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Chiou S, Unwin C, Lilley A. Age-related changes in reticulospinal contributions to anticipatory postural adjustments between back extensors and abdominal muscles. Exp Physiol 2024; 109:1177-1187. [PMID: 38745546 PMCID: PMC11215469 DOI: 10.1113/ep091698] [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: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) give feedforward postural control of the trunk, but they are delayed with ageing, affecting balance and mobility in older individuals. The reticulospinal tract contributes to postural control of the trunk; however, the extent to which age-related changes affect the reticulospinal contributions to APAs of the trunk remains unknown in humans. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a startling acoustic sound, which activates the reticulospinal tract, improves delayed APAs in older individuals. Twenty-two old (75 ± 6 years) and 20 healthy young adults (21 ± 4 years) performed a self-initiated fast bilateral shoulder flexion or shoulder extension task in response to visual, visual and auditory (80 dB), or visual and startling (115 dB) cues. Electromyography (EMG) was recorded from bilateral anterior deltoid (AD) and erector spinae (ES) during shoulder flexion and from bilateral posterior deltoid (PD) and rectus abdominis (RA) during shoulder extension. EMG onset of all muscles shortened during the startling cue in both age groups, suggesting a non-specific modulation of the reticulospinal tract on prime movers (AD or PD) and non-prime movers (ES or RA). Interestingly, APAs of the ES were accelerated in older participants to a similar degree as in younger participants during the startling cue. Conversely, APAs of the RA were not influenced by the startling cue in older participants. Our results suggest differential effects of ageing on functional contributions of the reticulospinal tract to APAs between back extensors and abdominal muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin‐Yi Chiou
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
| | - Catherine Unwin
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS TrustTreatment centre, City HospitalBirminghamUK
| | - Alice Lilley
- School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUK
- Musculoskeletal Outpatients DepartmentQueen's Hospital BurtonBurton‐On‐TrentStaffordshireUK
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2
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Ludwig M, Yi YJ, Lüsebrink F, Callaghan MF, Betts MJ, Yakupov R, Weiskopf N, Dolan RJ, Düzel E, Hämmerer D. Functional locus coeruleus imaging to investigate an ageing noradrenergic system. Commun Biol 2024; 7:777. [PMID: 38937535 PMCID: PMC11211439 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06446-5] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), our main source of norepinephrine (NE) in the brain, declines with age and is a potential epicentre of protein pathologies in neurodegenerative diseases (ND). In vivo measurements of LC integrity and function are potentially important biomarkers for healthy ageing and early ND onset. In the present study, high-resolution functional MRI (fMRI), a reversal reinforcement learning task, and dedicated post-processing approaches were used to visualise age differences in LC function (N = 50). Increased LC responses were observed during emotionally and task-related salient events, with subsequent accelerations and decelerations in reaction times, respectively, indicating context-specific adaptive engagement of the LC. Moreover, older adults exhibited increased LC activation compared to younger adults, indicating possible compensatory overactivation of a structurally declining LC in ageing. Our study shows that assessment of LC function is a promising biomarker of cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareike Ludwig
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany.
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany.
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Falk Lüsebrink
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
- NMR Methods Development Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martina F Callaghan
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew J Betts
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Renat Yakupov
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Weiskopf
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics, Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Raymond J Dolan
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Max Planck University College London Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
| | - Emrah Düzel
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- CBBS Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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3
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Guo Y, Jones EJ, Škarabot J, Inns TB, Phillips BE, Atherton PJ, Piasecki M. Common synaptic inputs and persistent inward currents of vastus lateralis motor units are reduced in older male adults. GeroScience 2024; 46:3249-3261. [PMID: 38238546 PMCID: PMC11009172 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01063-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Although muscle atrophy may partially account for age-related strength decline, it is further influenced by alterations of neural input to muscle. Persistent inward currents (PIC) and the level of common synaptic inputs to motoneurons influence neuromuscular function. However, these have not yet been described in the aged human quadriceps. High-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) signals were collected from the vastus lateralis of 15 young (mean ± SD, 23 ± 5 y) and 15 older (67 ± 9 y) men during submaximal sustained and 20-s ramped contractions. HDsEMG signals were decomposed to identify individual motor unit discharges, from which PIC amplitude and intramuscular coherence were estimated. Older participants produced significantly lower knee extensor torque (p < 0.001) and poorer force tracking ability (p < 0.001) than young. Older participants also had lower PIC amplitude (p = 0.001) and coherence estimates in the alpha frequency band (p < 0.001) during ramp contractions when compared to young. Persistent inward currents and common synaptic inputs are lower in the vastus lateralis of older males when compared to young. These data highlight altered neural input to the clinically and functionally important quadriceps, further underpinning age-related loss of function which may occur independently of the loss of muscle mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Guo
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Eleanor J Jones
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Jakob Škarabot
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Thomas B Inns
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Bethan E Phillips
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Philip J Atherton
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Mathew Piasecki
- Centre of Metabolism, Ageing & Physiology (COMAP), MRC-Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research &, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital Centre (Room 3011), Derby, DE22 3DT, UK.
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4
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Lagarde J, Olivieri P, Tonietto M, Noiray C, Lehericy S, Valabrègue R, Caillé F, Gervais P, Moussion M, Bottlaender M, Sarazin M. Combined in vivo MRI assessment of locus coeruleus and nucleus basalis of Meynert integrity in amnestic Alzheimer's disease, suspected-LATE and frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:97. [PMID: 38702802 PMCID: PMC11067144 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01466-z] [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: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The locus coeruleus (LC) and the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) are altered in early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Little is known about LC and NBM alteration in limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The aim of the present study is to investigate in vivo LC and NBM integrity in patients with suspected-LATE, early-amnestic AD and FTD in comparison with controls. METHODS Seventy-two participants (23 early amnestic-AD patients, 17 suspected-LATE, 17 FTD patients, defined by a clinical-biological diagnosis reinforced by amyloid and tau PET imaging, and 15 controls) underwent neuropsychological assessment and 3T brain MRI. We analyzed the locus coeruleus signal intensity (LC-I) and the NBM volume as well as their relation with cognition and with medial temporal/cortical atrophy. RESULTS We found significantly lower LC-I and NBM volume in amnestic-AD and suspected-LATE in comparison with controls. In FTD, we also observed lower NBM volume but a slightly less marked alteration of the LC-I, independently of the temporal or frontal phenotype. NBM volume was correlated with the global cognitive efficiency in AD patients. Strong correlations were found between NBM volume and that of medial temporal structures, particularly the amygdala in both AD and FTD patients. CONCLUSIONS The alteration of LC and NBM in amnestic-AD, presumed-LATE and FTD suggests a common vulnerability of these structures to different proteinopathies. Targeting the noradrenergic and cholinergic systems could be effective therapeutic strategies in LATE and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Lagarde
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France.
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France.
- Université Paris-Cité, Paris, France.
| | - Pauline Olivieri
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
| | - Matteo Tonietto
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Camille Noiray
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Lehericy
- Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche - CENIR, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière - ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Romain Valabrègue
- Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche - CENIR, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière - ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
- Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, ICM, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Fabien Caillé
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Philippe Gervais
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
| | - Martin Moussion
- Centre d'Evaluation Troubles Psychiques et Vieillissement, GHU Paris Psychiatrie & Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, F-75014, France
| | - Michel Bottlaender
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
- UNIACT, Neurospin, Gif-sur-Yvette, CEA, F-91191, France
| | - Marie Sarazin
- Department of Neurology of Memory and Language, GHU Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Service Hospitalier Frédéric Joliot CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, Orsay, F- 91401, France
- Université Paris-Cité, Paris, France
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5
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Orssatto LBR, Thorstensen JR, Scott D, Daly RM. Are we underestimating the potential of neuroactive drugs to augment neuromotor function in sarcopenia? Metabolism 2024; 154:155816. [PMID: 38364901 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2024.155816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B R Orssatto
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
| | - Jacob R Thorstensen
- Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David Scott
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia; School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Robin M Daly
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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6
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Laurencin C, Lancelot S, Brosse S, Mérida I, Redouté J, Greusard E, Lamberet L, Liotier V, Le Bars D, Costes N, Thobois S, Boulinguez P, Ballanger B. Noradrenergic alterations in Parkinson's disease: a combined 11C-yohimbine PET/neuromelanin MRI study. Brain 2024; 147:1377-1388. [PMID: 37787503 PMCID: PMC10994534 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Degeneration of the noradrenergic system is now considered a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease, but little is known about its consequences in terms of parkinsonian manifestations. Here, we evaluated two aspects of the noradrenergic system using multimodal in vivo imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls: the pigmented cell bodies of the locus coeruleus with neuromelanin sensitive MRI; and the density of α2-adrenergic receptors (ARs) with PET using 11C-yohimbine. Thirty patients with Parkinson's disease and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were included. The characteristics of the patients' symptoms were assessed using the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Patients showed reduced neuromelanin signal intensity in the locus coeruleus compared with controls and diminished 11C-yohimbine binding in widespread cortical regions, including the motor cortex, as well as in the insula, thalamus and putamen. Clinically, locus coeruleus neuronal loss was correlated with motor (bradykinesia, motor fluctuations, tremor) and non-motor (fatigue, apathy, constipation) symptoms. A reduction of α2-AR availability in the thalamus was associated with tremor, while a reduction in the putamen, the insula and the superior temporal gyrus was associated with anxiety. These results highlight a multifaceted alteration of the noradrenergic system in Parkinson's disease since locus coeruleus and α2-AR degeneration were found to be partly uncoupled. These findings raise important issues about noradrenergic dysfunction that may encourage the search for new drugs targeting this system, including α2-ARs, for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Laurencin
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
- Department of Neurology C, Expert Parkinson Centre, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pierre Wertheimer Neurological Hospital, NS-Park/F-CRIN, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Sophie Lancelot
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Sarah Brosse
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
| | - Inés Mérida
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Jérôme Redouté
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Elise Greusard
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Ludovic Lamberet
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | | | - Didier Le Bars
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Nicolas Costes
- CERMEP-Imagerie du Vivant, PET-MRI Department, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Stéphane Thobois
- Department of Neurology C, Expert Parkinson Centre, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pierre Wertheimer Neurological Hospital, NS-Park/F-CRIN, 69500 Bron, France
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives Marc Jeannerod, UMR 5229, CNRS, 69500 Bron, France
| | - Philippe Boulinguez
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
| | - Bénédicte Ballanger
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, University Lyon 1, F-69000 Lyon, France
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7
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Lv Q, Wang X, Lin P, Wang X. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in the study of mental disorder: A systematic review. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2024; 339:111785. [PMID: 38325165 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2024.111785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, but non-invasive study of their neuronal function remains challenging. Recent research suggests that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) techniques may overcome this limitation by enabling the non-invasive imaging of the substantia nigra (SN)/ ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic and locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic systems. A review of 19 studies that met the criteria for NM-MRI application in mental disorders found that despite the use of heterogeneous sequence parameters and metrics, nearly all studies reported differences in contrast ratio (CNR) of LC or SN/VTA between patients with mental disorders and healthy controls. These findings suggest that NM-MRI is a valuable tool in psychiatry, but the differences in sequence parameters across studies hinder comparability, and a standardized analysis pipeline is needed to improve the reliability of results. Further research using standardized methods is needed to better understand the role of dopamine and norepinephrine in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyu Lv
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xuanyi Wang
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Pan Lin
- Department of Psychology and Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China; Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.; China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Xiangya), Changsha, Hunan, PR China..
