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Milczarek MM, Gilani SIA, Lequin MH, Vann SD. Reduced mammillary body volume in individuals with a schizophrenia diagnosis: an analysis of the COBRE data set. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:48. [PMID: 37528127 PMCID: PMC10394056 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00376-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
While the frontal cortices and medial temporal lobe are well associated with schizophrenia, the involvement of wider limbic areas is less clear. The mammillary bodies are important for both complex memory formation and anxiety and are implicated in several neurological disorders that present with memory impairments. However, little is known about their role in schizophrenia. Post-mortem studies have reported a loss of neurons in the mammillary bodies but there are also reports of increased mammillary body volume. The findings from in vivo MRI studies have also been mixed, but studies have typically only involved small sample sizes. To address this, we acquired mammillary body volumes from the open-source COBRE dataset, where we were able to manually measure the mammillary bodies in 72 individuals with a schizophrenia diagnosis and 74 controls. Participant age ranged from 18 to 65. We found the mammillary bodies to be smaller in the patient group, across both hemispheres, after accounting for the effects of total brain volume and gender. Hippocampal volumes, but not subiculum or total grey matter volumes, were also significantly lower in patients. Given the importance of the mammillary bodies for both memory and anxiety, this atrophy could contribute to the symptomology in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal M Milczarek
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Syed Irtiza A Gilani
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
- CUBRIC, School of Psychology, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Maarten H Lequin
- Division Imaging & Oncology, Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht & Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Seralynne D Vann
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK.
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2
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Serrarens C, Kashyap S, Riveiro-Lago L, Otter M, Campforts BCM, Stumpel CTRM, Jansma H, Linden DEJ, van Amelsvoort TAMJ, Vingerhoets C. Resting-state functional connectivity in adults with 47,XXX: a 7 Tesla MRI study. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:5210-5217. [PMID: 36255323 PMCID: PMC10151873 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple X syndrome is a sex chromosomal aneuploidy characterized by the presence of a supernumerary X chromosome, resulting in a karyotype of 47,XXX in affected females. It has been associated with a variable cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric phenotype, but little is known about its effects on brain function. We therefore conducted 7 T resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and compared data of 19 adult individuals with 47,XXX and 21 age-matched healthy control women using independent component analysis and dual regression. Additionally, we examined potential relationships between social cognition and social functioning scores, and IQ, and mean functional connectivity values. The 47,XXX group showed significantly increased functional connectivity of the fronto-parietal resting-state network with the right postcentral gyrus. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) variability was not associated with IQ and social cognition and social functioning deficits in the participants with 47,XXX. We thus observed an effect of a supernumerary X chromosome in adult women on fronto-parietal rsFC. These findings provide additional insight into the role of the X chromosome on functional connectivity of the brain. Further research is needed to understand the clinical implications of altered rsFC in 47,XXX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaira Serrarens
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Sriranga Kashyap
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6229 EV, The Netherlands.,Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, M5G 2C4, Canada
| | - Laura Riveiro-Lago
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Otter
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands.,Medical Department, SIZA, Arnhem, 6800 AM, The Netherlands.,Department of Community Mental Health in Mild Intellectual Disabilities, Trajectum, Zutphen, 7202 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Bea C M Campforts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Constance T R M Stumpel
- Department of Clinical Genetics and School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, 6229 ER, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Jansma
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6229 EV, The Netherlands
| | - David E J Linden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Thérèse A M J van Amelsvoort
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia Vingerhoets
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 6200 MD, The Netherlands.,'s Heeren Loo Zorggroep, Amersfoort, 3818 LA, The Netherlands
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3
