (SN) from 15 schizophrenia and 12 normal subjects. Synapses were counted using stereological techniques and classified based on the morphology of the post-synaptic density (PSD) and the presence or absence of a presynaptic density. The density and proportion of excitatory synapses was higher in the schizophrenia group than in controls, while the proportion (but not density) of inhibitory synapses was lower. We also detected in the schizophrenia group an increase in density of synapses with a PSD of intermediate thickness, which may represent excitatory synapses. The density of synapses with presynaptic densities was similar in both groups. The density of synapses with mixed morphologies was higher in the schizophrenia group than in controls. The human SN contains atypical synaptic morphology. We found an excess amount and proportion of excitatory synapses in the SN in schizophrenia that could result in hyperactivity and drive the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. The sources of afferent excitatory inputs to the SN arise from the subthalamic nucleus, the pedunculopontine nucleus, and the ventral tegmental area (VTA), areas that could be the source of excess excitation. Synapses with mixed morphologies may represent inputs from the VTA, which release multiple transmitters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole K Brown
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Joy K Roche
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Charlene B Farmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Rosalinda C Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Sparks Center 835C, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
van Hooijdonk CFM, van der Pluijm M, Bosch I, van Amelsvoort TAMJ, Booij J, de Haan L, Selten JP, Giessen EVD. The substantia nigra in the pathology of schizophrenia: A review on post-mortem and molecular imaging findings. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 68:57-77. [PMID: 36640734 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of striatal dopamine is considered to be an important driver of pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia. Despite being one of the main origins of dopaminergic input to the striatum, the (dys)functioning of the substantia nigra (SN) has been relatively understudied in schizophrenia. Hence, this paper aims to review different molecular aspects of nigral functioning in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls by integrating post-mortem and molecular imaging studies. We found evidence for hyperdopaminergic functioning in the SN of patients with schizophrenia (i.e. increased AADC activity in antipsychotic-free/-naïve patients and elevated neuromelanin accumulation). Reduced GABAergic inhibition (i.e. decreased density of GABAergic synapses, lower VGAT mRNA levels and lower mRNA levels for GABAA receptor subunits), excessive glutamatergic excitation (i.e. increased NR1 and Glur5 mRNA levels and a reduced number of astrocytes), and several other disturbances implicating the SN (i.e. immune functioning and copper concentrations) could potentially underlie this nigral hyperactivity and associated striatal hyperdopaminergic functioning in schizophrenia. These results highlight the importance of the SN in schizophrenia pathology and suggest that some aspects of molecular functioning in the SN could potentially be used as treatment targets or biomarkers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen F M van Hooijdonk
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Rivierduinen, Institute for Mental Health Care, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Marieke van der Pluijm
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Bosch
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Therese A M J van Amelsvoort
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Jan Booij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lieuwe de Haan
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jean-Paul Selten
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Rivierduinen, Institute for Mental Health Care, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Elsmarieke van de Giessen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sotoyama H, Namba H, Tohmi M, Nawa H. Schizophrenia Animal Modeling with Epidermal Growth Factor and Its Homologs: Their Connections to the Inflammatory Pathway and the Dopamine System. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020372. [PMID: 36830741 PMCID: PMC9953688 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its homologs, such as neuregulins, bind to ErbB (Her) receptor kinases and regulate glial differentiation and dopaminergic/GABAergic maturation in the brain and are therefore implicated in schizophrenia neuropathology involving these cell abnormalities. In this review, we summarize the biological activities of the EGF family and its neuropathologic association with schizophrenia, mainly overviewing our previous model studies and the related articles. Transgenic mice as well as the rat/monkey models established by perinatal challenges of EGF or its homologs consistently exhibit various behavioral endophenotypes relevant to schizophrenia. In particular, post-pubertal elevation in baseline dopaminergic activity may illustrate the abnormal behaviors relevant to positive and negative symptoms as well as to the timing of this behavioral onset. With the given molecular interaction and transactivation of ErbB receptor kinases with Toll-like receptors (TLRs), EGF/ErbB signals are recruited by viral infection and inflammatory diseases such as COVID-19-mediated pneumonia and poxvirus-mediated fibroma and implicated in the immune-inflammatory hypothesis of schizophrenia. Finally, we also discuss the interaction of clozapine with ErbB receptor kinases as well as new antipsychotic development targeting these receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidekazu Sotoyama
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8122, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.N.); (H.S.)
| | - Hisaaki Namba
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 649-8156, Japan
| | - Manavu Tohmi
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 649-8156, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nawa
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama 649-8156, Japan
- Correspondence: (H.N.); (H.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
He N, Chen Y, LeWitt PA, Yan F, Haacke EM. Application of Neuromelanin MR Imaging in Parkinson Disease. J Magn Reson Imaging 2023; 57:337-352. [PMID: 36017746 PMCID: PMC10086789 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
MRI has been used to develop biomarkers for movement disorders such as Parkinson disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders with parkinsonism such as progressive supranuclear palsy and multiple system atrophy. One of these imaging biomarkers is neuromelanin (NM), whose integrity can be assessed from its contrast and volume. NM is found mainly in certain brain stem structures, namely, the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), the ventral tegmental area, and the locus coeruleus. Another major biomarker is brain iron, which often increases in concert with NM degeneration. These biomarkers have the potential to improve diagnostic certainty in differentiating between PD and other neurodegenerative disorders similar to PD, as well as provide a better understanding of pathophysiology. Mapping NM in vivo has clinical importance for gauging the premotor phase of PD when there is a greater than 50% loss of dopaminergic SNpc melanized neurons. As a metal ion chelator, NM can absorb iron. When NM is released from neurons, it deposits iron into the intracellular tissues of the SNpc; the result is iron that can be imaged and measured using quantitative susceptibility mapping. An increase of iron also leads to the disappearance of the nigrosome-1 sign, another neuroimage biomarker for PD. Therefore, mapping NM and iron changes in the SNpc are a practical means for improving early diagnosis of PD and in monitoring disease progression. In this review, we discuss the functions and location of NM, how NM-MRI is performed, the automatic mapping of NM and iron content, how NM-related imaging biomarkers can be used to enhance PD diagnosis and differentiate it from other neurodegenerative disorders, and potential advances in NM imaging methods. With major advances currently evolving for rapid imaging and artificial intelligence, NM-related biomarkers are likely to have increasingly important roles for enhancing diagnostic capabilities in PD. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naying He
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Peter A LeWitt
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Neurology, Henry Ford Hospital, Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Fuhua Yan
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China
| | - E Mark Haacke
- Department of Radiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China.,Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Radiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,SpinTech, Inc, Bingham Farms, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Morris LS, Mehta M, Ahn C, Corniquel M, Verma G, Delman B, Hof PR, Jacob Y, Balchandani P, Murrough JW. Ventral tegmental area integrity measured with high-resolution 7-Tesla MRI relates to motivation across depression and anxiety diagnoses. Neuroimage 2022; 264:119704. [PMID: 36349598 PMCID: PMC9801251 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is one of the major sources of dopamine in the brain and has been associated with reward prediction, error-based reward learning, volitional drive and anhedonia. However, precise anatomical investigations of the VTA have been prevented by the use of standard-resolution MRI, reliance on subjective manual tracings, and lack of quantitative measures of dopamine-related signal. Here, we combine ultra-high field 400 µm3 quantitative MRI with dopamine-related signal mapping, and a mixture of machine learning and supervised computational techniques to delineate the VTA in a transdiagnostic sample of subjects with and without depression and anxiety disorders. Subjects also underwent cognitive testing to measure intrinsic and extrinsic motivational tone. Fifty-one subjects were scanned in total, including healthy control (HC) and mood/anxiety (MA) disorder subjects. MA subjects had significantly larger VTA volumes compared to HC but significantly lower signal intensity within VTA compared to HC, indicating reduced structural integrity of the dopaminergic VTA. Interestingly, while VTA integrity did not significantly correlate with self-reported depression or anxiety symptoms, it was correlated with an objective cognitive measure of extrinsic motivation, whereby lower VTA integrity was associated with lower motivation. This is the first study to demonstrate a computational pipeline for detecting and delineating the VTA in human subjects with 400 μm3 resolution. We highlight the use of objective transdiagnostic measures of cognitive function that link neural integrity to behavior across clinical and non-clinical groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurel S Morris
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
| | - Marishka Mehta
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Christopher Ahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Morgan Corniquel
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Gaurav Verma
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Bradley Delman
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Patrick R Hof
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Yael Jacob
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - Priti Balchandani
- BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| | - James W Murrough
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA; Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Roberts RC, McCollum LA, Schoonover KE, Mabry SJ, Roche JK, Lahti AC. Ultrastructural evidence for glutamatergic dysregulation in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2022; 249:4-15. [PMID: 32014360 PMCID: PMC7392793 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to summarize ultrastructural evidence for glutamatergic dysregulation in several linked regions in postmortem schizophrenia brain. Following a brief summary of glutamate circuitry and how synapses are identified at the electron microscopic (EM) level, we will review EM pathology in the cortex and basal ganglia. We will include the effects of antipsychotic drugs and the relation of treatment response. We will discuss how these findings support or confirm other postmortem findings as well as imaging results. Briefly, synaptic and mitochondrial density in anterior cingulate cortex was decreased in schizophrenia, versus normal controls (NCs), in a selective layer specific pattern. In dorsal striatum, increases in excitatory synaptic density were detected in caudate matrix, a compartment associated with cognitive and motor function, and in the putamen patches, a region associated with limbic function and in the core of the nucleus accumbens. Patients who were treatment resistant or untreated had significantly elevated numbers of excitatory synapses in limbic striatal areas in comparison to NCs and responders. Protein levels of vGLUT2, found in subcortical glutamatergic neurons, were increased in the nucleus accumbens in schizophrenia. At the EM level, schizophrenia subjects had an increase in density of excitatory synapses in several areas of the basal ganglia. In the substantia nigra, the protein levels of vGLUT2 were elevated in untreated patients compared to NCs. The density of inhibitory synapses was decreased in schizophrenia versus NCs. In schizophrenia, glutamatergic synapses are differentially affected depending on the brain region, treatment status, and treatment response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosalinda C Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America.