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8
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Goreau V, Hug F, Jannou A, Dernoncourt F, Crouzier M, Cattagni T. Estimates of persistent inward currents in lower limb muscles are not different between inactive, resistance-trained, and endurance-trained young males. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:166-175. [PMID: 38116611 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00278.2023] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent inward currents (PICs) increase the intrinsic excitability of α-motoneurons. The main objective of this study was to compare estimates of α-motoneuronal PICs between inactive, chronic resistance-trained, and chronic endurance-trained young individuals. We also aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship in the estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude between muscles. Estimates of PIC magnitude were obtained in three groups of young individuals: resistance-trained (n = 12), endurance-trained (n = 12), and inactive (n = 13). We recorded high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) signals from tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), soleus (SOL), vastus medialis (VM), and vastus lateralis (VL). Then, signals were decomposed with convolutive blind source separation to identify motor unit (MU) spike trains. Participants performed triangular isometric contractions to a peak of 20% of their maximum voluntary contraction. A paired-motor-unit analysis was used to calculate ΔF, which is assumed to be proportional to PIC magnitude. Despite the substantial differences in physical training experience between groups, we found no differences in ΔF, regardless of the muscle. Significant correlations of estimates of PIC magnitude were found between muscles of the same group (VL-VM, SOL-GM). Only two correlations (out of 8) between muscles of different groups were found (TA-GM and VL-GM). Overall, our findings suggest that estimates of PIC magnitude from lower-threshold MUs at low contraction intensities in the lower limb muscles are not influenced by physical training experience in healthy young individuals. They also suggest muscle-specific and muscle group-specific regulations of the estimates of PIC magnitude.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Chronic resistance and endurance training can lead to specific adaptations in motor unit activity. The contribution of α-motoneuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) to these adaptations is currently unknown in healthy young individuals. Therefore, we studied whether estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude are higher in chronically trained endurance- and resistance-trained individuals. We also studied whether there is a relationship between the estimates of α-motoneuronal PIC magnitude of different lower limb muscles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Goreau
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | | | - Anthony Jannou
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - François Dernoncourt
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Marion Crouzier
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
- Department of Movement Science, Human Movement Biomechanics Research Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thomas Cattagni
- Movement - Interactions - Performance (MIP, UR 4334), Nantes Université, Nantes, France
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9
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Riley E, Turker H, Wang D, Swallow KM, Anderson AK, De Rosa E. Nonlinear changes in pupillary attentional orienting responses across the lifespan. GeroScience 2024; 46:1017-1033. [PMID: 37318717 PMCID: PMC10828243 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00834-1] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The cognitive aging process is not necessarily linear. Central task-evoked pupillary responses, representing a brainstem-pupil relationship, may vary across the lifespan. Thus we examined, in 75 adults ranging in age from 19 to 86, whether task-evoked pupillary responses to an attention task may serve in as an index of cognitive aging. This is because the locus coeruleus (LC), located in the brainstem, is not only among the earliest sites of degeneration in pathological aging, but also supports both attentional and pupillary behaviors. We assessed brief, task-evoked phasic attentional orienting to behaviorally relevant and irrelevant auditory tones, stimuli known specifically to recruit the LC in the brainstem and evoke pupillary responses. Due to potential nonlinear changes across the lifespan, we used a novel data-driven analysis on 6 dynamic pupillary behaviors on 10% of the data to reveal cut off points that best characterized the three age bands: young (19-41 years old), middle aged (42-68 years old), and older adults (69 + years old). Follow-up analyses on independent data, the remaining 90%, revealed age-related changes such as monotonic decreases in tonic pupillary diameter and dynamic range, along with curvilinear phasic pupillary responses to the behaviorally relevant target events, increasing in the middle-aged group and then decreasing in the older group. Additionally, the older group showed decreased differentiation of pupillary responses between target and distractor events. This pattern is consistent with potential compensatory LC activity in midlife that is diminished in old age, resulting in decreased adaptive gain. Beyond regulating responses to light, pupillary dynamics reveal a nonlinear capacity for neurally mediated gain across the lifespan, thus providing evidence in support of the LC adaptive gain hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Riley
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Hamid Turker
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Dongliang Wang
- Department of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Khena M Swallow
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Adam K Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Eve De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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10
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Trujillo P, Aumann MA, Claassen DO. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a promising biomarker of catecholamine function. Brain 2024; 147:337-351. [PMID: 37669320 PMCID: PMC10834262 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions to dopamine and noradrenergic neurotransmission are noted in several neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. Neuromelanin-sensitive (NM)-MRI offers a non-invasive approach to visualize and quantify the structural and functional integrity of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. This method may aid in the diagnosis and quantification of longitudinal changes of disease and could provide a stratification tool for predicting treatment success of pharmacological interventions targeting the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems. Given the growing clinical interest in NM-MRI, understanding the contrast mechanisms that generate this signal is crucial for appropriate interpretation of NM-MRI outcomes and for the continued development of quantitative MRI biomarkers that assess disease severity and progression. To date, most studies associate NM-MRI measurements to the content of the neuromelanin pigment and/or density of neuromelanin-containing neurons, while recent studies suggest that the main source of the NM-MRI contrast is not the presence of neuromelanin but the high-water content in the dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons. In this review, we consider the biological and physical basis for the NM-MRI contrast and discuss a wide range of interpretations of NM-MRI. We describe different acquisition and image processing approaches and discuss how these methods could be improved and standardized to facilitate large-scale multisite studies and translation into clinical use. We review the potential clinical applications in neurological and psychiatric disorders and the promise of NM-MRI as a biomarker of disease, and finally, we discuss the current limitations of NM-MRI that need to be addressed before this technique can be utilized as a biomarker and translated into clinical practice and offer suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Megan A Aumann
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
| | - Daniel O Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA
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11
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Galgani A, Giorgi FS. Exploring the Role of Locus Coeruleus in Alzheimer's Disease: a Comprehensive Update on MRI Studies and Implications. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2023; 23:925-936. [PMID: 38064152 PMCID: PMC10724305 DOI: 10.1007/s11910-023-01324-9] [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] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Performing a thorough review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies assessing locus coeruleus (LC) integrity in ageing and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and contextualizing them with current preclinical and neuropathological literature. RECENT FINDINGS MRI successfully detected LC alterations in ageing and AD, identifying degenerative phenomena involving this nucleus even in the prodromal stages of the disorder. The degree of LC disruption was also associated with the severity of AD cortical pathology, cognitive and behavioral impairment, and the risk of clinical progression. Locus coeruleus-MRI has proved to be a useful tool to assess the integrity of the central noradrenergic system in vivo in humans. It allowed to test in patients preclinical and experimental hypothesis, thus confirming the specific and marked involvement of the LC in AD and its key pathogenetic role. Locus coeruleus-MRI-related data might represent the theoretical basis on which to start developing noradrenergic drugs to target AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Galgani
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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12
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Koshmanova E, Berger A, Beckers E, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Balda F, Berthomier C, Degueldre C, Salmon E, Lamalle L, Bastin C, Van Egroo M, Phillips C, Maquet P, Collette F, Muto V, Chylinski D, Jacobs HI, Talwar P, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. Locus coeruleus activity while awake is associated with REM sleep quality in older individuals. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172008. [PMID: 37698926 PMCID: PMC10619502 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDThe locus coeruleus (LC) is the primary source of norepinephrine in the brain and regulates arousal and sleep. Animal research shows that it plays important roles in the transition between sleep and wakefulness, and between slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS). It is unclear, however, whether the activity of the LC predicts sleep variability in humans.METHODSWe used 7-Tesla functional MRI, sleep electroencephalography (EEG), and a sleep questionnaire to test whether the LC activity during wakefulness was associated with sleep quality in 33 healthy younger (~22 years old; 28 women, 5 men) and 19 older (~61 years old; 14 women, 5 men) individuals.RESULTSWe found that, in older but not in younger participants, higher LC activity, as probed during an auditory attentional task, was associated with worse subjective sleep quality and with lower power over the EEG theta band during REMS. The results remained robust even when accounting for the age-related changes in the integrity of the LC.CONCLUSIONThese findings suggest that LC activity correlates with the perception of the sleep quality and an essential oscillatory mode of REMS, and we found that the LC may be an important target in the treatment of sleep- and age-related diseases.FUNDINGThis work was supported by Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FRS-FNRS, T.0242.19 & J. 0222.20), Action de Recherche Concertée - Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (ARC SLEEPDEM 17/27-09), Fondation Recherche Alzheimer (SAO-FRA 2019/0025), ULiège, and European Regional Development Fund (Radiomed & Biomed-Hub).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Koshmanova
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Berger
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
- Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | - Elise Beckers
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Islay Campbell
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Nasrin Mortazavi
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Roya Sharifpour
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilenia Paparella
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Fermin Balda
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Christian Degueldre
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Eric Salmon
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Neurology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Laurent Lamalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Christine Bastin
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Maxime Van Egroo
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Christophe Phillips
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- In Silico Medicine Unit, GIGA-Institute, ULiège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Maquet
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- Neurology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fabienne Collette
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
- PsyNCog and
| | - Vincenzo Muto
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Daphne Chylinski
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Heidi I.L. Jacobs
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Puneet Talwar
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Siya Sherif
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Institute, CRC-In Vivo Imaging Unit, University of Liège (ULiège), Liège, Belgium
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13
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Riley E, Cicero N, Swallow K, De Rosa E, Anderson A. Locus coeruleus neuromelanin accumulation and dissipation across the lifespan. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.17.562814. [PMID: 37905002 PMCID: PMC10614878 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.17.562814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The pigment neuromelanin, produced in the locus coeruleus (LC) as a byproduct of catecholamine synthesis, gives the "blue spot" its name, and both identifies LC neurons and is thought to play an important yet complex role in normal and pathological aging. Using neuromelanin-sensitive T1-weighted turbo spin echo MRI scans we characterized volume and neuromelanin signal intensity in the LC of 96 participants between the ages of 19 and 86. Although LC volume did not change significantly throughout the lifespan, LC neuromelanin signal intensity increased from early adulthood, peaked around age 60 and precipitously declined thereafter. Neuromelanin intensity was greater in the caudal relative to rostral extent and in women relative to men. With regard to function, rostral LC neuromelanin intensity was associated with fluid cognition in older adults (60+) only in those above the 50th percentile of cognitive ability for age. The gradual accumulation of LC neuromelanin across the lifespan, its sudden dissipation in later life, and relation to preserved cognitive function, is consistent with its complex role in normal and pathological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eve De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University
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14
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Dahl MJ, Kulesza A, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. Declining locus coeruleus-dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of long-term memory in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105358. [PMID: 37597700 PMCID: PMC10591841 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Memory is essential in defining our identity by guiding behavior based on past experiences. However, aging leads to declining memory, disrupting older adult's lives. Memories are encoded through experience-dependent modifications of synaptic strength, which are regulated by the catecholamines dopamine and noradrenaline. While cognitive aging research demonstrates how dopaminergic neuromodulation from the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area regulates hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory, recent findings indicate that the noradrenergic locus coeruleus sends denser inputs to the hippocampus. The locus coeruleus produces dopamine as biosynthetic precursor of noradrenaline, and releases both to modulate hippocampal plasticity and memory. Crucially, the locus coeruleus is also the first site to accumulate Alzheimer's-related abnormal tau and severely degenerates with disease development. New in-vivo assessments of locus coeruleus integrity reveal associations with Alzheimer's markers and late-life memory impairments, which likely stem from impaired dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission. Bridging research across species, the reviewed findings suggest that degeneration of the locus coeruleus results in deficient dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of hippocampal plasticity and thus memory decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany; Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Agnieszka Kulesza