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Sex differences in the human brain: a roadmap for more careful analysis and interpretation of a biological reality. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:43. [PMID: 35883159 PMCID: PMC9327177 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00448-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence, magnitude, and significance of sex differences in the human brain are hotly debated topics in the scientific community and popular media. This debate is largely fueled by studies containing strong, opposing conclusions: either little to no evidence exists for sex differences in human neuroanatomy, or there are small-to-moderate differences in the size of certain brain regions that are highly reproducible across cohorts (even after controlling for sex differences in average brain size). Our Commentary uses the specific comparison between two recent large-scale studies that adopt these opposing views-namely the review by Eliot and colleagues (2021) and the direct analysis of ~ 40k brains by Williams and colleagues (2021)-in an effort to clarify this controversy and provide a framework for conducting this research. First, we review observations that motivate research on sex differences in human neuroanatomy, including potential causes (evolutionary, genetic, and environmental) and effects (epidemiological and clinical evidence for sex-biased brain disorders). We also summarize methodological and empirical support for using structural MRI to investigate such patterns. Next, we outline how researchers focused on sex differences can better specify their study design (e.g., how sex was defined, if and how brain size was adjusted for) and results (by e.g., distinguishing sexual dimorphisms from sex differences). We then compare the different approaches available for studying sex differences across a large number of individuals: direct analysis, meta-analysis, and review. We stress that reviews do not account for methodological differences across studies, and that this variation explains many of the apparent inconsistencies reported throughout recent reviews (including the work by Eliot and colleagues). For instance, we show that amygdala volume is consistently reported as male-biased in studies with sufficient sample sizes and appropriate methods for brain size correction. In fact, comparing the results from multiple large direct analyses highlights small, highly reproducible sex differences in the volume of many brain regions (controlling for brain size). Finally, we describe best practices for the presentation and interpretation of these findings. Care in interpretation is important for all domains of science, but especially so for research on sex differences in the human brain, given the existence of broad societal gender-biases and a history of biological data being used justify sexist ideas. As such, we urge researchers to discuss their results from simultaneously scientific and anti-sexist viewpoints.
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Serrarens C, Otter M, Campforts BCM, Stumpel CTRM, Jansma H, van Amelsvoort TAMJ, Vingerhoets C. Altered subcortical and cortical brain morphology in adult women with 47,XXX: a 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging study. J Neurodev Disord 2022; 14:14. [PMID: 35196987 PMCID: PMC8903568 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-022-09425-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Triple X syndrome (47,XXX) is a relatively common sex chromosomal aneuploidy characterized by the presence of a supernumerary X chromosome in females and has been associated with a variable cognitive, behavioural and psychiatric phenotype. 47,XXX may serve as a suitable model for studying the effect of genetic architecture on brain morphology. Previous studies have shown alterations in brain structure in 47,XXX particularly in childhood and adolescence. In this study, we examined subcortical and cortical brain morphology in adult women with 47,XXX using ultra-high field 7T MRI. Given previous evidence of impaired social functioning and emotion recognition in adults with 47,XXX, we also investigated the relationship of these functions with brain morphology. Methods Twenty-one adult women with 47,XXX and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Structural T1-weighted images were acquired using a 7-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner. Measures of subcortical brain volumes, cortical surface area and thickness, and cortical folding were obtained and compared between the groups using general linear models. Additionally, we examined potential relationships between brain outcome measures and social functioning and social cognition in 47,XXX using correlation analyses. Results Adults with 47,XXX showed lower volumes of the thalamus, caudate, putamen, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and pallidum, and larger lateral ventricle volumes. Lower surface area was found in the superior frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus in 47,XXX participants compared to healthy controls. Altered cortical thickness and cortical folding were not present in 47,XXX. Cortical thickness was associated with social cognition in 47,XXX. Conclusions Results suggest that a supernumerary X chromosome in females affects subcortical and lateral ventricle volumes, and cortical surface area in adulthood. 47,XXX may serve as a suitable model for studying genetic influences on structural brain morphology across developmental stages in order to understand neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive and behavioural impairments. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-022-09425-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaira Serrarens
