1
|
Marinkovic K, White DR, Alderson Myers A, Parker KS, Arienzo D, Mason GF. Cortical GABA Levels Are Reduced in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1666. [PMID: 38137114 PMCID: PMC10741691 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13121666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
After recovering from the acute COVID-19 illness, a substantial proportion of people continue experiencing post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also termed "long COVID". Their quality of life is adversely impacted by persistent cognitive dysfunction and affective distress, but the underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study recruited a group of mostly young, previously healthy adults (24.4 ± 5.2 years of age) who experienced PASC for almost 6 months following a mild acute COVID-19 illness. Confirming prior evidence, they reported noticeable memory and attention deficits, brain fog, depression/anxiety, fatigue, and other symptoms potentially suggestive of excitation/inhibition imbalance. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to examine the neurochemical aspects of cell signaling with an emphasis on GABA levels in the occipital cortex. The PASC participants were compared to a control (CNT) group matched in demographics, intelligence, and an array of other variables. Controlling for tissue composition, biological sex, and alcohol intake, the PASC group had lower GABA+/water than CNT, which correlated with depression and poor sleep quality. The mediation analysis revealed that the impact of PASC on depression was partly mediated by lower GABA+/water, indicative of cortical hyperexcitability as an underlying mechanism. In addition, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) tended to be lower in the PASC group, possibly suggesting compromised neuronal integrity. Persistent neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of PASC-related neurocognitive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ksenija Marinkovic
- Spatio-Temporal Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA (A.A.M.); (D.A.)
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - David R. White
- Spatio-Temporal Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA (A.A.M.); (D.A.)
| | - Austin Alderson Myers
- Spatio-Temporal Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA (A.A.M.); (D.A.)
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Katie S. Parker
- Spatio-Temporal Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA (A.A.M.); (D.A.)
| | - Donatello Arienzo
- Spatio-Temporal Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA (A.A.M.); (D.A.)
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Graeme F. Mason
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Psychiatry, and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rasooli A, Adab HZ, Van Ruitenbeek P, Weerasekera A, Chalavi S, Cuypers K, Levin O, Dhollander T, Peeters R, Sunaert S, Mantini D, Swinnen SP. White matter and neurochemical mechanisms underlying age-related differences in motor processing speed. iScience 2023; 26:106794. [PMID: 37255665 PMCID: PMC10225899 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with changes in the central nervous system and leads to reduced life quality. Here, we investigated the age-related differences in the CNS underlying motor performance deficits using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion MRI. MRS measured N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cr) concentrations in the sensorimotor and occipital cortex, whereas dMRI quantified apparent fiber density (FD) in the same voxels to evaluate white matter microstructural organization. We found that aging was associated with increased reaction time and reduced FD and NAA concentration in the sensorimotor voxel. Both FD and NAA mediated the association between age and reaction time. The NAA concentration was found to mediate the association between age and FD in the sensorimotor voxel. We propose that the age-related decrease in NAA concentration may result in reduced axonal fiber density in the sensorimotor cortex which may ultimately account for the response slowness of older participants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Rasooli
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hamed Zivari Adab
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Van Ruitenbeek
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Akila Weerasekera
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sima Chalavi
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Cuypers
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Oron Levin
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thijs Dhollander
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ronald Peeters
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stefan Sunaert
- KU Leuven, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dante Mantini
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Stephan P. Swinnen
- Movement Control & Neuroplasticity Research Group, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- KU Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Gozdas E, Hinkley L, Fingerhut H, Dacorro L, Gu M, Sacchet MD, Hurd R, Hosseini SH. 1H-MRS neurometabolites and associations with neurite microstructures and cognitive functions in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103159. [PMID: 36063758 PMCID: PMC9450331 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis is associated with alterations in neurometabolites and cortical microstructure. However, our understanding of alterations in neurochemicals in the prefrontal cortex and their relationship with changes in cortical microstructure in AD remains unclear. Here, we studied the levels of neurometabolites in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in healthy older adults and patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairments (aMCI) using single-voxel proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), glutamate+glutamate (Glx), Myo-inositol (mI), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) brain metabolite levels were quantified relative to total creatine (tCr = Cr + PCr). aMCI had significantly decreased NAA/tCr, Glx/tCr, NAA/mI, and increased mI/tCr levels compared with healthy controls. Further, we leveraged advanced diffusion MRI to extract neurite properties in the left DLPFC and found a significant positive correlation between NAA/tCr, related to neuronal intracellular compartment, and neurite density (ICVF, intracellular volume fraction), and a negative correlation between mI/tCr and neurite orientation (ODI) only in healthy older adults. These data suggest a potential decoupling in the relationship between neurite microstructures and NAA and mI concentrations in DLPFC in the early stage of AD. Together, our results confirm altered DLPFC neurometabolites in prodromal phase of AD and provide unique evidence regarding the imbalance in the association between neurometabolites and neurite microstructure in early stage of AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elveda Gozdas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA,Corresponding author at: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, CBRAIN Lab, 401 Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305-5795, USA.