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, 90089 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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Chen HY, Parent JH, Ciampa CJ, Dahl MJ, Hämmerer D, Maass A, Winer JR, Yakupov R, Inglis B, Betts MJ, Berry AS. Interactive effects of locus coeruleus structure and catecholamine synthesis capacity on cognitive function. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1236335. [PMID: 37744395 PMCID: PMC10516288 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1236335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The locus coeruleus (LC) produces catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine) and is implicated in a broad range of cognitive functions including attention and executive function. Recent advancements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approaches allow for the visualization and quantification of LC structure. Human research focused on the LC has since exploded given the LC's role in cognition and relevance to current models of psychopathology and neurodegenerative disease. However, it is unclear to what extent LC structure reflects underlying catecholamine function, and how LC structure and neurochemical function are collectively associated with cognitive performance. Methods A partial least squares correlation (PLSC) analysis was applied to 19 participants' LC structural MRI measures and catecholamine synthesis capacity measures assessed using [18F]Fluoro-m-tyrosine ([18F]FMT) positron emission tomography (PET). Results We found no direct association between LC-MRI and LC-[18F]FMT measures for rostral, middle, or caudal portions of the LC. We found significant associations between LC neuroimaging measures and neuropsychological performance that were driven by rostral and middle portions of the LC, which is in line with LC cortical projection patterns. Specifically, associations with executive function and processing speed arose from contributions of both LC structure and interactions between LC structure and catecholamine synthesis capacity. Conclusion These findings leave open the possibility that LC MRI and PET measures contribute unique information and suggest that their conjoint use may increase sensitivity to brain-behavior associations in small samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Yu Chen
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Jourdan H. Parent
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Claire J. Ciampa
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
| | - Martin J. Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- Psychological Institute, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anne Maass
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Joseph R. Winer
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Renat Yakupov
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Ben Inglis
- Henry H. Wheeler Jr. Brain Imaging Center, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Matthew J. Betts
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Anne S. Berry
- Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
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16
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Orssatto LBR, Blazevich AJ, Trajano GS. Ageing reduces persistent inward current contribution to motor neurone firing: Potential mechanisms and the role of exercise. J Physiol 2023; 601:3705-3716. [PMID: 37488952 DOI: 10.1113/jp284603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Nervous system deterioration is a primary driver of age-related motor impairment. The motor neurones, which act as the interface between the central nervous system and the muscles, play a crucial role in amplifying excitatory synaptic input to produce the desired motor neuronal firing output. For this, they utilise their ability to generate persistent (long-lasting) depolarising currents that increase cell excitability, and both amplify and prolong the output activity of motor neurones for a given synaptic input. Modulation of these persistent inward currents (PICs) contributes to the motor neurones' capacities to attain the required firing frequencies and rapidly modulate them to competently complete most tasks. Thus, PICs are crucial for adequate movement generation. Impairments in intrinsic motor neurone properties can impact motor unit firing capacity, with convincing evidence indicating that the PIC contribution to motor neurone firing is reduced in older adults. Indeed, this could be an important mechanism underpinning the age-related reductions in strength and physical function. Furthermore, resistance training has emerged as a promising intervention to counteract age-associated PIC impairments, with changes in PICs being correlated with improvements in muscular strength and physical function after training. In this review, we present the current knowledge of the PIC magnitude decline during ageing and discuss whether reduced serotonergic and noradrenergic input onto the motor neurones, voltage-gated calcium channel dysfunction or inhibitory input impairments are candidates that: (i) explain age-related reductions in the PIC contribution to motor neurone firing and (ii) underpin the enhanced PIC contribution to motor neurone firing following resistance training in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B R Orssatto
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J Blazevich
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Centre for Human Performance, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | - Gabriel S Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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17
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Dahl MJ, Bachman SL, Dutt S, Düzel S, Bodammer NC, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Werkle-Bergner M, Mather M. The integrity of dopaminergic and noradrenergic brain regions is associated with different aspects of late-life memory performance. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:1128-1143. [PMID: 37653256 PMCID: PMC10501910 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00469-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopaminergic neuromodulation play a key role in adult memory decline. Recent research has also implicated noradrenaline in shaping late-life memory. However, it is unclear whether these two neuromodulators have distinct roles in age-related cognitive changes. Here, combining longitudinal MRI of the dopaminergic substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA) and noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) in younger (n = 69) and older (n = 251) adults, we found that dopaminergic and noradrenergic integrity are differentially associated with memory performance. While LC integrity was related to better episodic memory across several tasks, SN-VTA integrity was linked to working memory. Longitudinally, we found that older age was associated with more negative change in SN-VTA and LC integrity. Notably, changes in LC integrity reliably predicted future episodic memory. These differential associations of dopaminergic and noradrenergic nuclei with late-life cognitive decline have potential clinical utility, given their degeneration in several age-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Shelby L Bachman
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shubir Dutt
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils C Bodammer
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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18
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Koohsari S, Sadabad FE, Pittman B, Gallezot JD, Carson RE, van Dyck CH, Li CSR, Potenza MN, Matuskey D. Relationships of in vivo brain norepinephrine transporter and age, BMI, and gender. Synapse 2023; 77:e22279. [PMID: 37382240 PMCID: PMC10416616 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22279] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Previous research reported an age-related decline in brain norepinephrine transporter (NET) using (S, S)-[11C]O-methylreboxetine ([11C]MRB) as a radiotracer. Studies with the same tracer have been mixed in regard to differences related to body mass index (BMI). Here, we investigated potential age-, BMI-, and gender-related differences in brain NET availability using [11C]MRB, the most selective available radiotracer. Forty-three healthy participants (20 females, 23 males; age range 18-49 years), including 12 individuals with normal/lean weight, 15 with overweight, and 16 with obesity were scanned with [11C]MRB using a positron emission tomography (PET) high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT). We evaluated binding potential (BPND ) in brain regions with high NET availability using multilinear reference tissue model 2 (MRTM2) with the occipital cortex as a reference region. Brain regions were delineated with a defined anatomic template applied to subjects' structural MR scans. We found a negative association between age and NET availability in the locus coeruleus, raphe nucleus, and hypothalamus, with a 17%, 19%, and 14% decrease per decade, respectively, in each region. No gender or BMI relationships with NET availability were observed. Our findings suggest an age-related decline, but no BMI- or gender-related differences, in NET availability in healthy adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheida Koohsari
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Brian Pittman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Richard E Carson
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Child Study Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, Connecticut
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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19
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Chen HY, Marxen M, Dahl MJ, Glöckner F. Effects of Adult Age and Functioning of the Locus Coeruleus Norepinephrinergic System on Reward-Based Learning. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6185-6196. [PMID: 37541835 PMCID: PMC10476638 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2006-22.2023] [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: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related impairments in value representations and updating during decision-making and reward-based learning are often related to age-related attenuation in the catecholamine system such as dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE). However, it is unclear to what extent age-related declines in NE functioning in humans affect reward-based decision-making. We conducted a probabilistic decision-making task and applied a Q-learning model to investigate participants' anticipatory values and value sensitivities. Task-related pupil dilations and locus coeruleus (LC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast, which served as a potential window of the LC-NE functions, were assessed in younger and older adults. Results showed that in both choice and feedback phases, younger adults' (N = 42, 22 males) pupil dilations negatively correlated with anticipatory values, indicating uncertainty about outcome probabilities. Uncertainty-evoked pupil dilations in older adults (N = 41, 27 males) were smaller, indicating age-related impairments in value estimation and updating. In both age groups, participants who showed a larger uncertainty-evoked pupil dilation exhibited a higher value sensitivity as reflected in the β parameter of the reinforcement Q-learning model. Furthermore, older adults (N = 34, 29 males) showed a lower LC-MRI contrast than younger adults (N = 25, 15 males). The LC-MRI contrast positively correlated with value sensitivity only in older but not in younger adults. These findings suggest that task-related pupillary responses can reflect age-related deficits in value estimation and updating during reward-based decision-making. Our evidence with the LC-MRI contrast further showed the age-related decline of the LC structure in modulating value representations during reward-based learning.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Age-related impairments in value representation and updating during reward-based learning are associated with declines in the catecholamine modulation with age. However, it is unclear how age-related declines in the LC-NE system may affect reward-based learning. Here, we show that compared with younger adults, older adults exhibited reduced uncertainty-induced pupil dilations, suggesting age-related deficits in value estimation and updating. Older adults showed a lower structural MRI of the LC contrast than younger adults, indicating age-related degeneration of the LC structure. The association between the LC-MRI contrast and value sensitivity was only observed in older adults. Our findings may demonstrate a pioneering model to unravel the role of the LC-NE system in reward-based learning in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiang-Yu Chen
- Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
- Methods of Psychology and Cognitive Modeling, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Marxen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90089
| | - Franka Glöckner
- Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany
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20
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Wolters AF, Heijmans M, Priovoulos N, Jacobs HIL, Postma AA, Temel Y, Kuijf ML, Michielse S. Neuromelanin related ultra-high field signal intensity of the locus coeruleus differs between Parkinson's disease and controls. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 39:103479. [PMID: 37494758 PMCID: PMC10394012 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Neuromelanin related signal changes in catecholaminergic nuclei are considered as a promising MRI biomarker in Parkinson's disease (PD). Until now, most studies have investigated the substantia nigra (SN), while signal changes might be more prominent in the locus coeruleus (LC). Ultra-high field MRI improves the visualisation of these small brainstem regions and might support the development of imaging biomarkers in PD. OBJECTIVES To compare signal intensity of the SN and LC on Magnetization Transfer MRI between PD patients and healthy controls (HC) and to explore its association with cognitive performance in PD. METHODS This study was conducted using data from the TRACK-PD study, a longitudinal 7T MRI study. A total of 78 early-stage PD patients and 36 HC were included. A mask for the SN and LC was automatically segmented and manually corrected. Neuromelanin related signal intensity of the SN and LC was compared between PD and HC. RESULTS PD participants showed a lower contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) in the right SN (p = 0.029) and left LC (p = 0.027). After adding age as a confounder, the CNR of the right SN did not significantly differ anymore between PD and HC (p = 0.055). Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between the SN CNR and memory function. DISCUSSION This study confirms that neuromelanin related signal intensity of the LC differs between early-stage PD patients and HC. No significant difference was found in the SN. This supports the theory of bottom-up disease progression in PD. Furthermore, loss of SN integrity might influence working memory or learning capabilities in PD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amée F Wolters
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Margot Heijmans
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nikos Priovoulos
- Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi I L Jacobs
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Alida A Postma
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
| | - Yasin Temel
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Mark L Kuijf
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn Michielse
- School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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21