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Maarten Otter
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Medical Department, SIZA, Arnhem, The Netherlands.,Department of Community Mental Health in Mild Intellectual Disabilities, Trajectum, Zutphen, The Netherlands
| | - Bea C M Campforts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Constance T R M Stumpel
- Department of Clinical Genetics and School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Jansma
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Thérèse A M J van Amelsvoort
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia Vingerhoets
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Heeren Loo Zorggroep, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.,Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Sex Differences in Anxiety and Depression: What Can (and Cannot) Preclinical Studies Tell Us? SEXES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/sexes3010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the gender perspective in scientific research and sex differences in biological studies on emotional disorders have become increasingly important. However, sex bias in basic research on anxiety and depression is still far from being covered. This review addresses the study of sex differences in the field of anxiety and depression using animal models that consider this issue so far. What can preclinical studies tell us and what are their main limitations? First, we describe the behavioral tests most frequently used in preclinical research to assess depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in rodents. Then, we analyze the main findings, strengths, and weaknesses of rodent models of anxiety and depression, dividing them into three main categories: sex chromosome complement-biased sex differences; gonadal hormone-biased sex differences; environmental-biased sex differences. Regardless of the animal model used, none can reproduce all the characteristics of such complex and multifactorial pathologies as anxiety and depressive disorders; however, each animal model contributes to elucidating the bases that underlie these disorders. The importance is highlighted of considering sex differences in the responses that emerge from each model.
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Rau S, Whitman ET, Schauder K, Gogate N, Lee NR, Kenworthy L, Raznahan A. Patterns of psychopathology and cognition in sex chromosome aneuploidy. J Neurodev Disord 2021; 13:61. [PMID: 34911436 PMCID: PMC8903493 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-021-09407-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) are a collectively common family of genetic disorders that increase the risk for neuropsychiatric and cognitive impairment. Beyond being important medical disorders in their own right, SCAs also offer a unique naturally occurring model for studying X- and Y-chromosome influences on the human brain. However, it remains unclear if (i) different SCAs are associated with different profiles of psychopathology and (ii) the notable interindividual variation in psychopathology is related to co-occurring variation in cognitive ability. Methods We examined scores for 11 dimensions of psychopathology [Child/Adult Behavior Checklist (CBCL)] and general cognitive ability [full-scale IQ (FSIQ) from Wechsler tests] in 110 youth with varying SCAs (XXY = 41, XYY = 22, XXX = 27, XXYY = 20) and 131 typically developing controls (XX = 59, XY = 72). Results All SCAs were associated with elevated CBCL scores across several dimensions of psychopathology (two-sample t tests comparing the euploidic and aneuploidic groups [all |T| > 9, and p < 0.001]). Social and attentional functioning were particularly sensitive to the carriage of a supernumerary Y-chromosome. In particular, the XYY group evidenced significantly more social problems than both extra-X groups (Cohen’s d effect size > 0.5, Bonferroni corrected p < .05). There was marked variability in CBCL scores within each SCA group, which generally correlated negatively with IQ, but most strongly so for social and attentional difficulties (standardized β, − 0.3). These correlations showed subtle differences as a function of the SCA group and CBCL scale. Conclusions There is domain-specific variation in psychopathology across SCA groups and domain-specific correlation between psychopathology and IQ within SCAs. These findings (i) help to tailor clinical assessment of this common and impactful family of genetic disorders and (ii) suggest that dosage abnormalities of X- and Y-linked genes impart somewhat distinct profiles of neuropsychiatric risk. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-021-09407-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srishti Rau
- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and Division of Neuropsychology, Children's National Health System, Washington DC, USA. .,Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Ethan T Whitman
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kimberly Schauder
- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and Division of Neuropsychology, Children's National Health System, Washington DC, USA.,Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nikhita Gogate
- The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington DC, USA
