1
|
Liu YH, Lin YC, Shih LC, Lin CP, Chang LH. Dissociation of focal and large-scale inhibitory functions in the older adults: A multimodal MRI study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 127:105583. [PMID: 39059036 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The decline of inhibitory in cognitive aging is linked to reduced cognitive and mental capacities in older adults. However, this decline often shows inconsistent clinical presentations, suggesting varied impacts on different inhibition-related tasks. Inhibitory control, a multifaceted construct, involves various types of inhibition. Understanding these components is crucial for comprehending how aging affects inhibitory functions. Our research investigates the influences of aging on large-scale and focal-scale inhibitory and examines the relationship with brain markers. METHODS We examined the impact of aging on inhibitory in 18 younger (20-35 years) and 17 older adults (65-85 years) using focal and large-scale inhibition tasks. The Gabor task assessed focal-scale inhibition, while the Stop Signal Task (SST) evaluated large-scale inhibition. Participants underwent neuropsychological assessments and MRI scans, including magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and structural and resting fMRI. RESULTS Older adults exhibited a marked decline in inhibitory function, with slower SST responses indicating compromised large-scale inhibition. Conversely, the Gabor task showed no significant age-related changes. MRS findings revealed decreased levels of GABA, glutamate, glutamine, and NAA in the pre-SMA, correlating with observed large-scale inhibition in older adults. Additionally, pre-SMA seed-based functional connectivity analysis showed reduced brain network connections in older adults, potentially contributing to inhibitory control deficits. CONCLUSIONS Our study elucidates the differential effects of aging on inhibitory functions. While large-scale inhibition is more vulnerable to aging, focal-scale inhibition is relatively preserved. These findings highlight the importance of targeted cognitive interventions and underscore the necessity of a multifaceted approach in aging research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hsuan Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Cheng Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ling-Chieh Shih
- Department of Medical Education, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Po Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Deptartment of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Li-Hung Chang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Paromov D, Wang YR, Munoz Galarza K. GABAergic Inhibition Underpins Hidden Hearing Loss. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0964242024. [PMID: 39414372 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0964-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 09/04/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 10/18/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Paromov
- University of Montreal, Montréal, Quebec H3N 1X7, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de l'université de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Quebec H3W 1W6, Canada
| | - Yi Ran Wang
- University of Montreal, Montréal, Quebec H3N 1X7, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de l'université de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Quebec H3W 1W6, Canada
| | - Kyla Munoz Galarza
- University of Montreal, Montréal, Quebec H3N 1X7, Canada
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de l'université de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Quebec H3W 1W6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rodríguez-Nieto G, Alvarez-Anacona DF, Mantini D, Edden RAE, Oeltzschner G, Sunaert S, Swinnen SP. Association between Inhibitory-Excitatory Balance and Brain Activity Response during Cognitive Flexibility in Young and Older Individuals. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e0355242024. [PMID: 39134417 PMCID: PMC11376334 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0355-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility represents the capacity to switch among different mental schemes, providing an adaptive advantage to a changing environment. The neural underpinnings of this executive function have been deeply studied in humans through fMRI, showing that the left inferior frontal cortex (IFC) and the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL) are crucial. Here, we investigated the inhibitory-excitatory balance in these regions by means of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+) and glutamate + glutamine (Glx), measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy, during a cognitive flexibility task and its relationship with the performance level and the local task-induced blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) response in 40 young (18-35 years; 26 female) and 40 older (18-35 years; 21 female) human adults. As the IFC and the IPL are richly connected regions, we also examined whole-brain effects associated with their local metabolic activity. Results did not show absolute metabolic modulations associated with flexibility performance, but the performance level was related to the direction of metabolic modulation in the IPL with opposite patterns in young and older individuals. The individual inhibitory-excitatory balance modulation showed an inverse relationship with the local BOLD response in the IPL. Finally, the modulation of inhibitory-excitatory balance in IPL was related to whole-brain effects only in older individuals. These findings show disparities in the metabolic mechanisms underlying cognitive flexibility in young and older adults and their association with the performance level and BOLD response. Such metabolic differences are likely to play a role in executive functioning during aging and specifically in cognitive flexibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | | | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Georg Oeltzschner
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Simmonite M, Khammash D, Michon KJ, Hamlin A, Taylor SF, Vesia M, Polk TA. Age and visual cortex inhibition: a TMS-MRS study. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae352. [PMID: 39227309 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation is a valuable tool for investigating inhibitory mechanisms in motor cortex. We recently demonstrated its use in measuring cortical inhibition in visual cortex, using an approach in which participants trace the size of phosphenes elicited by stimulation to occipital cortex. Here, we investigate age-related differences in primary visual cortical inhibition and the relationship between primary visual cortical inhibition and local GABA+ in the same region, estimated using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. GABA+ was estimated in 28 young (18 to 28 years) and 47 older adults (65 to 84 years); a subset (19 young, 18 older) also completed a paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation session, which assessed visual cortical inhibition. The paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation measure of inhibition was significantly lower in older adults. Uncorrected GABA+ in primary visual cortex was also significantly lower in older adults, while measures of GABA+ that were corrected for the tissue composition of the magnetic resonance spectroscopy voxel were unchanged with age. Furthermore, paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation-measured inhibition and magnetic resonance spectroscopy-measured tissue-corrected GABA+ were significantly positively correlated. These findings are consistent with an age-related decline in cortical inhibition in visual cortex and suggest paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation effects in visual cortex are driven by GABAergic mechanisms, as has been demonstrated in motor cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly Simmonite
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Dalia Khammash
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Katherine J Michon
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Abbey Hamlin
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Stephan F Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Michael Vesia
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, 830 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| | - Thad A Polk
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Li H, Rodríguez-Nieto G, Chalavi S, Seer C, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. MRS-assessed brain GABA modulation in response to task performance and learning. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2024; 20:22. [PMID: 39217354 PMCID: PMC11366171 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-024-00248-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain, has long been considered essential in human behavior in general and learning in particular. GABA concentration can be quantified using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Using this technique, numerous studies have reported associations between baseline GABA levels and various human behaviors. However, regional GABA concentration is not fixed and may exhibit rapid modulation as a function of environmental factors. Hence, quantification of GABA levels at several time points during the performance of tasks can provide insights into the dynamics of GABA levels in distinct brain regions. This review reports on findings from studies using repeated measures (n = 41) examining the dynamic modulation of GABA levels in humans in response to various interventions in the perceptual, motor, and cognitive domains to explore associations between GABA modulation and human behavior. GABA levels in a specific brain area may increase or decrease during task performance or as a function of learning, depending on its precise involvement in the process under investigation. Here, we summarize the available evidence and derive two overarching hypotheses regarding the role of GABA modulation in performance and learning. Firstly, training-induced increases in GABA levels appear to be associated with an improved ability to differentiate minor perceptual differences during perceptual learning. This observation gives rise to the 'GABA increase for better neural distinctiveness hypothesis'. Secondly, converging evidence suggests that reducing GABA levels may play a beneficial role in effectively filtering perceptual noise, enhancing motor learning, and improving performance in visuomotor tasks. Additionally, some studies suggest that the reduction of GABA levels is related to better working memory and successful reinforcement learning. These observations inspire the 'GABA decrease to boost learning hypothesis', which states that decreasing neural inhibition through a reduction of GABA in dedicated brain areas facilitates human learning. Additionally, modulation of GABA levels is also observed after short-term physical exercise. Future work should elucidate which specific circumstances induce robust GABA modulation to enhance neuroplasticity and boost performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Guo ZC, McHaney JR, Parthasarathy A, Chandrasekaran B. Reduced neural distinctiveness of speech representations in the middle-aged brain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.28.609778. [PMID: 39253477 PMCID: PMC11383304 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.609778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Speech perception declines independent of hearing thresholds in middle-age, and the neurobiological reasons are unclear. In line with the age-related neural dedifferentiation hypothesis, we predicted that middle-aged adults show less distinct cortical representations of phonemes and acoustic-phonetic features relative to younger adults. In addition to an extensive audiological, auditory electrophysiological, and speech perceptual test battery, we measured electroencephalographic responses time-locked to phoneme instances (phoneme-related potential; PRP) in naturalistic, continuous speech and trained neural network classifiers to predict phonemes from these responses. Consistent with age-related neural dedifferentiation, phoneme predictions were less accurate, more uncertain, and involved a broader network for middle-aged adults compared with younger adults. Representational similarity analysis revealed that the featural relationship between phonemes was less robust in middle-age. Electrophysiological and behavioral measures revealed signatures of cochlear neural degeneration (CND) and speech perceptual deficits in middle-aged adults relative to younger adults. Consistent with prior work in animal models, signatures of CND were associated with greater cortical dedifferentiation, explaining nearly a third of the variance in PRP prediction accuracy together with measures of acoustic neural processing. Notably, even after controlling for CND signatures and acoustic processing abilities, age-group differences in PRP prediction accuracy remained. Overall, our results reveal "fuzzier" phonemic representations, suggesting that age-related cortical neural dedifferentiation can occur even in middle-age and may underlie speech perceptual challenges, despite a normal audiogram.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe-Chen Guo