| | - Lesley A McCollum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| | - Kirsten E Schoonover
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| | - Samuel J Mabry
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| | - Joy K Roche
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| | - Adrienne C Lahti
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Petty A, Glass LJ, Rothmond DA, Purves-Tyson T, Sweeney A, Kondo Y, Kubo S, Matsumoto M, Weickert CS. Increased levels of a pro-inflammatory IgG receptor in the midbrain of people with schizophrenia. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:188. [PMID: 35841099 PMCID: PMC9287858 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02541-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that neuroinflammation may contribute to schizophrenia neuropathology. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines are evident in the midbrain from schizophrenia subjects, findings that are driven by a subgroup of patients, characterised as a "high inflammation" biotype. Cytokines trigger the release of antibodies, of which immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common. The level and function of IgG is regulated by its transporter (FcGRT) and by pro-inflammatory IgG receptors (including FcGR3A) in balance with the anti-inflammatory IgG receptor FcGR2B. Testing whether abnormalities in IgG activity contribute to the neuroinflammatory abnormalities schizophrenia patients, particularly those with elevated cytokines, may help identify novel treatment targets. METHODS Post-mortem midbrain tissue from healthy controls and schizophrenia cases (n = 58 total) was used to determine the localisation and abundance of IgG and IgG transporters and receptors in the midbrain of healthy controls and schizophrenia patients. Protein levels of IgG and FcGRT were quantified using western blot, and gene transcript levels of FcGRT, FcGR3A and FcGR2B were assessed using qPCR. The distribution of IgG in the midbrain was assessed using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Results were compared between diagnostic (schizophrenia vs control) and inflammatory (high vs low inflammation) groups. RESULTS We found that IgG and FcGRT protein abundance (relative to β-actin) was unchanged in people with schizophrenia compared with controls irrespective of inflammatory subtype. In contrast, FcGRT and FcGR3A mRNA levels were elevated in the midbrain from "high inflammation" schizophrenia cases (FcGRT; p = 0.02, FcGR3A; p < 0.0001) in comparison to low-inflammation patients and healthy controls, while FcGR2B mRNA levels were unchanged. IgG immunoreactivity was evident in the midbrain, and approximately 24% of all individuals (control subjects and schizophrenia cases) showed diffusion of IgG from blood vessels into the brain. However, the intensity and distribution of IgG was comparable across schizophrenia cases and control subjects. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that an increase in the pro-inflammatory Fcγ receptor FcGR3A, rather than an overall increase in IgG levels, contribute to midbrain neuroinflammation in schizophrenia patients. However, more precise information about IgG-Fcγ receptor interactions is needed to determine their potential role in schizophrenia neuropathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Petty
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - L J Glass
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- Centre for Immunology and Allergy Research, Westmead Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - D A Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - T Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - A Sweeney
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Y Kondo
- Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - S Kubo
- Astellas Pharma Inc., Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8585, Japan
| | - M Matsumoto
- Astellas Research Institute of America LLC, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - C Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2031, Australia.
- School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Jarcho JM, Wyngaarden JB, Johnston CR, Quarmley M, Smith DV, Cassidy CM. Substance Abuse in Emerging Adults: The Role of Neuromelanin and Ventral Striatal Response to Social and Monetary Rewards. Brain Sci 2022; 12:352. [PMID: 35326308 PMCID: PMC8946041 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Perturbations in dopamine system function may increase risk of substance use disorder (SUD). We recently demonstrated that neuromelanin (NM) MRI signal in the substantia nigra, a non-invasive index of dopamine system function, is elevated in long term cocaine users (Cassidy et al., 2020). However, it is unclear whether elevated NM-MRI signal is linked to risk of SUD, or is a byproduct of long-term drug use. Our prior work failed to show relations between NM-MRI signal and functional engagement of ventral striatum during a monetary reward task. However, social experiences are commonly linked to drug use and relapse. Given that, NM-MRI signal may be more closely linked to ventral striatal engagement during social, rather than monetary reward processing. Emerging adults (n = 33, 21.88 ± 4.35 years) with varying levels of substance abuse, but without SUD, underwent NM-MRI and fMRI during social and monetary reward processing tasks. Voxelwise analysis within the substantia nigra (SN) demonstrated lower NM-MRI signal was associated with more severe substance abuse. Lower right ventral striatal engagement to social reward was also associated with more severe substance abuse. This relation was moderated by SN NM-MRI signal such that diminished striatal response to reward was associated with greater substance abuse among those with low NM-MRI signal, but lower substance abuse among those with high NM-MRI signal. Unexpectedly, higher right ventral striatal engagement during monetary reward was associated with more severe substance abuse. This relation was moderated by SN NM-MRI signal such that greater striatal response to reward was associated with greater substance abuse among those with low NM-MRI signal. Taken together, we provide preliminary evidence that, in emerging adults, low rather than high dopamine system function may increase risk of substance abuse, and strengthen the association between substance use and the brain's sensitivity to social and monetary outcomes in different ways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna M. Jarcho
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; (J.B.W.); (C.R.J.); (M.Q.); (D.V.S.)
| | - James B. Wyngaarden
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; (J.B.W.); (C.R.J.); (M.Q.); (D.V.S.)
| | - Camille R. Johnston
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; (J.B.W.); (C.R.J.); (M.Q.); (D.V.S.)
| | - Megan Quarmley
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; (J.B.W.); (C.R.J.); (M.Q.); (D.V.S.)
| | - David V. Smith
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; (J.B.W.); (C.R.J.); (M.Q.); (D.V.S.)