| | | | - Lauren Kenworthy
- Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders and Division of Neuropsychology, Children's National Health System, Washington DC, USA.,Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Modenato C, Martin-Brevet S, Moreau CA, Rodriguez-Herreros B, Kumar K, Draganski B, Sønderby IE, Jacquemont S. Lessons Learned From Neuroimaging Studies of Copy Number Variants: A Systematic Review. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:596-610. [PMID: 34509290 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) and aneuploidies alter gene dosage and are associated with neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Brain mechanisms mediating genetic risk for neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders remain largely unknown, but there is a rapid increase in morphometry studies of CNVs using T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging. Studies have been conducted one mutation at a time, leaving the field with a complex catalog of brain alterations linked to different genomic loci. Our aim was to provide a systematic review of neuroimaging phenotypes across CNVs associated with developmental psychiatric disorders including autism and schizophrenia. We included 76 structural magnetic resonance imaging studies on 20 CNVs at the 15q11.2, 22q11.2, 1q21.1 distal, 16p11.2 distal and proximal, 7q11.23, 15q11-q13, and 22q13.33 (SHANK3) genomic loci as well as aneuploidies of chromosomes X, Y, and 21. Moderate to large effect sizes on global and regional brain morphometry are observed across all genomic loci, which is in line with levels of symptom severity reported for these variants. This is in stark contrast with the much milder neuroimaging effects observed in idiopathic psychiatric disorders. Data also suggest that CNVs have independent effects on global versus regional measures as well as on cortical surface versus thickness. Findings highlight a broad diversity of regional morphometry patterns across genomic loci. This heterogeneity of brain patterns provides insight into the weak effects reported in magnetic resonance imaging studies of cognitive dimension and psychiatric conditions. Neuroimaging studies across many more variants will be required to understand links between gene function and brain morphometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Modenato
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging, Centre for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Martin-Brevet
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging, Centre for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Clara A Moreau
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Human Genetics and Cognitive Functions, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 3571, Department of Neuroscience, Université de Paris, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Borja Rodriguez-Herreros
- Service des Troubles du Spectre de l'Autisme et Apparentés, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kuldeep Kumar
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bogdan Draganski
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging, Centre for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Neurology Department, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ida E Sønderby
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sébastien Jacquemont
- Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Xenophontos A, Seidlitz J, Liu S, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Giedd JN, Alexander-Bloch A, Raznahan A. Altered Sex Chromosome Dosage Induces Coordinated Shifts in Cortical Anatomy and Anatomical Covariance. Cereb Cortex 2021; 30:2215-2228. [PMID: 31828307 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome dosage (SCD) variation increases risk for neuropsychiatric impairment, which may reflect direct SCD effects on brain organization. Here, we 1) map cumulative X- and Y-chromosome dosage effects on regional cortical thickness (CT) and investigate potential functional implications of these effects using Neurosynth, 2) test if this map is organized by patterns of CT covariance that are evident in health, and 3) characterize SCD effects on CT covariance itself. We modeled SCD effects on CT and CT covariance for 308 equally sized regions of the cortical sheet using structural neuroimaging data from 301 individuals with varying numbers of sex chromosomes (169 euploid, 132 aneuploid). Mounting SCD increased CT in the rostral frontal cortex and decreased CT in the lateral temporal cortex, bilaterally. Regions targeted by SCD were associated with social functioning, language processing, and comprehension. Cortical regions with a similar degree of SCD-sensitivity showed heightened CT covariance in health. Finally, greater SCD also increased covariance among regions similarly affected by SCD. Our study both 1) develops novel methods for comparing typical and disease-related structural covariance networks in the brain and 2) uses these techniques to resolve and identify organizing principles for SCD effects on regional cortical anatomy and anatomical covariance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Xenophontos
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jay N Giedd
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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9