| | - Lauren Hinkley
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Fingerhut
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Dacorro
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Meng Gu
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Matthew D. Sacchet
- Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Ralph Hurd
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - S.M. Hadi Hosseini
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Circulating N-Acetylaspartate does not track brain NAA concentrations, cognitive function or features of small vessel disease in humans. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11530. [PMID: 35798828 PMCID: PMC9262942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15670-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
N-acetylaspartate (NAA) is the second most abundant metabolite in the human brain; although it is assumed to be a proxy for a neuronal marker, its function is not fully elucidated. NAA is also detectable in plasma, but its relation to cerebral NAA levels, cognitive performance, or features of cerebral disease has not been investigated. To study whether circulating NAA tracks cerebral NAA levels, and whether circulating NAA correlates with cognitive function and features of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Two datasets were analyzed. In dataset 1, structural MRI was acquired in 533 subjects to assess four features of cerebral SVD. Cognitive function was evaluated with standardized test scores (N = 824). In dataset 2, brain 1H-MRS from the occipital region was acquired (N = 49). In all subjects, fasting circulating NAA was measured with mass spectrometry. Dataset 1: in univariate and adjusted for confounders models, we found no correlation between circulating NAA and the examined features of cerebral SVD. In univariate analysis, circulating NAA levels were associated inversely with the speed in information processing and the executive function score, however these associations were lost after accounting for confounders. In line with the negative findings of dataset 1, in dataset 2 there was no correlation between circulating and central NAA or total NAA levels. This study indicates that circulating NAA levels do not reflect central (occipital) NAA levels, cognitive function, or cerebral small vessel disease in man.
Collapse
|
5
|
Sönmez Flitman R, Khalili B, Kutalik Z, Rueedi R, Brümmer A, Bergmann S. Untargeted Metabolome- and Transcriptome-Wide Association Study Suggests Causal Genes Modulating Metabolite Concentrations in Urine. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:5103-5114. [PMID: 34699229 PMCID: PMC9286311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00585] [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: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Gene products can
affect the concentrations of small molecules
(aka “metabolites”), and conversely, some metabolites
can modulate the concentrations of gene transcripts. While many specific
instances of this interplay have been revealed, a global approach
to systematically uncover human gene-metabolite interactions is still
lacking. We performed a metabolome- and transcriptome-wide association
study to identify genes influencing the human metabolome using untargeted
metabolome features, extracted from 1H nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy (NMR) of urine samples, and gene expression
levels, quantified from RNA-Seq of lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL)
from 555 healthy individuals. We identified 20 study-wide significant
associations corresponding to 15 genes, of which 5 associations (with
2 genes) were confirmed with follow-up NMR data. Using metabomatching,
we identified the metabolites corresponding to metabolome features
associated with the genes, namely, N-acetylated compounds with ALMS1 and trimethylamine (TMA) with HPS1. Finally, Mendelian randomization analysis supported a potential
causal link between the expression of genes in both the ALMS1- and HPS1-loci and their associated metabolite
concentrations. In the case of HPS1, we additionally
observed that TMA concentration likely exhibits a reverse causal effect
on HPS1 expression levels, indicating a negative
feedback loop. Our study highlights how the integration of metabolomics,
gene expression, and genetic data can pinpoint causal genes modulating
metabolite concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reyhan Sönmez Flitman
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Bita Khalili
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Zoltan Kutalik
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,University Center for Primary Care and Public Health, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1010, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Rico Rueedi
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Anneke Brümmer
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Sven Bergmann
- Department of Computational Biology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne 1015, Switzerland.,Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yesilkaya UH, Sen M, Balcioglu YH. COVID-19-related cognitive dysfunction may be associated with transient disruption in the DLPFC glutamatergic pathway. J Clin Neurosci 2021; 87:153-155. [PMID: 33863524 PMCID: PMC7955917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment has recently attracted researchers as one of the possible neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19, although how the infection perpetuates impairment of cognitive functions is still obscure. We presented a 29-year-old male patient with COVID-19 who developed new-onset transient attention deficit and memory problems following a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Structural neuroimaging was normal. MR-spectroscopy (MRS) of the bilateral DLPFC revealed significant for decreased levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate, and glutamate/glutamine ratio. After a follow-up without any medical treatment but with suggestions of memory exercises for three months a control MRS screening of DLPFC showed improved levels of NAA, glutamate, and glutamate/glutamine ratio. This report may suggest that cognitive deficits in SARS-CoV-2 infection can result from glutamatergic dysfunction with decreased NAA and glutamate levels in bilateral DLPFC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Umit Haluk Yesilkaya