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jacie R McHaney
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Bharath Chandrasekaran
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Parimoo S, Grady C, Olsen R. Age-related Differences in Response Inhibition Are Mediated by Frontoparietal White Matter but Not Functional Activity. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:1184-1205. [PMID: 38579242 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Healthy older adults often exhibit lower performance but increased functional recruitment of the frontoparietal control network during cognitive control tasks. According to the cortical disconnection hypothesis, age-related changes in the microstructural integrity of white matter may disrupt inter-regional neuronal communication, which in turn can impair behavioral performance. Here, we use fMRI and diffusion-weighted imaging to determine whether age-related differences in white matter microstructure contribute to frontoparietal over-recruitment and behavioral performance during a response inhibition (go/no-go) task in an adult life span sample (n = 145). Older and female participants were slower (go RTs) than younger and male participants, respectively. However, participants across all ages were equally accurate on the no-go trials, suggesting some participants may slow down on go trials to achieve high accuracy on no-go trials. Across the life span, functional recruitment of the frontoparietal network within the left and right hemispheres did not vary as a function of age, nor was it related to white matter fractional anisotropy (FA). In fact, only frontal FA and go RTs jointly mediated the association between age and no-go accuracy. Our results therefore suggest that frontal white matter cortical "disconnection" is an underlying driver of age-related differences in cognitive control, and white matter FA may not fully explain functional task-related activation in the frontoparietal network during the go/no-go task. Our findings add to the literature by demonstrating that white matter may be more important for certain cognitive processes in aging than task-related functional activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shireen Parimoo
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cheryl Grady
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| | - Rosanna Olsen
- University of Toronto
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Koyun AH, Talebi N, Werner A, Wendiggensen P, Kuntke P, Roessner V, Beste C, Stock AK. Interactions of catecholamines and GABA+ in cognitive control: Insights from EEG and 1H-MRS. Neuroimage 2024; 293:120619. [PMID: 38679186 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Catecholamines and amino acid transmitter systems are known to interact, the exact links and their impact on cognitive control functions have however remained unclear. Using a multi-modal imaging approach combining EEG and proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), we investigated the effect of different degrees of pharmacological catecholaminergic enhancement onto theta band activity (TBA) as a measure of interference control during response inhibition and execution. It was central to our study to evaluate the predictive impact of in-vivo baseline GABA+ concentrations in the striatum, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the supplemental motor area (SMA) of healthy adults under varying degrees of methylphenidate (MPH) stimulation. We provide evidence for a predictive interrelation of baseline GABA+ concentrations in cognitive control relevant brain areas onto task-induced TBA during response control stimulated with MPH. Baseline GABA+ concentrations in the ACC, the striatum, and the SMA had a differential impact on predicting interference control-related TBA in response execution trials. GABA+ concentrations in the ACC appeared to be specifically important for TBA modulations when the cognitive effort needed for interference control was high - that is when no prior task experience exists, or in the absence of catecholaminergic enhancement with MPH. The study highlights the predictive role of baseline GABA+ concentrations in key brain areas influencing cognitive control and responsiveness to catecholaminergic enhancement, particularly in high-effort scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Helin Koyun
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Nasibeh Talebi
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Annett Werner
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Paul Wendiggensen
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Paul Kuntke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Veit Roessner
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, Dresden D-01307, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ferranti AS, Luessen DJ, Niswender CM. Novel pharmacological targets for GABAergic dysfunction in ADHD. Neuropharmacology 2024; 249:109897. [PMID: 38462041 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment disorder that affects approximately 5% of the population. The disorder is characterized by impulsivity, hyperactivity, and deficits in attention and cognition, although symptoms vary across patients due to the heterogenous and polygenic nature of the disorder. Stimulant medications are the standard of care treatment for ADHD patients, and their effectiveness has led to the dopaminergic hypothesis of ADHD in which deficits in dopaminergic signaling, especially in cortical brain regions, mechanistically underly ADHD pathophysiology. Despite their effectiveness in many individuals, almost one-third of patients do not respond to stimulant treatments and the long-term negative side effects of these medications remain unclear. Emerging clinical evidence is beginning to highlight an important role of dysregulated excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance in ADHD. These deficits in E/I balance are related to functional abnormalities in glutamate and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) signaling in the brain, with increasing emphasis placed on GABAergic interneurons driving specific aspects of ADHD pathophysiology. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have also highlighted how genes associated with GABA function are mutated in human populations with ADHD, resulting in the generation of several new genetic mouse models of ADHD. This review will discuss how GABAergic dysfunction underlies ADHD pathophysiology, and how specific receptors/proteins related to GABAergic interneuron dysfunction may be pharmacologically targeted to treat ADHD in subpopulations with specific comorbidities and symptom domains. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S Ferranti
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Deborah J Luessen
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Colleen M Niswender
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xia Y, Wang X, Sheng J, Hua L, Dai Z, Sun H, Han Y, Yao Z, Lu Q. Response inhibition related neural oscillatory patterns show reliable early identification of bipolar from unipolar depression in a Go/No-Go task. J Affect Disord 2024; 351:414-424. [PMID: 38272369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Response inhibition is a key neurocognitive factor contributing to impulsivity in mood disorders. Here, we explored the common and differential alterations of neural circuits associated with response inhibition in bipolar disorder (BD) and unipolar disorder (UD) and whether the oscillatory signatures can be used as early biomarkers in BD. METHODS 39 patients with BD, 36 patients with UD, 29 patients initially diagnosed with UD who later underwent diagnostic conversion to BD, and 36 healthy controls performed a Go/No-Go task during MEG scanning. We carried out time-frequency and connectivity analysis on MEG data. Further, we performed machine learning using oscillatory features as input to identify bipolar from unipolar depression at the early clinical stage. RESULTS Compared to healthy controls, patients had reduced rIFG-to-pre-SMA connectivity and delayed activity of rIFG. Among patients, lower beta power and higher peak frequency were observed in BD patients than in UD patients. These changes enabled accurate classification between BD and UD with an accuracy of approximately 80 %. CONCLUSIONS The inefficiency of the prefrontal control network is a shared mechanism in mood disorders, while the abnormal activity of rIFG is more specific to BD. Neuronal responses during response inhibition could serve as a diagnostic biomarker for BD in early stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Xia
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Junling Sheng
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Lingling Hua
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zhongpeng Dai
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Child Development and Learning Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Hao Sun
- Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yinglin Han
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zhijian Yao
- Department of Psychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China; School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Nanjing Brain Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Qing Lu
- School of Biological Sciences & Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Child Development and Learning Science, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Park J, Ho RLM, Wang WE, Nguyen VQ, Coombes SA. The effect of age on alpha rhythms in the human brain derived from source localized resting-state electroencephalography. Neuroimage 2024; 292:120614. [PMID: 38631618 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
With increasing age, peak alpha frequency (PAF) is slowed, and alpha power is reduced during resting-states with eyes closed. These age-related changes are evident across the whole scalp but remained unclear at the source level. The purpose of this study was to determine whether age impacts the power and frequency of the dominant alpha rhythm equally across source generators or whether the impact of age varies across sources. A total of 28 young adults and 26 elderly adults were recruited. High-density EEG was recorded for 10 mins with eyes closed. Single dipoles for each independent component were localized and clustered based on their anatomical label, resulting in 36 clusters. Meta-analyses were then conducted to assess effect sizes for PAF and power at PAF for all 36 clusters. Subgroup analyses were then implemented for frontal, sensorimotor, parietal, temporal, and occipital regions. The results of the meta-analyses showed that the elderly group exhibited slower PAF and less power at PAF compared to the young group. Subgroup analyses revealed age effects on PAF in parietal (g = 0.38), temporal (g = 0.65), and occipital regions (g = 1.04), with the largest effects observed in occipital regions. For power at PAF, age effects were observed in sensorimotor (g = 0.84) and parietal regions (g = 0.80), with the sensorimotor region showing the largest effect. Our findings show that age-related slowing and attenuation of the alpha rhythm manifests differentially across cortical regions, with sensorimotor and occipital regions most susceptible to age effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinhan Park
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Rachel L M Ho
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Wei-En Wang
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Vinh Q Nguyen
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Stephen A Coombes