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Warling A, Yavi M, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Lalonde FM, Raznahan A, Liu S. Sex Chromosome Dosage Effects on White Matter Structure in the Human Brain. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:5339-5353. [PMID: 34117759 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex chromosome aneuploidies, a group of neurogenetic conditions characterized by aberrant sex chromosome dosage (SCD), are associated with increased risks for psychopathology as well as alterations in gray matter structure. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of potential SCD-associated changes in white matter structure, or knowledge of how these changes might relate to known alterations in gray matter anatomy. Thus, here, we use voxel-based morphometry on structural neuroimaging data to provide the first comprehensive maps of regional white matter volume (WMV) changes across individuals with varying SCD (n = 306). We show that mounting X- and Y-chromosome dosage are both associated with widespread WMV decreases, including in cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar tracts, as well as WMV increases in the genu of the corpus callosum and posterior thalamic radiation. We also correlate X- and Y-chromosome-linked WMV changes in certain regions to measures of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. Finally, we demonstrate that SCD-driven WMV changes show a coordinated coupling with SCD-driven gray matter volume changes. These findings represent the most complete maps of X- and Y-chromosome effects on human white matter to date, and show how such changes connect to psychopathological symptoms and gray matter anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allysa Warling
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mani Yavi
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - François M Lalonde
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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10
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Skakkebæk A, Wallentin M, Gravholt CH. Klinefelter syndrome or testicular dysgenesis: Genetics, endocrinology, and neuropsychology. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 181:445-462. [PMID: 34238477 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-820683-6.00032-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) is a frequent chromosomal disorder among males, often presenting with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, small firm testicles, metabolic disorders, neurocognitive challenges, and increased height. Neurologic disorders such as epilepsy, seizures, and tremor as well as psychiatric disorders are also seen more frequently. The neurocognitive deficits seen are present in many areas of cognition, typically affecting general cognitive abilities, language, and executive functioning. Also, social dysfunction is frequent. Dyslexia is present in more than half of all males. Brain imaging studies generally show a typical pattern, with many nuclei and brain areas being smaller than among controls. However, it has not been possible to link the brain alterations found in imaging studies with the neurocognitive profile. The genetics underlying the phenotypic traits found among males with Klinefelter syndrome still remains to be elucidated; however, recent studies have described pervasive changes in the methylome and transcriptome and new and interesting candidate genes have been pinpointed, but their involvement in the phenotype of Klinefelter syndrome has not been proven.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Skakkebæk
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Clinical Genetics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Wallentin
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Center for Semiotics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Claus Højbjerg Gravholt
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine and Medical Research Laboratories, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
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11
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X-chromosome regulation and sex differences in brain anatomy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 120:28-47. [PMID: 33171144 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Humans show reproducible sex-differences in cognition and psychopathology that may be contributed to by influences of gonadal sex-steroids and/or sex-chromosomes on regional brain development. Gonadal sex-steroids are well known to play a major role in sexual differentiation of the vertebrate brain, but far less is known regarding the role of sex-chromosomes. Our review focuses on this latter issue by bridging together two literatures that have to date been largely disconnected. We first consider "bottom-up" genetic and molecular studies focused on sex-chromosome gene content and regulation. This literature nominates specific sex-chromosome genes that could drive developmental sex-differences by virtue of their sex-biased expression and their functions within the brain. We then consider the complementary "top down" view, from magnetic resonance imaging studies that map sex- and sex chromosome effects on regional brain anatomy, and link these maps to regional gene-expression within the brain. By connecting these top-down and bottom-up approaches, we emphasize the potential role of X-linked genes in driving sex-biased brain development and outline key goals for future work in this field.