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Prof Mazhar Osman Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Meltem Sen
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Prof Mazhar Osman Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Yasin Hasan Balcioglu
- Department of Psychiatry, Bakirkoy Prof Mazhar Osman Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Early Detection of Radiation-Induced Injury and Prediction of Cognitive Deficit by MRS Metabolites in Radiotherapy of Low-Grade Glioma. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6616992. [PMID: 34258272 PMCID: PMC8260313 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6616992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Purpose To compare the sensitivity of MRS metabolites and MoCA and ACE-R cognitive tests in the detection of radiation-induced injury in low grade glioma (LGG) patients in early and early delayed postradiation stages. Methods MRS metabolite ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr, ACE-R and MoCA cognitive tests, and dosimetric parameters in corpus callosum were analyzed during RT and up to 6-month post-RT for ten LGG patients. Results Compared to pre RT baseline, a significant decline in both NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in the corpus callosum was seen at the 4th week of RT, 1, 3, and 6-month post-RT. These declines were detected at least 3 months before the detection of declines in cognitive functions by ACE-R and MoCA tools. Moreover, NAA/Cr alterations at 4th week of RT and 1-month post-RT were significantly negatively correlated with the mean dose received by the corpus callosum, as well as the corpus callosum 40 Gy dose volume, i.e., the volume of the corpus callosum receiving a dose greater than 40 Gy. Conclusion MRS-based biomarkers may be more sensitive than the state-of-the-art cognitive tests in the prediction of postradiation cognitive impairments. They would be utilized in treatment planning and dose sparing protocols, with a specific focus on the corpus callosum in the radiation therapy of LGG patients.
Collapse
|
8
|
White TL, Gonsalves MA, Cohen RA, Harris AD, Monnig MA, Walsh EG, Nitenson AZ, Porges EC, Lamb DG, Woods AJ, Borja CB. The neurobiology of wellness: 1H-MRS correlates of agency, flexibility and neuroaffective reserves in healthy young adults. Neuroimage 2020; 225:117509. [PMID: 33127477 PMCID: PMC7869459 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) is a noninvasive imaging technique that measures the concentration of metabolites in defined areas of the human brain in vivo. The underlying structure of natural metabolism-emotion relationships is unknown. Further, there is a wide range of between-person differences in metabolite concentration in healthy individuals, but the significance of this variation for understanding emotion in healthy humans is unclear. Here we investigated the relationship of two emotional constructs, agency and flexibility, with the metabolites glutamate and glutamine (Glx), N-acetylaspartate (tNAA), choline (Cho), creatine (tCr), and myo-inositol (Ins) in the right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) in medically and psychiatrically healthy volunteers (N = 20, 9 female; mean age = 22.8 years, SD = 3.40). The dACC was selected because this region is an integrative hub involved in multiple brain networks of emotion, cognition and behavior. Emotional traits were assessed using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire Brief Form (MPQ-BF), an empirically derived self-report instrument with an orthogonal factor structure. Phenotypes evaluated were positive and negative agency (MPQ-BF Social Potency, Aggression), emotional and behavioral flexibility (MPQ-BF Absorption, Control-reversed), and positive and negative affect (MPQ-BF Social Closeness; Stress Reaction, Alienation). The resting concentration of tNAA in the dACC was robustly positively correlated with Absorption (r = +0.56, unadjusted p = .005), moderately positively correlated with Social Potency (r = +0.42, unadjusted p = .03), and robustly negatively correlated with Aggression (r = −0.59, unadjusted p = .003). Absorption and Aggression accounted for substantial variance in tNAA (R2 = 0.31, 0.35; combined R2 = 0.50), and survived correction for multiple comparisons (Holm-Bonferroni adjusted p = .032, 0.021, respectively). dACC Glx and Cho had modest relationships with behavioral flexibility and social affiliation that did not survive this multiple correction, providing effect sizes for future work. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed a three-factor orthogonal solution indicating specific relationships between: 1) Glx and behavioral engagement; 2) Cho and affiliative bonding; and 3) tNAA and a novel dimension that we term neuroaffective reserves. Our results inform the neurobiology of agency and flexibility and lay the groundwork for understanding mechanisms of natural emotion using 1H-MRS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tara L White
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Box G-S121-4, 121 South Main St., Providence, RI 02912, USA; Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | | | - Ronald A Cohen
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ashley D Harris