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhu S, Liu Q, Zhang X, Zhou M, Zhou X, Ding F, Zhang R, Becker B, Kendrick KM, Zhao W. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation enhanced emotional inhibitory control via increasing intrinsic prefrontal couplings. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2024; 24:100462. [PMID: 38665809 PMCID: PMC11044052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Inhibitory control represents a core executive function that critically facilitates adaptive behavior and survival in an ever-changing environment. Non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has been hypothesized to improve behavioral inhibition performance, however the neurocomputational mechanism of taVNS-induced neuroenhancement remains elusive. Method In the current study, we investigated the efficacy of taVNS in a sham-controlled between-subject functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) experiment with an emotional face Go/No-Go paradigm in ninety healthy young adults. Results After a data quality check, eighty-two subjects were included in the final data analysis. Behaviorally, the taVNS improved No-Go response accuracy, together with computational modeling using Hierarchical Bayesian estimation of the Drift Diffusion Model (HDDM) indicating that it specifically reduced the information accumulation rate for Go responses, and this was negatively associated with increased accuracy of No-Go responses. On the neural level, taVNS enhanced engagement of the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) during inhibition of angry expression faces and modulated functional couplings (FCs) within the prefrontal inhibitory control network. Mediation models revealed that taVNS-induced facilitation of inhibitory control was critically mediated by a decreased information accumulation for Go responses and concomitantly enhanced neurofunctional coupling between the inferior and orbital frontal cortex. Discussion Our findings demonstrate a potential for taVNS to improve emotional inhibitory control via reducing pre-potent responses and enhancing FCs within prefrontal inhibitory control networks, suggesting a promising therapeutic role in treating specific disorders characterized by inhibitory control deficits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Zhu
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
- The Laboratory of Sport Psychology, School of Sport Training, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
- Sichuan Key Laboratory of Psychology and Behavior of Discipline Inspection and Supervision, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, PR China
| | - Qi Liu
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Anhui Children's Hospital, Pediatric Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Hefei 230051, PR China
| | - Menghan Zhou
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Science, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610066, PR China
| | - Fangyuan Ding
- College of National Culture and Cognitive Science, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang, 550025, PR China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education of China, National Committee of Health and Family Planning of China and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, PR China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Department of Psychology, Hong Kong, 999077, PR China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
| | - Weihua Zhao
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Paci M, Cardellicchio P, Di Luzio P, Perrucci MG, Ferri F, Costantini M. When the heart inhibits the brain: Cardiac phases modulate short-interval intracortical inhibition. iScience 2024; 27:109140. [PMID: 38414850 PMCID: PMC10897847 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109140] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The phasic cardiovascular activity influences the central nervous system through the systolic baroreceptor inputs, inducing widespread inhibitory effects on behavior. Through transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) delivered during resting-state over the left primary motor cortex and across the different cardiac phases, we measured corticospinal excitability (CSE) and distinct indices of intracortical motor inhibition: short (SICI) and long (LICI) interval, corresponding to GABAA and GABAB neurotransmission, respectively. We found a significant effect of the cardiac phase on short-intracortical inhibition, without any influence on LICI. Specifically, SICI was stronger at systole compared to diastole. These results show a tight relationship between the cardiac cycle and the inhibitory neurotransmission within M1, and in particular with GABAA-ergic-mediated motor inhibition. We hypothesize that this process requires greater motor control via the gating mechanism and that this, in turn, needs to be recalibrated through the modulation of intracortical inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Paci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Pasquale Cardellicchio
- IIT@UniFe Center for Translational Neurophysiology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Section of Physiology, Università di Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara, 17-19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paolo Di Luzio
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mauro Gianni Perrucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferri
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Marcello Costantini
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University G. D’Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li H, Chalavi S, Rasooli A, Rodríguez‐Nieto G, Seer C, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Sunaert S, Peeters R, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. Baseline GABA+ levels in areas associated with sensorimotor control predict initial and long-term motor learning progress. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26537. [PMID: 38140712 PMCID: PMC10789216 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity relies on the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain. As the primary inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu), play critical roles in synaptic plasticity and learning. However, the role of these neurometabolites in motor learning is still unclear. Furthermore, it remains to be investigated which neurometabolite levels from the regions composing the sensorimotor network predict future learning outcome. Here, we studied the role of baseline neurometabolite levels in four task-related brain areas during different stages of motor skill learning under two different feedback (FB) conditions. Fifty-one healthy participants were trained on a bimanual motor task over 5 days while receiving either concurrent augmented visual FB (CA-VFB group, N = 25) or terminal intrinsic visual FB (TA-VFB group, N = 26) of their performance. Additionally, MRS-measured baseline GABA+ (GABA + macromolecules) and Glx (Glu + glutamine) levels were measured in the primary motor cortex (M1), primary somatosensory cortex (S1), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and medial temporal cortex (MT/V5). Behaviorally, our results revealed that the CA-VFB group outperformed the TA-VFB group during task performance in the presence of augmented VFB, while the TA-VFB group outperformed the CA-VFB group in the absence of augmented FB. Moreover, baseline M1 GABA+ levels positively predicted and DLPFC GABA+ levels negatively predicted both initial and long-term motor learning progress in the TA-VFB group. In contrast, baseline S1 GABA+ levels positively predicted initial and long-term motor learning progress in the CA-VFB group. Glx levels did not predict learning progress. Together, these findings suggest that baseline GABA+ levels predict motor learning capability, yet depending on the FB training conditions afforded to the participants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Geraldine Rodríguez‐Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Caroline Seer
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of RadiologyWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Richard A. E. Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological ScienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain ImagingKennedy Krieger InstituteBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Ron Peeters
- Department of Imaging and PathologyKU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven)LeuvenBelgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Stephan P. Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research GroupGroup Biomedical Sciences, KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Azizi Z, Hirst RJ, O' Dowd A, McCrory C, Kenny RA, Newell FN, Setti A. Evidence for an association between allostatic load and multisensory integration in middle-aged and older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 116:105155. [PMID: 37597376 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2023.105155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Multisensory integration, the ability of the brain to integrate information from different sensory modalities, is critical for responding to environmental stimuli. While older adults show changes in multisensory integration with age, the impact of allostatic load (AL) (i.e., the effect of exposure to chronic stress, which can accelerate ageing) on multisensory perception remains understudied. We explored the relationship between multisensory integration and AL in 1,358 adults aged 50+ from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing by performing a Sound Induced Flash Illusion (SIFI) task at multiple audio-visual temporal asynchronies. The AL score was created using a battery of biomarkers representing the activity of four major physiological systems: immunological, cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal. The number of biomarkers for which a participant was categorised in the highest risk quartile using sex-specific cutoffs was used to produce an overall AL score. We accounted for medication use when calculating our AL score. We analysed the accuracy of illusion trials on a SIFI task using generalised logistic mixed effects regression models adjusted for a number of covariates. Observation of cross-sectional and longitudinal results revealed that lower accuracy in integration (i.e., higher SIFI susceptibility with larger temporal asynchronies) was associated with higher AL. This confirmed the distinct patterns of multisensory integration in ageing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Azizi
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Ireland.
| | - Rebecca J Hirst
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alan O' Dowd
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cathal McCrory
- Department of Medical Gerontology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rose Anne Kenny
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Mercer Institute for Successful Ageing, St. James Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona N Newell
- School of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Cui S, Jiang P, Cheng Y, Cai H, Zhu J, Yu Y. Molecular mechanisms underlying resting-state brain functional correlates of behavioral inhibition. Neuroimage 2023; 283:120415. [PMID: 37863277 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous literature has established the presence of sex differences in behavioral inhibition as well as its neural substrates and related disease risk. However, there is limited evidence that speaks directly to the question of whether or not there are sex-dependent associations between behavioral inhibition and resting-state brain function and, if so, how they are modulated by the underlying molecular mechanisms. We computed functional connectivity density (FCD) using resting-state functional MRI data to examine their associations with behavioral inhibition ability measured using a Go/No-Go task across a large cohort of 510 healthy young adults. Then, we examined the spatial relationships of the FCD correlates of behavioral inhibition with gene expression and neurotransmitter atlases to explore their potential genetic architecture and neurochemical basis. A significant negative correlation between behavioral inhibition and FCD in the left superior parietal lobule was found in females but not males. Further spatial correlation analyses demonstrated that the identified neural correlates of behavioral inhibition were associated with expression of gene categories predominantly implicating essential components of the cerebral cortex (glial cell, neuron, axon, dendrite, and synapse) and ion channel activity, as well as were linked to the serotonergic system. Our findings may not only yield important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the female-specific neural substrates of behavioral inhibition, but also provide a critical context for understanding how biological sex might contribute to variation in behavioral inhibition and its related disease risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shunshun Cui
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Huanhuan Cai
