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Yakovlev A, Gritskova A, Manzhurtsev A, Ublinskiy M, Menshchikov P, Vanin A, Kupriyanov D, Akhadov T, Semenova N. Dynamics of γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the human brain in response to short visual stimulation. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 37:39-51. [PMID: 37715877 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01118-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To find a possible quantitative relation between activation-induced fast (< 10 s) changes in the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level and the amplitude of a blood oxygen level-dependent contrast (BOLD) response (according to magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS] and functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI]). MATERIALS AND METHODS fMRI data and MEGA-PRESS magnetic resonance spectra [echo time (TE)/repetition time (TR) = 68 ms/1500 ms] of an activated area in the visual cortex of 33 subjects were acquired using a 3 T MR scanner. Stimulation was performed by presenting an image of a flickering checkerboard for 3 s, repeated with an interval of 13.5 s. The time course of GABA and creatine (Cr) concentrations and the width and height of resonance lines were obtained with a nominal time resolution of 1.5 s. Changes in the linewidth and height of n-acetylaspartate (NAA) and Cr signals were used to determine the BOLD effect. RESULTS In response to the activation, the BOLD-corrected GABA + /Cr ratio increased by 5.0% (q = 0.027) and 3.8% (q = 0.048) at 1.6 and 3.1 s, respectively, after the start of the stimulus. Time courses of Cr and NAA signal width and height reached a maximum change at the 6th second (~ 1.2-1.5%, q < 0.05). CONCLUSION The quick response of the observed GABA concentration to the short stimulus is most likely due to a release of GABA from vesicles followed by its packaging back into vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Yakovlev
- Clinical and Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology, Bol'shaya Polyanka St. 22, Moscow, 119180, Russian Federation.
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation.
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation.
| | - Alexandra Gritskova
- Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory Str. 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Andrei Manzhurtsev
- Clinical and Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology, Bol'shaya Polyanka St. 22, Moscow, 119180, Russian Federation
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
- Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory Str. 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Maxim Ublinskiy
- Clinical and Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology, Bol'shaya Polyanka St. 22, Moscow, 119180, Russian Federation
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
- Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory Str. 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Petr Menshchikov
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
- LLC Philips Healthcare, 13 Sergeya Makeeva Str., Moscow, 123022, Russian Federation
| | - Anatoly Vanin
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
| | - Dmitriy Kupriyanov
- LLC Philips Healthcare, 13 Sergeya Makeeva Str., Moscow, 123022, Russian Federation
| | - Tolib Akhadov
- Clinical and Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology, Bol'shaya Polyanka St. 22, Moscow, 119180, Russian Federation
- Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory Str. 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia Semenova
- Clinical and Research Institute of Emergency Paediatric Surgery and Traumatology, Bol'shaya Polyanka St. 22, Moscow, 119180, Russian Federation
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kosygina St. 4, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation
- Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory Str. 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
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Costigan A, Umla-Runge K, Evans C, Raybould R, Graham K, Lawrence A. Evidence against altered excitatory/inhibitory balance in the posteromedial cortex of young adult APOE E4 carriers: A resting state 1H-MRS study. NEUROIMAGE. REPORTS 2021; 1:100059. [PMID: 36896169 PMCID: PMC9986794 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2021.100059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A strategy to gain insight into early changes that may predispose people to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is to study the brains of younger cognitively healthy people that are at increased genetic risk of AD. The Apolipoprotein (APOE) E4 allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for AD, and several neuroimaging studies comparing APOE E4 carriers with non-carriers at age ∼20-30 years have detected hyperactivity (or reduced deactivation) in posteromedial cortex (PMC), a key hub of the default network (DN), which has a high susceptibility to early amyloid deposition in AD. Transgenic mouse models suggest such early network activity alterations may result from altered excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance, but this is yet to be examined in humans. Here we test the hypothesis that PMC fMRI hyperactivity could be underpinned by altered levels of excitatory (glutamate) and/or