- Department of Radiology, CAIR Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Mollie A Monnig
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Box G-S121-4, 121 South Main St., Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Edward G Walsh
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Adam Z Nitenson
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Eric C Porges
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Damon G Lamb
- Department of Psychiatry, and Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Center for Neuropsychological Studies, Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA; Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J Woods
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, and McKnight Brain Research Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cara B Borja
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Morley KC, Lagopoulos J, Logge W, Chitty K, Moustafa AA, Haber PS. Brain N-Acetyl Aspartate and associations with cognitive impairment in alcohol dependent patients. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2019; 42:111-117. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2019.1685078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C. Morley
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience – Thompson Institute, University of Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia
| | - Warren Logge
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Kate Chitty
- School of Pharmacology, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ahmed A. Moustafa
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul S. Haber
- NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Long-term Effects of Cholestatic Liver Disease in Childhood on Neuropsychological Outcomes and Neurochemistry. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2019; 69:145-151. [PMID: 31169662 DOI: 10.1097/mpg.0000000000002380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Children with liver disease have increased risk of long-term cognitive deficits. We differentiated between the effects of chronic liver disease from that associated with transplantation by recruiting children with cholestatic liver disease (CLD) with and without transplantation. METHODS Psychometric measures and magnetic resonance spectroscopy were obtained for 3 groups of children: stable liver disease without transplantation; CLD from birth with transplantation; and individuals healthy to 18 months of age, before transplantation for acute liver failure. RESULTS Cognitive outcomes between children with different disease histories were significantly associated with the duration of liver disease but not the effects of transplantation, including that of immunosuppression. Lower intellectual ability was most frequently observed in the CLD group, whereas all of the acute liver failure group scored within the normal range. Myoinositol and glutamate/glutamine concentrations in cortex were significantly associated with disease duration across the cohort. Neurometabolite profiles in stable liver disease were consistent with subclinical encephalopathy. Impaired growth in early childhood was associated with later cognitive performance. CONCLUSION Children with prolonged liver disease had the poorest cognitive outcomes despite successful transplantation, suggesting that prolonged cholestasis before transplantation adversely affects neurodevelopment, and reinforces the need for timely interventions.
Collapse
|
11
|
Ostojic J, Kozic D, Ostojic SM. N-Acetylaspartate-to-creatine ratio in twelve brain locations among healthy men and women with different levels of education. Neurosci Lett 2019; 692:23-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.10.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
12
|
Goryunova AV, Shevchenko YS, Goryunov AV. Cogitum in children's neurology and psychiatry (experience in the practical use). Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2019. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro201911907258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
13
|
1H MR spectroscopy of the motor cortex immediately following transcranial direct current stimulation at 7 Tesla. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198053. [PMID: 30157179 PMCID: PMC6114283 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that may modulate cortical excitability, metabolite concentration, and human behaviour. The supplementary motor area (SMA) has been largely ignored as a potential target for tDCS neurorehabilitation but is an important region in motor compensation after brain injury with strong efferent connections to the primary motor cortex (M1). The objective of this work was to measure tissue metabolite changes in the human motor cortex immediately following tDCS. We hypothesized that bihemispheric tDCS would change levels of metabolites involved in neuromodulation including N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate (Glu), and creatine (tCr). In this single-blind, randomized, cross-over study, fifteen healthy adults aged 21–60 participated in two 7T MRI sessions, to identify changes in metabolite concentrations by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Immediately after 20 minutes of tDCS, there were no significant changes in metabolite levels or metabolite ratios comparing tDCS to sham. However there was a trend toward increased NAA/tCr concentration (p = 0.08) in M1 under the stimulating cathode. There was a strong, positive correlation between the change in the absolute concentration of NAA and the change in the absolute concentration of tCr (p<0.001) suggesting an effect of tDCS. Both NAA and creatine are important markers of neurometabolism. Our findings provide novel insight into the modulation of neural metabolites in the motor cortex immediately following application of bihemispheric tDCS.