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Huddleston DE, Chen X, Hwang K, Langley J, Tripathi R, Tucker K, McKay JL, Hu X, Factor SA. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI correlates of cognitive and motor function in Parkinson's disease with freezing of gait. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.04.23292227. [PMID: 37461735 PMCID: PMC10350131 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.04.23292227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and locus coeruleus (LC) are neuromelanin-rich nuclei implicated in diverse cognitive and motor processes in normal brain function and disease. However, their roles in aging and neurodegenerative disease mechanisms have remained unclear due to a lack of tools to study them in vivo. Preclinical and post-mortem human investigations indicate that the relationship between tissue neuromelanin content and neurodegeneration is complex. Neuromelanin exhibits both neuroprotective and cytotoxic characteristics, and tissue neuromelanin content varies across the lifespan, exhibiting an inverted U-shaped relationship with age. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) is an emerging modality that allows measurement of neuromelanin-associated contrast in SNc and LC in humans. NM-MRI robustly detects disease effects in these structures in neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous NM-MRI studies of PD have largely focused on detecting disease group effects, but few studies have reported NM-MRI correlations with phenotype. Because neuromelanin dynamics are complex, we hypothesize that they are best interpreted in the context of both disease stage and aging, with neuromelanin loss correlating with symptoms most clearly in advanced stages where neuromelanin loss and neurodegeneration are coupled. We tested this hypothesis using NM-MRI to measure SNc and LC volumes in healthy older adult control individuals and in PD patients with and without freezing of gait (FOG), a severe and disabling PD symptom. We assessed for group differences and correlations between NM-MRI measures and aging, cognition and motor deficits. SNc volume was significantly decreased in PD with FOG compared to controls. SNc volume correlated significantly with motor symptoms and cognitive measures in PD with FOG, but not in PD without FOG. SNc volume correlated significantly with aging in PD. When PD patients were stratified by disease duration, SNc volume correlated with aging, cognition, and motor deficits only in PD with disease duration >5 years. We conclude that in severe or advanced PD, identified by either FOG or disease duration >5 years, the observed correlations between SNc volume and aging, cognition, and motor function may reflect the coupling of neuromelanin loss with neurodegeneration and the associated emergence of a linear relationship between NM-MRI measures and phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E. Huddleston
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiangchuan Chen
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kristy Hwang
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Diego
| | - Jason Langley
- Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Richa Tripathi
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kelsey Tucker
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J. Lucas McKay
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Stewart A. Factor
- Jean and Paul Amos Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Program, Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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22
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Pagliaccio D, Wengler K, Durham K, Fontaine M, Rueppel M, Becker H, Bilek E, Pieper S, Risdon C, Horga G, Fitzgerald KD, Marsh R. Probing midbrain dopamine function in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder via neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3075-3082. [PMID: 37198261 PMCID: PMC10189717 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02105-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an impairing psychiatric condition, which often onsets in childhood. Growing research highlights dopaminergic alterations in adult OCD, yet pediatric studies are limited by methodological constraints. This is the first study to utilize neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy for dopaminergic function among children with OCD. N = 135 youth (6-14-year-olds) completed high-resolution neuromelanin-sensitive MRI across two sites; n = 64 had an OCD diagnosis. N = 47 children with OCD completed a second scan after cognitive-behavioral therapy. Voxel-wise analyses identified that neuromelanin-MRI signal was higher among children with OCD compared to those without (483 voxels, permutation-corrected p = 0.018). Effects were significant within both the substania nigra pars compacta (p = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.51) and ventral tegmental area (p = 0.006, d = 0.50). Follow-up analyses indicated that more severe lifetime symptoms (t = -2.72, p = 0.009) and longer illness duration (t = -2.22, p = 0.03) related to lower neuromelanin-MRI signal. Despite significant symptom reduction with therapy (p < 0.001, d = 1.44), neither baseline nor change in neuromelanin-MRI signal associated with symptom improvement. Current results provide the first demonstration of the utility of neuromelanin-MRI in pediatric psychiatry, specifically highlighting in vivo evidence for midbrain dopamine alterations in treatment-seeking youth with OCD. Neuromelanin-MRI likely indexes accumulating alterations over time, herein, implicating dopamine hyperactivity in OCD. Given evidence of increased neuromelanin signal in pediatric OCD but negative association with symptom severity, additional work is needed to parse potential longitudinal or compensatory mechanisms. Future studies should explore the utility of neuromelanin-MRI biomarkers to identify early risk prior to onset, parse OCD subtypes or symptom heterogeneity, and explore prediction of pharmacotherapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pagliaccio
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine Durham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martine Fontaine
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Meryl Rueppel
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hannah Becker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily Bilek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sarah Pieper
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Caroline Risdon
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kate D Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Marsh
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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23
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Berger A, Koshmanova E, Beckers E, Sharifpour R, Paparella I, Campbell I, Mortazavi N, Balda F, Yi YJ, Lamalle L, Dricot L, Phillips C, Jacobs HIL, Talwar P, El Tahry R, Sherif S, Vandewalle G. Structural and functional characterization of the locus coeruleus in young and late middle-aged individuals. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1207844. [PMID: 37554637 PMCID: PMC10406214 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1207844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The brainstem locus coeruleus (LC) influences a broad range of brain processes, including cognition. The so-called LC contrast is an accepted marker of the integrity of the LC that consists of a local hyperintensity on specific Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) structural images. The small size of the LC has, however, rendered its functional characterization difficult in humans, including in aging. A full characterization of the structural and functional characteristics of the LC in healthy young and late middle-aged individuals is needed to determine the potential roles of the LC in different medical conditions. Here, we wanted to determine whether the activation of the LC in a mismatch negativity task changes in aging and whether the LC functional response was associated to the LC contrast. METHODS We used Ultra-High Field (UHF) 7-Tesla functional MRI (fMRI) to record brain response during an auditory oddball task in 53 healthy volunteers, including 34 younger (age: 22.15y ± 3.27; 29 women) and 19 late middle-aged (age: 61.05y ± 5.3; 14 women) individuals. RESULTS Whole-brain analyses confirmed brain responses in the typical cortical and subcortical regions previously associated with mismatch negativity. When focusing on the brainstem, we found a significant response in the rostral part of the LC probability mask generated based on individual LC images. Although bilateral, the activation was more extensive in the left LC. Individual LC activity was not significantly different between young and late middle-aged individuals. Importantly, while the LC contrast was higher in older individuals, the functional response of the LC was not significantly associated with its contrast. DISCUSSION These findings may suggest that the age-related alterations of the LC structural integrity may not be related to changes in its functional response. The results further suggest that LC responses may remain stable in healthy individuals aged 20 to 70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Berger
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Synergia Medical SA, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | - Ekaterina Koshmanova
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Elise Beckers
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Roya Sharifpour
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilenia Paparella
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Islay Campbell
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nasrin Mortazavi
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fermin Balda
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Laurent Lamalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurence Dricot
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christophe Phillips
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Heidi I. L. Jacobs
- Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Puneet Talwar
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Riëm El Tahry
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Refractory Epilepsy, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO) Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Siya Sherif
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- Sleep and Chronobiology Lab, GIGA-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Robison MK, Ralph KJ, Gondoli DM, Torres A, Campbell S, Brewer GA, Gibson BS. Testing locus coeruleus-norepinephrine accounts of working memory, attention control, and fluid intelligence. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023:10.3758/s13415-023-01096-2. [PMID: 37081225 PMCID: PMC10118234 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01096-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
The current set of studies examined the relationship among working memory capacity, attention control, fluid intelligence, and pupillary correlates of tonic arousal regulation and phasic responsiveness in a combined sample of more than 1,000 participants in two different age ranges (young adults and adolescents). Each study was designed to test predictions made by two recent theories regarding the role of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system in determining individual differences in cognitive ability. The first theory, proposed by Unsworth and Robison (2017a), posits two important individual differences: the moment-to-moment regulation of tonic arousal, and the phasic responsiveness of the system to goal-relevant stimuli. The second theory, proposed by Tsukahara and Engle (2021a), argues that people with higher cognitive abilities have greater functional connectivity between the LC-NE system and cortical networks at rest. These two theories are not mutually exclusive, but they make different predictions. Overall, we found no evidence consistent with a resting-state theory. However, phasic responsiveness was consistently correlated with working memory capacity, attention control, and fluid intelligence, supporting a prediction made by Unsworth and Robison (2017a). Tonic arousal regulation was not correlated with working memory or fluid intelligence and was inconsistently correlated with attention control, which offers only partial support for Unsworth and Robison's (2017a) second prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K Robison
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA.
| | - Kathryn J Ralph
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Dawn M Gondoli
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Alexis Torres
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Stephen Campbell
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA
| | - Gene A Brewer
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Bradley S Gibson
- Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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25
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Lawn T, Howard MA, Turkheimer F, Misic B, Deco G, Martins D, Dipasquale O. From Neurotransmitters to Networks: Transcending Organisational Hierarchies with Molecular-informed Functional Imaging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105193. [PMID: 37086932 PMCID: PMC10390343 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
The human brain exhibits complex interactions across micro, meso-, and macro-scale organisational principles. Recent synergistic multi-modal approaches have begun to link micro-scale information to systems level dynamics, transcending organisational hierarchies and offering novel perspectives into the brain's function and dysfunction. Specifically, the distribution of micro-scale properties (such as receptor density or gene expression) can be mapped onto macro-scale measures from functional MRI to provide novel neurobiological insights. Methodological approaches to enrich functional imaging analyses with molecular information are rapidly evolving, with several streams of research having developed relatively independently, each offering unique potential to explore the trans-hierarchical functioning of the brain. Here, we address the three principal streams of research - spatial correlation, molecular-enriched network, and in-silico whole brain modelling analyses - to provide a critical overview of the different sources of molecular information, how this information can be utilised within analyses of fMRI data, the merits and pitfalls of each methodology, and, through the use of key examples, highlight their promise to shed new light on key domains of neuroscientific inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Lawn
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Matthew A Howard
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Bratislav Misic
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Ramon Trias Fargas 25-27, Barcelona 08005, Spain; Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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26
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Mackay Phillips K, Orssatto LBR, Polman R, Van der Pols JC, Trajano GS. The effects of α-lactalbumin supplementation and handgrip contraction on soleus motoneuron excitability. Eur J Appl Physiol 2023; 123:395-404. [PMID: 36443491 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-022-05101-3] [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: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We tested two strategies that hypothetically increase serotonin availability (α-lactalbumin consumption and a remote submaximal handgrip contraction) on estimates of persistent inward currents (PICs) amplitude of soleus muscle in healthy participants. METHODS With a randomised, double-blind, and cross-over design, 13 healthy participants performed triangular-shaped ramp contractions with their plantar flexors (20% of maximal torque), followed by a 30-s handgrip sustained contraction (40% of maximal force) and consecutive repeated triangular-shaped contractions. This was performed before and after the consumption of either 40 g of α-lactalbumin, an isonitrogenous beverage (Zein) or an isocaloric beverage (Corn-starch). Soleus motor units discharge rates were analysed from high-density surface electromyography signals. PICs were estimated by calculating the delta frequency (ΔF) of motor unit train spikes using the paired motor unit technique. RESULTS ΔF (0.19 pps; p = 0.001; d = 0.30) and peak discharge rate (0.20 pps; p < 0.001; d = 0.37) increased after the handgrip contraction, irrespective of the consumed supplement. No effects of α-lactalbumin were observed. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that 40 g of α-lactalbumin was unable to modify intrinsic motoneuron excitability. However, performing a submaximal handgrip contraction before the plantar flexion triangular contraction was capable of increasing ΔF and discharge rates on soleus motor units. These findings highlight the diffused effects of serotonergic input, its effects on motoneuron discharge behaviour, and suggest a cross-effector effect within human motoneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Mackay Phillips
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 149 Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia.