inhibitory (GABA) neurotransmitters in this brain region. Forty-seven participants (20 APOE E4 carriers and 27 non-carriers) aged 18-25 years underwent resting-state proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique to measure glutamate and GABA in vivo. Metabolites were measured in a PMC voxel of interest and in a comparison voxel in the occipital cortex (OCC). There was no difference in either glutamate or GABA between the E4 carriers and non-carriers in either MRS voxel, or in the ratio of glutamate to GABA, a measure of E/I balance. Default Bayesian t-tests revealed evidence in support of this null finding. Our findings suggest that PMC hyperactivity in APOE E4 carriers is unlikely to be associated with, or possibly may precede, alterations in local resting-state PMC neurotransmitters, thus informing our understanding of the spatio-temporal sequence of early network alterations underlying APOE E4 related AD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.G. Costigan
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - K. Umla-Runge
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - C.J. Evans
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - R. Raybould
- UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - K.S. Graham
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - A.D. Lawrence
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
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3
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Posse S, Sa De La Rocque Guimaraes B, Hutchins-Delgado T, Vakamudi K, Fotso Tagne K, Moeller S, Dager SR. On the acquisition of the water signal during water suppression: High-speed MR spectroscopic imaging with water referencing and concurrent functional MRI. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2021; 34:e4261. [PMID: 31999397 PMCID: PMC7390701 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the utility of concurrent water signal acquisition as part of the water suppression in MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI), to allow simultaneous water referencing for metabolite quantification, and to concurrently acquire functional MRI (fMRI) data. We integrated a spatial-spectral binomial water excitation RF pulse and a short spatial-spectral echo-planar readout into the water suppression module of 2D and 3D proton-echo-planar-spectroscopic-imaging (PEPSI) with a voxel size as small as 4 x 4 x 6 mm3 . Metabolite quantification in reference to tissue water was validated in healthy controls for different prelocalization methods (spin-echo, PRESS and semi-LASER) and the clinical feasibility of a 3-minute 3D semi-Laser PEPSI scan (TR/TE: 1250/32 ms) with water referencing in patients with brain tumors was demonstrated. Spectral quality, SNR, Cramer-Rao-lower-bounds and water suppression efficiency were comparable with conventional PEPSI. Metabolite concentration values in reference to tissue water, using custom LCModel-based spectral fitting with relaxation correction, were in the range of previous studies and independent of the prelocalization method used. Next, we added a phase-encoding undersampled echo-volumar imaging (EVI) module during water suppression to concurrently acquire metabolite maps with water referencing and fMRI data during task execution and resting state in healthy controls. Integration of multimodal signal acquisition prolongated minimum TR by less than 50 ms on average. Visual and motor activation in concurrent fMRI/MRSI (TR: 1250-1500 ms, voxel size: 4 x 4 x 6 mm3 ) was readily detectable in single-task blocks with percent signal change comparable with conventional fMRI. Resting-state connectivity in sensory and motor networks was detectable in 4 minutes. This hybrid water suppression approach for multimodal imaging has the potential to significantly reduce scan time and extend neuroscience research and clinical applications through concurrent quantitative MRSI and fMRI acquisitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Posse
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Bruno Sa De La Rocque Guimaraes
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | | | - Kishore Vakamudi
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kevin Fotso Tagne
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Steen Moeller
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Stephen R Dager
- Departments of Radiology and Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Kiemes A, Davies C, Kempton MJ, Lukow PB, Bennallick C, Stone JM, Modinos G. GABA, Glutamate and Neural Activity: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis of Multimodal 1H-MRS-fMRI Studies. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:644315. [PMID: 33762983 PMCID: PMC7982484 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.644315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Multimodal neuroimaging studies combining proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to quantify GABA and/or glutamate concentrations and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity non-invasively have advanced understanding of how neurochemistry and neurophysiology may be related at a macroscopic level. The present study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of available studies examining the relationship between 1H-MRS glutamate and/or GABA levels and task-related fMRI signal in the healthy brain. Ovid (Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO) and Pubmed databases were systematically searched to identify articles published until December 2019. The primary outcome of interest was the association between resting levels of glutamate or GABA and task-related fMRI. Fifty-five papers were identified for inclusion in the systematic review. A further 22 studies were entered into four separate meta-analyses. These meta-analyses found evidence of significant negative associations between local GABA levels and (a) fMRI activation to visual tasks in the occipital lobe, and (b) activation to emotion processing in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)/anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, there was no significant association between mPFC/ACC glutamate levels and fMRI activation to cognitive control tasks or to emotional processing, with the relationship to emotion processing related neural activity narrowly missing significance. Moreover, our systematic review also found converging evidence of negative associations between GABA levels and local brain activity, and positive associations between glutamate levels and distal brain activity, outside of the 1H-MRS sampling region. Albeit less consistently, additional relationships between GABA levels and distal brain activity and between glutamate levels and local brain activity were found. It remains unclear if the absence of effects for other brain regions and other cognitive-emotional domains reflects study heterogeneity or potential confounding effects of age, sex, or other unknown factors. Advances in 1H-MRS methodology as well as in the integration of 1H-MRS readouts with other imaging modalities for indexing neural activity hold great potential to reveal key aspects of the pathophysiology of mental health disorders involving aberrant interactions between neurochemistry and neurophysiology such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Kiemes
- Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Davies
- Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J Kempton
- Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paulina B Lukow
- Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carly Bennallick
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - James M Stone
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex & University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Gemma Modinos
- Psychosis Studies Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Medical Research Centre Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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5
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Chirumamilla VC, Gonzalez-Escamilla G, Koirala N, Bonertz T, von Grotthus S, Muthuraman M, Groppa S. Cortical Excitability Dynamics During Fear Processing. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:568. [PMID: 31275095 PMCID: PMC6593288 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the modulation of cortical excitability in the prefrontal cortex during fear processing in humans. Here, we aimed to transiently modulate and test the cortical excitability during fear processing using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and brain oscillations in theta and alpha frequency bands with electroencephalography (EEG). Methods: We conducted two separate experiments (no-TMS and TMS). In the no-TMS experiment, EEG recordings were performed during the instructed fear paradigm in which a visual cue (CS+) was paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (electric shock), while the other visual cue was unpaired (CS-). In the TMS experiment, in addition the TMS was applied on the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). The participants also underwent structural MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanning and were assigned pseudo-randomly to both experiments, such that age and gender were matched. The cortical excitability was evaluated by time-frequency analysis and functional connectivity with weighted phase lag index (WPLI). We further linked the excitability patterns with markers of stress coping capability. Results: After visual cue onset, we found increased theta power in the frontal lobe and decreased alpha power in the occipital lobe during CS+ relative to CS- trials. TMS of dmPFC increased theta power in the frontal lobe and reduced alpha power in the occipital lobe during CS+. The TMS pulse increased the information flow from the sensorimotor region to the prefrontal and occipital regions in the theta and alpha bands, respectively during CS+ compared to CS-. Pre-stimulation frontal theta power (0.75–1 s) predicted the magnitude of frontal theta power changes after stimulation (1–1.25 s). Finally, the increased frontal theta power during CS+ compared to CS- was positively correlated with stress coping behavior. Conclusion: Our results show that TMS over dmPFC transiently modulated the regional cortical excitability and the fronto-occipital information flows during fear processing, while the pre-stimulation frontal theta power determined the strength of achieved effects. The frontal theta power may serve as a biomarker for fear processing and stress-coping responses in individuals and could be clinically tested in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkata C Chirumamilla
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Gabriel Gonzalez-Escamilla