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Forde NJ, Jeyachandra J, Joseph M, Jacobs GR, Dickie E, Satterthwaite TD, Shinohara RT, Ameis SH, Voineskos AN. Sex Differences in Variability of Brain Structure Across the Lifespan. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5420-5430. [PMID: 32483605 PMCID: PMC7566684 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Several brain disorders exhibit sex differences in onset, presentation, and prevalence. Increased understanding of the neurobiology of sex-based differences in variability across the lifespan can provide insight into both disease vulnerability and resilience. In n = 3069 participants, from 8 to 95 years of age, we found widespread greater variability in males compared with females in cortical surface area and global and subcortical volumes for discrete brain regions. In contrast, variance in cortical thickness was similar for males and females. These findings were supported by multivariate analysis accounting for structural covariance, and present and stable across the lifespan. Additionally, we examined variability among brain regions by sex. We found significant age-by-sex interactions across neuroimaging metrics, whereby in very early life males had reduced among-region variability compared with females, while in very late life this was reversed. Overall, our findings of greater regional variability, but less among-region variability in males in early life may aid our understanding of sex-based risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. In contrast, our findings in late life may provide a potential sex-based risk mechanism for dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Forde
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jerrold Jeyachandra
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Michael Joseph
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Grace R Jacobs
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, M5S 1A8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Erin Dickie
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Theodore D Satterthwaite
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn-CHOP Lifespan Brain Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Russell T Shinohara
- Penn Statistics in Imaging and Visualization Center, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Biomedical Image Computing and Analytics, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, M5T 1R8, Toronto, Canada
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13
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Integrative structural, functional, and transcriptomic analyses of sex-biased brain organization in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:18788-18798. [PMID: 32690678 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans display reproducible sex differences in cognition and behavior, which may partly reflect intrinsic sex differences in regional brain organization. However, the consistency, causes and consequences of sex differences in the human brain are poorly characterized and hotly debated. In contrast, recent studies in mice-a major model organism for studying neurobiological sex differences-have established: 1) highly consistent sex biases in regional gray matter volume (GMV) involving the cortex and classical subcortical foci, 2) a preponderance of regional GMV sex differences in brain circuits for social and reproductive behavior, and 3) a spatial coupling between regional GMV sex biases and brain expression of sex chromosome genes in adulthood. Here, we directly test translatability of rodent findings to humans. First, using two independent structural-neuroimaging datasets (n > 2,000), we find that the spatial map of sex-biased GMV in humans is highly reproducible (r > 0.8 within and across cohorts). Relative GMV is female biased in prefrontal and superior parietal cortices, and male biased in ventral occipitotemporal, and distributed subcortical regions. Second, through systematic comparison with functional neuroimaging meta-analyses, we establish a statistically significant concentration of human GMV sex differences within brain regions that subserve face processing. Finally, by imaging-transcriptomic analyses, we show that GMV sex differences in human adulthood are specifically and significantly coupled to regional expression of sex-chromosome (vs. autosomal) genes and enriched for distinct cell-type signatures. These findings establish conserved aspects of sex-biased brain development in humans and mice, and shed light on the consistency, candidate causes, and potential functional corollaries of sex-biased brain anatomy in humans.