| | - Lucas B R Orssatto
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 149 Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia
| | - Remco Polman
- Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University, Berwick, Australia
| | - Jolieke C Van der Pols
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 149 Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia
| | - Gabriel S Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 149 Victoria Park Rd, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia
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Eckert MA, Iuricich F, Harris KC, Hamlett ED, Vazey EM, Aston-Jones G. Locus coeruleus and dorsal cingulate morphology contributions to slowed processing speed. Neuropsychologia 2023; 179:108449. [PMID: 36528219 PMCID: PMC9906468 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108449] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Slowed information processing speed is a defining feature of cognitive aging. Nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) and medial prefrontal regions are targets for understanding slowed processing speed because these brain regions influence neural and behavioral response latencies through their roles in optimizing task performance. Although structural measures of medial prefrontal cortex have been consistently related to processing speed, it is unclear if 1) declines in LC structure underlie this association because of reciprocal connections between LC and medial prefrontal cortex, or 2) if LC declines provide a separate explanation for age-related changes in processing speed. LC and medial prefrontal structural measures were predicted to explain age-dependent individual differences in processing speed in a cross-sectional sample of 43 adults (19-79 years; 63% female). Higher turbo-spin echo LC contrast, based on a persistent homology measure, and greater dorsal cingulate cortical thickness were significantly and each uniquely related to faster processing speed. However, only dorsal cingulate cortical thickness appeared to statistically mediate age-related differences in processing speed. The results suggest that individual differences in cognitive processing speed can be attributed, in part, to structural variation in nucleus LC and medial prefrontal cortex, with the latter key to understanding why older adults exhibit slowed processing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Eckert
- Hearing Research Program, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, MSC 550, Charleston, S.C., 29425-5500, USA.
| | - Federico Iuricich
- Visual Computing Division, School of Computing, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., 29634, USA
| | - Kelly C Harris
- Hearing Research Program, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, MSC 550, Charleston, S.C., 29425-5500, USA
| | - Eric D Hamlett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C., 29425-5500, USA
| | - Elena M Vazey
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003-9297, USA
| | - Gary Aston-Jones
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University/Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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Jacobs HI, Becker JA, Kwong K, Munera D, Ramirez-Gomez L, Engels-Domínguez N, Sanchez JS, Vila-Castelar C, Baena A, Sperling RA, Johnson KA, Lopera F, Quiroz YT. Waning locus coeruleus integrity precedes cortical tau accrual in preclinical autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2023; 19:169-180. [PMID: 35298083 PMCID: PMC9481982 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Autopsy studies recognize the locus coeruleus (LC) as one of the first sites accumulating tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent AD work related in vivo LC magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) integrity to tau and cognitive decline; however, relationships of LC integrity to age, tau, and cognition in autosomal dominant AD (ADAD) remain unexplored. METHODS We associated LC integrity (3T-MRI) with estimated years of onset, cortical amyloid beta, regional tau (positron emission tomography [PET]) and memory (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) Word-List-Learning) among 27 carriers and 27 non-carriers of the presenilin-1 (PSEN1) E280A mutation. Longitudinal changes between LC integrity and tau were evaluated in 10 carriers. RESULTS LC integrity started to decline at age 32 in carriers, 12 years before clinical onset, and 20 years earlier than in sporadic AD. LC integrity was negatively associated with cortical tau, independent of amyloid beta, and predicted precuneus tau increases. LC integrity was positively associated with memory. DISCUSSION These findings support LC integrity as marker of disease progression in preclinical ADAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi I.L. Jacobs
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - John Alex Becker
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kenneth Kwong
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedial Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Diana Munera
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Liliana Ramirez-Gomez
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nina Engels-Domínguez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Justin S. Sanchez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clara Vila-Castelar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Baena
- Grupo Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Reisa A. Sperling
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedial Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, M, USA
| | - Keith A. Johnson
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, M, USA
| | - Francisco Lopera
- Grupo Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Grupo Neurociencias de Antioquia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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29
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Orssatto LBR, Fernandes GL, Blazevich AJ, Trajano GS. Facilitation-inhibition control of motor neuronal persistent inward currents in young and older adults. J Physiol 2022; 600:5101-5117. [PMID: 36284446 PMCID: PMC10092053 DOI: 10.1113/jp283708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
A well-coordinated facilitation-inhibition control of motor neuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) via diffuse neuromodulation and local inhibition is essential to ensure motor units discharge at required times and frequencies. Present best estimates indicate that PICs are reduced in older adults; however, it is not yet known whether PIC facilitation-inhibition control is also altered with ageing. We investigated the responses of PICs to (i) a remote handgrip contraction, which is believed to diffusely increase serotonergic input onto motor neurones, and (ii) tendon vibration of the antagonist muscle, which elicits reciprocal inhibition, in young and older adults. High-density surface electromyograms were collected from soleus and tibialis anterior of 18 young and 26 older adults during triangular-shaped plantar and dorsiflexion contractions to 20% (handgrip experiments) and 30% (vibration experiments) of maximum torque (rise-decline rate of 2%/s). A paired-motor-unit analysis was used to calculate ∆F, which is assumed to be proportional to PIC strength. ΔF increased in both soleus (0.55 peaks per second (pps), 16.0%) and tibialis anterior (0.42 pps, 11.4%) after the handgrip contraction independent of age. Although antagonist tendon vibration reduced ΔF in soleus (0.28 pps, 12.6%) independent of age, less reduction was observed in older (0.42 pps, 10.7%) than young adults (0.72 pps, 17.8%) in tibialis anterior. Our data indicate a preserved ability of older adults to amplify PICs following a remote handgrip contraction, during which increased serotonergic input onto the motor neurones is expected, in both lower leg muscles. However, PIC deactivation in response to reciprocal inhibition was impaired with ageing in tibialis anterior despite being preserved in soleus. KEY POINTS: Motor neuronal persistent inward currents (PICs) are facilitated via diffuse neuromodulation and deactivated by local inhibition to ensure motor units discharge at required times and frequencies, allowing normal motor behaviour. PIC amplitudes appear to be reduced with ageing; however, it is not known whether PIC facilitation-inhibition control is also altered. Remote handgrip contraction, which should diffusely increase serotonergic input onto motor neurones, facilitated PICs similarly in both soleus and tibialis anterior of young and older adults. Antagonist tendon vibration, which induces reciprocal inhibition, reduced PICs in soleus in both young and older adults but had less effect in tibialis anterior in older adults. Data from lower-threshold motor units during low-force contractions suggest that PIC facilitation is preserved with ageing in soleus and tibialis anterior. However, the effect of reciprocal inhibition on the contribution of PICs to motor neurone discharge seems reduced in tibialis anterior but preserved in soleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B R Orssatto
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gabriel L Fernandes
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - A J Blazevich
- School of Medical and Exercise Sciences, Centre for Human Performance, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Gabriel S Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
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Al Haddad R, Chamoun M, Tardif CL, Guimond S, Horga G, Rosa‐Neto P, Cassidy CM. Normative Values of Neuromelanin‐Sensitive
MRI
Signal in Older Adults Obtained Using a Turbo Spin Echo Sequence. J Magn Reson Imaging 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rami Al Haddad
- The Institute of Mental Health Research University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging Montreal Quebec Canada
| | | | - Synthia Guimond
- The Institute of Mental Health Research University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry Columbia University New York City New York USA
| | - Pedro Rosa‐Neto
- McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging Montreal Quebec Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute McGill University Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Clifford M. Cassidy
- The Institute of Mental Health Research University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
- McGill University Research Centre for Studies in Aging Montreal Quebec Canada
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31
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Li M, Liu S, Zhu H, Guo Z, Zhi Y, Liu R, Jiang Z, Liang X, Hu H, Zhu J. Decreased locus coeruleus signal associated with Alzheimer’s disease based on neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging technique. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1014485. [PMID: 36278009 PMCID: PMC9580271 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1014485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) technique was used to detect the changes of the locus coeruleus (LC) signals in Alzheimer’s disease patients (AD), and to analyze its correlation with cognitive function. Materials and methods A total of 27 patients with AD, 15 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 25 healthy controls (HC) were examined by NM-MRI technique. ImageJ software was used to measure the LC signals. The locus coeruleus signal contrast ratios (LC-CRs) were calculated, along with the measurement of neuropsychological scales. Results The LC-CRs of AD patients were significantly different from that of HC (p = 0.007, 95% CI: −0.053∼−0.007). However, such significant differences were not observed between MCI and HC (p = 1.000, 95% CI: −0.030∼0.024), AD and MCI (p = 0.050, 95% CI: −0.054∼0.000). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between LC-CRs and MMSE sub item Drawing (r = 0.484, p = 0.011) in the AD group, MoCA sub item Attention (r = 0.519, p = 0.047) in the MCI group. The area under the curve of LC-CRs in the diagnosis of AD was 0.749 (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 0.618∼0.880), with a sensitivity of 85.2% and a specificity of 56.0%. Conclusion The NM-MRI technique could quantify the pathological degenerations of the LC in AD. Such LC degenerations can be employed to distinguish AD from healthy elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shanwen Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongqin Zhu
- Center for Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhiwen Guo
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuqi Zhi
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhen Jiang
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyun Liang
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Clinical Innovation, Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Hua Hu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Hua Hu,
| | - Jiangtao Zhu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
- *Correspondence: Jiangtao Zhu,
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32
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Calarco N, Cassidy CM, Selby B, Hawco C, Voineskos AN, Diniz BS, Nikolova YS. Associations between locus coeruleus integrity and diagnosis, age, and cognitive performance in older adults with and without late-life depression: An exploratory study. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103182. [PMID: 36088841 PMCID: PMC9474922 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Late-life depression (LLD) is a risk factor for age-dependent cognitive deterioration. Norepinephrine-related degeneration in the locus coeruleus (LC) may explain this link. To examine the LC norepinephrine system in vivo, we acquired neuromelanin-sensitive MRI (NM-MRI) in a sample of 48 participants, including 25 with LLD (18 women, age 68.08 ± 5.41) and 23 never-depressed comparison participants (ND, 12 women, age 70 ± 8.02), matched on age and cognitive status. We employed a semi-automated procedure to segment the LC into three bilateral sections along its rostro-caudal extent, and calculated relative contrast as a proxy of integrity. Then, we examined associations between integrity and LLD diagnosis, age, and cognition, as measured via the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). We did not identify an effect of LLD diagnosis nor age on LC integrity, but exploratory canonical correlation analysis across the combined participant sample revealed a strong (Rc = 0.853) and significant multivariate relationship between integrity and cognition (Wilks' λ = 0.03, F(84, 162.44) = 1.66, p = <.01). The first and only significant variate explained 72.83% model variance, and linked better attention and delayed memory performance, faster processing speed, and lower verbal fluency performance with higher integrity in the right rostral but lower integrity in the left caudal LC. Our results complement prior evidence of LC involvement in cognition in healthy older adults, and extend this association to individuals with LLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navona Calarco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Clifford M. Cassidy
- The University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Ben Selby
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Colin Hawco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aristotle N. Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Breno S. Diniz
- UConn Center on Aging, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Yuliya S. Nikolova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada,Corresponding author at: Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), 250 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1L8, Canada.