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jiajia Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China; Research Center of Clinical Medical Imaging, Anhui Province, Hefei 230032, China; Anhui Provincial Institute of Translational Medicine, Hefei 230032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Anfimova PA, Pankrasheva LG, Emanuilov AI, Moiseev KY, Maslyukov PM. Expression of GAD65/67 and VGLUT2 in Mediobasal Nuclei of Rat Hypothalamus during Aging. Bull Exp Biol Med 2023; 176:232-234. [PMID: 38194067 DOI: 10.1007/s10517-024-06001-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The expression of glutamate decarboxylase GAD65/67, an enzyme of GABA synthesis, and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) in the arcuate, dorsomedial, and ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus of young (3 months), adult (12 months), and old male rats (24 months) was studied by Western blotting. In old rats, an increase in the expression of GAD65/67 in the arcuate and dorsomedial, VGLUT2 in the arcuate, dorsomedial, and ventromedial nuclei was observed. Thus, an increase in opposite processes of inhibition and excitation is observed in the hypothalamic nuclei during aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P A Anfimova
- Yaroslavl State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - L G Pankrasheva
- Yaroslavl State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - A I Emanuilov
- Yaroslavl State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - K Yu Moiseev
- Yaroslavl State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russia
| | - P M Maslyukov
- Yaroslavl State Medical University, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Yaroslavl, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Izbicki P, Mendoza T, Zaman A, Stegemöller EL. Differences in motor inhibition in young and older musicians and non-musicians at rest. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1230865. [PMID: 37744390 PMCID: PMC10514489 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1230865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Older adults experience a decline in motor inhibition. These declines have been implicated in instrumental activities of daily living. However, studies have revealed that older musicians have behavioral and neurophysiological enhancements in various motor domains compared to non-musicians. This suggests that music training may delay the decline in motor inhibition with aging. Nevertheless, motor inhibition has not been studied in young or older musicians and non-musicians. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the neurophysiological differences in motor inhibition in aging musicians and non-musicians. Methods A total of 19 healthy young adult musicians, 16 healthy young non-musicians, 13 healthy older adult musicians, and 16 healthy older adult non-musicians were recruited for the study. Transcranial magnetic stimulation single-pulse (SP) and short interval cortical inhibition (SICI) were performed at rest and then converted into inhibition percentage. Results We did not observe significant differences between young and older musicians and non-musicians in resting SP MEP. Older adults had lower resting SICI MEP than young adults. Older adults (36%) had a greater percentage of inhibition than young adults (16%). However, when controlling for background EMG activity, musicians had a lower inhibition percentage than non-musicians. Discussion The results revealed that, despite the greater use of spinal mechanisms, decreased SICI, and increased inhibition percentage in older adults, motor inhibitory circuitry remains intact and functional in both young and older musicians and non-musicians. Future studies will reveal whether there are differences in motor inhibition during movement in musicians across a person's lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Izbicki
- Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Tessa Mendoza
- Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Andrew Zaman
- Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Turrini S, Wong B, Eldaief M, Press DZ, Sinclair DA, Koch G, Avenanti A, Santarnecchi E. The multifactorial nature of healthy brain ageing: Brain changes, functional decline and protective factors. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 88:101939. [PMID: 37116664 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
As the global population faces a progressive shift towards a higher median age, understanding the mechanisms underlying healthy brain ageing has become of paramount importance for the preservation of cognitive abilities. The first part of the present review aims to provide a comprehensive look at the anatomical changes the healthy brain endures with advanced age, while also summarizing up to date findings on modifiable risk factors to support a healthy ageing process. Subsequently, we describe the typical cognitive profile displayed by healthy older adults, conceptualizing the well-established age-related decline as an impairment of four main cognitive factors and relating them to their neural substrate previously described; different cognitive trajectories displayed by typical Alzheimer's Disease patients and successful agers with a high cognitive reserve are discussed. Finally, potential effective interventions and protective strategies to promote cognitive reserve and defer cognitive decline are reviewed and proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Turrini
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy
| | - Bonnie Wong
- Neuropsychology Program, Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA , USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mark Eldaief
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Z Press
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Sinclair
- Blavatnik Institute, Department of Genetics, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of ageing Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giacomo Koch
- Stroke Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Department of Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Avenanti
- Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | - Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bang JW, Parra C, Yu K, Wollstein G, Schuman JS, Chan KC. GABA decrease is associated with degraded neural specificity in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients. Commun Biol 2023; 6:679. [PMID: 37386293 PMCID: PMC10310759 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04918-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is an age-related neurodegenerative disease of the visual system, affecting both the eye and the brain. Yet its underlying metabolic mechanisms and neurobehavioral relevance remain largely unclear. Here, using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients, as well as neural specificity, which is shaped by GABA and glutamate signals and underlies efficient sensory and cognitive functions. Our study shows that among the older adults, both GABA and glutamate levels decrease with increasing glaucoma severity regardless of age. Further, our study shows that the reduction of GABA but not glutamate predicts the neural specificity. This association is independent of the impairments on the retina structure, age, and the gray matter volume of the visual cortex. Our results suggest that glaucoma-specific decline of GABA undermines neural specificity in the visual cortex and that targeting GABA could improve the neural specificity in glaucoma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ji Won Bang
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA.
| | - Carlos Parra
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
| | - Kevin Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
| | - Gadi Wollstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA
| | - Joel S Schuman
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Kevin C Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10017, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, New York, New York, 11201, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, New York, 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Exploring the links between gut microbiota and excitatory and inhibitory brain processes in alcohol use disorder: A TMS study. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109384. [PMID: 36567005 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
While the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behavior is increasingly recognized, human studies examining this question are still scarce. The primary objective of the current study was to explore the potential relationships between the gut microbiota composition, motor cortical excitability at rest and during inhibitory control, as well as behavioral inhibition, in healthy volunteers and in patients suffering from alcohol use disorder. Motor cortical excitability was examined using a range of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures probed at rest, including the recruitment curve, short and long intracortical inhibition, and intracortical facilitation within the primary motor cortex. Moreover, TMS was applied during a choice reaction time task to assess changes in motor excitability associated with inhibitory control. Finally, behavioral inhibition was investigated using a neuropsychological task (anti-saccade). Overall, our results highlight several interesting correlations between microbial composition and brain measures. Hence, higher bacterial diversity, as well as higher relative abundances of UGC-002 and Christensenellaceae R-7 group were correlated with stronger changes in motor excitability associated with inhibitory control. Also, higher abundance of Anaerostipes was associated with higher level of corticospinal excitability. Finally, relative abundances of Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium were positively related to performance in the neuropsychological task, suggesting that they might have a positive impact on behavioral inhibition. Although correlation is not causation, the present study suggests that excitatory and inhibitory brain processes might be related to gut microbiota composition. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Microbiome & the Brain: Mechanisms & Maladies'.
Collapse
|
22
|
Rodríguez-Nieto G, Levin O, Hermans L, Weerasekera A, Sava AC, Haghebaert A, Huybrechts A, Cuypers K, Mantini D, Himmelreich U, Swinnen SP. Organization of neurochemical interactions in young and older brains as revealed with a network approach: Evidence from proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1H-MRS). Neuroimage 2023; 266:119830. [PMID: 36566925 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with alterations in the brain including structural and metabolic changes. Previous research has focused on neurometabolite level differences associated to age in a variety of brain regions, but the relationship among metabolites across the brain has been much less studied. Investigating these relationships can reveal underlying neurometabolic processes, their interdependency, and their progress throughout the lifespan. Using 1H-MRS, we investigated the relationship among metabolite concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), myo-Inositol (mIns) and glutamate-glutamine complex (Glx) in seven voxel locations, i.e., bilateral sensorimotor cortex, bilateral striatum, pre-supplementary motor area, right inferior frontal gyrus and occipital cortex. These measurements were performed on 59 human participants divided in two age groups: young adults (YA: 23.2 ± 4.3; 18-34 years) and older adults (OA: 67.5 ± 3.9; 61-74 years). Our results showed age-related differences in NAA, Cho, and mIns across brain regions, suggesting the presence of neurodegeneration and altered gliosis. Moreover, associative patterns among NAA, Cho and Cr were observed across the selected brain regions, which differed between young and older adults. Whereas most of metabolite concentrations were inhomogeneous across different brain regions, Cho levels were shown to be strongly related across brain regions in both age groups. Finally, we found metabolic associations between homologous brain regions (SM1 and striatum) in the OA group, with NAA showing a significant correlation between bilateral sensorimotor cortices (SM1) and mIns levels being correlated between the bilateral striata. We posit that a network perspective provides important insights regarding the potential interactions among neurochemicals underlying metabolic processes at a local and global level and their relationship with aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Rodríguez-Nieto
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium.