Collapse
|
14
|
Glutamine/glutamate (Glx) concentration in prefrontal cortex predicts reversal learning performance in the marmoset. Behav Brain Res 2018; 346:11-15. [PMID: 29378291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
This study used Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to identify potential neurometabolitic markers of cognitive performance in male (n = 7) and female (n = 8) middle-aged (∼5 years old) common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Anesthetized marmosets were scanned with a 4.7 T/40 cm horizontal magnet equipped with 450 mT/m magnetic field gradients and a 20 G/cm magnetic field gradient insert, within 3 months of completing the CANTAB serial Reversal Learning task. Neurometabolite concentrations of N-Acetyl Asparate, Myo-Inositol, Choline, Phosphocreatine + creatine, Glutamate and Glutamine were acquired from a 3 mm3 voxel positioned in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC). Males acquired the reversals (but not simple discriminations) faster than the females. Higher PFC Glx (glutamate + glutamine) concentration was associated with faster acquisition of the reversals. Interestingly, the correlation between cognitive performance and Glx was significant in males, but not in females. These results suggest that MRS is a useful tool to identify biochemical markers of cognitive performance in the healthy nonhuman primate brain and that biological sex modulates the relationship between neurochemical composition and cognition.
Collapse
|
15
|
Margari L, De Giacomo A, Craig F, Palumbi R, Peschechera A, Margari M, Picardi F, Caldarola M, Maghenzani MA, Dicuonzo F. Frontal lobe metabolic alterations in autism spectrum disorder: a 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2018; 14:1871-1876. [PMID: 30050301 PMCID: PMC6055909 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s165375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Recently, neuroimaging studies were performed using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), revealing a quantitative alteration of neurochemicals (such as neurotransmitters and metabolites) in several brain regions of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The involvement of the frontal lobe in the neurobiology of ASD has long been documented in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the alterations of N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) and choline/Cr (Cho/Cr) ratios in the frontal lobe subcortical white matter (WM) in ASD patients, in order to reveal any alteration of metabolites that might be the expression of specific clinical features of the disorder. PATIENTS AND METHODS An 1H-MRS study of the frontal lobe subcortical WM was performed in 75 children with ASD and in 50 age-matched controls to evaluate the functional activity of this brain region. RESULTS NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios were significantly altered in ASD, compared to control subjects. Moreover, in the ASD group, NAA/Cr was significantly lower in patients with a cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION Results from this study confirm the existence of brain metabolites' alterations in frontal lobe WM in children with ASD, supporting the relevance of this brain region in the clinical expressions of this disorder, including its role in the cognitive impairment. Further 1H-MRS investigations will allow to comprehensively explain the relationship between metabolic alteration in a specific brain region and specific clinical features of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Margari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Andrea De Giacomo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Francesco Craig
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Unit for Severe Disabilities in Developmental Age and Young Adults, Developmental Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Brindisi, Italy
| | - Roberto Palumbi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Antonia Peschechera
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Mariella Margari
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy,
| | - Francesca Picardi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Marina Caldarola
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Marilena Anna Maghenzani
- Emergency Department, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Franca Dicuonzo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, Neuroradiology Unit, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Medial Frontal Lobe Neurochemistry in Autism Spectrum Disorder is Marked by Reduced N-Acetylaspartate and Unchanged Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Glutamate + Glutamine Levels. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 48:1467-1482. [PMID: 29177616 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3406-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
|
17
|
Brain Structural Networks Associated with Intelligence and Visuomotor Ability. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2177. [PMID: 28526888 PMCID: PMC5438383 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02304-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that multiple structures in the brain are associated with intelligence and cognitive function at the network level. The association between the grey matter (GM) structural network and intelligence and cognition is not well understood. We applied a multivariate approach to identify the pattern of GM and link the structural network to intelligence and cognitive functions. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was acquired from 92 healthy individuals. Source-based morphometry analysis was applied to the imaging data to extract GM structural covariance. We assessed the intelligence, verbal fluency, processing speed, and executive functioning of the participants and further investigated the correlations of the GM structural networks with intelligence and cognitive functions. Six GM structural networks were identified. The cerebello-parietal component and the frontal component were significantly associated with intelligence. The parietal and frontal regions were each distinctively associated with intelligence by maintaining structural networks with the cerebellum and the temporal region, respectively. The cerebellar component was associated with visuomotor ability. Our results support the parieto-frontal integration theory of intelligence by demonstrating how each core region for intelligence works in concert with other regions. In addition, we revealed how the cerebellum is associated with intelligence and cognitive functions.