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33
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Matti N, Javanshiri K, Haglund M, Saenz-Sardá X, Englund E. Locus Coeruleus Degeneration Differs Between Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Subtypes. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 89:463-471. [PMID: 35871340 PMCID: PMC9535600 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background: There are few studies on the locus coeruleus (LC) in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and the potential differences in the LC related to the underlying proteinopathy. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the LC in FTLD subgroups. Methods: Neuropathological cases diagnosed with FTLD were included. The subgroups consisted of FTLD with tau, transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP) and fused in sarcoma (FUS). Micro- and macroscopical degeneration of the LC were assessed with respect to the number of neurons and the degree of depigmentation. A group of cognitively healthy subjects and a group with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) served as comparison groups. Results: A total of 85 FTLD cases were included, of which 44 had FTLD-TDP, 38 had FTLD-tau, and three had FTLD-FUS. The groups were compared with 25 VCI cases and 41 cognitively healthy control cases (N = 151 for the entire study). All FTLD groups had a statistically higher microscopical degeneration of the LC compared to the controls, but the FTLD-tau group had greater micro- and macroscopical degeneration than the FTLD-TDP group. Age correlated positively with the LC score in the FTLD-tau group, but not in the FTLD-TDP group. Conclusion: A greater microscopical degeneration of the LC was observed in all FTLD cases compared to healthy controls and those with VCI. The LC degeneration was more severe in FTLD-tau than in FTLD-TDP. The macroscopically differential degeneration of the LC in FTLD subgroups may facilitate differential diagnostics, potentially with imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Matti
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Keivan Javanshiri
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Mattias Haglund
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Xavier Saenz-Sardá
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Englund
- Division of Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Sweden
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Orssatto LBR, Borg DN, Pendrith L, Blazevich AJ, Shield AJ, Trajano GS. DO MOTONEURON DISCHARGE RATES SLOW WITH AGING? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. Mech Ageing Dev 2022; 203:111647. [PMID: 35218849 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2022.111647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nervous system maladaptation is linked to the loss of maximal strength and motor control with aging. Motor unit discharge rates are a critical determinant of force production; thus, lower discharge rates could be a mechanism underpinning maximal strength and motor control losses during aging. This meta-analysis summarized the findings of studies comparing motor unit discharge rates between young and older adults, and examined the effects of the selected muscle and contraction intensity on the magnitude of discharge rates difference between these two groups. Estimates from 29 studies, across a range of muscles and contraction intensities, were combined in a multilevel meta-analysis, to investigate whether discharge rates differed between young and older adults. Motor unit discharge rates were higher in younger than older adults, with a pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.66 (95%CI= 0.29-1.04). Contraction intensity had a significant effect on the pooled SMD, with a 1% increase in intensity associated with a 0.009 (95%CI= 0.003-0.015) change in the pooled SMD. These findings suggest that reductions in motor unit discharge rates, especially at higher contraction intensities, may be an important mechanism underpinning age-related losses in maximal force production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B R Orssatto
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia.
| | - David N Borg
- Griffith University, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, The Hopkins Centre, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Linda Pendrith
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Anthony J Blazevich
- Centre for Human Performance, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Anthony J Shield
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gabriel S Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
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Influences of dopaminergic system dysfunction on late-life depression. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:180-191. [PMID: 34404915 PMCID: PMC8850529 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01265-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in cognition, reward processing, and motor function are clinical features relevant to both aging and depression. Individuals with late-life depression often show impairment across these domains, all of which are moderated by the functioning of dopaminergic circuits. As dopaminergic function declines with normal aging and increased inflammatory burden, the role of dopamine may be particularly salient for late-life depression. We review the literature examining the role of dopamine in the pathogenesis of depression, as well as how dopamine function changes with aging and is influenced by inflammation. Applying a Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Initiative perspective, we then review work examining how dopaminergic signaling affects these domains, specifically focusing on Cognitive, Positive Valence, and Sensorimotor Systems. We propose a unified model incorporating the effects of aging and low-grade inflammation on dopaminergic functioning, with a resulting negative effect on cognition, reward processing, and motor function. Interplay between these systems may influence development of a depressive phenotype, with an initial deficit in one domain reinforcing decline in others. This model extends RDoC concepts into late-life depression while also providing opportunities for novel and personalized interventions.
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36
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Orssatto LBR, Borg DN, Blazevich AJ, Sakugawa RL, Shield AJ, Trajano GS. Intrinsic motoneuron excitability is reduced in soleus and tibialis anterior of older adults. GeroScience 2021; 43:2719-2735. [PMID: 34716899 PMCID: PMC8556797 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-021-00478-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related deterioration within both motoneuron and monoaminergic systems should theoretically reduce neuromodulation by weakening motoneuronal persistent inward current (PIC) amplitude. However, this assumption remains untested. Surface electromyographic signals were collected using two 32-channel electrode matrices placed on soleus and tibialis anterior of 25 older adults (70 ± 4 years) and 17 young adults (29 ± 5 years) to investigate motor unit discharge behaviors. Participants performed triangular-shaped plantar and dorsiflexion contractions to 20% of maximum torque at a rise-decline rate of 2%/s of each participant's maximal torque. Pairwise and composite paired-motor unit analyses were adopted to calculate delta frequency (ΔF), which has been used to differentiate between the effects of synaptic excitation and intrinsic motoneuronal properties and is assumed to be proportional to PIC amplitude. Soleus and tibialis anterior motor units in older adults had lower ΔFs calculated with either the pairwise [-0.99 and -1.46 pps; -35.4 and -33.5%, respectively] or composite (-1.18 and -2.28 pps; -32.1 and -45.2%, respectively) methods. Their motor units also had lower peak discharge rates (-2.14 and -2.03 pps; -19.7 and -13.9%, respectively) and recruitment thresholds (-1.50 and -2.06% of maximum, respectively) than young adults. These results demonstrate reduced intrinsic motoneuron excitability during low-force contractions in older adults, likely mediated by decreases in the amplitude of persistent inward currents. Our findings might be explained by deterioration in the motoneuron or monoaminergic systems and could contribute to the decline in motor function during aging; these assumptions should be explicitly tested in future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B. R. Orssatto
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - David N. Borg
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, The Hopkins Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Raphael L. Sakugawa
- Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, Brazil
| | - Anthony J. Shield
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
| | - Gabriel S. Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia
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37
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Giorgi FS, Lombardo F, Galgani A, Hlavata H, Della Latta D, Martini N, Pavese N, Ghicopulos I, Baldacci F, Coi A, Scalese M, Bastiani L, Keilberg P, De Marchi D, Fornai F, Bonuccelli U. Locus Coeruleus magnetic resonance imaging in cognitively intact elderly subjects. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:1077-1087. [PMID: 34741273 PMCID: PMC9107398 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00562-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus is the main noradrenergic nucleus of the brain and is often affected in neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging with specific T1-weighted sequences for neuromelanin has been used to evaluate locus coeruleus integrity in patients with these conditions. In some of these studies, abnormalities in locus coeruleus signal have also been found in healthy controls and related to ageing. However, this would be at variance with recent post-mortem studies showing that the nucleus is not affected during normal ageing. The present study aimed at evaluating locus coeruleus features in a well-defined cohort of cognitively healthy subjects who remained cognitively intact on a one-year follow-up. An ad-hoc semiautomatic analysis of locus coeruleus magnetic resonance was applied. Sixty-two cognitively intact subjects aged 60-80 years, without significant comorbidities, underwent 3 T magnetic resonance with specific sequences for locus coeruleus. A semi-automatic tool was used to estimate the number of voxels belonging to locus coeruleus and its intensity was obtained for each subject. Each subject underwent extensive neuropsychological testing at baseline and 12 months after magnetic resonance scan. Based on neuropsychological testing 53 subjects were cognitively normal at baseline and follow up. No significant age-related differences in locus coeruleus parameters were found in this cohort. In line with recent post-mortem studies, our in vivo study confirms that locus coeruleus magnetic resonance features are not statistically significantly affected by age between 60 and 80 years, the age range usually evaluated in studies on neurodegenerative diseases. A significant alteration of locus coeruleus features in a cognitively intact elderly subject might be an early sign of pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Sean Giorgi
- Neurology Unit, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy.