| | - Clifford M. Cassidy
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Affiliated with The Royal, Ottawa, ON K1Z 8N3, Canada;
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Schulz J, Zimmermann J, Sorg C, Menegaux A, Brandl F. Magnetic resonance imaging of the dopamine system in schizophrenia - A scoping review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:925476. [PMID: 36203848 PMCID: PMC9530597 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.925476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, aberrant dopamine transmission has been proposed to play a central role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. These theories are supported by human in vivo molecular imaging studies of dopamine transmission, particularly positron emission tomography. However, there are several downsides to such approaches, for example limited spatial resolution or restriction of the measurement to synaptic processes of dopaminergic neurons. To overcome these limitations and to measure complementary aspects of dopamine transmission, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based approaches investigating the macrostructure, metabolism, and connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei, i.e., substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area, can be employed. In this scoping review, we focus on four dopamine MRI methods that have been employed in patients with schizophrenia so far: neuromelanin MRI, which is thought to measure long-term dopamine function in dopaminergic nuclei; morphometric MRI, which is assumed to measure the volume of dopaminergic nuclei; diffusion MRI, which is assumed to measure fiber-based structural connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei; and resting-state blood-oxygenation-level-dependent functional MRI, which is thought to measure functional connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei based on correlated blood oxygenation fluctuations. For each method, we describe the underlying signal, outcome measures, and downsides. We present the current state of research in schizophrenia and compare it to other disorders with either similar (psychotic) symptoms, i.e., bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, or dopaminergic abnormalities, i.e., substance use disorder and Parkinson's disease. Finally, we discuss overarching issues and outline future research questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schulz
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Juliana Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aurore Menegaux
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Brandl
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ueno F, Iwata Y, Nakajima S, Caravaggio F, Rubio JM, Horga G, Cassidy CM, Torres-Carmona E, de Luca V, Tsugawa S, Honda S, Moriguchi S, Noda Y, Gerretsen P, Graff-Guerrero A. Neuromelanin accumulation in patients with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 132:1205-1213. [PMID: 34718049 PMCID: PMC9059704 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Although schizophrenia is associated with increased presynaptic dopamine function in the striatum, it remains unclear if neuromelanin levels, which are thought to serve as a biomarker for midbrain dopamine neuron function, are increased in patients with schizophrenia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and postmortem studies comparing neuromelanin (NM) levels between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls (HCs). Standard mean differences were calculated to assess group differences in NM accumulation levels between patients with schizophrenia and HCs. This study included 7 articles in total. Five studies employed NM-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) and two were postmortem brain studies. The patient group (n = 163) showed higher NM levels in the substantia nigra (SN) than HCs (n = 228) in both the analysis of the seven studies and the subgroup analysis of the 5 NM-MRI studies. This analysis suggest increased NM levels in the SN may be a potential biomarker for stratifying schizophrenia, warranting further research that accounts for the heterogeneity of this disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Ueno
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Iwata
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Yamanashi, Faculty of Medicine, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Nakajima
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Fernando Caravaggio
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jose M Rubio
- Barbara and Donald Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University - Northwell Health, Hempstead, NY, USA; Institute of Behavioral Science, Feinstein Institutes of Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, USA; Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Division of Translational Imaging, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research Affiliated with the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Edgardo Torres-Carmona
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vincenzo de Luca
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sakiko Tsugawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiori Honda
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Moriguchi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Noda
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Philip Gerretsen
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ariel Graff-Guerrero
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Berger A, Vespa S, Dricot L, Dumoulin M, Iachim E, Doguet P, Vandewalle G, El Tahry R. How Is the Norepinephrine System Involved in the Antiepileptic Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation? Front Neurosci 2021; 15:790943. [PMID: 34924947 PMCID: PMC8675889 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.790943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for patients suffering from inoperable drug-resistant epilepsy. Although a complete understanding of the mediators involved in the antiepileptic effects of VNS and their complex interactions is lacking, VNS is known to trigger the release of neurotransmitters that have seizure-suppressing effects. In particular, norepinephrine (NE) is a neurotransmitter that has been associated with the clinical effects of VNS by preventing seizure development and by inducing long-term plastic changes that could restore a normal function of the brain circuitry. However, the biological requisites to become responder to VNS are still unknown. In this review, we report evidence of the critical involvement of NE in the antiepileptic effects of VNS in rodents and humans. Moreover, we emphasize the hypothesis that the functional integrity of the noradrenergic system could be a determining factor to obtain clinical benefits from the therapy. Finally, encouraging avenues of research involving NE in VNS treatment are discussed. These could lead to the personalization of the stimulation parameters to maximize the antiepileptic effects and potentially improve the response rate to the therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Berger
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium.,GIGA-Cyclotron Research Center-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Simone Vespa
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Manon Dumoulin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Evelina Iachim
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | | | - Gilles Vandewalle
- GIGA-Cyclotron Research Center-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Riëm El Tahry
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Center for Refractory Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Salzman G, Kim J, Horga G, Wengler K. Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra. J Vis Exp 2021:10.3791/62493. [PMID: 34570093 PMCID: PMC9124347 DOI: 10.3791/62493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The dopaminergic system plays a crucial role in healthy cognition (e.g., reward learning and uncertainty) and neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia). Neuromelanin is a byproduct of dopamine synthesis that accumulates in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) is a noninvasive method for measuring neuromelanin in those dopaminergic neurons, providing a direct measure of dopaminergic cell loss in the substantia nigra and a proxy measure of dopamine function. Although NM-MRI has been shown to be useful for studying various neuropsychiatric disorders, it is challenged by a limited field-of-view in the inferior-superior direction resulting in the potential loss of data from the accidental exclusion of part of the substantia nigra. In addition, the field is lacking a standardized protocol for the acquisition of NM-MRI data, a critical step in facilitating large-scale multisite studies and translation into the clinic. This protocol describes a step-by-step NM-MRI volume placement procedure and online quality control checks to ensure the acquisition of good-quality data covering the entire substantia nigra.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guillermo Horga
- New York State Psychiatric Institute; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University;
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- New York State Psychiatric Institute; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University;
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Horga G, Wengler K, Cassidy CM. Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Proxy Marker for Catecholamine Function in Psychiatry. JAMA Psychiatry 2021; 78:788-789. [PMID: 34009285 PMCID: PMC9060608 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute,Corresponding author: Guillermo Horga, MD, PhD, Florence Irving Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Division of Translational Imaging, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr., 10032, Unit 31, Telephone: 646-774-5810,
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute
| | - Clifford M. Cassidy
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with The Royal