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Nabin Koirala
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tamara Bonertz
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sarah von Grotthus
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Muthuraman Muthuraman
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sergiu Groppa
- Section of Movement Disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Focus Program Translational Neurosciences, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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6
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Costigan AG, Umla-Runge K, Evans CJ, Hodgetts CJ, Lawrence AD, Graham KS. Neurochemical correlates of scene processing in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex: A multimodal fMRI and 1 H-MRS study. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:2884-2898. [PMID: 30865358 PMCID: PMC6563468 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCu/PCC) are key components of a midline network, activated during rest but also in tasks that involve construction of scene or situation models. Despite growing interest in PCu/PCC functional alterations in disease and disease risk, the underlying neurochemical modulators of PCu/PCC's task‐evoked activity are largely unstudied. Here, a multimodal imaging approach was applied to investigate whether interindividual differences in PCu/PCC fMRI activity, elicited during perceptual discrimination of scene stimuli, were correlated with local brain metabolite levels, measured during resting‐state 1H‐MRS. Forty healthy young adult participants completed an fMRI perceptual odd‐one‐out task for scenes, objects and faces. 1H‐MRS metabolites N‐acetyl‐aspartate (tNAA), glutamate (Glx) and γ‐amino‐butyric acid (GABA+) were quantified via PRESS and MEGA‐PRESS scans in a PCu/PCC voxel and an occipital (OCC) control voxel. Whole brain fMRI revealed a cluster in right dorsal PCu/PCC that showed a greater BOLD response to scenes versus faces and objects. When extracted from an independently defined PCu/PCC region of interest, scene activity (vs. faces and objects and also vs. baseline) was positively correlated with PCu/PCC, but not OCC, tNAA. A voxel‐wise regression analysis restricted to the PCu/PCC 1H‐MRS voxel area identified a significant PCu/PCC cluster, confirming the positive correlation between scene‐related BOLD activity and PCu/PCC tNAA. There were no correlations between PCu/PCC activity and Glx or GABA+ levels. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that scene activity in PCu/PCC is linked to local tNAA levels, identifying a neurochemical influence on interindividual differences in the task‐driven activity of a key brain hub.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison G Costigan
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Katja Umla-Runge
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - C John Evans
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Carl J Hodgetts
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Andrew D Lawrence
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
| | - Kim S Graham
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK
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7
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Hendriks AD, Fracasso A, Arteaga de Castro CS, Gosselink MW, Luijten PR, Petridou N, Klomp DW. Maximizing sensitivity for fast GABA edited spectroscopy in the visual cortex at 7 T. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2018; 31:e3890. [PMID: 29442388 PMCID: PMC5887933 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The combination of functional MRI (fMRI) and MRS is a promising approach to relate BOLD imaging to neuronal metabolism, especially at high field strength. However, typical scan times for GABA edited spectroscopy are of the order of 6-30 min, which is long compared with functional changes observed with fMRI. The aim of this study is to reduce scan time and increase GABA sensitivity for edited spectroscopy in the human visual cortex, by enlarging the volume of activated tissue in the primary visual cortex. A dedicated setup at 7 T for combined fMRI and GABA MRS is developed. This setup consists of a half volume multi-transmit coil with a large screen for visual cortex activation, two high density receive arrays and an optimized single-voxel MEGA-sLASER sequence with macromolecular suppression for signal acquisition. The coil setup performance as well as the GABA measurement speed, SNR, and stability were evaluated. A 2.2-fold gain of the average SNR for GABA detection was obtained, as compared with a conventional 7 T setup. This was achieved by increasing the viewing angle of the participant with respect to the visual stimulus, thereby activating almost the entire primary visual cortex, allowing larger spectroscopy measurement volumes and resulting in an improved GABA SNR. Fewer than 16 signal averages, lasting 1 min 23 s in total, were needed for the GABA fit method to become stable, as demonstrated in three participants. The stability of the measurement setup was sufficient to detect GABA with an accuracy of 5%, as determined with a GABA phantom. In vivo, larger variations in GABA concentration are found: 14-25%. Overall, the results bring functional GABA detections at a temporal resolution closer to the physiological time scale of BOLD cortex activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan D. Hendriks
