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Wittens MMJ, Denissen S, Sima DM, Fransen E, Niemantsverdriet E, Bastin C, Benoit F, Bergmans B, Bier JC, de Deyn PP, Deryck O, Hanseeuw B, Ivanoiu A, Picard G, Ribbens A, Salmon E, Segers K, Sieben A, Struyfs H, Thiery E, Tournoy J, van Binst AM, Versijpt J, Smeets D, Bjerke M, Nagels G, Engelborghs S. Brain age as a biomarker for pathological versus healthy ageing - a REMEMBER study. Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:128. [PMID: 38877568 PMCID: PMC11179390 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01491-y] [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: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the potential clinical value of a new brain age prediction model as a single interpretable variable representing the condition of our brain. Among many clinical use cases, brain age could be a novel outcome measure to assess the preventive effect of life-style interventions. METHODS The REMEMBER study population (N = 742) consisted of cognitively healthy (HC,N = 91), subjective cognitive decline (SCD,N = 65), mild cognitive impairment (MCI,N = 319) and AD dementia (ADD,N = 267) subjects. Automated brain volumetry of global, cortical, and subcortical brain structures computed by the CE-labeled and FDA-cleared software icobrain dm (dementia) was retrospectively extracted from T1-weighted MRI sequences that were acquired during clinical routine at participating memory clinics from the Belgian Dementia Council. The volumetric features, along with sex, were combined into a weighted sum using a linear model, and were used to predict 'brain age' and 'brain predicted age difference' (BPAD = brain age-chronological age) for every subject. RESULTS MCI and ADD patients showed an increased brain age compared to their chronological age. Overall, brain age outperformed BPAD and chronological age in terms of classification accuracy across the AD spectrum. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between total MMSE score and both brain age (r = -0.38,p < .001) and BPAD (r = -0.26,p < .001). Noticeable trends, but no significant correlations, were found between BPAD and incidence of conversion from MCI to ADD, nor between BPAD and conversion time from MCI to ADD. BPAD was increased in heavy alcohol drinkers compared to non-/sporadic (p = .014) and moderate (p = .040) drinkers. CONCLUSIONS Brain age and associated BPAD have the potential to serve as indicators for, and to evaluate the impact of lifestyle modifications or interventions on, brain health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy M J Wittens
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stijn Denissen
- icometrix, Leuven, Belgium
- AIMS lab, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Diana M Sima
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- icometrix, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Erik Fransen
- Centre of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, and Antwerp University Hospital - UZA, Edegem, Belgium
| | | | - Christine Bastin
- GIGA-CRC-IVI, Liège University, Allée du Six Août, 8, Liège, 4000, Belgium
| | - Florence Benoit
- Geriatrics Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bruno Bergmans
- Neurology Department, AZ St-Jan Brugge, Brugge, Belgium
- Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jean-Christophe Bier
- Neurological department H. U. B. - Erasme Hospital - Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Paul de Deyn
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behavior, Experimental Neurobiology Unit, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
- Memory Clinic, Ziekenhuisnetwerk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Olivier Deryck
- Neurology Department, AZ St-Jan Brugge, Brugge, Belgium
- Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bernard Hanseeuw
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, 1200, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, Clinique Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, 1200, Belgium
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, 1300, Belgium
| | - Adrian Ivanoiu
- Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires St Luc, and Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (Brussels), Belgium
| | - Gaëtane Picard
- Department of Neurology, Clinique Saint-Pierre, Ottignies, Belgium
| | | | - Eric Salmon
- GIGA-CRC-IVI, Liège University, Allée du Six Août, 8, Liège, 4000, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, Memory Clinic, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Kurt Segers
- Memory Clinic - Neurology and Geriatrics Department, CHU Brugmann, Van Gehuchtenplein 4, Brussels, 1020, Belgium
| | - Anne Sieben
- Neuropathology Lab, IBB-NeuroBiobank BB190113, Born Bunge Institute, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, Antwerp University Hospital - UZA, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neurology, Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hanne Struyfs
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Evert Thiery
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jos Tournoy
- Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Geriatric Medicine and Memory Clinic, University Hospitals Leuven and KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Anne-Marie van Binst
- Radiology Department, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jan Versijpt
- Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Dirk Smeets
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- icometrix, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria Bjerke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Nagels
- Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium
- St. Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- AIMS lab, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, UZ Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Engelborghs
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Neurology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Brussels, Belgium.
- Neuroprotection and Neuromodulation (NEUR) Research Group, Center for Neurosciences (C4N), Vrije, Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.