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Purves-Tyson TD, Brown AM, Weissleder C, Rothmond DA, Shannon Weickert C. Reductions in midbrain GABAergic and dopamine neuron markers are linked in schizophrenia. Mol Brain 2021; 14:96. [PMID: 34174930 PMCID: PMC8235806 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00805-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reductions in the GABAergic neurotransmitter system exist across multiple brain regions in schizophrenia and encompass both pre- and postsynaptic components. While reduced midbrain GABAergic inhibitory neurotransmission may contribute to the hyperdopaminergia thought to underpin psychosis in schizophrenia, molecular changes consistent with this have not been reported. We hypothesised that reduced GABA-related molecular markers would be found in the midbrain of people with schizophrenia and that these would correlate with dopaminergic molecular changes. We hypothesised that downregulation of inhibitory neuron markers would be exacerbated in schizophrenia cases with high levels of neuroinflammation. Eight GABAergic-related transcripts were measured with quantitative PCR, and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) 65/67 and GABAA alpha 3 (α3) (GABRA3) protein were measured with immunoblotting, in post-mortem midbrain (28/28 and 28/26 control/schizophrenia cases for mRNA and protein, respectively), and analysed by both diagnosis and inflammatory subgroups (as previously defined by higher levels of four pro-inflammatory cytokine transcripts). We found reductions (21 – 44%) in mRNA encoding both presynaptic and postsynaptic proteins, vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), GAD1, and parvalbumin (PV) mRNAs and four alpha subunits (α1, α2, α3, α5) of the GABAA receptor in people with schizophrenia compared to controls (p < 0.05). Gene expression of somatostatin (SST) was unchanged (p = 0.485). We confirmed the reduction in GAD at the protein level (34%, p < 0.05). When stratifying by inflammation, only GABRA3 mRNA exhibited more pronounced changes in high compared to low inflammatory subgroups in schizophrenia. GABRA3 protein was expressed by 98% of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and was 23% lower in schizophrenia, though this did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Expression of transcripts for GABAA receptor alpha subunits 2 and 3 (GABRA2, GABRA3) were positively correlated with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) transcripts in schizophrenia cases (GABRA2; r > 0.630, GABRA3; r > 0.762, all p < 0.001) but not controls (GABRA2; r < − 0.200, GABRA3; r < 0.310, all p > 0.05). Taken together, our results support a profound disruption to inhibitory neurotransmission in the substantia nigra regardless of inflammatory status, which provides a potential mechanism for disinhibition of nigrostriatal dopamine neurotransmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tertia D Purves-Tyson
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Margarete Ainsworth Building, Level 5, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Amelia M Brown
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Margarete Ainsworth Building, Level 5, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Christin Weissleder
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Margarete Ainsworth Building, Level 5, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Debora A Rothmond
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Margarete Ainsworth Building, Level 5, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, 139 Barker Street, Margarete Ainsworth Building, Level 5, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia. .,School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. .,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Imaging of the dopamine system with focus on pharmacological MRI and neuromelanin imaging. Eur J Radiol 2021; 140:109752. [PMID: 34004428 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2021.109752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The dopamine system in the brain is involved in a variety of neurologic and psychiatric disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and psychosis. Different aspects of the dopamine system can be visualized and measured with positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), including dopamine receptors, dopamine transporters, and dopamine release. New developments in MR imaging also provide proxy measures of the dopamine system in the brain, offering alternatives with the advantages MR imaging, i.e. no radiation, lower costs, usually less invasive and time consuming. This review will give an overview of these developments with a focus on the most developed techniques: pharmacological MRI (phMRI) and neuromelanin sensitive MRI (NM-MRI). PhMRI is a collective term for functional MRI techniques that administer a pharmacological challenge to assess its effects on brain hemodynamics. By doing so, it indirectly assesses brain neurotransmitter function such as dopamine function. NM-MRI is an upcoming MRI technique that enables in vivo visualization and semi-quantification of neuromelanin in the substantia nigra. Neuromelanin is located in the cell bodies of dopaminergic neurons of the nigrostriatal pathway and can be used as a proxy measure for long term dopamine function or degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Both techniques are still primarily used in clinical research, but there is promise for clinical application, in particular for NM-MRI in dopaminergic neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
|
26
|
Wengler K, Cassidy C, van der Pluijm M, Weinstein JJ, Abi-Dargham A, van de Giessen E, Horga G. Cross-Scanner Harmonization of Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI for Multisite Studies. J Magn Reson Imaging 2021; 54:1189-1199. [PMID: 33960063 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.27679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) is a validated measure of neuromelanin concentration in the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA) complex and is a proxy measure of dopaminergic function with potential as a noninvasive biomarker. The development of generalizable biomarkers requires large-scale samples necessitating harmonization approaches to combine data collected across sites. PURPOSE To develop a method to harmonize NM-MRI across scanners and sites. STUDY TYPE Prospective. POPULATION A total of 128 healthy subjects (18-73 years old; 45% female) from three sites and five MRI scanners. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3.0 T; NM-MRI two-dimensional gradient-recalled echo with magnetization-transfer pulse and three-dimensional T1-weighted images. ASSESSMENT NM-MRI contrast (contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR]) maps were calculated and CNR values within the SN-VTA (defined previously by manual tracing on a standardized NM-MRI template) were determined before harmonization (raw CNR) and after ComBat harmonization (harmonized CNR). Scanner differences were assessed by calculating the classification accuracy of a support vector machine (SVM). To assess the effect of harmonization on biological variability, support vector regression (SVR) was used to predict age and the difference in goodness-of-fit (Δr) was calculated as the correlation (between actual and predicted ages) for the harmonized CNR minus the correlation for the raw CNR. STATISTICAL TESTS Permutation tests were used to determine if SVM classification accuracy was above chance level and if SVR Δr was significant. A P-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS In the raw CNR, SVM MRI scanner classification was above chance level (accuracy = 86.5%). In the harmonized CNR, the accuracy of the SVM was at chance level (accuracy = 29.5%; P = 0.8542). There was no significant difference in age prediction using the raw or harmonized CNR (Δr = -0.06; P = 0.7304). DATA CONCLUSION ComBat harmonization removes differences in SN-VTA CNR across scanners while preserving biologically meaningful variability associated with age. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | - Clifford Cassidy
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with The Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marieke van der Pluijm
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jodi J Weinstein
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Elsmarieke van de Giessen
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Sotoyama H, Namba H, Kobayashi Y, Hasegawa T, Watanabe D, Nakatsukasa E, Sakimura K, Furuyashiki T, Nawa H. Resting-state dopaminergic cell firing in the ventral tegmental area negatively regulates affiliative social interactions in a developmental animal model of schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:236. [PMID: 33888687 PMCID: PMC8062445 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01346-2] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperdopaminergic activities are often linked to positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but their neuropathological implications on negative symptoms are rather controversial among reports. Here, we explored the regulatory role of the resting state-neural activity of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) on social interaction using a developmental rat model for schizophrenia. We prepared the model by administering an ammonitic cytokine, epidermal growth factor (EGF), to rat pups, which later exhibit the deficits of social interaction as monitored with same-gender affiliative sniffing. In vivo single-unit recording and microdialysis revealed that the baseline firing frequency of and dopamine release from VTA dopaminergic neurons were chronically increased in EGF model rats, and their social interaction was concomitantly reduced. Subchronic treatment with risperidone ameliorated both the social interaction deficits and higher frequency of dopaminergic cell firing in this model. Sustained suppression of hyperdopaminergic cell firing in EGF model rats by DREADD chemogenetic intervention restored the event-triggered dopamine release and their social behaviors. These observations suggest that the higher resting-state activity of VTA dopaminergic neurons is responsible for the reduced social interaction of this schizophrenia model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidekazu Sotoyama
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585 Japan
| | - Hisaaki Namba
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585 Japan ,grid.412857.d0000 0004 1763 1087Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, 640-8156 Japan
| | - Yutaro Kobayashi
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585 Japan
| | - Taku Hasegawa
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- grid.258799.80000 0004 0372 2033Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan
| | - Ena Nakatsukasa
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585 Japan
| | - Kenji Sakimura
- grid.260975.f0000 0001 0671 5144Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585 Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Furuyashiki
- grid.31432.370000 0001 1092 3077Division of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Hyogo, 650-0017 Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nawa