Collapse
|
18
|
Nikolaidis A, Baniqued PL, Kranz MB, Scavuzzo CJ, Barbey AK, Kramer AF, Larsen RJ. Multivariate Associations of Fluid Intelligence and NAA. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:2607-2616. [PMID: 27005991 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the neural and metabolic correlates of fluid intelligence not only aids scientists in characterizing cognitive processes involved in intelligence, but it also offers insight into intervention methods to improve fluid intelligence. Here we use magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) to measure N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), a biochemical marker of neural energy production and efficiency. We use principal components analysis (PCA) to examine how the distribution of NAA in the frontal and parietal lobes relates to fluid intelligence. We find that a left lateralized frontal-parietal component predicts fluid intelligence, and it does so independently of brain size, another significant predictor of fluid intelligence. These results suggest that the left motor regions play a key role in the visualization and planning necessary for spatial cognition and reasoning, and we discuss these findings in the context of the Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory of intelligence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aki Nikolaidis
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.,Neuroscience Program and
| | - Pauline L Baniqued
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.,Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.,Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michael B Kranz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.,Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Claire J Scavuzzo
- Neuroscience Program and.,Psychology Department, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Aron K Barbey
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
| | - Arthur F Kramer
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.,Neuroscience Program and.,Psychology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Ryan J Larsen
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Scavuzzo CJ, Moulton CJ, Larsen RJ. The use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy for assessing the effect of diet on cognition. Nutr Neurosci 2016; 21:1-15. [DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2016.1218191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire J. Scavuzzo
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Ryan J. Larsen
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Paul EJ, Larsen RJ, Nikolaidis A, Ward N, Hillman CH, Cohen NJ, Kramer AF, Barbey AK. Dissociable brain biomarkers of fluid intelligence. Neuroimage 2016; 137:201-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
|
21
|
Libero LE, Reid MA, White DM, Salibi N, Lahti AC, Kana RK. Biochemistry of the cingulate cortex in autism: An MR spectroscopy study. Autism Res 2015; 9:643-57. [PMID: 26526126 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have uncovered structural and functional alterations in the cingulate cortex in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Such abnormalities may underlie neurochemical imbalance. In order to characterize the neurochemical profile, the current study examined the concentration of brain metabolites in dorsal ACC (dACC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in high-functioning adults with ASD. Twenty high-functioning adults with ASD and 20 age-and-IQ-matched typically developing (TD) peers participated in this Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) study. LCModel was used in analyzing the spectra to measure the levels of N-Acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), and glutamate/glutamine (Glx) in dACC and PCC. Groups were compared using means for the ratio of each metabolite to their respective Cr levels as well as on absolute internal-water-referenced measures of each metabolite. There was a significant increase in Cho in PCC for ASD adults, with a marginal increase in dACC. A reduction in NAA/Cr in dACC was found in ASD participants, compared to their TD peers. No significant differences in Glx/Cr or Cho/Cr were found in dACC. There were no statistically significant group differences in the absolute concentration of NAA, Cr, Glx, or NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and Glx/Cr in the PCC. Differences in the metabolic properties of dACC compared to PCC were also found. Results of this study provide evidence for possible cellular and metabolic differences in the dACC and PCC in adults with ASD. This may suggest neuronal dysfunction in these regions and may contribute to the neuropathology of ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 643-657. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Libero
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | | | - David M White
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Nouha Salibi
- MR R&D, Siemens Healthcare, Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Adrienne C Lahti
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Rajesh K Kana
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Ende G. Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Relevance of Glutamate and GABA to Neuropsychology. Neuropsychol Rev 2015; 25:315-25. [PMID: 26264407 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-015-9295-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) has been widely used to study the healthy and diseased brain in vivo. The availability of whole body MR scanners with a field strength of 3 Tesla and above permit the quantification of many metabolites including the neurotransmitters glutamate (Glu) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The potential link between neurometabolites identified by MRS and cognition and behavior has been explored in numerous studies both in healthy subjects and in patient populations. Preliminary findings suggest direct or opposite associations between GABA or Glu with impulsivity, anxiety, and dexterity. This chapter is intended to provide an overview of basic principles of MRS and the literature reporting correlations between GABA or Glu and results of neuropsychological assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Ende
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, J5, D-68159, Mannheim, Germany,
| |
Collapse
|