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Valdes-Hernandez PA, Johnson AJ, Montesino-Goicolea S, Nodarse CL, Bashyam V, Davatzikos C, Fillingim RB, Cruz-Almeida Y. Accelerated Brain Aging Mediates the Association Between Psychological Profiles and Clinical Pain in Knee Osteoarthritis. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104423. [PMID: 37952863 PMCID: PMC11144298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is driven by factors across the biopsychosocial spectrum. Previously, we demonstrated that magnetic resonance images (MRI)-based brain-predicted age differences (brain-PAD: brain-predicted age minus chronological age) were significantly associated with pain severity in individuals with chronic knee pain. We also previously identified four distinct, replicable, multidimensional psychological profiles significantly associated with clinical pain. The brain aging-psychological characteristics interface in persons with chronic pain promises elucidating factors contributing to their poor health outcomes, yet this relationship is barely understood. That is why we examined the interplay between the psychological profiles in participants having chronic knee pain impacting function, brain-PAD, and clinical pain severity. Controlling for demographics and MRI scanner, we compared the brain-PAD among psychological profiles at baseline (n = 164) and over two years (n = 90). We also explored whether profile-related differences in pain severity were mediated by brain-PAD. Brain-PAD differed significantly between profiles (ANOVA's omnibus test, P = .039). Specifically, participants in the profile 3 group (high negative/low positive emotions) had an average brain-PAD ∼4 years higher than those in profile- (low somatic reactivity), with P = .047, Bonferroni-corrected, and than those in profile 2 (high coping), with P = .027, uncorrected. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant change in profile-related brain-PAD differences over time, but there was a significant decrease in brain-PAD for profile 4 (high optimism/high positive affect), with P = .045. Moreover, profile-related differences in pain severity at baseline were partly explained by brain-PAD differences between profile 3 and 1, or 2; but brain-PAD did not significantly mediate the influence of variations in profiles on changes in pain severity over time. PERSPECTIVE: Accelerated brain aging could underlie the psychological-pain relationship, and psychological characteristics may predispose individuals with chronic knee pain to worse health outcomes via neuropsychological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A. Valdes-Hernandez
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Alisa J. Johnson
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
| | - Soamy Montesino-Goicolea
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Chavier Laffitte Nodarse
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Vishnu Bashyam
- Center for Biomedical Image Computing & Analytics, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA
- Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Imaging Lab (AIBIL), Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christos Davatzikos
- Center for Biomedical Image Computing & Analytics, Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, USA
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, USA
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Korbmacher M, van der Meer D, Beck D, de Lange AMG, Eikefjord E, Lundervold A, Andreassen OA, Westlye LT, Maximov II. Brain asymmetries from mid- to late life and hemispheric brain age. Nat Commun 2024; 15:956. [PMID: 38302499 PMCID: PMC10834516 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45282-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The human brain demonstrates structural and functional asymmetries which have implications for ageing and mental and neurological disease development. We used a set of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) metrics derived from structural and diffusion MRI data in N=48,040 UK Biobank participants to evaluate age-related differences in brain asymmetry. Most regional grey and white matter metrics presented asymmetry, which were higher later in life. Informed by these results, we conducted hemispheric brain age (HBA) predictions from left/right multimodal MRI metrics. HBA was concordant to conventional brain age predictions, using metrics from both hemispheres, but offers a supplemental general marker of brain asymmetry when setting left/right HBA into relationship with each other. In contrast to WM brain asymmetries, left/right discrepancies in HBA are lower at higher ages. Our findings outline various sex-specific differences, particularly important for brain age estimates, and the value of further investigating the role of brain asymmetries in brain ageing and disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Korbmacher
- Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre (MMIV), Bergen, Norway.
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Dani Beck
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Eli Eikefjord
- Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
- Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre (MMIV), Bergen, Norway
| | - Arvid Lundervold
- Mohn Medical Imaging and Visualization Centre (MMIV), Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars T Westlye
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivan I Maximov
- Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
- NORMENT Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Maximov II, Westlye LT. Comparison of different neurite density metrics with brain asymmetry evaluation. Z Med Phys 2023:S0939-3889(23)00085-5. [PMID: 37562999 DOI: 10.1016/j.zemedi.2023.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
The standard diffusion MRI model with intra- and extra-axonal water pools offers a set of microstructural parameters describing brain white matter architecture. However, non-linearities in the standard model and diffusion data contamination by noise and imaging artefacts make estimation of diffusion metrics challenging. In order to develop reliable diffusion approaches and to avoid computational model degeneracy, additional theoretical assumptions allowing stable numerical implementations are required. Advanced diffusion approaches allow for estimation of intra-axonal water fraction (AWF), describing a key structural characteristic of brain tissue. AWF can be interpreted as an indirect measure or proxy of neurite density and has a potential as useful clinical biomarker. Established diffusion approaches such as white matter tract integrity, neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and spherical mean technique provide estimates of AWF within their respective theoretical frameworks. In the present study, we estimated AWF metrics using different diffusion approaches and compared measures of brain asymmetry between the different metrics in a sub-sample of 182 subjects from the UK Biobank. Multivariate decomposition by mean of linked independent component analysis revealed that the various AWF proxies derived from the different diffusion approaches reflect partly non-overlapping variance of independent components, with distinct anatomical distributions and sensitivity to age. Further, voxel-wise analysis revealed age-related differences in AWF-based brain asymmetry, indicating less apparent left-right hemisphere difference with higher age. Finally, we demonstrated that NODDI metrics suffer from a quite strong dependence on used numerical algorithms and post-processing pipeline. The analysis based on AWF metrics strongly depends on the used diffusion approach and leads to poorly reproducible results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan I Maximov
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Health and Functioning, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; KG Jensen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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