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Alessio Fracasso
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | | | - Mark W.J.M. Gosselink
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Peter R. Luijten
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Natalia Petridou
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Dennis W.J. Klomp
- Department of Radiology, Imaging DivisionUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
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8
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Assessment of intra- and inter-regional interrelations between GABA+, Glx and BOLD during pain perception in the human brain – A combined 1H fMRS and fMRI study. Neuroscience 2017; 365:125-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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9
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Divergent influences of anterior cingulate cortex GABA concentrations on the emotion circuitry. Neuroimage 2017; 158:136-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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10
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Marins FR, Iddings JA, Fontes MAP, Filosa JA. Evidence that remodeling of insular cortex neurovascular unit contributes to hypertension-related sympathoexcitation. Physiol Rep 2017; 5:e13156. [PMID: 28270592 PMCID: PMC5350170 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The intermediate region of the posterior insular cortex (intermediate IC) mediates sympathoexcitatory responses to the heart and kidneys. Previous studies support hypertension-evoked changes to the structure and function of neurons, blood vessels, astrocytes and microglia, disrupting the organization of the neurovascular unit (NVU). In this study, we evaluated the functional and anatomical integrity of the NVU at the intermediate IC in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and its control the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY). Under urethane anesthesia, NMDA microinjection (0.2 mmol/L/100 nL) was performed at the intermediate IC with simultaneous recording of renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Alterations in NVU structure were investigated by immunofluorescence for NMDA receptors (NR1), blood vessels (70 kDa FITC-dextran), astrocytes (GFAP), and microglia (Iba1). Injections of NMDA into intermediate IC of SHR evoked higher amplitude responses of RSNA, MAP, and HR On the other hand, NMDA receptor blockade decreased baseline RSNA, MAP and HR in SHR, with no changes in WKY Immunofluorescence data from SHR intermediate IC showed increased NMDA receptor density, contributing to the SHR enhanced sympathetic responses, and increased in vascular density (increased number of branches and endpoints, reduced average branch length), suggesting angiogenesis. Additionally, IC from SHR presented increased GFAP immunoreactivity and contact between astrocyte processes and blood vessels. In SHR, IC microglia skeleton analysis supports their activation (reduced number of branches, junctions, endpoints and process length), suggesting an inflammatory process in this region. These findings indicate that neurogenic hypertension in SHR is accompanied by marked alterations to the NVU within the IC and enhanced NMDA-mediated sympathoexcitatory responses likely contributors of the maintenance of hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda R Marins
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, INCT, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Marco A P Fontes
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, INCT, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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11
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Wijtenburg SA, West J, Korenic SA, Kuhney F, Gaston FE, Chen H, Roberts M, Kochunov P, Hong LE, Rowland LM. Glutamatergic metabolites are associated with visual plasticity in humans. Neurosci Lett 2017; 644:30-36. [PMID: 28189743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a basic cellular mechanism underlying learning and memory. LTP-like plasticity in the visual cortex can be induced by high frequency visual stimulation in rodents and humans. Since glutamate plays a fundamental role in LTP, this study investigated if visual cortical glutamate and glutamine levels, measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), relate to visual plasticity in humans. Since plasticity requires a delicate excitation and inhibition balance, GABA was also explored. Eighteen healthy participants completed MRS and a visual fMRI paradigm. Results revealed enhanced fMRI activations after high frequency visual stimulation, suggesting visual plasticity occurred. Higher activations were associated with higher resting glutamine levels after family wise error-correction. Exploratory analyses revealed that higher resting glutamate and GABA levels were associated with visual plasticity, suggesting there may be a critical excitation-inhibition balance necessary for experience dependent plasticity. This is the first empirical evidence that resting glutamine levels and potentially glutamate and GABA levels are associated with visual plasticity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Andrea Wijtenburg
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA.