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Francesco Lombardo
- Cardiovascular and Neuroradiological Multimodal Imaging Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Hana Hlavata
- Cardiovascular and Neuroradiological Multimodal Imaging Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniele Della Latta
- Deep Health Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Martini
- Deep Health Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | - Nicola Pavese
- Clinical Ageing Research Unit, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Institute of clinical Medicine, PET Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | | - Alessio Coi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology of National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Scalese
- Institute of Clinical Physiology of National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Bastiani
- Institute of Clinical Physiology of National Research Council, Pisa, Italy
| | - Petra Keilberg
- Cardiovascular and Neuroradiological Multimodal Imaging Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | - Daniele De Marchi
- Cardiovascular and Neuroradiological Multimodal Imaging Unit, Fondazione "G. Monasterio", National Research Council/Tuscany Region, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Fornai
- Department of Translational Research and of New Surgical and Medical Technologies, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
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Jacobs HI, Becker JA, Kwong K, Engels-Domínguez N, Prokopiou PC, Papp KV, Properzi M, Hampton OL, Uquillas FD, Sanchez JS, Rentz DM, Fakhri GE, Normandin MD, Price JC, Bennett DA, Sperling RA, Johnson KA. In vivo and neuropathology data support locus coeruleus integrity as indicator of Alzheimer's disease pathology and cognitive decline. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabj2511. [PMID: 34550726 PMCID: PMC8641759 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj2511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Several autopsy studies recognize the locus coeruleus (LC) as the initial site of hyperphosphorylated TAU aggregation, and as the number of LC neurons harboring TAU increases, TAU pathology emerges throughout the cortex. By conjointly using dedicated MRI measures of LC integrity and TAU and amyloid PET imaging, we aimed to address the question whether in vivo LC measures relate to initial cortical patterns of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) fibrillar proteinopathies or cognitive dysfunction in 174 cognitively unimpaired and impaired older individuals with longitudinal cognitive measures. To guide our interpretations, we verified these associations in autopsy data from 1524 Religious Orders Study and Rush Memory and Aging Project and 2145 National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center cases providing three different LC measures (pigmentation, tangle density, and neuronal density), Braak staging, β-amyloid, and longitudinal cognitive measures. Lower LC integrity was associated with elevated TAU deposition in the entorhinal cortex among unimpaired individuals consistent with postmortem correlations between LC tangle density and successive Braak staging. LC pigmentation ratings correlated with LC neuronal density but not with LC tangle density and were particularly worse at advanced Braak stages. In the context of elevated β-amyloid, lower LC integrity and greater cortical tangle density were associated with greater TAU burden beyond the medial temporal lobe and retrospective memory decline. These findings support neuropathologic data in which early LC TAU accumulation relates to disease progression and identify LC integrity as a promising indicator of initial AD-related processes and subtle changes in cognitive trajectories of preclinical AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi I.L. Jacobs
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University; 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - John A. Becker
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kenneth Kwong
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Nina Engels-Domínguez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Maastricht University; 6200MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Prokopis C. Prokopiou
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kathryn V. Papp
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Boston, MA,02115, USA
| | - Michael Properzi
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Olivia L. Hampton
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | | | - Justin S. Sanchez
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Dorene M. Rentz
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Boston, MA,02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Georges El Fakhri
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Marc D. Normandin
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Julie C. Price
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02129, USA
| | - David A. Bennett
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center; Chicago, Illinois, 60612, USA
| | - Reisa A. Sperling
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Center for Alzheimer Research and Treatment, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Boston, MA,02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Keith A. Johnson
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, MA, 02114, USA
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Hassan AS, Fajardo ME, Cummings M, McPherson LM, Negro F, Dewald JPA, Heckman CJ, Pearcey GEP. Estimates of persistent inward currents are reduced in upper limb motor units of older adults. J Physiol 2021; 599:4865-4882. [PMID: 34505294 DOI: 10.1113/jp282063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Ageing is a natural process causing alterations in the neuromuscular system, which contributes to reduced quality of life. Motor unit (MU) contributes to weakness, but the mechanisms underlying reduced firing rates are unclear. Persistent inward currents (PICs) are crucial for initiation, gain control and maintenance of motoneuron firing, and are directly proportional to the level of monoaminergic input. Since concentrations of monoamines (i.e. serotonin and noradrenaline) are reduced with age, we sought to determine if estimates of PICs are reduced in older (>60 years old) compared to younger adults (<35 years old). We decomposed MU spike trains from high-density surface electromyography over the biceps and triceps brachii during isometric ramp contractions to 20% of maximum. Estimates of PICs (ΔFrequency; or simply ΔF) were computed using the paired MU analysis technique. Regardless of the muscle, peak firing rates of older adults were reduced by ∼1.6 pulses per second (pps) (P = 0.0292), and ΔF was reduced by ∼1.9 pps (P < 0.0001), compared to younger adults. We further found that age predicted ΔF in older adults (P = 0.0261), resulting in a reduction of ∼1 pps per decade, but there was no relationship in younger adults (P = 0.9637). These findings suggest that PICs are reduced in the upper limbs of older adults during submaximal isometric contractions. Reduced PIC magnitude represents one plausible mechanism for reduced firing rates and function in older individuals, but further work is required to understand the implications in other muscles and during a variety of motor tasks. KEY POINTS: Persistent inward currents play an important role in the neural control of human movement and are influenced by neuromodulation via monoamines originating in the brainstem. During ageing, motor unit firing rates are reduced, and there is deterioration of brainstem nuclei, which may reduce persistent inward currents in alpha motoneurons. Here we show that estimates of persistent inward currents (ΔF) of both elbow flexor and extensor motor units are reduced in older adults. Estimates of persistent inward currents have a negative relationship with age in the older adults, but not in the young. This novel mechanism may play a role in the alteration of motor firing rates that occurs with ageing, which may have consequences for motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Altamash S Hassan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Melissa E Fajardo
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark Cummings
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Laura Miller McPherson
- Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.,Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Francesco Negro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Julius P A Dewald
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - C J Heckman
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gregory E P Pearcey
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.,Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, USA
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40
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Rutherford BR, Zilcha-Mano S, Chrisanthopolous M, Salzman C, Zhu C, Cimino N, Yehuda R, Neria Y, Roose SP. Symptom profiles and treatment status of older adults with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2021; 36:1216-1222. [PMID: 33577126 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Failure to diagnose and treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may help explain the substantial disability, increased cognitive decline, and adverse health outcomes suffered by older adults with this disorder. To evaluate this possibility, we examined symptom differences among older and younger individuals with PTSD and measured the frequency with which older adults receive standard of care treatment. METHODS Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM (CAPS) scores were compared between younger and older adults with PTSD. Profiles were calculated for the most dominant CAPS symptom cluster reported by each participant, and the age cutoff best differentiating symptom clusters between individuals was determined. Clinical interview data (older adult sample only) were evaluated by trained raters to determine rates at which PTSD participants accessed treatment. RESULTS Among 108 individuals with PTSD, 69% of participants <67 years old had Criterion C (avoidance) symptoms as the most dominant cluster compared to 39% of participants ≥67 (p = 0.016). Eight percent of participants <67 years had Criterion E (hyperarousal) symptoms as the most dominant cluster compared to 30% of participants ≥67 (p = 0.016). Less than 25% of the older adults (N = 53 subsample) were receiving a first-line pharmacotherapy option for PTSD, and 0% of participants were currently participating in an evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians evaluating patients should be aware that different symptom profiles may be present between younger and older adults with PTSD. Despite their high risk for adverse neuropsychiatric and other health consequences, older adults with PTSD appear to infrequently receive first-line clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bret R Rutherford
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Chloe Salzman
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Carlen Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Nicolas Cimino
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Department of Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yuval Neria
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Steven P Roose
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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41
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Matsuura K, Ii Y, Maeda M, Tabei KI, Satoh M, Umino M, Miyashita K, Ishikawa H, Shindo A, Tomimoto H. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in disease differentiation for parkinsonism or neurodegenerative disease affecting the basal ganglia. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2021; 87:75-81. [PMID: 34000497 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several reports have shown that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NMI) using 3T magnetic resonance imaging is useful for the differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and other neurological diseases. However, the number of cases in previous studies has been insufficient. We aimed to determine the relationship between NMI and severity of PD and related disorders, and thereby establish the diagnostic utility of NMI for diagnosing neurological diseases. METHODS We enrolled 591 patients (531 subjects after removal of duplicates) with parkinsonism who underwent NMI. The contrast ratio of the locus coeruleus (LC-CR) and the area of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) were analyzed in each patient. RESULTS The patients' clinical diagnoses were as follows: 11 patients in the disease control group (DCG), 244 patients with PD, 49 patients with PSP, and 19 patients with multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonism. Additionally, some patients were diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular parkinsonism, and drug-induced parkinsonism. SNc in the patients with PD and PSP was significantly smaller than that in DCG. LC-CR in the patients with PD was lower than that in DCG; furthermore, LC-CR in the patients with PD was significantly lower than that in the patients with PSP. We found that an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve, indicating diagnostic efficacy, of 0.85 for LC-CR is a promising biomarker for differentiating PD from PSP. CONCLUSION NMI effectively contributes to differentiating neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD and PSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Matsuura
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan.
| | - Yuichiro Ii
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Masayuki Maeda
- Department of Neuroradiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Tabei
- Master Program of Industrial Technology, Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation, Tokyo, 140-0011, Japan
| | - Masayuki Satoh
- Dementia Prevention and Therapeutics, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Maki Umino
- Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Koichi Miyashita
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Hidehiro Ishikawa
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Akihiro Shindo
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| | - Hidekazu Tomimoto
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Mie University, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
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Liu KY, Acosta-Cabronero J, Hong YT, Yi YJ, Hämmerer D, Howard R. FDG-PET assessment of the locus coeruleus in Alzheimer's disease. NEUROIMAGE. REPORTS 2021; 1:100002. [PMID: 34396361 PMCID: PMC8262255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2020.100002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Sensitive and reliable in vivo imaging of the locus coeruleus (LC) is important to develop and evaluate its potential as a biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is not known whether AD-related alterations in LC integrity can be detected using 18F-labelled fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Mean FDG-PET images from AD patients (N = 193) and controls (N = 256) from the ADNI database were co-registered to a study-wise anatomical template. Regional LC median standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) values were obtained using four previously published LC masks and normalized to values from pons and cerebellar vermis reference regions. To support the validity of our methods, other regions previously reported to be most and least affected metabolically in AD were also compared to controls. The LC did not show between-group differences in FDG-PET signal, whereas the mammillary bodies did, despite these regions having comparable volumes and SUVR ranges. Brain regions previously reported to be most and least affected metabolically in AD compared to controls showed medium-to-large and small effect sizes for SUVR differences respectively. The results do not support the current application of LC FDG-PET signal as an in vivo biomarker for AD. Methodological and demographic factors potentially contributing to these findings are discussed. Future research may investigate age-related differences in LC FDG-PET signal and higher resolution images to fully explore its biomarker potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Y. Liu
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, UK
| | - Julio Acosta-Cabronero
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, UK
- Tenoke Ltd., Cambridge, UK
| | - Young T. Hong
- Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, University of Cambridge, UK
| | - Yeo-Jin Yi
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Dorothea Hämmerer
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neurology and Dementia Research, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK
| | - Robert Howard
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, UK
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Kusama M, Sato N, Kimura Y, Miyagi K. Quick MR Neuromelanin Imaging Using a Chemical Shift Selective Pulse. Magn Reson Med Sci 2021; 20:106-111. [PMID: 32074593 PMCID: PMC7952205 DOI: 10.2463/mrms.tn.2019-0167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Not only magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) pulse, but also chemical shift selective (CHESS) pulse would be a useful additional one for shortening the scan time of neuromelanin imaging. We compared three sequences among turbo-spin echo (TSE) images with CHESS, MTC, and without an additional pulse in the same short time, 3 min 20 s. The TSE with CHESS image was the most useful for the diagnosis of neuromelanin within the limited time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Midori Kusama
- Department of Radiology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
| | - Noriko Sato
- Department of Radiology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
| | - Yukio Kimura
- Department of Radiology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
| | - Kenji Miyagi
- Department of Radiology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
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Noradrenergic correlates of chronic cocaine craving: neuromelanin and functional brain imaging. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:851-859. [PMID: 33408330 PMCID: PMC8027452 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00937-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical studies have implicated noradrenergic (NA) dysfunction in cocaine addiction. In particular, the NA system plays a central role in motivated behavior and may partake in the regulation of craving and drug use. Yet, human studies of the NA system are scarce, likely hampered by the difficulty in precisely localizing the locus coeruleus (LC). Here, we used neuromelanin imaging to localize the LC and quantified LC neuromelanin signal (NMS) intensity in 44 current cocaine users (CU; 37 men) and 59 nondrug users (NU; 44 men). We also employed fMRI to investigate cue-induced regional responses and LC functional connectivities, as quantified by generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI), in CU. Imaging data were processed by published routines and the findings were evaluated with a corrected threshold. We examined how these neural measures were associated with chronic cocaine craving, as assessed by the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire (CCQ). Compared to NU, CU demonstrated higher LC NMS for all probabilistic thresholds defined of 50-90% of the peak. In contrast, NMS of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) did not show significant group differences. Drug as compared to neutral cues elicited higher activations of many cortical and subcortical regions, none of which were significantly correlated with CCQ score. Drug vs. neutral cues also elicited "deactivation" of bilateral parahippocampal gyri (PHG) and PHG gPPI with a wide array of cortical and subcortical regions, including the ventral striatum and, with small volume correction, the LC. Less deactivation of the PHG (r = 0.40, p = 0.008) and higher PHG-LC gPPI (r = 0.44, p = 0.003) were positively correlated with the CCQ score. In contrast, PHG-VTA/SN connectivity did not correlate with the CCQ score. Together, chronic cocaine exposure may induce higher NMS intensity, suggesting neurotoxic effects on the LC. The correlation of cue-elicited PHG LC connectivity with CCQ score suggests a noradrenergic correlate of chronic cocaine craving. Potentially compensating for memory functions as in neurodegenerative conditions, cue-elicited PHG LC circuit connectivity plays an ill-adaptive role in supporting cocaine craving.
