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Wengler K, Trujillo P, Cassidy CM, Horga G. Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI for mechanistic research and biomarker development in psychiatry. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y. [PMID: 39160355 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01934-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is a burgeoning non-invasive neuroimaging method with an increasing number of applications in psychiatric research. This MRI modality is sensitive to the concentration of neuromelanin, which is synthesized from intracellular catecholamines and accumulates in catecholaminergic nuclei including the dopaminergic substantia nigra and the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. Emerging data suggest the utility of neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as a proxy measure for variability in catecholamine metabolism and function, even in the absence of catecholaminergic cell loss. Given the importance of catecholamine function to several psychiatric disorders and their treatments, neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is ideally positioned as an informative and easy-to-acquire catecholaminergic index. In this review paper, we examine basic aspects of neuromelanin and neuromelanin-sensitive MRI and focus on its psychiatric applications in the contexts of mechanistic research and biomarker development. We discuss ongoing debates and state-of-the-art research into the mechanisms of the neuromelanin-sensitive MRI contrast, standardized protocols and optimized analytic approaches, and application of cutting-edge methods such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance the feasibility and predictive power of neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI-based tools. We finally lay out important future directions to allow neuromelanin-sensitive-MRI to fulfill its potential as a key component of the research, and ultimately clinical, toolbox in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paula Trujillo
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt, TN, USA
| | - Clifford M Cassidy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Guillermo Horga
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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2
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Vano LJ, McCutcheon RA, Rutigliano G, Kaar SJ, Finelli V, Nordio G, Wellby G, Sedlacik J, Statton B, Rabiner EA, Ye R, Veronese M, Hopkins SC, Koblan KS, Everall IP, Howes OD. Mesostriatal Dopaminergic Circuit Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: A Multimodal Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and [ 18F]-DOPA Positron Emission Tomography Study. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01417-3. [PMID: 38942349 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Striatal hyperdopaminergia is implicated in the pathoetiology of schizophrenia, but how this relates to dopaminergic midbrain activity is unclear. Neuromelanin (NM)-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging provides a marker of long-term dopamine function. We examined whether midbrain NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging contrast-to-noise ratio (NM-CNR) was higher in people with schizophrenia than in healthy control (HC) participants and whether this correlated with dopamine synthesis capacity. METHODS One hundred fifty-four participants (schizophrenia group: n = 74, HC group: n = 80) underwent NM-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area (SN-VTA). A subset of the schizophrenia group (n = 38) also received [18F]-DOPA positron emission tomography to measure dopamine synthesis capacity (Kicer) in the SN-VTA and striatum. RESULTS SN-VTA NM-CNR was significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC participants (effect size = 0.38, p = .019). This effect was greatest for voxels in the medial and ventral SN-VTA. In patients, SN-VTA Kicer positively correlated with SN-VTA NM-CNR (r = 0.44, p = .005) and striatal Kicer (r = 0.71, p < .001). Voxelwise analysis demonstrated that SN-VTA NM-CNR was positively associated with striatal Kicer (r = 0.53, p = .005) and that this relationship seemed strongest between the ventral SN-VTA and associative striatum in schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that NM levels are higher in patients with schizophrenia than in HC individuals, particularly in midbrain regions that project to parts of the striatum that receive innervation from the limbic and association cortices. The direct relationship between measures of NM and dopamine synthesis suggests that these aspects of schizophrenia pathophysiology are linked. Our findings highlight specific mesostriatal circuits as the loci of dopamine dysfunction in schizophrenia and thus as potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Vano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Kaar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Valeria Finelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanna Nordio
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - George Wellby
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Sedlacik
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ben Statton
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; Mansfield Centre for Innovation - MR Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eugenii A Rabiner
- Invicro, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rong Ye
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; The School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Information Engineering, University of Padua, Padova, Italy
| | - Seth C Hopkins
- Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., Marlborough, Massachusetts
| | | | - Ian P Everall
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Murray SB, Diaz‐Fong JP, Mak VWT, Feusner JD. Assessing midbrain neuromelanin and its relationship to reward learning in anorexia nervosa: Stage 1 of a registered report. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3573. [PMID: 38898625 PMCID: PMC11186843 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a debilitating and potentially chronic eating disorder, characterized by low hedonic drive toward food, which has been linked with perturbations in both reward processing and dopaminergic activity. Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an emerging method to index midbrain neuromelanin-a by-product of dopaminergic synthesis. The assessment of midbrain neuromelanin, and its association with AN psychopathology and reward-related processes, may provide critical insights into reward circuit function in AN. METHODS This study will incorporate neuromelanin-sensitive MRI into an existing study of appetitive conditioning in those with AN. Specifically, those with acute and underweight AN (N = 30), those with weight-restored AN (N = 30), and age-matched healthy controls (N = 30) will undergo clinical assessment of current and previous psychopathology, in addition to structural neuromelanin-sensitive MRI, diffusion MRI, and functional MRI (fMRI) during appetitive conditioning. CONCLUSION This study will be among the first to interrogate midbrain neuromelanin in AN-a disorder characterized by altered dopaminergic activity. Results will help establish whether abnormalities in the midbrain synthesis of dopamine are evident in those with AN and are associated with symptomatic behavior and reduced ability to experience pleasure and reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B. Murray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joel P. Diaz‐Fong