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan. .,Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, 640-8156, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Wieland L, Fromm S, Hetzer S, Schlagenhauf F, Kaminski J. Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:770282. [PMID: 34777070 PMCID: PMC8581671 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.770282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Psychiatry is in urgent need of reliable biomarkers. Novel neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) sequences provide a time-efficient and non-invasive way to investigate the human brain in-vivo. This gives insight into the metabolites of dopaminergic signaling and may provide further evidence for potential dopaminergic alterations in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). The present systematic review provides a meta-analysis of case-control studies using neuromelanin-sensitive sequences in SCZ vs. healthy controls (HC). Methods: According to predefined search terms and inclusion criteria studies were extracted on PubMed. Meta-analyses with a fixed and random-effects model with inverse variance method, DerSimonian-Laird estimator for τ2, and Cohen's d were calculated. Bias was assessed using funnel plots. The primary study outcome was contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the substantia nigra compared between HC and SCZ. Results: The total sample of k = 6 studies included n = 183 cases and n = 162 controls. Across all studies we found a significant elevation of CNR in the substantia nigra (d = 0.42 [0.187; 0.655], z = 3.521, p < 0.001) in cases compared to controls. We found no significant difference in the control region of locus coeruleus (d = -0.07 [-0.446; 0.302], z = -0.192, p = 0.847), with CNR for the latter only reported in k = 3 studies. Conclusion: CNR in the substantia nigra were significantly elevated in cases compared to controls. Our results support neuromelanin as a candidate biomarker for dopaminergic dysfunction in schizophrenia. Further studies need to assess this candidate marker in large, longitudinal cohorts and address potential effects of disease state, medication and correlations with symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Wieland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sophie Fromm
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Schlagenhauf
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jakob Kaminski
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Charité Campus Mitte, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Cassidy CM, Carpenter KM, Konova AB, Cheung V, Grassetti A, Zecca L, Abi-Dargham A, Martinez D, Horga G. Evidence for Dopamine Abnormalities in the Substantia Nigra in Cocaine Addiction Revealed by Neuromelanin-Sensitive MRI. Am J Psychiatry 2020; 177:1038-1047. [PMID: 32854531 PMCID: PMC9108998 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20010090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Recent evidence supports the use of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) as a novel tool to investigate dopamine function in the human brain. The authors investigated the NM-MRI signal in individuals with cocaine use disorder, compared with age- and sex-matched control subjects, based on previous imaging studies showing that this disorder is associated with blunted presynaptic striatal dopamine. METHODS NM-MRI and T1-weighted images were acquired from 20 participants with cocaine use disorder and 35 control subjects. Diagnostic group effects in NM-MRI signal were determined using a voxelwise analysis within the substantia nigra. A subset of 20 cocaine users and 17 control subjects also underwent functional MRI imaging using the monetary incentive delay task, in order to investigate whether NM-MRI signal was associated with alterations in reward processing. RESULTS Compared with control subjects, cocaine users showed significantly increased NM-MRI signal in ventrolateral regions of the substantia nigra (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve=0.83). Exploratory analyses did not find a significant correlation of NM-MRI signal to activation of the ventral striatum during anticipation of monetary reward. CONCLUSIONS Given that previous imaging studies show decreased dopamine signaling in the striatum, the finding of increased NM-MRI signal in the substantia nigra provides additional insight into the pathophysiology of cocaine use disorder. One interpretation is that cocaine use disorder is associated with a redistribution of dopamine between cytosolic and vesicular pools, leading to increased accumulation of neuromelanin. The study findings thus suggest that NM-MRI can serve as a practical imaging tool for interrogating the dopamine system in addiction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clifford M Cassidy
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with The Royal, Ottawa, ON
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Kenneth M Carpenter
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Anna B Konova
- Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ
| | - Victoria Cheung
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with The Royal, Ottawa, ON
| | - Alexander Grassetti
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Luigi Zecca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
- Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
| | - Diana Martinez
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Optimizing neuromelanin contrast in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus using a magnetization transfer contrast prepared 3D gradient recalled echo sequence. Neuroimage 2020; 218:116935. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
|
31
|
Jalles C, Chendo I, Levy P, Reimão S. Neuromelanin changes in first episode psychosis with substance abuse. Schizophr Res 2020; 220:283-284. [PMID: 32253077 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2020.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Constança Jalles
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal; Clinical Pharmachology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Inês Chendo
- Clinical Pharmachology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal; Psychiatry Department, Department of Neurosciences, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Psychiatry University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Levy
- Psychiatry Department, Department of Neurosciences, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Reimão
- Clinical Pharmachology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal; Imaging University Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal; Neurological Imaging Department, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Mabry SJ, McCollum LA, Farmer CB, Bloom ES, Roberts RC. Evidence for altered excitatory and inhibitory tone in the post-mortem substantia nigra in schizophrenia. World J Biol Psychiatry 2020; 21:339-356. [PMID: 31062628 PMCID: PMC6891153 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2019.1615638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: The substantia nigra (SN) receives glutamatergic and GABAergic inputs that regulate dopaminergic neuronal activity. Imaging studies have shown hyperactivity of the SN in schizophrenia (SZ) patients. We examined neurochemically defined inputs to the SN, synaptic density, and neuromelanin content that might contribute to or reflect this hyperexcitability.Methods: Glutamatergic axon terminals were identified by the immunohistochemical localisation of vGLUT1 and vGLUT2; GABA inputs were identified by the immunohistochemical localisation of GAD67. Neuromelanin granules are visible in unstained sections and thus were assessed in unstained sections. Optical densitometry was measured to assess the density of vGLUT1, vGLUT2 or GAD67 immunolabelled axon terminals and neuromelanin granules. Electron microscopy was used to quantify synaptic and mitochondrial density.Results: Compared to controls, SZ subjects had nonsignificant trends toward a decrease in vGLUT1, and an increase in both vGLUT2 and GAD67. vGLUT1 was negatively correlated with GAD67 in normal controls (NCs) and positively correlated in SZ subjects. A correlation of coefficient analysis showed a significant difference between the negative correlation in NCs and the positive correlation in SZ subjects. Frequency histograms showed the distribution of neuromelanin density was different in SZ subjects compared to NCs. Synaptic density data showed a decrease in inhibitory synapses in SZ subjects. Mitochondrial density was normal in SZ subjects.Conclusions: Synaptic density alterations and the lack of a positive correlation between GAD67 and vGLUT1 could contribute to hyperactivity in the SN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J. Mabry
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Lesley A. McCollum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Charlene B. Farmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Emma S. Bloom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| | - Rosalinda C. Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 7 Ave. South, Birmingham AL, 35294
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Wengler K, He X, Abi-Dargham A, Horga G. Reproducibility assessment of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging protocols for region-of-interest and voxelwise analyses. Neuroimage 2019; 208:116457. [PMID: 31841683 PMCID: PMC7118586 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) provides a noninvasive measure of the content of neuromelanin (NM), a product of dopamine metabolism that accumulates with age in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra (SN). NM-MRI has been validated as a measure of both dopamine neuron loss, with applications in neurodegenerative disease, and dopamine function, with applications in psychiatric disease. Furthermore, a voxelwise-analysis approach has been validated to resolve substructures, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA), within midbrain dopaminergic nuclei thought to have distinct anatomical targets and functional roles. NM-MRI is thus a promising tool that could have diverse research and clinical applications to noninvasively interrogate in vivo the dopamine system in neuropsychiatric illness. Although a test-retest reliability study by Langley et al. using the standard NM-MRI protocol recently reported high reliability, a systematic and comprehensive investigation of the performance of the method for various acquisition parameters and preprocessing methods has not been conducted. In particular, most previous studies used relatively thick MRI slices (~3 mm), compared to the typical in-plane resolution (~0.5 mm) and to the height of the SN (~15 mm), to overcome technical limitations such as specific absorption rate and signal-to-noise ratio, at the cost of partial-volume effects. Here, we evaluated the effect of various acquisition and preprocessing parameters on the strength and test-retest reliability of the NM-MRI signal to determine optimized protocols for both region-of-interest (including whole SN-VTA complex and atlas-defined dopaminergic nuclei) and voxelwise measures. Namely, we determined a combination of parameters that optimizes the strength and reliability of the NM-MRI signal, including acquisition time, slice-thickness, spatial-normalization software, and degree of spatial smoothing. Using a newly developed, detailed acquisition protocol, across two scans separated by 13 days on average, we obtained intra-class correlation values indicating excellent reliability and high contrast, which could be achieved with a different set of parameters depending on the measures of interest and experimental constraints such as acquisition time. Based on this, we provide detailed guidelines covering acquisition through analysis and recommendations for performing NM-MRI experiments with high quality and reproducibility. This work provides a foundation for the optimization and standardization of NM-MRI, a promising MRI approach with growing applications throughout clinical and basic neuroscience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Xiang He
- Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Keshavan MS, Collin G, Guimond S, Kelly S, Prasad KM, Lizano P. Neuroimaging in Schizophrenia. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 2019; 30:73-83. [PMID: 31759574 DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2019.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychotic disorder with a lifetime prevalence of about 1%. Onset is typically in adolescence or early adulthood; characteristic symptoms include positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and impairments in cognition. Neuroimaging studies have shown substantive evidence of brain structural, functional, and neurochemical alterations that are more pronounced in the association cortex and subcortical regions. These abnormalities are not sufficiently specific to be of diagnostic value, but there may be a role for imaging techniques to provide predictions of outcome. Incorporating multimodal imaging datasets using machine learning approaches may offer better diagnostic and predictive value in schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matcheri S Keshavan
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Guusje Collin
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Heidelberglaan 100, Postbus 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Synthia Guimond
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Sinead Kelly
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Konasale M Prasad
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Suite 279, 3811 O'Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Paulo Lizano
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Petty A, Cui X, Tesiram Y, Kirik D, Howes O, Eyles D. Enhanced Dopamine in Prodromal Schizophrenia (EDiPS): a new animal model of relevance to schizophrenia. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2019; 5:6. [PMID: 30926827 PMCID: PMC6441087 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-019-0074-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
One of the most robust neurochemical abnormalities reported in patients living with schizophrenia is an increase in dopamine (DA) synthesis and release in the dorsal striatum (DS). Importantly, it appears that this increase progresses as a patient transitions from a prodromal stage to the clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia. Here we have recreated this pathophysiology in an animal model by increasing the capacity for DA synthesis preferentially within the DS. To achieve this we administer a genetic construct containing the rate-limiting enzymes in DA synthesis—tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH1) (packaged within an adeno-associated virus)—into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of adolescent animals. We refer to this model as “Enhanced Dopamine in Prodromal Schizophrenia” (EDiPS). We first confirmed that the TH enzyme is preferentially increased in the DS. As adults, EDiPS animals release significantly more DA in the DS following a low dose of amphetamine (AMPH), have increased AMPH-induced hyperlocomotion and show deficits in pre-pulse inhibition (PPI). The glutamatergic response to AMPH is also altered, again in the DS. EDiPS represents an ideal experimental platform to (a) understand how a preferential increase in DA synthesis capacity in the DS relates to “positive” symptoms in schizophrenia; (b) understand how manipulation of DS DA may influence other neurotransmitter systems shown to be altered in patients with schizophrenia; (c) allow researchers to follow an “at risk”-like disease course from adolescence to adulthood; and (d) ultimately allow trials of putative prophylactic agents to prevent disease onset in vulnerable populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Petty
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Xiaoying Cui
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Yasvir Tesiram
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, QLD, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Deniz Kirik
- BRAINS Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Oliver Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,MRS London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Darryl Eyles
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia. .,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD, 4076, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Cassidy CM, Zucca FA, Girgis RR, Baker SC, Weinstein JJ, Sharp ME, Bellei C, Valmadre A, Vanegas N, Kegeles LS, Brucato G, Kang UJ, Sulzer D, Zecca L, Abi-Dargham A, Horga G. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a noninvasive proxy measure of dopamine function in the human brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:5108-5117. [PMID: 30796187 PMCID: PMC6421437 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1807983116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) purports to detect the content of neuromelanin (NM), a product of dopamine metabolism that accumulates with age in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra (SN). Interindividual variability in dopamine function may result in varying levels of NM accumulation in the SN; however, the ability of NM-MRI to measure dopamine function in nonneurodegenerative conditions has not been established. Here, we validated that NM-MRI signal intensity in postmortem midbrain specimens correlated with regional NM concentration even in the absence of neurodegeneration, a prerequisite for its use as a proxy for dopamine function. We then validated a voxelwise NM-MRI approach with sufficient anatomical sensitivity to resolve SN subregions. Using this approach and a multimodal dataset of molecular PET and fMRI data, we further showed the NM-MRI signal was related to both dopamine release in the dorsal striatum and resting blood flow within the SN. These results suggest that NM-MRI signal in the SN is a proxy for function of dopamine neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway. As a proof of concept for its clinical utility, we show that the NM-MRI signal correlated to severity of psychosis in schizophrenia and individuals at risk for schizophrenia, consistent with the well-established dysfunction of the nigrostriatal pathway in psychosis. Our results indicate that noninvasive NM-MRI is a promising tool that could have diverse research and clinical applications to investigate in vivo the role of dopamine in neuropsychiatric illness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clifford M Cassidy
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032;
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, affiliated with The Royal, Ottawa, ON K1Z 8N3, Canada
| | - Fabio A Zucca
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Ragy R Girgis
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Seth C Baker
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Jodi J Weinstein
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Madeleine E Sharp
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Chiara Bellei
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Alice Valmadre
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Nora Vanegas
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Lawrence S Kegeles
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Gary Brucato
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Un Jung Kang
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - David Sulzer
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
| | - Luigi Zecca
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Segrate, 20090 Milan, Italy
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032
- Department of Psychiatry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032;
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Xing Y, Sapuan A, Dineen RA, Auer DP. Life span pigmentation changes of the substantia nigra detected by neuromelanin-sensitive MRI. Mov Disord 2018; 33:1792-1799. [PMID: 30423212 PMCID: PMC6659388 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Neuromelanin is a pigment with strong iron‐chelating properties preferentially found in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Parkinson's disease is characterized by pronounced, MRI‐detectable neuromelanin loss, but the neuroprotective or neurotoxic role of neuromelanin remains debated. Histological studies have demonstrated neuromelanin increases with age, but this has not been confirmed in vivo, and there is uncertainty whether neuromelanin declines, stabilizes, or increases from middle age. Methods: This study aimed to establish physiological changes of pigmentation of the SNpc using a pooled data set of neuromelanin‐sensitive 3T MRI from 134 healthy individuals aged 5‐83 years. Neuromelanin‐related brightness (regional contrast to ratio) and calibrated hyperintense volumes were analyzed using linear and nonlinear regression models to characterize age effects. Laterality, sex, and subregional effects were also assessed. Results: For brightness, age effects were best described as a quadratic trajectory explaining 81.5% of the observed variance in the SNpc showing a strong increase from childhood to adolescence, with plateauing in middle age and a decline in older age. Similar but less pronounced effects were seen in hyperintense volumes. We also show an anterior‐posterior gradient in SNpc contrast, larger normalized neuromelanin‐rich volume in women > 47 years old, but no laterality effect. Conclusions: Using optimized neuromelanin MRI in a life span sample, we demonstrate a strong age effect with inverted U‐shaped SNpc pigmentation‐related contrast from childhood to old age. This age trajectory of physiological SNpc pigmentation needs to be taken into account for diagnostic applications of depigmentation. The study also paves the way for systematic investigations of the mechanisms of neuromelanin in healthy and pathological brain development and aging. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Xing