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Warling A, Liu S, Wilson K, Whitman E, Lalonde FM, Clasen LS, Blumenthal JD, Raznahan A. Sex chromosome aneuploidy alters the relationship between neuroanatomy and cognition. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:493-505. [PMID: 32515138 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Sex chromosome aneuploidy (SCA) increases the risk for cognitive deficits, and confers changes in regional cortical thickness (CT) and surface area (SA). Neuroanatomical correlates of inter-individual variation in cognitive ability have been described in health, but are not well-characterized in SCA. Here, we modeled relationships between general cognitive ability (estimated using full-scale IQ [FSIQ] from Wechsler scales) and regional estimates of SA and CT (from structural MRI scans) in both aneuploid (28 XXX, 55 XXY, 22 XYY, 19 XXYY) and typically-developing euploid (79 XX, 85 XY) individuals. Results indicated widespread decoupling of normative anatomical-cognitive relationships in SCA: we found five regions where SCA significantly altered SA-FSIQ relationships, and five regions where SCA significantly altered CT-FSIQ relationships. The majority of areas were characterized by the presence of positive anatomy-IQ relationships in health, but no or slightly negative anatomy-IQ relationships in SCA. Disrupted anatomical-cognitive relationships generalized from the full cohort to karyotypically defined subcohorts (i.e., XX-XXX; XY-XYY; XY-XXY), demonstrating continuity across multiple supernumerary SCA conditions. As the first direct evidence of altered regional neuroanatomical-cognitive relationships in supernumerary SCA, our findings shed light on potential genetic and structural correlates of the cognitive phenotype in SCA, and may have implications for other neurogenetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allysa Warling
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Siyuan Liu
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen Wilson
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ethan Whitman
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - François M Lalonde
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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15
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Skakkebæk A, Gravholt CH, Chang S, Moore PJ, Wallentin M. Psychological functioning, brain morphology, and functional neuroimaging in Klinefelter syndrome. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:506-517. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne Skakkebæk
- Department of Clinical GeneticsAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal MedicineAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
| | - Claus H. Gravholt
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal MedicineAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
- Department of Molecular MedicineAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
| | - Simon Chang
- Department of Endocrinology and Internal MedicineAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
- Department of Internal MedicineLillebaelt Hospital Kolding Denmark
| | - Philip J. Moore
- Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesThe George Washington University Washington DC USA
| | - Mikkel Wallentin
- Department of Linguistics, Cognitive Science, and SemioticsAarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Center of Functionally Integrative NeuroscienceAarhus University Hospital Aarhus Denmark
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16
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Ghaderi Niri S, Khalaf AM, Massoud TF. The mammillothalamic tracts: Age-related conspicuity and normative morphometry on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Clin Anat 2020; 33:911-919. [PMID: 32239548 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The mammillothalamic tract (MTT, bundle of Vicq d'Azyr) is a white-matter projection from each mammillary body to the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT). Deep brain stimulation of the MTTs or ANTs is a treatment option for medically refractory focal epilepsy. Since the ANTs may be atrophied in epilepsy, targeting of the MTT terminations could be used as a proxy for ANT locations. However, MTT conspicuity and morphometry on MRI have not been evaluated to date. We investigated normative age- and sex-related MRI morphometrics of the MTTs in healthy individuals. We retrospectively analyzed magnified axial T2-weighted images of 80 subjects for bilateral MTT conspicuity, diameters, areas, shapes, precise locations, and symmetry. We statistically tested the effects of independent variables (sex and MTT side) on measured dependent variables using two-way ANOVA; and performed linear regressions with age as the independent variable for each of the dependent variables. Subjects were F:M = 44:36, with mean age 45.3 years. Only one (0.63%) MTT was inconspicuous. Mean MTT diameter was 1.8 mm, area was 2.0 mm2 , and distance from third ventricle was 3.1 mm. MTTs were mostly bilaterally symmetrical in shape, equally round, or ovoid. The right MTT diameter was larger than the left, and males had larger MTT areas than females. We found no statistical difference between MTT diameters and areas in young, middle-aged, and older adults. We report normative axial MRI morphometrics of the MTTs to guide neuromodulation treatments. Future detailed analyses will determine if the MTTs atrophy in proportion to the ANTs in refractory epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Ghaderi Niri
- Division of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention, and Stanford Initiative for Multimodality neuro-Imaging in Translational Anatomy Research (SIMITAR), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Alexander M Khalaf
- Division of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention, and Stanford Initiative for Multimodality neuro-Imaging in Translational Anatomy Research (SIMITAR), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Tarik F Massoud
- Division of Neuroimaging and Neurointervention, and Stanford Initiative for Multimodality neuro-Imaging in Translational Anatomy Research (SIMITAR), Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