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Lize Hermans
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Akila Weerasekera
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Biomedical MRI Unit, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Astrid Haghebaert
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Astrid Huybrechts
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium; REVAL Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven-LBI, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven-LBI, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI Unit, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuurse Vest 101, Leuven 3001, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven-LBI, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lee JH, Kang N. Altered Bimanual Kinetic and Kinematic Motor Control Capabilities in Older Women. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2153. [PMID: 36767520 PMCID: PMC9915092 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Older women may experience critical neuromuscular impairments interfering with controlling successful bimanual motor actions. Our study aimed to investigate altered bimanual motor performances in older women compared with younger women by focusing on kinetic and kinematic motor properties. Twenty-two older women and 22 younger women performed bimanual kinetic and kinematic motor tasks. To estimate bimanual kinetic functions, we calculated bimanual maximal voluntary contractions (i.e., MVC) and force control capabilities (i.e., mean force, accuracy, variability, and regularity of the total force produced by two hands) during bimanual hand-grip submaximal force control tasks. For bimanual kinematic performances, we assessed the scores of the Purdue Pegboard Test (i.e., PPT) in both hands and assembly tasks, respectively. For the bimanual MVC and PPT, we conducted an independent t-test between two groups. The bimanual force control capabilities were analyzed using two-way mixed ANOVAs (Group × Force Level; 2 × 2). Our findings revealed that the older women showed less bimanual MVC (p = 0.046) and submaximal force outputs (p = 0.036) and greater changes in bimanual force control capabilities as indicated by a greater force variability (p = 0.017) and regularity (p = 0.014). Further, the older women revealed lower scores of PPT in both the hands condition (p < 0.001) and assembly task condition (p < 0.001). The additional correlation analyses for the older women showed that lower levels of skeletal muscle mass were related to less bimanual MVC (r = 0.591; p = 0.004). Furthermore, a higher age was related to lower scores in the bimanual PPT assembly task (r = -0.427; p = 0.048). These findings suggested that older women experience greater changes in bimanual motor functions compared with younger women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joon Ho Lee
- Department of Human Movement Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
- Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| | - Nyeonju Kang
- Department of Human Movement Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
- Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
- Division of Sport Science, Sport Science Institute, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Pasanta D, He JL, Ford T, Oeltzschner G, Lythgoe DJ, Puts NA. Functional MRS studies of GABA and glutamate/Glx - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:104940. [PMID: 36332780 PMCID: PMC9846867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) can be used to investigate neurometabolic responses to external stimuli in-vivo, but findings are inconsistent. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on fMRS studies of the primary neurotransmitters Glutamate (Glu), Glx (Glutamate + Glutamine), and GABA. Data were extracted, grouped by metabolite, stimulus domain, and brain region, and analysed by determining standardized effect sizes. The quality of individual studies was rated. When results were analysed by metabolite type small to moderate effect sizes of 0.29-0.47 (p < 0.05) were observed for changes in Glu and Glx regardless of stimulus domain and brain region, but no significant effects were observed for GABA. Further analysis suggests that Glu, Glx and GABA responses differ by stimulus domain or task and vary depending on the time course of stimulation and data acquisition. Here, we establish effect sizes and directionality of GABA, Glu and Glx response in fMRS. This work highlights the importance of standardised reporting and minimal best practice for fMRS research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Duanghathai Pasanta
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom; Department of Radiologic Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
| | - Jason L He
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
| | - Talitha Ford
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia; Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
| | - Georg Oeltzschner
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, 700. N. Broadway, 21207 Baltimore, United States; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 N. Wolfe Street, 21205 Baltimore, United States
| | - David J Lythgoe
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolaas A Puts
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, London SE5 8AB, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Zwitterionic neurotransmitter-sensitive gadolinium complex as a potential MRI contrast agent for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. J IND ENG CHEM 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2022.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
26
|
Lacroix A, Proteau-Lemieux M, Côté S, Near J, Hui SC, Edden RA, Lippé S, Çaku A, Corbin F, Lepage JF. Multimodal assessment of the GABA system in patients with fragile-X syndrome and neurofibromatosis of type 1. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 174:105881. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
|
27
|
Hehl M, Swinnen SP, Van Malderen S, Cuypers K. No evidence for a difference in lateralization and distinctiveness level of transcranial magnetic stimulation-derived cortical motor representations over the adult lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:971858. [PMID: 36313026 PMCID: PMC9608504 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.971858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the presence and patterns of age-related differences in TMS-based measures of lateralization and distinctiveness of the cortical motor representations of two different hand muscles. In a sample of seventy-three right-handed healthy participants over the adult lifespan, the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) cortical motor representations of both hemispheres were acquired using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In addition, dexterity and maximum force levels were measured. Lateralization quotients were calculated for homolog behavioral and TMS measures, whereas the distinctiveness between the FDI and ADM representation within one hemisphere was quantified by the center of gravity (CoG) distance and cosine similarity. The presence and patterns of age-related changes were examined using linear, polynomial, and piecewise linear regression. No age-related differences could be identified for the lateralization quotient of behavior or cortical motor representations of both intrinsic hand muscles. Furthermore, no evidence for a change in the distinctiveness of the FDI and ADM representation with advancing age was found. In conclusion this work showed that lateralization and distinctiveness of cortical motor representations, as determined by means of TMS-based measures, remain stable over the adult lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melina Hehl
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Stephan P. Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shanti Van Malderen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Koen Cuypers,
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Chini M, Pfeffer T, Hanganu-Opatz I. An increase of inhibition drives the developmental decorrelation of neural activity. eLife 2022; 11:78811. [PMID: 35975980 PMCID: PMC9448324 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout development, the brain transits from early highly synchronous activity patterns to a mature state with sparse and decorrelated neural activity, yet the mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. The developmental transition has important functional consequences, as the latter state is thought to allow for more efficient storage, retrieval, and processing of information. Here, we show that, in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), neural activity during the first two postnatal weeks decorrelates following specific spatial patterns. This process is accompanied by a concomitant tilting of excitation-inhibition (E-I) ratio toward inhibition. Using optogenetic manipulations and neural network modeling, we show that the two phenomena are mechanistically linked, and that a relative increase of inhibition drives the decorrelation of neural activity. Accordingly, in mice mimicking the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, subtle alterations in E-I ratio are associated with specific impairments in the correlational structure of spike trains. Finally, capitalizing on EEG data from newborn babies, we show that an analogous developmental transition takes place also in the human brain. Thus, changes in E-I ratio control the (de)correlation of neural activity and, by these means, its developmental imbalance might contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Chini
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Pfeffer
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ileana Hanganu-Opatz
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Krishnamurthy LC, Paredes Spir I, Rocha NO, Soher BJ, Auerbach EJ, Crosson BA, Krishnamurthy V. The association between language-based task-functional magnetic resonance imaging hemodynamics and baseline GABA+ and glutamate-glutamine measured in pre-supplementary motor area: A pilot study in an aging model. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:904845. [PMID: 36046162 PMCID: PMC9421126 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.904845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is a natural phenomenon that elicits slow and progressive cerebrovascular and neurophysiological changes that eventually lead to cognitive decline. The objective of this pilot study is to examine the association of GABA+ and glutamate-glutamine (Glx) complex with language-based blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) hemodynamics in an aging model. More specifically, using standard BOLD we will first attempt to validate whether previously reported findings for BOLD amplitude and resting neurochemical relationships hold in an aging model. Secondly, we will investigate how our recently established neurosensitized task-BOLD energetics relate to resting GABA+ and Glx, especially accounting for titration of task difficulty. To support the above endeavors, we optimize the baseline fitting for edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) difference spectra to sensitize GABA+ and Glx concentrations to aging-related differences. We identify a spline-knot spacing of 0.6ppm to yield the optimal aging-related differences in GABA+ and Glx. The optimized MRS values were then graduated to relate to task-BOLD hemodynamics. Our results did not replicate previous findings that relate task-BOLD amplitude and resting GABA+ and Glx. However, we did identify neurochemistry relationships with the vascularly-driven dispersion component of the hemodynamic response function, specifically in older participants. In terms of neuro-sensitized BOLD energetics and the underlying role of GABA+ and Glx, our data suggests that the task demands are supported by both neurometabolites depending on the difficulty of the task stimuli. Another novelty is that we developed task-based functional parcellation of pre-SMA using both groups. In sum, we are the first to demonstrate that multimodal task-fMRI and MRS studies are beneficial to improve our understanding of the aging brain physiology, and to set the platform to better inform approaches for clinical care in aging-related neurovascular diseases. We also urge future studies to replicate our findings in a larger population incorporating a lifespan framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C. Krishnamurthy
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, GA, United States
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Isabella Paredes Spir
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, GA, United States
| | - Natalie O. Rocha
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, GA, United States
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Brian J. Soher
- Center for Advanced MR Development, Department of Radiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
- Brain Imaging and Analysis Center, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Edward J. Auerbach
- Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Bruce A. Crosson
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, GA, United States
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Venkatagiri Krishnamurthy
- Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Healthcare System, Decatur, GA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Dobri S, Chen JJ, Ross B. Insights from auditory cortex for GABA+ magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of aging. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4425-4444. [PMID: 35781900 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Changes in levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may underlie aging-related changes in brain function. GABA and co-edited macromolecules (GABA+) can be measured with MEGA-PRESS magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The current study investigated how changes in the aging brain impact the interpretation of GABA+ measures in bilateral auditory cortices of healthy young and older adults. Structural changes during aging appeared as decreasing proportion of grey matter in the MRS volume of interest and corresponding increase in cerebrospinal fluid. GABA+ referenced to H2 O without tissue correction declined in aging. This decline persisted after correcting for tissue differences in MR-visible H2 O and relaxation times but vanished after considering the different abundance of GABA+ in grey and white matter. However, GABA+ referenced to creatine and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), which showed no dependence on tissue composition, decreased in aging. All GABA+ measures showed hemispheric asymmetry in young but not older adults. The study also considered aging-related effects on tissue segmentation and the impact of co-edited macromolecules. Tissue segmentation differed significantly between commonly used algorithms, but aging-related effects on tissue-corrected GABA+ were consistent across methods. Auditory cortex macromolecule concentration did not change with age, indicating that a decline in GABA caused the decrease in the compound GABA+ measure. Most likely, the macromolecule contribution to GABA+ leads to underestimating an aging-related decrease in GABA. Overall, considering multiple GABA+ measures using different reference signals strengthened the support for an aging-related decline in auditory cortex GABA levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Dobri
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - J Jean Chen
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bernhard Ross
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sommer VR, Sander MC. Contributions of representational distinctiveness and stability to memory performance and age differences. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2022; 29:443-462. [PMID: 34939904 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.2019184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Long-standing theories of cognitive aging suggest that memory decline is associated with age-related differences in the way information is neurally represented. Multivariate pattern similarity analyses enabled researchers to take a representational perspective on brain and cognition, and allowed them to study the properties of neural representations that support successful episodic memory. Two representational properties have been identified as crucial for memory performance, namely the distinctiveness and the stability of neural representations. Here, we review studies that used multivariate analysis tools for different neuroimaging techniques to clarify how these representational properties relate to memory performance across adulthood. While most evidence on age differences in neural representations involved stimulus category information , recent studies demonstrated that particularly item-level stability and specificity of activity patterns are linked to memory success and decline during aging. Overall, multivariate methods offer a versatile tool for our understanding of age differences in the neural representations underlying memory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena R Sommer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Myriam C Sander
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Network-specific differences in transient brain activity at rest are associated with age-related reductions in motor performance. Neuroimage 2022; 252:119025. [PMID: 35202812 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple functional changes occur in the brain with increasing age. Among those, older adults typically display more restricted fluctuations of brain activity, both during resting-state and task execution. These altered dynamic patterns have been linked to reduced task performance across multiple behavioral domains. Windowed functional connectivity, which is typically employed in the study of connectivity dynamics, however, might not be able to properly characterize moment-to-moment variations of individual networks. In the present study, we used innovation-driven co-activation patterns (ICAP) to overcome this limitation and investigate the length (duration) and frequency (innovation) in which various brain networks emerged across the adult lifespan (N= 92) during a resting-state period. We identified a link between increasing age and a tendency to engage brain areas with distinct functional associations simultaneously as a single network. The emergence of isolated and spatially well-defined visual, motor, frontoparietal, and posterior networks decreased with increased age. This reduction in dynamics of specialized networks mediated age-related performance decreases (i.e., increases in interlimb interference) in a bimanual motor task. Altogether, our findings demonstrated that older compared to younger adults tend to activate fewer network configurations, which include multiple functionally distinct brain areas. The reduction in independent emergence of functionally well-defined and task-relevant networks may reflect an expression of brain dedifferentiation and is likely associated with functional modulatory deficits, negatively impacting motor behavior.