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45
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Guinea-Izquierdo A, Giménez M, Martínez-Zalacaín I, Del Cerro I, Canal-Noguer P, Blasco G, Gascón J, Reñé R, Rico I, Camins A, Aguilera C, Urretavizcaya M, Ferrer I, Menchón JM, Soria V, Soriano-Mas C. Lower Locus Coeruleus MRI intensity in patients with late-life major depression. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10828. [PMID: 33628639 PMCID: PMC7894108 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The locus coeruleus (LC) is the major noradrenergic source in the central nervous system. Structural alterations in the LC contribute to the pathophysiology of different neuropsychiatric disorders, which may increase to a variable extent the likelihood of developing neurodegenerative conditions. The characterization of such alterations may therefore help to predict progression to neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the LC cannot be visualized with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), specific MRI sequences have been developed to infer its structural integrity. Methods We quantified LC signal Contrast Ratios (LCCRs) in late-life major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 37, 9 with comorbid aMCI), amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) (n = 21, without comorbid MDD), and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 31), and also assessed the putative modulatory effects of comorbidities and other clinical variables. Results LCCRs were lower in MDD compared to aMCI and HCs. While no effects of aMCI comorbidity were observed, lower LCCRs were specifically observed in patients taking serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Conclusion Our results do not support the hypothesis that lower LCCRs characterize the different clinical groups that may eventually develop a neurodegenerative disorder. Conversely, our results were specifically observed in patients with late-life MDD taking SNRIs. Further research with larger samples is warranted to ascertain whether medication or particular clinical features of patients taking SNRIs are associated with changes in LC neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Guinea-Izquierdo
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Mónica Giménez
- Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ignacio Martínez-Zalacaín
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Inés Del Cerro
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pol Canal-Noguer
- B2SLab/Departament d'Enginyeria de Sistemes, Automàtica i Informàtica Industrial, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.,Networking Biomedical Research Centre in the subject area of Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Gerard Blasco
- Imaging Diagnostic Institute (IDI), Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Jordi Gascón
- Dementia Diagnostic and Treatment Unit/Department of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ramon Reñé
- Dementia Diagnostic and Treatment Unit/Department of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Inmaculada Rico
- Dementia Diagnostic and Treatment Unit/Department of Neurology, Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Angels Camins
- Imaging Diagnostic Institute (IDI), Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Carlos Aguilera
- Imaging Diagnostic Institute (IDI), Bellvitge University Hospital, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Mikel Urretavizcaya
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isidre Ferrer
- Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics/Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Department of Pathologic Anatomy/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute-IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Menchón
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Soria
- Department of Clinical Sciences/School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carles Soriano-Mas
- Department of Psychiatry/Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.,Network Center for Biomedical Research on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychobiology and Methodology in Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
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46
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Hou R, Beardmore R, Holmes C, Osmond C, Darekar A. A case-control study of the locus coeruleus degeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 43:153-159. [PMID: 33431221 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC) is the major source of noradrenaline, which plays a key role in cognition. We aimed to detect the extent of the LC signal attenuation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using a neuromelanin (NM)-sensitive MRI and how it may correlate with inflammatory and autonomic measures. An individually matched case-control study design was employed. 24 patients with AD and 24 age and gender matched controls with no cognitive impairment were recruited. The primary outcome measure was the LC signal intensity indicated by the LC contrast ratio (CR) and measured by the NM-sensitive MRI. Secondary outcome measures included neuropsychometric tests of cognitive state, peripheral inflammatory and autonomic measures. Conditional logistic regression analysis revealed a significant 22% LC-CR reduction in the AD group compared with the control group. However, there was no statistical significance from inflammatory or autonomic measures. This is the largest individually-matched case-control study to visualise the LC degeneration in AD patients. The study revealed significant LC degeneration which holds promise to stratify patients who may benefit from treatment targeting noradrenergic dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruihua Hou
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, 4-12 Terminus Terrace, Southampton SO14 3DT, United Kingdom.
| | - Rebecca Beardmore
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, 4-12 Terminus Terrace, Southampton SO14 3DT, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Holmes
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, 4-12 Terminus Terrace, Southampton SO14 3DT, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Osmond
- Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Angela Darekar
- Department of Medical Physics, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
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47
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Latella C. Pick me, Pick me! Rationale for investigating persistent inward currents (PICs) and associated exercise effects in the ageing neuromuscular system. J Physiol 2021; 599:1957-1959. [PMID: 33491208 DOI: 10.1113/jp281324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Latella
- Neurophysiology Research Laboratory, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.,Centre for Exercise and Sports Science Research (CESSR), School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
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48
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Matchett BJ, Grinberg LT, Theofilas P, Murray ME. The mechanistic link between selective vulnerability of the locus coeruleus and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:631-650. [PMID: 33427939 PMCID: PMC8043919 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-020-02248-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is neuropathologically characterized by the intracellular accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau and the extracellular deposition of amyloid-β plaques, which affect certain brain regions in a progressive manner. The locus coeruleus (LC), a small nucleus in the pons of the brainstem, is widely recognized as one of the earliest sites of neurofibrillary tangle formation in AD. Patients with AD exhibit significant neuronal loss in the LC, resulting in a marked reduction of its size and function. The LC, which vastly innervates several regions of the brain, is the primary source of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) in the central nervous system. Considering that NE is a major modulator of behavior, contributing to neuroprotection and suppression of neuroinflammation, degeneration of the LC in AD and the ultimate dysregulation of the LC-NE system has detrimental effects in the brain. In this review, we detail the neuroanatomy and function of the LC, its essential role in neuroprotection, and how this is dysregulated in AD. We discuss AD-related neuropathologic changes in the LC and mechanisms by which LC neurons are selectively vulnerable to insult. Further, we elucidate the neurotoxic effects of LC de-innervation both locally and at projection sites, and how this augments disease pathology, progression and severity. We summarize how preservation of the LC-NE system could be used in the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases affected by LC degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Billie J. Matchett
- Neuropathology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA
| | - Lea T. Grinberg
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA 94158 USA
| | - Panos Theofilas
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Melissa E. Murray
- Neuropathology Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA
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49
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Romanella SM, Roe D, Tatti E, Cappon D, Paciorek R, Testani E, Rossi A, Rossi S, Santarnecchi E. The Sleep Side of Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. Sleep Med 2021; 77:209-225. [PMID: 32912799 PMCID: PMC8364256 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2020.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
As we age, sleep patterns undergo significant modifications in micro and macrostructure, worsening cognition and quality of life. These are associated with remarkable brain changes, like deterioration in synaptic plasticity, gray and white matter, and significant modifications in hormone levels. Sleep alterations are also a core component of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). AD night time is characterized by a gradual decrease in slow-wave activity and a substantial reduction of REM sleep. Sleep abnormalities can accelerate AD pathophysiology, promoting the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau. Thus, interventions that target sleep disturbances in elderly people and MCI patients have been suggested as a possible strategy to prevent or decelerate conversion to dementia. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacological medications are still first-line treatments, despite being scarcely effective, new interventions have been proposed, such as sensory stimulation and Noninvasive Brain Stimulation (NiBS). The present review outlines the current state of the art of the relationship between sleep modifications in healthy aging and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying age-related changes. Furthermore, we provide a critical analysis showing how sleep abnormalities influence the prognosis of AD pathology by intensifying Aβ and tau protein accumulation. We discuss potential therapeutic strategies to target sleep disruptions and conclude that there is an urgent need for testing new therapeutic sleep interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Romanella
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Italy
| | - D Roe
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E Tatti
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences, CUNY, School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Cappon
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Paciorek
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E Testani
- Sleep Medicine Center, Department of Neurology, Policlinico Santa Maria Le Scotte, Siena, Italy
| | - A Rossi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Italy; Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - S Rossi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Italy; Human Physiology Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - E Santarnecchi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Lab (Si-BIN Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology Section, University of Siena, Italy; Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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50
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Beardmore R, Hou R, Darekar A, Holmes C, Boche D. The Locus Coeruleus in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: A Postmortem and Brain Imaging Review. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 83:5-22. [PMID: 34219717 PMCID: PMC8461706 DOI: 10.3233/jad-210191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The locus coeruleus (LC), a tiny nucleus in the brainstem and the principal site of noradrenaline synthesis, has a major role in regulating autonomic function, arousal, attention, and neuroinflammation. LC dysfunction has been linked to a range of disorders; however particular interest is given to the role it plays in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The LC undergoes significant neuronal loss in AD, thought to occur early in the disease process. While neuronal loss in the LC has also been suggested to occur in aging, this relationship is less clear as the findings have been contradictory. LC density has been suggested to be indicative of cognitive reserve and the evidence for these claims will be discussed. Recent imaging techniques allowing visualization of the LC in vivo using neuromelanin-sensitive MRI are developing our understanding of the role of LC in aging and AD. Tau pathology within the LC is evident at an early age in most individuals; however, the relationship between tau accumulation and neuronal loss and why some individuals then develop AD is not understood. Neuromelanin pigment accumulates within LC cells with age and is proposed to be toxic and inflammatory when released into the extracellular environment. This review will explore our current knowledge of the LC changes in both aging and AD from postmortem, imaging, and experimental studies. We will discuss the reasons behind the susceptibility of the LC to neuronal loss, with a focus on the role of extracellular neuromelanin and neuroinflammation caused by the dysfunction of the LC-noradrenaline pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Beardmore
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Memory Assessment and Research Centre, Moorgreen Hospital, Southern Health Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Ruihua Hou
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Angela Darekar
- Department of Medical Physics, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Clive Holmes
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Memory Assessment and Research Centre, Moorgreen Hospital, Southern Health Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Delphine Boche
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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