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoOntarioCanada
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral ScienceUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Jamie D. Feusner
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoOntarioCanada
- Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral ScienceUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of Women's and Children's HealthKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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Lammers-Lietz F, Borchers F, Feinkohl I, Hetzer S, Kanar C, Konietschke F, Lachmann G, Chien C, Spies C, Winterer G, Zaborszky L, Zacharias N, Paul F. An exploratory research report on brain mineralization in postoperative delirium and cognitive decline. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:2646-2664. [PMID: 38379517 PMCID: PMC11108748 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16282] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Delirium is a severe postoperative complication associated with poor overall and especially neurocognitive prognosis. Altered brain mineralization is found in neurodegenerative disorders but has not been studied in postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive decline. We hypothesized that mineralization-related hypointensity in susceptibility-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (SWI) is associated with postoperative delirium and cognitive decline. In an exploratory, hypothesis-generating study, we analysed a subsample of cognitively healthy patients ≥65 years who underwent SWI before (N = 65) and 3 months after surgery (N = 33). We measured relative SWI intensities in the basal ganglia, hippocampus and posterior basal forebrain cholinergic system (pBFCS). A post hoc analysis of two pBFCS subregions (Ch4, Ch4p) was conducted. Patients were screened for delirium until the seventh postoperative day. Cognitive testing was performed before and 3 months after surgery. Fourteen patients developed delirium. After adjustment for age, sex, preoperative cognition and region volume, only pBFCS hypointensity was associated with delirium (regression coefficient [90% CI]: B = -15.3 [-31.6; -0.8]). After adjustments for surgery duration, age, sex and region volume, perioperative change in relative SWI intensities of the pBFCS was associated with cognitive decline 3 months after surgery at a trend level (B = 6.8 [-0.9; 14.1]), which was probably driven by a stronger association in subregion Ch4p (B = 9.3 [2.3; 16.2]). Brain mineralization, particularly in the cerebral cholinergic system, could be a pathomechanism in postoperative delirium and cognitive decline. Evidence from our studies is limited because of the small sample and a SWI dataset unfit for iron quantification, and the analyses presented here should be considered exploratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Lammers-Lietz
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- PI Health Solutions GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedrich Borchers
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Insa Feinkohl
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Health at Department of Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Stefan Hetzer
- Berlin Center for Advanced Neuroimaging, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cicek Kanar
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Konietschke
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gunnar Lachmann
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Academy, Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Chien
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudia Spies
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Winterer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- PI Health Solutions GmbH, Berlin, Germany
- Pharmaimage Biomarker Solutions Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Laszlo Zaborszky
- Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Norman Zacharias
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Pharmaimage Biomarker Solutions Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friedemann Paul
- Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine and Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Wengler K, Baker SC, Velikovskaya A, Fogelson A, Girgis RR, Reyes-Madrigal F, Lee S, de la Fuente-Sandoval C, Ojeil N, Horga G. Generalizability and Out-of-Sample Predictive Ability of Associations Between Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Psychosis in Antipsychotic-Free Individuals. JAMA Psychiatry 2024; 81:198-208. [PMID: 37938847 PMCID: PMC10633403 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2023.4305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance The link between psychosis and dopaminergic dysfunction is established, but no generalizable biomarkers with clear potential for clinical adoption exist. Objective To replicate previous findings relating neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI), a proxy measure of dopamine function, to psychosis severity in antipsychotic-free individuals in the psychosis spectrum and to evaluate the out-of-sample predictive ability of NM-MRI for psychosis severity. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study recruited participants from 2019 to 2023 in the New York City area (main samples) and Mexico City area (external validation sample). The main samples consisted of 42 antipsychotic-free patients with schizophrenia, 53 antipsychotic-free individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR), and 52 matched healthy controls. An external validation sample consisted of 16 antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia. Main Outcomes and Measures NM-MRI contrast within a subregion of the substantia nigra previously linked to psychosis severity (a priori psychosis region of interest [ROI]) and psychosis severity measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in schizophrenia and the Structured Interview for Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) in CHR. The cross-validated performance of linear support vector regression to predict psychosis severity across schizophrenia and CHR was assessed, and a final trained model was tested on the external validation sample. Results Of the 163 included participants, 76 (46.6%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 29.2 (10.4) years. In the schizophrenia sample, higher PANSS positive total scores correlated with higher mean NM-MRI contrast in the psychosis ROI (t37 = 2.24, P = .03; partial r = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.55). In the CHR sample, no significant association was found between higher SIPS positive total score and NM-MRI contrast in the psychosis ROI (t48 = -0.55, P = .68; partial r = -0.08; 95% CI, -0.36 to 0.23). The 10-fold cross-validated prediction accuracy of psychosis severity was above chance in held-out test data (mean r = 0.305, P = .01; mean root-mean-square error [RMSE] = 1.001, P = .005). External validation prediction accuracy was also above chance (r = 0.422, P = .046; RMSE = 0.882, P = .047). Conclusions and Relevance This study provided a direct ROI-based replication of the in-sample association between NM-MRI contrast and psychosis severity in antipsychotic-free patients with schizophrenia. In turn, it failed to replicate such association in CHR individuals. Most critically, cross-validated machine-learning analyses provided a proof-of-concept demonstration that NM-MRI patterns can be used to predict psychosis severity in new data, suggesting potential for developing clinically useful tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Wengler
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Seth C. Baker
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
- University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Buffalo, New York
| | | | | | - Ragy R. Girgis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
| | - Francisco Reyes-Madrigal
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatry Department, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Seonjoo Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Camilo de la Fuente-Sandoval
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychiatry & Neuropsychiatry Department, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, New York
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
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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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Choi S, Kim M, Kim T, Choi EJ, Lee J, Moon SY, Cho SS, Lee J, Kwon JS. Fronto-striato-thalamic circuit connectivity and neuromelanin in schizophrenia: an fMRI and neuromelanin-MRI study. SCHIZOPHRENIA (HEIDELBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 9:81. [PMID: 37945576 PMCID: PMC10636101 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-023-00410-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Changes in dopamine and fronto-striato-thalamic (FST) circuit functional connectivity are prominent in schizophrenia. Dopamine is thought to underlie connectivity changes, but experimental evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. Previous studies examined the association in some of the connections using positron emission tomography (PET) and functional MRI (fMRI); however, PET has disadvantages in scanning patients, such as invasiveness. Excessive dopamine induces neuromelanin (NM) accumulation, and NM-MRI is suggested as a noninvasive proxy measure of dopamine function. We aimed to investigate the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity at the network level in patients with schizophrenia. We analysed substantia nigra NM-MRI and resting-state fMRI data from 29 schizophrenia patients and 63 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). We identified the FST subnetwork with abnormal connectivity found in schizophrenia patients compared to that of HCs and investigated the relationship between constituting connectivity and NM-MRI signal. We found a higher NM signal (t = -2.12, p = 0.037) and a hypoconnected FST subnetwork (FWER-corrected p = 0.014) in schizophrenia patients than in HCs. In the hypoconnected subnetwork of schizophrenia patients, lower left supplementary motor area-left caudate connectivity was associated with a higher NM signal (β = -0.38, p = 0.042). We demonstrated the association between NM and FST circuit connectivity. Considering that the NM-MRI signal reflects dopamine function, our results suggest that dopamine underlies changes in FST circuit connectivity, which supports the dopamine hypothesis. In addition, this study reveals implications for the future use of NM-MRI in investigations of the dopamine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunah Choi
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Taekwan Kim
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Jung Choi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungha Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun-Young Moon
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Soo Cho
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, SNU-MRC, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Matéos M, Hacein-Bey L, Hanafi R, Mathys L, Amad A, Pruvo JP, Krystal S. Advanced imaging in first episode psychosis: a systematic review. J Neuroradiol 2023; 50:464-469. [PMID: 37028754 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2023.04.001] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
First-episode psychosis (FEP) is defined as the first occurrence of delusions, hallucinations, or psychic disorganization of significant magnitude, lasting more than 7 days. Evolution is difficult to predict since the first episode remains isolated in one third of cases, while recurrence occurs in another third, and the last third progresses to a schizo-affective disorder. It has been suggested that the longer psychosis goes unnoticed and untreated, the more severe the probability of relapse and recovery. MRI has become the gold standard for imaging psychiatric disorders, especially first episode psychosis. Besides ruling out some neurological conditions that may have psychiatric manifestations, advanced imaging techniques allow for identifying imaging biomarkers of psychiatric disorders. We performed a systematic review of the literature to determine how advanced imaging in FEP may have high diagnostic specificity and predictive value regarding the evolution of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Matéos
- Lille University Hospital Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Lille, France.