Collapse
|
33
|
Maes C, Cuypers K, Peeters R, Sunaert S, Edden RAE, Gooijers J, Swinnen SP. Task-Related Modulation of Sensorimotor GABA+ Levels in Association with Brain Activity and Motor Performance: A Multimodal MRS-fMRI Study in Young and Older Adults. J Neurosci 2022; 42:1119-1130. [PMID: 34876470 PMCID: PMC8824510 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1154-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest an important role of the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA for motor performance in the context of aging. Nonetheless, as previous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies primarily reported resting-state GABA levels, much less is known about transient changes in GABA levels during motor task performance and how these relate to behavior and brain activity patterns. Therefore, we investigated GABA+ levels of left primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) acquired before, during, and after execution of a unimanual/bimanual action selection task in 30 (human) young adults (YA; age 24.5 ± 4.1, 15 male) and 30 older adults (OA; age 67.8 ± 4.9, 14 male). In addition to task-related MRS data, task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired. Behavioral results indicated lower motor performance in OA as opposed to YA, particularly in complex task conditions. MRS results demonstrated lower GABA+ levels in OA as compared with YA. Furthermore, a transient task-related decrease of GABA+ levels was observed, regardless of age. Notably, this task-induced modulation of GABA+ levels was linked to task-related brain activity patterns in SM1 such that a more profound task-induced instantaneous lowering of GABA+ was related to higher SM1 activity. Additionally, higher brain activity was related to better performance in the bimanual conditions, despite some age-related differences. Finally, the modulatory capacity of GABA+ was positively related to motor performance in OA but not YA. Together, these results underscore the importance of transient dynamical changes in neurochemical content for brain function and behavior, particularly in the context of aging.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Emerging evidence designates an important role to regional GABA levels in motor control, especially in the context of aging. However, it remains unclear whether changes in GABA levels emerge when executing a motor task and how these changes relate to brain activity patterns and performance. Here, we identified a transient decrease of sensorimotor GABA+ levels during performance of an action selection task across young adults (YA) and older adults (OA). Interestingly, whereas a more profound GABA+ modulation related to higher brain activity across age groups, its association with motor performance differed across age groups. Within OA, our results highlighted a functional merit of a task-related release from inhibitory tone, i.e. lowering regional GABA+ levels was associated with task-relevant brain activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Celine Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- REVAL Research Institute, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3590, Belgium
| | - Ronald Peeters
- Translational MRI and Radiology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- Translational MRI and Radiology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven and University Hospital Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russel H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Jolien Gooijers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Li H, Heise KF, Chalavi S, Puts NAJ, Edden RAE, Swinnen SP. The role of MRS-assessed GABA in human behavioral performance. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 212:102247. [PMID: 35149113 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms that drive human behavior has been a long-standing focus of cognitive neuroscience. One well-known neuro-metabolite involved in the creation of optimal behavioral repertoires is GABA, the main inhibitory neurochemical in the human brain. Converging evidence from both animal and human studies indicates that individual variations in GABAergic function are associated with behavioral performance. In humans, one increasingly used in vivo approach to measuring GABA levels is through Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). However, the implications of MRS measures of GABA for behavior remain poorly understood. In this respect, it is yet to be determined how GABA levels within distinct task-related brain regions of interest account for differences in behavioral performance. This review summarizes findings from cross-sectional studies that determined baseline MRS-assessed GABA levels and examined their associations with performance on various behaviors representing the perceptual, motor and cognitive domains, with a particular focus on healthy participants across the lifespan. Overall, the results indicate that MRS-assessed GABA levels play a pivotal role in various domains of behavior. Even though some converging patterns emerge, it is challenging to draw comprehensive conclusions due to differences in behavioral task paradigms, targeted brain regions of interest, implemented MRS techniques and reference compounds used. Across all studies, the effects of GABA levels on behavioral performance point to generic and partially independent functions that refer to distinctiveness, interference suppression and cognitive flexibility. On one hand, higher baseline GABA levels may support the distinctiveness of neural representations during task performance and better coping with interference and suppression of preferred response tendencies. On the other hand, lower baseline GABA levels may support a reduction of inhibition, leading to higher cognitive flexibility. These effects are task-dependent and appear to be mediated by age. Nonetheless, additional studies using emerging advanced methods are required to further clarify the role of MRS-assessed GABA in behavioral performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Kirstin-Friederike Heise
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Nicolaas A J Puts
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F. M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Ghin F, Beste C, Stock AK. Neurobiological mechanisms of control in alcohol use disorder - moving towards mechanism-based non-invasive brain stimulation treatments. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 133:104508. [PMID: 34942268 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by excessive habitual drinking and loss of control over alcohol intake despite negative consequences. Both of these aspects foster uncontrolled drinking and high relapse rates in AUD patients. Yet, common interventions mostly focus on the phenomenological level, and prioritize the reduction of craving and withdrawal symptoms. Our review provides a mechanistic understanding of AUD and suggests alternative therapeutic approaches targeting the mechanisms underlying dysfunctional alcohol-related behaviours. Specifically, we explain how repeated drinking fosters the development of rigid drinking habits and is associated with diminished cognitive control. These behavioural and cognitive effects are then functionally related to the neurobiochemical effects of alcohol abuse. We further explain how alterations in fronto-striatal network activity may constitute the neurobiological correlates of these alcohol-related dysfunctions. Finally, we discuss limitations in current pharmacological AUD therapies and suggest non-invasive brain stimulation (like TMS and tDCS interventions) as a potential addition/alternative for modulating the activation of both cortical and subcortical areas to help re-establish the functional balance between controlled and automatic behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Ghin
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; University Neuropsychology Center, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Germany; Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Petitet P, Spitz G, Emir UE, Johansen-Berg H, O'Shea J. Age-related decline in cortical inhibitory tone strengthens motor memory. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118681. [PMID: 34728243 PMCID: PMC8752967 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing disrupts the finely tuned excitation/inhibition balance (E:I) across cortex via a natural decline in inhibitory tone (γ-amino butyric acid, GABA), causing functional decrements. However, in young adults, experimentally lowering GABA in sensorimotor cortex enhances a specific domain of sensorimotor function: adaptation memory. Here, we tested the hypothesis that as sensorimotor cortical GABA declines naturally with age, adaptation memory would increase, and the former would explain the latter. Results confirmed this prediction. To probe causality, we used brain stimulation to further lower sensorimotor cortical GABA during adaptation. Across individuals, how stimulation changed memory depended on sensorimotor cortical E:I. In those with low E:I, stimulation increased memory; in those with high E:I stimulation reduced memory. Thus, we identified a form of motor memory that is naturally strengthened by age, depends causally on sensorimotor cortex neurochemistry, and may be a potent target for motor skill preservation strategies in healthy ageing and neurorehabilitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Petitet
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Equipe Trajectoires, Inserm UMR-S 1028, CNRS UMR 5292, Université Lyon 1, Bron, France.