- Radiological Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Abdul Sapuan
- Radiological Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Rob A Dineen
- Radiological Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Dorothee P Auer
- Radiological Sciences, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.,Nottingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Köhler S, Wagner G, Bär KJ. Activation of brainstem and midbrain nuclei during cognitive control in medicated patients with schizophrenia. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 40:202-213. [PMID: 30184301 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that cognitive control functions as well as the underlying brain network, anchored by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), are dysfunctional in schizophrenia. Catecholamine producing midbrain and brainstem nuclei are densely connected with the PFC and dACC and exert profound contributions to cognitive control processes. Dysfunctions within the underlying neurotransmitter systems are considered to play a central role in the occurrence of various symptoms of schizophrenia. We sought to investigate the putatively abnormal activation pattern of the dopaminergic midbrain nuclei, that is, ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra as well as that of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) in patients with schizophrenia during cognitive control. A total of 28 medicated patients and 27 healthy controls were investigated with the manual version of the Stroop task using event-related fMRI. The main finding was a reduced BOLD activation in the VTA during both Stroop task conditions in patients in comparison to controls, which correlated significantly with the degree of negative symptoms. We further detected a comparable LC activation in in patients and healthy controls. However, in controls LC activation was significantly correlated with the Stroop interference time, which was not observed in patients. The finding of reduced VTA activation in schizophrenia patients lends further support to the assumed dysfunction of the DA system in schizophrenia. In addition, despite comparable LC activation, the nonsignificant correlation with the Stroop interference time might indicate altered LC functioning in schizophrenia and, thus, needs further investigations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Köhler
- Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Gerd Wagner
- Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Karl-Jürgen Bär
- Psychiatric Brain and Body Research Group Jena, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Walker CK, Roche JK, Sinha V, Roberts RC. Substantia nigra ultrastructural pathology in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2018; 197:209-218. [PMID: 29274737 PMCID: PMC6013319 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness affecting approximately 1% of the population worldwide. Despite its prevalence, the cause remains unknown, and treatment is not effective in all patients. Dopamine is thought to play a role in schizophrenia pathology, yet the substantia nigra (SN), the origin of dopaminergic pathways, has not been studied extensively in schizophrenia. In this study, electron microscopy was used to examine neurons, oligodendrocytes, and myelinated axons in the SN of normal controls (NCs, n=9) and schizophrenia subjects with varying response to antipsychotic drugs [SZ, n=14; treatment resistant (TR)=6, treatment responsive (RESP)=6, unknown=2]. Postmortem tissue was analyzed for qualitative and quantitative markers of ultrastuctural integrity. A significantly higher percentage of axons in the schizophrenia group had inclusions in the myelin sheath compared to NCs (SZ: 3.9±1.7, NC: 2.6±2.0). When considering treatment response, a significantly higher percentage of axons lacked cytoplasm (TR: 9.7±5.5, NC: 3.5±2.3), contained cellular debris (TR: 7.5±3.2, NC: 2.3±1.3) or had protrusions in the myelin sheath (TR: 0.4±0.5, NC: 0.2±0.3). The G-ratio, a measure of myelin thickness, was significantly different between treatment response groups and was greater in TR (0.72±0.02) as compared to NCs (0.68±0.03), indicating decreased myelination in TR. These findings, which suggest myelin pathology in the SN in schizophrenia, are consistent with findings elsewhere in the brain. In addition, our results suggest cytoskeletal abnormalities, which may or may not be associated with myelin pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joy K. Roche
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Vidushi Sinha
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| | - Rosalinda C. Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Tavares M, Reimão S, Chendo I, Carvalho M, Levy P, Nunes RG. Neuromelanin magnetic resonance imaging of the substantia nigra in first episode psychosis patients consumers of illicit substances. Schizophr Res 2018; 197:620-621. [PMID: 29477246 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Tavares
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Sofia Reimão
- Neurological Imaging Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Clinical Pharmachology Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês Chendo
- Psychiatry Department, Department of Neurosciences, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Clínica Universitária de Psiquiatria, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal; CNS, Campus Neurológico Sénior, Torres Vedras, Portugal
| | - Miguel Carvalho
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus da Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Pedro Levy
- Psychiatry Department, Department of Neurosciences, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita G Nunes
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal; Institute for Systems and Robotics (LARSyS) and Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Sulzer D, Cassidy C, Horga G, Kang UJ, Fahn S, Casella L, Pezzoli G, Langley J, Hu XP, Zucca FA, Isaias IU, Zecca L. Neuromelanin detection by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and its promise as a biomarker for Parkinson's disease. NPJ PARKINSONS DISEASE 2018; 4:11. [PMID: 29644335 PMCID: PMC5893576 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-018-0047-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) occurs after pathogenesis is advanced and many substantia nigra (SN) dopamine neurons have already died. Now that therapies to block this neuronal loss are under development, it is imperative that the disease be diagnosed at earlier stages and that the response to therapies is monitored. Recent studies suggest this can be accomplished by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection of neuromelanin (NM), the characteristic pigment of SN dopaminergic, and locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic neurons. NM is an autophagic product synthesized via oxidation of catecholamines and subsequent reactions, and in the SN and LC it increases linearly during normal aging. In PD, however, the pigment is lost when SN and LC neurons die. As shown nearly 25 years ago by Zecca and colleagues, NM’s avid binding of iron provides a paramagnetic source to enable electron and nuclear magnetic resonance detection, and thus a means for safe and noninvasive measure in living human brain. Recent technical improvements now provide a means for MRI to differentiate between PD patients and age-matched healthy controls, and should be able to identify changes in SN NM with age in individuals. We discuss how MRI detects NM and how this approach might be improved. We suggest that MRI of NM can be used to confirm PD diagnosis and monitor disease progression. We recommend that for subjects at risk for PD, and perhaps generally for older people, that MRI sequences performed at regular intervals can provide a pre-clinical means to detect presymptomatic PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Sulzer
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center , New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA.,2Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA.,3Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Clifford Cassidy
- 4The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, Affiliated with the University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Guillermo Horga
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center , New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Un Jung Kang
- 2Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Stanley Fahn
- 2Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - Luigi Casella
- 5Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gianni Pezzoli
- Parkinson Institute, ASST "Gaetano Pini-CTO", Milan, Italy
| | - Jason Langley
- 7Center for Advanced NeuroImaging, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA USA
| | - Xiaoping P Hu
- 8Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA USA
| | - Fabio A Zucca
- 9Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| | - Ioannis U Isaias
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and Julius-Maximillian-University, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Luigi Zecca
- 9Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Magnetic resonance imaging of the human locus coeruleus: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:325-355. [PMID: 29107830 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), the major origin of noradrenergic modulation of the central nervous system, innervates extensive areas throughout the brain and is implicated in a variety of autonomic and cognitive functions. Alterations in the LC-noradrenergic system have been associated with healthy ageing and neuropsychiatric disorders including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and depression. The last decade has seen advances in imaging the structure and function of the LC, and this paper systematically reviews the methodology and outcomes of sixty-nine structural and functional MRI studies of the LC in humans. Structural MRI studies consistently showed lower LC signal intensity and volume in clinical groups compared to healthy controls. Within functional studies, the LC was activated by a variety of tasks/stimuli and had functional connectivity to a range of brain regions. However, reported functional LC location coordinates were widely distributed compared to previously published neuroanatomical locations. Methodological and demographic factors potentially contributing to these differences are discussed, together with recommendations to optimize the reliability and validity of future LC imaging studies.