| | - Lotfi Hacein-Bey
- Neuroradiology, Radiology Department, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Riyad Hanafi
- Lille University Hospital Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Luc Mathys
- Lille University Hospital Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Lille, France
| | - Ali Amad
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, F-59000 Lille, France; Department of neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Pierre Pruvo
- Lille University Hospital Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Lille, France; Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Sidney Krystal
- Lille University Hospital Center, Department of Neuroradiology, Lille, France; Radiology Department, A. de Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; Neurospin, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, Paris, France
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Menon J, Kantipudi SJ, Mani A, Radhakrishnan R. Characterization of an extreme phenotype of schizophrenia among women with homelessness. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.29.23293378. [PMID: 37577469 PMCID: PMC10418294 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.29.23293378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Background Studies of schizophrenia and homelessness are often confounded by comorbid substance use. Women with schizophrenia and homelessness in India have very low rates of substance use and provide a unique opportunity to disentangle the effects of illness from that of substance use. We examined the clinical characteristics of women with schizophrenia and homelessness and compared it to an age-matched group of women with schizophrenia living with their family. Methods 36 women with schizophrenia and homelessness, and 32 women with schizophrenia who were illness living with family were evaluated for psychopathology using Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS)/ Scale for assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) scales, cognitive difficulties using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA)/Rowland Universal Dementia Scale (RUDAS), and Frontal Assessment Battery(FAB), disability using World Health Organization - Disability assessment Scale (WHO-DAS) and psychosocial factors using a semi-structured proforma. The groups were compared using t-tests and chi-square for continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results Women with schizophrenia and homelessness were found to have significantly higher scores on measures of psychopathology, significantly lower cognitive functioning, and much higher disability, and were also on higher doses of antipsychotics. The mean scores on measures of psychopathology, cognition and disability for women with schizophrenia and homelessness differed by 2-3 standard deviations with the mean for women living with family (i.e. z scores) suggesting that they represented an extreme phenotype. Rates of past employment were higher among women with schizophrenia and homelessness. Hence these differences were not accounted for by premorbid functioning. Conclusions The study raises the possibility of an extreme phenotype of schizophrenia with severe and persistent psychopathology non-responsive to dopamine blocking drugs, cognitive impairment, and disability, which needs further exploration.
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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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Schulz J, Zimmermann J, Sorg C, Menegaux A, Brandl F. Magnetic resonance imaging of the dopamine system in schizophrenia - A scoping review. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:925476. [PMID: 36203848 PMCID: PMC9530597 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.925476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, aberrant dopamine transmission has been proposed to play a central role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. These theories are supported by human in vivo molecular imaging studies of dopamine transmission, particularly positron emission tomography. However, there are several downsides to such approaches, for example limited spatial resolution or restriction of the measurement to synaptic processes of dopaminergic neurons. To overcome these limitations and to measure complementary aspects of dopamine transmission, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based approaches investigating the macrostructure, metabolism, and connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei, i.e., substantia nigra pars compacta and ventral tegmental area, can be employed. In this scoping review, we focus on four dopamine MRI methods that have been employed in patients with schizophrenia so far: neuromelanin MRI, which is thought to measure long-term dopamine function in dopaminergic nuclei; morphometric MRI, which is assumed to measure the volume of dopaminergic nuclei; diffusion MRI, which is assumed to measure fiber-based structural connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei; and resting-state blood-oxygenation-level-dependent functional MRI, which is thought to measure functional connectivity of dopaminergic nuclei based on correlated blood oxygenation fluctuations. For each method, we describe the underlying signal, outcome measures, and downsides. We present the current state of research in schizophrenia and compare it to other disorders with either similar (psychotic) symptoms, i.e., bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, or dopaminergic abnormalities, i.e., substance use disorder and Parkinson's disease. Finally, we discuss overarching issues and outline future research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schulz
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Juliana Zimmermann
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Aurore Menegaux
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Brandl
- Department of Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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