| | - Gershon Spitz
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Uzay E Emir
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
| | - Heidi Johansen-Berg
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Jacinta O'Shea
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN), John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity (OHBA), University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Faßbender K, Bey K, Lippold JV, Aslan B, Hurlemann R, Ettinger U. GABAergic modulation of performance in response inhibition and interference control tasks. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:1496-1509. [PMID: 34278874 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211032440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inhibitory control is a crucial executive function with high relevance to mental and physical well-being. However, there are still unanswered questions regarding its neural mechanisms, including the role of the major inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). AIMS This study examined the effects of lorazepam (0.5 mg and 1 mg), a positive allosteric modulator at the GABAA receptor, on response inhibition and interference control. We also explored the heterogeneity of inhibitory control and calculated delta plots to explore whether lorazepam affects the gradual build-up of inhibition and activation over time. METHODS N = 50 healthy participants performed antisaccade, Eriksen flanker and Simon tasks in a within-subjects, placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized design. RESULTS Lorazepam increased reaction time (RT) and error rates dose dependently in all tasks (p ⩽ 0.005). In the antisaccade and Simon tasks, lorazepam increased congruency effects for error rate (p ⩽ 0.029) but not RT (p ⩾ 0.587). In the Eriksen flanker task, both congruency effects were increased by the drug (p ⩽ 0.031). Delta plots did not reflect drug-induced changes in inhibition and activation over time. Delta plots for RT in the Simon task were negative-going, as expected, whereas those for the antisaccade and flanker tasks were positive-going. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence for GABAergic involvement in performance on response inhibition and interference control tasks. Furthermore, our findings highlight the diversity of the broader construct of inhibitory control while also pointing out similarities between different inhibitory control tasks. In contrast to RT and error rates, the cognitive processes indexed by delta plots may not be sensitive to GABAergic modulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaja Faßbender
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Bey
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Behrem Aslan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
GABAergic Modulation in Movement Related Oscillatory Activity: A Review of the Effect Pharmacologically and with Aging. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov (N Y) 2021; 11:48. [PMID: 34824891 PMCID: PMC8588888 DOI: 10.5334/tohm.655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a ubiquitous inhibitory neurotransmitter critical to the control of movement both cortically and subcortically. Modulation of GABA can alter the characteristic rest as well as movement-related oscillatory activity in the alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz, and gamma (60-90 Hz) frequencies, but the specific mechanisms by which GABAergic modulation can modify these well-described changes remains unclear. Through pharmacologic GABAergic modulation and evaluation across the age spectrum, the contributions of GABA to these characteristic oscillatory activities are beginning to be understood. Here, we review how baseline GABA signaling plays a key role in motor networks and in cortical oscillations detected by scalp electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography. We also discuss the data showing specific alterations to baseline movement related oscillatory changes from pharmacologic intervention on GABAergic tone as well as with healthy aging. These data provide greater insight into the physiology of movement and may help improve future development of novel therapeutics for patients who suffer from movement disorders.
Collapse
|
39
|
Gómez-Granados A, Barany DA, Schrayer M, Kurtzer IL, Bonnet CT, Singh T. Age-related deficits in rapid visuomotor decision-making. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:1592-1603. [PMID: 34614375 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00073.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many goal-directed actions that require rapid visuomotor planning and perceptual decision-making are affected in older adults, causing difficulties in execution of many functional activities of daily living. Visuomotor planning and perceptual identification are mediated by the dorsal and ventral visual streams, respectively, but it is unclear how age-induced changes in sensory processing in these streams contribute to declines in visuomotor decision-making performance. Previously, we showed that in young adults, task demands influenced movement strategies during visuomotor decision-making, reflecting differential integration of sensory information between the two streams. Here, we asked the question if older adults would exhibit deficits in interactions between the two streams during demanding motor tasks. Older adults (n = 15) and young controls (n = 26) performed reaching or interception movements toward virtual objects. In some blocks of trials, participants also had to select an appropriate movement goal based on the shape of the object. Our results showed that older adults corrected fewer initial decision errors during both reaching and interception movements. During the interception decision task, older adults made more decision- and execution-related errors than young adults, which were related to early initiation of their movements. Together, these results suggest that older adults have a reduced ability to integrate new perceptual information to guide online action, which may reflect impaired ventral-dorsal stream interactions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Older adults show declines in vision, decision-making, and motor control, which can lead to functional limitations. We used a rapid visuomotor decision task to examine how these deficits may interact to affect task performance. Compared with healthy young adults, older adults made more errors in both decision-making and motor execution, especially when the task required intercepting moving targets. This suggests that age-related declines in integrating perceptual and motor information may contribute to functional deficits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Deborah A Barany
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.,Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership, Athens, Georgia
| | | | - Isaac L Kurtzer
- Department of Biomedical Science, New York Institute of Technology-College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, New York
| | - Cédrick T Bonnet
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 9193-SCALab-Sciences Cognitives et Sciences Affectives, Lille, France
| | - Tarkeshwar Singh
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Verstraelen S, Cuypers K, Maes C, Hehl M, Van Malderen S, Levin O, Mikkelsen M, Meesen RLJ, Swinnen SP. Neurophysiological modulations in the (pre)motor-motor network underlying age-related increases in reaction time and the role of GABA levels - a bimodal TMS-MRS study. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118500. [PMID: 34428570 PMCID: PMC8547554 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been argued that age-related changes in the neurochemical and neurophysiological properties of the GABAergic system may underlie increases in reaction time (RT) in older adults. However, the role of GABA levels within the sensorimotor cortices (SMC) in mediating interhemispheric interactions (IHi) during the processing stage of a fast motor response, as well as how both properties explain interindividual differences in RT, are not yet fully understood. In this study, edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was combined with dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS) for probing GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC and task-related neurophysiological modulations in corticospinal excitability (CSE), and primary motor cortex (M1)-M1 and dorsal premotor cortex (PMd)-M1 IHi, respectively. Both CSE and IHi were assessed during the preparatory and premotor period of a delayed choice RT task. Data were collected from 25 young (aged 18-33 years) and 28 older (aged 60-74 years) healthy adults. Our results demonstrated that older as compared to younger adults exhibited a reduced bilateral CSE suppression, as well as a reduced magnitude of long latency M1-M1 and PMd-M1 disinhibition during the preparatory period, irrespective of the direction of the IHi. Importantly, in older adults, the GABA+ levels in bilateral SMC partially accounted for task-related neurophysiological modulations as well as individual differences in RT. In contrast, in young adults, neither task-related neurophysiological modulations, nor individual differences in RT were associated with SMC GABA+ levels. In conclusion, this study contributes to a comprehensive initial understanding of how age-related differences in neurochemical properties and neurophysiological processes are related to increases in RT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Verstraelen
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
| | - Celine Maes
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| | - Melina Hehl
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Shanti Van Malderen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Russel H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Raf L J Meesen
- Neuroplasticity and Movement Control Research Group, Rehabilitation Research Institute (REVAL), Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium; Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Stephan P Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium; KU Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ameliorative effects of oyster (Crassostrea hongkongensis) protein hydrolysate on age-induced cognitive impairment via restoring glia cell dysfunction and neuronal injured in zebrafish. J Funct Foods 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2021.104607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
|
42
|
Le C, Finger E. Pharmacotherapy for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Frontotemporal Dementia. CNS Drugs 2021; 35:1081-1096. [PMID: 34426949 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-021-00854-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite significant progress in the understanding of the frontotemporal dementias (FTDs), there remains no disease-modifying treatment for these conditions, and limited effective symptomatic treatment. Behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is the most common FTD syndrome, and is characterized by severe impairments in behaviour, personality and cognition. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common features of bvFTD but are present in the other FTD syndromes. Current treatment strategies therefore focus on ameliorating the neuropsychiatric features. Here we review the rationale for current treatments related to each of the main neuropsychiatric symptoms forming the diagnostic criteria for bvFTD relevant to all FTD subtypes, and two additional symptoms not currently part of the diagnostic criteria: lack of insight and psychosis. Given the paucity of effective treatments for these symptoms, we highlight how contributing mechanisms delineated in cognitive neuroscience may inform future approaches to clinical trials and more precise symptomatic treatments for FTDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Le
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Liebrand M, Solbakk AK, Funderud I, Buades-Rotger M, Knight RT, Krämer UM. Intact Proactive Motor Inhibition after Unilateral Prefrontal Cortex or Basal Ganglia Lesions. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 33:1862-1879. [PMID: 34375417 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Previous research provided evidence for the critical importance of the PFC and BG for reactive motor inhibition, that is, when actions are cancelled in response to external signals. Less is known about the role of the PFC and BG in proactive motor inhibition, referring to preparation for an upcoming stop signal. In this study, patients with unilateral lesions to the BG or lateral PFC performed in a cued go/no-go task, whereas their EEG was recorded. The paradigm called for cue-based preparation for upcoming, lateralized no-go signals. Based on previous findings, we focused on EEG indices of cognitive control (prefrontal beta), motor preparation (sensorimotor mu/beta, contingent negative variation [CNV]), and preparatory attention (occipital alpha, CNV). On a behavioral level, no differences between patients and controls were found, suggesting an intact ability to proactively prepare for motor inhibition. Patients showed an altered preparatory CNV effect, but no other differences in electrophysiological activity related to proactive and reactive motor inhibition. Our results suggest a context-dependent role of BG and PFC structures in motor inhibition, being critical in reactive, unpredictable contexts, but less so in situations where one can prepare for stopping on a short timescale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne-Kristin Solbakk
- University of Oslo, Norway.,Oslo University Hospital, Norway.,Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway
| | - Ingrid Funderud
- University of Oslo, Norway.,Helgeland Hospital, Mosjøen, Norway
| | - Macià Buades-Rotger