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17
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Copersino ML, Patel R, Price JS, Visser KF, Vitaliano G, Plitman E, Lukas SE, Weiss RD, Janes AC, Chakravarty MM. Interactive effects of age and recent substance use on striatal shape morphology at substance use disorder treatment entry. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 206:107728. [PMID: 31740207 PMCID: PMC6980652 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Striatal neuroadaptations are regarded to play an important role in the progression from voluntary to compulsive use of addictive substances and provide a promising target for the identification of neuroimaging biomarkers. Recent advances in surface-based computational analysis enable morphological assessment linking variations in global and local striatal shape to duration and magnitude of substance use with a degree of sensitivity that exceeds standard volumetric analysis. METHODS This study used a new segmentation methodology coupled with local surface-based indices of surface area and displacement to provide a comprehensive structural characterization of the striatum in 34 patients entering treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) and 49 controls, and to examine the influence of recent substance use on abnormal age-related striatal deformation in SUD patients. RESULTS Patients showed a small reduction in striatal volume and no difference in surface area or shape in comparison to controls. Between-group differences in shape were likely neutralized by the bidirectional influence of recent substance use on striatal shape in SUD patients. Specifically, there was an interaction between age and substance such that among older patients more drug use was associated with greater inward striatal contraction but more alcohol use was associated with greater outward expansion. CONCLUSIONS This study builds on previous work and advances our understanding of the nature of striatal neuroadaptations as a potential biomarker of disease progression in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc L. Copersino
- Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Corresponding author: Marc L. Copersino, Ph.D., McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Mail Stop #103, Belmont, MA 02478, Phone: (617) 855-2853, Fax: (617) 855-4055,
| | - Raihaan Patel
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Jenessa S. Price
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Dept of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | | | - Gordana Vitaliano
- Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eric Plitman
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Scott E. Lukas
- Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roger D. Weiss
- Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amy C. Janes
- Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - M. Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada;,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada,Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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18
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Fish AM, Nadig A, Seidlitz J, Reardon PK, Mankiw C, McDermott CL, Blumenthal JD, Clasen LS, Lalonde F, Lerch JP, Chakravarty MM, Shinohara RT, Raznahan A. Sex-biased trajectories of amygdalo-hippocampal morphology change over human development. Neuroimage 2019; 204:116122. [PMID: 31470127 PMCID: PMC7485527 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala and hippocampus are two adjacent allocortical structures implicated in sex-biased and developmentally-emergent psychopathology. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of amygdalo-hippocampal development remain poorly understood in healthy humans. The current study defined trajectories of volume and shape change for the amygdala and hippocampus by applying a multi-atlas segmentation pipeline (MAGeT-Brain) and semi-parametric mixed-effects spline modeling to 1,529 longitudinally-acquired structural MRI brain scans from a large, single-center cohort of 792 youth (403 males, 389 females) between the ages of 5 and 25 years old. We found that amygdala and hippocampus volumes both follow curvilinear and sexually dimorphic growth trajectories. These sex-biases were particularly striking in the amygdala: males showed a significantly later and slower adolescent deceleration in volume expansion (at age 20 years) than females (age 13 years). Shape analysis localized significant hot-spots of sex-biased anatomical development in sub-regional territories overlying rostral and caudal extremes of the CA1/2 in the hippocampus, and the centromedial nuclear group of the amygdala. In both sexes, principal components analysis revealed close integration of amygdala and hippocampus shape change along two main topographically-organized axes – low vs. high areal expansion, and early vs. late growth deceleration. These results (i) bring greater resolution to our spatiotemporal understanding of amygdalo-hippocampal development in healthy males and females, and (ii) uncover focal sex-differences in the structural maturation of the brain components that may contribute to differences in behavior and psychopathology that emerge during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari M Fish
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ajay Nadig
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Paul K Reardon
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Catherine Mankiw
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Cassidy L McDermott
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jonathan D Blumenthal
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Liv S Clasen
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Francois Lalonde
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada; Neurosciences and Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5T 3H7, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A OG4; Departments of Psychiatry and Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A OG4, Canada
| | - Russell T Shinohara
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Developmental Neurogenomics Unit, Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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