| | - Jeffrey West
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Stephanie A Korenic
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Franchesca Kuhney
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Frank E Gaston
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Hongji Chen
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Meredith Roberts
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Peter Kochunov
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA; Department of Physics, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
| | - L Elliot Hong
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
| | - Laura M Rowland
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 N. Caroline Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
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12
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Wang GY, van Eijk J, Demirakca T, Sack M, Krause-Utz A, Cackowski S, Schmahl C, Ende G. ACC GABA levels are associated with functional activation and connectivity in the fronto-striatal network during interference inhibition in patients with borderline personality disorder. Neuroimage 2016; 147:164-174. [PMID: 27940074 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Impulsivity often develops from disturbed inhibitory control, a function mainly regulated by γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the fronto-striatal system. In this study, we combined MRS GABA measurements and fMRI to investigate neurochemical and neurofunctional correlates of interference inhibition, further emphasizing the direct relationship between those two systems, as well as their relations to impulsivity in patients with BPD. In addition to BOLD activation, task-dependent functional connectivity was assessed by a generalized psychophysiological interactions approach. Full factorial analyses were performed via SPM to examine the main effect (within-group associations) as well as the interaction term (group differences in the association slope). The UPPS scales were used to evaluate impulsivity traits. Compared to healthy controls (HCs), BPD patients exhibited significantly less ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. ACC GABA levels in BPD patients but not in HCs were positively related to the magnitude of activation in several fronto-striatal regions (e.g. ACC, frontal regions, putamen, caudate,) and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity during interference inhibition. The strength of the correlations of GABA with connectivity significantly differs between the two groups. Moreover, among all the UPPS impulsivity subscales, UPPS sensation seeking in the BPD group was related to GABA and was also negatively related to the task-dependent BOLD activation and functional connectivity in the fronto-striatal network. Finally, mediation analyses revealed that the magnitude of activation in the caudate and the strength of ACC-caudate functional connectivity mediated the relationship between ACC GABA levels and UPPS sensation seeking in patients with BPD. Our findings suggest a disconnectivity of the fronto-striatal network in BPD patients during interference inhibition, particularly for patients with higher impulsivity. The ACC GABAergic system seems to play a crucial role in regulating regional BOLD activations and functional connectivity in this network, which are further associated with impulsive sensation seeking in BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Ying Wang
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany.
| | - Julia van Eijk
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Traute Demirakca
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Markus Sack
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Annegret Krause-Utz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany; Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sylvia Cackowski
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Gabriele Ende
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
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13
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Goddard AW. Cortical and subcortical gamma amino acid butyric acid deficits in anxiety and stress disorders: Clinical implications. World J Psychiatry 2016; 6:43-53. [PMID: 27014597 PMCID: PMC4804267 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v6.i1.43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and stress disorders are a major public health issue. However, their pathophysiology is still unclear. The gamma amino acid butyric acid (GABA) neurochemical system has been strongly implicated in their pathogenesis and treatment by numerous preclinical and clinical studies, the most recent of which have been highlighted and critical review in this paper. Changes in cortical GABA appear related to normal personality styles and responses to stress. While there is accumulating animal and human neuroimaging evidence of cortical and subcortical GABA deficits across a number of anxiety conditions, a clear pattern of findings in specific brain regions for a given disorder is yet to emerge. Neuropsychiatric conditions with anxiety as a clinical feature may have GABA deficits as an underlying feature. Different classes of anxiolytic therapies support GABA function, and this may be an area in which newer GABA neuroimaging techniques could soon offer more personalized therapy. Novel GABAergic pharmacotherapies in development offer potential improvements over current therapies in reducing sedative and physiologic dependency effects, while offering rapid anxiolysis.
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