- University of Lübeck, Germany.,Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Jiménez-Balado J, Eich TS. GABAergic dysfunction, neural network hyperactivity and memory impairments in human aging and Alzheimer's disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 116:146-159. [PMID: 33573856 PMCID: PMC8292162 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we focus on the potential role of the γ-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) system in age-related episodic memory impairments in humans, with a particular focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD). Well-established animal models have shown that GABA plays a central role in regulating and synchronizing neuronal signaling in the hippocampus, a brain area critical for episodic memory that undergoes early and significant morphologic and functional changes in the course of AD. Neuroimaging research in humans has documented hyperactivity in the hippocampus and losses of resting state functional connectivity in the Default Mode Network, a network that itself prominently includes the hippocampus-presaging episodic memory decline in individuals at-risk for AD. Apolipoprotein ε4, the highest genetic risk factor for AD, is associated with GABAergic dysfunction in animal models, and episodic memory impairments in humans. In combination, these findings suggest that GABA may be the linchpin in a complex system of factors that eventually leads to the principal clinical hallmark of AD: episodic memory loss. Here, we will review the current state of literature supporting this hypothesis. First, we will focus on the molecular and cellular basis of the GABAergic system and its role in memory and cognition. Next, we report the evidence of GABA dysregulations in AD and normal aging, both in animal models and human studies. Finally, we outline a model of GABAergic dysfunction based on the results of functional neuroimaging studies in humans, which have shown hippocampal hyperactivity to episodic memory tasks concurrent with and even preceding AD diagnosis, along with factors that may modulate this association.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Jiménez-Balado
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Teal S Eich
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Paci M, Di Cosmo G, Perrucci MG, Ferri F, Costantini M. Cortical silent period reflects individual differences in action stopping performance. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15158. [PMID: 34312403 PMCID: PMC8313697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94494-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress inappropriate movements and unwanted actions, allowing to regulate impulses and responses. This ability can be measured via the Stop Signal Task, which provides a temporal index of response inhibition, namely the stop signal reaction time (SSRT). At the neural level, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) allows to investigate motor inhibition within the primary motor cortex (M1), such as the cortical silent period (CSP) which is an index of GABAB-mediated intracortical inhibition within M1. Although there is strong evidence that intracortical inhibition varies during action stopping, it is still not clear whether differences in the neurophysiological markers of intracortical inhibition contribute to behavioral differences in actual inhibitory capacities. Hence, here we explored the relationship between intracortical inhibition within M1 and behavioral response inhibition. GABABergic-mediated inhibition in M1 was determined by the duration of CSP, while behavioral inhibition was assessed by the SSRT. We found a significant positive correlation between CSP's duration and SSRT, namely that individuals with greater levels of GABABergic-mediated inhibition seem to perform overall worse in inhibiting behavioral responses. These results support the assumption that individual differences in intracortical inhibition are mirrored by individual differences in action stopping abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Paci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
| | - Giulio Di Cosmo
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mauro Gianni Perrucci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferri
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Marcello Costantini
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies - ITAB, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Department of Psychological, Health, and Territorial Sciences, University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A viable option? PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2021; 264:171-190. [PMID: 34167655 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) suffer from a range of cognitive and behavioral problems that severely impair their educational and occupational attainment. ADHD symptoms have been linked to structural and functional changes within and between different brain regions, particularly the prefrontal cortex. At the system level, reduced availability of the neurotransmitters dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) but also γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) have been repeatedly demonstrated. Recently, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have been explored as treatment alternatives to alter dysfunctional activation patterns in specified brain areas or networks. In the current paper, we introduce transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) as a systemic approach to directly affect NE and GABA neurotransmission. TVNS is a non-drug intervention with low risk and proven efficacy in improving cognitive particularly executive functions. It is easy to apply and therefore well-suited to provide home-based or mobile treatment options allowing a significant increase in treatment intensity and providing easier access to medical care for individuals who are unable to regularly visit a clinician. We describe in detail the underlying mechanisms of tVNS and current fields of application and discuss its potential as an adjuvant treatment for ADHD.
Collapse
|
47
|
Porges EC, Jensen G, Foster B, Edden RAE, Puts NAJ. The trajectory of cortical GABA across the lifespan, an individual participant data meta-analysis of edited MRS studies. eLife 2021; 10:e62575. [PMID: 34061022 PMCID: PMC8225386 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain and can be measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Conflicting accounts report decreases and increases in cortical GABA levels across the lifespan. This incompatibility may be an artifact of the size and age range of the samples utilized in these studies. No single study to date has included the entire lifespan. In this study, eight suitable datasets were integrated to generate a model of the trajectory of frontal GABA estimates (as reported through edited MRS; both expressed as ratios and in institutional units) across the lifespan. Data were fit using both a log-normal curve and a nonparametric spline as regression models using a multi-level Bayesian model utilizing the Stan language. Integrated data show that an asymmetric lifespan trajectory of frontal GABA measures involves an early period of increase, followed by a period of stability during early adulthood, with a gradual decrease during adulthood and aging that is described well by both spline and log-normal models. The information gained will provide a general framework to inform expectations of future studies based on the age of the population being studied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Porges
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of FloridaUnited StatesUnited States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Greg Jensen
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Brent Foster
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of FloridaUnited StatesUnited States
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Richard AE Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger InstituteBaltimoreUnited States
| | - Nicolaas AJ Puts
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreUnited States
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger InstituteBaltimoreUnited States
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Pesonen H, Laakkonen EK, Hautasaari P, Aukee P, Kovanen V, Sipilä S, Finni T, Tarkka IM. Perimenopausal women show modulation of excitatory and inhibitory neuromuscular mechanisms. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2021; 21:133. [PMID: 33789654 PMCID: PMC8011394 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-021-01275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Menopausal transition exposes women to an early decline in muscle force and motor function. Changes in muscle quality and function, especially in lower limbs, are crucial, as they expose individuals to increased risk of falls. To elucidate some of the related neuromuscular mechanisms, we investigated cortical inhibition and peripheral muscle twitch force potentiation in women during the early and late stages of perimenopause. Methods Participants were 63 women aged 48–55 years categorized as early (EP, n = 25) or late (LP, n = 38) perimenopausal according to serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and menstrual diaries. EP women had an irregular menstrual cycle and FSH < 25 IU/L, while LP women had an irregular cycle and > 25 IU/L. We examined motor evoked potential (MEP) and silent period (SP) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in the tibialis anterior muscle at 20%, 40%, and 60% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) levels, and twitch force potentiation in plantar flexors. Results EP group showed a longer SP duration in 40% MVC condition and larger motor evoked potential amplitude in 20% MVC condition compared to the LP group. No group difference was detected in twitch force potentiation; however, it correlated negatively with FSH levels. Other factors, such as age, height, body mass index, or physical activity did not explain group differences. Conclusions Our preliminary results indicate subtle modulation in both TMS-induced inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms and twitch force potentiation in women already in the late perimenopausal stage. This suggests that the reduction of estrogens may have an accelerating role in the aging process of neuromuscular control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Pesonen
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.
| | - Eija K Laakkonen
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Pekka Hautasaari
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Pauliina Aukee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pelvic Floor Research and Therapy Unit, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Vuokko Kovanen
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Sarianna Sipilä
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland.,Gerontology Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Taija Finni
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Ina M Tarkka
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, P.O. Box 35, 40014, Jyväskylä, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Yan FF, Lv H, Fan S, Chen L, Wu Y, Huang CB. Effect of physiological aging on binocular vision. Psych J 2021; 10:340-351. [PMID: 33686774 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We see the world with two eyes. Binocular vision provides more ample information through interocular interaction. Previous studies have shown that aging impairs a variety of visual functions, but how aging affects binocular vision is still unclear. In this study, we measured three typical binocular functions-binocular combination, binocular rivalry, and stereo vision-to investigate aging-related effects on binocular vision in a relatively large sample (48 younger adults and 27 older adults) with normal or corrected-to-normal distance vision and no ophthalmological and mental diseases. We found that there were no consistent aging-related declines in binocular vision, with the worst effect on alternation frequency in binocular rivalry and no effect on binocular phase combination and stereo vision tested by Titmus. In addition, aging changed the correlation pattern among some of these binocular functions. These results reflected (at least partially) different aging-related mechanism(s) in binocular vision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Fang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyu Lv
- Qinhuangdao Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Shuhan Fan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chang-Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
GABA levels in ventral visual cortex decline with age and are associated with neural distinctiveness. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 102:170-177. [PMID: 33770531 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Age-related neural dedifferentiation-a decline in the distinctiveness of neural representations in the aging brain-has been associated with age-related declines in cognitive abilities. But why does neural distinctiveness decline with age? Based on prior work in nonhuman primates and more recent work in humans, we hypothesized that the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) declines with age and is associated with neural dedifferentiation in older adults. To test this hypothesis, we used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure GABA and functional MRI (fMRI) to measure neural distinctiveness in the ventral visual cortex in a set of older and younger participants. Relative to younger adults, older adults exhibited lower GABA levels and less distinct activation patterns for faces and houses in the ventral visual cortex. Furthermore, individual differences in GABA within older adults positively predicted individual differences in neural distinctiveness. These results provide novel support for the view that age-related reductions of GABA contribute to age-related reductions in neural distinctiveness (i.e., neural dedifferentiation) in the human ventral visual cortex.
Collapse
|