Collapse
|
43
|
Fujino H, Sumiyoshi C, Yasuda Y, Yamamori H, Fujimoto M, Fukunaga M, Miura K, Takebayashi Y, Okada N, Isomura S, Kawano N, Toyomaki A, Kuga H, Isobe M, Oya K, Okahisa Y, Takaki M, Hashimoto N, Kato M, Onitsuka T, Ueno T, Ohnuma T, Kasai K, Ozaki N, Sumiyoshi T, Imura O, Hashimoto R. Estimated cognitive decline in patients with schizophrenia: A multicenter study. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 71:294-300. [PMID: 27804186 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM Studies have reported that cognitive decline occurs after the onset of schizophrenia despite heterogeneity in cognitive function among patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of estimated cognitive decline in patients with schizophrenia by comparing estimated premorbid intellectual functioning and current intellectual functioning. METHODS A total of 446 patients with schizophrenia (228 male, 218 female), consisting of three sample sets obtained from 11 psychiatric facilities, and 686 healthy controls participated in this study. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) was used to measure the participants' current full-scale IQ (FSIQ). The premorbid IQ was estimated using the Japanese Adult Reading Test-25. Estimated cognitive decline (difference score) was defined as the difference between the estimated premorbid IQ and the current FSIQ. RESULTS Patients with schizophrenia showed greater estimated cognitive decline, a lower FSIQ, and a lower premorbid IQ compared with the healthy controls. The mean difference score, FSIQ, and estimated premorbid IQ were -16.3, 84.2, and 100.5, respectively, in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, 39.7% of the patients had a difference score of 20 points or greater decline. A discriminant analysis showed that the difference score accurately predicted 81.6% of the patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSION These results show the distribution of difference score in patients with schizophrenia. These findings may contribute to assessing the severity of estimated cognitive decline and identifying patients with schizophrenia who suffer from cognitive decline.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haruo Fujino
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.,Graduate School of Education, Oita University, Oita, Japan
| | - Chika Sumiyoshi
- Faculty of Human Development and Culture, Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Yuka Yasuda
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hidenaga Yamamori
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Michiko Fujimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaki Fukunaga
- Division of Cerebral Integration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Miura
- Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Integrative Brain Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuto Takebayashi
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naohiro Okada
- Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Neuropsychiatry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuichi Isomura
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Naoko Kawano
- Green Mobility Research Institute, Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan.,Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Atsuhito Toyomaki
- Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hironori Kuga
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Division of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Hizen Psychiatric Center, Saga, Japan
| | - Masanori Isobe
- Department of Psychiatry, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuto Oya
- Department of Psychiatry, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuko Okahisa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Manabu Takaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan
| | - Naoki Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masaki Kato
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Onitsuka
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takefumi Ueno
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.,Division of Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization, Hizen Psychiatric Center, Saga, Japan
| | - Tohru Ohnuma
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Neuropsychiatry, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tomiki Sumiyoshi
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Translational Medical Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Osamu Imura
- Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryota Hashimoto
- Department of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.,Molecular Research Center for Children's Mental Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Schoonover KE, McCollum LA, Roberts RC. Protein Markers of Neurotransmitter Synthesis and Release in Postmortem Schizophrenia Substantia Nigra. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:540-550. [PMID: 27550734 PMCID: PMC5399235 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The substantia nigra (SN) provides the largest dopaminergic input to the brain, projects to the striatum (the primary locus of action for antipsychotic medication), and receives GABAergic and glutamatergic inputs. This study used western blot analysis to compare protein levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD67), and vesicular glutamate transporters (vGLUT1 and vGLUT2) in postmortem human SN in schizophrenia subjects (n=13) and matched controls (n=12). As a preliminary analysis, the schizophrenia group was subdivided by (1) treatment status: off medication (n=4) or on medication (n=9); or (2) treatment response: treatment resistant (n=5) or treatment responsive (n=4). The combined schizophrenia group had higher TH and GAD67 protein levels than controls (an increase of 69.6%, P=0.01 and 19.5%, P=0.004, respectively). When subdivided by medication status, these increases were found in the on-medication subjects (TH 88.3%, P=0.008; GAD67 40.6%, P=0.003). In contrast, unmedicated schizophrenia subjects had higher vGLUT2 levels than controls (an increase of 28.7%, P=0.041), but vGLUT2 levels were similar between medicated schizophrenia subjects and controls. Treatment-resistant subjects had significantly higher TH and GAD67 levels than controls (an increase of 121.0%, P=0.0003 and 58.7%, P=0.004, respectively). These data suggest increases in dopamine and GABA transmission in the SN in schizophrenia, with a potential relation to treatment and response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten E Schoonover
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Lesley A McCollum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rosalinda C Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Hashido T, Saito S. Quantitative T1, T2, and T2* Mapping and Semi-Quantitative Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Human Midbrain. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165160. [PMID: 27768782 PMCID: PMC5074498 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Neuromelanin is a dark pigment granule present within certain catecholamine neurons of the human brain. Here, we aimed to clarify the relationship between contrast of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR relaxation times using T1, T2, and T2* mapping of the lower midbrain. Methods The subjects were 14 healthy volunteers (11 men and 3 women, mean age 29.9 ± 6.9 years). Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI was acquired using an optimized T1-weighted two-dimensional (2D)-turbo spin-echo sequence. To quantitatively evaluate the relaxation time, 2D-image data for the T1, T2, and T2* maps were also acquired. The regions of interest (substantia nigra pars compacta [SNc], superior cerebellar peduncles [SCP], cerebral peduncles [CP], and midbrain tegmentum [MT]) were manually drawn on neuromelanin-sensitive MRI to measure the contrast ratio (CR) and on relaxation maps to measure the relaxation times. Results The CR in the SNc was significantly higher than the CRs in the SCP and CP. Compared to the SCP and CP, the SNc had significantly higher T1 relaxation times. Moreover, the SNc had significantly lower T2 and T2* relaxation times than the other three regions (SCP, CP, and MT). Correlation analyses showed no significant correlations between the CRs in the SNc, SCP, and CP and each relaxation time. Conclusions We demonstrated the relationship between the CR of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI and the relaxation times of quantitative maps of the human midbrain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Hashido
- Division of Radiology, Department of Medical Technology, Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigeyoshi Saito
- Department of Medical Engineering, Division of Health Sciences, Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Matsuura K, Maeda M, Tabei KI, Umino M, Kajikawa H, Satoh M, Kida H, Tomimoto H. A longitudinal study of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in Parkinson’s disease. Neurosci Lett 2016; 633:112-117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Revised: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
47
|
Detection of changes in the ventral tegmental area of patients with schizophrenia using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI. Neuroreport 2016; 27:289-94. [DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000000530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
48
|
Mamah D, Wen J, Luo J, Ulrich X, Barch DM, Yablonskiy D. Subcomponents of brain T2* relaxation in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and siblings: A Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) study. Schizophr Res 2015; 169:36-45. [PMID: 26603058 PMCID: PMC4681636 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Investigating brain tissue T2* relaxation properties in vivo can potentially guide the uncovering of neuropathology in psychiatric illness, which is traditionally examined post mortem. We use an MRI-based Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) technique that produces inherently co-registered images allowing quantitative assessment of tissue cellular and hemodynamic properties. Usually described as R2* (=1/T2*) relaxation rate constant, recent developments in GEPCI allow the separation of cellular-specific (R2*C) and hemodynamic (BOLD) contributions to the MRI signal decay. We characterize BOLD effect in terms of tissue concentration of deoxyhemoglobin, i.e. CDEOXY, which reflects brain activity. 17 control (CON), 17 bipolar disorder (BPD), 16 schizophrenia (SCZ), and 12 unaffected schizophrenia sibling (SIB) participants were scanned and post-processed using GEPCI protocols. A MANOVA of 38gray matter regions ROIs showed significant group effects for CDEOXY but not for R2*C. In the three non-control groups, 71-92% of brain regions had increased CDEOXY. Group effects were observed in the superior temporal cortex and the thalamus. Increased superior temporal cortex CDEOXY was found in SCZ (p=0.01), BPD (p=0.01) and SIB (p=0.02), with bilateral effects in SCZ and only left hemisphere effects in BPD and SIB. Thalamic CDEOXY abnormalities were observed in SCZ (p=0.003), BPD (p=0.03) and SIB (p=0.02). Our results suggest that increased activity in certain brain regions is part of the underlying pathophysiology of specific psychiatric disorders. High CDEOXY in the superior temporal cortex suggests abnormal activity with auditory, language and/or social cognitive processing. Larger studies are needed to clarify the clinical significance of relaxometric abnormalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mamah
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States.
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Radiology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States
| | - Jie Luo
- Department of Radiology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States
| | - Xialing Ulrich
- Department of Radiology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States
| | - Deanna M. Barch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States, Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, United States, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University in St. Louis, United States
| | - Dmitriy Yablonskiy
- Department of Radiology, Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, United States
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Application of laser microdissection ICP-MS for high resolution elemental mapping in mouse brain tissue: a comparative study with laser ablation ICP-MS. Talanta 2014; 132:579-82. [PMID: 25476347 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mapping of elements in biological tissue by laser induced mass spectrometry is a fast growing analytical methodology in life sciences. This method provides a multitude of useful information of metal, nonmetal, metalloid and isotopic distribution at major, minor and trace concentration ranges, usually with a lateral resolution of 12-160 µm. Selected applications in medical research require an improved lateral resolution of laser induced mass spectrometric technique at the low micrometre scale and below. The present work demonstrates the applicability of a recently developed analytical methodology - laser microdissection associated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LMD ICP-MS) - to obtain elemental images of different solid biological samples at high lateral resolution. LMD ICP-MS images of mouse brain tissue samples stained with uranium and native are shown, and a direct comparison of LMD and laser ablation (LA) ICP-MS imaging methodologies, in terms of elemental quantification, is performed.
Collapse
|